RATCHET AND GADGETZAN

Neriad next flew to Ratchet, which features a new and long needed flight path.  She hopped off the windrider and found Mupsi Shacklefridd standing along the road just outside of town.  Huh.  No quest.  This is different.  Well, of course the reason she didn't offer Neriad a quest is because Neriad was already Honored with Ratchet after killing thousands upon thousands of Southsea pirates camped nearby.  "You'd better not be causing trouble, Neriad!" Mupsi says.  Innocent little me?  Never!

In order to see what would happen if she weren't Honored with Ratchet, Neriad began to systematically destroy the town.

Neriad took perverse pleasure in dispatching Gazlowe, the leader of Ratchet.  Interestingly, the amount of reputation lost per Ratchet Bruiser killed depended Neriad's faction rating with Ratchet.  When she was Honored with Ratchet, she would lose 1500 reputation points per bruiser killed.  When friendly, she would lose 375 reputation points.  And, when she was neutral, she would lose 125 reputation points.

With such fast reputation losses, it wasn't long before Neriad became Unfriendly with Ratchet, and not surprisingly, Mupsi Shacklefridd began offering her a way to get her reputation back.

Mupsi asked Neriad to provide linen cloth for bandages and empty vials for potions to help the people of Ratchet to tend a group of goblin sailors wounded in a battle with the Bloodsail Buccaneers.

Turning these materials in caused Neriad to lose 500 reputation points with the Bloodsail Buccaneers, gain 500 reputation points with Ratchet, and gain 250 reputation points with each of the other goblin factions.  This is by far the cheapest way to buy one's way back into the good graces of the Steamwheedle Cartel, although it again means turning one's back on one's fellow Bloodsail Buccaneers.

Finally, Neriad visited Gadgetzan, where Rumsen Fizzlebrack offers a way to get back into the good graces with Gadgetzan.

Fizzlebrack asked Neriad to provide mageweave cloth for sails and strong flux to use in munitions to be used against the Bloodsail Buccaneers.

Should a Bloodsail Admiral turn traitor like this, they will lose 500 reputation points with the Bloodsail Buccaneers, gain 500 reputation points with Gadgetzan, and gain 250 reputation points with the other three goblin factions of the Steamwheedle Cartel.

So that's it!  Blizzard is providing a way for players to get back into the good graces of the goblin factions, but look at the cost!  For every reputation point earned with a goblin faction, you have to lose the same number of reputation points with the Bloodsail Buccaneers.  By the time you can visit the Gadgetzan auction house or walk safely along Booty Bay's wharf, you will be long Hated with with those you once called your mates, those with whom you once sang sea shanties (OK, this might not be true for some), and most importantly those who gave you the greatest hat in the world.  No true Admiral of the Bloodsail Fleet would stoop to such behavior!  There must be a way to get one's reputation back with the goblins without losing one's reputation with the Bloodsail Buccaneers.

And there is.

UP NEXT:  Staying True to the Cause