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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. moveth's Avatar
    The spike in ilvl at 563 is interesting. This is where most 1-5/14H guilds are sitting.
  1. Mazzic518's Avatar
    That Dark Legacy is actually funny.
  1. Ferrouswheel's Avatar
    2 million players. Well what do you know? That's about the same as competing mmo's. It's quite shocking how little the sub number is when you're not using chinese time cards to inflate your numbers.
  1. schwarzkopf's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by moveth View Post
    The spike in ilvl at 563 is interesting. This is where most 1-5/14H guilds are sitting.
    I'm at 561 and only 10/14 Normal ... I suspect that spike represents the 'wall' at the end of normal raiding.
  1. Noctus78's Avatar
    awesome DL. seems to be my story. except for the raidleader part
  1. Slant's Avatar
    Who cares about item levels. 2 Million accounts? That just about feels right, my server's dead. Glad they're waiting until everything is deserted before doing something about it.
  1. lanceb's Avatar
    wonder how long the "Timeless Answers addon" gona be avail, blizz usualy kill addons that automates to much
  1. Abbzow's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Ferrouswheel View Post
    2 million players. Well what do you know? That's about the same as competing mmo's. It's quite shocking how little the sub number is when you're not using chinese time cards to inflate your numbers.
    They will write down everything that makes them look "big"...Not a surprise tho.
    But they ain't wrong doing so since the chinease actually do play. The amount of gametime they play is another discussion.

    DB was kinda funny =) YOU HAD ONE JOB!
  1. Arbs's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Ferrouswheel View Post
    2 million players. Well what do you know? That's about the same as competing mmo's. It's quite shocking how little the sub number is when you're not using chinese time cards to inflate your numbers.
    I remember chaud saying these were EU numbers before, but I could be wrong & that could be US / EU.
  1. mmoccbb2f9f597's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Ferrouswheel View Post
    2 million players. Well what do you know? That's about the same as competing mmo's. It's quite shocking how little the sub number is when you're not using chinese time cards to inflate your numbers.
    Its probably only NA
  1. Arbs's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Abbzow View Post
    They will write down everything that makes them look "big"...Not a surprise tho.
    But they ain't wrong doing so since the chinease actually do play. The amount of gametime they play is another discussion.

    DB was kinda funny =) YOU HAD ONE JOB!
    Well when you think about, Investors really don't care where the numbers are, It's mostly Players who do.

    - - - Updated - - -

    Quote Originally Posted by Piotor View Post
    Its probably only NA
    No MMO-Champ is EU based, it would either be both or just EU from what past polls have been or shown.
  1. Toiran's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Arbs View Post
    No MMO-Champ is EU based, it would either be both or just EU from what past polls have been or shown.
    Curse is American, Bub is French.

    Curse only has sales offices in EU.
  1. lukoil's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Ferrouswheel View Post
    2 million players. Well what do you know? That's about the same as competing mmo's. It's quite shocking how little the sub number is when you're not using chinese time cards to inflate your numbers.
    Well i didn't play my main character since 1st november and playing with alts which are below 90th level...so?
  1. Ganksinatra's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Ferrouswheel View Post
    2 million players. Well what do you know? That's about the same as competing mmo's. It's quite shocking how little the sub number is when you're not using chinese time cards to inflate your numbers.
    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. That's like the government saying the unemployment level is at 7% when anyone with a brain can easily read the real number of almost 10%.
  1. Abbzow's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Arbs View Post
    Well when you think about, Investors really don't care where the numbers are, It's mostly Players who do.
    Sure, they might not think about numbers per se, but maybe they want the players to think about it.
    And let's face it...One investor =/= all investors.
  1. Kaleredar's Avatar
    Seems a little pointless to be releasing that addon now...

    And besides, even if you fail the first question, they just give you another right after. And I swear I saw that "mur'ghoul" question like, 90% of the time when I was doing it.
  1. mmocfce925a786's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Ferrouswheel View Post
    2 million players. Well what do you know? That's about the same as competing mmo's. It's quite shocking how little the sub number is when you're not using chinese time cards to inflate your numbers.
    Retard. Please go look up the definition of "sample group" and basic statistics.
  1. Mazzic518's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Rocketbear View Post
    Retard. Please go look up the definition of "sample group" and basic statistics.
    ^^^ This!!


    /Love all the concerned stockholders in this thread worrying about the subscription numbers...
  1. Taryble's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Ferrouswheel View Post
    2 million players. Well what do you know? That's about the same as competing mmo's. It's quite shocking how little the sub number is when you're not using chinese time cards to inflate your numbers.
    Just realize, that it's "2 million accounts" that have level 90 toons that got played between Nov 1, 2013, and whenever the sample was taken.

    So that's 2 million active accounts with active level 90 toons that played in the last 5 weeks.

    I haven't played my 90s in over 3 months. My account is still active, and I still play, but I wouldn't have been counted in this listing. I'm certain that there's others that are in the same boat.
  1. abnorm's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Rocketbear View Post
    Retard. Please go look up the definition of "sample group" and basic statistics.
    lol, thank you!

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