It's been nearly two months since World of Warcraft: Shadowlands released, which means many players are now in the endgame content. Shadowlands has marked many changes in WoW, but the Great Vault improves the endgame quite a bit. While some players may be disappointed in its reliance on RNG, the Great Vault still fixes some of the big problems from the endgames of WoW's previous expansions.
WoW Shadowlands has implemented several controversial features, but most of them have been for the better. Some players complained about the idea of a level-squish, but the execution has actually been pretty nice. The same can be said for Threads of Fate, which can make leveling alts in WoW easier - at least, depending on which players are asked. The Great Vault is another one of these new features, and it can actually make the current endgame of World of Warcraft a lot smoother.
Once unlocked, the Great Vault offers players rewards based on which content they completed the previous week. Up to nine rewards can be unlocked each week, and Shadowlands players can choose which piece of loot they want. The loot is still dependent on RNG, which can make some weeks feel like a bust, but it's overall a great system that helps wrangle in all the endgame content that WoW: Shadowlands has to offer.
How The Great Vault Makes WoW's Endgame Better
In previous World of Warcraft expansions, players could get weekly loot from doing Mythic+ Dungeons, but doing most of the endgame content was left up to players. There wasn't necessarily anything to keep adventurers on track each week, and it could make WoW's endgame feel pretty open-ended. Without clear goals, there wasn't always a reason to keep subbing to the game. However, the Great Vault system is a more concise list of what players can do in the endgame, setting more goals and thereby keeping player interest going.
There are also more possible rewards, which is always nice. Whereas previous expansions rewarded WoW players based on Mythic+ Dungeons, the Great Vault unlocks up to three items each week for Raids, Mythic Dungeons, and PvP, for a total of nine possible rewards. This spreads out content a bit more as well, since it doesn't limit rewards to just Mythic content. Players can unlock rewards through Raids or by spending time in Shadowlands' PvP Arena.
The Great Vault isn't a perfect system. There are still flaws that may frustrate some players. Overall, though, the Great Vault offers more chances for rewards, and a more clear path each week for completing content. While it may not be the ideal system for everyone, the Great Vault in World of Warcraft: Shadowlands is definitely a step in the right direction for how future expansions should handle WoW's endgame.