Gearing Standards

[AlbinoCow]

With all the changes to possible gear, i want ppl to understand and respect the changes that were put in place for everybody. I believe that the most competitive and the correct choice to make is to 95% of the time use f2p gear with only boa tab gear ( as if u were a linked f2p). This will allow for the most competitive games even as a veteran because it will be on par with more ppl and is a good pace. Without all the chants and especially the un-scaled chants. Using full BiS veteran gear would only result in mostly unbalanced gameplay. The only time i could see it being useful to allow for more fun, competitive games is if u are solo queing and u run into a 29 premade on the opposite team with nobody to vs them. Please talk about this, i believe it is the most reasonable option now and in the future, for pugs and for premades.

 

[arcade99]

Agreed!

 

[Tom Ganks]

I am considering making a f2p linked set and a pure set for each of my f2p. So if I decide to duel someone purely geared, I'll throw that on. But let's say I'm in BGs or Arenas with linked f2p or p2p. I will most definitely use my linked set. I won't put myself at a disadvantage just because people despise my gearing methods.

But I will absolutely not make a p2p geared twink in the 20-29 bracket

 

[Aradiel]

The only reason for a F2P set, that means no GF gear or chants, no linked gear, is to duel/tournament with other F2P on equal footing. For everything else, just use the best gear you have. F2P won't stop using GF gear or resist chants. No one cares about being fair.

 

[Tom Ganks]

The only reason for a F2P set, that means no GF gear or chants, no linked gear, is to duel/tournament with other F2P on equal footing. For everything else, just use the best gear you have. F2P won't stop using GF gear or resist chants. No one cares about being fair.

Wait no GF f2p gear? That's brutal D:

 

[Aradiel]

Wait no GF f2p gear? That's brutal D:

Not everyone has access to GF items or chants. If you want to be fair, but like I said, no one cares about fair. Do you think it would be a fair duel, for example, to duel someone that doesn't have those GF items, and then claim you won because you're the better player? Or maybe you think the advantage is so small, and acquiring new gear such a hassle, that you don't want to do it?

Anyway, that would only apply if you're planning to duel someone on equal footing, or you want to participate in a F2P restricted tournament with a set of rules that tries to make it about skill, and not gear and enchants. For the rest of the time, just use what ever you like.

 

[Vandiir]

If one were to stack int/str/agi, some F2P gears may still be better than a few of the non-F2P BoA counterparts (especially eyepatch alliance-side and the honor-agi necklaces, among other examples). Most non-F2P BoA counterparts, however, give more stamina, and a nontrivial boost to secondary stats, especially haste and crit while staying closely competitive in terms of int/str/agi amounts. Largely that's how much stronger those choices are compared to F2P-only gears.

There's another topic that's worth a consideration, some of which have been a part of this bracket for a long time: gear balances between factions and classes, most noticeably head slot between factions, and head-slot and (maybe) neck-slots for non-agility classes vs agility classes.

For example:
*Are linked-F2P horde agility classes encouraged to wear a agility-guild-boa headslot to "counteract" the alliance-exclusive eyepatch in battlegrounds, especially to bridge the agility gap for that slot (which is arguably why alliance historically and currently has a lot of agility classes/comps in pugs), or no since LFH is an alternative (although significantly more time-consuming to get)? What about cloth classes that have access to BoA-heads, but are not lucky with their fishing yet?
*Controversially, if a str/int class is dueling a agility class with the honor-agi neck (or even between non-agi comps vs agi comps), are they obligated/not-obligated to wear a neck BoA to have enough int/str to counteract agility from the honor-necklace? I'm sure this would be controversial or discouraged, since BoA-necks (like most other non-F2P-boa slots) boost secondaries while the honor-necklace doesn't. On the other hand, we have the honor-necklace vs. brilliant and thick-bronze necklaces. Comparing the two choices, it's either being up 5 or more secondaries (haste for ints and crit for strs, or bonus armor for tanks) and 2 stamina, or being down by 5 int/str compared to agility.
Of course, two players dueling without a neckslot filled is another possibility, though I've yet to see such a duel or encounter occur.

 

[AlbinoCow]

Not everyone has access to GF items or chants. If you want to be fair, but like I said, no one cares about fair. Do you think it would be a fair duel, for example, to duel someone that doesn't have those GF items, and then claim you won because you're the better player? Or maybe you think the advantage is so small, and acquiring new gear such a hassle, that you don't want to do it?

Anyway, that would only apply if you're planning to duel someone on equal footing, or you want to participate in a F2P restricted tournament with a set of rules that tries to make it about skill, and not gear and enchants. For the rest of the time, just use what ever you like.

This thread is to combat the potential high amount of f2p players going veteran. I want those ppl in particular and any linked toon to use at most boa tab limitations ontop of f2p pure restrictions in pug games. Just by running bis pure f2p u are going to have the same advantage that a f2p using the full boa tab will have over u. So to cater to the most ppl to make as many pug games as balanced as possible i believe everyone who can should use the full boa tab. This holds especially true to running small group premades (2-5)

 

[Srs]

Honestly this whole fair gear thing has already got stale. I think the best was to have competitive games, without thinking too hard about it, is to get a feeling for which faction needs more people. or specific roles, and queue up with whatever you think will help your team the most.

Recently, I've had the most fun in this bracket GY farming 29 premades.

 

[Dcm]

So my question is, are the stat differences on the helm, cloak, necklace and legs really that significant?

What I mean by that is, are the stat differences really enough to make or break a player? I mean granted, people are still gonna be aholes and play things like feral druids or brew monks, but besides something that's potentially unkillable due to just brokenness of the class, would a good player lose to a bad player just because of the few pieces of gear, despite what class they play?

I'm personally indifferent to it all, although I still prefer to use LFH or whatever. And I guess I kinda understand why the heirloom tab is a big deal to people, I'm just genuinely curious.

 

[Vandiir]

What I mean by that is, are the stat differences really enough to make or break a player? [And much more.]

Likely class>gears, though both ferals and BM monks are agi classes, which (in this bracket) also have a leg up the other classes for neck slot (and head slot if alliance and no LFH yet), which I mentioned with my post.

That's a relatively minor reason for the strengths of ferals and BM monks, etc., though one could argue it's still a plus for them, especially compared to str and int classes.
For comparison, eyepatch vs shadowcraft helm at 20 is 7 crit vs 9 haste, while the str/int BoA alternatives exactly match the shadowcraft helm in stat distribution: 7 int/str, 10 stam, and 9 crit/haste. In other words, non-agi classes and specs (if linked or vet) now have a eyepatch alternative. By the way, wowhead's scaling for those BoAs currently are inaccurate, unfortunately.

As for whether that plus is gamebreaking or not, that depends how one defines gamebreaking, though I agree it isn't as gamebreaking as the class and spec choice itself.

 

[Bmac]

So my question is, are the stat differences on the helm, cloak, necklace and legs really that significant?

What I mean by that is, are the stat differences really enough to make or break a player? I mean granted, people are still gonna be aholes and play things like feral druids or brew monks, but besides something that's potentially unkillable due to just brokenness of the class, would a good player lose to a bad player just because of the few pieces of gear, despite what class they play?

I'm personally indifferent to it all, although I still prefer to use LFH or whatever. And I guess I kinda understand why the heirloom tab is a big deal to people, I'm just genuinely curious.

imo no its not. alliance has had the advantage of having a helmet somewhat equal to the leather boa helm and the eyepatch has been allowed in wargames, so i dont see how the boa helmets would be seen as having a huge advantage over other f2p's, the neck is somewhat questionable tho since it has the on use heal.

 

[Vandiir]

... the neck is somewhat questionable tho since it has the on use heal.

And more secondary stats and stamina, including bonus armor for tanks (more precisely, at 20 it's 4 primary/6 stamina/5 secondary-stat, or 4/6/5). On-use heals for 404 at level 20, to give some more numbers.

 

[Dcm]

imo no its not. alliance has had the advantage of having a helmet somewhat equal to the leather boa helm and the eyepatch has been allowed in wargames, so i dont see how the boa helmets would be seen as having a huge advantage over other f2p's, the neck is somewhat questionable tho since it has the on use heal.

Ah yeah I forgot about the heal. Well I think for 20s it heals for around 400, unless scaling affects it (correct me if I'm wrong), which is significant in a situation if you can't stop for a heal and it'll save you from dying to dot damage, but otherwise with the big health pools that 29s and even f2ps can get and the amount of damage that people can do, I don't see it being useful really in many other situations. Except for the pure fact that the stats are definitely better than that of thick bronze necklace/brilliant necklace, but the neck stats aren't enough to really "break" the game.

 

[Activate]

Linked BOAs are effectively non-issue. We've all dealt with minor stat differences throughout our time playing trial. Enchants and profession use will be the deciding factor in the quality of a trial restricted player's experience.

Premades continue to be the best asset for trials to remain contenders in this bracket.

It goes without saying that Aerie Peak is the powerhouse.

 

[Neon]

Linked BOAs are effectively non-issue. We've all dealt with minor stat differences throughout our time playing trial. Enchants and profession use will be the deciding factor in the quality of a trial restricted player's experience.

Premades continue to be the best asset for trials to remain contenders in this bracket.

It goes without saying that Aerie Peak is the powerhouse.

which side as better players horde or alliance

 

[KainUFC]

Wow suddenly so much to do I dont know where to begin!

 

[Spiriel]

Linked BOAs are effectively non-issue. We've all dealt with minor stat differences throughout our time playing trial. Enchants and profession use will be the deciding factor in the quality of a trial restricted player's experience.

The stat difference now is around the gear imbalance which alliance healers have over horde healers.

 

[Honey Badger]

Like OP mentioned. 2 sets of gear one with restrictions second set with powerful enchants against 21-29 Premades. No one would blame you for using a better set of gear against a 5 man 29 Premade. If you choose to go that route. It's your own right.

 

[Kincaide]

The stat difference now is around the gear imbalance which alliance healers have over horde healers.

One of the side benefits of everyone using as many BoAs as possible is that it eliminates as much of the gear difference between factions as possible, wouldn't you say?