RP grind vs RNG grind

utookmynick

So new content is coming and, of course, that must come with new rewards. No issue there. However, I think the RP system has a flaw in that it makes people feel they are losing RP to upgrade to the new artifact gears.

In a random drop grind, how quickly you get your gear depends on luck (and it helps to be in a regular group of good players). In an RP grind, there is fixed amount of time (or money) required. And that amount is significant. So instead of giving players hope of getting a drop soon (RNG), the RP grind instead presents the player upfront with a known tedious amount of grinding.

Also, if you already have the item and just need to refine it, I think we tend to feel it is incomplete until we finish refining it. On the other hand, we see different pieces of gear as completely separate and they feel more "optional." ie. If I am a casual player and can only spend enough time to obtain that ring which is one below the current BIS one, so be it. I'll skip this mod's BIS ring and go straight to the BIS one on the next mod.

I think this is something to keep in mind with the RP system. It does have its pros and cons. Unfortunately for players, RP grind makes money for Cryptic, the RNG drop does not (at least not directly).

beckylunatic

Some of us have pointed this out before, largely with regard to items that are fully ready to use as soon as the player obtains them (RNG grind, but also crafting), as opposed to items that can be obtained in a fairly straightforward manner but require investment towards making them usable or perfecting them (investment of time, RP, AD in the form of cubes, etc.).

Artifact equipment is something we feel attached to because of the amount of time and currency we lavish on it. It becomes very personal, more so the more you sink into personalizing it. Replacing it HURTS, in the pocketbook and in the soul.

Dropped gear is something that we largely obtained by doing dungeons with our friends. We'd still get annoyed when Spellplague wouldn't cough up a helm after 40 runs, but we'd also celebrate when it finally did, because hooray we had the whole set. And we could use that set to help our friend's CW go after their bracers, etc.

Farming RP for artifact gear is for the most part a self-interested activity.

Farming a new set of dropped gear means doing something new and different with your friends again.