Return of Reckoning

The problem with the current bolster system

The bolster system, as it currently stands, is far too complicated and hard to use for new players. Not only do new players not know how bolster works, but keeping all their gear close to level, with full talis, and always making use of pots, is a luxury only players with established mains can fully utilize, as they can buy what they need from the auction house. The system places an unnecessary level of stress on a new player as they have to simultaneously:

- Do PvP to get war crests/genesis crests and level renown
- Do PvE to acquire gear at their current level for bolster so they can PvP
- Acquire wards from PvE gear or PvP gear
- Immediately take up crafting to craft up-to-date talis/potions
- Buy whatever they decided not to go into as a profession
- Not buy anything during this time as they’ll need 100g for their mount, which is a lot for a new player.

This is way too much to put on a new player just so they can PvP as they level without being totally worthless. All Players, but especially new players, just want to log in and be able to enjoy PvP without having to worry about anything else. PvP is the main draw of the game, but the current bolster system has created an unnecessary barrier to entry for new players to be able to fully experience it as they level.

Proposed solution

Integrate bolster with the ward system. When a ward is fully unlocked, it grants maximum effective bolster ( i.e. as if the player has current gear with full talis and pots) up to a certain level. If they go passed the level, bolster’s effectiveness will drop by 50%, and the player will have to complete the next ward to gain full bolster again. Bolter levels are set to be 1 level passed the item level requirement for the final piece of the ward to give players a bit of room to breathe if they haven't unlocked the next ward yet.

This would work as follows:

- Levels 1-16 = Always max bolstered. Wards play no part here so players can be max-bolstered at level 1. The recruit ward works as it currently does in unlocking the next ward.

- Level 16 = On hitting 16, players are mailed a set of gear that provides no wards, but grants bolster up to level 20. This mail lets new players know about the bolster system and can point them how to unlock the Scout Ward. The bolster is set to level 20 so players can discover post-T1 PvP without having to feel like they have to rush to the next ward.

- Scout Ward - The First ward that unlocks bolster. Effective levels 17-30
- Soldiers ward - Effective levels 29-36
- Officers ward - Effective levels 35-40

This system is much easier to understand and maintain for new players. Telling a new player “keep your wards current and you’ll be max bolstered” is much clearer, and could easily be displayed on the wards tome unlock or even the gear itself, so players are aware of it. As players need to unlock wards anyway, it streamlines the gearing process, integrating both systems and making it easier to progress, maintain, and understand. It also allows players more of an opportunity to level and acquire wards purely through PvP, as they will not need to PvE to keep their gear at current level.

This will mean that as players level, any gear they obtain outside of warded gear will be irrelevant in PvP as it will be the wards rather than gear that gives them stats. I believe this would be better for both the player and PvP as a whole though, as always having max bolster will help close the power gap for the leveling player, leading to better fights for them and their enemies, which means more fun for everyone and higher player retention. Gear will still matter in PvE of course, so players can still get their gear fix from that content and feel like they're achieving something gear-wise beyond warded gear

Conclusion

Integrating bolster with wards provides players with an easy-to-understand system that allows them to participate in PvP content at their maximum effectiveness as they level. Mailing players a bolster set when they hit level 16 as part of this integration helps blunt the impact of going from T1 to T2-4, one of the biggest new player complaints and reasons for players leaving, and educates new players on the bolster system. Allowing leveling players an easy-to-maintain way of keeping their bolster at max will provide a much more fun leveling experience, as players can focus on enjoying the game rather than stressing about keeping bolster up so they can do what they installed the game to do, PvP. Changing bolster is only a single facet of enhancing the new player experience of course, but one that could do with a rework.

Additional note
I know nothing about coding, so I'm totally making this up, but could this also potentially make a difference to bolster lag? The server only having to calculate players' wards for bolster rather than each piece of gear could help reduce lag in theory. Once again though, I have no idea.

What is difficult to understand about the current bolster? You get good bolster if your gear is close to your level. That's all that needs to be said.

You don't need pots, or talis to get bolstered, just have gear near your level. Basically don't run Hunter set at level 30. Can't get any easier/straightforward than that.

Some nice ideas but I think the current bolster system is fine, but could definitely be better explained. Also, getting tallies and pots as you lvl is very easy easy as you can get more than enough gold to get everything you need just from the weekly rewards.

Thanks for the feedback both.

wardfan220 wrote: Thu Apr 10, 2025 11:44 pm What is difficult to understand about the current bolster? You get good bolster if your gear is close to your level. That's all that needs to be said.

You don't need pots, or talis to get bolstered, just have gear near your level. Basically don't run Hunter set at level 30. Can't get any easier/straightforward than that.

Telling a player to keep their gear at current level for bolster is easy, a new player actually doing it isn't, which is what this recommendation seeks to address.

Players will have full bolster for a set amount of levels as long as they keep their wards current, which they need to do anyway. No need for them to go and do PvE questing or buy gear from the AH just so they can play with full bolster. Unlock the appropriate ward and they're set until the next one. I included talis and potions as part of the bolster so players don't have to worry about them in PvP. I can see an argument for them not being included in the system though.

The system is designed to simplify the gearing path so new players can focus on playing the game and having fun, rather than always trying to make sure their gear is at current level for bolster. New players only have to focus on PvP and dungeons, and that's it. As there are already great guides on wards, answering "how do I gear as I level" is as simple as linking one of those guides.

Scragmuncher wrote: Fri Apr 11, 2025 2:01 am Some nice ideas but I think the current bolster system is fine, but could definitely be better explained. Also, getting tallies and pots as you lvl is very easy easy as you can get more than enough gold to get everything you need just from the weekly rewards.

That's the point I'm trying to address here. Advising new players to take gold over warcrests for their weekly rewards is another hoop they have to jump through, and more game knowledge that they need to have, that veterans don't. Players want to gain warcrests so they can work towards their gear, not take a low amount of gold for talis, pots, and AH gear.

I think a lot of us vets have forgotten what it's like to be brand new to the game, with no game knowledge, gold, player network, or any idea of where we have to go or what we have to do. The simpler (and more fun) we can make the 16-40 process, the better.

Thats just it us vets havent forgotten when we were new and did the long road to bis.

However today it is way easier to gear up then when we did it.

So I disagree in making it even easier.