Since we implemented an updated design for Shadowlands PvP gearing into the Beta this week, we’ve seen several requests for a more-detailed explanation of the intentions behind the system.
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Previously in the Shadowlands Beta, we tested a design where Conquest served as both the currency for the Great Vault and the currency for purchasing PvP gear from the vendors, with a weekly cap. From the outset, two of our main goals with PvP gearing in Shadowlands were:
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Give players more direct control over their gearing by spending earned Conquest at PvP vendors, with an accessible cap and catch-up system.
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Allow the Great Vault to supplement PvP gearing for Rated players, with a rewards track that is closely aligned to other organized endgame activities (Mythic Keystone dungeons, Raiding).
However, in Beta testing, we found that because by definition Conquest can’t be earned after hitting the weekly cap, using the same currency for both systems made capping Conquest and earning Conquest gear take much more effort than had been the case in past expansions’ iterations of the Conquest system.
In the live game, we recently updated Honor to be a currency that is rewarded by all PvP activities, including Rated ones. So in this design, we’ve shifted the Great Vault to require Honor from Rated activities only. Earning Honor through Rated PvP each week will result in a valuable reward from the Great Vault, and that allows us to detach Conquest from the Great Vault and place the Conquest cap much lower.
This means that players who do Rated PvP will earn their purchases from the PvP vendor much faster, and since Honor from Rated activities is uncapped, those who are really into PvP can continue to progress towards unlocking the second and third Great Vault options after capping Conquest for the week.
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As the Beta winds down, please know that we greatly appreciate all of the testing and player feedback we’ve received since focused PvP testing began in the Shadowlands Beta. Thank you for all of your forum posts and tweets and bug reports and Youtube videos. We’re really looking forward to the PvP scene in this expansion.