Is Giving Epic Loot Away Good?

You can spend an ungodly amount of time and gold raiding and get epics that are an upgrade. If you have the Boss/Instance on farm it takes much less time and gold, but you will not be getting any upgrade.

Or now you can afk in Arena and although it will take many weeks to get epiced out, you could do it with as little time as 15 minutes a week and as little as a few silver. I think the Arena is set so you could be on a 5 v 5 and lose all your games and still get about 250 points a week, with the top weapon (highest cost item I think) taking maybe about 3750? That would mean about 15 weeks for it, or 3.75 hours and a gold or two?

To get a similar level weapon in PvE will take much more playing time, much more gold and much more working together with 24+ other people.

And now you can do a simple easy little 5 man quest that any 5 level 70s will find simple and easy, and get top epic value loot.

As a comparison:

Here is the Ring for me from this easy mode event:
http://www.wowwiki.com/Witching_Band_%28Epic%29

+22 Stamina
+21 Intellect

Equip: Increases healing done by magical spells and effects by up to 46.
Equip: Restores 6 mana per 5 sec.



Here is my Ring from repeatedly killing Magtheridon and actually being the high bidder:
http://www.wowwiki.com/Naaru_Lightwarden%27s_Band

+21 Stamina
+25 Intellect
Equip: Increases healing done by spells and effects by up to 55.
Equip: Restores 8 mana per 5 sec.


The Magtheridon Ring compares as follows:
-1 Stamina
+4 Intellect
Equip: An additional 9 +healing
Equip: An additional 2mp5

Obviously the Magtheridon Ring is substantially better, but it is the second best ring for a healing Priest in the game in P v E up and through SSC and TK. And this ring from such an easy and simple event is not much below it.

I sense Blizzard has decided to just give away epic gear now, and it seems to me this greatly devalues the work and time and effort of a large part of its most loyal and dedicated customer base in order to reward casual players for little time and effort.

Stepping back and looking at what has been done to give away epics in Arenas and now this most recent example, it seems to me the tone and tenor of the game has changed in a truly meaningful way.

Is the game going to continue to attract hardcore and dedicated players, or will they move on now that hard work and effort in this game have become cheapened to the point of being meaningless?

Maybe thats a good thing.....maybe its not......but there has sure been a shift.