Greetings!
I represent a niche community of players that have been PvPing in low level brackets to a long time, almost the life of the game. To say that I am an expert on low lv PvP scaling, itemisation, and the player experience from them - is an understatement.
I have a few concerns I would like to raise of mutual benefit, especially with new players onboarding into the game.
Firstly, the scaling:
The current system scales your character level but not your items, so as a level 10 in PvP, you will have a lv19 character, but the items on your character won’t change. While it may seem good that the character scales, this also however reduces the effectiveness of the stats from your low lv items as well. So it is a very small buff, but if you are itemised, it is actually a nerf in some circumstances.
I believe if you bring in item scaling, and scale the held item levels to 19 as well, BG’s will become a lot more fun and enjoyable for everyone. Then the only difference will be the abilities that are unlocked.
Wether this is the answer or not, I am not sure. But something needs to be done here to assist new players in being able to play PvP to understand their characters a bit better.
This brings me to my next topic, Free to Play.
Every successful game out there has a playable F2P option, something that allows players to taste every aspect of the game.
Currently when a F2P hits level 20, they are thrown into the XP off 20-29 twinking bracket, and will get 1 shot by a poorly balanced game for low level PvP.
A lv20 character with just levelling gear will have between 1.5-3k hp depending.
A hunter’s aimed shot at 29 will hit minimum for 3k. I was hit for 6.3k aimed shot.
So while sure, I would like my bracket to be more playable, I am genuinely more concerned about the new players and the overall health of the game.
This is not a fun experience for a new player, I would be very curious after a few months of this patch being live, how many new players were turned away from the game after they got GY farmed in a BG as a fresh level 20.
This is a huge problem at the moment and should be addressed ASAP.
The scaling issue might fix this, but the new players are still wildly undergeared, which is okay. We are back to the age old question of either:
- Put level 20s (Free to play) into the XP on bracket, and risk twinks playing against normal players? Or
- Keep them in the XP off bracket with the 29 twinks?
I am curious of some peoples opinions on this, what do you think - as the reader?
Personally out of those I like option 1, I think it provides new players a cool semi-competitive environment to give PVP a real go! Seeing cool outplays and rivals battling it out.
Though, if this option was taken, the item scaling would have to stay the same.
This is a complex issue, that Blizzard has tried to address in many different ways over the years. I can see the community, which from my experience is one of the strongest in all of WoW, becoming a pillar in the WoW player experience, as an introduction into PvP before the game gets too vast.
I can see a potential 3rd option that works for everyone.
Lv20 Free to Play SHOULD be something that is made very fun, accessible, and ez to understand. Ask anyone who has managed the onboarding devision at a game dev company.
Why not make a lv20 rated bracket. A place for new players to feel what its like to be play highly competitive and balanced gameplay in WoW! Most of these players in low lv brackets love Transmogs. I could see a 20s rated pvp bracket being something you pay to be a part of, like a battle pass, and can get rewards from the season. Transmogs, mounts etc. Make it fun!
It astonishes me that there is not a free option like this already, in such an old game.
It seems the WoW community is dying, probably of age and dust in the lungs at this point, we need some fresh young blood in here, a new marketing campaign for new players to try the game without paying a subscription to a company that by common standards right now is in a very tight spot. Time to give back to the community (including members to come) for everything they gave you.
If I could at least get a response from a blizzard employee that addresses some of these topics, that would provide me at least something to tell the community and new players as they suffer, and perhaps to direct them here to voice their experience.
Thanks, Anon.
