Ghostcrawler explains spec-specific quest rewards in MoP
by Michael Sacco 
Mar 29th 2012 at 8:20PM
When asked about the issue on the beta forums, Ghostcrawler offered a pretty reasoned explanation for the change. He says that most quests with green rewards will only give you one choice (that matches your current spec). However, there'll also be vendors in every zone from whom you can buy sets of gear that aren't quite up to the item level of quest rewards in that zone, so you can fill in itemization holes or help bolster an off spec a little more. Quests that offer blue rewards will usually offer rewards for any spec your class can be, giving you some flexibility when it comes to rare rewards. Also, Mists of Pandaria questing is more non-linear than Cataclysm's, so you'll be able to hit up a different zone in the event that you need gear for a specific level range.
Ghostcrawler's full response (and an image of one of the vendors) is after the break.
Quest Rewards: Spec-Specific Loot
Offering quest rewards this way is a change for us, and the kind of thing for which we could definitely use feedback.
For the players that level as X spec but want to also collect gear as Y spec, we have a few solutions:
-- Several of the zones have vendors with decent gear that isn't quite at the quest item level. These help provide coverage if you miss a reward, say gloves or shoulders, since questing is less linear now. However, these vendors also help you gather off-spec gear.
-- Several quests, especially those that offer blue rewards, weapons, trinkets and most of the level 90 quests, offer you a choice of gear for all of your specs instead of just your current spec.
-- Because the questing in zones isn't as linear as Cataclysm, and because there are two zones per level in some cases, you'll have the option to hit some quests as spec A and some quests as spec B.
-- There are still other sources of gear, such as crafting, the AH, dungeons, faction rep and so on.
Also remember that if, for example, you level as Arms but want to tank a few dungeons as Protection, that the level-up dungeons are not so brutally difficult that you need full tanking gear. A Prot warriors in DPS Strength gear would do just fine. As you get into endgame content, especially normal raids, you'll want actual tanking gear.
For the players that level as X spec but want to also collect gear as Y spec, we have a few solutions:
-- Several of the zones have vendors with decent gear that isn't quite at the quest item level. These help provide coverage if you miss a reward, say gloves or shoulders, since questing is less linear now. However, these vendors also help you gather off-spec gear.
-- Several quests, especially those that offer blue rewards, weapons, trinkets and most of the level 90 quests, offer you a choice of gear for all of your specs instead of just your current spec.
-- Because the questing in zones isn't as linear as Cataclysm, and because there are two zones per level in some cases, you'll have the option to hit some quests as spec A and some quests as spec B.
-- There are still other sources of gear, such as crafting, the AH, dungeons, faction rep and so on.
Also remember that if, for example, you level as Arms but want to tank a few dungeons as Protection, that the level-up dungeons are not so brutally difficult that you need full tanking gear. A Prot warriors in DPS Strength gear would do just fine. As you get into endgame content, especially normal raids, you'll want actual tanking gear.
It's open warfare between Alliance and Horde in Mists of Pandaria, World of Warcraft's next expansion. Jump into five new levels with new talents and class mechanics, try the new monk class, and create a pandaren character to ally with either Horde or Alliance. Look for expansion basics in our Mists FAQ, or dig into our spring press event coverage for more details!Filed under: Mists of Pandaria
Reader Comments (Page 3 of 7)
Killik Mar 30th 2012 4:15AM
Having to change spec when you turn in a quest doesn't sound like the intuitive gameplay Blizzard is trying to develop by streamlining quest loot in the first place.
I wonder how this will work for healers. Obviously Elemental and Balance questers will be fine - those specs even use Spirit as Hit, so Spirit pieces will be available. But Ferals, Guardians, Enhancement and all Paladins would seem to lack *any* Int gear, even if levelling dungeons are meant to be easy.
Architect Mar 30th 2012 7:50AM
Since they are adding the search function to vendors, why not add a check box to the quest reward page. Just check the box for your preferred spec and the window displays the relevant quest reward.
Amuyn Mar 29th 2012 8:42PM
I don't know about this... I like the idea of streamlining rewards, but my druid's main spec is Restoration. I can't quest as resto. I quest as feral. So, either I get decent gear for my offspec and crappy gear for my mainspec, or, I have to switch specs every time I accept/turn in a quest, depending on when it decides what gear you get.
And I know he said that lower level dungeons won't be super difficult and require the best of gear, but there is a huge difference between being a prot warrior in arm gear and being a resto druid in feral gear.
razion Mar 29th 2012 8:46PM
Keep in mind that things are still in Beta, and things are likely to be upgraded significantly as time goes on. The system will likely see upgrades (like being able to pick an Agility Leather armor set over an Intel or Spirit Leather set if you so choose without having to switch specializations). I would encourage patience, but in the meantime, this is actually a significant quality of life change for players overall, even for those who do have to switch specs for the odd quest. Besides, changing specs gives you time to actually read quest text.
Wilson.kaelan Mar 29th 2012 9:14PM
I don't really see HOW this is a quality of life change, though. Unless they're going back and adding this to all the quest rewards from 1-85, I don't see how this is helping. By level 85, if you don't understand what your class should be doing, railroading gear isn't going to help.
Also, having to switch specs everytime I accept or turn in a quest would be insane. Kill 10 whatevers. Switch to resto (10 sec cast). Turn in quest. Switch back to feral (10 sec cast). Resume questing. I don't really want a 20 second wait every time I turn in a quest.
slythwolf Mar 30th 2012 1:58AM
It's not going to be every time you turn in a quest. Not all quests, probably not even *most* quests, actually reward gear.
Boobah Mar 30th 2012 3:37AM
@slythwolf
Umm... which game are you playing? Because in World of Warcraft, the vast majority of quests do, in fact, reward gear. In fact, most quests reward at least one piece that's appropriate for every class (if not role).
I rather dislike this much hand-holding, though. I can understand limiting it to just the items appropriate for your class, but spec... As other have pointed out, it'd be rather annoying to flip specs just to see what's available (well, I could get the badly itemized enhancement piece, or the perfectly itemized resto piece...) and for those who don't have the same main and questing specs; you don't want to try to jump into tanking heroics if all your leveling gear was Ret or Frost.
Maybe the vendors will cover it well enough; maybe not. Although these vendors will also allow folks leveling via PvP to pick up some PvE gear that way, too, so long as the vendors aren't locked behind quest chains.
JattTheRogue Mar 30th 2012 4:13AM
@Boobah: I was curious about this, because I was pretty sure Slythwolf was right and most quests don't reward gear, so I looked at all the Alliance quests in Twilight Highlands. Out of 152 quests, only 40 give gear (39 give a choice between three to five items and one gives only a gun). The rest just award gold and xp. So, in reality, the vast majority of quests, more than two-thirds of them, DON'T award gear. Obviously, the exact ratio will be different in different zones, but I glanced at Deepholm and Hyjal without actually counting, and they both look to be about the same percentage.
emberdione Mar 29th 2012 8:46PM
Terrible terrible idea.
What about offspecs? If I already have an awesome dps piece, I want to be able to pick up the awesome healing piece?
Not to mention, with the difference in gold between armor pieces, you just SCREWED every clothie. Oh, here's an item you don't need, but you can only sell for 5g. What's that? The Pally got a similar item but it sold for 20g? Aw, well maybe you should play that class then.
I think having your "correct" spec item highlighted, then your "offspec" items highlighted a different color, then having items you can't use highlighted red, still solves the problem, but doesn't punish players who want an item for transmog or to sell.
TonyKP Mar 29th 2012 8:48PM
Good point about the resell value.
7Seti Mar 29th 2012 8:50PM
That would be a much better idea. Helping new players learn their class/spec is good, but foisting non-removable "training wheels" on every player is ridiculous.
emberdione Mar 29th 2012 8:57PM
Do you know how many times I picked the healing piece even on my mage simply because it had a better look and I wanted it for Transmog when leveling (usually I had the awesome dungeon blue)?
BLEH. The more I think about this, the more I hate it.
smartazjb0y Mar 29th 2012 9:08PM
100% agree with this idea: just highlight the "correct" piece, no need to straight up eliminate the other choices. I really dislike this move.
Randolf Mar 29th 2012 8:46PM
So every quest reward is gonna be one you need? If not, this is gonna suck for the people who have a good piece of gear in that slot and grab the reward that sells to the vendor for the most gold. I make a good chunk gold just selling useless quest rewards as I level my alts.
TonyKP Mar 29th 2012 8:47PM
Not sure how much the druid community is going to like this. I guess you could just try to remember to changes specs to whatever spec you want to get gear in before turning in a quest.
My biggest concern would be missing out on good transmog gear.
themightysven Mar 29th 2012 8:51PM
My enchanter cringes at this
eirinefrostblade Mar 29th 2012 11:58PM
As does mine. I had a large store of 'chanting mats laid aside my the time I got to 85. This is going to make that rather more difficult.
Boobah Mar 30th 2012 3:42AM
Maybe I'm being dense, but I don't see how this interacts with enchanting. You still get just as many pieces of gear to DE from questing, unless I missed something in there. Either the quest rewards something you want, in which case you can DE the old piece, or it doesn't reward something you want, in which case you DE the new piece.
Killik Mar 30th 2012 4:06AM
That doesn't seem to make any sense. People weren't selling their unwanted quest rewards on the AH, for enchanters to train on. You still get the same income of greens to disenchant.
Unless you mean the green vendors leading to a *glut* of materials. That gear probably can't be disenchanted, but it could mean that Blizzard uses the items' gold price to put a cap on enchant mats in the fevered first few weeks of MoP. Bad for enchanters but not necessarily for everyone else.
0oom Mar 30th 2012 9:00AM
Actually, the issue for enchanting is that I -often- choose a weapon if it is offered (which is sometimes 1 of the 3 choices), as the weapon has a much greater chance of DEing into the essence rather than the dust.