Breakfast Topic: Can you have too many alts?
by Lesley Smith 
Jul 22nd 2009 at 8:00AM
I installed the new Armory app on my beloved iPhone a few mornings ago and I love it. Seriously, it had to be the best app yet. Now if only there was one which would let you send in-game mail/work the AH without logging in but that's for another Breakfast Topic. Today's is all about alts, specifically how many you have and whether it is possible to have too many.Loading up the app, I was distracted not by the cool sound effects or the sparklyness of the app but by the number of alts I have lying around. By that I don't mean active alts, I generally focus my attention on my main Serisa, but I do have a lot scattered around numerous European servers. It's quite odd to have an app tied to my account which shows all my alts, rather than ones I select (as with previous non-Blizzard iPhone apps).
The other day I was talking with a friend of mine. He seems to have a thousand alts, so many that he didn't have a precise number. I asked if he had any idea of the cap for such and he guessed it had to be about fifty. He assured me if there was a cap, he hadn't hit it yet. But looking at the app, I was quite surprised by the sheer number of level 1-10 toons I have lying forgotten on servers I never visit anymore, from days when Daggerspine was down and I wanted to play Horde on another realm (usually Blood Elf females).
So, come on readers, I ask you. Can you have too many alts? If yes, what's your record?
Filed under: Blizzard, Breakfast Topics, Alts
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 5)
Lucrith Jul 22nd 2009 8:07AM
No, you can never have too many alts. On my main server i have 8 toons 70+ and probably 10-15 other toons scattered across other servers for when i get extremely bored :)
nyctef Jul 22nd 2009 9:21AM
My alts have alts! I get bored of levelling one alt and then roll another one. Generally I've been more focused recently, though, so I think I'm getting a handle on it.
Evelinda Jul 23rd 2009 10:32AM
amen! there's no such thing as too many alts! i'm about the same as you, but my 70+ are across 2 servers, one for my 3 horde, one for my 4 alliance, each server with a full compliment of alts to go with the 70's... and then a few more for good measure on other servers :P
I'd have even more if i didnt go around deleting all the single digit toons i roll whenever i feel like playing with a new doll :)
Axolotl Jul 22nd 2009 8:07AM
You're allowed only 50 characters on one account (as far as I know), but I've got my hands full with just 9
Maybe I should start more alts and have them all rested, just lying around for the time when I need to level them to meet some profession-need I may have.
So far I have 3 level 80s, one level 60 a level 50 and 3 level 36s on one server alone, and then a fresh deathknight on another server (for those times my main-server is down)
Julie Jul 22nd 2009 9:36AM
One account? Pshh. I know people who have multiple accounts, on the same server :)
If it makes you happy. But personally, I have a hard enough time feeding and caring one character, let alone 50.
RetadinMan Jul 22nd 2009 8:09AM
Never. Altitis is beneficial for you.
LilBanshee Jul 22nd 2009 11:20AM
My name is LilBanshee, and I'm an altoholic.
When I run a raid, I log half of my toons off right outside the instance, and if we're missing a buff, I'll log into that toon and give it to the raid before hard boss fights. I've saved 3 toons to a single naxx run without a second thought, because the needs of the raid changed from boss to boss. My guild has 10 Co-GMs, but they're all me. I have more heirlooms than an antique shop.
My name is LilBanshee... and I'm an altoholic.
Liltimmy Jul 22nd 2009 3:12PM
I believe they changed the group buff system didn't they? So that now you can no longer group buff and leave the party. At least in my exp, when I leave a group with a Druid who gave me gotw, I lose the buff. This doesn't seem to apply to individual buffs however.
LilBanshee Jul 23rd 2009 8:29AM
They changed the system, yes. But you can still give buffs with your alts. You just have to leave that alt offline but still in the raid. If you remove the alt from the raid, only then does the buff fade.
Not all buffs work the same, though. For instance, arcane focus likes to fall off if you try to do tricks like this but blessing of kings stays.
Goju Jul 22nd 2009 8:11AM
I like to have a character for about every 10 level bracket, that way I can help a friend as their leveling without having to level with them at the same rate, if they pass one alt, ill hop on another. Plus playing different alts makes you an all around better player.
AG_Griever Jul 22nd 2009 8:12AM
I've hit the cap once, 50 characters.
Made me think I should clean up, so I did.
I haven't hit it since then, but I'm close (about 40+alts)
artifex Jul 22nd 2009 9:44PM
murderer!
Just kidding. Unless you play RP.
Pickadulver Jul 22nd 2009 8:13AM
One ally of every class on my main realm and 4 horde alts on another realm, plus 2 DKs on different realms so 16 chars total, do I still play them all? No.
Josin Jul 22nd 2009 8:16AM
Personally, I find it strange that the iPhone app version of the armory will show all of your characters to you in a simple way, but the web version won't.
Even stranger is that the app version shows characters of all levels, but the web version only shows level 10+.
Yes, I know I'm a bit off-topic, but they seem like relevent points about the app.
West Jul 22nd 2009 2:58PM
I dig the conciseness of the mobile armory app and use it exclusively when sanity checking pugs. It just feels so much faster than tabbing out, loading wowarmory and searching.
if only it would show me faction reps of my characters.
Becky Greenway Jul 22nd 2009 8:31AM
never can have too many alts...you should be able to experience all aspects of the game...there are so many combinations
themightysven Jul 22nd 2009 8:19AM
Full staff on my main realms (one of each profession, most with their own gathering skill)
a set of 3 server down Alliance, a set of 3 server down Horde, and 3 experiments on a PvE realm. The full staffs have one of each class (except Druid and DK) not to much, they're all about mid-20s except for my Ally Warlock (35) and Horde Paladin (70 and grinding rep)
Mostly it's difficult to level them knowing that they qualify for mounts when the new patch hits (on foot is lame)
George McBain Jul 22nd 2009 9:16AM
"Mostly it's difficult to level them knowing that they qualify for mounts when the new patch hits"
And that is why I haven't touched mine since the announcement. Instead, I only have been playing my two 70+ characters (neither 80 yet).
ambient Jul 22nd 2009 1:06PM
But playing level 70+ is almost as bad, knowing that they'll have flight soon!
I'm trying to stick to leveling characters in their 30s or 40s, because the regular to epic ground mount is the least noticeable of the shifts.
Jon Do Jul 22nd 2009 8:21AM
Who has time for alts? Seriously, I don't have enough time to complete everything I want to do with my main. I'd love to level alts, but there is just not enough time in the day.