I feel like its too late for any meaningful changes from here on out, so this is just a speculation of how it could have gone down and maybe something people would get some interest in actually collecting Azerite Power.
- First let’s redo the interface on how Azerite Traits are shown, collected, and activated. We bring back the Glyph interface where you can choose all your Azerite Traits in a single window instead of opening 3 pieces of armor; it is also separated by spec so you have different choices based on the spec you’re playing. On the right hand side you would have all your Major and Minor Traits listed, it shows which ones you have acquired or unlocked and which ones you have not grayed out. This allows players to know what is out there without having to go outside of WoW to find all available traits for their class and spec.
The layout is setup with 1 major trait in the center followed by a ring of 3 minor traits going outwards and a second ring for major traits. This pattern repeats for each new level of content that is released. For example when Uldir became available we would have 1 major trait in the center, 3 minor traits ring, 3 major traits ring, and another 3 minor traits ring. Season 2 arrives we gain another 3 major traits ring.
- Azerite Traits don’t need a specific Azerite Power level to unlock, once obtained from an Armor it is available immediately. The potency is determined by the Azerite Power level of your necklace and a new rank system that sets a soft cap on growth with diminishing values. Let’s say the first armor you receive at the start of BFA the ilevel 280 given by Diamond Dwarf, it has a list of Major and Minor Traits, once that Armor has become bound to you those traits listed unlock in your new interface panel for you to select from and are all rank 1 with a display of AP10. So as you gain Azerite Power levels their stats grow, when your Azerite Power level exceeds 10 they will receive less power with each new AP level until you acquire rank 2, increasing the soft cap to AP20, or higher from stronger ilevel Azerite Armor.
This kind of system allows you to keep advancing the power of your traits based on your Azerite Power level. The ranking system allows Blizzard to balance and control the level of growth of traits with each new season when higher ranks become available. This way players who farm endlessly are still getting more powerful, just not overwhelming to those below them because of the rank’s soft cap. You don’t need rank 2 in order to obtain rank 3, so if you have rank 1 and obtain a new Armor that gives you rank 4 then it automatically skips 2 and 3.
- Acquisition, Allocation, Stacking, and Synergies. Now that you have acquired your Azerite Traits on your first piece of Armor given to you by Diamond Dwarf, you open your SINGLE panel and see those traits light up on the right hand side, and all those other possibilities all grayed out. You have a single major trait in the center unlock and 1 of 3 minor traits available as well, with the other 2 minor traits are locked. Once you obtain your second Azerite Armor for a different slot another minor trait unlocks and you gain a new major trait ring with 1 slot unlocked and 2 locked.
Stacking traits may still seem like the best thing to do, and you can still do it. I would like the system to change a bit where the first trait gets a boost in power so it is more useful when not stacking, the second stack would be a 50% increase, and a third stack would only add another 25% increase. This way if you choose not to stack, the first trait is powerful enough on its own, if you choose to stack it still increases in value but not doubling in value each time.
Create Synergies with different combinations of traits, they could be small bonuses like reducing ability cooldown, boosts to unrelated utility spells, bonus secondary stats, resource cost reduction, or small damage increases to their corresponding spells and abilities. Give players a reason to do different combinations other than just stacking the same trait 3 times.
- Since Azerite Armors only unlock new traits and ranks when acquired they no longer need to be collected, hoarded, and filling up your bags; lets give them back their secondary stats. Many class/specs are reliant on secondary stats more so than primary stats and while the necklace is intentionally over bloated in haste, critical strike, and mastery it doesn’t make up the difference in the loss of secondary stats you would get from Helm, Shoulders, and Chest pieces especially if you want versatility in the mix.
If you want to keep the unlocking function in Azerite Armor based on Azerite Power level, instead of unlocking traits they could be additional primary stats, secondary stats, tertiary stats, bonus armor, block, or parry/dodge. The final unlock can still be an extra 5 ilevel.
Creating this system would allow players to know what traits are available in the game, play around with what they have obtained, and choose how they want to play instead of being limited by what they have or don’t have.
… Did everyone fall asleep?