2.3.0 Changes to the High-level Experience Equation

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Chris wrote:

The race to level 100 in Path of Exile is not meant to be fast. The upper echelons of player level in Path of Exile are about bragging right more than absolute power. The marginal benefits of the last few passive skill points are low, and there currently aren't any items that require level 97 to equip.

Over time, players have become both better at building characters, better at playing to maximise experience and have more powerful tools at their disposal. The race to 100 gets faster and faster each league.

To compensate for this, we have periodically applied changes to the experience equation to slow down the top players reaching 100. Sometimes we apply changes that intentionally slow a larger band of players down, but this is due to our dissatisfaction with their leveling speed also. As we have seen this league, players are still able to reach high levels rather quickly.

We didn't go into detail about the specifics of the 2.3.0 experience change in the patch notes. This was an oversight. The details are as follows:

We reduced the effective level of endgame areas for the purposes of the experience equation. The below chart lists the monster level of the area, what the level is for the experience penalty before 2.3.0, and then the effective level after 2.3.0. You can see the details of the experience penalty equation on the Path of Exile wiki (http://pathofexile.gamepedia.com/Experience).

Level 70: 70 -> 70
Level 71: 71 -> 70.94
Level 72: 72 -> 71.82
Level 73: 73 -> 72.64
Level 74: 74 -> 73.4
Level 75: 75 -> 74.1
Level 76: 76 -> 74.74
Level 77: 76.9 -> 75.32
Level 78: 77.7 -> 75.84
Level 79: 78.4 -> 76.3
Level 80: 79 -> 76.7
Level 81: 79.5 -> 77.04
Level 82: 79.9 -> 77.32
Level 83: 80.1 -> 77.54
Level 84: 80.2 -> 77.7

We've found that players who aim for max level enjoy a harder grind to reach this goal. The harder grind also more clearly signals to players who like building alternate characters roughly when to reroll.

In the future, we'll release content that has a higher monster level than level 84. This would make the race to 100 even faster. We'll probably apply experience penalties directly to the upper levels themselves rather than continuing to drop the effective area levels for experience. For example, maybe it'll take 50% longer to reach level 100 from level 99, but the experience gain of lower-level players would be unadjusted. This depends a lot on the specific level of content that comes out in future releases. We want to strike a good balance between rewarding progression and a race to 100 that isn't over in ten days each league.

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Drakkon1 wrote:

Level 100 in a temporary league should be only for the very best, in my opinion.

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Aim_Deep wrote:

Finally Chris, I'm sure others have said it. You are going about this wrong way if you wish to make 100 harder.

9's should not give any EXP to a 95

15's 3-4%.

Not 1% and 1%

There is no point to running hard maps. Risk vs reward is not there.

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Chris wrote:

We've found that players who aim for max level enjoy a harder grind to reach this goal.

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How do I upvote the post above mine?


/e

Also

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Drakkon1 wrote:

Level 100 in a temporary league should be only for the very best, in my opinion.

What is your definition of best here?

Speaks a lot when there are people who are sacrificing defensive nodes so they can compensate for the Whirling Blade nerf. No fear in T9 maps. Wow, truly the "best," amirite?

Think there are a lot of people who are confusing a "harder grind" with "longer grind of drooling Gorge rota."

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Darkkrows wrote:

Then you guys should implement Exp fatigue system. The faster the exp a player gain, the more exp penalty he will receive.(and you balance this system around the top players) They still can race within the fatigue system, exp bar still move just slower.

quite a number of MMO implement this trick to stop the no-lifer from leveling 1 character too quick & this system does not punish the more casual players who do not have 14-16hours a day to play the game but still wanted to go max level & have some progression.

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Dark_Chicken wrote:

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Aim_Deep wrote:

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Chris wrote:

In the future, we'll release content that has a higher monster level than level 84. This would make the race to 100 even faster.

Not if done right. Rifts please. No exp. Limited loot only from boss at end of rift. Your atziri boss was fantastic and kept me entertained for almost year. need more like her to challege end game builds and as another method of competition.

Screw mind numbing drive to 100. Never interested me. Challenges/achievements neither.


But challenging a build on scary as hell bosses do. Which test build quality, reaction time, play-style instead of how much time you have to waste.


I think it could encourage more party play as well. As difficulty is unlimited, you would have to have a well thought out support crew to get far.



Finally Chris, I'm sure others have said it. You are going about this wrong way if you wish to make 100 harder.

9's should not give any EXP to a 95

15's 3-4%.

Not 1% and 1%

There is no point to running hard maps. Risk vs reward is not there.

Build quality lol... just pick any new or old obvious OP build that hasn't had the nerf hammer because of incompetent and clueless GGG balance, and face roll everything yea that's a big time challenge. Like CoC discharge which is basically untouchable from nerfs, and pretty much any range skill which you can run with your eyes closed. Or now the near perm Jugg IC which as soon as the change was announced, half the dam forum was crying OP before it's even tested. Um sorry to burst your bubble, there's no real rocket science in 'build quality'.

You can really 'challenge' (more like gimp) yourself by doing all the hardest content without dying, using the most crappy ass, unbalanced builds so basically, like 80% of stand still target, hack-n-slash pure melee skills.

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UnleashedPoE wrote:

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Aim_Deep wrote:

Finally Chris, I'm sure others have said it. You are going about this wrong way if you wish to make 100 harder.

9's should not give any EXP to a 95

15's 3-4%.

Not 1% and 1%

There is no point to running hard maps. Risk vs reward is not there.

They do this and I'm out without other changes. You have to be able to sustain a map pool at tiers capable of leveling to 100 within a normal person's lifetime.

Awesome builds btw, your juggernaut build may be my favorite of the game, all time.

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Baelrog wrote:

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Darkkrows wrote:

Then you guys should implement Exp fatigue system. The faster the exp a player gain, the more exp penalty he will receive.(and you balance this system around the top players) They still can race within the fatigue system, exp bar still move just slower.

quite a number of MMO implement this trick to stop the no-lifer from leveling 1 character too quick & this system does not punish the more casual players who do not have 14-16hours a day to play the game but still wanted to go max level & have some progression.

+1 This is the best feedback/suggestion regarding the changes.