07-01-2010, 08:56 PM
(This post was last modified: 07-01-2010, 08:57 PM by TheDragoon.)
I'm not sure that the numeric ilvl difference is an accurate measure since the ilvl numbers of gear keeps going up. In Classic there was a HUGE difference between ilvl 60 greens and ilvl 90 epics.
Also, even if the spread is bigger now, the ilvl could also be set compared to the high-end ilvls to provide the same sort of questing progression as seen in TBC and WotLK. For example, quest gear could be designed to provide the following sort of progression in Cataclysm. Note that I have used the phrase "epic-equivalent XXX" below. This is meant to account for the fact that Blizzard has said they'd like to see more to distinguish greens from blues from epics while still comparing the overall power of an item to the overall power of epics in WotLK.
This is how I would have done it, though Blizzard appears to have taken a different approach:
Level 78 - ilvl 238 epic-equivalent greens from quests, ilvl 251 epic-equivalent blues from dungeons
Level 79 - ilvl 245 epic-equivalent greens from quests, ilvl 258 epic-equivalent blues from dungeons
Level 80 - ilvl 252 epic-equivalent greens from quests, ilvl 265 epic-equivalent blues from dungeons
This progression would catch the quest-green people up to ilvl 245 gear (which is the random heroic badge gear available in end-game WotLK) which is widely available at end-game WotLK by level 79. This progression essentially builds on the 5-man progression already built into the WotLK end-game 5-mans and providing a modest incentive to jump directly into the new 5-mans. As leveling up, I set the ilvl to increase 7 ilvls per level so that it would be equivalent to one tier of raiding gear per two levels. I also set each tier of progression (quests -> 5-mans -> heroic 5-mans -> raids) to be 13 ilvl different than the previous, as done in end-game WotLK 5-mans.
Level 81 - ilvl 259 epic-equivalent greens from quests, ilvl 272 epic-equivalent blues from dungeons
Level 82 - ilvl 264 epic-equivalent greens from quests, ilvl 279 epic-equivalent blues from dungeons
Level 83 - ilvl 273 epic-equivalent greens from quests, ilvl 286 epic-equivalent blues from dungeons
Level 84 - ilvl 280 epic-equivalent greens from quests, ilvl 293 epic-equivalent blues from dungeons
Level 85 - ilvl 287 epic-equivalent greens from quests, ilvl 300 epic-equivalent blues from dungeons, ilvl 313 epic-equivalent blues from heroic dungeons, ilvl 326 epics from the starter Cataclysm raids
Overall, this would allow ICC-25 (normal) raiders to have gear equivalent to Level 82 quest rewards or 5-man dungeons done at level 80. ICC-25 (heroic) raiders would have gear equivalent to level ~84 questing or Level 83 5-man dungeons. All of the gear gets overshadowed by the time you reach the level 85 5-mans, heroics and raids (though you might be able to use some of that gear if you haven't found a good replacement, yet). That seems like a pretty decent progression but without the massive ilvl bloat that appears it is going to occur to yield ilvl 359 epics to start the end-game.
Also, even if the spread is bigger now, the ilvl could also be set compared to the high-end ilvls to provide the same sort of questing progression as seen in TBC and WotLK. For example, quest gear could be designed to provide the following sort of progression in Cataclysm. Note that I have used the phrase "epic-equivalent XXX" below. This is meant to account for the fact that Blizzard has said they'd like to see more to distinguish greens from blues from epics while still comparing the overall power of an item to the overall power of epics in WotLK.
This is how I would have done it, though Blizzard appears to have taken a different approach:
Level 78 - ilvl 238 epic-equivalent greens from quests, ilvl 251 epic-equivalent blues from dungeons
Level 79 - ilvl 245 epic-equivalent greens from quests, ilvl 258 epic-equivalent blues from dungeons
Level 80 - ilvl 252 epic-equivalent greens from quests, ilvl 265 epic-equivalent blues from dungeons
This progression would catch the quest-green people up to ilvl 245 gear (which is the random heroic badge gear available in end-game WotLK) which is widely available at end-game WotLK by level 79. This progression essentially builds on the 5-man progression already built into the WotLK end-game 5-mans and providing a modest incentive to jump directly into the new 5-mans. As leveling up, I set the ilvl to increase 7 ilvls per level so that it would be equivalent to one tier of raiding gear per two levels. I also set each tier of progression (quests -> 5-mans -> heroic 5-mans -> raids) to be 13 ilvl different than the previous, as done in end-game WotLK 5-mans.
Level 81 - ilvl 259 epic-equivalent greens from quests, ilvl 272 epic-equivalent blues from dungeons
Level 82 - ilvl 264 epic-equivalent greens from quests, ilvl 279 epic-equivalent blues from dungeons
Level 83 - ilvl 273 epic-equivalent greens from quests, ilvl 286 epic-equivalent blues from dungeons
Level 84 - ilvl 280 epic-equivalent greens from quests, ilvl 293 epic-equivalent blues from dungeons
Level 85 - ilvl 287 epic-equivalent greens from quests, ilvl 300 epic-equivalent blues from dungeons, ilvl 313 epic-equivalent blues from heroic dungeons, ilvl 326 epics from the starter Cataclysm raids
Overall, this would allow ICC-25 (normal) raiders to have gear equivalent to Level 82 quest rewards or 5-man dungeons done at level 80. ICC-25 (heroic) raiders would have gear equivalent to level ~84 questing or Level 83 5-man dungeons. All of the gear gets overshadowed by the time you reach the level 85 5-mans, heroics and raids (though you might be able to use some of that gear if you haven't found a good replacement, yet). That seems like a pretty decent progression but without the massive ilvl bloat that appears it is going to occur to yield ilvl 359 epics to start the end-game.
-TheDragoon