Fun with WoW Math
by Robin Torres 
Aug 21st 2007 at 11:00AM
12_Drakon on LiveJournal posed the question: "I wonder if developers consciously changed itemization to do WoW math less subtle and more apparent, so that more players become, ahem, aware of it?"
The answer is most definitely yes. The developers during the Professions and Items Panel at BlizzCon stated that Resilience in particular was changed because no one could tell it was working. They added the reduction of crit damage specifically because the WoW math was too subtle.
Another example of "exaggerated" WoW math is the increase of stats on items to help fill in the defensive gaps. An Item has a certain stat point value. Previous to TBC, 50 Stat Points = 50 Stamina or 50 Strength. So an item that was "worth" 50 stat points would have 50 points of a stat. Combining stats would increase the number, though, so that an item worth 50 stat points would have 34 Stamina plus 34 Strength. This way, the value of the item isn't reduced too much by spreading the stats around. Combining three stats reduced each stat even more to 26 points a piece.
The answer is most definitely yes. The developers during the Professions and Items Panel at BlizzCon stated that Resilience in particular was changed because no one could tell it was working. They added the reduction of crit damage specifically because the WoW math was too subtle.
Another example of "exaggerated" WoW math is the increase of stats on items to help fill in the defensive gaps. An Item has a certain stat point value. Previous to TBC, 50 Stat Points = 50 Stamina or 50 Strength. So an item that was "worth" 50 stat points would have 50 points of a stat. Combining stats would increase the number, though, so that an item worth 50 stat points would have 34 Stamina plus 34 Strength. This way, the value of the item isn't reduced too much by spreading the stats around. Combining three stats reduced each stat even more to 26 points a piece.
When faced with the choice of items that increased survivability (subtle) and big, pretty DPS numbers, most players chose the easily seen results of increased damage stats instead of stacking up the big Stamina items. They would choose the items with no or reduced Stamina to add the nice DPS stats for the same value. This led to PvP being less fun due to people dying too quickly.
In order to make the PvP game more fun in TBC, Blizzard revalued Stamina to increase survivability along with the big damage stats, so that you didn't have to make the choice. 50 Stat Points still equals 50 Strength but now equals 75 Stamina. Or when combined with Strength, an item worth 50 Stat Points still has 34 Strength but has 51 Stamina. And Stamina combined with 2 stats now has a value of 39 instead of 26. So when you choose the items with the big damage stats on it, you've got some extra Stamina thrown in to keep you alive longer.
Have you noticed the difference in your PvP survivability after the expansion? Are you the type of player who pays attention to the number crunching? Or are math discussions best left to school or work and kept out of your leisure time?
Filed under: Items, Odds and ends, PvP
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Pingmeister Aug 21st 2007 11:04AM
From the blog: "50 Stat Points still equals 50 Strength but now equals 75 Stamina. Or when combined with Strength, an item worth 50 Stat Points still has 34 Strength but has 51 Stamina. And Stamina combined with 2 stats now has a value of 39 instead of 26."
What was the middle part?
Robin Torres Aug 21st 2007 11:17AM
Pingmeister, is that a Fish Called Wanda reference? :) Nothing is missing from the quote. Stamina used to have the same value as the other stats in the equations but in TBC there is now more Stamina whereas the other stats remain the same for the same stat point value. Does that help?
Pingmeister Aug 21st 2007 12:45PM
Sorry, yes, It was my standard reply when I am staring at a sea of numbers. It is from a Fish Called Wanda.
I in no way meant to imply there was bad math there, just that I, like Otto, am an idiot.
Greenman Aug 21st 2007 12:59PM
You should have seen the mess that was the pre-BC honor system rankings. :-)
Vynn Aug 21st 2007 1:21PM
The other thing they've done is toned down other offensive stats. Agility Pre-BC was +2 RAP for hunters, but now only grants +1 RAP...
rafe.brox Aug 21st 2007 1:58PM
"50 Stat Points still equals 50 Strength but now equals 75 Stamina. Or when combined with Strength, an item worth 50 Stat Points still has 34 Strength but has 51 Stamina. And Stamina combined with 2 stats now has a value of 39 instead of 26."
This lattermost breakdown is where the math goes off the rails and warrants a clear breakdown. I have no idea how the math mechanics work, so I'm going to guess:
50 Stat Points = 50 of one stat (other than STA) or 34ea of 2 non-STA stats or 26ea of 3 non-STA stats - or any factorization of these that adds up to the appropriate total; though this seems to be poorly/unfairly implemented in my book - a three-stat item would be 56% more beneficial than a one-stat one (78 total points v. 50).
Stamina only counts 2/3 against this "cap" so you get 1.5x more STA for your Stat Point (75 vs 50, 51/34, 39/26, etc).
Robin, this article would benefit from a more detailed explanation of how the math -works-, including examples (either from game items or made up) to show how it works in practice. People can more readily grasp item equivalency when they have a "Dueling Dagger of Strength" (+32 Str) next to a "Dueling Dagger of the Bear" (+19 Str +27 Sta) next to a "Dueling Dagger of Are You Kidding Me" (+16 Spi, +16 Agi, +24 Sta), or whatever.
Socordia Aug 22nd 2007 3:38AM
Here is how item levels, and therefore stats, are computed:
http://www.wowwiki.com/Formulas:Item_Values
Given an item level of e.g. 115 rare (the typical rare boss drop from LvL 70 5-mans), you can easily compute how much stamina etc. you can have on that item.
James Sep 12th 2007 5:47AM
Thats a new strategy of PvP game to see that the stamina is maintained...
Cheers,
Suma valluru
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