World of Warcraft: Dragonflight's newest update, Fractures in Time, has brought with it a host of new cosmetics, and best of all, dozens of previously unseen transmogs. While players love having as many options for their character’s appearance as possible, it’s not a flawless system. Transmogrification is one of the best cosmetic features World of Warcraft offers, but it could use one very specific change.
Although trying on items beforehand to see how they look is possible, the actual act of applying these changes to weapons and armor is a costly one. In-game gold is still a valuable and essential currency to participate in World of Warcraft’s many activities, and at the moment, it can set someone back hundreds of gold to change their whole outfit. Couple that with the fact that many players have multiple characters, and sinking thousands of gold into transmogs is an inevitable reality.
Transmogs Are a Core Feature of World of Warcraft's Gameplay
A few times a year, an event occurs called the Trial of Style, where players can participate in a mini-game, applying a self-made outfit based on a random theme. The group of players then vote on their favorite transmogs, and the entire time this event is active, transmogrification is free. The Trial of Style isn’t only an example of how people in World of Warcraft love switching appearances to suit the occasion, but also how free transmogrification is already in the game.
World of Warcraft: Dragonflight has in fact given players an easy break in terms of customization, as players no longer have to pay gold to change their character’s gender, hairstyle, or appearance at a barbershop. The incorporation of druid glyphs into the barbershop was another massive change, sparing many indecisive players a costly change. Now, WoW druids can freely select exactly which shapeshift form they want to assume, which in itself was important given how much time and money they had to spend on applying glyphs to each character. Extending this change to the transmogrification system would be the perfect way to give players unlimited freedom.
The main argument against having to pay gold for transmogs is that most of these appearances are already difficult to come by. Players expend great effort to attain World of Warcraft's coolest cosmetics for armor and weapons, often having to repeat difficult raids or grind content for months to get hold of them. Many players even spend huge sums of money on transmogs from vendors and other players, so it’s naturally frustrating having to pay to apply these appearances every time they get a new piece of WoW gear. On top of this, it's surprisingly easy to make a mistake and accidentally apply the wrong saved outfit, a simple mistake that will cost players a pretty penny.
At the very least, transmogrification should be reduced in price. The expenses incurred can be brutal, especially for new players or those who roleplay regularly. While most online roleplaying games have integrated some form of transmogrification, the transmog in World of Warcraft is a staple. In ages past, transmogs were usually collected by first getting hold of that piece of gear, but in recent expansions, more and more transmogs can be purchased directly from special vendors. Looking one’s best has never been so important.
All in all, World of Warcraft’s transmog system has a wonderful thing going for it, especially given the addition of new features like the World of Warcraft Trading Post. It’s a real shame to punish players simply for maintaining a unique look, as individual expression should be encouraged, especially if it shows off a nifty achievement. Since Dragonflight has thus far been a bonanza for player customization, especially in the form of dragon mounts, so surely the transmog system could ditch the steep fees.
World of Warcraft: Dragonflight is available now for PC.