What Happens to Artifact Weapons and Knowledge at Level 35 and Patch 7.2

So, I've just hit level 35 on  Ashbringer and was confused as I was still adding artefact power to it.

"What's going on?" I ask myself.

Paragon
Well, it turns out that after you've got your fourth golden dragon you can power this 35th trait up another 20 times to level 54. Some call this paragon levels or something. Probably related to Diablo I guess.

So DPS can increase their 5% increase to 15%, Healers will do something similar with healing power and tanks boost their armour (?) further.

Extra DPS or Other Specs
So, should you got for these extra points or start levelling your other specs? Well the common consensus is that unless you're a high end raider you should level your other specs. It's been asserted that once you get to around level 44 you could have levelled another spec all the way to 35. I don't know how true that is and I can't be bothered to verify it :P

But if you are never going to use your other specs (can you as a fire mage guarantee that frost isn't going to be the go to spec for 7.2?) then you may as well work to level 54!!

Patch 7.2
So, what's going to happen with patch 7.2? Well to start with there will be more Artefact Knowledge to gain. It is rising from 25 level t 50 levels with 200,000% artefact power increase at level 50. That sounds huge, but I think we're going to need it!!!

Then there will be more traits added for your weapon. But it sounds like all 35+ weapons will be standardised. ie it won't matter if your level 37 or level 54. The impression I get is that after you complete a short quest line at A-level 35

• All your old traits will be removed. (Maybe not, but it's going to get a bit busy otherwise!!!)
• Your 0-20 post 35 traits will be removed.
• Your AP spent on those 35+ traits will be refunded.
• Your Weapon will be made stronger to compensate for the trait removal. (This is where I think the standardisation will come in. I think there will be a one size fits all power increase so that all level 35 weapons will be the same, the only difference is next ...)
• You can now use your refunded AP to buy ...
• New traits on your weapon.
• Also, the old AP tokens you're picking up now CANNOT be used to buy these new traits so don't go squirreling them away in the bank, they'll be pointless (and worthless as the new traits will carry on with their pseudo-exponential cost scaling).
• But, you'll be able to sell them for gold, which will be introduced in a mini patch before 7.2

So, get your weapons to 35 and then keep pumping in the AP, don't go wasting time keeping them.

NB: I'm spelling it artEfact as I am English. Artifact (as per Blizztards) is a legitimate spelling in EN-UK and EN-US. I just like being different :P