Current Implementation for New Races Makes for an Odd Experience

Community General Discussion
1

So I wrote a post a couple weeks ago regarding some of the disconnect with design decisions:

So my brother played BfA to level cap and beyond (not sure how far he got) probably not past the first month. He has a Human Paladin, and wants to come back and switch to Zandalari.

This creates an interesting problem:

(1) He can either switch factions now (not sure if rep transfers 1:1) earn rep and finish the necessary quest lines. He would then need to pay for a race change, at the end of that journey.

OR

(2) He can level an additional character horde side and earn the necessary rep and finish the quest lines on that character. Then make only one payment for a faction transfer.

To me both scenarios are odd. In scenario 1 he has to make 2 transactions. In scenario 2 he is doing work for the benefit of the ACTUAL character he wants to play, on a completely DIFFERENT character.

Now I suppose you could take the cynical route and make the claim that all of this was intentional to either get you playing longer (2 characters) or spending more money on transfers. I happen to believe that it is far less devious, and (perhaps more concerning) more likely that there is a level of carelessness/thoughtlessness that exists within the direction of the game, that creates a disconnect between design goals (what you want the player to do) and player behavior (how the player actually gets there).

Please do not mistake my post to suggest that I think there shouldn’t be a cost. Whether that cost is monetary or intangible in the form of in game accomplishments, I agree the cost should be there, but from a design perspective it should make sense to the player.

Would Monks, DKs, and DHs have been successful if you needed to play through to level cap on a completely DIFFERENT character just to be able to turn around and do it all over again on the class you wanted to play? No, that sounds wonky right? How successful would those expansion have been if that was the route required to take?

Like him or hate him, this type of thing is something that Greg Street knew how to do very well, implement systems that made sense. This as it is currently implemented has major flaws.

I can’t say I expect things to change anytime soon. If azerite power serves as indication of how poorly implemented systems are approached, it tells us that Ion’s ego is far too big to know when to make necessary changes. For him it HAS to work, and if it doesn’t well… at least there is next xpac.

2

Perhaps add a thing that grants a free transfer/recustomization when you earn an allied race? That way the character you leveled to earn your desired allied race becomes the character you want to play. Of course doing this would forfeit heritage armor, just like a paid transfer would.

The only issue with this (which may be what Blizz is trying to avoid) is potential for large numbers of players transforming their core race characters into allied races, making AR characters the majority. I may be wrong but I believe they want to keep AR numbers relatively low with core races continuing to dominate.

3

Just an FYI, reps don’t transfer. You have to level up the Horde factions on a Horde character and Alliance ones on Alliance character. Just something to think about. I think other things may transfer but I’ve never faction changed so not sure what does.

4

Yeah I wasn’t sure. Some do, some don’t, I suspected with reputation being faction specific this time around, that they wouldn’t.

5

I believe the 7th legion rep transfers to honorbound rep.

6

Yes I think there was a Blue post about that one. I just couldn’t find it to confirm. The other factions don’t though if I’m remembering correctly. Now I’m gonna need to find the other posts on this lol

EDIT: I may be wrong if the support article is correct. I was thinking about a blue response to another post months ago. According to this reps do flip: https://us.battle.net/support/en/article/179063

EDIT 2: Maybe someone who has actually faction changed can verify if the rep does indeed convert.

7

If you want to unlock Zandalari Trolls you have to get a horde character to level 120, gain exalted rep with the Zandalari faction, and complete some other achievements related to the quests and storylines.

If you do not have a horde character, the quickest way to level up one would be to play a Blood Elf Demon Hunter. They start at level 98.

8

I don’t want to sound rude here, I get the concept. We have both have horde and alliance characters at 110.

The point though is that it’s bizarre that the easiest way/cheapest way to do that is to level a completely different character. So you can play the character you actually want to play, the way you want. It’s backwards.

THEN if you want the heritage armor, not only do you deal with this whole mess, but you then have to level an additional character you care nothing about, for the sake of that one character you actually want to play and/or have been invested in for years.

9

Can I just ask once and for all : WTF is “Heritage armor” and how do I get one ? And is it worth it ? What are the stats ?

10

It’s race specific vanity gear.

11

Oki thank you :slight_smile: I’ll look into it

12

It’s an armor set unique to the allied race it goes with. It has no stats, it is cosmetic (transmorg).

To get it you have to level the allied race from 20 (it starts at 20) to 100 without any boosts of any sort. No recruit a friend boosts, no paid level boosts, etc.

You can search it on the web site or maybe Wowhead and see pictures of what it looks like for each allied race.

13

Ah ! Ok !

This mage was a blood elf before
and my hunter used a boost I got last year when purchasing BfA.

Yeah, no way I’ll do that :slight_smile: (Weeeeel, I guess I can just roll a heal and semi afk in donjons until 120, but it’s not very fast)

14

Allied Races and their Heritage Armors were not created for New or Returning Players. They are a tool to give Veteran players a way to redo content in a slightly different manner.

This can be seen in the unlocks, the scenarios, and leveling processes.

15

Well that isn’t entirely true. Heritage armor for existing races or “core races” has a reputation requirement and a fun (relative) and interesting quest line.

The people I see unlocking and using these new allied races are doing so on their main character. Which means the additional character leveled is almost always abandoned after the leveling is done and the rewards earned, which will then be used on their main. Assuming they cared enough to earn the heritage gear at all. The whole thing is just really bad design.

Who does that serve? Is that fun? Or is that just a chore?

Again I think there is a disconnect between what the developer wants the player to experience, and what the player actually experiences.