Patch 5.3 interview with Ghostcrawler
Mystery of the Unborn Val'kyr
The latest patch 5.3 news
All of the latest Mists of Pandaria newsForum post of the day: Keep your E-sport out of the Battlegrounds
by Amanda Dean 
Apr 23rd 2008 at 8:46PM
Drysc's announcement of new gear requirements for season four has not been entirely well received. Doorf of Maelstrom is downright upset with the addition of arena point requirements to battleground honor gear. In a thread entitled "Keep your E-sport out of the Battlegrounds" feels that this new mechanic is unfair and forces people to play in the arena in order to truly enjoy the battlegrounds.
Several posters, like Evennia of Feathermoon agree that arena and battleground are separate PvP systems. The forums have many threads today expressing outrage at this change. Dottie of Sargeras believes that this change will be the subject of a lawsuit since it is limiting people's access further to certain aspects of the game. This is an extreme extension of the argument that all players should have access to all game content. Still others, such as Oded of Draenor are once again calling for a separation between traditional WoW and the arena Esport.
Don't get me wrong, I love to play in the arenas, but I agree that the arena and battlegrounds should be treated as separate systems. I suppose the change could be an attempt to refocus folks on their PvE goals. By making battlegrounds less fun and requiring arena participation, many casual PvP players may pursue the PvE environment.
Filed under: Items, Blizzard, PvP, Forums, Battlegrounds, Arena
Reader Comments (Page 4 of 6)
Treima Apr 24th 2008 4:20AM
Totally agree. I really don't see what the big deal is. If you want to get the best PvP gear in the game, you had better have some skill to show for it as well. How does one quantify skill? With a player's Arena Personal Rating. Sure, it's a bit of an abstraction, but it's the system we've got.
BGs can be done in S3 and below just fine. Sure, you'll run into l33t Arena folks with S4 and be at a disadvantage from time to time, but gear disparity is just inevitably a part of a progression-based game. It's nothing to cry (or threaten lawsuits) over.
Treima Apr 24th 2008 4:21AM
GRRRR
The above post was supposed to be a reply to Jarsyl.
SaintStryfe Apr 24th 2008 4:47AM
How about this:
In order to get S3 items with honor only, a short PVP-centric quest line must be completed first.
How about this:
Vengeful Gladiator's Glory
Take two Spirit Towers in the Bone Wastes.
"In order to sell you these incredibly powerful weapons an armor, we need to know you are worthy of them. First, Go to the Bone Wastes in Trekkoar Forrest and capture two of the spirit towers there for the [A/H]. Once you have done that, return to me and I will allow you to purchase your weapon.
Rewards: 11g 50s, And pick one: 2 Elixirs of Major Agil/Str/Int/Wis/Sta
Vengeful Gladiator's Endurance
Kill 5 opposing faction players in Halaa.
"Your progress pleases us. Go to Nagrand, to the wavering town of Halaa. Kill 5 of the devilish [H/A] and return to me for your final test."
Rewards: 11g 50s, Vengeful Gladiator's Endurance (this attunement on your character allows you to buy all armor except for Shoulder pieces from the Vengeful Gladiator's sets.)
Vengeful Gladiators Reign
Bring 10 each of [Warsong Gulch Mark of Honor], [Arathi Basin Mark of Honor], [Alterac Valley Mark of Honor] and [Eye of the Storm Mark of Honor] to [Seller].
"We know you are steadfast and strong, but you will need to show your commitment to fighting for the [A/H]. Participating in the fights in the various battle hotspots around Azeroth and Outland grants marks of honor. Bring me 10 from the 4 main battlefields, Warsong Gulch, Arathi Basin, Alterac Valley and the Eye of the Storm. Bring me these marks, and I will allow you access to the strongest of our items.
Rewards: 20g, 50s, "Vengeful Gladiator's Reign" (This attunement on your character allows you to purchase all Vengeful Gladiator's Items using honor points., including shoulder armor and weapons."
SaintStryfe Apr 24th 2008 4:49AM
oops, I decided to suggest a quest line without editing the first quest's text.
"In order to sell you these incredibly powerful weapons and armor, we need to know you are worthy of them. First, Go to the Bone Wastes in Trekkoar Forrest and capture two of the spirit towers there for the [A/H]. Once you have done that, return to me and I will give you another task that will let you purchase my wares."
CN Apr 24th 2008 5:01AM
Sueing? Need to read the EULA & TOS.
souvlaki Apr 24th 2008 5:34AM
What i would like is 4 gear tabs:
- PVE tab (default tab, if there are no other items on other tab's socket this is the one used, no BG or Arena gear may be used)
- BG tab (this on gets equipped automatically when entering a BG. BG gear may be used here)
- Arena tab (this on gets equipped automatically when entering an arena. Arena gear may be used here)
- Custom tab (here you can put any gear you want, it will be how you will be rendered, but only your
souvlaki Apr 24th 2008 5:34AM
What i would like is 4 gear tabs:
- PVE tab (default tab, if there are no other items on other tab's socket this is the one used, no BG or Arena gear may be used)
- BG tab (this on gets equipped automatically when entering a BG. BG gear may be used here)
- Arena tab (this on gets equipped automatically when entering an arena. Arena gear may be used here)
- Custom tab (here you can put any gear you want, it will be how you will be rendered, but only your
souvlaki Apr 24th 2008 5:36AM
(bad keypress :( )
"but only your ..." current active tab (be it PVE, Arena or BG) gear stats are taken into account.
JALbert Apr 24th 2008 6:09AM
The whining over this change really makes little sense to me.
If you don't have the skill to get the S4 pieces, they're not taking away the stuff that's already achievable. Hell, now you can get S2 for honor. Making the top end gear require player skill is unilaterally a good thing. If you don't have the skill to get S4, avail yourself of the multitude of currently available epics.
If you're a casual player who won't hit those ratings, the gear is not for you. There's plenty of gear available for you. Nothing is being taken away.
Buuty Apr 24th 2008 6:48AM
BLizzard is throwing out the baby with tha bathwater on this one. It's not about epics, it's about forcing people who enjoy BG's to play Arena, which is broken and unwelcome to WoW. It's just thant simple.
Buuty Apr 24th 2008 6:50AM
SKill at playing the game and "skill" in Arenas are two entirely different universes, so many of these arguements fail when you say "Blizzard is trying ot make it so the better palyers get the better loots" Wrong. BLizzard is simply forcing u all to Areana. I don't afk in BG's, I fight to win everytime...but now I need t do Arenas to get my BG gear...Sorry, that is nonsense.
Dominace Apr 24th 2008 6:56AM
Whats this? People complaining that they have to actually be good in arena for their gear and not have it handed to them after 9/10 losses a week for 3 months? Oh noes, blizzard giving iz notz giving me my free lootz for sucking, I will sue!
People still have access to the season 2 and 3, god forbid that you actually have to have some skill for the best gear available for PvP.
Wishwish Apr 24th 2008 7:05AM
Blizzard only sees the potential cash cow with sponsors and such in E-SPORT.
I would actually love to see Arena queues growing increasingly longer as people stop playing their 10 games a week to get any points they are able to. It will be alliance and AV all over again where it was not really a boycott as it was a simple lack of incentive when you stop getting anything out of it.
People can argue about earning things all they want but a lot of people work 9-5 to pay for that monthly fee, amongst other things and the last thing they want to do is worry about Arena ratings. Why can't people do Arenas for fun and not solely for gear and ratings? Where has the concept of playing out of enjoyment gone?
Dominace Apr 24th 2008 7:20AM
"BLizzard is throwing out the baby with tha bathwater on this one. It's not about epics, it's about forcing people who enjoy BG's to play Arena, which is broken and unwelcome to WoW. It's just thant simple."
You've even been given a better welfare set to keep up with those that actually earn their gear for doing what they do best. If the entire arena/arena gear system was removed, what would happen then? The same people who complain about this will start complaining about people in their T6 roflstomping them into the ground in whilst they are in their welfare badge loot.
People earn their gear in different ways now, some raid and others battle it for the top, regardless the fact that you're vsing a S4 player or a person fitted with T6, you're are still going to lose whilst in the welfare gear.
The general message from Blizzard is "Hey guys, we've given you a whole bunch of free epics and PvP epics, but now for the best gear you will actually have to start earning it by being better than people in a balanced* environment", so unfair!
They have tossed you a bone already by giving you Arena 2 gear for honor, its not their fault that your angry at the people who earn their 3 course meal. Sorry people, if you want to make a cake and eat it to, you actually have to make the damn cake.
* (as they can make, lets face it, even though Arena isn't the most balanced place its a hell of allot more balanced than any BG ever is)
Eternalpayn Apr 24th 2008 7:38AM
One thing I like about BGs is that Blizzard doesn't even try to balance them. The end result ends up being that every class shines, in at least 1 area of one BG.
Imogynn Apr 24th 2008 7:43AM
---
The general message from Blizzard is "Hey guys, we've given you a whole bunch of free epics and PvP epics, but now for the best gear you will actually have to start earning it by being better than people in a balanced* environment", so unfair!
---
The word "balanced" simply doesn't apply to WoW arenas. In no universe does it apply.
Specs are known to be better or worse than others... and Blizzard does basically nothing about it as long as warriors and druids are still winning blizzard is happy.
The gear itself is unbalanced. A warrior/druid team that started last January should have been outgearing its competitors for the whole year.
That's not balanced; its retarded.
Its simply a way to make sure the game developers (who oddly enough play warriors and druids) can assure themselves they are better at the game than they probably are.
This whole idea of earning the stuff that makes you better by being better is NEVER going to be anything aproaching a *balanced* environment.
Dominace Apr 24th 2008 8:06AM
You maybe a god in battle grounds but theres so many imbalances that come into play that there is really no way to judge the worth of someone in one.
Thus giving people the best quality gear for doing nothing but participating is a terrible system, it reduces the value of the gear and in most cases the gear is very good thus your giving away high level gear to those that truly haven't earned it. I'm glad to see that Blizzard are taking the initiative to reward the people that are
actually better in a system where they can control allot better than a BG. Sure there are obvious disadvantages and advantages in Arena's but if you aren't smart enough and/or don't invest the time in order to take advantage of what you have been given then you obviously don't deserve any of the spoils that the people who do know get. That being said, Arena isn't balanced around the Two's bracket, and never will be.
Taara Apr 24th 2008 7:26AM
Stop whining you people. This is great change.
What the hell are you talking about?
"new mechanic is unfair and forces people to play in the arena in order to truly enjoy the battlegrounds." Whaaa.
Guess what? If you enjoy BGs you should be wearing S1 or S2 after S4 rolls out. In BGs gear will not make that much of a difference, for its a team effort and if you care about 1v1 performance so much then please go duel. I don't find myself 1v1 in BGs almost ever. So if its 1v2 or 3v1 or just a big brawl, the gear will not matter so much will it?
And with new rules of Arena you won't be seeing much of S4 guys in BGs anyway, cause they are too busy in Arena trying to get rating up to buy the new gear.
So please stop QQing, S4 will be harder to get and I'm happy for it.
Kadamon Apr 24th 2008 7:59AM
I just love how a lot of people are complaining about the season gear when this entire topic has almost nothing at all to do with it.
This change does not effect season 3...and at current not even 2. It'll effect season one...and HONOR GEAR.
You know...that stuff you buy with AV marks or Warsong marks? Yeah. That.
Pre-Season 1 stuff costing Arena points? Yeah. Gay.
If they do add this in, I'll have a nice laugh if suddenly the Mounts require Arena points.
phan Apr 24th 2008 8:02AM
GIVE ME A FREAKIN' BREAK!!!!!
Did ANYONE bitch and moan about them adding OLD Arena gear to the honor system?? The people that are complaining about this change are the ones that have trouble MEETING the ratings, or just don't like to play arena. THAT IS FINE! but don't ACCEPT old arena gear purchasable with honor points then bitch because you need arena rating on SOME of the honor gear. You cant have things both ways.
I am glad the removal of welfare is coming. Less noobs with good gear thinking they can give you advice on how to play.