Patch 5.2 PTR - Build 16577

Patch 5.2 Update - You Can Keep Your Valor!
It looks like the patch could be more than two weeks away now, so keep an eye out for the end of PvP season blog post.
Originally Posted by Blizzard (Blue Tracker / Official Forums)
After reading your feedback and locking ourselves in dim, fluorescent-lit rooms for much deliberation, we have decided that we are NOT going to convert Valor to Justice and Justice to gold when 5.2 ships. Current Valor items will continue to require Valor in 5.2, and will be offered at a discount as listed in the PTR patch notes. Given that PvE and PvP currencies function quite a bit differently, Conquest will still convert to Honor and Honor to gold as previously discussed.

We’re making the Valor change for a couple of reasons, but primarily because we think a down-conversion under the new Mists endgame progression model just feels mean. We traditionally viewed this conversion process with each patch as a necessary evil to discourage hoarding—it’s not fun to feel like you can’t spend your Valor in the weeks before a new patch because you have to be ready to buy everything up. However, we have a Valor cap now to prevent excessive hoarding, many of the Valor rewards in 5.2 require raiding to acquire (for example, many of the ilevel-522 rewards are tied to Shado-Pan Assault reputation, which you’ll only gain rep with by raiding in the Throne of Thunder), and the LFR version has an ilvl-480 requirement, meaning you can’t hoard Valor on a brand new 90 and jump straight to the best stuff. All of these factors being considered, it doesn’t make good sense to take Valor away from players in this context. Down-conversions may occur for future patch releases depending on the circumstances, but for 5.2 it’s safe and snuggly where it is.

In addition, we’re making a change to ensure that there are some gear rewards available via the Kirin Tor Offensive and Sunreaver Onslaught, the two new factions with which players can earn reputation in 5.2 without raiding. The patch was shaping up to be a real challenge for players who don’t like raiding (including LFR), as our original design meant that no new Valor rewards would be available to them without needing to run Throne of Thunder. You can expect to see the Valor rewards on the Kirin Tor Offensive and Sunreaver Onslaught quartermasters updated on the 5.2 public test realms in the near future. These rewards are ilevel 496 and will only accommodate a few slots, as they aren’t intended to be very attractive to raiders (including those running LFR), but should give non-raiders something to shoot for in 5.2.

If you’ve already made plans and sank your Valor, don’t fret! As of this announcement, and even if you have 0 Valor currently, you still have enough time to cap out at 3000 Valor before patch 5.2 goes live. (It’s math!)

We’d love to hear your feedback about this change, and how you’re planning to earn, save, and spend Valor before the patch releases
This article was originally published in forum thread: Patch 5.2 Update - You Can Keep Your Valor! started by chaud View original post
Comments 88 Comments
  1. moveth's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Sprucelee View Post
    Uh... no. I know you compulsively feel like you have to post first, and pretend to make insightful comments in a rush. But that is just wrong, and does not even make sense, ilvl is ilvl...

    http://ptr.wowhead.com/item=95145

    Item Level 522
    Neck
    +1302 Stamina
    +868 Intellect
    +480 Spirit
    +637 Critical Strike (1.06% @ L90)

    http://www.wowhead.com/item=86976

    Item Level 517
    Upgrade Level 2/2
    Neck
    +1243 Stamina
    +828 Intellect
    +484 Spirit
    +592 Critical Strike (0.99% @ L90)

    For important pieces like weapons they are.

    http://ptr.wowdb.com/items/94740-jalaks-maelstrom-staff
    New staff with 1478 Base Agi and the ability to put 320 extra agi on it


    http://ptr.wowdb.com/items/87156-gao...r?upgradeNum=2
    Upgraded heroic staff with 1488 base agi on it and the ability to add another 660 agi.
    (also has more Mastery than the 522 as well as almost identical Expertise to the 522's Hit.)

    The only difference is a slight amount of weapon damage, which may or may not overrule it for Melee.


    And for casters we have

    http://ptr.wowdb.com/items/94974-sue...he-falling-sun
    Staff with 1478 passive int and 8925 passive spellpower. and the ability to put an extra 380 int (160+160+60socket)

    http://ptr.wowdb.com/items/87170-jin...r?upgradeNum=2
    Staff with 1488 (+10) int and 8521(-404) passive spellpower with the ability to put an extra 660 (500+160)
    (Staff loses out on 50 mastery and makes up for it with 80 of the other secondary stat)

    So no. The difference isnt massive. I didnt say it was. But when raiding in a hardcore environment, If im doing 150,000 dps and I COULD be doing 150,001 dps, Im gonna go with the 1 dps increase.

    Quote Originally Posted by Sprucelee View Post
    Uh... no. I know you compulsively feel like you have to post first, and pretend to make insightful comments in a rush. But that is just wrong, and does not even make sense, ilvl is ilvl...
    Im also really happy you felt the need to edit this in while I was posting while linking a NECK comparison. Literally one of the absolute worst pieces, in terms of flat out stats, for any single person.
  1. 08nolanni's Avatar
    Does this mean I could buy 2 pieces and sell them after the patch or will they reset it still ?

    Could turn 2 into 3
  1. Me222's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Sinister Knight View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by Holyshnikies View Post
    Glad I spent 3000 valor points today then to upgrade my gear only to hear about this news. Time to farm back up to 3k.
    That's what you get for jumping the gun so early Holyshnikies. Always wait for final confirmation of patch information before making such a decision. That said, definitely a good decision on their part for non-raiders and alts.
    Considering that the last announcement (conversion announcement) was assumed to be the final desicion I don't think Holy was really in the wrong here. You can't live on the assumption that everything said might be gone back on in the days before release.

    I am not blaming blizzard for changing their minds after reciving player feedback it is actually very nice to see but I HATE this mentality that players have to account for every possibility and all fault lies on them.
  1. heltvild's Avatar
    Yep, 5.2 wont hit in Feb, they changed their target with 1 week overnight.
  1. Count Zero's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by 08nolanni View Post
    Does this mean I could buy 2 pieces and sell them after the patch or will they reset it still ?

    Could turn 2 into 3
    Far as I can remember (someone correct me if I'm wrong), the sell-back timer on items is wiped when a new tier patch drops, to prevent this.
  1. Ponkie's Avatar
    How is that we can't spend them? isn't the 522 necklaces from Shado-Pan Assault can be acquired with Neutral? (I assume Neutral is the starting thing)
  1. Harry Botter's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Zatheyll View Post
    They've lost 500k since MoP came out, not 3m.

    Also, first people say "listen to us!" and then when Blizzard listens to them they say "oh look, they're just doing whatever they are told!".

    I'm 100% sure Blizzard thinks through changes and does what THEY think is best. It might not be the best choice there is, so Blizzard takes feedback and improves it. Quit trying to bash Blizzard every option you get, it gets tiresome.

    Also, the change isn't as big as people think. It's not like people will be able to spend their valor for a few weeks on the new gear anyways. Starting with 0 valor now or at the start of the patch doesn't change anything except not getting any valor for a few weeks until you can spend what you have capped.
    I think he was referring to the Cata losses. Still weren't 3 mil but were very very high.
  1. Braemin's Avatar
    This is great news! I was planning on building up a bank of valor and spending it before the patch, but now I'll spend what I need to to stay as close to 3k as I can. Then when 5.2 drops I can buy 50% or 25% off gear to fill any slots that need a bump.

    And my fresh 90s should have just enough time to farm up 3k to carry into the patch. Oh happy day!
  1. chaud's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by moveth View Post
    And for casters we have

    http://ptr.wowdb.com/items/94974-sue...he-falling-sun
    Staff with 1478 passive int and 8925 passive spellpower. and the ability to put an extra 380 int (160+160+60socket)

    http://ptr.wowdb.com/items/87170-jin...e-waterspeaker
    Staff with 1488 (+10) int and 8521(-404) passive spellpower with the ability to put an extra 660 (500+160)
    (Staff loses out on 50 mastery and makes up for it with 80 of the other secondary stat)
    FWIW, you can add ?upgradeNum=1 / ?upgradeNum=2 to the end of the URL to show the upgraded tooltips
  1. snuzzle's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by moveth View Post
    This really doenst effect hardcore raiders at all. Its still going to be better to use your valor to upgrade since there are more stats on fully upgraded 517s than fresh normal mode 522s for some unknown reason.
    I thought they were removing the upgrade feature in 5.2 to prevent confusion. Did I miss another change of heart?
  1. jinreeko's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by snuzzle View Post
    I thought they were removing the upgrade feature in 5.2 to prevent confusion. Did I miss another change of heart?
    you did not. upgrading not till 5.3 atm
  1. moveth's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by chaud View Post
    FWIW, you can add ?upgradeNum=1 / ?upgradeNum=2 to the end of the URL to show the upgraded tooltips

    And FWIW, thank you, kind sir

    ---------- Post added 2013-02-13 at 05:47 AM ----------

    Quote Originally Posted by snuzzle View Post
    I thought they were removing the upgrade feature in 5.2 to prevent confusion. Did I miss another change of heart?
    They are removing it. However, the items that are already upgraded stay that way. Im talking of Items (Specifically Weapons and Trinkets (Possibly tier)) that are already upgraded.
  1. lordjust's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by jinreeko View Post
    (looks at 517 legs)
    (looks at 522 tier legs)

    what?
    So when the new patch hits you can buy one new piece of gear from Shado-Pan. I've heard that every boss will give you about 500 rep each and with 12+1 boss (Ra-Den is like Sinestra heroic only?) you'll get 6000 rep the first week so you can buy another item. 2 items in the first week of normal mode quality isn't that of a game changer especially not for hardcore guilds because every hardcore guild will buy 2 pieces in the first week.

    That you can keep your valor is a good change and that they upgrade the new rewards to itemlevel 496 up from 476 is good and needed. Because who would have bought the pieces? They'd cost doubled amount of valor than the old pieces and were itemlevel 476 and the old 5.0 ones are 489. They were worthless because they were more expensive and had worse stats. With itemlevel 496 they are on par with the 5.1 rewards which is good.

    Just hoping that item upgrading will come back quickly because without it, there's not much to spend valor on.
  1. snuzzle's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by moveth View Post
    And FWIW, thank you, kind sir

    ---------- Post added 2013-02-13 at 05:47 AM ----------



    They are removing it. However, the items that are already upgraded stay that way. Im talking of Items (Specifically Weapons and Trinkets (Possibly tier)) that are already upgraded.
    Ohhh so you mean raiders are better off upgrading their stuff before 5.2, than to get the new 522s. Gotcha.
  1. Balir's Avatar
    Bugger - spent my points on totally random crap. I'm off to cry in a corner.
  1. Togarox's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by snuzzle View Post
    Ohhh so you mean raiders are better off upgrading their stuff before 5.2, than to get the new 522s. Gotcha.
    Not entirely as eventually in patch 5.3 those 522's will be upgradeable. So while some 517's might currently be better than the 522's, I would still suggest not passing on any 522 gear.
  1. Huntaer's Avatar
    If you’ve already made plans and sank your Valor, don’t fret! As of this announcement, and even if you have 0 Valor currently, you still have enough time to cap out at 3000 Valor before patch 5.2 goes live. (It’s math!)
    That means we'll have at least 3 weeks before the patch hits.
  1. mstieler's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Netherspark View Post
    I don't see how it makes much of a difference. You can't spend that valour until you have lots of rep, so you might as well just spend it on upgrades now.
    Except the fact that the raid faction (Shado-Pan Assault) has ilvl 522 VP rewards available from Neutral:
    Necks - Neutral rep, 1250 VP
    Wrists - Friendly rep, 1250 VP
    Rings - Friendly rep, 1250 VP
    Trinkets - Friendly rep, 1750 VP
    Hands - Honored rep, 1750 VP
    Legs - Honored rep, 2250 VP
    Backs - Honored rep, 1750 VP
    Chests - Revered rep, 2250 VP
    Belts - Revered rep, 1750 VP
    Shoulders - Revered rep, 1750 VP

    So, even from the minute 5.2 hits, you could go pick up a new Neck, and shortly after downing some bosses (however much rep they'll give, or even from possibly championing the faction for your first Scenario + Heroic) pick up a set of Wrists, a Ring, or a Trinket.
  1. mmoc776414944d's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Chickat View Post
    I really like how blizzard has been acting since MoP. Its like they are a new team of people or something. Guess loosing 3m subs made them change.
    their team constantly changes but ofc losing subs make some changes mandatory
  1. mmoca01e16f76d's Avatar
    goddamnit, and I just spent my saved 3k yesterday on upgrades, since I don't need that useless justice, now I will have to grind them again...ffs.

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