Why only 2 set / 4 set bonus gear?

[Tokas]

I haven't played in Vanilla, and time to time I keep getting those old items with lots of bonuses.
Now we only have 2 set bonus and 4 set bonus, why?
Wouldn't it be fun to have 2 / 4 / 6 / 8 item set bonuses?
This way sets would include bracers and other stuff ofc.
Today we just hunt for 4 out of 5 item for a set bonus, that's it.
Also, would be nice to have different set bonuses for different play-styles, which ofc means more work, but hell, didn't they just get a bunch of devs from Titan? What I mean by that? Wild example - I hate using Nourish / Healing Touch as Resto Druid, instead I use Regrowth all day long, so one set bonus could cater to those who like/use Nourish and Healing Touch, other set bonus could cater to those like me (again, this is just simple example).
Acquiring items could stay the same - tokens, and NPC then let's you choose one or another set of gear. Except maybe those other weird parts, bracers etc. could offer both item sets (or let you choose) when dropped.
Yes?
No?
Maybe?
Me no care?

[Deleted]

I think having 2/4 sets instead of 6/8 happened so that people wouldn't have to wear the exact same type of gear all the time, and to give some flexibilty stat-wise. Would rather be able to get a 4-set bonus instead of having to acquire every single part of the set.

[Darsithis]

There are a few reasons:

- Hard to give compelling bonuses tier after tier to 2, 4, 6, and 8 set matches
- Makes it impossible to min/max with different gear because you have to get every piece, even if the stats aren't really as good as a similar (but non-set), item
- Makes it very difficult to actually get every single piece as you're more likely to see the same pieces drop again and again while chasing that elusive last piece.

I prefer it how it is.

[Nekovivie]

8 piece is great that you really do feel awesome when you collect #8, but if the 8-set is particularly good, well, you might as well not look at any other gear anymore. At least 4 set still gives you some free slots to admire.

[Gracin]

Part of the reason they went to a 5 set tier is because they went to the token system rather than straight drops. The other reason behind not having the 8 set anymore is [bold]generally[/bold] they don't itemize tier pieces perfectly for the all the specs. Leaving it at 5 allows people to use the best itemized 4 tiers pieces(if the bonus is viable) and use the offset pieces to supplement the best itemized stats. If they went back to adding bracers, belt, and boots to the tier pieces, along with adding the 6 and 8 set bonuses we likely would have to choose lost itemization for set bonuses.

Also, they have a hell of time coming up with decent set bonuses that aren't over/underpowered bonuses for just the 2/4 set bonuses. could you imagine them trying to balance 2 extra bonuses per set?

[Ulfhedinn]

Few people ever saw 6 or 8 piece bonuses. If you where clearing content at a decent rate you where likely into a new tier by the time you collected enough for it.

Also made gearing the way you wanted way harder.

[Tokas]

How about cosmetic stuff then? 6 set bonus for Feral Druids - that flaming cat (Firelands weapon).
And once new tier comes out - old 6 set bonus vanishes, so you have to hunt new items, and get maybe different color flaming cat Wild ideas!

[Gracin]

Because there are better ways to input cosmetic changes like that, beside making it a set bonus. Believe me, nobody worth their salt is going to trade bad itemization just so they can have a visual and non-dps/tanking/healing increase like "flaming cat" or whatever else.

[fangless]

Few people ever saw 6 or 8 piece bonuses. If you where clearing content at a decent rate you where likely into a new tier by the time you collected enough for it.

Also made gearing the way you wanted way harder.

Random baseless statements.

T6 was done over two tiers, they added more "tier" items in Sunwell to go with the others. They didn't add more set bonuses along the way, but you could wear 8/8 T6 if you wanted, for the stats, and do so without the content being outdated.

As far as why we went away from T3 larger set bonuses, I don't see why. If someone wants 8/8, great, if someone wants 4/8 because the offset pieces are awesome, great. More choices.

Every tier has the first chunk of bosses drop no tier anyhow, there's room on the loot tables to do so.

[Vintersol]

I would like to see a change to a 6-Piece solution, to add boots into the sets. They could stay with 2/4 Set Bonus but having 6 instead of 5 Slots would give more flexibility and more options for the looks. It's sad that some sets don't have the right boots in the game.

[Tokas]

I would like to see a change to a 6-Piece solution, to add boots into the sets. They could stay with 2/4 Set Bonus but having 6 instead of 5 Slots would give more flexibility and more options for the looks. It's sad that some sets don't have the right boots in the game.

well for the looks we have xmog
I'd like to see more "active" stuff, like flaming cat, t6 warlock shoulders etc.

[Deleted]

Having a 6 or 8 set bonus means players have to get the same 8 pieces. This may have been ok in vanilla where having full or near full tier was a badge of a dedicated player/ Its a bit different now I think. I do get that it was kinda cool though.

[Ulfhedinn]

Random baseless statements.

T6 was done over two tiers, they added more "tier" items in Sunwell to go with the others. They didn't add more set bonuses along the way, but you could wear 8/8 T6 if you wanted, for the stats, and do so without the content being outdated.

As far as why we went away from T3 larger set bonuses, I don't see why. If someone wants 8/8, great, if someone wants 4/8 because the offset pieces are awesome, great. More choices.

Every tier has the first chunk of bosses drop no tier anyhow, there's room on the loot tables to do so.

Judging from this post and others of yours I would say you need a reading comprehension course and perhaps some anger management.

Seriously you just made an argument up out of thin air...

[hablix]

I think one of the problems with 8 piece tier 6 was some players getting 4-pc tier 6 and 4-pc PvP sets for arenas. I think that's kind of a problem with the system overall, mixing and matching different set bonuses across tiers. Didn't affect me much as a shadow priest much in BC but I remember in vanilla in some cases it wasn't worth upgrading some pieces of tier, in order to keep the older tier's set bonuses. I do like 8-pc tier, and I lovingly keep my 8/8 Tier 6 in void storage, but I don't think it's ever coming back.

A 6-pc tier with boots could almost work, except that could lead to 2-pc PvE + 4-pc PvP set bonuses in PvP, which Blizz probably wouldn't let fly... unless they just disabled PvE set bonuses in PvP altogether. Or, instead of being a 2/4 pc bonus (or 2/4/6 or whatever), make it 3/5, or better yet, 3/5/cosmetic.

[Tokas]

3/5/cosmetic - got it, perfect middle!