Cataclysm Currency Changes Explained

Update - Added today's Blue posts.

Cataclysm Currency Changes Explained
In a nutshell:
  • Emblems of Triumph and Emblems of Frost will be converted into Justice Points.
  • All PvE emblems and badges below Frost and Triumph will be converted into gold. This even includes legacy badges, like Badges of Justice.
  • Arena Points, Honor Points, any leftover Battleground Marks of Honor, Stone Keeper's Shards, Venture Coins, and Spirit Shards will be converted into the new Honor Points.
  • Rated Arenas and Rated Battlegrounds won't be available again until Season 9 (shortly after the release of Cataclysm), when they can be entered to win the higher-tier PvP Conquest Points.

Originally Posted by Bashiok (Blue Tracker)
As we discussed in our previous announcement (http://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/th...Id=24401796793), we're refining the currency systems used for purchasing PvE and PvP items in World of Warcraft: Cataclysm, and the transition to this new system will take place in two stages. Today, we're going into more detail on how these changes will be rolled out, so if you haven't yet, make sure to check out the prior article to get up to speed on the currency names.

One change of note since that original announcement is that we've changed the name of the low-tier PvE currency from Hero Points to Justice Points. The original announcement post has been updated to reflect this.

Out With the Old

In the upcoming 4.0 patch we'll begin the first stage of the conversion to the new currencies. Emblems of Triumph and Emblems of Frost will be converted into Justice Points. For this initial conversion there will be a soft cap of points you can have, with a hard cap enforced later as detailed below. All PvE emblems and badges below Frost and Triumph will be converted into gold. This even includes legacy badges, like Badges of Justice. If any of these older currencies are converted into gold, the player will receive it through an in-game letter.

At this time any bosses a player defeats that are level-appropriate to them (and previously awarded badges or emblems upon defeat) will award them with the new Justice Points. Similarly, any items that previously cost emblems or badges of any type will now cost Justice Points instead.

On the PvP side, Season 8 will end with the release of patch 4.0, and all Arena Points, Honor Points, any leftover Battleground Marks of Honor, Stone Keeper's Shards, Venture Coins, and Spirit Shards will be converted into the new Honor Points. The new Honor Point pool will also have a soft cap for these conversions, but a hard cap will be enforced later. At the time of conversion, items that previously cost Honor or Arena Points will be sold in exchange for the new Honor Points. Rated Arenas and Rated Battlegrounds won't be available again until Season 9 (shortly after the release of Cataclysm), when they can be entered to win the higher-tier PvP Conquest Points.

In addition, purchasing any item with these secondary currencies (Honor Points and Justice Points) will now require that the purchaser meet the item's minimum level requirement.

It's important to note that these conversions are not 1:1, but are indicative of the level and relative worth of each before the conversion to the new point systems. For example, Stone Keeper's Shards will convert into more Honor Points than Spirit Shards.

Tip of the Cap

While we previously announced that there's a limit to the amount of these new currencies you can stockpile, we're providing a grace period in the form of a soft cap. This soft cap will allow the initial conversion to push the amount owned over the cap, but will not allow any further points to be earned (or returned through item refunds) until enough points are spent to put you below the hard cap.

For instance, a player has 3000 Emblems of Triumph, and 1200 Emblems of Frost; at the time of conversion they'll be given 4200 Justice Points. The hard cap for Justice Points is 4000, so that player won't be able to earn any more Justice Points until he or she spends enough points to reduce the total to under 4000. This also applies to the new PvP Honor Points, which also have a cap of 4000.

Shortly before Cataclysm is released, another patch will enforce the hard cap, marking the second stage of the currency conversion. Any Justice or Honor Points above the hard cap will be converted to gold, and just like in the first stage of the conversion, the player will receive an in-game letter explaining that some of their currencies were converted into gold as well as delivering the gold itself.

Blue Posts
Originally Posted by Blizzard Entertainment

Cataclysm Dungeons Difficulty
We want dungeons to be challenging. Not brutal, but challenging. Yes, trying to get us to change our minds on that is going to take some pretty spectacular debate skills on your part given just how much feedback we've received on it over the past year or so. But you can try to explain to us what it is about more challenging 5-player dungeons that threatens you, or what you dislike, and we can try to accommodate you. For example, the dungeons aren't going to be four hour trash-clearing fests like Heroic Shadow Labyrinth. Likewise, we're not going to ask healers to sit on their hands for long stretches of time for fear of wasting mana, because everyone has an efficient spell they can use when nobody is in imminent danger. On the other hand, if you just hate the idea of healers having a resource at all, well that goes against the design of the game. (Source)

Archaeology
There is definitely a large component of Archaeology which should be very attractive to completionists. It's quite awesome though. I think it'll add a lot of flavor to the game without necessarily being one of those "must have X" professions/skills/abilities.

Allowing you to explore some ruins in Azeroth you may have otherwise overlooked and learn more about this world's rich history is something we're very excited about. It has elements that feel a bit like questing, but you have much more freedom to choose how and when you want to explore the world for new artifacts. It's been set up to allow for a fairly simple expansion of content over time as well, so we look forward to giving digging deeper into Archaeology in the future. (Source)

PvP Balancing in 4.0.1 and Arena Season
When the class changes go live, damage is going to be very high relative to health for level 80 characters. We are spending most our PvP balancing effort at level 85, since that by far is what matters most to players. The health pools at 85, decaying combat ratings (because you'll be going from tier 3 gear to tier 0 gear), extra talent points and the 3 new abilities make a huge difference overall.

Since the current PvP season will end when these changes go live, they shouldn't have a lasting impact on ratings, titles and the like. We are prepared to just drop a temporary player damage nerf on all BGs and Arenas if necessary just so things don't feel too silly until everyone can level up to 85.

How things feel at 85 is of far more importance to us. We fully expect to see a lot of posts from freaked out players who imagine 85 will feel just like 80, but it won't. The gain in survivability is substantial. (Source)

Resilience Rating in 4.0.1
20% less damage taken overall by players, pets, minions.
For now, just imagine that it's N less damage taken. The salient point is that resilience will no longer affect crit chance. We don't like the crit (and talents based on crits, etc.) are devalued in high resilience environments.

Health pools grow enormously going from level 80 to 85. Resilience needs to be strong enough that it's still an attractive stat for PvP gear, but you won't blow up in one or two globals* even with low resilience.

* - If you let someone build up towards one of their very powerful attacks, then you deserve what you get. But you shouldn't need to worry about dying the second combat starts unless you're decently outnumbered. (Source)

Shaman (Forums / 3.3.5 Talent Calculator / Cataclysm Talent Calculator / Beta Skills/Talents)
Enhancement Changes
In our current Cataclysm build, we have cut the Primal Wisdom talent (and give it as part of the Enhancement passive) and reduced Unleashed Rage from 3 to 2 ranks, but with the same overall effect. That should take care of the extra talent points that the tree seemed to have.

We are still working on making the Searing Totem a little smarter. (Source)
This article was originally published in forum thread: Cataclysm Currency Changes Explained started by Boubouille View original post
Published on 2010-09-14 04:07 PM
203 Comments
Comments 202 Comments
  1. mmocfd8d985519's Avatar
    Lower emblems into gold? Time to go and earn me some lower emblems.
  1. theBest's Avatar
    So those who have Frost and Triumph stockpiled for the cataclysm release will instantly be pushed over the cap for a level 85 currency? Hmmm. Sounds like some easy level 85 epics to me.
  1. Emokisse's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Tuuralihn View Post
    Finally, my 4000 Venture Coins will do someting!
    WHAT?! Holy mother of God! I think I've earned a total of 50 coins through WotLK!
  1. Asur's Avatar
    Won't be easy 85 epics if we got like 5000 points and epic 85 gear costs 30,000 or sometihng
  1. Raegofar's Avatar
    I like the concept a lot, but then again it can also possibly turn into another heroism/valor thing with each new tier bringing new points. Granted I'm pretty sure they learned from that but still its possible. Now unless i missed it, I also wonder if the gear current costs will follow this new paradigm and how, because you do have to consider some people intentionally did not purchase LK and I can see people doing the same thing come cata (why i have no idea, but eh).
  1. Drakoes's Avatar
    Can the Justice Points be stocked and saved up for lvl 85 gear?
  1. Lac's Avatar
    Time to start farming BC content methinks
  1. ZeroEdgeir's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Vykrn View Post
    They are the lower level of the two new 'emblems' so things similar to items you can currently buy for triumph
    Actually not quite. Justice Points are the WotLK Points.

    Come Cataclysm, at level 85, it will be Hero Points and Triumph Points. They won't let us stockpile points in advance to earn new PvE gear from the vendors right when we hit 85 (since you need to be of-level to buy them now).

    I'm just wondering what impact they will have to the BoJ stuff back in Shattrath and on Quel'Danas. I realize it's horribly out-dated, but myself and a few guildies are putting together themed outfits (more for fun and looks, so we can look different in Dalaran), so, are farming alot of BoJ right now (Doing Zul'Aman-based troll outfits). Or if this stuff will just become worth pure gold.
  1. Zerbe's Avatar
    So start grinding more emblems now? I guess there is a limit, wish I knew what that was, I would hate to store up 500 emblems or something and then the limit(once converted) worked out to be like 100.

    EDIT: I guess I should have read to the whole article to explain the soft cap. /facepalm
  1. kremster's Avatar
    Will be still be able to buy old items like gems and what not?
  1. Obrysii's Avatar
    Not Stone Keeper Shards! How will we buy those +2000 honor heirlooms now?
  1. Vasz's Avatar
    "Emblems of Triumph and Emblems of Frost will be converted into Justice Points."

    Tine to start farming again!!!!
  1. Vyragosa's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Caradinist View Post
    Is that why the Test dragon sent me some gold on the PTR?
    lol yup , i received 345 Gold here for the badges that I had!
  1. Vasz's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Strafer View Post
    Who has 1200 emblem of frost?
    I would think not many people.
  1. ZeroEdgeir's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Raegofar View Post
    I like the concept a lot, but then again it can also possibly turn into another heroism/valor thing with each new tier bringing new points. Granted I'm pretty sure they learned from that but still its possible. Now unless i missed it, I also wonder if the gear current costs will follow this new paradigm and how, because you do have to consider some people intentionally did not purchase LK and I can see people doing the same thing come cata (why i have no idea, but eh).
    Actually, it won't. They already explained, months ago, that PvE points will work much like how PvP does now.

    When a new tier of raiding launches, all current Triumph points will become Hero Points, and the raids that awarded Triumph points will only be the new content, not old content. Daily Random Heroic will still award Triumph points, for the first of the day, much like how Frosts are awarded today.

    So, as an example: You got 15,000 Triumph Points from raiding Naxxramas. Ulduar is launched, and your 15,000 Triumph Points, just all turned into Hero Points. You got 0 Triumph Points, and can only earn them in Ulduar now. They will give us warning obviously, so we can spend em beforehand likely.
  1. mmoc835db78c83's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Asur View Post
    Won't be easy 85 epics if we got like 5000 points and epic 85 gear costs 30,000 or sometihng
    It does state in the post the cap is 4000....so how are we meant to buy gear if items cost 30,000??

    Chances are items will cost about the same amount of points(emblems) as they do now
  1. The_Butcher's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Madrigosa View Post
    lol yup , i received 345 Gold here for the badges that I had!
    And specifically how many badges did you have?
  1. Kain52's Avatar
    On the PTR I got a in game mail for something like 32g. I had roughly 20 BC badges and maybe 40 venture coins so me thinks you are better off farming triumph for gems before patch 4.0 hits and tons of people are looking to switch out their Blizzard enforced Armor Penetration switched gems.
  1. mmoc835db78c83's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by ZeroEdgeir View Post
    Actually not quite. Justice Points are the WotLK Points.

    Come Cataclysm, at level 85, it will be Hero Points and Triumph Points. They won't let us stockpile points in advance to earn new PvE gear from the vendors right when we hit 85 (since you need to be of-level to buy them now).

    I'm just wondering what impact they will have to the BoJ stuff back in Shattrath and on Quel'Danas. I realize it's horribly out-dated, but myself and a few guildies are putting together themed outfits (more for fun and looks, so we can look different in Dalaran), so, are farming alot of BoJ right now (Doing Zul'Aman-based troll outfits). Or if this stuff will just become worth pure gold.

    If you read the blue properly you would have seen the following


    One change of note since that original announcement is that we've changed the name of the low-tier PvE currency from Hero Points to Justice Points. The original announcement post has been updated to reflect this.
  1. Mendol's Avatar
    For what its worth, the current costs and conversion factor on the PTR is not favorable to stockpiling badges.

    I have about 100 frost, and 90 triumph on live, and I didn't have enough justice points to buy anything from the vendors in Dalaran on PTR.
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