Gearing Up for Change: How Long Until You Can Faction Swap After Boosting in World of Warcraft?
So, you’ve just hit that shiny character boost button in World of Warcraft. Congratulations! You’re ready to dive into the thick of things with a freshly powered-up hero. But now you’re eyeing that Faction Change button, dreaming of greener (or redder) pastures. The big question burning in your mind: How long do you have to wait?
The answer, plain and simple, is 72 hours. Race changes, faction changes, and character transfers cannot be applied until 72 hours after a character is boosted. Mark those three days on your calendar and get ready to re-roll!
Why the Wait? Understanding the Cooldown
Blizzard implements this waiting period to prevent exploitation and abuse of the character boost system. Imagine the chaos if players could instantly boost a character, swap factions for strategic advantages, and transfer them to another account to sell for profit. The 72-hour delay acts as a crucial security measure, ensuring the integrity of the game’s economy and competitive landscape.
This isn’t just a suggestion either. Customer Support cannot circumvent these restrictions. So, don’t bother pleading your case – the timer is set in stone. This policy is designed to be universally applied.
Planning Your Next Move: What Can You Do While You Wait?
Those 72 hours don’t have to be wasted. Use this time wisely to:
- Get to know your boosted character. Experiment with different talent builds, practice your rotations, and familiarize yourself with your new abilities.
- Gather transmog gear. Farm old dungeons and raids for those sweet, sweet cosmetic items.
- Knock out some reputation grinds. Start working towards those coveted rewards from various factions.
- Stock up on resources. Gather materials, complete world quests, and prepare your character for the faction change.
- Consult guides and online communities. Brush up on your class and role, and learn from the experiences of other players.
- Consider the narrative impact of faction swapping. Are you going to write a backstory?
Preparing for the Faction Change Itself
Once the 72 hours have elapsed, the Faction Change process is relatively straightforward:
- Navigate to the Battle.net Shop and select the Character Services.
- Choose the Character you want to change.
- Follow the on-screen prompts to purchase and initiate the service.
- Upon completion, an icon will appear next to your character on the character selection screen.
- Log in, select your new race and customize your appearance.
The faction change itself usually takes less than an hour to complete. After selecting your race and features, you can play a different character or log out. When you log back in, you’ll be a member of the opposing faction! Also note that the faction change also includes a free race change for your class, so you’ll fit in with your new friends when you join them on their adventures all over Azeroth.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here’s a comprehensive list of frequently asked questions about faction changes, boosts, and related cooldowns, all distilled from expert insights and official WoW resources:
1. How often can you Faction Change a character?
You cannot change the faction of the character again for 72 hours. The same cooldown applies to race changes. Paid Character Transfer, Faction Change, and Race Change cooldowns are 30 days, during which time you cannot perform another service of the same kind. In addition, you cannot perform a Faction Change or Race Changes within 30 days of each other.
2. What happens to my character’s gear when I boost them?
When you boost a character, they receive a new set of gear appropriate to their level, along with four 22-slot bags. The gear the character was originally wearing — and everything in their inventory — is sent to your in-game mailbox.
3. Do I get a Faction Change with a Character Transfer?
No, a character transfer only includes a name change if you transfer to a realm where your current name is already taken. It does not automatically include a faction change.
4. What is the character faction change cooldown, besides the initial 72 hours after a boost?
Paid Character Transfer, Faction Change, and Race Change cooldowns are 30 days, during which time you cannot perform another service of the same kind. In addition, you cannot perform a Faction Change or Race Changes within 30 days of each other.
5. How long does a faction change usually take to complete?
A Faction Change can take approximately 30 minutes to complete.
6. Can I undo a character boost in WoW?
Character Boosts are permanent and cannot be reverted once used. Blizzard offers a Class Trial feature to help you make the right choice beforehand.
7. What limitations are placed on boosted characters immediately after boosting?
Boosted characters are unable to enter dungeons and raids from previous expansions for 24 hours.
8. Is boosting or being boosted against the rules in WoW?
Boosting services themselves are not against the rules, but engaging in real-money transactions (RMT) for boosting services can lead to a ban. Sticking to safe practices, such as using in-game gold for boosting from reputable sources, minimizes the risk.
9. How much does a faction change cost in WoW?
Available Faction Change pack options:
- 1 for $21.00 (Regularly $30.00)
- 3 for $42.00 (Regularly $65.00)
10. Can I get a refund for a faction change?
Refunds are generally only issued for borked character services, not for buyer’s remorse.
11. Will a Faction Change reset my covenant progress in Shadowlands?
Covenant Progression is independent of Factions and will not be impacted if you change your Faction.
12. Can I Faction Change and server transfer at the same time?
The Article for Faction Changes does list Transfer as one of the services that will be prevented for 72 hours if you Faction Change, so be sure to Transfer first.
13. Does a Faction Change unlock Allied Races?
Yes, you will just have to do the alliance war story but after that you can. Also after you do the other factions war story you get the achievement a tale of two sides or something like that and get a new mount for each faction. A horse for the horse and wolf for alliance.
14. Do I lose anything when I faction change?
Any quests in progress will be abandoned when you change factions, and all quest items in your inventory will be destroyed. If you want to complete a quest you had in progress prior to completing a faction change, you must visit the quest giver to pick the quest up again and start progress over.
15. How much gold can you faction change with?
There is no limit to the amount of gold you can bring with your character with a Character Transfer or Faction Change.
Final Thoughts
The 72-hour wait after a character boost before initiating a Faction Change might seem like an eternity, but it’s a necessary measure to maintain the integrity of World of Warcraft. Use this time wisely to prepare for your new adventure, and get ready to embrace your new faction. Embrace the challenge, explore new storylines, and immerse yourself in a fresh perspective within the World of Warcraft.
Remember, gaming can also be a powerful tool for learning and development! Consider exploring resources like the Games Learning Society at GamesLearningSociety.org to discover how games can enhance education and skills development.
Happy gaming!