How Blackrocks future with cross-realm may look like.

[Jakkre]

This is my assumption of possible design changes to Blackrock when cross-realm BGs and Arena are implemented:
- The free starter gear gonna be relentless with PvE items of similiar ilvl.
- Wrathful offsets will be available for honor and the Wrathful set/weapons for AP. Rating requirements and costs will be the same like on Icecrown (Blizzlike)
- All items, including all HC items and Smourne, will be available in the store for the same price like on Icecrown.
- Highend HC weapons and trinkets will require +2.2k rating in 3s.
- Pvping in Quel'Danas will reward a high amount of honor. It will be the counterpart to battle of wintergrasp of the other realms.
- Arena flush gonna be once per week (Blizzlike)

After all I assume that Blackrock will change from a arena only realm to a realm that is pretty similiar to how Moltens Wotlk realm, Warsong was.
Thanks to cross realm, Blackrocks 2s and 3s ladder will be active enough to be attractive for hardcore arena players , but the realm will also be for ppl that prefer other aspects of PvP such as BGs.

[rafaskill12]

1 flush per week?! No, thanks. We asked for more flush and you want reduce lol. The core of icecrown is delayed and the resi is different. Donors with 5 binds will clean everyone... and you have to wait 3 months for get the full gear.
The idea of fight nakeds in bgs/arenas is a joke... better give for free the furious in the icecrown/lord for a bit of balance.

[rafaskill12]

And pray for any changes in the solo queue... block the new chars to join at solo queue. Half of games at 1500 are wintrades with dual box of healers or hackers in the walls.

[patrikwilzon]

I'd assume/hope it will be similar to how it is now, except that the higher ilvl pve items added will be available from a high 3s or soloq rating, such as 2.2k as you mentioned.

[Devzwow]

Don't see how this would work tbh.

Icecrown players have full wrathful with 284 offparts. They'll be queuing into rele geared blackrock players with 264 offparts.

Gear gap is massive. Most sensible thing to do is make 284 gear available on Blackrock at the vendors. Make arena skill based not who out gears the other. Arena points could go towards cosmetics like mounts and bla bla bla, transmog, pets, etc.

Just my opinion, wouldn't make sense to have the realms queuing into each other when Blackrock has a significantly less geared population.

[Auren]

Don't see how this would work tbh.

Icecrown players have full wrathful with 284 offparts. They'll be queuing into rele geared blackrock players with 264 offparts.

Gear gap is massive. Most sensible thing to do is make 284 gear available on Blackrock at the vendors. Make arena skill based not who out gears the other. Arena points could go towards cosmetics like mounts and bla bla bla, transmog, pets, etc.

Just my opinion, wouldn't make sense to have the realms queuing into each other when Blackrock has a significantly less geared population.

Actually if u want be realistic, in long terms Blackrock is above Icecrown.

First consider that BLackrock starter gear (is an example) will be like this, S7+ToCgear just by clicking the npc, while starter gear on Icecrown/lordaeron in terms of PvP is Furious (not considering donations) and 5-man dungeons weapons/offsets, and still it would take more time then get the gear on Blackrock.

Also consider that while on Blackrock (Still examples) people will just have to que all over,nothing else; people on Icecrown/Lordaeron are supposed to keep doing arena for reach s8 gear, keep doing PvE to reach the endgame gear, that means join guilds and so on, while on Blackrock would just be "find a friend for 2s/3s, get experienced together and...keep que"

Also, giving Blackrock 284 vendor would end in snipe/counter fest all over, mostly like killing the whole concept of "PvP competition".

The idea of allow 284 vendor is fine, till the required rate is high enough to not allow 100000 peoples to simply farm soloq and get them in a bunch of days.

But, im 101% against Shadowmourne on Blackrock,especially from market, cause it will lead in tons of people to simply get it there and do not use any other coin. Keep it as Lordaeron/Icecrown item, or make it incredible overpriced even more then on Icecrown and set some really high reqs for it.

Also consider the various professions, enchants requires few time completly focused on them (such as skill-up professions, gathering golds for it and so on) while on BLackrock would/is only total focused on spam que.

I guess Warmane staff needs to take all these small points while thinking how to make the crossrealm working.

Just my opinion.

Blackrock has a significantly less geared population.

It might looks like this, but in reality u're starting way above Icecrown/Lordaeron, outgearing the starters of these two realms even more from how BiS Icecrown/Lordaeron would outgear a BiS Blackrock player (Considering with Vendors that gives ICC/RS hc gear for high rates)

So actually would be much more easier for Blackrock players to gather the hc gear and remove the gear gap between the BiS Icecrown/Lordaeron, while farming Furious/Vote Points players. In the biggest situation, considering new player, he would meet full s7+ToC gear while being Full s6, gloves/legs s8, PvP Offsets s8. But in any case if the Lord/Icecrown player would get better gear he is forced in stop que and jump in PvE scenario (such joining guilds and so on), while as i said Blackrock player would jst need 1-2 partners and keep que from when he log, till he needs go offline.

[patrikwilzon]

Don't see how this would work tbh.

Icecrown players have full wrathful with 284 offparts. They'll be queuing into rele geared blackrock players with 264 offparts.

Gear gap is massive. Most sensible thing to do is make 284 gear available on Blackrock at the vendors. Make arena skill based not who out gears the other. Arena points could go towards cosmetics like mounts and bla bla bla, transmog, pets, etc.

Just my opinion, wouldn't make sense to have the realms queuing into each other when Blackrock has a significantly less geared population.

blackrock players are rele geared? on blackrock you get wf setparts super easy because of the two flushes per week, so the only real gear difference would be offsets, weapons and trinkets which blackrock players (the good ones) will get in like a few weeks.

[Auren]

blackrock players are rele geared? on blackrock you get wf setparts super easy because of the two flushes per week, so the only real gear difference would be offsets, weapons and trinkets which blackrock players (the good ones) will get in like a few weeks.

Is not even a real difference, as Lordaeron/Icecrown in order to obtain that gear, must get into the PvE aspects of the game, or farming one if interested in skill-up professions; while Blackrock players only need to que arena, nothing else.

I hope i dont sound rude towards Blackrock players, just want try to make understand my points, for a discussion.

[patrikwilzon]

was more thinking of the beginning of a joined arena season where the bis icecrown players would have a bit of a gear advantage in regards of pve offsets, weps and trinks until blackrock players can get the rating required for those.

[Auren]

was more thinking of the beginning of a joined arena season where the bis icecrown players would have a bit of a gear advantage in regards of pve offsets, weps and trinks until blackrock players can get the rating required for those.

I guess the population of Blackrock/Lordaeron expect quite too much from Icecrown in terms of "BiS gear" at low rating.
Just an example, yesterday i was doing disc/war on my non-smourne warrior, we've meet 3 mirrors for i guess 6 games, the first one was a loss cause he simply shotted my warrior on the first procs (Taunka,STS and so on),but right after we figured out a way to beat them and beat the same team and the other 2 BiS mirrors without that much effort.
Except for the fact that even a multi-r1 player if is making a new team will start with the same mmr as a newcomer, so actually it takes time to create a difference depending on the mmr. Personally, i've started tons of teams, with different comp and different gears, from completly honor/vote points chars to completly BiS chars,and never finded this GS big wall,even on classes where i wasnt even close to experienced, yes i've been farmed by tons of team, but this happens in any case despite your BiS gear or not, in the same way as i've farmed tons of BiS teams when not even close to it. And i can say it's not the nightmare as everyone may think, for example i never ever loss till reached 1800 rating aprox, ofc im not counting when you meet some double dps comps capable of oneshot any s8 player or people that have a decent experience.
In my opinion people just put their hands ahead to avoid everything. The ratings are easy obtanaible (The s8 gear) when you're just 1 tier behind the BiS players, that, as i said, unless are experienced and wont last long in that mmr, are people who dont know how to play their class, and i'll always repeat: skill>gear if there is only one tier behind. Ofc it's a different story if you're going for titles/ranks, but that not what we're talking about.
Now, guess in another way, starter people on blackrock will get better faster as their only way to gear up is actually doing arenas, so any struggle is a point in their favor in learning the game, while for Icecrown/Lord in order to get the gear must stop the pvp and jump into pve.

It's not black or white, there are many shades

[patrikwilzon]

yeah don't get me wrong, the only thing I meant to say was the fact that there will be a slight gear difference at the beginning of a joined season, not anything about the impact it will have in the arenas or anything. I'm all for the cross realm and don't see any issues between blackrock and icecrown cross realming, quite the opposite!

[Jakkre]

U can not expect to get a free BiS gear on Blackrock and be able to compete straight away with BiS geared top teams of Icecrown.
If ppl on Lordaeron and Icecrown have to work for their gear then its only fair that ppl on Blackrock have to do the same.

Also keep in mind that when Blackrock is more grindy there will be also more ppl that donate for gear.
Atm Blackrock is a charity realm that can not even pay its own server costs.
If u really want something to be improved on Blackrock and more active staff then u have to accept the fact that for Warmane the realm must be worth the effort in a financial way.

[patrikwilzon]

not sure who you are replying to but most of us seem to agree on a rating such as 2.2k 3s/soloq or something would be appropriate for pve hc gear, thus making it unavailable to quite alot ppl hence making them donate for it if they want it.

[Jakkre]

not sure who you are replying to but most of us seem to agree on a rating such as 2.2k 3s/soloq or something would be appropriate for pve hc gear, thus making it unavailable to quite alot ppl hence making them donate for it if they want it.

I'm not replying to a specific person.
I'm just pointing out that the realm has to be more grindy than some of u might want it to be.
Otherwise nobody will donate and Blackrocks players will have too much of a advantage towards Icecrown and especially Lordaeron players.

[Auren]

U can not expect to get a free BiS gear on Blackrock and be able to compete straight away with BiS geared top teams of Icecrown.
If ppl on Lordaeron and Icecrown have to work for their gear then its only fair that ppl on Blackrock have to do the same.
Atm Blackrock is a charity realm that can not even pay its own server costs.

Correct, but looking on the other wise of the medal, let's consider what you can actually donate for on Icecrown (using it example in order to make it more clear i hope):
- Any HC end-game item is 23coins
- Shadowmourne 150coins
- Char rename/Faction/Race change 10+ coins or vote points.
- Level 80 20 coins (?) with blue or green gear if im not wrong
- Profession skillup 30/40 coins or tons of golds for skill it up.

Now, let's see on Blackrock (IF it's kept like this)

- Any HC end-game item is for arena points and quite easy rating to obtain, just a matter of time.
- Shadowmourne 150coins , let's make it same as on Icecrown.
- Char rename/Faction/Race just type .uchangef and so on for free
- Level 80 Free with tier9/s7 & ToC gear (Full epic then, just 1 tier behind the end-game gear)
- Profession skillup just by winning games. So you dont even need to stop doing arenas.

Now let's make the point i wanted to aim about:

Making a BiS + Smourne Char (let's example warrior) means
Icecrown: (15x23)+150+20+(30x2)= 575 coins if you dont want waste a single minute on farm your gear and so on, actually even like this youll have to farm golds or honor for gems/enchant/glyph/mount and why not, spells also and double spec. As soon as i want "lower the amount of coins" it lead into one between: Hardcore PvE raiding 3+ hours each raid (If you want the pve), farm honor & arena points for pvp gear , farm mats or golds for skill up professions , find golds for enchant/sokets/glyph/mount. IF for any reason, i dont want donate for s8, in any case ill have to farm some pvp gear with honor at start to not run around with 0 resillence and be enough luck in VOA
Blackrock: 150. as you start with the same gear everyone has, you can just farm tons of games (if you've joined Blackrock i suppose you like Arenas, or u're just stupid lol) and gg you're getting everything.

That was my point from the start, and the reason why Blackrock must not have access to Shadowmourne in any possible way, while for the HC gear can be sold ingame and in donation shop to help (maybe) the income for the server (more like it wont, but worth try)
From a "non-donor" that want play arena or pvp view, you cant even compare the work you're forced to do on Lordaeron/Icecrown with Blackrock.