Cataclysm: High Expectations for Guild Perks

Within the continuing Beta for World of Warcraft: Cataclysm, things are changing. The wind of evolution happens daily and is followed closely by ravenous gamers.

Since BlizzCon 2009, many of us have been looking forward to this summer and fall, with the releases of Cataclysm and, in one week, Star Craft II.

Amatera posted his thoughts on the reasoning behind why Blizzard has been cutting out some of the most highly anticipated features of Cataclysm. Luckily, Guild Progression, which encompasses leveling and talent tress, is still in. Now, it’s just called Guild Perks.

I’m happy to see Guild Perks still mostly in its first-draft design. In my opinion, there’s not much that could go wrong with the concept. Regardless, I do think that the benefits given are pretty OP. From simple EXP buffs, to mount speed increases, to handy buffs to gold and reputation earning, there’s a lot to look at.

Read on for the full list of all talents and some of my thoughts on them.

Awhile ago, Greg Street a.k.a Ghostcrawler, had a sit down with Gameplanet to discuss Cataclysm changes. Here’s what he had to say about guild rep (with key items marked in bold):

Greg Street on Guild Hopping and Guild Perks

When you leave a guild your “faction” rating – your guild reputation – will reset to zero, but it’s not going to be an insurmountable thing. We’re horrified by the thought of a player sticking with a guild that’s not a good fit for them, just because they don’t want to give up the benefits they’ve gained there. They’ll be able to get back up into the upper echelons of reputation fair quickly by doing things with their new guild…

We’ve also put in some hooks because we know that some people like to kick members out of a guild as a joke and we don’t want people to go to zero as soon as that happens. You really don’t lose any reputation until you join another guild.

Here’s how it seems that the guild perks will develop: Guilds will now have a “reputation” bar for what you do. To gain certain tiered talents, one must be “exalted” with your current guild. This seems like a great way to keep people from “guild hopping.” On the flip side, if you find yourself in a position in which you need to switch guilds, you’ll be able to work your way back up without it taking an unholy amount of grinding.

Gaining reputation towards your guild can be acquired from many ways such as killing raid bosses, PvPing, guild achievements and contributing to the guild bank. I’m thinking that more ways are sure to come.

Also, I’m glad to see that players won’t be punished for a practical joke /gkick — having some of these beautiful perks disappear would be a very sick joke, indeed.

For those who get bored of listening to my opinions, here’s the list of perks.

• Level 1: Fast Track (Rank 1) “Experience gained from killing monsters and completing quests increased by 5%.”

Simple enough. Blizzard is expanding on the theme “social gaming” by making it more compelling to be a part of a guild, plus the theme that the real game doesn’t start until the level cap.

• Level 2: Mount Up “Increases speed while mounted by 5%. Not active in Battlegrounds or Arenas.”

Again, the theme of “social gaming” is shown here by making it more helpful to be a member of a guild.

• Level 3: Mr. Popularity (Rank 1) “Reputation gained from killing monsters and completing quests increased by 5%.”

Here’s a game changer for those who farm reputation often. Level 3 is the must have ASAP for those who have achievement-whores in their guilds.

• Level 4: Cash Flow (Rank 1) “Each time you loot money from an enemy, an extra 5% money is generated and deposited directly into your guild bank.”

This is slightly reminiscent of RuneScape’s Loot Share ability for people in clan chat. Or maybe a 401k. Take your pick.

• Level 5: Fast Track (Rank 2) “Experience gained from killing monsters and completing quests increased by 10%.”

• Level 6: Reinforce (Rank 1) “Items take 5% less durability loss when you die.”

Another game changer. This time for a large part of the player base: the raiders. Reinforce, and it’s rank 2 counterpart, are extremely helpful and useful for those who wipe often and/or have large repair bills.

• Level 7: Hasty Hearth “Reduces the cooldown on your Hearthstone by 15 minutes.”

Finally, Shamans aren’t the only ones with 15-minute Hearthstones.

• Level 8: Reinforce (Rank 2) “Items take 10% less durability loss when you die.”

No, it’s not “We take no durability”. It’s a math game of (10% durability taken) – (10% less durability taken) / 10% of 10% = 1% / = 9% total durability loss taken instead of 10%. Go Math!

• Level 9: Chug-a-Lug (Rank 1) “The duration of buffs from all guild cauldrons and feasts is increased by 50%.”

It seems like there’s going to be a new buff we’ll be able to get in raids, possibly from alchemists. And this will buff the duration of it and other feast-based buffs.

• Level 10: Mobile Banking “Summons your guild bank. Instant, 1 hr cooldown.”

• Level 11: Mr. Popularity (Rank 2) “Reputation gained from killing monsters and completing quests increased by 10%.”

• Level 12: Honorable Mention (Rank 1) “Increases Honor points gained by 5%.”

• Level 13: Working Overtime “Increases the chance to gain a skill increase on tradeskills by 10%.”

• Level 14: The Quick and the Dead “Increases health and mana gained when resurrected by a guild member by 50% and increases movement speed while dead by 100%. Does not function in combat or while in a Battleground or Arena.”

• Level 15: Cash Flow (Rank 2) “Each time you loot money from an enemy, an extra 10% money is generated and deposited directly into your guild bank.”

• Level 16: Guild Mail “In-game mail sent between guild members now arrives instantly.”

• Level 17: Everyone’s a Hero (Rank 1) “Increases Heroism points gained by 5%.”

• Level 18: honorable Mention (Rank 2) “Increases Honor points gained by 10%.”

• Level 19: Happy Hour “Increases the number of flasks gained from using a flask cauldron by 100%.”

• Level 20: Have Group, Will Travel “Summons all raid or party members to the caster’s current location. Unlimited range, 6 sec cast / Channeled, 2 hr cooldown.”

Apparently, the Recruit-a-Friend summon ability was only a minor set-back…

• Level 21: Chug-a-Lug (Rank 2) “The duration of buffs from all guild cauldrons and feasts is increased by 100%.”

• Level 22: Bountiful Bags “Increases the quantity of materials gained from Mining, Skinning, Herbalism, and Disenchanting by 15%.”

This will be interesting for those mats farmers out there. I could potentially see those Chinese gold farmers create or join guilds to increase revenue. Of course, this could also be an obvious trap by Blizzard to try to lure those gold farmers into one guild to track them down.

• Level 23: Bartering “Reduces the price of items from all vendors by 5%.”

• Level 24: Everyone’s a Hero (Rank 2) “Increases Heroism points gained by 10%.”

• Level 25: Mass Resurrection “Brings all dead party and raid members back to life with 35% health and 35 mana. Cannot be cast when in combat. 64% of base mana, Unlimited range, 10 sec cast.”

And that, of course, is the one that everyone is looking forward to.

Overall, I hate Blizzard for giving Cataclysm an oh-so-much-sweeter taste than it already had. Which perks are you most looking forward to?

Come on, Pre-BlizzCon release!