Cracks starting to show?

[Paelos]

It reminds that T2.5 was an abomination that should never have been unleashed on the playerbase.

[Simond]

MMO Champion are putting up previews of t13 sets along with retrospectives showing all the previous tiers (e.g. here's the warrior one) for transmogrification purposes... and I have to admit that browsing them is giving me a faint re-sub twinge.

Only faint though.

It is reminding me that the quality of Tier design mostly peaked around T4-5 and then went downhill sharply after T8.

It coincides with the removal of clownsuits. When they decided to make everything match, they also seem to have decided to make everything boring, including the tier sets.

[apocrypha]

It is reminding me that the quality of Tier design mostly peaked around T4-5 and then went downhill sharply after T8.

It reminds that T2.5 was an abomination that should never have been unleashed on the playerbase.

Totally agree with both of you there. Tier 5 good.

[Paelos]

The new Mage T13 is freaking hysterical.

ZE GOGGLES...

[Morfiend]

The new Mage T13 is freaking hysterical.

ZE GOGGLES...

I guess their are wearing them up like that since they cant fit them over the METAL HOOD. 

[koro]

It's actually Blizzard that seems to be doing the retrospectives:

http://us.battle.net/wow/en/blog/3502705

It's hideous. All of it. Except the Shaman 13, which is prettty decent.

[Paelos]

Shaman 2.5 gets my vote as the most awful thing ever.

[Ingmar]

Shaman 2.5 gets my vote as the most awful thing ever.

Other than Warrior 2.5 you mean.

[Paelos]

They are tied.

[Rokal]

They looked awful *and* they had really bizarre stats for most classes. Best sets in the game overall, obviously.

[Simond]

I wish I had tier 2.5 for my main. 

[Sjofn]

T8 for warriors is still one of my favorites. I should farm that up for my dwarf warrior I never play. I like the new mage set alright! I eagerly look forward to the paladin and hunter retrospectives so I can laugh and laugh and laugh. None of them match warrior 2.5 for sheer hideousness, but they had a lot of goofy on those two classes.

[Miasma]

It's actually Blizzard that seems to be doing the retrospectives:

http://us.battle.net/wow/en/blog/3502705

It's hideous. All of it. Except the Shaman 13, which is prettty decent.

It has a soup bone sticking out of the head...

I did literally let out a guffaw when I saw the mage tier set, damn that's funny.  All of tier 13 so far is either horrible or meh.

[Rokal]

I did literally let out a guffaw when I saw the mage tier set, damn that's funny.  All of tier 13 so far is either horrible or meh.

I like them all so far. Mage is awesome, Shaman is probably my least-favorite.

Edit: I lied, I forgot about Druid T13 which is probably one of my least favorite druid sets they've done.

[apocrypha]

It's actually Blizzard that seems to be doing the retrospectives:

Ahh didn't realise that, cheers.

What I find annoying about WoW's armour design, which is brought home by these retrospectives, is that to a large extent they all really look the same. For most sets there is so little about any of them that makes you think "oh that's a mage" or whatever. You only think "aha, warrior T8" because you know what it looks like. If you weren't familiar with them then you'd have no idea at all what classes they were for.

[Sjofn]

Really varies from set to set. Like there are definitely warlock sets that are HELLO I MAKE PACTS WITH DEMONS! And almost all the hunter sets are them wearing some beast or another as a hat.

[Shrike]

Shaman T13 blows syphilitic goats.

Every possible thing bad is in there:

Rehash of T10. Check.
Dumbass chainmail ballgown. Check.
Bilious color combination. Check.
Fucking stupid hat. Check.
It's on an orc. Check.

5 for 5 on the meter of sucktastic gear art. Good thing transmog is going live at the same time.

[K9]

Really varies from set to set. Like there are definitely warlock sets that are HELLO I MAKE PACTS WITH DEMONS! And almost all the hunter sets are them wearing some beast or another as a hat.

Thematically and aesthetically I think priests, warlocks and warriors have generally had the best looking tier sets. Notably tiers 4, 5, 6 and 8.

[Merusk]

I'd agree with that as an overall, though I've thought some of the Warlock sets sucked.  I was never a fan of the oversized head from T-6 and think that the wing-effect is what got the raves.  Looking at it as just armor it's as ridiculous to me as the hunter murloc set.

The DK sets have all been pretty good, too, but there's far fewer there so they're due for a stinker.

[Paelos]

Is it just me, or do you hate it when they show sets on undead? Nothing looks normal on undead. Stop it.

[Lakov_Sanite]

These T13 sets look better than the last three-four sets combined. Even if you don't think they look good, they are all still distinctive and less "arrrgh, throw more light effects!" and less single color armor. It may not be great but it's already a huge improvement.











































































(priest better not suck)

[caladein]

The DK sets have all been pretty good, too, but there's far fewer there so they're due for a stinker.

T12's kind of dumb looking and I'm not a fan of their theme of "stick skulls/faces on it" in general.

I think Hunters, Warriors, and Shamans all have good motifs to work off of so their sets are usually pretty spiffy.  Warlocks also have a consistency to them, it's just that it leads to consistently stupid looking armor.

As for the new ones, the only one that really stands out in either direction is the Mage set.  The quilted look is just fantastic.  Druid wouldn't be too bad if I were Alliance, but those glowing bits are going to be massive on Taurens.

[Ingmar]

Blizzard artists totally suck, man, <class I play> always has terrible armor and the only ones who ever get something good are <class I don't play and hate because they kill me in PVP or stole my job in PVE or something>.

[Paelos]

I don't think anyone disagrees that warlocks have consistently been in the better looking armor club.

[Ingmar]

I've talked to more than one warlock who thinks their armor 'always sucks'.

[Paelos]

My point being that if you took a vote on which class got the best aesthetic across all tiers, but you can't pick your own, I think you would get warlock as the top choice.

[Merusk]

The DK sets have all been pretty good, too, but there's far fewer there so they're due for a stinker.

T12's kind of dumb looking and I'm not a fan of their theme of "stick skulls/faces on it" in general.

Ah, but it's a theme and consistent.  If you like that stuff or think it fits the class (which I do) it works.  T12 is the weakest though, I agree.

In fact I think the helms of this last cycle are weak in general, both T12 and all the PvP armors.

[K9]

The DK sets have all been pretty good, too, but there's far fewer there so they're due for a stinker.

T12's kind of dumb looking and I'm not a fan of their theme of "stick skulls/faces on it" in general.

I think Hunters, Warriors, and Shamans all have good motifs to work off of so their sets are usually pretty spiffy.  Warlocks also have a consistency to them, it's just that it leads to consistently stupid looking armor.

As for the new ones, the only one that really stands out in either direction is the Mage set.  The quilted look is just fantastic.  Druid wouldn't be too bad if I were Alliance, but those glowing bits are going to be massive on Taurens.

I agree with this, it is more akin to T5, which was probably the most 'magey' tier set there was.

As a former priest, I was generally very happy with my tier gear.

[Paelos]

I think most people were happy with T5.


Except purple power paladins.

[Lakov_Sanite]

I think most people were happy with T5.


Except purple power paladins.

Should I ever return to wow, I will be transmogrifying all my gear to look like t5 priest with anathema

[Sjofn]

I think most people were happy with T5.


Except purple power paladins.

I didn't miiiind the purple, exactly. I would've worn the fuck out of it as a dude blood elf, too, just to make the irrational Horde hate of one of their own races burn all the brighter. 

[Fordel]

The Purple Crystal armor looked fine if you were a Draenei and using the matching weapons and tabbard.



Druid armor is just mostly samey. Like 90% of it is generic brown/green robe with bark/leaf/vine shoulders. Not bad, but it doesn't amaze either. I want to say the most common Transmorg druid set will be Nordrassil.

[K9]

Stormrage or gtfo! 

I hadn't really seen druid t12, but 

[Sjofn]

I would probably wear T9 on my Alliance druid, I even like the hat for it. The shoulders are a little wtfenormous on a NE dude, though. But aren't they all?

My paladins, I am pretty sure their heal suit is simply going to be the current honor set. It's simple, shiny, and has the big fat boots I have come to love. Plus it takes absolutely no effort for me to aquire!

[Fordel]

If my druid was a Tauren, I would rock Tier6 no doubt.