The random factor in Patch 9.1 of World of Warcraft is significant again. Especially when it comes to obtaining gear, randomness plays a role again. What is that?, asks Cortyn from MeinMMO.
In the next update of World of Warcraft, there will be really good gear for Twinks. In Patch 9.1, Chains of Domination, you can actually use your accumulated Stygia to buy gear at item level 200 and over time even upgrade it to an impressive 233. However, there is a problem that players are already frustrated about.
What is the problem? The item “Korthian Armaments” sounds nice at first. For 1,000 Stygia, you get a soulbound equipment token that transforms into an item of level 200. Optimal for fresh characters at level 60 or for players who are not interested in group activities.
The catch: The token can become pretty much anything. From chest armor to necklace, to weapon or trinket. You have no influence over which item you end up with. So you might draw 3 weapons in a row, have 5 rings in your inventory, or spend thousands of Stygia without ever getting the item for the equipment slot you actually wanted to fill.
It is yet another one-armed bandit, a new casino element with a random factor in obtaining gear. Something that WoW fans have been criticizing for years.
It worked better before: As much as I find it good to have upgradable Twink gear back in the game, I am all the more confused that Blizzard seems to be taking 2 steps back again. Because whether through Mana Pearls in Nazjatar or Titan Residuum in Boralus – players could always at least choose the equipment slot for which they wanted a new item.
Random rewards can be meaningful
However, I am not fundamentally against random rewards. They can indeed be an enrichment and serve their purpose. I found them meaningful in island expeditions. Just as in the small loot boxes you could snag and open during “Warlords of Draenor” in the garrison.
However, they all had one thing in common: They were cosmetic rewards. And there I find such a massive random principle much more interesting. Because even if you get something you no longer need, you can still sell it at the auction house.
With gear that is meant to improve the character and make them more useful in cooperation with others, that is not the case. When you have to spend not 1,000 Stygia, but 2,000, 5,000, or even 20,000 Stygia just to finally get the coveted shoes, that creates frustration. Not only because Stygia is a resource that is annoying to farm, but also because this method of loot acquisition just feels wrong.
Not only are the values of the obtained gear random, but also the armor slot itself. This is simply yet another unnecessary random element too much that no one wanted and certainly no one needed.
Additionally, receiving multiple incorrect items creates pressure about the fact that your character has again not received a useful upgrade.
I can only hope that the current system is just a placeholder that will soon be replaced with multiple armor tokens. Because I have no desire for another slot machine for my Twinks. We just recently said goodbye to that with pleasure.
What do you think about this topic? Is it okay if a larger random factor arises in armor purchases? Or should Blizzard fix this quickly?
