Yes, the pvp scene is affected by it. In my previous post, I used the adverb "more" coupled with the subjunctive mood of the verb "may". But if you want to claim that the pvp scene wouldn't have been disrupted more as it is right now, had warmane kept the original drop rates, then that would be a different topic. I don't participate in any pvp activities, so I am not able to respond to a such statement. As I've said above, I paraphrased Obnoxious' words.
It's true that possessing Smourne isn't a rare occasion nowadays, due to the following reasons:
- If we trust the numbers on the homepage, we can conclude that many people try to farm the SFSs. Since warmane has been online since 2015, it's inevitable how the number of Smournes would increase naturally in the game (especially on Icecrown, where bosses aren't buffed);
- Seasonal players may return to wow, and if they had obtained SM in the past, you'd still see them wielding it;
- The following regards the pvp environment: to my knowledge, there's a quest chain on Blackrock, which grants you SM as the final reward;
- And there's the option to donate 150 coins for it.
I personally think that you see more Smourne-wielders due to the third case. Blackrock is a pvp-only realm after all, and as such it liberates the players from the burden of doing raids if they don't want to or don't have the time for that. That's the reason, as least from what I have read on the forums, why some people want Blackrock to be separated from Icecrown and Lordearon. Once again, I'm not a pvp player, and I don't have a personal opinion on the matter - I just repeat what other people said in the past.
[edit] Thanks, Thorbjorn, for your post. I forgot to mention that here. I agree that the trademarket made it easier for us to obtain coins, which is yet another big reason why we see more Smournes in the game.