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All of the latest Mists of Pandaria newsBreakfast Topic: What item slot would you create?
by Marc Hobbs 
Aug 11th 2011 at 8:00AM
We're all intimately familiar with the 19 equipment slots on our character screens. There's nothing quite like the feeling of finally putting an item in an empty space on a low-level alt, and many players absolutely live for new gear at max level. Love it or hate it, care or don't, there's no denying the truth: Loot is a major part of the WoW experience. And the 19 slots we have -- head, neck, shoulder, back, chest, shirt, tabard, wrist, hands, waist, legs, feet, two rings, two trinkets, main-hand, off-hand, and wand/ranged/relic -- are filled and then updated almost constantly.
What if we made it an even 20? There are still some parts of the body left ungeared, so to speak, and other slots that could be broken down further. What if legs were two slots -- maybe kneepads and leggings? Or perhaps a vest/harness slot, worn under robes and armor but over shirts?
I'd add a slot for earrings. They could range from simple gold and silver studs for characters in their 20s all the way up to elaborate magical hoops and bars for 85s. Can you imagine sporting flashy gemstone earrings you ripped from the lobes of various bosses? My blood elf would enjoy rocking some seashell spirals stolen from Lady Naz'jar.
If you could add one more item slot to the character screen, what would you add and why? What kinds of items would that slot accept? Where we would we obtain them?
Filed under: Breakfast Topics, Guest Posts
Reader Comments (Page 3 of 8)
Guapa Aug 11th 2011 8:22AM
before adding a new slot, I'd try giving some sense to the totally neglected shirts.
Maybe not by giving them stats, but they could at least serve as fun items like the various items from the holidays, e.g. they could put you on fire while dancing or leave petals in your path. This way you could enjoy the fun effects without having to replace a "real" item with useful stats.
coville Aug 11th 2011 8:52AM
I always woundered why Blizzard has not made better use of the shirt slot. They could offer minor state increases, bonus effects or some other proc to boost a classes role.
As a hunter main I would like to see a shirt that allows aggro reduction or maybe an increase in camo time.
loop_not_defined Aug 11th 2011 9:06AM
coville, the shirt slot is one of all two "fun" slots that you get to choose instead of having chosen for you (in a sense). Please, let's not go there. I like Guapa's ideas, since they're still just aesthetic and not functional.
Angus Aug 11th 2011 9:09AM
Heck, we already have shirt patterns in the game. Imagine if flannel shirts sped up herbalism, precious' ribbon increased reputation, and anti-septic wound dressings increased healing received by a tiny amount.
I could also see more shirt pattern bonuses.
Chetti Aug 11th 2011 10:50AM
More fun shirts would be cool! I wondered why there weren't more shirt options. I get why that slot doesn't have stats, it doesn't need to. But it'd be cool if there were more holiday or 'event' type shirts that are either purchased for 1-2 holiday currency or dropped from things related to the holiday (noblegarden eggs, trick or treat baskets). Like the 'anniversary' thing, I think for 2 years players that logged in got a pet (which was cool), what if instead we got a shirt. Our toons 'go places' and 'do things' the way that we do.. and you know if you go on vacation or to some event and there is a shirt (and its reasonably priced) you end up buying one. :) Blizzcon in-game shirt free when you buy a Blizzcon shirt? So many options, and I don't even roleplay.
vocenoctum Aug 11th 2011 12:26PM
How many raiders had to have Precious shirt?
The issue really is that the shirt as a purely cosmetic item is mostly lost under armor, but it'd be nice if there was a variety of them that did nothing stuff like that. I'd think of it as a minor glyph slot, but not tied to class.
taokore Aug 11th 2011 2:41PM
There definitely should at least be more shirts available... like tabards, but without rep (or much lower rep) and guild shirts too. And tons of random ones for in-game businesses/organizations and such.
Stabaa Aug 11th 2011 8:24AM
Magical Socks
Danner Aug 11th 2011 8:25AM
A class-specific slot, holding items granting class-specific bonus (support) abilities.
Hunters should have quivers.
Mages should have spellbooks
Priests some sort of (un)holy symbol
Warlocks should have some sort of soul stone slot
Rogues should have a thieves tool kit
and so on.
Plainswander Aug 11th 2011 8:48AM
they sort of did that with relics at first, but then it got to be too much work, and they stopped.
LynMars Aug 11th 2011 8:54AM
They did this, and it was annoying. Relics were changed to multiple classes who could use them, and quivers/ammo pouches were removed/made into normal bags so Hunters don't have to worry about suddenly running out of ammo and being utterly useless in a boss fight. I'm quite happy to not have those class-specific slots around anymore, as there are quite enough restrictions on loot no one in a party can use and becomes enchant fodder.
loop_not_defined Aug 11th 2011 9:09AM
Really, this is the problem with tying uniqueness to functionality. Functionality *always* triumphs.
walkerspace Aug 11th 2011 12:05PM
Mages already have an off-hand slot that is sometimes filled with a spellbook.
bimberiusz Aug 11th 2011 8:25AM
I would add a slot that would let you change the whole apeariance of your gear
Mike Aug 11th 2011 8:27AM
Fanny Pack
MattKrotzer Aug 11th 2011 9:42AM
Or make inventory bags visible. Backpacks, various belt pouches.... what's the point in a green one vs. a red one, if you can't see them anyway?
Noyou Aug 11th 2011 10:06AM
The ability to switch out your original backpack for....a larger one! I know slightly off topic but on topic of the backpack thing.
oakleykid120 Aug 11th 2011 5:49PM
they've said they would love to add the option of upgrading the backpack but it was never coded in the first place to be upgradeable and they're afraid that if they redesigned the code for the backpack that all your items in it would disappear after the patch.
MattKrotzer Aug 12th 2011 8:36AM
If only they had some smaller sample size, a whole REALM, maybe... but open to the PUBLIC, where they could TEST this sort of thing before implementing it...
puffcake Aug 11th 2011 8:31AM
Other than earrings, toe rings or piercings, there's not really much room to put anything else. Unless you start with item enhancement cosmetics (i.e. eyeliner that gives crit bonuses, certain shades of nail polish that boost int or spirit, etc). Just pop into the barber shop turned salon, put on your best evening look, then go slam Ragnaros in the face.