I could get on board with that. I do not mind some flexibility but I do not like free reign either.
I think Dual spec would be good for both crowds actually. Gives me a dungeon/pvp spec and a raid spec.
The difference between the two is azerite enhanced your abilities whereas covenant offer completely new abilities.
I plan on choosing my covenants based on what seems fun over what’s optimal.
Luckily - we would still be able to do this if they ease up on the restrictions and the ability or soulbind level.
I don’t think anything prevents us from taking this approach if other players are given freedom to change things up.
What are your thoughts on offering rewards for players who stick it out with a given covenant rather than punishing/restricting players that would enjoy switching between them?
This way players actually get something tangible for their “meaningful choice” that otherwise couldn’t have subjectively been gained in a flexible setup.
The problem with the classic model is it only works due to the ease of content.
Most of us, vast majority of us, are not the 1%. However the 1% finds the most viable aka easiest way to clear said content. Sure, the rest of us being weeks or months behind dont need to follow it due to a variety of factors…but the reality is it’s the path to least resistance.
When was the last time you purposely took the lower ilevel and sub par spec over the premier spec with gear?
Theres always going to be a easier path. The content is made to increasingly grow more difficult. This interaction results in many of us on a subconscious level, or consciously for some, seeking the path of least resistance.
It’s simple human nature to solve a problem and find efficiency in doing so. Breaking addons, disabling addons, etc etc wont solve the problem. There is no way to fix that. If we had no addons we’d be comparing times of compositions. We’d find the path of least resistance. We would end up in the same situation. Cant fix the min max culture of modern wow without removing the difficulty to the point where the game would be worse off for it. In my opinion.
This could be good too. Every time you swap resets covenant rep to 0 or something, and you get transmog or something with higher rep
That actually sounds intriguing. Such as what? I don’t care about transmog, titles, achievements, pets, or mounts though.
The problems here:
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Allowing these abilities to be similar to talents doesn’t impact your ability to choose for class identity, while your restriction of them impacts my ability to enjoy this aspect. You can still pick the fun sub-optimal ability even if it’s a talent.
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While you prioritise the role-play themes as the most important factor, others prioritise the ability to be able to access their preferred content at the highest level. Both of these parties should be fine with the current system. The people hurt the most are those who wish to engage in ALL the content the game provides. LFG was originally implemented in response to players who couldn’t engage in raids still wanting to experience the fights/lore aspects in some respects. This is purely the same complaint from another angle.
But you don’t care about player power either…
How would decreasing the difficulty make the game worse? The difficulty is already tuned in a way that encourages min/maxing and to where most raiders can’t complete them. They could tone it down some to allow for player choice to not affect the ability of the raid team to complete the content. Those who still min/max, will have the reward of completing it sooner.
@Vallidorn - Discounts/Subsides on repair bills, Extra M+ Cache Options, M+ Cache multipliers, Potion/Flasks/Consumables, Profession Materials, etc.
While I hope they change the fact that they rely on consumables - you can also add conduits for the soulbinds.
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It couldnt be tied to player power, because then it kindof defeats the purpose… Could be something linked to Torghast like a dmg bonus increasing the longer you are with your specific covenant
Would not work. I support your idea but it would not achieve what you desire. The player base would still only go for those who are optimal. You could tune Mythic all the way down to normal level and still people would demand min/max. Yes more people could do it and min/max would not be very important but expectations would not change. The only way to slowly break people of min/max is to start layering choices with consequences that can not be undone easily. Make it to where you would be waiting similar to the old days of pre LFG for that 1 person with all the perfect choices.
What kind of nonsense statement is that? Of course, I do. I already said if you’re reading all of my posts that I tend to choose the gear upgrades, talents, and specs that is the strongest. But only up to the point where that choice isn’t fun. Like, I’m not going to choose a talent that changes the gameplay of my class to something I think sucks, even if it’s the optimal choice. But I’d still try and maximize the sub-optimal spec. If I’m playing Dark Souls, I play hybrid specs, and only use swords and heavy armor because that’s the type of class theme I enjoy playing. But I don’t choose a worse sword over a better sword (as long as I like the aesthetics).
Point is, I want to make the choice that makes me most powerful, just not if I hate the look or playstyle of that choice. The thing about RPG’s is you should be able to build the type of character you enjoy playing, without being penalized to the point where you can’t complete the game. I guarantee you will be able to complete the game with whatever choice you make, as long as you have the skill to pull it off at the highest difficulties. Things are tuned that tight in Mythic, otherwise we wouldn’t see the worst dps specs represented on warcraftlogs in every mythic boss fight.
The easier something is to min/max, the more it’s encouraged to min/max. Classic showed this completely. Everyone was expected to be 100% min/max focused even when they were lower. There are FAR fewer expectations placed on your average mythic raider in regards to class choice/spec/race/gear than on Classic…
Lowering the difficulty would just amplify the problem.
I still find it amusing that Mythic Raiders are flipping out about Covenant abilities, yet would still bench classes regardless if the internet deems them as ‘bad’.
Nope that wouldnt break min max either. It would just make it so you would have to look up a guide before you even made your character.
People are sheep. They will always follow the “best” thing, despite the people at the top constantly changing what they use and not abiding by their own guides and rules. It takes experience to learn when to choose things and that cant be explained in a guide.
For example on icy veins it says to never ever take prosperity or soul of the forest. But in some cases you take those talents to be able to heal through niche ST burst situations. Doesnt happen enough to be worth mentioning in a guide but top players make decisions and choices like this all the time.
Locking the covenants will only serve to make the game more static, not introduce more choice.
For you it’s playstyle, for me it’s the content available to me. If I’m restricted to be severely suboptimal to the point I can not complete my desire in multiple parts of the game (for example raids and M+ simultaneously), then that heavily ruins the gaming experience. Just the same as for you it makes it not fun.
This is incorrect. I will not be able to complete highest level keys with a 25% DPS reduction in keys vs another covenant if I have picked a covenant that allows me to perform ideally in my preferred raiding content.
Yes because this means you can play your class and still get benched because you chose the wrong covenant. I would not be surprised if different people were benched boss to boss as requirements are needed.
If heavy ST burst is needed then they will bring in someone with a heavy burst covenant if its going to get the add down 2 seconds faster.