WoW Strategy II: Resources

As mentioned, the biggest problem of the Garrison resource system was that it practically made normal resource gathering obsolete due to providing players with a regular income of herbs and ores that - over time - managed to cover all expenses without needing a gathering skill. This was counterproductive for the reasons mentioned above; on the other hand, completely removing resources from a base wouldn't really feel "right", especially when compared to WC3 where every functional outpost needed (a) a mine and (b) a forest within its vicinity.

Additional remark: The system would be open for trading, and as such would expand the existing Auction House economy.

Basic resource system

This problem would be dealt with by introducing a parallel resource system that consists of materials that are exclusively useful within the context of the real estate system. These resources are, of course, required to erect buildings, forge weapons and armor, equip and feed followers etc. - a possible selection of resources might include wood, bone, stone, metal, leather, cloth, foodstuffs, oil (if a steampunk aspect is included as well) etc.

All these materials would be generic and suited for "mass production", so to speak, but unsuitable for any crafting profession that uses materials of a similar category (in fact, they'd be what has been dubbed "garrison resources" in the past). This means that while the basic resources are gathered in large quantities (and possibly by follower units), the players themselves will still farm the superior and/or magical materials they'll need for their professions on their own - and of course in the wilderness, always outside the base.

As a rule, the resources are harvested in the vicinity of the base, but players may tag deposits of raw basic resources should they stumble over them during their adventures, which in turn summons followers to harvest them.

Items

The items would be crafted by professional craftsmen inside the base (provided the necessary infrastructure exists), not by players - mirroring the way resources are handled.

For fighting units, this would mean that followers can be provided with weapons and armor, or increasingly high quality-versions thereof, or with additional items that improve their overall performance (like short swords/daggers for close combat, helmets, potions, stirrups for mounted units etc.)

But while that equipment might be the most obvious use for this, the system could be expanded to all aspects of the base - like introducing better shovels, pickaxes and hatchets for workers (to make them work faster or increase the resource turnout from harvesting), better clothes or food (lower attrition rates and better performance), better tools for craftsmen (for faster working and better items) etc.

Special resources and Items

However, this doesn't mean that player professions are wholly useless in that context.

In addition to standard resources, players - especially those with crafting professions - should be able to pitch in using their private resources and crafting skills. So for example, a miner could add rare metals that are used to create alloys, or gems for more unique followers, a skinner would be able to pitch in special leather, furs and scales etc.;

Crafters on the other hand can acquire special recipes, plans and schematics that are exclusively suited for follower equipment - either improvements on existing follower equipment or new baseline items for them.