freelancer_bob (love that name) over on LJ has a good point: Shoulderpads seem to be the height of fashion in Azeroth. Not only do shoulder pieces call for the highest Arena rating in the game, but they're often the flashiest way to add a little flair to your character. While you can get the plainest of the plain before level 20, after level 70, they quickly and often turn into the wackiest thing your character can wear. Whether it's pure energy, lightning wolves, or even eyes (freakin' eyes!), Blizzard's artists seem to go overboard as much as possible, especially on the high end shoulder pieces.Sometimes it just gets out of hand -- how exactly are Hunters wearing Tier 1 supposed to use their peripheral vision? But just as Bob says, oversized and garish shoulders are a big part of what makes WoW Warcraft. If we walked around with realistic shoulder armor, the game would look that much more boring.
So here's to the praises of huge, awesome-looking shoulders. We're looking forward to a lot of stuff in Wrath of the Lich King -- the new class, the dungeons, and the new continent to wander around on. But I'm also looking forward to seeing just how the armor designers will top having blindfolded statues of women on shoulder pieces. It'll be amazing for sure.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
5-22-2008 @ 10:36AM
Vestras said...
As a Draenei Male mage, http://www.wowwiki.com/Illidari_Shoulderpads
There is nothing as wicked looking hehe
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5-22-2008 @ 10:38AM
mk said...
you forgot glowy-eyed midget skulls on spikes guh!
Reply
5-22-2008 @ 10:39AM
Andy said...
Shoulder pads are one of the few things that I hate about WoW....... Though some do look pretty cool, many others are simply too large or just look plain out ridicules......
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5-22-2008 @ 11:07AM
Faolan said...
Seconded. I've wanted a "Hide Shoulderpad" option since some point in Year 1.
5-22-2008 @ 11:32AM
Bunkai said...
Yup...
/agree
gimmie some /hide shoulderpad lovin', Blizz.
5-22-2008 @ 11:31AM
pudds said...
+1
5-22-2008 @ 1:18PM
ThorinII said...
/agree
Couldn't agree more!
5-22-2008 @ 10:42AM
zappo said...
Yeah, I saw that Machinima video for Rage and Rapture and I thought the Shoulderpads of Absolution were the most awesome thing ever. I will be a happy priest when I finally get high enough to get the S3 shoulder equivalent when Arena season 5 comes out and hopefully S3 will be pushed to BG gear.
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5-22-2008 @ 10:57AM
Shang said...
Don't think that'll happen tbh..
5-22-2008 @ 11:01AM
Nati said...
There is no season 5. Sorry, your only option is to get to 1950 rating in season 4. Good luck. :/
Anyway, some of the shoulderpads are awesome (Shaman T2, Level 60 Alliance PvP plate) while others are terrible beyond words (Hunter T6, Rogue T6 - why would a rogue stick glass containers full of blood on their shoulders?)
5-22-2008 @ 12:45PM
zappo said...
@Nati
So blizzard is getting rid of arenas? If not then there will eventually be a season 5, probably after WTLK is released. Assuming that as S1 has moved to bg gear with S3, and S2 vs S4 will do the same that would follow this trend. Likely the stats will have to be changed however.
My main is a rogue and most all rogue gear looks terrible. We always end up looking like some sort of transformer/insect with spikes sticking out. Nothing Savory Deviate Delights can't fix I guess
5-22-2008 @ 10:58AM
JPN said...
i rarely see cool shoulders for rogues...at least not as cool as others'
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5-22-2008 @ 11:00AM
Shang said...
I agree, tbc rogue shoulders r below standards....
5-22-2008 @ 11:00AM
Wolftech said...
I love my Mantle of the Three Terrors
http://www.wowhead.com/?item=27994
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5-22-2008 @ 11:13AM
Jeni said...
I wish there was a way to turn shoulderpads OFF. They often class with my other gear, are huge, don't mesh well with the hair on my characters, look tacky... >< I actually have my outfitter set to remove them in cities and inns. I really dislike just about all of them.
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5-22-2008 @ 11:16AM
Marc said...
I actually have a bone to pick with blizzard about shoulders...
i'm a warlock, and I have gotten 3 shoulder items that have the exact same model! The oblivion shoulders, the fel tinged mantle and the mantle of the mind flayer all look exactly the same, save for a color change...come on blizz you make too much money to pull an Andy Warhol, at least with epic items.
don't even get me started with the high end pvp gear looking exactly like pve gear...
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5-22-2008 @ 11:22AM
Unknown said...
Shaman t2/Merc glad FTW
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5-22-2008 @ 11:24AM
Unknown said...
opps T5/merc gald
5-22-2008 @ 11:45AM
Pulyx said...
heheh the philosophy about items on the words of Samwise Didier:
"LESS IS NEVER MORE
Bigger is ALWAYS BETTER
All one-handed weapons must be at least as big as a 2-handed
If all else fais, put some skulls and spikes and paint it red"
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5-22-2008 @ 11:58AM
ILikePvPbuthatePvPers said...
Ewww, no, sorry but high level armors are soooo fugly...
Especially the Hunter ones... why do they have to look like they're from "Nightmare Before Christmas"? It's so un-Hunter-like.
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