Most “give free stuff pls” threads are least try to be subtle about it.
Go do harder content if you want better gear.
Except your argument is fundamentally flawed. The level of gear is fully functional to the content it is designed around. The max level gear you can get outside of group content like raid and mythic + is more than sufficient for all world quests and rates ( world bosses are not considered solo content). So the level cap is designed for the content it is for. If you are not participating in raid or mythic plus you do not need anything higher level than what the game is maxing you out at. If you are having trouble killing rates or world quests it is not a lack of gear problem it is a lack of skill at your chosen class. Getting free access to higher level gear to compensate for that is not the solution for a healthy game system. Again wow has always been effort to reward based. Higher difficulty content gives higher level gear to match what is required for progress that level of content. The OP simply wants everything to be easy mode and to be rewarded above their level of effort to compensate for their lack of skill. Raid bosses may differ in difficulty but raid players can not reasonably be expected to go into a raid solo and slap a mob. Why should a solo player be able to walk up to their end game content (rare mobs and Word quests) and not still be challenged?
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Wait, wasn’t the first raid (Molten Core) not even in Beta? I thought that they rush produced Molten Core over the course of a week right before the game went live.
The overwhelming majority of Vanilla WoW development went into zone, quest, dungeon, and class design—the leveling experience.
At its core, Vanilla WoW was an immersive world, where players spent countless hours doing quests and killing monsters out in the world. Raids were added as an afterthought to keep people busy and subbed at max level.
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You didn’t have access to the type of gear you have now back then.
You weren’t gifted gear in classic.
I really don’t understand the logic. How is there a war on solo players? Almost everything you do in this game is solo content… in an MMO. They’re made easier if you go into groups, but it isn’t mandatory.
So, someone, please explain to me how 99% of this game being dedicated to solo content, means there’s a war on solo players. Would absolutely love to hear it. OP made some incredibly bad points, but that didn’t stop people from tossing her a like.
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Before this thread, I was always thinking that the war the devs started at the launch of SL was against casual or non-competitive players in WoW to reinforce the elitism, but now I am starting to realize that the war is really against solo players specifically, seeing how LFR will still award tier pieces in 9.2 and have a row in the Great Vault, while solo players get left out entirely.
Around the time that WoW Classic was launched, many OG players and hardcore streamers kept saying things like “vanilla was such a success because people had to group up to do any content, and the sense of community was what made the game popular” or “the game started dying when people could gear up through LFG and LFR”.
So perhaps the SL devs, not even understanding why WoW sub numbers actually went up and down over the years, made this strict new rule that no players would be able to earn decent iLvls of gear without forming a pre-made group starting in SL.
The only problem is, not only have WoW players and the gaming industry as a whole changed over time, but even if you want to group up with others to do the content, the PvE content in SL is difficult in a manufactured sort of way with all the raid mechanics requiring addons and the M+ affixes being tacked on to annoy you in dungeons where they don’t thematically belong. The timers and wipes and everything make players toxic.
Actual Vanilla WoW was really more inclusive because raid design and class design were not that terribly complex, so the main challenge was to get players together and let them perform their roles together in group content. And BC and Wrath were actually expansions in the truest sense, because more class abilities, zones, and endgame content were added to the massive base game without taking anything away.
Well, my point of all this is that the devs don’t understand their own audience, and how much damage they did to the game by bringing in the gear-gatekeeping of SL. Gearing up shouldn’t feel like a job or a sport.
Of course there is still time for them to adjust the numbers now, but I have a feeling that Zereth Mortis gear rewards will go live in this poor state, then devs will see low participation metrics in 9.2 and decide to add some kind of new system in 9.2.5.
Just an idea, but they could add some kind of upgrade system or vendor using Cosmic Flux, the new currency. The sooner the better, though, before more players give up on this expac.
What do you suggest Blizzard do to make you (and others who feel the same) not feel this way? What is the solution?
I don’t want mythic gear.
I just want to do random bgs again and gear is irrelevant. 
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Or Maybe … just maybe … the devs know what kind of game they work for … an MMO … and are tired of solo players trying to turn it into something else. They’ll throw you some gear options for the content you do (the not challenging stuff) and focus on the players who signed on for the MMO experience … knowing there are TONS of other games you can play if you want to play oh solo mio.
Y’all are like “I know this is a chinese restaurant i walked into but i like the ambience and decor so go into the kitchen, make me some italian food, or I’m gonna give a 1 star rating on your social media page and claim you don’t know your clientele! RAAAAAAGE!”
… and you really lost me when you said solo players who don’t do keys or lfr should get something out of the Great Vault. I mean … lost … me …
Exsqueeze me? Baking powder? The first 3 versions of the game, spanning 6 years of play … You think the proposed solo-loot for 9.2 is worse than that when compared to it’s raid gear counterpart??
Yeah man, it would just be awful if solo players could get a crappy piece of gear in the vault once a week, if that was implemented. You know that piece wouldn’t compare to hoggish keys/ raiding so how does it affect you?
Auto changed high-ish to hoggish and I’m leaving it
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I’m sorry that doing a +2 key is scary for some people. Maybe “git gud” applies here.
You’ve essentially validated the “i want something for nothing cause everyone else gets it” mentality that seems to be the undercurrent of these constant “new patch coming, I play solo, GIVE ME MAHR” threads … and sorry: never gonna support the entitled folks who want welfare handout gear. That’s what made BFA a total crap fest.
I used to love keys. I do not do them anymore and I do not like that many ppl feel forced to do them. No thanks.
HOW are you FORCED to do them?
If you want valor, tier gear, or a BIS piece then you do it. If you don’t do it then you don’t want those things badly enough.
It’s called making choices … putting effort into something for reward … basic adult decisions we all make and choose to make in a game that has these systems in place.
Saying “don’t force me to do stuff i don’t want to do but give me the stuff that it would give me anyway” … i mean c’mon … entitlement overload there.
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You have your opinion and I have mine.
I’m not saying I want Herioc/mythic gear or gear from high keys.
I do not think getting a crappy piece of gear in the vault as a little treat every week harms anyone.
Some ppl do have social anxiety and do not do group content. I do not have that problem, I’m just so over that kind of content. but, I know ppl who do.
Honestly, it’s just a selfish mentality to not allow solo players to somehow earn something from the vault that does not affect you in any way.
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You’re projecting a narrow definition of MMORPG on those of us that enjoy solo play.
I came from EQ. The most solo-unfriendly MMO that ever came along (IMO of course,) But I solo’d a lot in EQ. Way before mercenaries, too. WoW absolutely seemed to be intentionally designed with soloing in mind after that.
It’s not like I never group. I do when it suits my purposes, but it’s not the focus for me. And yes, in the beginning WoW was way more solo-friendly. Now, not so much. it’s a culture that’s been growing at blizzard in recent years (to my eyes anyway.)
Not picking a fight, btw. Your post just stood out to me, and I guess this is the hill I chose to die on. My sub’s up in 6 days anyway. I mean you no ill will at all, and am glad you enjoy it the way you do.
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This is nothing short of propaganda from elitist players. They tried their hardest to convince MMORPGs raiding and endgame are all that matters. Turns out people don’t agree with them, but they still always try to sell that propaganda.
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Well, there are many things that Blizzard could do, but I think that the expansions that did gearing systems the best were MoP (Valor system for earning raid-quality gear over time from literally any PvE content, and Timeless Isle), Legion (gear from world quests, and vendors selling gear in exchange for currencies from outdoor content), and BfA (Conquest gear from PvP events, gear from emissaries and invasions, and gear from Horrific Visions).
People who are not comfortable with raids, M+, or rated PvP should be able to gear up to Normal or maybe even Heroic item levels again by doing world content and events, unrated PvP, or solo challenges. In Shadowlands, callings and Torghast should drop gear, and Zereth Mortis gear in 9.2 should have an upgrade system.
Things should be improved for competitive players as well. The Great Vault should be done away with, and more gear should drop from actual raid bosses and M+ end-of-dungeon chests. Bonus rolls could be reimplemented. Honor and Conquest gear should not need to be upgraded based on rank.
If people can gear up more quickly and easily, I think they will enjoy gearing up alts and experiencing other classes, and maybe even try different types of content. But as it is in Shadowlands now, you never feel like you are done with anything, and you have to continually be part of a team to progress your characters’ power. (I would rather just log on whenever real life allows, and earn gear in more relaxed ways.)
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They aren’t and they shouldn’t. Stop trying to pretend catch up gear is for casuals. It’s for solo players and bad players.