Blizzard issues transmogrification system clarifications
The new transmogrification system announced this week will allow players to change the appearance of their gear without losing the stats associated with them. This new system will be launching with patch 4.3. For everything you need to know about transmogrification, check out our Queue FAQ on the system, as well as Blizzard's official preview.
Many players had questions, however, about the minutiae of the system. Will players be able to convert weapons to legendary skins that they have completed or found? Will there be alternative ways to find cool set items without having to go back to the old content and farm for it? What about some of the gear that isn't available anymore or hard to get? Can we use silly items with the transmogrification system? Blizzard's Kaivax and Zarhym took to the forums to issue some clarifications on these questions and more.
Players will need to have both items, the item to be worn and the item to be used as the model, for transmogrification to work. There will not be free presets of gear to choose from, so you will need the pieces you want to wear in the transmogrification process. Also, Blizzard is exploring new, alternative ways to distribute older gear like the death knight starter armor and the old dungeon tier sets. Blizzard also wants to respect the hard work of the artists, so we may not be able to use silly items, such as fish that are daggers and what-not. Hit the jump for lots of blue posts.
Legendaries will not be eligible for transmog
You will not be able to transmogrify using a legendary item as either the source or the recipient of a change.
Transmog will launch with conservative rules
This system is going to launch with fairly conservative rules, so that we can get it up and running as soon as possible and make fun improvements down the road. It's not beyond the realm of possibility that we'll eventually allow transmogrification to use the twill set or [insert your favorite item here], but probably not for the initial launch of the feature.
Alternative ways to get items that are no longer available
We would like to offer some alternative ways to get favorite items that are no longer available, such as perhaps the dungeon tier sets or the DK start gear. This is something we will expand over time – not every favorite item will be immediately available at launch. But we'll keep a list of items that get requested by the players and work to get them in someday.
Picture shows Sulfuras, shouldn't be Sulfuras
You're correct. He should be wielding Sulfuron Hammer, and is clearly holding a Sulfuras, Hand of Ragnaros. In any case, he is not holding something other than Sulfuras, Hand of Ragnaros. Legendaries will always be identifiable on sight.
You need both items to do transmog
No, it's necessary to have both the item you want to make look like something else, and the item you're using the 'look' of.
You can transmog an item as many times as you want
You can swap around the looks of items as much as you want. There's a gold cost associated with using it, so that's your only limitation (aside from which specific items can be used in the process).
No "free presets" for gear
I'm not sure what you're asking? Will there be "free presets" to choose from? No you must own the physical item you're using the look from. Whether that's completing a quest, killing a boss, or buying it from a vendor.
Silly model weapons may or may not be eligible for transmog
Well, I don't want to be the bearer of bad news, but...
We have an obligation to players and to our hard working artists to keep the game from looking too silly. I know looking ridiculous is fun for some players, but World of Warcraft was established with a design that the game overall kept its silliness in check. That's one of the reasons we resisted adding a feature like Transmogrification for so long.
So weapons that look like fish, for example, probably won't be available as source items for Transmogrification, even if one is technically a dagger and has stats. There are a handful other weapons with "silly" models (such as frying pans, brooms, etc.) that may or may not be allowed -- it's still under discussion.
Brace yourselves for what could be some of most exciting updates to the game recently with patch 4.3. Look at what's ahead: new item storage options, cross-realm raiding, cosmetic armor skinning and your chance to battle the mighty Deathwing -- from astride his back!
Many players had questions, however, about the minutiae of the system. Will players be able to convert weapons to legendary skins that they have completed or found? Will there be alternative ways to find cool set items without having to go back to the old content and farm for it? What about some of the gear that isn't available anymore or hard to get? Can we use silly items with the transmogrification system? Blizzard's Kaivax and Zarhym took to the forums to issue some clarifications on these questions and more.
Players will need to have both items, the item to be worn and the item to be used as the model, for transmogrification to work. There will not be free presets of gear to choose from, so you will need the pieces you want to wear in the transmogrification process. Also, Blizzard is exploring new, alternative ways to distribute older gear like the death knight starter armor and the old dungeon tier sets. Blizzard also wants to respect the hard work of the artists, so we may not be able to use silly items, such as fish that are daggers and what-not. Hit the jump for lots of blue posts.
Legendaries will not be eligible for transmog
Quote:
it will be nice to see the old armor sets again, and glaives and so on.
everyone has some item they like a lot for aesthetic reasons but have had to put it in their bags as it is no longer "viable".
it's good we have this option to make use of that gear once again without it being a dps/hps loss. just think, thunderfury with the stats of the tank sword off beth'tilac! :p
it will be nice to see the old armor sets again, and glaives and so on.
everyone has some item they like a lot for aesthetic reasons but have had to put it in their bags as it is no longer "viable".
it's good we have this option to make use of that gear once again without it being a dps/hps loss. just think, thunderfury with the stats of the tank sword off beth'tilac! :p
You will not be able to transmogrify using a legendary item as either the source or the recipient of a change.
Transmog will launch with conservative rules
Quote:
Time to farm my twill set again
Time to farm my twill set again
This system is going to launch with fairly conservative rules, so that we can get it up and running as soon as possible and make fun improvements down the road. It's not beyond the realm of possibility that we'll eventually allow transmogrification to use the twill set or [insert your favorite item here], but probably not for the initial launch of the feature.
Alternative ways to get items that are no longer available
Quote:
This basically punishes Lore Masters for doing all the quests already. In order to get the look I want, I'm going to have to reroll DK and start over again to get my quest / starter gear?
*sigh*
This basically punishes Lore Masters for doing all the quests already. In order to get the look I want, I'm going to have to reroll DK and start over again to get my quest / starter gear?
*sigh*
We would like to offer some alternative ways to get favorite items that are no longer available, such as perhaps the dungeon tier sets or the DK start gear. This is something we will expand over time – not every favorite item will be immediately available at launch. But we'll keep a list of items that get requested by the players and work to get them in someday.
Picture shows Sulfuras, shouldn't be Sulfuras
Quote:
Sulfuron Hammer
Does not look like Sulfuras, Hand of Ragnaros, bad example to post up there buddy.
Sulfuron Hammer
Does not look like Sulfuras, Hand of Ragnaros, bad example to post up there buddy.
You're correct. He should be wielding Sulfuron Hammer, and is clearly holding a Sulfuras, Hand of Ragnaros. In any case, he is not holding something other than Sulfuras, Hand of Ragnaros. Legendaries will always be identifiable on sight.
You need both items to do transmog
Quote:
1. If we have already had, and destroyed, gear to make bag space in the past. Will there be ANY way for us to avoid having to refarm the gear, or, will closer to release will the "Must have" restriction be changed into something else?
1. If we have already had, and destroyed, gear to make bag space in the past. Will there be ANY way for us to avoid having to refarm the gear, or, will closer to release will the "Must have" restriction be changed into something else?
No, it's necessary to have both the item you want to make look like something else, and the item you're using the 'look' of.
You can transmog an item as many times as you want
Quote:
2. Will we be able to transmorgrify (? is there a tense!?) items more than once, like a hair cut, or is it a once and done deal?
2. Will we be able to transmorgrify (? is there a tense!?) items more than once, like a hair cut, or is it a once and done deal?
You can swap around the looks of items as much as you want. There's a gold cost associated with using it, so that's your only limitation (aside from which specific items can be used in the process).
No "free presets" for gear
Quote:
3. Will there be other preset items that we aren't required to have, but can chose from just to give us access to this feature? (Also, like the hair cut) Just a few items that may interest us, but aren't necessarily from previous teirs. Perhaps an NPC outfit that falls into our armor class?
3. Will there be other preset items that we aren't required to have, but can chose from just to give us access to this feature? (Also, like the hair cut) Just a few items that may interest us, but aren't necessarily from previous teirs. Perhaps an NPC outfit that falls into our armor class?
I'm not sure what you're asking? Will there be "free presets" to choose from? No you must own the physical item you're using the look from. Whether that's completing a quest, killing a boss, or buying it from a vendor.
Silly model weapons may or may not be eligible for transmog
Quote:
t4 or t6 with stylin' purple hat and Dual Dark Herring.
t4 or t6 with stylin' purple hat and Dual Dark Herring.
Well, I don't want to be the bearer of bad news, but...
We have an obligation to players and to our hard working artists to keep the game from looking too silly. I know looking ridiculous is fun for some players, but World of Warcraft was established with a design that the game overall kept its silliness in check. That's one of the reasons we resisted adding a feature like Transmogrification for so long.
So weapons that look like fish, for example, probably won't be available as source items for Transmogrification, even if one is technically a dagger and has stats. There are a handful other weapons with "silly" models (such as frying pans, brooms, etc.) that may or may not be allowed -- it's still under discussion.
Filed under: Cataclysm
Patch 5.4 patch notes
Virtual Realms feature revealed
The Proving Grounds are coming
The latest patch 5.4 news






Reader Comments (Page 8 of 8)
Silver Aug 19th 2011 11:33AM
Sorry if this has been covered already but i cant see an answer.
How will this impact PvP and identifying the spec of a hybrid?
Cinarg Aug 19th 2011 2:52PM
Hybrid classes tend to use a specific kind of weapons for each spec: prot pally and warrior will usually be seen with 1h and shield, ret and arms will be seen with 2h, fury and enhancement dual wielding, you get the idea.
ElrithCC Aug 19th 2011 3:27PM
People take a one sentence statement and worry at it like pit bull lawyers dictating loopholes and studying word order.
The fact is, yes, Warcraft has an aspect of silly to it, one that used to be more balanced but has gone a little overboard lately, sometimes nauseatingly so. But it's still not the tidal wave of stupid you would get allowing the playerbase to run rampant with this feature, which is what you would get if you allowed everyone to use fish and bathing suits and pimp hats.
There is a sort of wire walk between the ridiculous and the "serious" in Warcraft, and this would just push it overboard. Use all the fallacious analogies you want, you're mired within an aesthetic rule set you do not grasp.
Artistic stylized aesthetics like giant shoulders and demi god like ornately huge fire breathing armor and weapons are not intended to be silly, they're an over the top style that comes from fusing the over the top legends and mythology of humanity with cartoonist, comic book artist, and illustrator's styles that is founded on exaggerations, there's a lot of grey here too many of the commenters insist are black and white issues.
There are plenty of myths and legends of mortal men wielding the weapons of giants and gods, and Japanese warriors using boat oars as weapons and swords based on boat oars, which is where all these giant weapon wielding illustrations originate from.
But it's cool to be jaded about pop culture, and I'm swimming upstream.
nadra Aug 19th 2011 3:57PM
I'm getting an online petition together for ppl who believe that this transmogicfication feature should be CLIENT ONLY.
in other words if ppl want to run around in old crap cus they prefer nostalgia to living in the present thats fine but it should beVISIBLE TO THEM ONLY the rest of us shoudnt have to put up with their idiotic clown suits.
already had a bit of interest in this petition on the official boards so ill post a link here as soon as its up and running.
JOIN THE FIGHT TO FORCE THE DEVS TO MAKE THIS FEATURE CLIENT ONLY!
dmrobertson2 Aug 19th 2011 8:44PM
lemme clear my throat a bit... aghmm aghmm.
Boo Hoo. Seriously that entire post could of been made with just the "Q" key pressed over and over again.
Eirik Aug 19th 2011 4:53PM
I think we can really discard an argument that starts "we want to respect our artists work..." from consideration. Transmogrification isn't about respect or lack of respect. It's about discrimination and preferences - choosing one piece of art in place of another. Voting with your transmogrifier which paladin tier set is most pleasing for you to be seen wearing, for instance. And while the "let's not get silly" blue note didn't claim it was an issue of respect, that is really how I took it.
I think it likely that there will be a great many more restrictions on transmogrification than they are even implying to date.
Stated:
- armor classes change only within that class
- weapons only mog into others of that type (dagger, 2h sword, etc).
- bows/guns/xbows *will* interchange.
Possible additional restrictions:
- tier gear only transmogrifies with other tier gear
- rarity mogs only into the same rarity (green to green)
- silhouette: above 60 gear not mogging into below 60s appearance (or choose other arbitrary level/iLevel limits)
- items with specific on use animations (Brewfest Steins) do not mog
- novelty skins (mugs, rolling pins, fish, etc) do not mog
- Particular enchantments may prohibit mogging ("because it would look extremely silly" or "because that (weapon) enchantment cannot be placed on the lower level item")
- something you mog to look like something else may become soulbound. ... to forestall the "get yer cheap imitation Judgement Shoulders here!" market.
I suspect that they might allow white level items to mog with other white items much more freely than they state simply on a "who cares" basis.
I'm a bit disappointed, myself, since I was one of the fishslapping advocates. Guess my Rockhide Strongfish (which is NOT a mace!) stays in the bank a little longer. Even if it is much easier to fishslap with a mace-fish than a dagger-fish.
Shadow Dark Aug 21st 2011 2:59AM
See above:
"Legendaries will not be eligible for transmog"
Quote:
it will be nice to see the old armor sets again, and glaives and so on.
everyone has some item they like a lot for aesthetic reasons but have had to put it in their bags as it is no longer "viable".
it's good we have this option to make use of that gear once again without it being a dps/hps loss. just think, thunderfury with the stats of the tank sword off beth'tilac! :p
"You will not be able to transmogrify using a legendary item as either the source or the recipient of a change."
I really am sad that i cant get my Rogue the Warglaive and then still have the look when fighting once i lvl to level 85. :,(
TheUsualSuspect Aug 20th 2011 6:02PM
Come on ArenaNet, this is your window while the WoW base is disillusioned and disappointed.
RELEASE IT ALREADY!