One of the most anticipated features of Patch 1.3.4 was the introduction of new RvR weapons. Over the course of testing, concerns were voiced by members of the community regarding the costs of the weapons.  As a development team, we made assurances that the costs would be watched and adjusted if necessary.  We're now pleased to announce that after a great deal of analysis, discussion, and feedback, we've just reduced the costs of many of the RvR weapons, with a focus on the lower Renown Ranks.

The initial costs of the weapons were largely influenced by our review of a great deal of metrics.  These included time taken to gain target Renown Ranks, average scenario queue time, average scenario completion time and ending scores, to name a few.  Numbers are all well and good, however, a lesson that we’ve learned is that we can't rely 100% on raw metrics - I'm sure you're all familiar with the old saw about "lies, damn lies, and statistics".  Metrics are still one of the strongest tools in our arsenal and through them we came up with a solid starting cost point for the RvR weapons.  Over the course of PTS we gathered more data, and continued to do so once 1.3.4 went live.  This data was not just from metrics but from a variety of sources, including community feedback and of course our own personal play experiences.  What we determined is that a number of the RvR weapons did indeed cost too much, and we’re sure you'll agree that this adjusted cost structure is a better solution.

The items most affected by this adjustment are the low-Renown-Rank weapons, with the Renown Rank 10 weapons now costing a quarter of their initial prices.  We applied the cost reductions on a sliding scale with the reductions becoming smaller as Renown Rank increased, with the result being that all of the weapons from Renown Rank 10 through Renown Rank 40 have now seen their costs drop.  Our intent is to create a smoother progression through the weapons all the way from the weakest to the strongest, and the costs will now feel much more in line with the amount of currency that you'll have when you're finally able to purchase and use each weapon.

Additionally, we are acknowledging the concerns from players who have already reached high Realm Ranks.  You didn't want to purchase the lower-RR weapons and immediately destroy them simply to move through the Insignia progression, which we entirely understand.  Internally, we had already been planning to address this; unfortunately the solution wasn’t in place for the initial launch of patch 1.3.4. That being said, we’re happy to be able to bring it to you now!  Available to you from the RvR weapon merchants are a series of new trophies, with costs matching a one-handed weapon of the appropriate grade.  Purchasing these trophies will count towards unlocking the next grade of Insignias.  These trophies will give you a way to progress through the Insignia system without having to buy "throwaway" weapons while allowing you to show everyone what you’ve accomplished.

These changes are now live on all servers, so be sure to visit the RvR weapon Quartermasters in your capital city soon!

Thank you to our community for continuing to be an important part of WAR’s design process!

Nate Levy
Player Systems Lead Designer