1. Looking for Raid -tool
The first feature I want to comment is the incoming Looking for Raid -tool. Basicly it will be similar to LFD-tool, it will gather up random people from queue and form up a 25 man raid to new Dragon Soul raid with tuned difficulty. It will be easier than normal modes because lack of communication.
I have to admit I was hoping this kind of feature when I didn't raid with a guild in WotLK and I was relying on pick-up-groups. I bet this feature will be quite popular amongst not-so-dedicated players who aren't scheduling time for raiding at the moment but are willing to see them. If this feature is going to work properly I think many PvP-orientated players will leave their PvE-guilds because they would have a chance to see encounters via Looking for Raid-tool and still be a part of PvP-guild and it's activities.
The only thing what worries me about the tool is that the fact the tier dropping from them can be used with normal and heroic mode tier-sets to gain bonuses. Basicly this will force progressing raiders to do random raids via this tool to obtain the 4-sets to help their "real" progression. Especially when the tank bonuses are so strong it will make difference if the tank has the new 4-set bonus or not. Thylacine wrote a preview about tanking and set-bonuses - what kind of tools they offer to tanks and it's clear that the new raid-wide cooldowns will have an important role in the future.
2. Transmogrification
I'm quite excited about this feature as I was collecting good looking sets already before I have no idea that some day I would actually be able to use them. I had tier 9, 10 and various PvP-sets in my bank already and I was happy when I read about Transmogrification for the first time.
It's been a bit dull in WotLK and Cataclysm that everyone have looked like everyone else who represents the same class. Everyone was in the current tier-set or the current PvP-set and it "killed" the diversity amongst players somehow. In 4.3 you'll be able to use your favorite armors and look like you've always wanted to look. Although there might be for example a Tier 6 -flood in the beginning of patch 4.3 I'm quite sure people will look for different armors quite quickly.
It's time to clean up my tier 10 and make it shine once more! For PvP I'm going to use either Wrathful-gear or Relentless-gear, they're my favorites of the all sets.
3. Dragon Soul -raid and the new instances
There are incoming a new raid (who would have guessed?!) in the new patch and also new 5-mans like in 3.3 when ICC was released. So far I've only read about them but there has been lot of hype about the new raid. Blizzard has stated that it will be the most story-based raid ever with few cinematics - that can't be bad if they keep their promises! Maybe Ulduar gets a challenger to compete about "the best raid ever" -title finally.
The new 5-mans are quite lore-based too and they are all new instances, no revamped troll-instances this time which is quite nice. I doubt I personally will do them often after gained the gear from them but I bet they will be quite nice.
So that's my quick preview about 4.3 patch, it's biggest features and my thoughts about them. Overall the 4.3 patch looks very promising, I just hope there will be content for PvP-players too.
P.S. Finally reached 2k rating in 3v3! /happyface
I think the LFR feature will be different for hardcore raiders in the sense that they don't have to come back after they get their gear (or practice on the fights.)
ReplyDeleteI don't see anyone going for week after week. Granted, this might make them all grind the instances for the first couple of weeks, but once they have their sets, they will move on for sure.
You're absolutely right. My intentions were to put it somewhat like that but I guess I forgot it after started typing. No wonder because the preview was quite quickly done. :)
ReplyDeleteAnyway, when 4.2 hit the hardcore raiders had to do Zandalari-instances for the first few weeks to get Valor point-gear. I think LFR is somewhat similar thing in the beginning of 4.3.
In the main you're probably right, but I'd say only when it comes to "raiders" if you know what I mean. There are still going to be the casual base that don't have the time for structured guild raids, and the less skilled who just want to derp around a bit.
ReplyDeleteOf course, that probably implies that things will simply not be any fun in the LFR beyond the first month - I suppose a lot like LFD, actually.
Time will (as always) tell, I guess.