Faction Champion in 8885
by Amanda Miller 
Aug 30th 2008 at 6:30PM
From the 2008 Worldwide Invitational, we learned of a new way that we'll all be grinding faction reputation come the expansion. Namely, you will be able to become a faction's Champion. This is not a permanent change, and you are not stuck with only one faction, Instead, you simply put on the tabard and la! You are the new Champion.
We were told that if you run a Coilfang dungeon wearing a Lower City tabard, you will gain the usual reputation for the Cenarion Expedition from the dungeon, as well as Lower City reputation. Supposedly, the tabards, usually acquired at exalted, will be moved to friendly or honored.
While this makes me and my hard-earned tabard collection a bit sore, the prospect of earning reputation for any faction that I need, without running their dungeons over and over, is quite appealing. Here are the Champions we know of so far:
- Argent Champion
- Ebon Champion
- Champion of the Kirin Tor
- Wyrmrest Champion
To me, this seems to call the original quotation into question, as the current description makes it sound as though, instead of gaining reputation from the dungeon, and from the tabard, your dungeon reputation will simply count toward whichever faction's tabard you are wearing.
Of course, that is still mightily handy. We'll be able to run the dungeons that contain the gear we need, while acquiring the reputation we desire.
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Instances, Expansions, Wrath of the Lich King, Worldwide Invitational
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Almyrian Aug 30th 2008 6:35PM
Has this been implented in the beta yet? If so has anyone been able to try it out?
Belazor Aug 30th 2008 6:39PM
Actually, I'm a bit disappointed.
The original wording made it sound like we would be able to gain old-world rep via this championing system, but the wording described in this article makes it sound like it only applies to lv80 factions in lv80 content.
Perhaps this will be clarified further before release, I hope so.
Zuldim Aug 30th 2008 6:42PM
The original wording said no such thing.
Splink Aug 30th 2008 6:58PM
I believe they used current in-game factions as an example when they originally announced this because the new factions using the system had no name yet, and it was easier to associate the system with something everyone would know.
Belazor Aug 30th 2008 8:09PM
@Splink:
I hope you aren't correct, and that we can get rep with any faction we choose.
But I fear you indeed are correct :(
Komlo Aug 30th 2008 6:45PM
Nice change I like..but maybe they could make tabards look cool or atleast add an option not to show them.
They dont really look cool and with pants theres a thing handing down thats really weird and ugly,plus your chest piece and half of your pants wont show up.
Sirg Aug 30th 2008 7:01PM
A very good idea that gives tabards a meaning and an utility. I like the idea that you are working to be the champion of one faction.
Cowbane Aug 30th 2008 9:19PM
So now my tabard instead of just being a badge of obsession on getting exalted will now be essentially an advertisment. "Fresh Death! Served by your local Argent Champion." Now it seems less like I'm turning over a dungeon, wiping out the enemies, and helping the land, and more like I'm a walking advertisement, going into instances to display the new factions awesome new duds. It just seems odd in my opinion.
Jack Spicer Aug 30th 2008 9:49PM
I think we'll most likely only see the new Wrath factions with 'rep earning' tabards at launch. But if it proves popular enough, I don't see why the developers couldn't add in all existing factions as well, later on.
Zep Aug 30th 2008 11:01PM
So presumably this means tabards will now be purchasable at Neutral or Friendly, not Exalted :p
Zakk Aug 31st 2008 12:10AM
Pretty cool. What I'm most excited about, though, is that Ebon Hold's mentioned. It was almost a certainty that EH would have a tabard, but now I'm even more convinced and excited to see what it looks like.
DirtyPriest Aug 31st 2008 12:11AM
Awesome. Just simply awesome. Now if no one wants to run X dungeon you need for a certain faction you won't be completely out of luck! Plus as you said you can run a dungeon for the gear you need. I love you Blizzard, have my babies.
Clifton Aug 31st 2008 2:02AM
Interesting idea and would certainly help with the rep grind but getting tabards at friendly or honored is to low. A tabard is a sign of an achievement. That you reached exalted with a faction. And collecting them can be quite fun. Well lowering them so much can take away a lot of the specialness of them. And that is kinda stale.
The Hammer Aug 31st 2008 4:24AM
It is always possible that they are -two- tabards...
naranjar Aug 31st 2008 12:00PM
The way I figure it could work best is if there's the normal collector's tabards that we know and love right now that you gain at Exalted.
This "Rep-gaining Tabard" would be of a similar pattern to the "Collector's Exalted Tabard" but looking like a "lesser quality" or "time-worn" version.
Furq Aug 31st 2008 7:37AM
Why would you want a rep gaining tabard at exalted? What further rep would be gained?
Dan Aug 31st 2008 12:00PM
Overall the wording of the second statements is ambiguous. After first reading it I agreed that it sounded like you would only get the tabard rep, and not the original as well. However, if you look at the statement again:
"You champion the cause of the Argent Crusade. All reputation gains while in level 80 dungeons will be applied to your standing with them."
It really doesn't say that the lvl 80 rep gains will be EXCLUSIVELY applied to the Argent Crusade, it just says all rep gains will apply to Argent Crusade (i.e., it could mean that you get both). So although perhaps it was intended to, the above statement does not actually indicate that you will get 1 kind of rep only.