They're getting closer

Yesterday Blizzard announced the Call to Arms for LFD, and I pretty much think it's a joke.  John over at BBB flat out states that Blizzard is essentially calling every tank and healer out there a whore - it's just a question of price.

Now I'll be the first to admit that I (and my whole guild for that matter) can be bought.  In Wrath we sold everything we could - from drops in dungeons, Ulduar titles, and mounts - all the way to just flat being working whores in ICC GDKP runs.  It may not be glamorous, but damn if I haven't had to farm for anything in a long time.  This is what allowed me to focus on Archeology and get my little doll in the first few days of Cata, because I just threw down the cash for my Tsunami deck (probably close to 35k).

Entering the other zone

One thing I do enjoy, but rarely get to do, is PvP.  One of the main reasons I don't PvP that often is the barrier to gear that develops, quite similar to the gap between a fresh 85 and someone who's farming Heroic raids.  It's no fun getting blasted in my crafted PvP gear by someone in full Season X PvP stuff.  I'm a tourist, but I want to at least look good while I'm visiting the other parts of the game.

With the announcement today that Coquest and Honor points can be purchased using their PvE equivalents though, I just might be enticed to enter the LFD system again - at least until I get the PvP gear I want.  Given the limits in how quickly you can accrue VPs, it might still take me a few weeks, but it's not like I need any more Valor Boots. 

The problem here though is two fold.  First, this exchange isn't limited to me queing solo, which is what you have to do in order to be eligible for the bonus loot from Call to Arms.  Second, it's a very limited fix - especially since I get a large portion or my weekly cap in VPs from raiding.  This certainly won't entice over players who are raiding 25s.  Hmm - I wonder how this will work for weekly caps?  If I exchange 1000 VPs to Conquest on Wed, can I earn another 1000 on Saturday?

I'm certainly not going to go out of my way to solo enter the LFD with this, but it does give a little more incintive if I'm after a few extra points for the week.  Of course if I don't get into any PvP, it's not really worth it. 

In the end

I think Kurn got a little closer to what really needs to happen to help with the issue in 5 mans.  First, every normal encounter should require the same ratio of tanks/healers/DPS.  I don't think that 'forcing' tanks and healers into the LFD by giving them a stacking buff is the right answer (I forget who had that idea), but if more tanks were required at the end game, you'd have to see more tanks on the way up.

The real issue though is the general asshattery that we see everywhere.  It's not just DPS on Tanks - it's everyone.  Unfortunately the only way I can see fixing that issue involves a lot of geocide - and I don't see Blizzard signing off on that any time soon.