Irreplacable Items
 

If you take a look at profession and instance itemization in TBC, there's a pretty consistent message: "the old world is dead". Every class has an array of new upgrades, and every profession has a similar array of new recipes, all making heavy use of Outland materials. However, there are some fairly notable exceptions to this rule.

Repair Bots: A staple of raiding, the only way to get materials for a repair bot is to head back to Azeroth. People were waiting for Target Dummies to die to get wiring for these bots back in Molten Core days - should we really be doing the same thing in preparation for Illidan?

Flask of Supreme Power: Unfortunately, as much of a raiding staple as repair bots. Flask of the Titans was upgraded - why not this? The old-world materials make life hell for herbalists and non-herbalists alike. Herbalists need to trek out to a desolate wasteland to farm up mats for their daily flask, and non-herbalists are forced to pay exorbitant prices (Mountain Silversage is up to 50g/stack on my server) for the same.

Enchant Cloak - Subtlety: Still the best cloak enchant for many raiding classes. If you don't know anyone who can do it for you, tough luck - there's no chance in hell that anyone will ever pick it up again. The mats themselves will cost you either a few hours in Stratholme/Scholomance if you're an enchanter, or a hefty sum if you're not.

Brilliant Oils: For most players, these are simply better than their newer counterparts. Again, you'll need to farm Large Brilliant Shards and obscure herbs if you want to get your hands on them.

Dark/Demonic Runes: No substitute for these whatsoever, and they're still a staple raiding consumable. Healers that want to stay on top of their game have to spend a few hours a week in Felwood.

Neltharion's Tear: Still no replacement for this, and it's virtually impossible to organize a BWL group to attempt to get one. It's somewhat sad that my guild is at the cutting edge, but this item is more of an upgrade for me than anything that drops off of any boss that has been killed thusfar in SSC/TK.

There are other examples, too - items that fill little niches that simply can't be replaced. These items include Ancient Cornerstone Grimoire, Mark of Tyranny, Sapphiron shoulder enchants, Mark of the Champion, Warmth of Forgiveness, and so forth. To me, the presence of very relevant old-world items feels like a flaw in the game's design. The ones that require groups to acquire are extremely hard to get, and the ones that require solo farming . . . well, they require the same farming that many players have been doing for the past few years, in areas that no longer serve any other purpose. That's no fun. So: What are some old-world items that you can't live without? Do you think that forcing players to head back to Azeroth from time to time is something that adds depth to the game, or simply an error?

the repairbot one is the most striking one imo, as there's not even an up- down- or sidegrade around. It's a repairbot or a HS/summon sequence.

In karazhan this is solved rather nicely with a repairing NPC in the compound. Do other dungeons have this feature too? I'm in a stuck-at-high king guild ;)

If so, nice one. If not, well my guild doesn't have any engineers left, I think. And the mats are pretty silly - farming STV or Gnome... nice way to spend your level 70 time.

Rejuvenating Gem/Shard of the scale have no real direct replacements.

Too many 'on use' healing trinkets out there.

Magtheridon's Lair is close enough to HH/Thrallmar to make quick repair runs feasible, but things are a little messier in TK/SSC. Repair bots are an absolute necessity for those instances, unless you'd like to waste thirty minutes every two hours getting your raid repaired and reclearing the ever-present trash.

Yesterday, I had to laugh. Fel Lotus - 2g. Black lotus - 20g. I've been able to get around the need to return to farm Dreamfoil and Mountain Silversage for Supreme Power by hitting up Hellfire, but even there I don't get the best results. And yes, Nel's Tear is still irreplaceable for PVE.

Sadly, the repairing NPC is unique to Karazhan. Repairs aren't really that much of a problem since my guild still has repair bots left from the old naxx wiping days.

I was actually surprised to find that the things mentioned haven't been upgraded. As with Flask of Fortification, couldn't it be easy to make a flask that requires new mats but gives, lets say, 180 spell damage and 3% crit? And as for the Brilliant Wizard Oils, I think they were expecting people to start using the Superior ones since, although the brilliant ones are better, there isn't that much of a difference. Plus, the mats for the superior ones would be easier to farm now.

I don't really see the problem here?

I mean - do you get a certain chill in your bones when you visit old 'forgotten grounds' as Azshara for some good 'ol Dremfoil farm or is it the long travel?

Personally - I like it far better this way. Blizzard did something good. I don't mind the travel (and no I farm on a rogue alt not my teleporting mage) Shattrath-portals takes me everywhere.

Instead of craming a bazillion of new flasks, pots and elixirs into the new flora of Outland herbs - they only chose a few, still making good use of all the new herbs.

They also left some valuable 'gems' such as Flask of Supreme Power - I now find it easier then ever to farm for this flask. Black Lotues is SO easy nowadays and picking Dreamfoils is nothing compared to what it used to be.


I think my point will become more apperant as we prolong into TBC - when the Outland herbs will become more NiHao-farmed and you /angry at every person nicking' your herbs. Basically we will be the same amount of people requiring herbs/consumables - only with double the space to farm them at: Outland AND Azeroth.

Has anyone seen an upgrade from Frostfire Bindings? I've seen so many drops that are *close* to the stats on these, but they don't match or beat them.

^Reason I ask, is I am holding off on enchanting spell damage to them, in case if something better drops. I'd rather not spend the cash to get them enchanted only to see an upgrade a week later.

I agree with Praanz on the topic of farming old world mats. Spreading the resources needed for raiding or crafting is much more sensible than putting them all in one zone where legions of farmers butt their heads in competition for a few nodes. The high prices are caused by the unwillingness of many to farm the old world rather than due to the scarcity of nodes.

think the problem as such isnt the farming of old world mats, but the danger of some items or enchants simply not being replaceable by new stuff. enchants like subtelty or 15 agi on gloves are still in high demand, and with people rerolling, quitting or transferring off, chances are that soon there might be no one left on your server who can actually do it.

Both pvp wrists are direct upgrades to Frostfire, and they aren't that hard to obtain.

The PvP bracers mentioned are good replacements, the Bands of Nefarious Deeds and maybe the ones Kargath drops on Heroic.

I've still got mine, though. :)

Bracers of Havok are also very nice for pure DPS, but they have neither Stamina nor Spirit on them.

On the subject of Flask of Supreme Power / Greater Arcane Elixir - It is nice that you don't have nearly so much competition in Azshara/Felwood/zone of your choice, but it is kind of a bummer that you don't get as much of a boost from your epic flying mount as somebody with new world flasks will.

The Darkmoon Faire reward?
Darkmoon Card: Twisting Nether
Binds when picked up
Unique
Trinket
Requires Level 60
Equip: Gives the wearer a 10% chance of being able to resurrect with 20% health and mana.

Unless it's some obvious downscaling I'm not thinking about?

Items from places like AQ40 or BWL aren't exactly readily obtainable unless you have a large group of patient and dedicated friends.

My nominaiton for the list: Scarab Brooch from Viscidus. In this era of massive heals, this can provide an incredible amount of absorption in any kind of spike situation.