Cataclysm – Gearscore on Viagra
What’s YOUR Gearscore?
As I was standing in the scorching sun yesterday, bartending for a friend’s sister’s wedding, I thought to myself – “I can actually feel my brain cells cooking like oatmeal in a microwave. There may be damage, and it could be permanent. Also, what’s my name again? Is that sweat or pee running down my leg?”
Clearly these were vital questions to consider. Especially that pee thing. For the record, it was sweat. Still kinda disgusting.
Somewhere amidst all that heatstroke and brain damage, my synapses fired in the direction of World of Warcraft. Maybe it was that giant sword I saw propped up against the tree (turns out it was an elderly man, my bad), but I began to reflect on a blue post I had heard mentioned involving the upcoming gear reset.
Cataclysm Gear much more powerful than WotLK’s
Since we’re only raising the level cap to 85 in Cataclysm, one of the goals is to pack as much content and gameplay as possible into the new 78-85 zones and dungeons. We don’t want the leveling experience from 80-85 to feel as if it’s only half of the content we’ve provided in the last two expansions. So, with that comes more substantial scaling of items and character power with each level gained. A level-82 character should feel significantly more powerful than a level-80 character, for example. There are some epic and legendary items from Wrath of the Lich King raid content which may take a while to replace, but chances are most of your gear will be replaced by the time you start running level-85 normal 5-player dungeons.The first rule of thumb, as usual, is that you’ll probably be focused on the stats most important to your class. If you’re, say, an Unholy death knight, you probably won’t be replacing items until the strength on the new gear outweighs the strength on what is currently equipped, even with gems and enchants considered. By the time this occurs you’ll also likely be incorporating the benefits of Mastery rating.
[…] The concept is very much the same as the previous two expansions. We expect players leveling new characters in BoA gear, questing greens and maybe even some dungeon blues to be able to head into either of the first two Cataclysm zones at level 78 and do just fine. If you’re wearing mostly quest-reward items, you can expect to replace them very quickly in Vashj’ir or Mount Hyjal.
When WotLK released, people feared it would be the Great Gear Reset of BC. Top shelf gear was being replaced by quest greens right out of the gate, and that had people, especially raiders, gnashing their teeth. However, when Wrath did finally release, the gear replacement was much more gradual. For people wearing purples, they could go quite a few levels without any kind of significant replacement. The populace was happy (or at least, as happy as World of Warcraft players get) with their gear progression, and the raiders embraced their bloated Gearscore and hugged it tight.
Cataclysm is going to throw that all out the window. Hello Burning Crusade release 2.0.
I took a peek at what’s going to be coming. I think Zarhym needs to give his head a shake, because it’s not only quest-reward items getting replaced very quickly. ICC Heroic 5-man drops are replaced be quest greens that can be obtained before players ever needed to run the Heroics.
Example: I took a look at the Cataclysm Item List and right at the top is a green quest item, the Barnacle-Coated Greataxe. It’s an Item Level 272 reward for the quest “Kliklak’s Craw“, which you can get at level 78. Conversely, the epic axe Herculano swings, the Tyrannical Beheader, is an Item Level 232 blade he picked up at level 80 from Scourgelord Tyrannus in Heroic Pit of Sauron. Kinda hits you right between the eyes.
Just like that.
Now my brain could very well be done like dinner (I don’t always drool like this), but I think this information puts a bit of a damper on Wrath for everyone until Cataclysm, not just raiders. Myself, I was trying to get some more Pit runs in to try and get another TB axe for Herc’s offhand. It’s probably the best weapon you can get outside of raiding (and the Battered Hilt). But after reading about the BC Greataxe, I don’t really care anymore. I think it’s going to be the same for many non-raiders. Why run the Heroics when you’re just going to replace the purples so quickly? Why grind emblems to improve gear, when your Gearscore will feel all fat and meaty after knocking out a few quests upon Cata’s release? You don’t need emblem gear to start out in Cata’s intro content, according to Zarhym. What’s the motivation to get any of it now, before the expansion releases?
Raiding guilds are probably going to become ghost towns now, because people would rather chew glass than have to deal with nine or twenty-four other folks potentially standing in the fire, hours at a time, hundreds of gold in repair bills, for days and weeks on end, only to replace that purple within a few hours of playing Cataclysm.
Non-raiders have no motivation to deal with PUGs just to get emblems or gear for the same reason.
The rabbit sitting on my desk makes a good point. Players have been waiting for the Cataclysm world events to start. I think this information started the ball rolling, because it’s cataclysmic for people making their way through Wrath.
Cataclysm Bunnys says – “Always wear a hat on sunny days”
This is Herculano. Don’t forget your sunscreen.
Don’t YouYou Like Meme?
Jaedia, over at The Lazy Sniper, had posted a questionnaire that she had found during her blog-surfing. I thought it was a good idea and decided to fill it out as well. That was yesterday, the day before I slept wrong and woke up with a pounding headache, and a neck so out of place that when I roll my head from side to side it sounds like I’m stepping on bubble wrap. And not in the good way.
So forgive the less than stellar replies. They are, however, honest.
1. Raider, farmer, PvPer, or altoholic?
I haven’t done any raiding in WoW, due both to my work schedule keeping me out of town, and my inferior computer/internet connection. I’ve done plenty of raiding in Everquest back in the day, which makes WoW raiding look even tamer. No phasing for the most part, just muster up your raid and check to see what bosses are up in various zones. Once you have a target, haul ass and race to it before another raid crashes your party. Good times.
PVP does nothing for me. Win or lose, I get honor points to buy gear and items with. If I win I get it quicker, but the thought of grinding another player beneath my iron (yet digital) fist isn’t enough to fill me with the rampant “give a damn” a PVPer needs to succeed.
Every once in a while I’ll get the mojo for working on alts. While I have a couple on the go currently, that’s mostly just to get them to 65 so they can be a profession mule. I don’t have the time to devote to a bunch of toons.
I guess if I have to pick one of the four, I’m a farmer. I farm the AH, I farm for professions, I farm for rep, or I farm for achievements. I may not have time, but I have patience.
2. Favorite raid or dungeon?
Since I don’t raid, I’m going to choose Wailing Cavern as my favorite dungeon. That might change come Cataclysm, but between farming for the vanity pet and fishing for Deviate Fish, it was a nice place to make gold.
3. Number one choice for a new playable race?
Ogre. Most of my characters in Everquest were Ogres. I’m drawn to the big powerful dullards. I play what I know.
4. Class you suck the most at?
I’ll have to say I’m not great at most of them, probably because they don’t interest me. I like Warlocks but I’ve never leveled one to 20. Shaman lost me at level 5, rogues maybe mid-teens. I know what I like, and have little interest in developing skills to play classes that barely interest me.
5. Original UI or modded UI?
I run the Original UI. I have mods I use here and there, but none that will slam my game full-stop if they are “broken”. I’ve seen too many people who run pretty UI’s, sob and stammer because the latest patch broke their UI and woe is them how will they ever play! They can’t go back to the Original UI they just can’t!
You’d be surprised what you get used to, when you have to.
6. Profession you’ve never levelled past 200?
Tailoring, but I’m working on that. Now if I could just level that alt…
7. Favorite flying mount?
The X-53 Touring rocket, the only two-seater flying mount in the game at the moment.
8. Nozdormu — friend or foe, you figure?
All I know is that I don’t want to mess with the Noz.
9. Useless item you have in your bank that you’ll never get rid of?
Nothing. I don’t keep useless items. Guess I’m not that sentimental.
10. Most expensive thing you’ve ever bought?
Due to my diet of alts, I tend to lose cash via epic flying mounts.
11. Favorite starting area?
The Orc/Troll starting area. It’s compact enough to level up and get around without running across the zone to complete quests. That’s what the Barrens is for.
12. Inane goal you worked hardest to achieve?
Being Exalted with the Mag’Har. Although that might change once I complete the World Explorer achievement.
13. Darion Mograine VS Tirion Fordring, gloves off — winner is?
No idea. I’ll wait for the movie.
14. Game music or your own playlist?
Definitely my own playlist. I usually have the in-game music off. However, the playlist isn’t necessarily music. I’ll get my podcast on, or listen to various clips on Youtube.
15. Particular option or setting that you always toggle on a new alt/server?
I turn on the function to verify talent points. Nothing more annoying than having to respec a new toon because I clicked somewhere I shouldn’t have.
16. Highest amount of levels gained in one play session?
Thirteen. I’m pretty sure I could hear myself blink afterwards.
17. Thing you’d most like to experience or see in-game?
I think I might want to face the Lich King. Maybe Illidan.
18. Worst PuG moment?
There’s so many bad ones, I can’t remember a specific moment. I do recall being called out for having a poor Gearscore. I was level twelve at the time.
19. Best dungeon/raid moment?
Taking that poorly geared level twelve Mage and running the flag back in WSG. I actually had someone cheering for me for running it back with a Gearscore of 2.
20. Worst quest ever that you totally hate doing?
I hate doing the phasing quests. Twice I’ve had characters reach 80 before they needed the quests, but if I want to unlock dailies in the Shadow Vault or aboard the flying ships, I have to run these stupid questlines just to unlock the placeholders.
21. First thing you do when you hit 80?
Start working on Crusader dailies to unlock the ones that make the real cash.
22. Character (of yours) you would RP as if you had to?
Herculano. I can relate to him, so RP would be easy.
23. Keyboard, mouse, or both for using abilities?
I use both. I’m trying to get into the habit of mouse turning, in case I need the ability one day.
24. Thottbot or WoWhead?
I stopped using Thottbot about a month after I started playing WoW. It was great for Everquest, not so much for WoW. WoWhead is how I roll.
25. Acronym you’ve seen in chat but don’t understand?
LOL. I know what it stands for, I just don’t understand how something can be so mind-blowingly hillarious that a person would not only laugh out loud, but tell others they’re laughing out loud.
26. Plot point you’d like to see resolved someday?
Did that guy ever get out of the outhouse?
27. Biggest thing you’re looking forward to in Cataclysm?
The second or third week after release. That’s usually when all the bugs have been assessed and stability issues are handled.
28. Guild event you’d like to see?
I haven’t made it to a Craft Faire yet, but I’m looking forward to it.
29. Level range you hate being in?
I guess it would be 50-58. I’m almost in Outlands, where I’ll quickly receive gear upgrades, but not quite there yet. The dungeon finder has taken the sting out of leveling though. Maybe I should say 1-15, the time before you can queue up for the DF.
30. Favorite map to quest in?
Any one that is not the Barrens.
Hate that place.
Hate. It.
