Patch 3.3 PTR: Speedier Northrend reputation grinds [Updated]
by Robin Torres 
Oct 16th 2009 at 7:00PM
The official Blizzard World of Warcraft Twitter account made the above announcement today. It is great that they are thinking of increasing the speed in which Northrend reputation is gained, but they aren't saying much more than that. Blizzard is only planning (not promising) to test (not implement) the increased rep for many (not all or even most) factions. So, while this is likely to appear on the PTR sometime in the not too distant future, what factions it will affect and when (or even if) it appears on live realms is anybody's guess.
I love Twitter and it's great that Blizzard has been making use of their account for more than just their version of a Breakfast Topic, but I would prefer if they would link to more details when they release info like this. Perhaps follow it up with a forum post giving some facts or a link to a recent forum discussion of Northrend Factions.
I love Twitter and it's great that Blizzard has been making use of their account for more than just their version of a Breakfast Topic, but I would prefer if they would link to more details when they release info like this. Perhaps follow it up with a forum post giving some facts or a link to a recent forum discussion of Northrend Factions.
Of course, this is still better than no information and I enjoy the little teases they give us, so maybe I should just stop the QQ. Feel free to admonish me for gift horse inspecting in the comments below. Or you could speculate as to which reps will be made easier. Any "I quested uphill both ways in the snow to get my [insert rep reward here]" rants are welcome, too.
P.S. You can follow WoW.com on twitter at @wowinsider and many of the blogger twitter accounts can be found in our WRUP posts. My personal twitter account is @cosmiclaurel, but don't follow unless you want to hear me blather on about The Spawn and tea.
Update: We spoke too soon, the latest version of the official patch notes give us a much clearer idea of how this is going to happen. You're still allowed to rant and rave and speculate further, but do so with these details in mind.
- The following reputations have been sped up by roughly 30%:
- Argent Crusade
- Alliance Vanguard
- Horde Expedition
- Kirin Tor
- Knights of the Ebon Blade
- Sons of Hodir
- Wyrmrest Accord
- Sons of Hodir quests now give more reputation overall.
- Top-level helm and shoulder faction-related enchants are now available as Bind-on-Account items that do not require any faction to use once purchased (they still require the appropriate faction level to purchase).
- Reputation commendations can now be purchased for 1 Emblem of Triumph each.
Patch 3.3 is the last major patch of Wrath of the Lich King. With the new Icecrown Citadel 5-man dungeons and 10/25-man raid arriving soon, patch 3.3 will deal the final blow to the Arthas. WoW.com's Guide to Patch 3.3 will keep you updated with all the latest patch news.Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Blizzard, News items, Factions, Wrath of the Lich King
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Ziberious Oct 16th 2009 7:05PM
It's been in the patch notes for a while now I'm pretty sure. I could definitely be wrong though :)
johnthediver Oct 16th 2009 7:05PM
I guess I should start on my Sons of Hodir rep grind sometime. I just haven't got the initiative to do another rep grind.
Jonathan Oct 16th 2009 7:33PM
Hodir is at least the easiest neutral Northrend faction to get to exalted, I think. With the large amount of dailies and the ease with which you can pick up the relics, it's not that big of a thing.
Nick S Oct 16th 2009 10:37PM
I've just been buying the relics. Easier to spend a few hundred gold on them than do dailies for weeks.
JKWood Oct 17th 2009 3:49PM
You can make 75 gold easily in a day of Hodir dailies.
Which you can then use to buy more relics.
Win?
Lemons Oct 16th 2009 7:09PM
Northrend factions have some of the easiest rep grinds in the game...most have tabards...multiple dailies...repeatable turn ins. Never has it been so easy...and now it's getting easier!?
I guess this is all part of Blizzard's "Please roll an alt so you have something to do while we work on cataclysm" initiative.
Jonathan Oct 16th 2009 7:33PM
Some are easy, but some are an absolute pain. I rolled straight through Argent Crusade and Sons of Hodir with the sheer amount of involved quests for both of them, but the Kirin Tor and Wyrmrest Accord are both monumental pains.
talkaboom Oct 16th 2009 10:25PM
Thing is, many people get bored of doing the dailies. I got tied of the dailes after the first character.
After grinding the Hodir rep on my DK, I never really got around to finishing it off on my warlock, who actually started earlier. The fact that my warlock would get pawned(PvP server) by every alliance rogue/paladin/[insert your class here] did not make matters easier. Almost 9 months later, my lock is still needs another 6500 rep to get to exalted. Most of it has been got by turning in relics of ulduar.
The faction tabards hardly work for my latest alt to reach 80 as it is near impossible to get a group for heroics going on my server unless its TOCh.
It also makes the life of my Alts easier. While this may seem like a bit too easy, it is important to keep in mind that for a casual player, the faster rates will be of immense help.
And about Blizz making the end game easier, I really support that. Makes the game more "immersive" and meaningful for the remaining 80% of the people who are not in HC raiding guilds.
uncaringbear Oct 16th 2009 10:54PM
True, most Northrend reps are relatively quick to grind. However, I would dearly love to see a quicker means of grinding Kalu'ak and Oracle/Frenzyheart up to exalted. I want my fishing pole!
rastir Oct 16th 2009 7:10PM
wow, they are really catering to the casual player. Looks like its almost, play for a while, then cancel account for the first year of the new expansion. Come back when the expansion is almost over.. Login and enjoy your free epics that people have been grinding for hours on end week after week.
Kinda like it though, seeing as i abandoned my horde toons for this expansion, so plan to gear them up in full t9 through heroics until i get "Geared enough for next expansion". Should only take about 3 weeks or so to do that..
Nihlius Oct 16th 2009 7:33PM
Life is about the journey, not the destination.
Owen Oct 16th 2009 9:48PM
How so? People *still* haven't cleared 25 heroic ToC; they're just making it easier for casual player to *attempt* something like that. There's nothing fun about rep grind except in retrospect.
MasterAsh Oct 17th 2009 5:58PM
There's some people who still haven't cleared Ulduar yet. . .
They've cleared the Coliseum, but not Ulduar.
Chris M Oct 16th 2009 7:10PM
I'm pretty sure I'm going to get voted down for saying this, but here goes:
What?! The already ridiculously easy rep grinds of Wrath are being simplified, and basically nullified? Why not mail all 80s their shoulder enchants, head arcanums and various other rep reward nonsense. I mean seriously? You can grind to Exalted with any reputation via pure heroic dungeon farming (which you'll need anyway for Emblems to gear up) with minimal effort, and a tiny time investment.
sigh.
Dan Oct 16th 2009 7:14PM
Okay. Well some people don't have 5 hours a day, everyday, to run an endless amount of Heroics. This allows for better accessibility to casual players. Which is a good thing. Unless of course you don't want "noobs" to have what you have because you want to be the most uber ret pally EVAR!
Seriously, this really is a good thing.
Cygerstorm Oct 16th 2009 7:17PM
To all the whiners:
I was just like you, once. To stuck up on how huge my own Hardcore E-peen was, until this dawned on me: What if Blizzard had Yearly Expansions?! How could we do a hardcore-two-year gear grind if the expansions were yearly? Then all your epic hardcore gear would be worth a HECK OF ALOT LESS. Therefore, it would have to be EASIER TO GET.
Maybe WoW is no longer about being super-hardcore elite, but about, I don't know, Clearing Content and Having FUN. Now, I know most of you hardcore players don't play for fun. You play to get incrementally better stats so you can look down on everyone else. I used to do that too. But it's okay now, change is inevitable.
Come into the light. Its warm and safe here, we have cookies and free epics.
Cygerstorm, Shadow Council
Jonathan Oct 16th 2009 7:35PM
How does that account for us PVPers?
Chris M Oct 16th 2009 7:41PM
I know I'm coming off as snobby and elitist which really isn't my intent, I promise. I used to be a pretty 'hardcore' raider myself- Magic Seeker, realm first Illidan kill back when he was serious, cleared Sunwell pre-nerf. I get that the game is changing, really I do.
I have no problem with the easy epics, I get that too- means my soon-to-be 80 kitty/tree/bear thing will be ready to down Arthas all the sooner. This is great.
I just think it removes some of the achievement factor when 'grinds' that may take a couple of days at worst are being hugely nerfed.
TBC rep grinds? Horrible. Nerf them please and they were bad. I would've loved a tabard to farm TBC rep.
Sorry for coming off as a huge elitist e-peen waver, honestly isn't my intent here. I just like the way things are: Easy. Or even 'normal mode'. We're getting close to 'centipede rolls on the keyboard and wins at Wrath mode'.
John.d.hudgins Oct 16th 2009 8:00PM
Why does it bother you so much?
humperdinck Oct 16th 2009 8:01PM
Sometimes there just aren't enough QQs.