World of Warcraft update 5.3: Blizzard outlines big changes to PvP

World of Warcraft developer Blizzard has outlined big PvP changes in its 5.3 update. Although the patch has yet to be dated, the studio has spooled off a big list of changes inbound.

Writing on the World of Warcraft blog, community manager Nik Gianozakos said that the team had always found PvP gear to be a hard nut to crack. Balancing is always a PvP issue and gear is something that threatens balance constantly.

Gianozakos added, "For PvE, the difference in power between tiers has to be significant enough that players really feel rewarded and more powerful when they upgrade.

"The competitive nature of PvP means that highly geared players can serve as a deterrent to players who are looking into trying PvP for the first time. Trying to keep pace with the escalating level of PvE gear has proven quite difficult for PvP.”

That said, World of Warcraft update 5.3 looks to remedy the issue of gear balancing in PvP. Gianozakos posted a list of proposed changes that should hit once the patch drops:

• Base Resilience will be set to 65% for all characters level 85 and higher

• Resilience will be removed from nearly all PvP gear

• Players will still be able to use Resilience gems and enchants

• PvP power will remain exclusively on PvP gear

• PvP set bonuses that currently provide Resilience will now provide PvP Power

• Healers and hybrid-casters will benefit to a greater degree from PvP Power, and Battle Fatigue will increase to make PvP gear superior for healers.

• Conquest gear will be increased to item level 496 (up from 493).

• Elite gear will be decreased to item level 496. This gear will essentially become a prestige upgrade.

• The Big Change: We will be adding an item level ceiling to gear in unrated Battlegrounds, Rated Battlegrounds and Arenas

  • All gear will have its item level scaled down to 496 (Conquest gear item level). This includes even Conquest items that exceed the ilevel ceiling, such as weapons.

• In patches that don’t include a new season (including patch 5.3), the seasonal currency requirement of 7,250 Conquest Points earned will be lifted from weapons. The seasonal currency requirement must always be met to purchase Elite items, though.

• Once the 27,000 Conquest Point seasonal currency requirement is reached, players will be able to purchase Tyrannical Gladiator’s gear with Honor Points.

• The Conquest Point catch up cap will be introduced. You can read our PvP Gear in 5.2 and Beyond blog for more information on these changes.

We'll have more on update 5.3 as it happens. What do you make of the above however? Can these changes help keep a gear balance in PvP? Let us know below.

Thanks PCGamesN.