Classic released in 2019, it is now almost 2024 and Classic has been abandonware since summer 2021. There is no need for #Nochanges
With that out the way, here is a simple solution to PvP that could improve the current system, split into two parts.
PART 1 - How Gear is obtained
Under the current, newish system. Gear is obtained in the same way as it was in vanilla and in 2019 classic but the process of ranking has been made easier, particularly Ranks 1-8 can be achieved with casual play. As can Rank 10. Gear is both gated behind rank, and by time. As a result, it is easier to obtain than it once was but R13/14 gear in any sort of reasonable length of time required an insane amount of grinding. To achieve this in the fastest possible time, players simply grind AV. This leads to other battlegrounds being "dead’.
Proposed solution :
All R8-10 honor gear is available in the exact same way as they are now. The grind for this is manageable and the gear is accessible. It can be obtained by the average player in 2-3 weeks whilst still playing other parts of the game. Honour from Av should be nerfed slightly whilst honor from WSG and AB should be buffed.
Proposed changes: Upon hitting R10 and obtaining the blue PvP honor set, a series of quests become available within the relevant faction halls. These quests must be completed to obtain Ranks 10-14, in a similar way as the Tier 0.5 quests for Dungeon set gear.
How will this work?
Part 2 - Ranking
Upon hitting rank 10 and accepting the quests, these will be divided into several parts, I’ll outline what this could look like below:
Quest chain 1: Upgrades Boots & Gloves
Requires : 30 marks from each BG + 10,000 Honour earned in AV and 5000 honour earned in WSG/AB respectively
blue version of gear
Completion of EPL PvP objectives (within 1 week)
50 player kills
Reward : Upgraded PvP gear, Rank 11
Quest 2 : Upgrades Legs and Chest
Requires : 30 Marks from each BG + 15000 Honor earned in AV and 10,000 in WSG/AB respectively
Blue versions of gear pieces
Completion of Silithus and EPL PvP objectives (within 1 week)
Requires R11
Requires 200 honourable player kills (within 1 week
OR
Requires successful assanation of x opposite faction leader + 30 Marks each /relevant honor
Rewards : Upgraded gear, rank 12
Quest 3 : Shoulders/Helm
Requires 30 Marks per BG/ 25000 AV Honour, 15,000 WSG/AB Honour respectively
Completion of EPL/Silithus PvP objectives
500 Honourable player kills
OR successful assassination of XY Faction leader + relevant bg Honor and marks.
Rewards: Upgraded Gear, R13, Mount of choice
Quest 4 : Weapon
Requires : Successfully complete objectives
Summon X or Y in AV match, cap X y z in AV match and kill Drek thar.
Successfully Cap a total of 40 flags in Atathi basin over a 1 week period.
Successfully obtain 500 honourable kills in WSG over a 1 week period.
Turn in 15 Marks per BG
Successfully Kill Respective Faction leader X y or z OR obtain 300 Honourable kills in the open world in a 1 week period
obtain 100,000 honor from any source in a one week period
Reward : 1H Weapon or Offhand of choice (is repeatable)
R14 - Questline, obtain Grand Marshall/High warlord
Complete objectives 500,000 honor in a one week period.
OR
Obtain 175,000 Honor in a one week period AND obtain 1000 Honourable kills from any source. AND Kill opposing Faction HEAD and obtain 20 of each mark OR obtain 2000 Honourable kills from any source and hand in 50 marks per BG, complete EPL/Silithus objectives on 3 unique days within a 1 week period AND obtain 300 honourable kills in the open world
Reward : R14 + main hand 2H weapon of choice (can be completed only once)
After completing this quest. You must complete the following quest every week
“Hero of the Horde/Alliance” which requires you to obtain 100,000 honor from any source per week + 9 of each mark in order to maintain access to R14, if these are not completed for a period of 2 consecutive weeks, you rank will be changed to R13 and you will lose your title.
These quests could be tweaked/adjusted. However these would allow for more open world PvP, potentially more city raids and would help change some AVs to be a bit more exciting + make AB/WSG viable and +mandatory+ if you want epic PvP gear.
Just an idea, but I feel this is a simple eand easy to implement solution which is not out of reach for most players nor too easy.