Return to class-based tier sets, yes or no?

[threads]

tier sets >>>>> azerite

azerite is so boring. using same gear all xpac, same traits all xpac, no variety between patches, 50 random procs on everything, everyone looks the same, no thanks. BRING BACK TIER

[Phantombeard]

No, but I don't want this Simplified cloth, leather, mail and plate BS either. Dammit blizz why, WHY!! didn't you just unlock azerite powers permanently once you unlocked them once. It would have fixed so much.

[chiddie]

Azerite gear adds zero customization for a lot of classes. I have been using the same traits for the whole expansion and never change them. I'm not saying that tier sets are any better but when Blizzard say that Azerite gear gives the players choices, they are full of shit.

Traits are the usual good idea... poorly implemented.

Trait A adds a cosmetic effect when I jump
Trait B grants me +20% speed for 20 seconds when I press ctrl+alt+canc while flying
Trait C add +900% dps for 5 seconds when I type “holycrap” while in combat

Which trait most people will choose?

[ZazuuPriest]

Considering the tier sets were, in 99% of the cases, a bland damage/healing/tanking increase, I vastly prefer the azerite system. Not perfect, but allows for more customization. Looks and trasmog don't matter to me. I honestly have a hard time understanding all the posts "give us tier sets back!" What was interesting about them, except cosmetics? They were just stat sticks like the stat sticks trinkets.

And the azerite system has a considerable advantage for me: you can get azerite pieces without raiding. I like the current system despite its flaws. I wish we could use the same azerite piece for multiple specs without needing to reforge though, the same way you change talents when you change spec. Ah, and deleting the reforging cost: that's a retarded gold sink for the sake of being a gold sink.

it gives the illusion of customization with the added bonus of having to collect many sets of gear for the same character each tier depending on what you want to do (M+, Raid, PvP) which is a horrible system for simps who don't understand basic logic and love being forced to do the same content over and over again

[Eapoe]

Now that we've had the BfA-system for quite some time, how do you feel about it vs the old system of class-based sets with bonuses for collecting x amount of pieces?

Do you want them back? Are you happy with the current system? What changes would you like to see?

As for myself, I can say 2 things;
1) I miss having different sets for each class.
2) I don't feel as if I've had more freedom of what to put in which slot in BfA than I did during the tier-sets years.

So I would like a return to the system of tier-sets and class-specific looks on them.

Class specific appearances: yes.
Tier set bonuses: meh.
Azerite doesn’t bother me, and also grants a little flexibility between raids and mythic +, as well as specific boss setup. Granted it’s not much as it might be one talent only, but it doesn’t lock you into what the tier specifically has.
Another example, say as a Hunter, tier 2 gave you 2P: Haze of Rage and 4p: Child of Rezan. First tier grants 2P: Dance or Death 4P: Primal Instinct. Tier 2 would be a downgrade minus the ilvl. It would feel shitty, and this has happened, where some specs power stays the same or gets worse and others skyrocket.
Now, I am not a fan of being locked into a build for an entire xpac, so (and I’m sure this will generate hate) I wouldn’t mind if Blizzard nerfed some traits and buffed others where the power increase continues but breaks up the monotony.

[Claymore]

So, I think Tier-sets AS THEY WERE were bad for the game.

However, I DO think that having full-sets of Class-based gear is still compelling.

I think Blizzard should strongly consider having "Class Sets" available in the game, but only as unlockable Transmog options.

People are driven to pursue cosmetics, and to be frank, Blizzard has done a fucking terrible job with cosmetics in BFA. There's no compelling reason to even play the game right now, because there's really nothing "cool" to pursue.

Don't make the stuff obnoxiously difficult, but also don't make it completely trivial, either.

You know those "weird" Achievements that Raids used to have, usually to unlock a new Mount? Stuff that can be done on Normal mode, but usually required a very specific strat, usually purposely making the fight longer or harder? Stuff like that. Except instead of getting a mount, BAM, you get a new Class set for that specific character!

Or maybe another one is reaching Mythic+ whatever in a dungeon. Or another one is get X kills in PvP or achieve Y Arena rating. Nothing time-limited, but something the casual player could realistic achieve with a bit of effort.

That's honestly what the game is missing right now.

[Kaver]

Traits are the usual good idea... poorly implemented.

Trait A adds a cosmetic effect when I jump
Trait B grants me +20% speed for 20 seconds when I press ctrl+alt+canc while flying
Trait C add +900% dps for 5 seconds when I type “holycrap” while in combat

Which trait most people will choose?

And this is how it always goes with Blizzard. They should just keep it simple instead of always trying to create something they cant.

[Trend]

Now that we've had the BfA-system for quite some time, how do you feel about it vs the old system of class-based sets with bonuses for collecting x amount of pieces?

Do you want them back? Are you happy with the current system? What changes would you like to see?

As for myself, I can say 2 things;
1) I miss having different sets for each class.
2) I don't feel as if I've had more freedom of what to put in which slot in BfA than I did during the tier-sets years.

So I would like a return to the system of tier-sets and class-specific looks on them.

So the only options are either to return to tier sets or keep exactly what we have now? That's pretty unimaginative.

[DazManianDevil]

I don't want to throw around conspiracy theories, but I think Blizzard purposefully made Legions tier sets bland and boring as hell so people wouldn't miss them when they were gone for BfA.

Yeah, during legion the set bonuses sucked, but before that they used to be pretty damn sweet most of the time. From hunter perspective, some of the best gameplay I remember was during MoP, when Survival with right RNG could machinegun shoot Explosive Shots (thanks to set), and WoD, when MMs main long-casted focus spender Aimed Shot was made instant (again, thanks to set). Those were VASTLY larger changes than anything Azerite provides, since most of those are just passive buffs, and like 1-2 per spec make a slight impact on rotation.

The main problem Blizzard faced was that tier sets collided with their new gearing idea, you can't both have 4 set pieces, an Artifact (neck in BfA) and additional pieces for customization. In Shadowland most of the customizable additional abilities/effects seem to be tied to Covenants tho, freeing up space for sets to make a return. I hope.

*Bolded section*
This would explain why my lovely Resto Druid T10 set bonus was used, verbatim in Legion (I think it was Tomb? 4set was Rejuve randomly jumping to other people, also in ICC)

OT: I'd like Azerite if the pieces themselves had more options, and each trait didn't grossly stack.
I personally find a lot of the traits fun or interesting, but because they aren't balanced for shit they're an auto skip.
It's kind of annoying to have such a possibly fun system, boil down to "Okay, these are my 3 best Single Target pieces, keep 1-2 in bags for AoE. Neat"

Or on my healer/tank alts, I end up using generic dps traits as often as role specific ones! (Looking at you Sunfire damage)

[Queen of Hamsters]

So the only options are either to return to tier sets or keep exactly what we have now? That's pretty unimaginative.

I sincerely do not trust them to implement something other than what worked in the past.
Not "unimaginative", entirely based on how they've handled things.

[Dug]

Don't care about set bonuses and what not I just want unique sets back. And drop the whole sets themed around the raid shit just design the sets around the class like some of the very best and most iconic sets are. When they started trying to stick with the theme of a raid tier they started getting ugly or just silly

[Low Hanging Fruit]

It would be a big step in the right direction of me coming back to the game. But I know it isn't happening. Tier sets take effort. Same bonuses for everyone put on same gear for everyone shit sets without unique art takes less effort. Less effort always wins with Blizzard now.

[Minervablue]

I would love tier sets back!!, only for cosmetic purposes tho, azerite has potential, just needs some work.

[dreamdaddy]

Tier sets in Legion were not boring for a ton of specs. WW monks used 2pc t19 until end of the expac because it made the rotation smooth. BrM monks t19 had to be nerfed because of how strong it was with stacking Ironskin to absurdly long durations. Balance druid tier bonus became the Starlord talent. DHs had a tier bonus that made Eye Beam a rotational cooldown for single target. Arms had the MS Bladestorm tier set bonus.

I know Azerite tried to basically be tier sets that you could swap and keep with you through gear progression but balancing has been awful and most have zero impact on your playstyle.

[Sheor]

Bring back class teir (set bonuses were what I looked forward too each raid). Get rid of the rng bad of azerite armor and get rid of the time sink of leveling necks, capes etc

[tankbug]

I don't miss the set bonuses, but I do miss the cosmetic aspect of the class armour. They only good sets in BFA were the warfront ones, so I think they failed their new approach.

[ek0zu]

Tbh, from an artistic view point, i believe that it is very hard to make three to four beautiful tier sets per expansion. Therefore, i think that one tier set per expansion that you pursue it throughout its lifespan would be ideal for both the developers and the gamers.

[omeomorfismo]

meh, i vastly prefer new themed sets. they have a stronger fantasy unlike the another human paladin set n102983401298 or the "totally not combat only" antorus rog set, then the racials sets are vastly the best trasmogs blizz did ever conceived (poor trolls T_T)

[dreamdaddy]

Tbh, from an artistic view point, i believe that it is very hard to make three to four beautiful tier sets per expansion. Therefore, i think that one tier set per expansion that you pursue it throughout its lifespan would be ideal for both the developers and the gamers.

I've thought of this too. It's hard to design cool looking armor sets 48 times per expansion, but I would like to see tier sets return. What if they made tier sets non armor pieces, like ring 1, ring 2, neck, trinket1, trinket2 and weapon. Or even just had tier-bonus effects as trinkets, kind of like how WoD HFC had the special class trinkets.

[Magical Mudcrab]

Considering the tier sets were, in 99% of the cases, a bland damage/healing/tanking increase, I vastly prefer the azerite system. Not perfect, but allows for more customization. Looks and trasmog don't matter to me. I honestly have a hard time understanding all the posts "give us tier sets back!" What was interesting about them, except cosmetics? They were just stat sticks like the stat sticks trinkets.

Have you played BfA at all? Azerite traits are just flat ability increases, or are passive procs. They rarely have any impact on rotation, and those that do have too much of an impact usually sim low because of it. The primary difference between Azerite and Tier sets is that the latter is significantly easier to balance than the hodgepodge of random traits that have remained - mostly - the same for the entire expansion.