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All of the latest Mists of Pandaria newsBreakfast Topic: Is this too easy?
by Matthew Rossi 
Jul 29th 2009 at 8:00AM
Recently, I decided to do something with all those Emblems of Heroism/Valor that were clogging up my currency tag, and so bought myself the heirloom shoulders and Bloodied Arcanite Reaper. I soon found myself in possession of a level 80 death knight (messing about with Frost and Blood specs, waiting for 3.2 to see if Dual Wielding becomes viable again) and thus, had a dilemma. There's only three classes that can wear the Polished Spaulders of Valor and I have two of them at 80 now. So what to do? Rather than bank them in the hopes that they'll work in the expansion (I don't think they will, because it's not like Blizzard to put out an expansion and then let you cheat your way through it the first time) I decided I'd try another paladin. The last one was horde side, and my burning vitriolic hatred of blood elves made him very, very hard to level. I mean, they twirl around when you jump! I hate that!
So here I am, three days into my new Draenei Paladin, and man, it's a surreal experience. I can't tell if it's the class, the heirloom shoulders and their 10% XP bonus, or the two hander that upgrades itself every level, but I'm waltzing through the zones. I blew through the Draenei starting zones, made short work of Westfall and now I'm making my merry way through Redridge and Duskwood. Elites fall to my might with, frankly, ridiculous ease. It sure wasn't this way coming through on a warrior way back in the day.
Is it the class, the faster leveling, or the weapon that's always as good as the best blue weapon you could possibly equip? And is it a problem if I'm having absolutely no problem blasting through the content when that's why I got the shoulders and weapon in the first place? I mean, it's kind of boring, but that again could be the class: low level paladins basically use a seal on themselves once every 30 minutes, judge every time the cooldown's up, and pop Consecration and Exorcism in-between autoattacks. You could sleepwalk your way through it with cooldowns as long as 8 and 15 seconds on those attacks.
And so I ask you, gentle (and not so gentle) readers: have you found yourself saying 'this is too easy' and found the fun lacking? Was it a class, a level range, a gear situation, or anything else that just seemed to take all the effort out of the game, and did you feel like it was a hindrance? Or were you totally on board with it, the way I was on my DK in Outland? Because frankly, the faster I leveled through that place the better I liked it.
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Virtual selves, Odds and ends, Breakfast Topics, Classes, Alts
Reader Comments (Page 6 of 7)
Dbodinem Jul 29th 2009 11:01AM
Having 5 80s and 1 lvl 77, I can tell you, in my opinion, my hunter and my paladin were hands down the easiest characters to level.
Admittedly, I didn't know the game as well when I levelled my hunter. But my paladin could handle things with ease. And when I specced protection at 40 (based on a suggestion I read here or somewhere), it was like I wanted more mobs to take on and could solo many elites that none of my other toons could. I'm sure many of the heirloom items make it easy as well.
Is this a problem? I'm not sure.
Ultimately, a prot. specced pally is tanking so its expected that he/she can take abuse and simply outlast mobs. But Blizzard seems to be designing all content with the casual player in mind now. Quests that require multiple players never require as many as they suggest. General rule was that if it said 3, I"d try and solo it and if it said 5, I could do it with 3. Running instances, however, is a little different but still designed for the player who may be the right level but have only greens. Thus its capable (as I just did) to 4 man heroics with a smart group (H VH), and do some wings of Naxx with less than 10 or 25.
Its hard to say that its too easy (even without the heirloom or AH acquired gear) cause you understand the game better. I doubt, on any toon, that I'll struggle the way I did on my Druid to get to level 20.
Furox Jul 29th 2009 11:11AM
Just a noob question. I read some of you are getting the plate sholders and the reaper for your pallies. I thot plate was only available at 40? Am I missing something?
Fluiddruid Jul 29th 2009 11:27AM
The heirloom items downgrade to whatever armor type you start with. So for example you can get the mail shoulders for your hunter or shammy because they downgrade to leather till you hit 40. The same goes for the plate items, they downgrade to mail till you can wear plate.
Itanius Jul 29th 2009 11:16AM
"Easy" is what made this game so popular.
If it were group-centric and hard, it'd be a much, much different world we live in.
mousewrites Jul 29th 2009 11:39AM
I'm running into the same thing... and I don't even have any heirlooms!
I'm not at 80 yet on my main (yes, i'm a very slow player), and I rolled a hunter alt just for fun. Blew through Dun Morogh so fast I thought I forgot a quest area. No problem with Loch Modan, and now i'm in the wetlands.
I don't remember being able to take on mobs 4 levels above me as a warlock, and i'm almost level 20 now without doing (what seems to me) almost anything. it took me a very long time the first time to get to level 20!
I'm not sure how much of this is because I a) know how to play now, b) have a hunter (he has never died, which is just freaky), or c) because the leveling/content is easier now.
Wish I had a Heirloom to give Westpaw, though. ;)
danawhitaker Jul 29th 2009 11:46AM
Heirloom items adds a bit too much ease for my personal taste. I won't be using them when I eventually start leveling my warlock. There are enough quests to go around for all the various zones that I know for a fact (based on leveling my warrior) that I will not run out of quests to do until well past 80. So I personally see no reason to give myself a 10% XP boost and out-level the zones even faster. Doing all the quests in old world puts you at 66/67 by the time you get to Outland, meaning you can basically faceroll everything there except some of the group quests. Doing all the quests in Outland puts you at around 76 for Northrend, meaning you can faceroll all the lowbie zones for Northrend too.
Everyone's playstyle is different though. I know people who hate questing so much they'd rather wear heirlooms and grind random mobs and instances all the way to 80. The XP bonuses would be great for that method.
Plus, I sort of like the randomness of getting what gear I can as I level rather than having certain pieces static the whole way up. So it's not really a matter of too easy for me, it's too...boring.
Glaras Jul 29th 2009 12:35PM
Just to toss a monkeywrench into things, I recently rolled a horde warlock, because it is so different from anything else I've played. I typically run healers, as my mains are both Alliance 80's with resto main specs and DPS offspecs (Enh shaman and Bal druid). So switching to Horde, where I am unfamiliar with the quests, and a pet-centered caster DPS class was as far as I could get from my "usual" mode.
Since the BoA gear can't be moved cross-faction (yet), I've been leveling without any of its benefits. Of course, I was able to move some cash over through the neutral AH's, but other than that, it's been the old-fashioned grind. I have not been in any instances at all; the guild my toon is part of is really nothing more than a shared bank vault, and I haven't wasted any time in LFG.
And I am blowing through the quests and the levels. I rolled the toon just under 3 weeks ago, and I hit level 42 two days ago. I'm coasting now, waiting for 3.2 to hit so I can get that epic mount. It seems much, much easier to level now. Mostly, I attribute this to a few points:
- I was able to get a mount at 30, 10 levels earlier than my mains could.
- I am already familiar with the geography.
- I am familiar with the capabilities of most of the mobs I run across.
- I understand the game mechanics better.
- I know where to go to get good information about the quests.
- I am more knowledgable about which addons are helpful to the general leveling process.
- And finally, the changes made by Blizz to make it easier to level.
Had I been able to get BoA shoulders and a weapon, I would have done that, and it would have been that much faster.
Glaras Jul 29th 2009 12:40PM
BTW, if 3 weeks doesn't seem all that impressive, I should point out that I am still raiding on my mains 3 nights a week, grinding Argent Tourney rep on one of them (the other is already done), and I still have a day job.
Torlaz Jul 29th 2009 1:33PM
As far as cross-faction BoA's I'd say setup a system similar to the way you distribute the RAF bonus mount.
Have an account screen that shows all your current BoA items (unequipped items on characters) and allows you to queue them for transfer to other characters on different servers.
I'm still waiting for the BoA items to be expanded to all account characters that have been merged to a battle.net account. This would increase the benefit of merging your accounts. (Mail to other characters under the merged account should have it's time delay removed as well)
Torlaz Jul 29th 2009 1:03PM
BoA (or BtA to some) Items are optional. They are for players that really miss an old model and would love to have that armor/weapon scale with level.
Others are just altoholics and are trying to get as many characters to 80 as possible.
In the end they are not for everyone, but enjoy them if you do use them.
Personally I would like to see a NPC that could 'reforge' weapons/armor in game for a set amount of those marks and have any item scaled without an xp bonus obviously. This BoP item would persist to any future level caps, it would apply new permanent stats to their old armor model that they'd like to continue to use. (Similar to Runeforging setup)
Like 'class' weapons (eg. Paladin Polearm/Hammer) I would have loved to see these scale with level, not surpass the epics of that level but simply competitive at that level.
They would need to scale the item levels on these weapons though so you could enchant them if you wished.
Torlaz Jul 29th 2009 1:10PM
"it would apply new permanent stats to their old armor/*weapon* model" rather
Charlie Jul 29th 2009 1:15PM
Outgearing Heroics/Old Raids.
Naxx is god awfully boring. There's 0 challenge in it. Unless you go in with a bad pug, and thats not fun, thats just frustrating.
jonlowbridge Jul 29th 2009 1:32PM
I have leveled a Dreanai Paladin recently without the Heirlooms. I found one of the biggest changes was to spell knockback, now it is actually better to pull big groups of mobs as Prot. When your health runs low quickly cast HL and - push back once, twice almost a normal cast time later - Sweeeeet health back. If it gets really tight then Slap Gift of the Naaru on as well or GotN and a Bubble.... either damage reduction or total immunity.
Basically Dreanai have tools for almost any job, paladins have tools for almost any job, Prot spec has tools for any job...... EVEREYthing is ideal for the leveling aspect of WoW.
lazymangaka Jul 29th 2009 1:24PM
While leveling my first serious character, I haven't had the benefit of heirloom items, but I have to say that it has been markedly easier now than it was when I first played pre-BC. Even with a full-time, all-the-time job, a move across country, and an attempt at integration into a new location, I've just waltzed my Draenei Warrior all the way to 41 in just a matter of weeks. Personally, I find this much, much more enjoyable. If it still took as long as it used to, I probably wouldn't have stuck with it nearly this long.
Hagen Jul 29th 2009 1:38PM
My DK went to 70 in 5 days and then I parked her for months. I got her the BOA shoulders around L72 I think and she cruised thru to 80. I mailed those to my 71 Pally to start playing him again. My Shaman has gone from 45 to 70 w/BOA shoulders and I have the pvp cloth shoulders and pvp staff to use with my 36 mage and 45 lock.
I plan to buy the new boa chest for both my shammy and pally and level them next. Buy the cloth chest for the lowbies and really watch them blow thru the levels. I'm a fan of the heirloom items and think they are only a good thing for the game. My Shammy got a few runs thru Ramps and maybe 2 BF runs, but working thru all the quests in HFP and Zangar got him almost to 68. I did a few more in Nagrand and then got a run thru the 2 lower Coilfang and Mana Tombs, Auchenai and Sethekk. I was halfway thru 69 by the end of those runs. I'm happy to leave Outlands behind.
People complaining about the low levels being too easy have their perspective screwed up. Blizzard has said since Vanilla that the game doesn't really start until the level cap. If you want a slow, frustrating pace, go play EQ2. I'd much rather get my toons leveled quickly.
Nathanael Jul 29th 2009 2:21PM
Too easy is all about new players. There's no such thing as a question of ease for existing players, because if you've done the 80 grind, you've done it.
So no, it's not too easy. Existing 80s should keep getting easier. Then you have the sense of accomplishment for the new players getting their first 80, and a very full endgame waiting for them because everyone has multiple 80s.
Me? I RaF dualbox alts to 60 in 48 hours, and it's awesome. Why would I want to experience the grind again?
Stop asking this question. If there's no news, don't post. Simple.
: )
Draelan Jul 29th 2009 2:24PM
My horde pally gets no special boost from heirloom items, since my lvl 80 toons are all Alliance. With that said, I can honestly say that pallys (at least prot pallys) are... very good at slaughtering tough enemies. At lvl 37 I had a quest to kill the Prince of Stromgarde over in the alliance factioned portion of the area. I went over there and discovered the mob was lvl 44. 7 levels higher than me. I decided to try it anyway, and very nearly had him, until adds respawned, and he began the low-health "runs away in fear" while I was trying to kill adds, thus he wound up coming back with even more friends. With 5 of them on me at once while I was out of mana and bubble on cooldown, I didn't live too much longer after. But the fact that I did do so well is proof enough for me that pallys are quite powerful...
On another note, when not taking on enemies en-masse or ones that are numerous levels higher, I find pally leveling to be incredibly boring. I mean, I spend half the time with all my abilities on cooldown and only able to auto-attack. Well... I suppose there'd be less downtime if I used concecrate on single-mob targets, but it's such a mana hog at this point that I'd make up for that less downtime while fighting by having more downtime drinking.
As for heirloom items, I did buy a pair of cloth shoulders and sent them off to my rogue. Quite useful. You can also bet that I'll happily pick up a cloth chestpiece, too. (Though, depending on when the patch comes out, he may not need them. He is already lvl 66.) I nearly bought him the leather shoulders initially, but changed my mind after starting a mage alt. I figured, why bother grabbing leather ones to get him to 80 when he's already halfway there, when I can buy the cloth ones, still get the benefit I'm gunning for, and then mail them off to my mage?
arilasWL Jul 29th 2009 2:31PM
Protip: you can send those shoulders to any other character and they automatically become the highest type of armor that character can use at the time. i.e. send them to a hunter pre-40 and they become leather, but once that hunter hits 40, they magically become mail. Send them back to your paladin and they are once again plate.
Kosus Jul 29th 2009 2:52PM
First, I fucking hate multiboxers. I've heard all the bullshit explanations for why people do it and I'll come right out and say it. It is a way to succeed at something with no skill whatsoever. (See cheat) Yeah I know Blizz loves money, doesnt make you fail less.
Secondly, yes the game is steadily becoming easier and easier. I for one like it to an extent, but it comes with some really nasty side-effects imo. For one, there is no more "mid game". Sure you can powerlevel a dood to 80 and go raid with your guild. If you want to enjoy all the neat stuff in between though good luck finding a group of non noobs. Having a max lvl char is nothing special at all. Having a max lvl everything is nothing special at all. What's that translate into for the game? Eventually it leads to too much everything. Running instances, grinding out the quests, solo'ing the impossible. Those things led to max lvl chars that knew the class inside and out. Now your buddy is gonna grind his shiny new mage to 80 in a week, pop out the cookie cutter arcane spec and wait for his turn to get free Naxx loots. There's no longer distinction between "class players" and just players. Some think it's good, I think it will kill the game eventually.
And thirdly(?), all this desire to make it more "accessable" has made a clear impact on class balance. Paladins and Dks are pure faceroll. Remember the days of "Hey I'm new, what should I make?" "Roll a hunter and go solo stuff." Well them days is gone son, now its poop out a retadin and 3 button mash your way to max lvl. Dk is the faceroll of choice for retadin alts and failed would-bes of every other class. Yeah I know "If you dont like it dont roll one" but that argument is bullshit when the game itself is catering to those players 100%. This is not some oops class balance issue, its the end result of wanting everyone to "feel special" (read- more money). As long as it continues to work, its going to get worse and worse.
So.....yeah, call me bitter....call me a noob. I think all these changes are just fueling an endgame full of people that dont know their class, dont know how to work with others, and guilds full of "everything alts" that in the long run actually make fewer people part of the game and keep good new players from being found.
/endrant
gogmosis Jul 29th 2009 4:53PM
Paladins have been easy since before BC. My first pally i had some issues figuring out the mechanics of it (first pally was a little played alliance experiment for a full time hordie) but by about lvl 15-20 it became pretty easy and it seems they have since simplified it.
Leveling in general is easier as well. I like that they sped up the leveling somewhat but not to the extent that they did (the early 50s were originally the most brutal experience ever, and silithus had just been revamped when i first hit the upper 50s, this must have been real bad before that). Now there are quests in the barrens that are gray before i even get the chance to do them. I make alts because I like leveling them and playing a new class, they've made it too fast that i am forced to do quests way below my level if i want to do the entire zone.