Character Copy Hitting Live in Mists

I am not completely sure about how I feel about this one.  The ability to copy your character over to beta is something I would consider necessary for testing purposes but being able to copy characters from one server to another on live might be pushing it a little too far.

This is one of those subjects where I am sure we will end up hearing a lot of debate and as usual I have my own opinions on it, for better or worse.

Biggest Pro:
Now I can basically copy my main character, gear, achievements, everything, to another server.  No longer would it become an issue of I don't want to leave my friends behind just for a shot at a heroic raiding guild or something.  Pay my fee, make a copy, and my character is still with my friends and a perfect copy of him is ready to do some heroic raiding on another server.

Biggest Con:
I like leveling, I really do.  No matter how much I like leveling however I can't help but believe I would be tempted to just copy a character instead of leveling another one, depending on what the price would be of course.  Like the priest I am leveling on another server in a guild of someone I met from blogging.  I would have just copied my priest there and been done with it.  If I did that, I would have lost two very big things.  One, something to do.  Leveling takes some time even if not much and it can be a fun way to pass the time and do something different.  Two, the chance to get to know the people a little better.  While leveling I can talk to them and get to know them as opposed to just saying, oh, you need a priest, poof, here is one all geared and ready to go.

Some questions I have about the system have popped up and I hope to see them answered soon.  I know it might be a while being it was just announced but it doesn't mean I don't want to know now.

How much will it cost?
If it is going to be something like 25 dollars then it would be something I would seriously consider.  However, I can't see them making it too cheap or it would really remove the leveling process completely for people like me that have one of every class at max level.

How much of what we own will be copied?
Our equipped gear will be copied as will our history in terms of achievements, mounts, pets and such but will everything in our bags be copied as well.  If that is the case I can see this being abused, BIG TIME.  Even more so if the cost of doing it is very cheap.  Fill your bags with the most expensive stuff you can find.  Copy it for 25 bucks.  Sell off everything.  Instant millionaire in WoW money without even trying.  There has to be a limit put on what is copied or I see this being abused.

What about Professions?
Another thing that can be abused by someone willing to spend some real life money.  Make a few copies of transmute masters and you can start rolling in the gold.  This might be harder to moderate.  I can see them saying that no items that are not soulbound will be copied, but they can't just say that professions will not be copied.  This would surely make it less valuable.

Is this the first step into other controversial pay services to come?
Is class change really that far behind.  This might be a horse of a different color being if I max a hunter and copy a hunter I would hopefully know how to play a hunter but what is the next step further.  Because I have one maxed character then any character I want I can pay to be maxed as well?  I hope it never gets this far.  I can support making a copy of what you already have but not making something you don't.

How would this effect the high end of the game?
World first raiding guild could copy and make perfect teams.  Copy and make duplicates so one run they gear up the mage another run they gear up the paladin, another run they gear up the priest, etc.  Then just delete the carry characters that where there just to give them an extra lock out so to speak.  If they are willing to spend money, and I believe they would be, this could completely change the face of heroic raiding for world and server first guilds.

Over all I would say I support this idea.  I like the idea that I can make a copy of my main character anywhere I want.  I do hold some reservations however because no matter what the good end might be I can see so much bad coming from this as well.

What are your thoughts on the character copy becoming something we can do on live in mists?


April Fools!

I hope. ;)