Mythic Keystone Reward Increases, Curious Coin Drop Rate Increased, Class Balance

[chaud]

World Boss - Ana-Mouz, January 18 Hotfixes, Blue Posts, Tweets, UnderWatched

Mythic Keystone Reward Increases

With the opening of the Nighthold on Normal and Heroic difficulties, the maximum item level for Warforged or Titanforged items is now 925. Any item that could previously drop at or above item level 895 can now reach a maximum of 925.

Next week, when Mythic Nighthold releases, we’ll be increasing the cap on Mythic Keystone dungeon rewards from 12 to 15 (at 5 item levels per difficulty level). If you’re able to complete a Level 15 Keystone run this week, you’ll have a Mythic 15 reward waiting for you in your Order Hall cache next week.

Curious Coin Drop Rate Increased
You can spend Curious Coin at Xur'ios in Dalaran. Keep in mind that the non recipe items are randomly rotated daily.

I'll pull this one out of stealth, the drop-rate of Curious Coins was indeed increased with 7.1.5.

Level	Type	Name	Cost
110	Junk	Mote of Light	50 ×
40	Mount	Arcadian War Turtle	150 ×
110	Leatherworking Pattern	Recipe: Leather Love Seat	1 ×
110	Engineering Schematic	Schematic: Mecha-Bond Imprint Matrix	1 ×
110	Blacksmithing Plans	Recipe: Flamespike	1 ×
110	Enchanting Formula	Formula: Soul Fibril	1 ×
110	Inscription Technique	Technique: Straszan Mark	1 ×
110	Shoulder	Boon of the Nether	50 ×
1	Other	Ingram's Puzzle	50 ×
110	Other	Gjallar's "Horn"	50 ×
110	Other	Krota's Shield	50 ×

Class Balance Question
Celestalon asked a fun question on Twitter about class balance.

Interesting game balance design question that we commonly deal with, but I'd love to hear you all's thoughts on:

Suppose you're in the following situation: Class X has 3 specs, A, B, and C. With equal gearlevel/skill, they average 100, 80, 70 dps.

However, since A wins in theory, the more skilled/geared players prefer A. This results in numbers looking more like 100, 70, 50 on average.

You want to better balance the specs of this class. How much do you buff/nerf each spec?

(Assume the specs have their niches, but these numbers are across a whole raid tier on average. Most other classes are at 100.)

[Aucald]

Good to see more Curious Coins are dropping - rate on those felt abysmal before.

[Thorim]

"However, since A wins in theory, the more skilled/geared players prefer A. This results in numbers looking more like 100, 70, 50 on average."

Except you can completely take the player out of it, and compare them in sims with the same gear/skill level of the bot. We *KNOW* that certain specs do higher damage on average, they even acknowledged it in the question starting out with the fact that spec A is the best spec........................

[Gistwiki]

"However, since A wins in theory, the more skilled/geared players prefer A. This results in numbers looking more like 100, 70, 50 on average."

Except you can completely take the player out of it, and compare them in sims with the same gear/skill level of the bot. We *KNOW* that certain specs do higher damage on average, they even acknowledged it in the question starting out with the fact that spec A is the best spec........................

The problem is that the community uses measures of class balance that solely display the 100/70/50 numbers, and when they buff the lower specs in theory to be 100/100/100 people don't switch back because they believe that the buffs only bring them to 100/90/71. That results in overwhelming feedback that the spec that is perceived as 71, which they know beyond doubt to perform at 100, is in desperate need of buffs.

Overbuffing has its own problems.

[BannedForViews]

You buff B by 25% and C by 43% so they all do 100 dps. How is this even a question. It doesnt matter if the other 2 speds still slightly underperform against A as long as they theoretically can do the same. Then the players are able to decide which they prefer and making a meaningful choice instead of playing what is required for big numbers. No wonder he is so shit at his job.

[Tatsujin]

So at Mythic+ 15 what is the minimum item level going to be in drops from chests, and weekly chest?

[Adlian]

You buff B by 25% and C by 43% so they all do 100 dps. How is this even a question. It doesnt matter if the other 2 speds still slightly underperform against A as long as they theoretically can do the same. Then the players are able to decide which they prefer and making a meaningful choice instead of playing what is required for big numbers. No wonder he is so shit at his job.

I was thinking exactly the same thing when i saw the tweet yesterday.

[Beazzles]

Soooooo

How about that nerf to Convergence of Fate for Retribution, and Retribution only

[Kifling]

You buff B by 25% and C by 43% so they all do 100 dps. How is this even a question. It doesnt matter if the other 2 speds still slightly underperform against A as long as they theoretically can do the same. Then the players are able to decide which they prefer and making a meaningful choice instead of playing what is required for big numbers. No wonder he is so shit at his job.

You completely missed the point of that whole question

[JohnRoads]

You buff B by 25% and C by 43% so they all do 100 dps. How is this even a question. It doesnt matter if the other 2 speds still slightly underperform against A as long as they theoretically can do the same. Then the players are able to decide which they prefer and making a meaningful choice instead of playing what is required for big numbers. No wonder he is so shit at his job.

Well that is how they do it now, and people are still complaining. Of course you can't line up the specs 100/100/100,but I think they do hit 105/100/95. However, with how people behave, it could end up looking like 115/100/85 as the skilled and geared players will chose the best performing spec. Even if they hit 100.01/100/99.99, people would still chose the best performing spec, and make it look a lot better than the others.

[Isheria]

So at Mythic+ 15 what is the minimum item level going to be in drops from chests, and weekly chest?

+15 weekly will give 900 ilvl, says so in the blue post (5 ilvls per difficulty).

[Tatsujin]

Well that is how they do it now, and people are still complaining. Of course you can't line up the specs 100/100/100,but I think they do hit 105/100/95. However, with how people behave, it could end up looking like 115/100/85 as the skilled and geared players will chose the best performing spec. Even if they hit 100.01/100/99.99, people would still chose the best performing spec, and make it look a lot better than the others.

Simply put, get good at playing your class and spec(s)!

+15 weekly will give 900 ilvl, says so in the blue post (5 ilvls per difficulty).

That's from the weekly chest, thank you. Is that also from the Mythic+ chests after you clear the dungeon? (Doubt it).

[Deleted]

The answer is obvious - acknowledge a fotm system and rotate it monthly. Just buff the worst specs, when they are top others get worst specs and you buff those to be top. You could also even announce it. Or you can simply ask why the numbers got out of your control. Maybe the amount of digits are your problem.

[Flurryfang]

So the problem, that Celestalon sets up is about if you should buff after the numbers or after the feedback of the community.

If you simply buff spec B by 20 and spec C by 30, people who looks at sims and at the overall dps rankings will see, that the buff is too low and people won't change specs.

If you buff after the perception of the community and give B 30 and C 50, you will make people switch spec, but the buffed specs will become alot more powerfull then spec A and people who likes playing spec A will call out for buffs.

[BrionyEddon]

You buff B by 25% and C by 43% so they all do 100 dps. How is this even a question. It doesnt matter if the other 2 speds still slightly underperform against A as long as they theoretically can do the same. Then the players are able to decide which they prefer and making a meaningful choice instead of playing what is required for big numbers. No wonder he is so shit at his job.

So since the pros who do Spec A are actually playing at +20%, it means that if they switch to Spec C, they are now doing 120%... meaning the specs are now, 100, 100, 120%. See the issue there?

[DrewZee-DC]

Is that guy just straight up from Destiny?

[VicenteRangel]

Spec
A - single target
B - Aoe
C - utility

why is this not the standard for dps specs. it's absurd to me.

[Flurryfang]

Spec
A - single target
B - Aoe
C - utility

why is this not the standard for dps specs. it's absurd to me.

Because you want to bring diversity when it comes to classes. If you make every spec focused on different things, then you pretty much need to be good at all 3 specs, if you want to performing your best. Some people want to be able to stay 1 spec and not be destroyed on 2 out of 3 boss fights.

[Alayea]

Good to know that the increased rate for Curious Coin is intended. I want that Mote of Light! >.<

[masterhorus8]

That's from the weekly chest, thank you. Is that also from the Mythic+ chests after you clear the dungeon? (Doubt it).

Base ilvl form the dungeons are 15 ilvls lower than the base ilvl from the weekly cache, so a 15 will be 885, minimum.