This was a debate topic on BlizzardWatch fairly recently and my friend Waya (oops I still think of you like that) – Joakim – mentioned it in the comments where we’ve been chatting. It was thought-provoking because he agreed with the person I’d been debating with on BW and I have an alternate point of view. I figured that would make it a good topic for a post.

My argument is as follows:
– Races are cosmetic
– The game isn’t just the latest expansion
– Having to work towards things/not having immediate access is ok
– Because it’s just cosmetic

See it kinda goes full circle. If it was gear or something progression related being gated then I’d understand the contention. It would hold people back from playing but something cosmetic? Plus it’s not like there aren’t these gates already in the game and for classes which aren’t cosmetic! Death Knights require another class to be levelled to 55, and I think Demon Hunters require a level 98. There is precedence for having to play something else in order to unlock what you want.

I guess I missed a bit out of my argument because what it boils down to is:

• Not having instant access is ok

Why should everything be instantly available? Why is it wrong to have to work towards unlocking things?

I realize that the distinction is that these races are attached to the Battle for Azeroth expansion and the requirements are from Legion. However see my above point that the game is more than just the latest expansion. Personally I think blizz should leverage ‘old’ content much more than they do. They have introduced the transmog achievements which cover all the past raids, and there’s the Raiding for Leashes pets that are found in old raids. I don’t think saying here “go play this content” is a bad thing because it increases the amount of content available.

It also doesn’t cost players anything. I mean the Raiding for Leashes requires players to go back to a raid they might have done hundreds of times. The requirements to unlock the Allied Races require that a player on one character (faction immaterial) has maxed out some reputations/got some zone achievements. If the player did that during Legion then they aren’t being asked to do it again. If they didn’t do it during Legion, then they aren’t being asked to do it twice, merely to play the parts of the game they missed out on doing.

If the player doesn’t feel like maxing the reps or doing the quests then they don’t have to – because the races are just cosmetic. They aren’t losing anything by only focusing on the content they enjoy. Well they are losing the cosmetic look of that race but I guess it’s a case of “what’s more important?” If they really want the race then playing the game to get it won’t be a big deal. If they are a bit meh about the race then what does it matter anyway?

Now I freely admit that I’m probably biased because I max everything as a matter of course. I didn’t really play during Warlords so I had zero reputations done when I resubbed. I now have all but two at exalted. When I level my main I do loremaster for the expansion as I go. That means I usually get max level before the final zone but I don’t mind that. Even when I was preparing to raid back in Mists I did it this way.

I think I’ve outlined my plans for levelling new characters here before. Basically when 7.3.5 drops and the new dynamic levelling is introduced I’m going to play Horde and see the story with my Goblin Rogue and probably my Troll Druid so I see it all. IF the 6 new character slots are added in that patch I’ll also be able to roll my new Gnome Mage to 60 ready for the BfA 110 level boost.

IF the allied races drop in 7.3.5 will I level them? Well I won’t be able to immediately because I don’t have exalted with any of the necessary reputations. I’m revered with the two Horde ones – Nightborne and Highmountain – and I haven’t even met the two Alliance ones because I haven’t unlocked Argus. I’m waiting until I’ve finished the Illidan’s Soul quest before I finish the Nighthold on LFR, and then do Tomb of Sargeras on LFR. Considering I have 19/40 soul fragments and I’ve had this quest in my log a couple of months I expect it’ll be a while.

Do I care? No I don’t. Yes I want to level a Void Elf Priest and a Lightforged Paladin, but I don’t have to do it immediately. I will be able to do them in time once I’ve unlocked them. That makes content last longer as well. Instant access isn’t really a good thing. It’s like letting somebody eat the whole cake at once. Waiting means savouring each bite and that can only be good in my opinion.

Anyway it’s a big game, it’s more than just the latest expansion, and I don’t see why it’s a bad thing to actually have to play the game. I also freely admit that I’m probably one of the few that sees it this way and that’s probably because I’m not in a hurry. I play what I want, when I want. I can’t do anywhere near everything every week, so I only do bits and pieces of what I feel like and have time for.

I’m a completionist, I’ll get round to it eventually. There’s no rush 🙂