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Armory Stats - Character Item Level Distribution
Today we are taking a look at the item level distribution of Level 90 characters. There are 5.5 million characters and 2 million accounts that were active after November 1, 2013 that make up this sample. Main character is defined as the highest item level character on an account. The All Characters category has been scaled down to 37% of its true value to be easier to compare to Main Characters.

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Addon - Timeless Answers
If you are still doing the lore question daily quest (A Timeless Question) on Timeless Isle, the Timeless Answers addon may be helpful. It will automatically select the correct answer for you!




Blue Tweets
Originally Posted by Blizzard Entertainment
Classes
I'm so sad you are leaving. However unbalanced things are,I must thank you for making my paladin viable after TBC's horror.
Things are pretty balanced. It's fine for players to like BC class design, but it wasn't balance they liked. (Source)
things are not balanced at all what even
They are balanced enough. You can play any spec and progress meaningfully in PvE or PvP. (Source)
it's true but you have to walk a fine line between balanced and unique I felt classes lost a lot of unique sadly
We do too, and that's one of the advantages of a larger mythic raid size. (Source)
The alternative was some specs were just never going to get brought to a group, esp. a 10 player raid. Maybe would be better? (Source)

I know correlation isn't causation, but when came in, Frost was relegated to PvP, and as he leaves it's strong in PvE.
It was a philosophy change. Early on some specs were intended for PvP or PvE. I have no real objections to that model either. (Source)

I never understood after dual spec was added why you guys didn't stop trying to balance pve and pvp and just have a pvp spec
Some Frost mages and Sub rogues want to PvE with that spec. Not saying that's the best design, but that was the motivation. (Source)

I thought it was added because bosses were winding up with some needing 2 heal and some needing 3.
Dual spec was added because at the time, tanks and healers were terrible solo. That is less true today. (Source)

Is it possible for stacked CDs give diminishing returns, so that stacking CDs has higher burst, but lower dps? Unintuitive?
That is one solution. Another is just shared cooldowns. (Source)

Real question, so don't laugh. You think they will ever let hunters/locks gear pets, example collars with stats ?
Would there be sufficient gameplay there though? Wouldn't you just stack haste or int or your best stat? (Source)

Making some classes deliberately subpar was not a great thing, but some old mechanics were better
We're always happy to discuss old mechanics that you miss. I don't think it's e.g. short term blessings or Shadowbolt spam. (Source)

Why is this argument acceptable for some things and unacceptable for others? The issue of ability bloat, for instance.
Well for example, we changed talents and lost some players who preferred the old model. Same would be true of a large spell purge. (Source)
Yes, but, in theory if the change was actually better for the game you'd recoup any subscriber losses with gains, correct?
Theoretically. But hard to argue that cutting 20% of abilities (for example) would directly lead to many new or returning players. (Source)

Hunter (Forums / Skills / Talent Calculator)
Mana was never a issue and MoP hunter model was the worst yet. I think the LK/Cata hunter was much more fun
I prefer the MoP hunter, but obviously it's subjective. (Source)

Priest (Forums / Skills / Talent Calculator)
I made a twitter account just to ask one question: do you not see a problem btwn Holy vs Disc. HPriest here.
Disc is too versatile, esp. in 10s, and Atonement is too good at healing for no real mana cost. I've said that for awhile. (Source)

Dear Greg.. buddy... from Hpriest to another Hpriest, let's do something about our mana regen
I think it feels about right TBH. Mistweavers and Disc can get away with too little regen. (Source)

g/f keeps telling me holy is terribad compared to disc. what makes you stick to holy? ps. armory link?
Holy is fine. CoH and Divine Hymn can do things that Disc can't. I would agree Disc is too versatile, esp. in 10s. (Source)

Rogue (Forums / Skills / Talent Calculator)
not sure this is your dept but why are rogue combo points still unique to the target and not the rogue like pally holy power
Target switching was always seen as a skill test for the rogue. You can argue it's archaic, but that was the design. (Source)

UI / Addons
along with millions of others, thanks! One if the best game additions ever.
Transmog needs a better UI and collection mechanic, but it will get one eventually. (Source)

Have you considered making "fire" in raids easier to see like static neon circles/boxes where it would/is happening?
Putting too many UI elements right in the world takes away from the world itself. It can look ugly. (Source)

PvE
Any plans in WoD for improving the endgame for people who don't like organized raiding?
It's something we discuss a lot but coming up with something fun and challenging has proven difficult. (Source)

Misc
Currently its raid or die.. while there is a lot more the game should be about. Low level content was abandoned too early
You mean like someone would go play a new level 40 dungeon? Or that leveling should be slower and less focused on finishing? (Source)

Have Blizzard ever thought about releasing a sequel to an expansion? Like 'Wrath of the Lich King 2' ?
It's always a balance between revisiting things players remember fondly and avoiding that rehashed feeling. (Source)

Dark Legacy Comics - #418
DLC #418 has been released!

This article was originally published in forum thread: Armory Stats - Character Item Levels, Timeless Answers Addon, Blue Tweets, DLC #418 started by chaud View original post
Comments 87 Comments
  1. dDic's Avatar
    Every Sunday you post the DL comic that was released a week ago as though it was just released today. This one was posted December 1st, see: darklegacycomics.com/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=1793

    Why not wait one day and post the actual new one? (#419 should be out today)
  1. chaud's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by dDic View Post
    Every Sunday you post the DL comic that was released a week ago as though it was just released today. This one was posted December 1st, see: darklegacycomics.com/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=1793

    Why not wait one day and post the actual new one? (#419 should be out today)
    99% of people don't go to view it on their own. I post the one that is up when I am working on the news.
  1. imabanana's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by schwarzkopf View Post
    I'm at 561 and only 10/14 Normal ... I suspect that spike represents the 'wall' at the end of normal raiding.
    I'd say the same, 560-565 is where most people who raided regularly but outside heroic stands if they've got the cloak and weren't totally unlucky (564 here, also at 10/14 nm)
  1. Lemons's Avatar
    "Target switching was always seen as a skill test for the rogue. You can argue it's archaic, but that was the design."

    It's a fucking shitty skilltest which is why no resource system has used it lately.
  1. SodiumChloride's Avatar
    So the vast majority are at 500+ ilvl ... yet we still wipe like bitches in LFR.

    Tuning problem. I would say yes.
  1. Piando's Avatar
    I'm at 561 and currently at 8/14 hc... Where do you get all the gear from?
  1. Yuyn's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Ganksinatra View Post
    This. A million times this. It also didn't count the people with recurring charges on their cards that haven't logged in in months to inflate the numbers. The numbers are off folks. Anyone with a brain knows it. WoW is so far from 7 million real "subs" that it's not even funny.
    Considering the subscriber statistic is sourced from shareholder-related information, anyone who's paying counts, regardless if they play regularly or not. Blizzard, as a company, wouldn't give a damn if there were zero players, as long as they had those seven million subscriptions raking in money. So, no, it's not an inaccurate measure -- it's just not measuring what you're trying to make it measure.
  1. temp2021ph's Avatar
    http://www.darklegacycomics.com/419.html
  1. Tulrah's Avatar
    n/m Didn't see a key for the lines because I never actually moused over the things. I'll take my idjut badge now.
  1. Dessan's Avatar
    Hmm, what about that addon doesn't count as automated gameplay? As simple as it is, with recent issues arising around addons and this subject I'd be careful.
  1. Explicit Teemo Nudes's Avatar
    Sigh. People are using addons for everything and even the most simple things in the game these days.
  1. Ralph2580's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Rocketbear View Post
    Retard. Please go look up the definition of "sample group" and basic statistics.
    Thank you. Someone with some common sense that actually reads instead of jumping to conclusions and bitching about the game.
  1. Mojibake's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Piando View Post
    I'm at 561 and currently at 8/14 hc... Where do you get all the gear from?
    I'm 573 at 9/14 H because I get lots of warforged gear :P
  1. corebit's Avatar
    The bump in the 56x region doesn't mean there are more Heroic raiders. It simply means most people upgrade their Normal gear which becomes 561, and Ordos gear and Legendary cloak helps to bump the total ilvl up as well.

    So even a Flex raider with upgraded items, Cloak, plus some luck from the Celestials and Ordos would put him/her at 560+ item level easily.
  1. Balir's Avatar
    Dark Legacy - you are Awesome!!
  1. Bigbamboozal's Avatar
    Is this graph actually useful in any meaningful way? I just see so many holes in it, and 'considerations' and also lack of considerations that it really only tells me three things:

    1) your main has better gear than your alts (derp no really?!)
    2) the vast majority of people are in the middle (shocker!)
    3) A lot of self professed elitists, are no where near as leet as they pretend to be, and the reason they even get to play wow at all, is the vast majority of low to mid ilvl players.

    In closing, dear elitists and ESPECIALLY elitist wanna-be's, by the numbers you are so few that you should get very, very little say. Still struggling to understand the casual movement?
    Being butthurt and angry does little to negate the ideal that a biz is best profitable by moving to meet the needs of THE LARGEST GROUP OF PEOPLE PAYING FOR THEIR PRODUCT/SERVICE.
    I know that's going to make some person punch their pillow extra hard tonight, probably while sobbing "I hate em, I hate em sooooo much! I worked harder!" but thats how the world works.

    Valuing your under 10% of players who are the super hardcores and pretenders is a good thing, but only after they pay attention to the majority 90% (numbers pulled out of my ass for aproximates and explaining purposes for the elitist who can napkin math but is money math challenged)

    /insert bee movie "I'm feeling a little stung, Sting, how bout you?"

    If you feel like flaming me over this, consider your pillow awaits you.
  1. blaqkmagick's Avatar
    So if I'm understanding correctly... There are 2 main characters in the world(or NA or whatever the sample is) with an ilvl of 581, and one of those two also has the only alt with an ilvl of 581?
    That's intense.
  1. mmoc4359933d3d's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Bigbamboozal View Post
    Is this graph actually useful in any meaningful way? I just see so many holes in it, and 'considerations' and also lack of considerations that it really only tells me three things:

    1) your main has better gear than your alts (derp no really?!)
    2) the vast majority of people are in the middle (shocker!)
    3) A lot of self professed elitists, are no where near as leet as they pretend to be, and the reason they even get to play wow at all, is the vast majority of low to mid ilvl players.

    In closing, dear elitists and ESPECIALLY elitist wanna-be's, by the numbers you are so few that you should get very, very little say. Still struggling to understand the casual movement?
    Being butthurt and angry does little to negate the ideal that a biz is best profitable by moving to meet the needs of THE LARGEST GROUP OF PEOPLE PAYING FOR THEIR PRODUCT/SERVICE.
    I know that's going to make some person punch their pillow extra hard tonight, probably while sobbing "I hate em, I hate em sooooo much! I worked harder!" but thats how the world works.

    Valuing your under 10% of players who are the super hardcores and pretenders is a good thing, but only after they pay attention to the majority 90% (numbers pulled out of my ass for aproximates and explaining purposes for the elitist who can napkin math but is money math challenged)

    /insert bee movie "I'm feeling a little stung, Sting, how bout you?"

    If you feel like flaming me over this, consider your pillow awaits you.
    Can we all just take a moment to laugh at how fucking stupid this post is?

    - - - Updated - - -

    Quote Originally Posted by schwarzkopf View Post
    I'm at 561 and only 10/14 Normal ... I suspect that spike represents the 'wall' at the end of normal raiding.
    Could also be people with super-bad luck like me :P I think I'm hovering around 565(ish) at 10/14 heroic. I have the worst luck with drops.
  1. JainaIsAMan's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by SodiumChloride View Post
    So the vast majority are at 500+ ilvl ... yet we still wipe like bitches in LFR.

    Tuning problem. I would say yes.
    It's a lazy problem. Those numbers better be new players and alts, by the way. I stopped playing right after the release of MV, came back right after 5.2 hit, got my green fire, started the legendary quest and got it to the point of nearly having my cloak, obtained a 519 ilvl, and made 100k gold in a three month span. I haven't played since June.
  1. chaud's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by blaqkmagick View Post
    So if I'm understanding correctly... There are 2 main characters in the world(or NA or whatever the sample is) with an ilvl of 581, and one of those two also has the only alt with an ilvl of 581?
    That's intense.
    Nope. There is no alts only category, and...

    The All Characters category has been scaled down to 37% of its true value to be easier to compare to Main Characters.

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