1.12 is the baseline for spell values, talents, etc. It has nothing to do with Ion, it has everything to do with trying to make the content release as close as possible to being authentic. Only reason to be upset is you can’t poopsock rank 14 at launch, and more people will be geared, so there will be less of an advantage to poopsocking the grind.
Edit: Super awesome they are releasing that in the buckets I thought they might. Not because it makes me right, but because it is closer to actual Vanilla and there are ‘reasons’.
Incorrect, you get PvP. Which is something many people would like. That period of time where PvP isn’t about currency collecting. World PvP thrives in this environment.
The whole point of the phases is to simulated the stages that existed at varying points of vanilla, to allow some sense of progression.
Same reason they’re treating WOW Classic PvE that way. To give players who do not want an instant rush to what 1.12 was like some sense of that original progression that patches provided.
If you really hate it that much, start playing in Summer 2020. (Or start PvPing, more accurately.) Consider this: Those who like the earlier iterations won’t get to have them forever, and that’s disappointing to them. Those like you who only like the later iteration may have to wait, but once you get to all phases released, it won’t change again.
Doesn’t smell like a troll, smells like someone who likes the private server model, which promotes toxic gameplay out the gate until enough people are 60 and can queue for BGs.