1. #1

    I know alts are a thing people do but what about rolling NEW MAINs being a thing

    In my experience the people that change their MAIN ENTIRELY is a pretty significant amount and it's VERY usual at the start of new expansions especially among players that take gameplay pretty seriously but also if they want a new flavor. So for those people I think the current account -wide situation is pretty lame because they don't even know the flight paths on their new main or they don't even have reps or if they want to jump in a raiding tier subsystem like the essences of BfA it's (in part) like starting all over again so I really believe the game could embrace account-bound more but also to keep it fair it should have limits that are only character-bound (for example "sure you can get new essences immediately on your new main but your old main is losing their essences entirely forever!").

  2. #2
    Scarab Lord Razorice's Avatar
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    I change main every expansion and what you described isn't an issue, for me at least.
    FP's, I rarely use them and if I need them there are BoA Heirloom tomes that let you learn most FP's anyway.
    You can max both professions in a day as it is.
    I don't care about reputations, but systems like Essences, Corruption, etc should be more alt-friendly.

  3. #3
    Taking essences as an example is kinda pointless just weeks before the of the SL.

    And like what "account bound" stuff do you really want to see in SL? Flight points are in fact an easy thing to unlock and Blizz even added cheap and easy ways to unlock them for Zandalar, Kul Tiras, EK and Kalimdor (and eventually SL). All rep requirements you ever need for unlocking content (dungeons, more quests) are also one time and after that the rep requirements are gone. SL will also add an automatic and easy catch up system to Renown (it's not even going to be a grind really or something where others can get ahead of everyone else).

    I dunno, rerolling seems like a super easy task in SL and in BfA the only issue really was the essences system (and azerite in 8.0/8.1). But other than that they can't make it easier unless you expect them to start handing over free raid gear.
    Last edited by RobertMugabe; 2020-10-26 at 03:23 PM.

  4. #4
    Herald of the Titans bloodwulf's Avatar
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    As someone that changes mains depending what role i feel like playing an expansion, asides from the rental power of the expansion, it really is a nonissue. Hell in Cataclysm i was a feral druid who switched to rogue mid expansion because guild did not have a rogue for the legos.

    During BFA i switched from DK -> DH -> Mage/Lock to fill different roles and even the essences and shit sucked, but wasn't game breaking at all.

    Flight points are meaningless and are fixed within like 10 minutes of unlocking an area. Reps dont typically break anything and are fixable within a week or two of being max.
    We live in an era of "me versus them", an era where something is done that you don't like means you are personally attacked. People whine too much.
    Let us play video games and be happy.

  5. #5
    The actual most alt unfriendly thing was having Rank 3 of crafting patterns locked behind reps in BfA. I already have a 120 of every class, most already Engi/Alch (brez and double flask duration saved me an astronomical amount of gold this xpac alone). Main swapping really isn't an issue though. Also I think unlocking the 3 zones of the other continent to "boat" to might be the most alt unfriendly thing. After doing it for the 8th time I just decided toons 9-12 can get summoned if they ever need the other continent.

  6. #6
    My biggest annoyance with alts is the lack of account-wide resources. We are well past the point where Gold and bank inventory should be shared and accessible across all your characters on any given server without having to alt-hop and mail stuff.

  7. #7
    Stood in the Fire Greyfang's Avatar
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    Agreed that essences and other end game systems are the most alt-unfriendly, but this is only an issue if you're switching mains after the expansion started. If you're switching NOW, in pre patch, this is a non issue. You don't need to farm essences going into shadowlands, just level your new main and get some gear decent enough to level in shadowlands.

    The other issues like flight paths as was said repeteadly, are not really a problem.

  8. #8
    Light comes from darkness shise's Avatar
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    Was a solid 8 years priest, 4 years DK and then I´ve been changing around the other 3 years.. Yes, it is super annoying that most of the things like reputations are not account wide instead of character based.

    I understand that people who stick to a character should somehow be rewarded, but I am sure that there are many other ways. For starters, they get higher number of achievements vs a new main.

  9. #9
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    I've only changed mains once, and not really by my own choice. The time I switched classes was due to something that should never happen (Blizzard!), which is that the class I was playing at the time was changed so much that I didn't enjoy playing it anymore. Paladin and Warlock are 2 examples of classes that have really mechanically changed a lot over time due to the addition of energy resources to manage (holy power and soul shards). So those are the things that would drive me to switch mains. I'm ok with subtle tweaks here and there to spells and talents. But when a class/spec is significantly changed to the point of not feeling at all the same to play (combat/outlaw rogue and survival hunter are a couple other examples), that's when I debate a main switch.
    Last edited by Biglog; 2020-10-26 at 04:20 PM.

  10. #10
    Quote Originally Posted by epigramx View Post
    In my experience the people that change their MAIN ENTIRELY is a pretty significant amount and it's VERY usual at the start of new expansions especially among players that take gameplay pretty seriously but also if they want a new flavor. So for those people I think the current account -wide situation is pretty lame because they don't even know the flight paths on their new main or they don't even have reps or if they want to jump in a raiding tier subsystem like the essences of BfA it's (in part) like starting all over again so I really believe the game could embrace account-bound more but also to keep it fair it should have limits that are only character-bound (for example "sure you can get new essences immediately on your new main but your old main is losing their essences entirely forever!").
    While I think some more things could be account wide, people changing their main character should accept not everything can be carried over. This goes back to the old argument, choices should matter. Some flexibility should be in place to help players "correct" their choices, there needs to be some limited such that players cannot just change as the direction the wind blows.

    Some of the items you listed I personally do not consider to be significant so it does not bother me.

  11. #11
    don't change your main, you'll lose a fraction of your soul
    Shadowlands is real world
    The Maw is China
    The Jailer is China government
    Sylvanas is Blizz

  12. #12
    I change my main almost every expansion just to freshen up my play experience. No issues whatsoever from any facet.

  13. #13
    I've switched back and forth between a few classes and to be honest I kinda look back at it now and there is a feeling of regret that I didn't just play my main this whole time. My reps are all over the place, gold split between my alts on different servers and shit. Not a big issue I know, but it just feels bad that it isn't all account-wide.

    I don't see why people who stuck to their main should be rewarded tho, we all put in the same amount of time in.

  14. #14
    Light comes from darkness shise's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by CylomDashti View Post
    I've switched back and forth between a few classes and to be honest I kinda look back at it now and there is a feeling of regret that I didn't just play my main this whole time. My reps are all over the place, gold split between my alts on different servers and shit. Not a big issue I know, but it just feels bad that it isn't all account-wide.

    I don't see why people who stuck to their main should be rewarded tho, we all put in the same amount of time in.
    In fact, we who switch have to put even more time, but it does make sense. Sticking to one through the good and the bad times, building that character, is definitely something.

    I feel exactly the same as you, although I have all in the same two realms, but I just wish I had done everything with one.

  15. #15
    I believe they should make currencies account-wide on a server (gold etc) and make Exalted with a rep unlock that rep's rewards for all characters on the account. And yes, don't make it faction-bound.

    One big turnoff for me during BfA, was the fact that mounts earned wouldn't translate onto the opposite faction. What an utterly cynical design.

    Meanwhile, truly account-wide currencies would inspire me to play more, not less, as I could throw my army of alts at anything, much like pet battle charms.

  16. #16
    At this point everything should just be account wide

  17. #17
    Quote Originally Posted by Queen of Hamsters View Post
    And yes, don't make it faction-bound.
    Ah yes, this also. I changed my main's faction in 8.2(I think) and surprise surprise, had to refarm the rep ))) and redo the whole boring ass campaign.

    Also I'm more or less forced to login my mage cause that's what I mained in wrath and had the most tokens for the toc area, or log my rogue because he's revered with all legion reps. Very annoying to be honest.

  18. #18
    Quote Originally Posted by shise View Post
    Was a solid 8 years priest, 4 years DK and then I´ve been changing around the other 3 years.. Yes, it is super annoying that most of the things like reputations are not account wide instead of character based.

    I understand that people who stick to a character should somehow be rewarded, but I am sure that there are many other ways. For starters, they get higher number of achievements vs a new main.
    I think it would be great - to keep it fair - to have some kind PENALTY ON THE OLD MAIN. For example it could be a quest that lets you "kill" a main's progress in terms of reputations and what travel hubs they know etc. (like some kind of "inheritance" quest), and of course have some limit like a month-long cooldown on re-doing that.

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