Why don't you ignore your game's strongest points?

In my opinion, and based on feedback from my friends, PoE2's main advantage is its build diversity. There's a huge variety of builds. However, the current gameplay design means that leveling up even one character takes a very long time. And testing a build's viability requires too much currency.

There are two problems, then.

1) Leveling up a new character takes too long. Even the fastest players spend around 10 hours. For the average player, it can be 20-25 hours. Few are willing to spend that much time on another character whose gameplay they might not like.

2) Testing a build's viability requires too much currency. Equipping a character at least decently costs too much, and if the items are very popular or have been used by streamers, it's sometimes impossible.

My suggestion:
1) Add a new currency—experience. It will drop from any T15+ map. It can't be transferred or sold. However, it can be used to purchase levels for new characters within the league. This will allow you to quickly level up new characters without having to spend dozens of hours leveling them up again. This is simply a simple respect for players' time.

2) Add GUARANTEED crafting with GUARANTEED properties. That is, add the ability to create items exactly as you want. Naturally, with restrictions, for example, no more than T4. This is more than enough to test the build's functionality, and it won't affect the economy in any way. I'll just say this: it should be accessible and cost between 1-10 Exalts within the economy. If it costs Divine, the point would be lost.

The current version of "guaranteed" crafting is unnecessarily complicated and unnecessarily expensive. The average player can't figure it out, and usually doesn't. And its cost is too high to learn by trial and error.

I apologize for my poor English. I hope this idea will be considered.

To me the problem is 90% the build variety is at the end game with good gear, key legendary support gems, and probably at least one particular unique to make stuff function.

The best way to level is play 1 of like 3 builds that can AoE clear early in the campaign easily with low gear and everyone else just has to struggle. The other option is to just run a league start build then just swap everything at level 65 after interludes. I personally hate doing this but can't argue it's efficient.

I wish stuff would just "work" with less investment. Like imagine you're a new player and you want to do cold spells - you just have this fantasy in your head. The game effectively flat out tells you to pick sorcerer in the opening character select preview that has a list of what each class is supposed to be good at and it literally says "cold spells" so you think okay great, that's my class.

But then you find just scaling cold damage on your passive tree isn't working in the campaign, and then you learn you probably should have gone bloodmage instead, and you feel like you just wasted tons of time and that the game lied to you.

"

ognomed#3163 wrote:

In my opinion, and based on feedback from my friends, PoE2's main advantage is its build diversity. There's a huge variety of builds. However, the current gameplay design means that leveling up even one character takes a very long time. And testing a build's viability requires too much currency.

There are two problems, then.

1) Leveling up a new character takes too long. Even the fastest players spend around 10 hours. For the average player, it can be 20-25 hours. Few are willing to spend that much time on another character whose gameplay they might not like.

2) Testing a build's viability requires too much currency. Equipping a character at least decently costs too much, and if the items are very popular or have been used by streamers, it's sometimes impossible.

My suggestion:
1) Add a new currency—experience. It will drop from any T15+ map. It can't be transferred or sold. However, it can be used to purchase levels for new characters within the league. This will allow you to quickly level up new characters without having to spend dozens of hours leveling them up again. This is simply a simple respect for players' time.

2) Add GUARANTEED crafting with GUARANTEED properties. That is, add the ability to create items exactly as you want. Naturally, with restrictions, for example, no more than T4. This is more than enough to test the build's functionality, and it won't affect the economy in any way. I'll just say this: it should be accessible and cost between 1-10 Exalts within the economy. If it costs Divine, the point would be lost.

The current version of "guaranteed" crafting is unnecessarily complicated and unnecessarily expensive. The average player can't figure it out, and usually doesn't. And its cost is too high to learn by trial and error.

I apologize for my poor English. I hope this idea will be considered.

leveling up a new character from level 1 to finish campaign take under 2 to 3 hours. many players have already proven that this is possible.

I agree. I wanted to create a frost mage myself. However, when trying to level a sorceress, I realized it was practically impossible to do so through frost. Playing through frost requires a lot of points, spirit, and equipment. However, fixing this, in my opinion, is too idealistic. It would require a complete overhaul of the entire balance and approach—something GGG is unlikely to agree to.

"

stkmro#2432 wrote:

"

ognomed#3163 wrote:

In my opinion, and based on feedback from my friends, PoE2's main advantage is its build diversity. There's a huge variety of builds. However, the current gameplay design means that leveling up even one character takes a very long time. And testing a build's viability requires too much currency.

There are two problems, then.

1) Leveling up a new character takes too long. Even the fastest players spend around 10 hours. For the average player, it can be 20-25 hours. Few are willing to spend that much time on another character whose gameplay they might not like.

2) Testing a build's viability requires too much currency. Equipping a character at least decently costs too much, and if the items are very popular or have been used by streamers, it's sometimes impossible.

My suggestion:
1) Add a new currency—experience. It will drop from any T15+ map. It can't be transferred or sold. However, it can be used to purchase levels for new characters within the league. This will allow you to quickly level up new characters without having to spend dozens of hours leveling them up again. This is simply a simple respect for players' time.

2) Add GUARANTEED crafting with GUARANTEED properties. That is, add the ability to create items exactly as you want. Naturally, with restrictions, for example, no more than T4. This is more than enough to test the build's functionality, and it won't affect the economy in any way. I'll just say this: it should be accessible and cost between 1-10 Exalts within the economy. If it costs Divine, the point would be lost.

The current version of "guaranteed" crafting is unnecessarily complicated and unnecessarily expensive. The average player can't figure it out, and usually doesn't. And its cost is too high to learn by trial and error.

I apologize for my poor English. I hope this idea will be considered.

leveling up a new character from level 1 to finish campaign take under 2 to 3 hours. many players have already proven that this is possible.

You're confusing "it's possible" with "it's normal." It's possible to run 100 meters in under 10 seconds. Many people have confirmed this. Tell me, can you run 100 meters in at least 11 seconds? Or 12?
The average time to level up a new character—even for a second or subsequent character—is much more than 10 hours. And exceptions of 2-3 hours are just that: exceptions.

"

ognomed#3163 wrote:

In my opinion, and based on feedback from my friends, PoE2's main advantage is its build diversity. There's a huge variety of builds. However, the current gameplay design means that leveling up even one character takes a very long time. And testing a build's viability requires too much currency.

There are two problems, then.

1) Leveling up a new character takes too long. Even the fastest players spend around 10 hours. For the average player, it can be 20-25 hours. Few are willing to spend that much time on another character whose gameplay they might not like.

2) Testing a build's viability requires too much currency. Equipping a character at least decently costs too much, and if the items are very popular or have been used by streamers, it's sometimes impossible.

My suggestion:
1) Add a new currency—experience. It will drop from any T15+ map. It can't be transferred or sold. However, it can be used to purchase levels for new characters within the league. This will allow you to quickly level up new characters without having to spend dozens of hours leveling them up again. This is simply a simple respect for players' time.

2) Add GUARANTEED crafting with GUARANTEED properties. That is, add the ability to create items exactly as you want. Naturally, with restrictions, for example, no more than T4. This is more than enough to test the build's functionality, and it won't affect the economy in any way. I'll just say this: it should be accessible and cost between 1-10 Exalts within the economy. If it costs Divine, the point would be lost.

The current version of "guaranteed" crafting is unnecessarily complicated and unnecessarily expensive. The average player can't figure it out, and usually doesn't. And its cost is too high to learn by trial and error.

I apologize for my poor English. I hope this idea will be considered.

"

And testing a build's viability requires too much currency.

That is a lie or at least not true. I play every league around 8 - 10 characters. Last League were they introduced act 4 and the interludes even 16 characters to level 90+.

And I never spent more as 10 div.

The problem is that you guys cannot build stuff by your own and even if you tried you would have problems cause you lack resources to do so. Uncut active/support gems. We don't get even close enough to be able to test stuff. The same goes for the respeccing of the tree.

In these regards even PoE 1 gives you more freedom and possibilities.

build viability is proven the moment you run maps and have all ascendancy points, cause they should normally give you the power to make it work. Which is at the moment also not possible except you buy it which is expensive.

Like you can decently gear a character for 10 ex max at start of mapping, which holds till you hit T10+ maps.

p4wnyhof is a streamer which shows daily, that you can just restart the campaign after level 90 and gear, equip your char in SSF style without any problems. He mostly even only uses stuff he finds in the run itself, to make the characters viable. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yzFXkUoqMzw

"

1) Add a new currency—experience. It will drop from any T15+ map. It can't be transferred or sold. However, it can be used to purchase levels for new characters within the league. This will allow you to quickly level up new characters without having to spend dozens of hours leveling them up again. This is simply a simple respect for players' time.

If they want to kill their game, that is the best way to do so. You already can buy leveling services for a few divines that push you through the acts. Just pay them if you really need it.

Normally you could also just take like a few ex into your hands and simply buy leveling uniques.

- goldrim (up to 35% to all elemental resistances)
level requirements = 0
20 ex with 30+

- Wanderlust (20% movement speed and Pathfinder ascendancy "UNAFFECTED BY SLOWS")
level requirement = 11
5 ex

- Foxshade (100% inc evasion/ 10% inc movement speed)
level requirement = 0
1 ex

- Doedre's Damning (up to 15% to all elemental resistances)
level requirement = 0
9 ex each

- most unique weapons which are already complete overkill for the campaign content
cost 1 ex

36 to 50 ex for leveling equipment, which allows you to easily run through all acts in a matter of max 6 - 8 hours. With smoking breaks and many planning in the meanwhile.

"

This is simply a simple respect for players' time.

This is simply destroying economy at its finest and has nothing to do with respect for player time, just cause you guys are to lazy to invest more into the game as "I fOlLoW bUiLdS, cAuSe Me To LaZy. UnAbLe To UsE bRaIn, To HaRd, EaTs To MuCh EnErGy"

It will simply make people which are already to fast through the campaing, even faster. Cause now you offer them the possibility to just get a fast campaign destroyed and let them have the endgame build the moment they made some high tier maps.

If you want that for SSF or after half the league is done, I am fine with it, cause the economy at that point is already done.

"

2) Add GUARANTEED crafting with GUARANTEED properties. That is, add the ability to create items exactly as you want. Naturally, with restrictions, for example, no more than T4. This is more than enough to test the build's functionality, and it won't affect the economy in any way. I'll just say this: it should be accessible and cost between 1-10 Exalts within the economy. If it costs Divine, the point would be lost.

That are runes, which should be exchange for the crafting bench from poe 1.
But the crafting bench was just endlessly better as these shitty runes. Especially since you had crafting recipes ones you have found them and didn't need to find more of the same mods or buying the .... again.


The only real problem at this time and moment is, that we are, in our first playthrough, be forced to rely to much on RNG. We don't get enough gems, we don't have the possibility to make leveling easier by using auras which grant ele res for ourselves and the runes are unreliable, since we cannot actively use them if we are supposed to exchange gear every 5 to 10 levels and loose therefore all the value on it.

"

ognomed#3163 wrote:

I agree. I wanted to create a frost mage myself. However, when trying to level a sorceress, I realized it was practically impossible to do so through frost. Playing through frost requires a lot of points, spirit, and equipment. However, fixing this, in my opinion, is too idealistic. It would require a complete overhaul of the entire balance and approach—something GGG is unlikely to agree to.

You're straight up wrong with the current state of Sorceress. I've done it in every single league since 0.1.0. It was a bit challenging before 0.3.0, but the introduction of Frost Darts has fixed single target DPS on cold spells.

You *do* need a few extra spell levels, mostly because spells have almost no sources of base damage outside of more levels, but there are a lot of cheap workable options. You don't need +max spell levels on every piece of gear it can roll on, but you definitely want a staff with at least 4. After that, it's all in your passive point distribution.

"

Ondrugs#1147 wrote:

"

ognomed#3163 wrote:

In my opinion, and based on feedback from my friends, PoE2's main advantage is its build diversity. There's a huge variety of builds. However, the current gameplay design means that leveling up even one character takes a very long time. And testing a build's viability requires too much currency.

There are two problems, then.

1) Leveling up a new character takes too long. Even the fastest players spend around 10 hours. For the average player, it can be 20-25 hours. Few are willing to spend that much time on another character whose gameplay they might not like.

2) Testing a build's viability requires too much currency. Equipping a character at least decently costs too much, and if the items are very popular or have been used by streamers, it's sometimes impossible.

My suggestion:
1) Add a new currency—experience. It will drop from any T15+ map. It can't be transferred or sold. However, it can be used to purchase levels for new characters within the league. This will allow you to quickly level up new characters without having to spend dozens of hours leveling them up again. This is simply a simple respect for players' time.

2) Add GUARANTEED crafting with GUARANTEED properties. That is, add the ability to create items exactly as you want. Naturally, with restrictions, for example, no more than T4. This is more than enough to test the build's functionality, and it won't affect the economy in any way. I'll just say this: it should be accessible and cost between 1-10 Exalts within the economy. If it costs Divine, the point would be lost.

The current version of "guaranteed" crafting is unnecessarily complicated and unnecessarily expensive. The average player can't figure it out, and usually doesn't. And its cost is too high to learn by trial and error.

I apologize for my poor English. I hope this idea will be considered.

"

And testing a build's viability requires too much currency.

That is a lie or at least not true. I play every league around 8 - 10 characters. Last League were they introduced act 4 and the interludes even 16 characters to level 90+.

And I never spent more as 10 div.

The problem is that you guys cannot build stuff by your own and even if you tried you would have problems cause you lack resources to do so. Uncut active/support gems. We don't get even close enough to be able to test stuff. The same goes for the respeccing of the tree.

In these regards even PoE 1 gives you more freedom and possibilities.

build viability is proven the moment you run maps and have all ascendancy points, cause they should normally give you the power to make it work. Which is at the moment also not possible except you buy it which is expensive.

Like you can decently gear a character for 10 ex max at start of mapping, which holds till you hit T10+ maps.

p4wnyhof is a streamer which shows daily, that you can just restart the campaign after level 90 and gear, equip your char in SSF style without any problems. He mostly even only uses stuff he finds in the run itself, to make the characters viable. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yzFXkUoqMzw

"

1) Add a new currency—experience. It will drop from any T15+ map. It can't be transferred or sold. However, it can be used to purchase levels for new characters within the league. This will allow you to quickly level up new characters without having to spend dozens of hours leveling them up again. This is simply a simple respect for players' time.

If they want to kill their game, that is the best way to do so. You already can buy leveling services for a few divines that push you through the acts. Just pay them if you really need it.

Normally you could also just take like a few ex into your hands and simply buy leveling uniques.

- goldrim (up to 35% to all elemental resistances)
level requirements = 0
20 ex with 30+

- Wanderlust (20% movement speed and Pathfinder ascendancy "UNAFFECTED BY SLOWS")
level requirement = 11
5 ex

- Foxshade (100% inc evasion/ 10% inc movement speed)
level requirement = 0
1 ex

- Doedre's Damning (up to 15% to all elemental resistances)
level requirement = 0
9 ex each

- most unique weapons which are already complete overkill for the campaign content
cost 1 ex

36 to 50 ex for leveling equipment, which allows you to easily run through all acts in a matter of max 6 - 8 hours. With smoking breaks and many planning in the meanwhile.

"

This is simply a simple respect for players' time.

This is simply destroying economy at its finest and has nothing to do with respect for player time, just cause you guys are to lazy to invest more into the game as "I fOlLoW bUiLdS, cAuSe Me To LaZy. UnAbLe To UsE bRaIn, To HaRd, EaTs To MuCh EnErGy"

"

2) Add GUARANTEED crafting with GUARANTEED properties. That is, add the ability to create items exactly as you want. Naturally, with restrictions, for example, no more than T4. This is more than enough to test the build's functionality, and it won't affect the economy in any way. I'll just say this: it should be accessible and cost between 1-10 Exalts within the economy. If it costs Divine, the point would be lost.

That are runes, which should be exchange for the crafting bench from poe 1.
But the crafting bench was just endlessly better as these shitty runes. Especially since you had crafting recipes ones you have found them and didn't need to find more of the same mods or buying the .... again.


The only real problem at this time and moment is, that we are, in our first playthrough, be forced to rely to much on RNG. We don't get enough gems, we don't have the possibility to make leveling easier by using auras which grant ele res for ourselves and the runes are unreliable, since we cannot actively use them if we are supposed to exchange gear every 5 to 10 levels and loose therefore all the value on it.

Tell me, how much time do you spend playing? I'm not ready to spend 40 hours a week. I just want to play and have fun. Everything you're saying applies to those who live in the game. Those who have no other hobbies, or those who have a lot of free time. What about the majority of players who play 1-2 hours in the evening and maybe 3-5 hours on the weekends?

I disagree about the viability of builds. Take the sorceress through the cold. She feels great on maps, after a little gear customization, but I'd be very surprised if you can easily complete acts with her.

And I don't understand why you think adding faster alt progression is killing the game? You won't be able to earn a few extra coins by "dragging" players through acts? What's killing you then?

What I agree with is that there's too much randomness. The game is chock-full of randomness in every aspect, and it goes beyond "diversifying the gameplay" and becomes more annoying. The feeling of having no control whatsoever is frustrating.

"

ognomed#3163 wrote:

Tell me, how much time do you spend playing? I'm not ready to spend 40 hours a week. I just want to play and have fun.

The less time you have to play, the more skilled it helps to be at the game, to make each hour count.

"

Take the sorceress through the cold. She feels great on maps, after a little gear customization, but I'd be very surprised if you can easily complete acts with her.

Then be surprised, because I've done it in every single league. Usually as my first character on the league, because cold mage is one of my favorite archetypes. Without buying items from other players, just my own drops.

The class is in a way better spot with 0.3.0, but even before then it was viable, it just took some actual planning and understanding of game mechanics (which PoB can help with).