We didn’t even have tier or a Catalyst up until six months ago; it’s not going to push anyone out of raiding.
And again, what would change that formula would be if tier bonuses were super-strong, which would indeed make that gear a requirement for clearing content. But even then, you’d have to define what kind of content you were talking about being un-clearable: Do you mean M+25? Or mythic raiding? The M+ keys will take care of themselves through valor-upgrading, but that’s been delayed every season already by the weekly valor cap. Mythic raiders will eventually get past the bosses the old-fashioned way – by being better and/or getting OP gear from wherever they can find it (M+, PvP, multiple mythic raid drops, etc.).
If anything, it would send more mythic raiders into M+ trying for a workaround, but it’s not going to push anyone out of raiding. Given that tier bonuses sound like they will be mild, you probably won’t need tier to clear heroic raid content at all, maybe even more than that.
I know how it works (we all go through this every season when suddenly that +20 you cleared last week has you struggling to clear it on +17) but again I’m skeptical of what that even means for the purpose of this discussion.
Yes, in Shadowlands, val-up M+ gear could lag behind tier, even to the point you were better off running 246 relic tier gear if you had to, just to get the bonuses. But the reason for that was that tier bonuses were stronger, especially for certain specs (Survival hunter). That doesn’t sound like the case going forward.
So you want to push IO? OK, but for what end? To not get declined for keys? I’m assuming if the player really wants to focus on M+ in the game and not raid, he/she has taken the time to build the gaming experience to suit those goals. Which in this case, means applying to and joining a guild that specifically says “we are a high-level M+ dungeon guild.” And once you’re in one of those, the rest of the stuff kind of melts away.
If we’re talking about the guildless, or the puggers, then yeah, not having Catalyst on Day 1 is going to affect them … maybe? … if they feel they are getting declined on keys because of their specific gear pieces. But that’s not what Catalyst was about when it was designed. And it just seems like a really odd thing for people to hang their whole Dragonflight experience on.
Eh, maybe if the starter gear or crafted gear is able to be converted, and even then likely not that big of deal.
But again, those that are guildless or pugging are possibly more likely to not worry too much about gear until they feel they are ready or run out of the content they actually do.
Since Season 4 launch with Catalyst mechanic introduction, the tier sets aren’t the same as before.
As mentioned by the Community Manager:
It includes World content players, S4 introduced Sandworm relics that could change to tier sets, it’s not only about using this power bonus on a raid but that you can use it for anything that you want.
The problem with acquistion mentioned by the blue post regarding 6 weeks:
It’s that now tier sets aren’t a raiding specific reward, on previous expansions some pvp players had to do raids in order to get the bonus set and mix pvp, pve pieces; however, this games continues to evolve, now any kind of player will get access to create pieces with the bonus or the weekly vault from M+, rated pvp will provide the set bonus.
Now Devs must think of a way to balance acquisition between all kind of players
They have also said there will be an M+ big dev post coming soon, (I’d say probably next week, along with M+ testing on beta), so a lot of the raid vs M+ gearing arguments could be made obsolete with the changes.
You got your own raiding loot tables. Extra chances at like 8-12 bosses of loot on 3 difficulties. And exclusive mounts/mogs/cosmetics/weapons and more chances at tier with 6 week advantage over everyone else.
So yes there are plenty of advantages of raiding.
The split run option of funneling gear to 4 main members at a time is also another advantage of the hardcore crowd. Basically funneling like 15 gear plus loot to 4 mains at a time if you so choose.
If M+ have so many advantages, why are M+ players going to be raiding non stop the whole tier and continue doing it weekly afterwards ?
It’s almost like players who partake in all PvE have an advantage over those who don’t. From both sides.
Probably a better idea to run the raids first, and then fill out slots from M+ btw. You won’t have to do M+ non stop either, probably already will have plenty of slots covered from raiding alone.
The advantage of M+ is that you get to raid for gear. Week 1, how will you get those sweet Mythic raid ilvl otherwise.
You for like 2 weeks to level some alts for split runs and funnel gear for when raiding comes out. If yall can do 5 characters each yall can funnel to like a 20 man comp 4 at a time with raids. Don’t even need to touch mythic plus if you do that.
