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 4 of 7)
Khoonda Mar 29th 2012 8:58PM
Lets remember Beta is Beta and this is the BEST place to test ideas like this out rather then in live
smartazjb0y Mar 29th 2012 8:59PM
I get that they want you to get the best item....but why not just indicate which is the best choice for your spec rather than restrict what you can choose? Like have an icon or colored border or something. This just seems like a poor implementation of the idea.
Revynn Mar 29th 2012 9:01PM
Sooooo, vendors that sell endless amounts of DE fodder?
Yeah, I know where I'll be for the first few weeks of MoP.
g2g591 Mar 29th 2012 9:26PM
bet you 2000G they make them undisenchantable
monotype Mar 29th 2012 9:50PM
Yeah, I'm willing to bet it'll be like the Molten Front rewards -- the thought of a steady stream of 60g Maelstroms was too good to be true.
Brad Mar 29th 2012 9:20PM
What about those of us who go back and do quests not for the XP or gear, but for the variation and costuming/transmog styles of the gear?
As a plate wearer when I don't need a piece of gear being offered I'll often pick the one that I can see a roleplay use for or for partying/hanging out with guildies where we just put on costumes or goofy outfits.
This would remove that ability, and gotta say... a lot of quest reward items make better transmog gear than the end-game gear.
Ailuvan Mar 29th 2012 9:04PM
Wait...what?
Vendors selling greens?
Can someone already in the beta find out if the vendor greens are able to be DE'd? Or flagged "not DE-able"?
Talk about setting a floor on enchanting mats...
RetPallyJil Mar 29th 2012 9:19PM
I deeply resent the trend toward railroading we're seeing since Cataclysm came out. If I want to skip useless plate rewards to grab a Crimson Tunic and have a WoW Red Wings jersey, then by God, I will.
It's not my problem if rogues take mail items. That's how you learn. You make mistakes. Fire hot - fire bad.
Scuac Mar 29th 2012 9:23PM
This is terible. Many times I would complete a quest on my mage, who is an enchanter, and if there was no interesting gear for him I would try to pick a weapon to DE (like a gun, or axe) since those are more likely to produce essences rather than dust.
Michael Mar 30th 2012 4:25AM
I can see the xmog or gold arguments...but the enchanting one doesn't really resonate with me.
As far as quantity it will be the same. As far as getting weapons instead of armor in an effort to get essences instead of dust...most of the quests that give weapons ONLY give weapons, and most of the quests that give armor ONLY give armor. I assume that will be the case even more often under this system.
Still, it's overly restrictive, and (as is starting to become a theme IMO) a really really inelegant and superfluous response to a largely manufactured problem. I didn't see too many folks at level 84 bemoaning the fact that they didn't realize that priests couldn't equip plate. About the only people that this might help, would be those like hunters, that equipped some leather pieces, losing out on their "all-mail" bonus.
JattTheRogue Mar 30th 2012 6:33PM
@Michael: Why do people make statements like that that have absolutely no basis in fact without actually looking for themselves? You are completely wrong, Michael: most quests that give weapons give them as one choice with pieces of armor. Go to Wowhead and look at the quests. You can put a filter on to show only quests that give you a choice of rewards. Looking at the Alliance quests in Twilight Highlands, there are nine that give you weapons. One of those has a gun as its only reward, so it doesn't really count for our purposes. Out of the other eight that offer a choice of rewards, only one is all weapons, and that's the Crucible of Carnage quest, which is designed to give you a blue weapon. The other seven quests have weapons as a choice with armor as the other choices (one quest has two weapons, but also two pieces of armor).
I also looked at Hyjal, Uldum, Deepholm and Vashjir, and while I didn't count up the exact number of quests that give weapons, I did count the number of quests that give ONLY weapons. There were exactly two, one in Deepholm and one in Vashjir. The many other quests that gave weapons always gave them with armor pieces as a choice as well.
So, in conclusion, you could not be more wrong. Next time, before dismissing something out of hand, actually check.
RedMosquito Mar 29th 2012 9:25PM
The idea is sound, but the implementation is overly restrictive, like others have pointed out.
It would be better if they added this as an interface option, on by default, but that advanced players would be able to turn off if they wanted to.
Or, if they don't "have the technology to do that", it would be better if the ideal item for your current spec was simply highlighted (and perhaps with bright letters saying IT'S DANGEROUS TO WEAR GEAR FROM OTHER SPECS, TAKE THIS as the poor newbie mouses over it), but the other options were still there.
Snuzzle Mar 30th 2012 6:39AM
For an actual RP quest giver blurb, something like this: "Please, take this [class appropriate item]. I know you will find it useful as a [class]. If you wish, I also have other items I offer to other adventurers. [Non spec appropriate choices here]"
icepyro Mar 29th 2012 9:29PM
I think there's an addon, or at least used to be one, that made quest rewards red if you had no hope of equipping the item or it was the wrong armor choice. The rest were rather bright. I think that's good enough if they want to improve the system.
I just want proof that if there is nothing for me, then I get the equivalent of the most expensive in gold, or on my enchanter I get a few appropriate mats or something.
I understand not wanting to allow for overly bad players. That's why we are getting the talent revamp, again, but just like the LFR loot system, this feels a little over the line.
icepyro Mar 29th 2012 9:29PM
I think there's an addon, or at least used to be one, that made quest rewards red if you had no hope of equipping the item or it was the wrong armor choice. The rest were rather bright. I think that's good enough if they want to improve the system.
I just want proof that if there is nothing for me, then I get the equivalent of the most expensive in gold, or on my enchanter I get a few appropriate mats or something.
I understand not wanting to allow for overly bad players. That's why we are getting the talent revamp, again, but just like the LFR loot system, this feels a little over the line.
Elissis Mar 29th 2012 10:00PM
I can see where Blizz is coming from, but I would really... really rather they didn't go through with this and this is why:
One: I -like- being able to pick what I want for the loot I earned. Say for example, I'm questing and would rather take a plate item as opposed to a cloth item because the item offered (As a cloth wearer) isn't quite as good as what I'm already wearing. I like to take plate for better vendor value.
Two: I quest as DPS for toons that I usually heal as in dungeons. ... Sure I could change spec and then turn in the quest, but that seems like a lot of hassle.
Three: I'm a roleplayer. I enjoy being able to pick items that look nice. Why take the option away when someone can actually appreciate the work the designers put into some of the more unique questing gear items?
And that is my take on the matter. : )
andrey.pkk Mar 29th 2012 10:14PM
Not being able to post over that thread is awful.
I really don't mind getting later access to Beta, but not being able to give feedback over things that you obviously don't need Beta Access to discuss?
Michael Mar 30th 2012 4:28AM
You're more than free to create a General Discussion thread, or even a thread in the MoP forums about it.
Restricting the testing threads to actual testers makes sense, and it doesn't really limit your ability to comment on something like this.
kd Mar 29th 2012 10:23PM
This is actually good. No more having to browse 6+ quest rewards for the one that fits my spec. And it makes vendors finally useful instead of trash receptacles.
The only tweak would be to offer TWO rewards -- 1 for main, another for alt-spec (or the BIG CASH PRIZE for int plate because pallys are special).
I'm glad SWTOR is giving WoW competition & a run for it's money.
Sintraedrien Mar 29th 2012 10:22PM
One response I haven't seen yet is this question: What about phased quest turn ins? If you are phased, and trapped in a spec, (like a druid locked out of two other specs), will you be able to get to a trainor, purchase a spec (go from a boomkin/cat to a boomkin/bear or a boomkin/tree), and then teleport back to the quest NPC /JUST/ to get the quest reward for that third spec?
That scenario sort of scream for bugs, messed up phasing, lost quest NPCs/turnins, &ct., and it ignores the predicament (which /has/ been mentioned above) of the RP paladin (forex) who is locked out of a fabulous cloth robe, say, just because they wear plate.
As a some-time RPer myself, I adhere to the notion of a previous poster- in my cloth robes, lounging around Silvermoon, no-one should be able to tell IC that I am not a powerful mage, or a lady of the evening, instead of a holy warrior crushing wickedness wheresoever I might find it.
Sintra E'Drien of the Ebon Blade, né Sindorei (why yes, I do love furry coats, especially when the owner is cuddling with me)