PvP Gearing in Cataclysm
The PvP gearing system is actually pretty similar to the PvE gearing system. If you're awesome, you have access to the best gear. If you're not as awesome, *or* if you're new, then you don't have access to that gear, but you have access to the gear just a tier behind. Next season you'll have access to the new gear, but the better players will have access to even better gear, and so on.
Yes, you're going to have more of a challenge competing against players with the best gear, but it's not an insurmountable advantage and the system won't completely starve you of the ability to get the best gear even if you lose a lot.
Rated BGs are not designed to give players who just want to lose their way through a bunch of battlegrounds Gladiator-level loot. They're designed for players who don't like the small, short, duel-ish feeling of Arena but still like coordinated, competitive play. (I also expect there will be a lot of overlap between the two.) If rated BGs aren't for you or you just can't compete for some reason, you still have access to the previous season's gear (and you can even get it through PvE progression). (
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Casters weapon enchants
We recognize that weapon enchants (and even weapons in general) aren't as exciting for casters and healers specifically as they are for melee. Procs are certainly one way to address that problem, and it's something we're taking a hard look at. As several players have pointed out though, they aren't trivial to design. Proc'ing damage is generally useful for a damage-dealer. Proc'ing a heal is unreliable at best and often just wasted. (
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Patch 3.3.0 Known Issues - Update
Gunship Encounter – Some players may be ineligible to receive loot when this encounter is complete. (
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Change of mind on Battered Hilt droprate
Sometimes we change our minds as data is collected. Data in this case came both from player feedback as well as our statistical review of how many Battered Hilts were infiltrating realms. As community managers, we do our best to relay the best information we can based on our discussions with our development staff and our own observations.
Unfortunately, in a game as complex as World of Warcraft -- and with official responses forever plastered on the internet -- there are times where you might catch us providing conflicting information. This doesn't mean we're lying or misinformed. It simply means that things change as we continue working to make this the best game possible. When things change the information we share changes.
You'll note in my original post you've quoted I mentioned that the change was based on strong player feedback claiming the drop rate was too low, and after further observation we agreed. (
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Warrior (
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Talent Calculator)
Sweeping Strikes / Bladestorm
We are in fact keeping the interaction. SS will still be worth hitting when Bladestorm is up. What it will not do is hit one target 4 (or in some cases even more) times. The stand alone ability Whirlwind had this bullet-proofing as part of the spell, but the new whirlwinds created as part of Bladestorm did not. We think this is one of the main causes of the "Bladestorm blowed me up" feedback. (
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