Corruption as tokens

[Kaver]

Would you like the corruption system more if the corruption dropped as tokens/enchants? So you could choose yourself which item you applied it to (still not trinkets or Azerite gear).

The corruption of the token/enchant (and rank) would still be based on RNG, but at least you would be in control of which item that corruption should be attached to. This would remove one layer of the RNG. You could make sure that a 12% Crit-increase (corruption) wouldn't be attached to a Mastery/Versa Ring or that those rare Gushing Wounds corruptions would be attached to 475 items instead of 445.

For me personally it would make the acquisition of the corruption a lot smoother and less based on RNG. Because it plays a huge role which item the corruption is attached to. There would of course still be other issues with the corruption system but at least would problem would be (partly) fixed. In my opinion.


Edit: Another idea would be to allow you to buy a corruption-token with corrupted mementos from Wrathion similar to the socket-token you can buy. The corruption-token would then apply a random corruption effect to an item of your choice. Maybe specific corruptions could also be bought (with corrupted mementos) but be very expensive.

[Big Thanks]

If you ask a player if he wants their upgrades and rewards to be "deterministic" instead of "random"...ofcourse they are going to say they want it to be deterministic.

But...is it better for the game? I dont know...

[Kaver]

If you ask a player if he wants their upgrades and rewards to be "deterministic" instead of "random"...ofcourse they are going to say they want it to be deterministic.

But...is it better for the game? I dont know...

It would only be one layer of the system which would be deterministic. The corruption effect and rank would still be a random drop. You would just be allowed to select which item to apply it to.

[Malikath]

But...is it better for the game?

Yes, provably so.
The more determinate the reward systems the more players the game retains over time without additional content releases.
This is proven by the consistent gain in subscription in expacs with more determinate systems then the consistent loss of subscriptions in expacs with more randomized systems.

[Big Thanks]

It would only be one layer of the system. The corruption effect and rank would still be random. You would just be allowed to select which item to apply it to.

AH that sounds cool!

So you get an item with for example rank 3 stars (random)...and you unlock the enchant for all pieces (deterministic)?

[Kaver]

AH that sounds cool!

So you get an item with for example rank 3 stars (random)...and you unlock the enchant for all pieces (deterministic)?

You would only be able to use each token/enchant on one piece of gear. So you would still have to choose "wisely".

- - - Updated - - -

I'd like corruptions to be stat changes only. So remove the throughput affixes, Twilight Devastation, Infinite Starts etc.
That would fix most of what is wrong with the system today.

But of course they're not going to do that. And there are no patches left in BFA, so whaever, what you see is what you get.

But even if it was just stat increase it still really sucks to get an increase of a stat on an item that doesn't have that stat. (example a 12% crit increase on a mastery/versa ring - Feels bad)

[Big Thanks]

You would only be able to use the item/token/enchant on one piece of gear. So you would still have to choose "wisely".

Yeah, i like the idea.

Because, right now, i have better item level pieces on my bag BUT im using 2 430 pieces with INSANE corruption damage dealers.
I would support this system.

I like a little bit of random...but this system is way too cool.

[Kaver]

Yeah, i like the idea.

Because, right now, i have better item level pieces on my bag BUT im using 2 430 pieces with INSANE corruption damage dealers.
I would support this system.

I like a little bit of random...but this system is way too cool.

Yeah I also don't mind some RNG.

The issue for me is that right now I need crit/versa gear. So everytime I get a good corruption on haste/mastery gear it really sucks for me. So instead of being happy that I got a good corruption, I'm sad that it didn't go on the right gear. There is still RNG but it removes one layer of it.

[[Apok]]

How about a curerncy from cleansing the undesirable corruptions, gives longevity in some sense, gives you something to work towards.

"corrupted core" you need so many for each tier of corruption increasing in cost for said tier and amount of corruption it debilitates you with.

[Butler to Baby Sloths]

How about a curerncy from cleansing the undesirable corruptions, gives longevity in some sense, gives you something to work towards.

"corrupted core" you need so many for each tier of corruption increasing in cost for said tier and amount of corruption it debilitates you with.

Or let it drop from scrapping. Something along the lines of n'zoth corrupted the item so much it doesn't give you any crafting mats, you just get a crystal of the corruption.

[Marxman]

If you ask a player if he wants their upgrades and rewards to be "deterministic" instead of "random"...ofcourse they are going to say they want it to be deterministic.

But...is it better for the game? I dont know...

We've had both systems in the game at some point now. Players were much happier with a slower, more deterministic system. Retention also seemed to be significantly higher, but that could also be down to the game just being better in the past, in nearly every way.

Edit: This is not a "hurr Classic is better" post. I actually don't enjoy Classic at all... but it's reward system is significantly better than the slot machine bullshit we have today.

[Kallisto]

Yes, provably so.
The more determinate the reward systems the more players the game retains over time without additional content releases.
This is proven by the consistent gain in subscription in expacs with more determinate systems then the consistent loss of subscriptions in expacs with more randomized systems.

Cataclysm was just as deterministic as the time before it. More so than Vanilla since you had a currency that helped get gear you may have missed out on with drops. Same with MoP for the most part. Yet both lost subs. Cata lost so much because players would rather drop out than Get good that it's likely the second largest drop off.

[Malikath]

Cataclysm was just as deterministic as the time before it.

wrong, as usual, cataclysm invalidated it's determinate systems by devaluing the gear the rewarded.
And lol, MoP being deterministic is a blatant fucking lie with coins and thunderforging, get the fuck out.

[omeomorfismo]

We've had both systems in the game at some point now. Players were much happier with a slower, more deterministic system. Retention also seemed to be significantly higher, but that could also be down to the game just being better in the past, in nearly every way.

Edit: This is not a "hurr Classic is better" post. I actually don't enjoy Classic at all... but it's reward system is significantly better than the slot machine bullshit we have today.

lol classic random layers are basically
-drop item
-hope that someone can wear it

now they are
-drop item
-roll corruption/forging
-socket (and now you can simply farm it)

the difference is 1 layer at the cost of a spectrum of gear setups you can use instead the black and white situation of vanilla

[Garymorilix]

Nice idea.

I don't have a problem with the corruption system atm. Unlike legion legendaries that were essential to your spec (or azerite gear for that matter) corruption is just a bonus like warforge/titanforging so there is no reason why it should be a token you should buy.

But if such system was implemented here is how I would do it:

You can buy a corruption token you can use on your gear that would apply a random rank 1 corruption. (it would be moderately cheap)
You can also buy a corruption rank 2 token that you can apply to an item with rank 1 corruption on it to upgrade it. (it would cost a bit)
You can then buy a corruption rank 3 token that you can apply to an item with rank 2 corruption on it to upgrade it. (expensive)

You could only use rank 3 upgrade on a rank 2 corruption, not on a rank 1 one to keep rank 2 relevant and discourage hoarding.

Meanwhile we also need to keep the random drop system and you could also upgrade those items with these tokens.

I think this would be an acceptable extension to the corruption system.

[Kallisto]

wrong, as usual, cataclysm invalidated it's determinate systems by devaluing the gear the rewarded.
And lol, MoP being deterministic is a blatant fucking lie with coins and thunderforging, get the fuck out.

Oh right I see your view as deterministic as "I get gear no one else has so I can shove my epeen down the throat of plebs and make sure they thank me for it." kind of piece of shit that should just fuck off out of games.

[Flurryfang]

I think the main problem with corruption is not that they are hard to get or get the right ones, but that they have way too much agency over your dmg output. And having tokens would not change that at all

[DechCJC]

Having went the patch so far without a single ‘damage proc’ trait or a single stat increase that fits the spec I’m playing; I’ll take anything over what we currently have.

Idm randomness when it’s cosmetic but my god corruption (or my lack of luck with it) is frustrating the hell out of me

Tf/Wf was bad but in what world is having some items randomly coming with actual 10-20% damage increases (depending on the situation) while others coming with ‘increases avoidance based off...’ a good system? I have so much god damn avoidance.

[Razion]

Yeah, if you could freely apply them as enchants while knowing how much Corruption they applied, you could customize the amount of Corruption you were utilizing in order to maximize effectiveness of your Cloak.

It would be nice if, in addition to making them enchants, you could carry around something to remove them from gear so you really didn't have to trudge back to the Heart Chamber to remove the Corruption in the event you got a new piece of gear or something.

As it stands right now Corruption can feel like an even less convenient form of Reforging that you don't have as much control over across gear, while using a specific currency you aren't getting from everything like gold is.

By allowing Corruption to be freely adjusted anywhere, like enchants, and also having a vanishing-powder style way to remove it on the go, there would be plenty of reason to like Corruption more. The effects would still be hit and miss, but at least you'd have more control over it. But at least Corruption is more interesting than Hit and Expertise. Yuck.

[shade3891]

This 100%! Next question, should they be:

1) Bind on Use. (can trade with anyone)

2) Bind on Account. (can trade to alts)

3) Soulbound (personal only)

4) Soulbound + tradeable with groupmembers.

???