While there are two threads on this issue currently present on this forum, I thought it might be interesting to open a third one on how we “new players” are supposed to approach this game going forward, as I’ve noticed that the restrictions have some very crippling effects on both myself and on others.
I started playing the original Classic release back in early 2020, but because of several (not very relevant) reasons I had to switch to a new Blizz account, which I’ve since used to buy that Warcraft Battle Chest (we shall see whether that was a good buy or not in the long term), and since yesterday I got a subscription going on for WoW with the intent to play Classic Anniversary.
Beyond the debate whether the measure is effective or not, there is an important point that I think the developer team missed with Anniversary:
And specifically this part:
“Specifically, we’re preventing those accounts from transferring in-game wealth to other players (mail, trade, auction). Players under this restriction can still receive gold and items, so established players can still help friends.”
While this might have been very good reasoning at the time of introduction, I think Blizzard has failed to realise that we currently don’t have established guilds or players that “new” players can rely on in any way. We very much cannot expect an enchanter the same level as everyone else to give away wands for free to other players. In two months time, when the cost of making low level wands is the equivalent of pocket change maybe, but right now that isn’t going to happen except in rare cases.
→ It’s important to mention here that any sort of trade is restricted. I currently cannot even use a kind of barter trade with someone else, and some low level valuable stacks and a recipe that I could have used to get something in return are currently rotting in my bank awaiting better times. Using the mailing system as a workaround also doesn’t work.
I’m currently seeing two problems that players like me can possibly encounter:
- It’s possible that a character can hit a wall during levelling, when any form of income is too low to keep up with paying for spells and abilities (even if selectively choosing a few abilities to get into, like only voidwalker grimoires for warlock players). While a regular player would have a relatively easy time selling off recipes, mats to guildies or even try their hand at the AH, it’s pissible that a restricted player could be stuck in many hours of grinding and selling mats to vendors just to break even per level. That might translate into ungodly hours of gametime required just to make sure they can level up to 60 compared to unrestricted accounts.
- Even if a character ends up at level 60, once end-game content opens up new accounts (which can realistically level up fairly quickly with all the modern tools available) won’t be able to come by with just the two available professions and hoping that guildmates can give them stuff for free.
Obviously above are the worst case scenarios. Back in 2020 I got by relatively well, but even then selling off mats or a recipe really helped me out keeping up, such as (using that example again) getting a wand as a character that didn’t go into putting that big investment into enchanting. I did end up joining at a time when higher level guildies could help me out though, so in my case we shall see how far I can go without hitting a kind of roadblock thanks to these restrictions.
Besides complaining and pointing out some problems with this policy, I wanted to ask whether some (much more experienced) veterans here might have some tips or ideas for players like me for how to approach this situation, as I have my doubts whether we’ll see the development team change this issue anytime soon.
Blizzard is so smart to piss off so many new players. I dont even know what else to say. All my friends are pissed that they bought the game time and regret it. Developers are not helpful or responsive. I dont believe they will lift the restrictions.