Highlights
- The Trading Post in World of Warcraft: Dragonflight offers unique cosmetic items, but its class-specific transmog sets can be limiting for players with multiple classes or those who only play a single class.
- The Trading Post will release class-related transmogs in stages from September to December, but these can only be worn by a single class, unlike most cosmetic armor pieces that can be worn by multiple classes.
- The Trading Post's currency, Trader's Tender, is limited each month, and the restrictions on class-specific transmogs may make them less valuable to players. Increasing the maximum amount of Tender that can be earned each month could enhance player satisfaction.
The Trading Post has been one of World of Warcraft: Dragonflight’s most beloved and now most controversial features. It has offered players a vast supply of intriguing and unique cosmetic items that aren’t available elsewhere. That being said, there are drawbacks to a few aspects of the Trading Post.
Some of the most anticipated additions to the World of Warcraft Trading Post in the coming months are the class-specific transmog sets. However, since there’s only so much Trader’s Tender available to earn each month, players who have multiple classes to think about will inevitably be left in the lurch. Class-specific sets can also be a pain for people who only play a single class, so there are pros and cons for both sides.
World of Warcraft's Trading Post Needs to Have As Few Restrictions As Possible
The Trading Post will be releasing class-related transmogs, staggered in stages from September until December. Each month’s stock includes weapons and armor for three individual classes, beginning next month with Paladin, Priest, and Rogue. October will feature Death Knights, Demon Hunters, and Druids. November will have items for Warlocks, Warriors, and Monks, while December includes the final four classes: Evoker, Hunter, Shaman, and Mage.
These unique outfits consist of three pieces of armor and a collection of special weapon appearances, one for each specialization of that class. The weapon sets cost 500 Trader's Tender and the three-piece armor set is 450 Tender. On its own, this price tag is not dissimilar to other items, but there is an innate restriction, as these can only be worn by a single class.
Normally, cosmetic armor pieces can be worn by at least three classes, bar some elite sets earned in the most difficult content. Most armor in World of Warcraft is categorized as mail, leather, plate, or cloth, and these can be transmogs for all classes that wear that material. However, class-specific sets exist solely for a single one of the game’s 13 classes, severely restricting its usability.
A good argument can certainly be made for why some armor and weaponry should be exclusive to a select few classes, as it can do wonders in preserving the lore and the unique flavor of a given class. World of Warcraft: Legion was a well-regarded expansion, especially for its focus on class identity. It was full of appearances and even mounts that were for a single class, and they served as great features, making players proud of their chosen class.
That being said, when it comes to the Trading Post, more restrictions do not factor in positively. The currency of Trader’s Tender is capped each month, and appearances that only apply to a single class are inherently going to be worth less to players, especially those with many playable characters. On the other hand, transmogs that can be used to create a wider range of outfits will be worth more.
The pressure seems to be constantly increasing on players, and Trader’s Tender has become such a coveted resource that it’s practically by design that players will want to pay real money. Rather unsurprisingly, World of Warcraft has gone forward with plans to monetize the Trading Post, much to the ire of the player base.
An organic method of ensuring player satisfaction as well as increasing time spent playing the game would simply be to raise the maximum amount of Trader's Tender that can be earned each month. Ideally, players should be able to grind enough Tender to purchase every item in the Trading Post each month if that’s what they really want.
Giving players the option to either work hard or wait for the item to rotate back next year is an excellent way to satisfy both casual and hardcore players alike. But without some kind of change, the Trading Post will not sustain its popularity, and players aren’t likely to tolerate a system that takes advantage of their love for cosmetic items.
World of Warcraft: Dragonflight is available now for PC.