Arena Season 4: Everything we know about the brutal season
by Zach Yonzon 
Jun 24th 2008 at 12:17PM
It's been a long time coming.
Arena Season 3 has dragged on long enough that we've speculated on the reasons for Blizzard's delay and even planned around it:
- Read our report on Drysc's comment about letting more Sunwell Plateau gear spread into the playing community before starting Season 4 in Season 4 and PvE progression.
- We examine the implications of a long season and how the new mechanics can help stem the flow of Brutal Gladiator gear too rapidly in The Long Wait for Season 4.
- We've been drooling over the gear as early as February when the first leaks of Brutal Gladiator items leaked through MMO Champion.
- The wait has been so long that a lot of people have been banking the maximum 75,000 Honor and 5,000 Arena points in preparation for Season 4.
Season 4 is a more brutal season in many ways, the most significant of which is the ratings requirements for most of the Brutal Gladiator items:
- We found out about the extremely prohibitive 2200 personal ratings requirement for Season 4 shoulders when items snuck out on the European Armory.
- Drysc talks about new team and personal ratings requirements for Season 4 of 2200 for shoulders, 2050 for weapons, and the ratings for everything else.
- Season 4 will continue to implement the closely tied relationship between personal and team ratings started in Season 3, which Bornakk explains in detail.
- With the new rules, there are new benchmarks for everyone to achieve, whether it be a modest 1550 or a lofty 2200. Of course, 2000 doesn't mean squat.
We've asked this question several times in the past, but now that the season is finally here, are you really ready? Read on a few pointers on how to survive the new season:
- Know absolutely nothing about Arenas? And by nothing, we really mean WoW Rookie-style nothing. Head on over to our completely n00b-friendly FAQ for Arena dummies.
- A new Arena Season isn't just for PvP players, it's for entrepreneurs, too. Read about how enterprising players can make money when Season 4 opens.
- Not very good at PvP? If your team can only scrape by and not make the personal ratings requirements for Season 4, there're always the epic gems for sale for Arena points.
- Just in case you want some pointers on how to do better in Arenas (and get more than just welfare gems), you might want to check out some videos of the best of the best.
- After Season 3 is done, we hope you made sure you qualified for the end-of-season rewards. If not, you can always prepare for this season.
- If you aren't too big on Arenas, Battlegrounds enthusiasts can take advantage of Season 2 gear going on sale for Honor in Season 4.
- Just in case you have the banked Arena points and manage to achieve the required personal ratings, are you really sure you want to buy that brutally ugly gear?
- So maybe you have decided to buy all that ugly gear. Check out WoW Insider's extensive Brutal Gladiator and Guardian gear guide to shed a little more light on your decisions.
- Maybe reading through our gear guide has actually convinced you that they're not so bad, after all. You can take a look at all the gear in detail in our Brutal Gladiator Arms and Equipment Gallery. Don't forget to click on the Hi-Res button for a higher resolution picture.
Looking for more Season 4 info? Check out our extensive rating guide for the new Season 4 armor sets!Filed under: Odds and ends, News items, Features, Guides, Arena
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)
Buuty Jun 24th 2008 12:24PM
Arenas...the sole and best reason to quit WoW
George Jul 3rd 2008 10:43AM
no way!
its the only reason 50% of players DONT quit wow. i mean who would do Battlegrounds everyday until wotlk? knowone thats why theres arena always a new challenge always different people
rosen Jul 19th 2008 10:10AM
is my reason too .... not just arena. the f**king rating requirement is pain in the ass. GG
Manatank Jun 24th 2008 12:34PM
I really hope this is the last season of Arenas ever. They are terrible.
Windigo Jun 24th 2008 12:49PM
Arena's are why I'm moving to warhammer. Why in the hell should I stay in a game that offers me nothing more than a glorified duel.
In warhammer I'm I can level up solely by PVP if I choose or by PvE or a combination of the two. All the PVP I do helps my guild, faction and realm regardless of my level. No matter what class I play I'm viable in PVP and PVE. There is no separation between the two. I can enjoy the full game. There is no @#$#!$% resilience.
WoW should have never started this fight with Warhammer. Had they kept the game the way it was intended I would stay. I love the lore. But there is no lore in Arena's there is no point to Arena's other than gear. If I'm going to PVP I'd rather do it in Warhammer where the rewards are far far greater.
If anyone thinks that a developer like Tom Chilton and come up with anything that will rival what EA Mythic, the guys who made DoAC FYI, you've got another thing coming. The great developers who made WOW are gone. I look forward to seeing what they can come up with in their new studios in a few years until that time I will play war hammer because I trust their developers to deliver good content. I do not trust Tom Chilton he is lazy and easily the worst in his field. He is the M. Night Shyamalan of MMO development. Way way over rated. Scratch that at least Mr. Shyamalan has had one good movie. Chilton has never had a success. His MO is working is way up as the developers who made the game leave than killing the game when he takes over.
Manatank Jun 24th 2008 1:04PM
I'm not leaving WoW, because I play it for PvE and just see PvP as a little side game. Still, I wish my little side game was more fun instead of massively annoying. Battlegrounds can be really fun, but having to run arenas to have competitive gear ruins it for me.
I love WoW. I hate arenas.
Ktok Jun 24th 2008 1:09PM
@ Windigo
So WoW sucks because it contains the Arena system which you in no way are being forced to play?
Those are some amazing leaps in logic. What about BGs? PvE? Raiding? World PvP (yes it does exist if you look for it)? I'd understand if you simply said that WoW has nothing for you, but to say that WoW is horrible for the single reason that Arena exists is just nonsensical.
I agree though that Arenas need work. I enjoy them, but I've been beating several "this could be better if..." drums for a very long time now. I really fail to see, though, how they are destroying the entire game.
Smurk Jun 24th 2008 1:19PM
Hmm, I am not trying to start anything, but Warhammer is sounding more and more interesting to me. Where can I read about their PVP system?
Windigo Jun 24th 2008 2:21PM
Hmmm I see my first post was whited out despite 3 response. More of the same 'lets not piss off the wow devs (whats left of them) they might stop giving us interviews)' the press, yes wow insider you are the press needs to start being more critical of the developers and their mistakes. No movie director can make flop after flop and still win praise. Yet we still get our monthly Tom Chilton praise at WOW insider.
@Manatank yes I agree I love PVE but I like PvP as well. I hate the separation that has been created. With the death of RvR and the move to glorified duels and more and more gear based PVP if you aren't a certain spec with the right gear and right team you cant advance in the PVP game. I for example like to tank. A tank cant do arenas and I have tanked van way way too many times for it to be fun anymore. AV was introduced almost 3 years ago. EoS was a total joke. Chilton just combined AB and WSG and called it a new BG. The man is lazy. He was lazy in UO he is lazy in WOW. Don’t think for one minute that one of the main reasons there is so much focus on arenas over BG is because arenas are a lot easier to develop and maintain than BGs.
@Ktok yes I am being forced to do arenas because blizzard is offering nothing else. There hasn't been a new BG introduced since BC and that BG is a total a joke. I'm tired of this lazy development. I'm tired of spending $15 a month and getting nothing out of it. A year between BT and SW. Repackaged arena season after repackaged arena season. And what new stuff does wrath offer? A cheap rip-off of warhammer that’s it. I might as well play warhammer.
@Smurk think of warhammer PvP as one giant RvR. Every faction has noob, intermediate, advanced and endgame zones. There is a constant fight between these two factions between these zones, noob vs. noob, intermediate vs intermediate on and on. What is done in one zone spills over to the next and so on and so on as well has help yourself, guild, and faction progress. The end goal is to raid your enemies capital city and kill their emperor. But it is a whole hell of a lot harder than getting a raid together like in wow. You have to break down the other sides defenses over a long time.
thehorn Jun 24th 2008 5:36PM
@manatank
This is why many of us choose to be more active in the lower brackets. Twinking, while much maligned, is very enjoyable pvp.
L2P Jun 24th 2008 12:38PM
only ppls that hate arena are the ones that are bad... get some skills plz.
Manatank Jun 24th 2008 12:58PM
Or the people who enjoy strategy over cookie cutter duels. Battlegrounds are far more fun and interesting than Arena ever could be. Arenas are so lame, and to make them the height of WoW PvP is just perplexing. Battlegrounds played properly require massive coordination and skill. Arenas simply require putting together a team that meets the flavor of the month requirements and being good at twitch gaming.
Arenas are to battlegrounds in PvP as 5-man dungeons are to 25-man raids are in PvE. Battlegrounds should have seasons and rated teams with better rewards then the silly arenas.
jerzz80 Jun 24th 2008 3:19PM
I really dont get why PVE heads hate Arena? Is it the gear? Someone who hates arena please tell me how it affects you in your PVE world? Can anyone do it? Besides "taking players away". Cause that is a stretch, there are plenty of PVErs.
So for the board skimmers, my question is...why PVE heads hate Arena? Someone who hates arena please tell me how it affects you in your PVE world and why i "ruins" wow.
can i try to answer?
I think PVErs hate arena because......
it requires and entirely new and more difficult skill set. Set up and stand still play isn't allowed in the arena.
The gear is good at the lowest level. PVErs have a gear complex and they dont like people with good gear they got from grinding BGs. but S4 has changed that a little so IDK. Having an 1800+ rating is quite an accomplishment. From start to finish the path to 2000 is long and hard.
Competition. PVErs are inherantly opposed to competition. They werent fans of sport before WOW so this intrusion of competition is threatning to them.
Talking trash. PVErs are used to a world where ur gear speaks for itself. PVP lives in a world where gear doesnt automatically mean ur any good. PVE guy dont like that you can be epic without stepping foot in an instance.
PVErs hate being told they arent skilled. Instance life involes a lot of repetative "stand still" fighting. PVP guys love to point this out.
PVErs *think that arena is running around chaos. Well and good arena player will tell you that just like PVE their are right and wrong ways to do something.
In conclusion i would like to state that Arena is a "sub game" but its not easy by any sence of the word. Understand that being BG epic and being S4 epic is totally different.
Oh and yeah, PVP requires more "skill" than PVE. PVE requires more well rounded knowledge.
As a PVPer i will admit BGs are lame. But Arena is not. It is a very difficult aspect of WOW. You cant trash the arena if you're not good at it. Its like saying Golf sucks and isnt a sport. Well your not any good so what do you know about it?
Manatank Jun 24th 2008 4:59PM
@jerzz80:
I enjoy battleground PvP, but find arena PvP to be inane. Even when I win more games than I lose, it still feels like a painful grind. There is just no thrill in beating the other team when it so rarely has to do with skill or strategy. "Oh good, our cookie cutter beats their cookie cutter!"
On the other hand, when I win in a battleground because of just outplaying the other side I do find it thrilling. Out smarting the other team is very gratifying. Out twitching them or out gearing them is boring.
Den Jun 24th 2008 7:39PM
Mantank if you don't like arenas then then only reason you are doing them is for gear.
The fact you have to spend less then one hour a week doing something you don't enjoy is killing the game for you JUST TO GET GEAR is pretty sad and says lot about the reasons you play this game. And pretty much all people that say they hate arena for that matter.
Deny it as much as you like but what other reason is there?
Nothing else stands up as YOU DON"T HAVE TO ARENA - you can get along in PVE just fine with never queuing for an arena game.
Iskur Jun 24th 2008 12:52PM
People hate it because there is nothing to it. We have this super expansive world and instead we are expected to spend our time in this tiny little sand box the serves no purpose to the game other than give the twitch freaks something to do.
Its nothing more than blizzards attempt to hold off warhammer becasue they cant compeate with it for the PVP players. And guess what they still cant.
jerzz80 Jun 24th 2008 3:35PM
Your not expected to do anything. Stop QQ about something you dont have to do.
Tychon Jun 24th 2008 12:52PM
/agree L2P
RGVmonster Jun 24th 2008 1:02PM
I cant even get into a Arena team. I have tried so many times and the problem i come across is that people think my S1 gear is too low or there aren't enough people to get together for a beginning team. It's horrible! So now the only way I can get the next level gear is to BG for eternity. Thanks a lot on enriching the game Blizzard! Playing in little boxes against each other over and over and over is like playing Street Fighter II with teams...why even have such a huge world out there in the game when you expect us to spend most of it in a small area fighting each other for glorified items.
Zor Jun 24th 2008 12:52PM
actually, the only people who anticipate are :
- op imbalanced classes
- the rampant win traders of yesterday - perpetuating the gear discrepency - cant be undone or duplicated - this is by far the most damaging effect so far. - shame on you for holding out on breaking down your ethics heehee...
but the slap on the quick fix actually lessened the chance for others to follow suit and make th eplace viable,
i have two good friends who did win trade from the start, and no matter what others will do, no one can catch up
to many times i topped dps charts (AB/AV) or lost to a few others in s1!! - Hunter / SP
so the skill statement goes flying out the door
Arenas are great, except we need more flavors - NO LOS ON ALL MAPS issues for some would be great, would help out on Hunters and what have you - MAKE IT FAIR FOR ALL