Cataclysm: "Almost all items are going to have to change."
by Michael Sacco 
Nov 18th 2009 at 11:00AM
Ghostcrawler, you machine, you. First you tell us that all of these stats are just plain goin' away in Cataclysm, and now you give us specifics? Such an industrious crab. But how is this change going to be carried out? Turns out he's got something to say about that, too.We talked about druids in bear form also getting AP from strength. Strength won't appear on leather and no piece should have Str and Agi together, so it's not like they would really double dip. That lets us still have tanking necks, rings and cloaks with strength on them that are attractive to all 4 tanking classes.
No kidding! Looks like a lot of thought is going to have to go into re-itemizing the game. Hopefully the same amount of attention goes into our talents to go with this expansion; I can't wait to see more "fun" talents like they've been promising, stat changes notwithstanding.Almost all the items in the game are going to have to change. In many cases this is just a sweeping pass we can make on all gear, such as replacing the Agi + AP on leather with just Agi. So don't worry too much about what happens with old gear and talents mixed with the new stat system. The gear and talents in many cases must change.
Before you go, though -- a brief moment of silence for "of the Tiger." You were there when we needed a suffix, any suffix, for our DPS alts. Godspeed, you green emperor.
World of Warcraft: Cataclysm will destroy Azeroth as we know it. Nothing will be the same. In WoW.com's Guide to Cataclysm you can find out everything you need to know about WoW's third expansion. From Goblins and Worgens to Mastery and Guild changes, it's all there for your cataclysmic enjoyment.Filed under: Items, News items, Cataclysm
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 5)
Andrew R. Nov 18th 2009 11:02AM
If I worked on the dev team for Blizzard I would have stock in Tylenol. My head would be hurting at the end of the day.
Aedilhild Nov 18th 2009 11:16AM
Since most item stats are systematically assigned, substitution of the data shouldn't be too difficult. As one who enjoys restructuring, I imagine members of the dev team can hardly wait to play with the new toy that is the new order.
Goradan Nov 18th 2009 11:25AM
Is it sick that I was writing the SQL queries in my head to select and replace stats on items as I read the article? O_o
catharsis80 Nov 18th 2009 11:34AM
@Goradan
It's only sick if you don't have a job working with SQL. If not, get those resumés out there man!
t0xic Nov 18th 2009 11:42AM
@Aedilhild
I can see simple fixes on some of the gear (strength -> agility, etc). Mainly more current gear from the two expansions (TBC,WOTLK). If you take a trip further back in time to Vanilla and look at some of the gear itemization, things get a lot more complicated. Terrible stat itemization that was never changed to reflect current stat priorities/specs. I'm talking about quest rewards; not just the trash greens that drop from random mobs.
These items send conflicting messages to new players about what stats they should be stacking. Not everyone goes to EJ before they roll a new character in this game. Blizz should set the example by giving you logical gear choices/quest rewards.
I've gotten off on a tangent, but my point is that doing a "global replace" in a database isn't going to fix this. It will take deep analysis if they hope to do it right.
Jenessa Nov 18th 2009 11:58AM
*lights a candle for 'Of the Tiger"
I think this is necessary http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mu9xx5Ri278
Kylenne Nov 18th 2009 1:24PM
Tylenol? More like valium.
Guyledouche Nov 18th 2009 2:14PM
@Goradon
Interestingly enough, they don't use SQL. It's a custom proprietary Oracle database. Start writing your queries now =)
John Nov 18th 2009 11:04AM
Breakfast Topic: What's the most useless "of the..."?
atrahasis Nov 18th 2009 11:10AM
Of the whale. It's got to be an inside joke since the days of the original Diablo, and the infamous "Godly Plate of the Whale".
juliefaerae Nov 18th 2009 11:13AM
I vote whale. My guild always jokes that one should just be called "of the DE"
kooda Nov 18th 2009 11:13AM
Maybe im just being stupid only playing a priest and DK but arent whale and wolf useless?
kabshiel Nov 18th 2009 11:26AM
Pretty much all the ones with +Spirit are to be avoided.
TxAg Nov 18th 2009 11:31AM
Boar (STR + SPI) & Wolf (AGI + SPI)
Whale is SPI & STA which can both be utilized by a leveling priest. No class/spec combo can use both STR or AGI along with SPI.
Mordockk Nov 18th 2009 11:35AM
i alwyas thought warriors liked spirit + str so they could regen health faster while leveling. but nowadays mobs just die in 2 swings with boa gear.
curtisrutland Nov 18th 2009 11:59AM
SPI only affects health regen outside of combat. If you're stacking SPI for that, you're doing it wrong. Vendor food is cheap, and a lot quicker than waiting for your health to regen through the little bit of spirit you get from some greens.
Maxilimus Nov 18th 2009 1:19PM
You is forgeten da trolls, mon.
codeaffe Nov 18th 2009 2:25PM
@TxAg obviously you never leveled a feral druid. When I was leveling my druid during bc I would always make sure that I got a good bit of spirit on my gear. I would mean that after fights I could pop out of cat heal my self and move on to the next mob. I think I vendered more water leveling then I ever drank. I mean this was also pre-leveling nerf and pre-leveling gear. but I think it might still hold true.
Hagen Nov 18th 2009 2:41PM
Curtis, you obviously don't play a Priest. Priests have Spirit converted into spellpower and killing anything when you have points in Spirit Tap doubles your regen for a short period, in or out of combat. Lots of health, never running out of mana and the ability to heal yourself means never having to sit down, which means leveling faster
Blackhorn Nov 18th 2009 3:12PM
@Hagen. Curtis was referring to the poster above him who though warriors liked spirit to regen health.