Strongboxes in Random Battlegrounds

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Community Manager
#1 - June 25, 2015, 10:12 p.m.
Blizzard Post
We've been seeing some confusion about how Strongboxes are awarded in Random BG's, so I wanted to take a moment to clarify.

In point-based Battlegrounds (Arathi Basin, Eye of the Storm, Battle for Gilneas, Temple of Kotmogu, Silvershard Mines, and Deepwind Gorge), Strongboxes are awarded based on how many points the losing team was able to earn before the match ended. Earning 500 points will award a Bronze Strongbox, and earning 1000 points will award a Silver Strongbox.

In capture the flag Battlegrounds (Warsong Gulch and Twin Peaks), Strongboxes are awarded based on how many times the losing team was able to capture the flag. One capture will award a Bronze Strongbox, and 2 captures will award a Silver Strongbox.

In Alterac Valley and Isle of Conquest, Strongboxes are awarded to the losing team based on how many reinforcements the winning team had remaining when the match ended. If the winning team had 300 or fewer reinforcements left, the losing team will be awarded a Bronze Strongbox. If the winning team had 100 or fewer reinforcements left, the losing team will be awarded a Silver Strongbox.

In Strand of the Ancients, Strongboxes are awarded to the losing team based on how far they were able to progress before their turn ended. Destroying either the blue or green gate will award a Bronze Strongbox. Destroying the yellow gate will award a Silver Strongbox.

Of course, winning any Battleground will award a Gold Strongbox. In addition, Strongboxes are awarded to every player on the team that earned them, as long as they are still in the game when the match ends.

The goal of this system is to ensure that, even if you think your team is likely to lose, it's still worth your while to put up as much of a fight as possible and stay through to the end of the match.
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Community Manager
#15 - June 26, 2015, 1:22 a.m.
Blizzard Post
06/25/2015 05:10 PMPosted by Fortuna
A couple days ago I was in a SotA where my team attacked first. We captured the relic, but then the other team captured faster on their turn and we received a Bronze strongbox. Intentional or oversight? Seems like it ought to give a Silver based on those guidelines.

Hmm. You're correct, it sounds like you should have gotten Silver. We'll investigate.

06/25/2015 05:26 PMPosted by Serinicas
Can you look at adjusting this? Maybe I've just been an anomaly, but a small portion of my CTF games have ended as a result of 3 flag caps, the vast majority being 1-0 or 1-1. It doesn't seem fair that a 0-0 game for 14 minutes with a good play to make it 1-0 results in a gold strongbox on one side, nothing on the other. It's even more unfair when one team holds a 1-0 lead for the majority, gives up a point to even it up at the end, and gets a Bronze strongbox despite holding a 10 minute lead and losing 1-1.

We agree that the system isn't working perfectly for CTF games at the moment. I can't promise any incoming changes as of yet, but it's something we'd like to improve.

06/25/2015 05:56 PMPosted by Lastalot
I thought the confusion was why we were getting old (redundant) gear in the boxes?

We're looking into this as well.