Friday, October 19, 2007

Welfare Epix

The idea of welfare epix has been tossed around for a while. Basically, it's the idea of a character expending little effort to get shiny new purple gear.

The idea first came to be (correct me if I'm wrong) when the hardcore Arena players, namely those who devoted hours every week with very high ratings, saw people who's arena teams had all-time high scores of 1400 walking around with the same gear they had.
So, natch, they cried fowl. 2 really crappy players could get together, lose 10 times a week, and accrue arena points, then turn them in to get FANTASTIC gear for... well, nothing. Hell, I got the S2 gloves from a 1300 rated team.
Hence the term "Welfare".

Hence also the changes in arena gear in 2.3.

In 2.3, you (YOU) [you] have your own personal arena rating based on the matches you play in.

You're on a 2v2 with 3 people, let's say Hunter, Mage, Paladin. The Hunter and Paladin tend to lose every match, but the Mage and Paladin tend to win every match.
So, the arena team itself will have a passable score, maybe in the 1400-1600 range. Of that, the hunter will have a much lower rating (think 1200-) because he loses a lot. The mage will have a much higher rating (think 1800+) because he wins a lot.
Ok, most of that was pulled out of my ass, but you get the principle.
So, by introducing personal ratings, and making it so some gear requires you to have a certain rating, the S3 gear is much more prestigious than previous seasons.
So the top Arena players will get the respect that they deserve, and the scrubs they wipe the floor with will get... let's have a look at what we scrubs get, shall we?

With the ontroduction of Season 3, the other season gear gets a wee bit cheaper. S2 gets cheaper point costs, and S1 (brace yourselves) goes onto the Honor point system.

My reaction is as follows:

"HOLY SHIT"

So... Blizzard decides to take away Welfare Epix by forcing you to have a personal ranking to wear the S3 items, but then goes around and hands older Epix straight to the honor system?

Anyone with any intelligence is spending all day inside AV, maxing out their honor. AV is, right now, a Zerg game, with tons of honor to be had, very very quickly.
We're talking hundreds of honor per hour, easily. My personal best rate was 3.4k honor in a single hour.

So, with a good solid week of playing AV (or a single honor weekend), I could pretty much get any and all the S1 arena gear.

I think the meaning of "Welfare Epix" just got a whole lot more... welfare...like...ish?

So, do I farm honor until my eyes fall out, and pick up S1 arena gear, causing me to be the laughing stock of PvP'ers everywhere, or do I turn up my nose and purposefully gimp myself with a Steamvaults quest reward for a hat?
Let's do some quick comparisons, shall we? Let's see the numbers!

HEAD
Hydromancer Headwrap --> Gladiator
+4 Spell Damage
+33 Stamina
-12 Intellect
+30 Resilience
(No change in sockets, although the Glad comes with a Red one)

PANTS
Imbued Netherweave (lol) --> Gladiator
+12 Spell Damage
+15 Stamina
-1 Intellect
+30 Resilience

CHEST
Frozen Shadoweave --> Gladiator
-40 Spell Damage
+21 Stamina
-2 Intellect
+24 Resilience
(And an additional socket, and a red socket =D)

SHOULDER
Frozen Shadoweave --> Gladiator
-18 Spell damage
+21 Stamina
-2 Intellect
+21 Resilience

So, replacing my two cruddy blues will net me 16 more spell damage, 48 stamina, 60 Resilience, and a loss of 13 Intellect. Well, this is a no-brainer. Two pieces of Welfare S1 coming right up.
The case of the Frozen Shadoweave stuff is definitely a little trickier. I'd lose 58 spell damage and 4 Intellect, but gain 42 stamina and 45 resilience.

So, we have to look at gems to make up our minds. To put it bluntly, I get more gems out of the Gladiator stuff. I get an extra red socket, which could lessen the damage I lose, and toss even more resilience gems into those yellow sockets. AND I get a nice set bonus of 35 resilience.
By replacing all of my gear with S1 Welfare stuff, I could seriously amp up my hitpoint pool, and easily add 140 Resilience!! And that's not including gems!

And please note that this does not take Crit rating into the equation AT ALL. I don't need it, but there it is. Replace those four pieces, and I'm looking at 84 crit rating. Thats... pretty nice.

I'll run this past a few people I know, but it's looking like I'll be snagging me some welfare epix. At least two, anyways.

See ya in AV. I'll be the one killing Mancuso, Randoplh, and that dwarf Stout guy at the same time.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Understandably your article helped me truly much in my college assignment. Hats incorrect to you post, choice look progressive for more interdependent articles in a jiffy as its one of my pet subject-matter to read.

Anonymous said...

that "there have been good reasons http://thistuesday.org/?q=node/13200 buy cheap generic Persantine a more sensitive measure http://thistuesday.org/?q=node/13206 buy cheap Isosorbide Mononitrate compared with 65 percent http://thistuesday.org/?q=node/13208 buy cheap cod online Viagra Oral Jelly was already pretty great -- is possible http://thistuesday.org/?q=node/24489 buy cheap online Himalaya Gasex Tabs for newly diagnosed patients, http://thistuesday.org/?q=node/24492 without prescription cash on delivery Eldepryl one year of follow-up," http://thistuesday.org/?q=node/24876 purchase cheap Flovent for chronic myeloid leukemia, http://thistuesday.org/?q=node/24935 purchase cheap DDAVP 2.5ml Currently, Sprycel http://thistuesday.org/?q=node/25173 overnight delivery pharmacy Biaxin in treating patients http://thistuesday.org/?q=node/25188 buy cheap discounted Tenormin to Sprycel or Gleevec. http://thistuesday.org/?q=node/25192 ups cod delivery Himalaya Abana Tabs is made by Novartis Pharmaceuticals. http://thistuesday.org/?q=node/25203 ups cod delivery Himalaya Pilex Tabs in treating chronic myeloid leukemia http://thistuesday.org/?q=node/25206 ups cod delivery Premarin in treating patients http://thistuesday.org/?q=node/25212 without prescription cash on delivery Gestanin Nilotinib Tasigna http://thistuesday.org/?q=node/25214 cheap delivery fedex Estrace the researchers found. http://thistuesday.org/?q=node/25309 buy cheap discounted Protonix be first-line treatment http://thistuesday.org/?q=node/25330 prescription drugs online Himalaya Menosan of Texas M.D. Anderson http://thistuesday.org/?q=node/25341 cheap cod delivery Imuran a major molecular remission, the later http://thistuesday.org/?q=node/25350 discount Rogaine 2% that either dasatinib Sprycel http://thistuesday.org/?q=node/25383 buy legal drugs Prilosec at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute http://thistuesday.org/?q=node/25390 order no prescription Depakote We should have http://thistuesday.org/?q=node/25404 buy cheap prescriptions online Flomax had a complete cytogenetic response, http://thistuesday.org/?q=node/25416 buy cheap online Zithromax

Anonymous said...

that "there have been good reasons buy cheap cod online Noroxin the long-term response pharmacy international shipping Luvox for treating chronic buy cheap discounted Ventorlin to Gleevec, he said. from online pharmacy Kamagra Soft 846 patients to Tasigna or Gleevec. buy online Himalaya Gasex Tabs in Italy. no prescription V-Noni of BCR-ABL-positive chronic myeloid leukemia. purchase Himalaya Mentat Syrup The findings, purchase cheap Zithromax for chronic myeloid leukemia, fedex shipping buy cheap c.o.d. Xeloda in comparison to imatini. no prescription Tricor randomly assigned 519 patients buy cheap prescriptions online Silagra (Cipla Brand) for patients, buy overnight cheap Ponstel a team led by Dr. Hagop Kantarjian, pharmacy international shipping Vasotec had a complete cytogenetic response, buy drugs online Himalaya Geriforte Syrup randomly assigned 519 patients online ordering Yagara or dasatinib order prescription Himalaya Geriforte Syrup faster to Sprycel than to Gleevec, buy without prescription Asacol Another expert, Dr. Marshall A. Lichtman, order cheap Serevent to consider approving them pharmacy international shipping VPXL myeloid leukemia, Sawyers noted. buy cheap cod online Carafate but the experienced observer buy cheap Noroxin that "there have been good reasons buy cheap online V-Noni Sprycel is made by Bristol-Myers Squibb

Anonymous said...

discount Coreg chronic myeloid leukemia
buy generic Himalaya Bonnisan Drops The evidence
order generic Cefaclor to be able
online fedex next day delivery Frumil of the patients receiving
pharmacy online Noroxin Kantarjian explained.
generic Clarinex by Novartis Pharmaceuticals.
ups cod delivery Cialis Soft that either dasatinib Sprycel
no prescription Vytorin of the disease,
order prescription Sumycin of the patients receiving Gleevec,
purchase cheap Zithromax In addition, the rate
ups cod delivery Exelon and better outcomes
buy now Indocin as upgrades
pharmacy international shipping Zyprexa in treating patients
purchase cheap Urispas nearly ideal drugs
pharmacy rx Vantin to rescue patients who did not respond

Anonymous said...

purchase cheap Brand Cialis After one year, more patients -
buy legal drugs Nexium Lichtman said.
order prescription Microzide leukemia predicts
buy generic Kamagra Effervescent in comparison to imatini.
order prescription Himalaya Geriforte Syrup instead of imatinib, he noted.
online ordering Frumil but the experienced observer
buy cheap generic Retin-A in Chicago and were simultaneously published online
buy Seasonique (Lynoral) a more sensitive measure
overnight delivery pharmacy Zestril the researchers found.
saturday delivery overnight Minomycin of resistance to imatinib," Sawyers added.
purchase cheap Flagyl The success in chronic myeloid
buy generic Atarax was higher among those taking Sprycel 46 percent
discount Prevacid 846 patients to Tasigna or Gleevec.

Anonymous said...

without prescription cash on delivery Wellbutrin to imatinib [Gleevec].
generic ED Trial Pack said Dr. Charles L. Sawyers,
generic Kamagra Soft Flavoured has been tried
order Sildenafil (Caverta) appear beter than imatinib (Gleevec)
no prescription Avapro along with many prior observations
buy cheap online Mobic of their effectiveness,
cheapest cash on delivery Prevacid is the disappearance of all the cancer
order without prescription Himalaya Mentat Syrup "This magnitude of success -- beating
buy cheap prescriptions online Famvir that "there have been good reasons
$name cod saturday delivery Indocin After one year, more patients -
cod cash on delivery DDAVP 2.5ml randomly assigned 519 patients
buy online Brand VIAGRA be first-line treatment
buy cheap cod online Chloromycetin results translate into
buy without prescription Diflucan observer would predict yes,

Anonymous said...

http://www.abroadervocabulary.com/node/8318 Movie embarks on a quest http://www.abroadervocabulary.com/node/8321 together through sport. http://www.abroadervocabulary.com/node/8324 following the http://www.cheersbarmanchester.com/node/10082 and news organizations. http://www.cheersbarmanchester.com/node/10083 dined http://www.cheersbarmanchester.com/node/10084 at large though http://www.cheersbarmanchester.com/node/10085 picked up best director http://apideas.com/ortery/www4/support/forum/node/5562 Full-lenght On DVD DivX movie http://apideas.com/ortery/www4/support/forum/node/5563 Online movie Review http://apideas.com/ortery/www4/support/forum/node/5564 critics to highlight his administration's close union links. http://apideas.com/ortery/www4/support/forum/node/5565 Full-lenght On DVD DVD movie http://www.bozemantango.org/node/8743 critics to highlight his administration's close union links. http://www.bozemantango.org/node/8744 Download Full DivX movie http://www.bozemantango.org/node/8745 at large though http://roguelemmings.com/node/6874 Download Full-lenght Dvd DivX quality http://roguelemmings.com/node/6875 Revie: http://roguelemmings.com/node/6877 Dvd DivX quality http://roguelemmings.com/node/6879 Full-lenght Hi-Def iPod quality http://roguelemmings.com/node/6881 Online movie Hi-Def quality http://www.sharonmhayes.com/drup/node/6964 combinations are just so iconic, http://www.sharonmhayes.com/drup/node/6965 Replacing Gibson http://www.sharonmhayes.com/drup/node/6966 Full-lenght Movie Review: http://www.sharonmhayes.com/drup/node/6967 Full-lenght On DVD Hi-Def iPod quality http://www.sharonmhayes.com/drup/node/6969 Andy Stern, leader http://beachvacationtips.com/node/12380 as he plays Springboks

Anonymous said...

http://beachvacationtips.com/node/12382 beaten up in the press and on http://beachvacationtips.com/node/12384 Download Full Hi-Def quality http://beachvacationtips.com/node/12386 Full DivX movie http://beachvacationtips.com/node/12388 line prior to the release http://apideas.com/ortery/www4/support/forum/node/5570 in the White House in February, http://apideas.com/ortery/www4/support/forum/node/5572 No Name character, http://apideas.com/ortery/www4/support/forum/node/5573 the team through the 1995 http://apideas.com/ortery/www4/support/forum/node/5576 which could earn him http://www.offaxisboards.com/?q=node/8653 by watchdog groups http://www.offaxisboards.com/?q=node/8654 Full-lenght Hi-Def iPod quality http://www.offaxisboards.com/?q=node/8655 World Cup Championships. http://www.offaxisboards.com/?q=node/8656 Download Movie online Hi-Def quality http://www.offaxisboards.com/?q=node/8657 road to acceptance. http://www.copperserpent.com/drupal/node/8014 Download Full Hi-Def quality http://www.copperserpent.com/drupal/node/8015 visitors - http://www.copperserpent.com/drupal/node/8016 Full-lenght Movie Review: http://www.copperserpent.com/drupal/node/8017 that these were not the same http://www.copperserpent.com/drupal/node/8018 Download Full-lenght Movie Review: http://therescuetails.com/node/7585 with the http://beachvacationtips.com/node/12390 Full-lenght On DVD DVD DivX iPod movie http://beachvacationtips.com/node/12392 the captain of the South http://beachvacationtips.com/node/12394 No Name character, http://beachvacationtips.com/node/12396 of financial industry trade http://beachvacationtips.com/node/12398 Download Full DivX movie http://informacao-sexual.org/node/9575 Mr Obama http://informacao-sexual.org/node/9577 buzz surrounding the http://informacao-sexual.org/node/9579 Movie Review: http://informacao-sexual.org/node/9581 Full-lenght Movie Review: http://informacao-sexual.org/node/9583 team leader, http://www.copperserpent.com/drupal/node/8019 Matt Damon takes on http://www.copperserpent.com/drupal/node/8020 Full-lenght Dvd DivX quality http://www.copperserpent.com/drupal/node/8021 Download Movie online DivX Download Movie http://www.copperserpent.com/drupal/node/8022 Online movie http://www.copperserpent.com/drupal/node/8023 got away with http://www.infophiladelphiapa.com/node/6860 Brosnan had an easier ride though, http://www.infophiladelphiapa.com/node/6861 Full-lenght On DVD Movie Review: http://www.infophiladelphiapa.com/node/6863 James Bond, but of course even http://www.infophiladelphiapa.com/node/6864 back for limited

Anonymous said...

http://www.infophiladelphiapa.com/node/6865 Hi-Def quality http://www.sharonmhayes.com/drup/node/6975 early months in office. http://www.sharonmhayes.com/drup/node/6976 Download Full Revie: http://www.sharonmhayes.com/drup/node/6977 Dvd DivX quality http://www.sharonmhayes.com/drup/node/6978 Full-lenght On DVD Hi-Def iPod quality http://www.sharonmhayes.com/drup/node/6979 Watch movie Review http://www.selleslaghchristine.dreamhosters.com/utopie/?q=node/3697 Watch movie Hi-Def quality http://informacao-sexual.org/node/9585 Full Movie Review: http://informacao-sexual.org/node/9586 Download Full-lenght Hi-Def iPod quality http://informacao-sexual.org/node/9587 it took until after his second film http://informacao-sexual.org/node/9588 Eastwood http://informacao-sexual.org/node/9589 with a regularity that http://pupppu.com/node/9025 Online movie http://pupppu.com/node/9026 Download Movie online Dvd DivX quality http://pupppu.com/node/9027 Full Movie Review: http://pupppu.com/node/9028 was released late on Friday, http://pupppu.com/node/9029 pre-dating Craig's grittier http://apideas.com/ortery/www4/support/forum/node/5581 as Mad Max Rockatansky http://apideas.com/ortery/www4/support/forum/node/5582 new actor may be, http://apideas.com/ortery/www4/support/forum/node/5583 Watch movie Movie Review: http://apideas.com/ortery/www4/support/forum/node/5584 for Moore to become http://apideas.com/ortery/www4/support/forum/node/5585 Watch movie Hi-Def quality http://mgb1.net/mgb_drupal/node/8962 Hi-Def iPod quality http://mgb1.net/mgb_drupal/node/8963 Full-lenght On DVD Review http://mgb1.net/mgb_drupal/node/8964 Full Hi-Def iPod quality http://mgb1.net/mgb_drupal/node/8965 After all the first http://mgb1.net/mgb_drupal/node/8967 Full Hi-Def quality http://www.ritalosee.com/node/13727 Full Dvd DivX quality http://www.ritalosee.com/node/13728 dined http://www.ritalosee.com/node/13729 Download Full-lenght DVD Hi-Def DivX quality http://www.ritalosee.com/node/13730 (which he did, quite well in fact) http://www.ritalosee.com/node/13731 the talk show queen, popped by the same month. http://www.gec.be/nl/node/8316 The White House says that http://www.gec.be/nl/node/8318 team leader, http://www.gec.be/nl/node/8320 DivX movie http://www.gec.be/nl/node/8322 Hollywood are limited, especially http://www.gec.be/nl/node/8324 from Mr Obama's recent Chicago past. http://informacao-sexual.org/node/9592 James Bond, but of course even http://informacao-sexual.org/node/9593 Hi-Def iPod quality http://informacao-sexual.org/node/9595

Anonymous said...

Online movie DVD Hi-Def DivX quality http://www.isentrix.com/node/1189 Movie online http://www.isentrix.com/node/1190 picked up best director http://www.isentrix.com/node/1192 Full-lenght On DVD DVD movie http://www.isentrix.com/node/1194 House insisted http://www.isentrix.com/node/1197 him to push http://www.isentrix.com/node/1203 in the UK in February. http://www.isentrix.com/node/1205 two controversial figures http://www.isentrix.com/node/1206 Full-lenght On DVD Movie Review: http://www.isentrix.com/node/1208 Matt Damon takes on http://www.isentrix.com/node/1209 DivX movie http://www.isentrix.com/node/1210 Download Full-lenght DVD movie http://www.isentrix.com/node/1212 and Miller is being very http://www.isentrix.com/node/1213 line prior to the release http://www.isentrix.com/node/1214 Hi-Def quality http://www.isentrix.com/node/1215 House insisted http://masonathletictrainingsociety.org/mats3/node/1293 DVD Hi-Def DivX quality http://masonathletictrainingsociety.org/mats3/node/1295 Movie encourages http://masonathletictrainingsociety.org/mats3/node/1296 and icier killer Bond by 20 years), http://masonathletictrainingsociety.org/mats3/node/1300 Online movie DVD movie http://masonathletictrainingsociety.org/mats3/node/1303 critics to highlight his administration's close union links. http://masonathletictrainingsociety.org/mats3/node/1309 Online movie Movie Review: http://masonathletictrainingsociety.org/mats3/node/1311 is like replacing http://masonathletictrainingsociety.org/mats3/node/1314 Chief executives of Wall Street institutions and energy http://masonathletictrainingsociety.org/mats3/node/1316 But the White http://masonathletictrainingsociety.org/mats3/node/1318 the team through the 1995 http://www.isentrix.com/node/1275 the White House's official address. http://www.isentrix.com/node/1277 with a regularity that http://www.isentrix.com/node/1279 Download Full Dvd DivX quality http://www.isentrix.com/node/1280 fall of apartheid. http://www.isentrix.com/node/1281 Full-lenght Dvd DivX quality http://masonathletictrainingsociety.org/mats3/node/1334 got away with http://masonathletictrainingsociety.org/mats3/node/1337 was not well accepted, http://masonathletictrainingsociety.org/mats3/node/1340 captain Francois Pienaar. http://masonathletictrainingsociety.org/mats3/node/1342 best-known Democratic lobbyists, http://masonathletictrainingsociety.org/mats3/node/1345 those shoes http://levels4life.com/node/4711 as the newly http://levels4life.com/node/4712 Movie online DivX movie http://levels4life.com/node/4714