PTR Notes: Wintersaber reputation easier
by John Himes 
Oct 30th 2007 at 9:00AM
Testers are reporting on the official PTR forums that the gains for Wintersaber Trainers reputation have been drastically increased. This Alliance-only grind has long been the worst in the game, with quests originally rewarding 50 reputation points at a time. Considering the fact that players start at neutral with the faction and receive their one and only reward at exalted reputation, that's about 42,000 points to earn (or about 840 quests to complete) without any motivational incentives gained along the way. It retained this infamous status even when the reputation gain was raised to 75 points in patch 2.0.1, but now it has reportedly been raised even further to 250 points for each quest completed.
Befitting the grueling nature of the grind, there has been a lot of solidarity between those undertaking it, inspiring "Wintersaber Support Group" threads on the WoW forums for as long as I can remember. Understandably, a lot of the players that have already earned their "stripes" are concerned that their dearly won Winterspring Frostsaber mount will become more common, thus lowering its uniqueness and invalidating their hard work. On the other hand, many players, like myself, are relieved that this grind has finally become realistically achievable. Where do your opinions lie on this issue?
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Nevets Oct 30th 2007 9:09AM
I recently just started this grind, for the shear fact that it WAS so unique, and that only a hand-full of people had it, let alone knew about it. Though its great that the reputation is raised (im a human, rep wasnt that much of a problem anyway), it will make many more people go out and get it. The problem is, the only reason i was even trying to get this mount is because not many people have it. Either way, im still going for it, might as well if i already started it.
Lios Oct 30th 2007 9:10AM
Can someone check if the reputation for runecloth turnins has increased, too? I find it strange that rep for normal quests is increased (and now also for the tiger), but runecloth still only nets 75 rep. I'm already set back because i leveled before gaining rep was so easy and then the rep for runecloth is that low. I'll never get a chicken mount this way :-/
caylee Oct 30th 2007 9:19AM
I cringe when people keep saying their "hard work" is cheapened. Anybody who did the old quest style in the old game are probably mentally ill lol. 840 quest turn ins but the drops were not guaranteed so you were grinding your butt off to get it.
Elilini Oct 30th 2007 9:20AM
Opposed. Completely opposed.
There should be SOMETHING in the game that's excruciating but still attainable - for solo players.
If thsi goes through, what's next? Vendors selling the ZG/AQ/Baron mounts?
Squiggles Oct 30th 2007 9:25AM
As long as they don't increase the rep gained with the Bloodsail Buccaneers, I'll be happy.
I gave up on the long Wintersaber Rep half way through friendly.
lucifer.cross Oct 30th 2007 9:28AM
I can't really say I'm for or against this change. I started it back when it was just 50 per, and burned out on it quick. Just to entertainment value to it. I probably won't even bother going back to finish despite the greater increase per turn-in. Heh. ~shrug~
redxiii Oct 30th 2007 9:31AM
Its definately invalidating their hard work. If Blizzard wants to throw in a new mount that u can get with neutral->exalted with some faction and 250rp per quest thats fine, but pls dont do this by changing the Wintersaber Faction. Imagining that i would have invested so much time into earning that mount, and then some kiddie-player is pulling it out next to you kind of sucks. Not much room left for individualists.
Greebo Oct 30th 2007 9:30AM
When will Horde get their version of this? I would live with 75rep each IF I could just have the chance to get a unique mount...
sephirah Oct 30th 2007 9:30AM
@4 to be easily recognized as a mindless grinder?
Kestrel Oct 30th 2007 9:30AM
@ #4: Why not? Why the hell not? Those who got those rewards "the old-fashioned way" know they did it the hard way (pure dumb luck). Or is there some need to actively show off your l33tness?
Maybe Greatfather Winter will put an inflatable e-peen in your stocking.
caylee Oct 30th 2007 9:40AM
@10, nothing was invalidated you got your artificial sense of self esteem boosted via pixels for 3 years, they nerfed it because like everything old is not that worth it and it gives people who are bored something new to do.
And I fail to see how you invested anything, if anything you wasted your time, if you have played this game for at least a year or more I would think you would realize that everything old will become common eventually.
ajaxsirius Oct 30th 2007 9:38AM
@ 4,5
For the same reason some guilds try to get world or server firsts instead of waiting for the nerf, the next nerf and the nerf after. They like the challenge and the uniqueness of being one of few. This is what they enjoy.
Salty Oct 30th 2007 9:39AM
840 turn-ins at 50 rep a piece. Minimum of 10 minutes for every turn in cycle is about 140 hours played. The quest items stop dropping once you get the amount you need for the quest, so you have to turn them in before you can get more. This was easily the most depraved rep grind in the game.
Sorry to those who wasted at least 6 dense played days of their lives - perhaps it's a sign.
Deser Oct 30th 2007 9:40AM
@10 How does it invalidate it. You still know you did it. You still know how much effort you put into it. So do your friends. Or is it that you care so much about what others think about you that you couldn't bear to lose the recognition you receive from having a mount that you grinded endlessly for.
And also - I don't understand why the player that pulls it out after they get it the easier way is a "kiddie-player". Getting the mount doesn't take any skill just a ton of time. Now it takes a ton less time. Not sure why less time makes the person who received it a kiddie player.
Some of you people amaze me some times.
idburns Oct 30th 2007 9:42AM
@7 "7. When will Horde get their version of this? I would live with 75rep each IF I could just have the chance to get a unique mount..."
Don't the horde have a faction for special raptors near the troll/ogre starting area?
nativebrown Oct 30th 2007 9:43AM
the insatiable need to be "special", "1337" or have something that proves you're more hardcore than anyone else is funny and sad at the same time.
if you put that much concern into how your WoW avatar compares with others in game I can only assume its because of massive feelings on inferiority when you think about how you feel about your standing in comparison to others in real life.
Ya know real life? The life that actually matters at the end of the day.
idburns Oct 30th 2007 9:45AM
As for the people whining about the mount being more common...who cares? It's not Blizzard or anyone else's fault that you wasted so much time on something so trivial.
Tristan Oct 30th 2007 9:47AM
The wintersaber grind is the WORST GRIND IN THE GAME
even for a murderous 70 it takes a hella long time to do it...
I honestly think it was a sort of horrible idea for blizz to have a grind like this. There is nothing impressive about a person's ability to grind the same mob for 2-3 months straight just to get a mount
Maybe if the wintersaber was better than a normal mount, it might be worth something, but, as it stands... its rly just an epic mount available at 75 skill... if you have 3 months to grind, paying for your epic training is cake... specially in outlands
I think blizz needs to think of more creative rep grinds... I just finished my Aldor rep grind, took about a week... pretty pointless in the end, about 1800 artifact seekers dead (not to mention the other guys)... think of the children
Heraclea Oct 30th 2007 9:47AM
There was someone in my old guild that actually managed to complete this grind - and their character didn't even have the advantage of being human.
Drops quests are frustrating to me anyways (What do you mean, this human had no skull?) so I may not bother even now. But the notion that this somehow devalues someone else's achievement is a little bit ridiculous.
Tristan Oct 30th 2007 9:54AM
@17 Right Right, come WOTLC, people will be farming the 70 content quite easily, so even all of the 3p1X from there will be commonplace. Ever see someone runnin around in a full Tier 3 and how many nostalgic giggles they get...
Blizz shouldn't be working to make sure previous content is nearly unattainable just to protect the ego of the tiny demographic that covets such things. They should keep making interesting content for players to enjoy...
Personally, i think we need Daily Instance Quests, get the people who totally forgot about 5man content back into that part of the game (its sorta on subject, i mean, dailies are half about rep right)