Okay, so my teams have never been mega-grinds. We don't play 100 games the first day of season releases (and maybe we should... but w/e). We don't usually hit 1700 until mid-way through the season. Admittedly, this season went much better as we got both our 2s teams to 1725 within 4 weeks of release, but I don't know how well that will work come 8 days from now.

WRY!?!? Well, that should be reasonably straight-forward to answer: both my toons are basically arena-point capped. My warlock will almost certainly be near the cap since he has 3900 at present, is slated to make 489 this week, and will likely make near that on the day season four starts, netting him a cool 4900 points or so. Like all my characters, I chose to upgrade the helm last (because it was the most expensive upgrade), and of course Blizzard must have known this, so they made the helm the highest rating-required item besides the weapons and shoulders just to spite me. Okay, so I have come to terms with the fact that I will likely be sporting s2 shoulders from now 'til season five (if there is even going to be a season five). I have also come to terms with the fact that if I want a new weapon, it is going to be a season three weapon, and I am going to have to work rather hard to get that. Like I say, these are things I have come to terms with; I don't necessarily think it's fair, but I am dealing with my state.

So, the question becomes "what do I do with all these points since I cannot purchase my helmet within the first couple weeks?" Well, I'm not sure... I might be able to "give up" the helm for a couple weeks, meaning that I will spend all my points the first day, then go ahead and upgrade my helm in 4-5 weeks when I have enough arena points to do so.

/goes_and_checks_rating_requirements

/sigh

Apparently, I'm only buying the hands at first... then I'm buying the legs if we can get up to 1550... this is lame. I understand the need for Blizz to say "you cannot buy up 5000 points worth of gear right out the gate"... but not even letting me replace my previous season's gear because of a rating requirement as well... that's just stupid. So, it looks like both my guys are getting the hands the first day, and maybe the pants, if we do well enough. Also, if we do well enough, I will end up having to put another shit-ton of cash on the pant enchants.

BAH.

Either I can save some arena points and assume I will do well enough to hit 1700 before a few weeks' time, or I can assume that we are going to suck amazingly and I will have a few weeks before I hit 1700 to buy my helm and chest and the like, so I could buy the offhand and ranged slot along with my hands, so I would spend 3100 points instead of just the 1100. The argument would be "if I can hit the 5k cap before hitting 1550, then I should buy out the offhand and ranged slot, otherwise just buy the hands and save."

Sigh... I guess that means just save, because I'll likely hit 1550 within a week... this is just dumb. If I could actually get in 100 games the first day, we'd probably get up to 1700 (or about there) and buy out our gear for 1700.... done.