Systems that amplify gear discrepancy drive non-leet from the game

Community General Discussion
1

There are many reasons why SL is terrible and the game is in the worst state in its history - this is but one … but its an eminently fixable one.

Traditionally, WoW gearing has been such that the higher the gear the harder it is to come by … which slows gear progress the further along you go and narrows the gap between the top geared and the players below them. SL and the Vault have flipped this on its head. The absolute BEST path to gearing is to max your VAULT gear choices … and this means getting into 10 +15 dungeons.

But the ability to get into this many groups is dependent on your gearing - the better your gear, the more you get into these groups … the better your chances of maximizing your Vault loot, the better your gearing each week … and this effect is amplified each week that you get farther ahead in gear. This system amplifies gear discrepancy, leetism, and promotes quitting by any player left behind because once you are behind there’s no catching up because your chances of gettgin into groups to run content just gets worse and worse each week.

Here’s a typical hour for a dps M+ pugger. Spent from 3:30 to 4:30 applying to every +13,14,15 group that would improve my M+ score. 96 groups. 0 invites. 336 ilvl, 1763 M+ score, and somehow my main has fallen so far behind the metrics that participating in M+ as a pug dps is not even possible. This game is messed up bad.

3 Likes
2

Have you tried running your own keys? Every pug group is lead by somebody who is running their own key. They have dozens of people applying to their group. They’re going to pick the best.

3

What you are describing isn’t an issue with the vault but the over competitive nature of the game.

When players become a resource to further your own progression it wont matter what system we have for gearing because people are viewed as tools and not incentivized to make friends.

3 Likes
4

Something tells me feeling like you need to get 10 +15s done for the vault is very, very far down the list of why people are quitting the game.

5

Geez I’m falling behind. Fine- I’m gonna quit my job and barricade myself in my bedroom… I have enough money in bank to keep electric and internet running for 2 months… by the time the police drag me outta here, my toon will be caught up :slight_smile:

6

In BFA, gear rained from the sky. Players who pug just complained that they couldn’t go on ilvl anymore and downloaded the Raider IO addon.

At the end of the day it’s a) spot availability, b) score (pick one), and c) the perceived spec worth. Oh, and sometimes players don’t like your name, or had a spec the same as you screw up the run previous. So many reasons, so few slots.