test content
Logo
What is the Arc Client?
Install Arc
The REAL issue with PVP, and what Cryptic can do to fix it. (It isnt Premades)
ayroux
Member Posts: 4,271 Arc User
I keep seeing thread pop up, talking about the solo Q event and now its back for a week. While this may be a temporary fix, in the long run I think it will just hurt the game more.
Why? Because its NOT the problem and when I first started this game I didnt have a ton of friends who all wanted to PVP together (premade) nor did I want to que up solo for PVP. I wanted to play with my friends. Thats the point of an MMO right? To get online, and play with PEOPLE not play by yourself.
What is the real issue in PVP? I cant put this into 1 word, but the summary is this:
We have significant gear division between both new players against veterans, as well as PVE players against PVP players
Think about it this way. Neverwinter has a "fixed" population. Its clear, its not GROWING in population, and even if it is, it isnt at a massive rate. So the goal in fixing PVP should be to get a larger % of the population doing PVP. This is the only way to fix PVP.
So lets first look at PVE and PVP gap. You have Tenacity that is a HUGE divide, forcing players to have two sets of gear. You also have a HUGE difference in "ideal" stats. PVE players favor things like Crit chance, power, more "DPS" oriented because its all about clear times. PVP players emphasis is on armor penetration, life steal, HP, things that boost their survival and EHP. These two player base groups are at odds with eachother which is why BIS PVE players dont venture into PVP that often (anymore). I will say here, back in Module 0 (before we had modules) this WASNT the case. Why? Because the BEST PVP gear was obtained via PVE! You would run countless dungeons to get your timeless (GF set) for example. Also, there was no crit suppression back then, so MOST PVP players would stack crit with a vorpal.
So all the PVE hardcores, were wearing the SAME gear, stacking the SAME stats as the PVP guys, with maybe the only exception being Regen.
So this is ONE problem: "Ideal Stats"
The SECOND problem is this: Stat Allowance.
Even if ideal stats WERE different back then. And lets face it, there will always be SOME differences between PVP and PVE builds. In prior modules, you didnt have AS MANY stats as we do now, as in people are stacking 20k power, 20k arp, etc etc. So the difference between that PVE player and PVP player is wider and wider with more and more stats.
Picture it as a large "V" in which the more stats you allow, the larger the "gap" grows between the PVP player and PVE player.
So what is the solution? I will list it out here:
1) Removal of Tenacity as a STAT on gear. Every player already gets a "base" of 10% built into their character, regardless of them using tenacity or not. What I propose, is to remove tenacity and INCREASE that base level to the desired levels. So rather than players getting 10% PVP Damage Resistance as a base. Make that number 45% as a base, as an example. This now allows everyone to use just ONE set of gear into PVP.
2) Remove Crit Suppression. Now this would be a multi-step fix. Above we removed tenacity and fixed the "base". So what i propose is to increase the base DR % up from 45% up to say 75% or 80% even, so players deal MUCH less damage than before, but now crits get their FULL effect and are not DOUBLE hurt by tenacity. Most people are un-aware of this, but if you have 75% crit severity, your crits actually deal LESS damage than non crits in PVP. Removal of crit suppression makes crit a valuable stat again, and makes PVE builds that favor crit, not as "gimped" in PVP.
3) My third is a pretty controversial point, but I keep coming back to this. All Module boons should be "PVE only". This only further complicates PVP as again (go back to that "V" in which the more # of stats allowable only furthens the divide between player base). So when the total stat allowance is only 10k. There isnt a huge gap between PVP and PVE players. When the total stat allowance is more like 60k. Thats a massive difference in stats. My only TWO qualifiers to this are:
- Keep PVP campaign boons in PVP
- Keep Stronghold Boons in PVP
These are two relevant "campaigns" for PVP. But the beauty of this is, PVP boons ONLY work in PVP so you can put "ideal" PVP stats in them. Also, Stronghold Boons can be swapped at ANY time so there isnt an issue with a PVE player who Ques for Domination, who once into domination swaps his Power Boon, over to a ARP boon, for example.
The other MAJOR (and needed) thing this does, is it removes Endless Consumption AND thousands of Lifesteal stats from PVP. Self healing is one of the BIGGEST problems with PVP right now. Lifesteal is ONE of the biggest contributors to the problem of PVP. Removing Endless Consumption AND thousands of lifesteal stats for PVP will make players not able to self heal as well as before.
Now that you have done all this, it creates a much more friendly place for PVE players and new players alike to go into PVP. Crit builds are stronger than they are now, the gear they use for PVE can be used for PVP. They dont have to worry about swapping out all their PVE boons for "PVP boons" - the onlything they need to decide is which SH boons to run. So now you WILL get more participation into PVP.
After these changes. You wont see 1 "BIS" player able to 5v1 on nodes, because they dont have the sheer stat advantages over the PVE or new players. The reason a BIS player can do this is because they can get everything they want due to high available stat allocation. High ARp, power, HP, lifesteal, etc. When you remove all the campaign boons, endless consumption, etc. Now that player much go back to CHOOSING if he wants high EHP or high damage, but likely not BOTH. So he wont be able to 5v1 like you can now.
Once these changes are done, PVP becomes much easier to balance moving forward. You dont have boons that constantly create balance problems (remember Avalanche?) You only need to make a SMALL adjustment to a few items (like Water Wheel/Water Weapons) and PVP will be much more fun and BALANCED!
Once you have solved the item/stat issue as above you can THEN focus on the "Que" System which I have detailed out in another post. A simple to implement, yet comprehensive solution to PVP matchmaking and leaderboards that will completely fix the PVP experience, along with the above changes:
http://www.arcgames.com/en/forums/neverwinter/#/discussion/1223443/matchmaking-introducing-a-new-pvp-level-for-better-matchmaking-suggestion
THIS is what will fix PVP. This is what is needed for the LONG haul of the game. Not a bandaid fix like the "Solo Q" events or duo Q that people ask for... What we need is REAL change in the way PVP is handled in this game. The power creep has gone on too long in PVP and has ruined it. Keep that stuff for PVE only. Let players play PVE how they want with all the stats they can muster, but make PVP a sheer Player versus player game... without all the filler and gear gap division problems!
Why? Because its NOT the problem and when I first started this game I didnt have a ton of friends who all wanted to PVP together (premade) nor did I want to que up solo for PVP. I wanted to play with my friends. Thats the point of an MMO right? To get online, and play with PEOPLE not play by yourself.
What is the real issue in PVP? I cant put this into 1 word, but the summary is this:
We have significant gear division between both new players against veterans, as well as PVE players against PVP players
Think about it this way. Neverwinter has a "fixed" population. Its clear, its not GROWING in population, and even if it is, it isnt at a massive rate. So the goal in fixing PVP should be to get a larger % of the population doing PVP. This is the only way to fix PVP.
So lets first look at PVE and PVP gap. You have Tenacity that is a HUGE divide, forcing players to have two sets of gear. You also have a HUGE difference in "ideal" stats. PVE players favor things like Crit chance, power, more "DPS" oriented because its all about clear times. PVP players emphasis is on armor penetration, life steal, HP, things that boost their survival and EHP. These two player base groups are at odds with eachother which is why BIS PVE players dont venture into PVP that often (anymore). I will say here, back in Module 0 (before we had modules) this WASNT the case. Why? Because the BEST PVP gear was obtained via PVE! You would run countless dungeons to get your timeless (GF set) for example. Also, there was no crit suppression back then, so MOST PVP players would stack crit with a vorpal.
So all the PVE hardcores, were wearing the SAME gear, stacking the SAME stats as the PVP guys, with maybe the only exception being Regen.
So this is ONE problem: "Ideal Stats"
The SECOND problem is this: Stat Allowance.
Even if ideal stats WERE different back then. And lets face it, there will always be SOME differences between PVP and PVE builds. In prior modules, you didnt have AS MANY stats as we do now, as in people are stacking 20k power, 20k arp, etc etc. So the difference between that PVE player and PVP player is wider and wider with more and more stats.
Picture it as a large "V" in which the more stats you allow, the larger the "gap" grows between the PVP player and PVE player.
So what is the solution? I will list it out here:
1) Removal of Tenacity as a STAT on gear. Every player already gets a "base" of 10% built into their character, regardless of them using tenacity or not. What I propose, is to remove tenacity and INCREASE that base level to the desired levels. So rather than players getting 10% PVP Damage Resistance as a base. Make that number 45% as a base, as an example. This now allows everyone to use just ONE set of gear into PVP.
2) Remove Crit Suppression. Now this would be a multi-step fix. Above we removed tenacity and fixed the "base". So what i propose is to increase the base DR % up from 45% up to say 75% or 80% even, so players deal MUCH less damage than before, but now crits get their FULL effect and are not DOUBLE hurt by tenacity. Most people are un-aware of this, but if you have 75% crit severity, your crits actually deal LESS damage than non crits in PVP. Removal of crit suppression makes crit a valuable stat again, and makes PVE builds that favor crit, not as "gimped" in PVP.
3) My third is a pretty controversial point, but I keep coming back to this. All Module boons should be "PVE only". This only further complicates PVP as again (go back to that "V" in which the more # of stats allowable only furthens the divide between player base). So when the total stat allowance is only 10k. There isnt a huge gap between PVP and PVE players. When the total stat allowance is more like 60k. Thats a massive difference in stats. My only TWO qualifiers to this are:
- Keep PVP campaign boons in PVP
- Keep Stronghold Boons in PVP
These are two relevant "campaigns" for PVP. But the beauty of this is, PVP boons ONLY work in PVP so you can put "ideal" PVP stats in them. Also, Stronghold Boons can be swapped at ANY time so there isnt an issue with a PVE player who Ques for Domination, who once into domination swaps his Power Boon, over to a ARP boon, for example.
The other MAJOR (and needed) thing this does, is it removes Endless Consumption AND thousands of Lifesteal stats from PVP. Self healing is one of the BIGGEST problems with PVP right now. Lifesteal is ONE of the biggest contributors to the problem of PVP. Removing Endless Consumption AND thousands of lifesteal stats for PVP will make players not able to self heal as well as before.
Now that you have done all this, it creates a much more friendly place for PVE players and new players alike to go into PVP. Crit builds are stronger than they are now, the gear they use for PVE can be used for PVP. They dont have to worry about swapping out all their PVE boons for "PVP boons" - the onlything they need to decide is which SH boons to run. So now you WILL get more participation into PVP.
After these changes. You wont see 1 "BIS" player able to 5v1 on nodes, because they dont have the sheer stat advantages over the PVE or new players. The reason a BIS player can do this is because they can get everything they want due to high available stat allocation. High ARp, power, HP, lifesteal, etc. When you remove all the campaign boons, endless consumption, etc. Now that player much go back to CHOOSING if he wants high EHP or high damage, but likely not BOTH. So he wont be able to 5v1 like you can now.
Once these changes are done, PVP becomes much easier to balance moving forward. You dont have boons that constantly create balance problems (remember Avalanche?) You only need to make a SMALL adjustment to a few items (like Water Wheel/Water Weapons) and PVP will be much more fun and BALANCED!
Once you have solved the item/stat issue as above you can THEN focus on the "Que" System which I have detailed out in another post. A simple to implement, yet comprehensive solution to PVP matchmaking and leaderboards that will completely fix the PVP experience, along with the above changes:
http://www.arcgames.com/en/forums/neverwinter/#/discussion/1223443/matchmaking-introducing-a-new-pvp-level-for-better-matchmaking-suggestion
THIS is what will fix PVP. This is what is needed for the LONG haul of the game. Not a bandaid fix like the "Solo Q" events or duo Q that people ask for... What we need is REAL change in the way PVP is handled in this game. The power creep has gone on too long in PVP and has ruined it. Keep that stuff for PVE only. Let players play PVE how they want with all the stats they can muster, but make PVP a sheer Player versus player game... without all the filler and gear gap division problems!
Post edited by ayroux on
0
Comments
Join the Greycloaks
Ana-GWF SM Destroyer | Farseer-CW MoF Renegade | Leon-GF SM Tactician
Adrik Battlefate-DC DO Virtuous | Cassi Woodsheart-HR PF Trapper
So that all "non crit" damage would deal much less than it does today, however crits would deal MORE damage than they do today.
Crits should always deal more damage than non crits, and this problem is ONE of the major divides with Neverwinter PVP, along with tenacity on gear and "ideal stat allocation" which is deepened by the severity of stat allowance.
What people cannot do is gang up with other geared friends and stomp players who solo queue.
Really guys, what is your problem. Solo queue proved more fun for people who queue solo in PvP.
You can still go 3-4-5 men premade in normal queue.
Go to your mixed queue and play there, and leave solo queue players their solo queue. So simple.
SH boons can be reduced to 4k stat to reduce the impact, then can be added a campaign that allows players to get the same boons through a solo campaign: offensive, defensive and utility boons from solo and SH cannot be active at the same time. So you choose which offensive, defensive and utility boon can be active. This also removes the lack of balance caused by PvP mandatory SH boons (for example, the HP boon. If your guild does not pick it up, you are at a disadvantage in most of the fights, expecially vs piercing damage classes).
Would gives more choices and remove the difference between guilded toons and no-guild toons.
You can choose if you want to get the boons from SH, working with friends, or if you want to get the ones from the solo campaign (if you are a lone wolf or in a small guild).
Solo campaign difficult must be proportional, however, to the difficult you go through as a guild, to get the SH boons.
Bottom line: solo queue is a separated queue, so i think premade players can stop panicking and keep playing their premades in their beloved mixed queue.
The current algorithm is illogical. The crit hit should never below non-crit hit even one's tenacity is really high.
Join the Greycloaks
Ana-GWF SM Destroyer | Farseer-CW MoF Renegade | Leon-GF SM Tactician
Adrik Battlefate-DC DO Virtuous | Cassi Woodsheart-HR PF Trapper
About queue: the very idea of premade, be it 3-4-5 men doesn't matter, clashes with the concept of matchmaking. You either allow the game to balance the teams, or you form the teams on your own. Mixing the two things brings to the chaos we see in the mixed queue.
So the best solution is to put 1 solo queue where you play by the rules of matchmaking, and one mixed queue where you can go as a 2-3-4-5 men premade.
Else, you will always have experienced PvPers fully geared on one team, and a weaker mix on the other, at best. Very rarely you might end up with a 5-men fully geared and experienced pug team.
- one char can't be fun in both PvE and PvP. Every manufacturer finds mandatory to balance our chars (class, gear, boons...) for this or that, instead balancing The Game. It's up to our weakness to allow it, or even ask for it. It's us who ask for cutting leafs and then branches (until no branches at all), instead of letting game-maker to balance the whole tree. They just give us what we want and we want it only until we get it.
- matchmaking. Seal-clubbing is why we play. And that's why we don't play too. Molesting others is deep in our nature (and well proven thanks to Internet). But only smart game-maker will not allow losing players (and money) on that. I mean... just imagine boxing without weight classification.
- pay to win. Can't be solved. But can be done in a cool way, that players would respect. Games cost.
I'm not pointing at any particular manufacturer here. But I might. I just started, but I already see this game has already made a wrong turn and will never be able to provide PvP as part of the game.
Back then, when GG was released even, you didnt have tenacity, you didnt have boons. While you DID see a divide between the PVE and PVP players, you could still take a "BIS PVE" character into PVP and be "good". Not great, but atleast better than average.
The best weapons were the Ancient Weapons from CN.
The best gear was your classes "sets" farmed through dungeon runs.
There were no boons.
The total stat allowance was just a fraction of what we experience today. As the modules began to roll out, tenacity came out, and then the MAJOR "overhaul" of the game in module 6, thats where the game REALLY took a wrong turn. That is where they should have gone back to the formula that worked and what made this game popular - like this mod 0 days. Instead they went further down the rabbit hole.
The solutions - are what I proposed above. They have gone too far now to go back, however, they can still fix many of the issues by reducing the "ideal stats" between PVE and PVP (like I mentioned, crit is favored in PVE and not so much in PVP where as stuff like Lifesteal is massively favored in PVP and not so much in PVE) and then also in PVP if you eliminate boons it goes a LONG way into fixing this problem.
PVP needs to return more to the "roots" of the game and let these "expansions" (aka boons) be for PVE purposes. They will still hold value because they boost your characters ability to do ALL the PVE content. Which, if they did my suggestion to remove tenacity stat, would mean the best PVP gear IS the best PVE gear and therefore PVPers would be wanting to do PVE to farm it, meaning if they want to do end game PVE content they will need all the boons to do it....
The power creep has ruined PVP. You cant balance both PVP and PVE with the amount of power creep they have allowed. The stat difference is tens of thousands of points now between a new vs BIS player, and its tens of thousands of stat difference in ideal PVP stats when measured against BIS PVE players too. Its just too much, and its what allows 1 BIS player to Solo Q, and take on an ENTIRE TEAM of 2-3k Ilevel players. Thats why the Solo Q event (while a bandaid to the problem) wont fix anything. The BIS player is worth more, and more powerful than his entire enemy team. The gear gap, the "power" gap, is too large.
My proposal to remove tenacity, award it as a base, remove crit suppression, remove module boons (with the exception of SH and PVP boons) would fix these problems. Would it be perfect? No. There would still be a handful of other changes (like a nerf to water weapons/wheel/ etc) but it would be much easier to balance after those initial changes are done.
But here is my rationale for allowing SH boons, and I hope you atleast see there IS some logic behind it:
1) Most guilds have decently leveled boons. By now, and with the alliance system, it isnt hard to find MANY guilds today that have these boon structures leveled up to a decent amount (4-5k in stats each). So the difference isnt the FULL value of said boons, its the difference between what MOST have access to, and what the BIS guild has access to. As the game continues, that gap will only grow smaller and smaller since most guilds are rapidly, if not already, catching up quickly to the BIS boon structures.
2) Time and cost of said SH boons. When I went around asking MANY players about "our" suggestion to remove ALL boons from PVP. The overwhelming response I got was "NO we worked really hard for those boons! Mainly the stronghold ones! We should get to enjoy them". I think there would be MASSIVE backlash from the community at large if the SH boons were made merely PVE only.
3) The ease of swapping the boons. This is another area that unlike the other boons, makes it more fair for PVP. You can swap them at ANY time! It doesnt require a respec. You merely click on a different boon and its active.
4) It seems to me Cryptic WANTS to incentive guilds and the focus on Strongholds. Which this KEEPS it as a focus.
So TLDR: I understand that a non-guilded person wont stand a chance against a BIS boon guilded person, but I think those "barriers" are very easy to overcome. There are tons of guilds who have similar ranked structures, the stat difference is small and it allows players to feel the cost was worth the effort while keeping the focus on Strongholds as a game.
Bonus rationale:
The complete removal of boons from PVP almost "splits" the game into two different games. There would be no reason to do ANY of the campaigns. Keeping Stronghold Boons in the game, allows for some PVE to "spill over" into PVP. Players will want the PVE boons to be able to level the SH up faster (quests + content) which then the SH boons help them in PVP. Not to mention SH PVP is a large scale battle and I do think players need that extra EHP to stay alive in bigger group fights like that. So it just seems more "natural" to me to keep SH Boons in, than exclude them like the other campaign boons.
Remove some crit supression if you want to make it worth stacking but for gods sake do you know what that is going to do to MI Executioner rogues? Its going to make their dunks hit SOOO much harder. Maybe it would be a good idea on PC since most rogues go SAB because you don't all use ambush rings but here they all do and already hit for about 150k-220k damage.
If you give them the idea of taking some crit suppression off of tenacity they will hit even harder! Does that sound fair at all? I think they need to keep in mind balancing not only for PC, but come play Xbox too. I think the developers would be surprised.
Keep in mind Mjolnir they are talking about nerfing the HP boon. And so far there are no talks so far about giving us an immunity frame or 2 like the warlocks just yet.
I don't have all the answers but this can't be it. You do bring up good points. But but I think alot of people just need to buy warborn armor or some guild blue pvp armor. Maybe install some kind of tenacity limit like dungeons with item level? There is pretty much no excuse these days not to be able to get a set if you really want one.
Please don't hate what I said im just speaking my mind. Btw I loved your Rise of the GWF videos on YouTube. Could you start making videos again? You were what inspired me to make GWF in the first place in mod 5. Too bad we will never get to fight since we are on different platforms.
-Trent the Barbarian.
[10/2 12:00] [Combat (Self)] Critical Hit! OiO deals 171852 Physical Damage to you with Shocking Execution
[10/2 12:04] [Combat (Self)] Critical Hit! OiO deals 178251 Physical Damage to you with Shocking Execution.
This was in a duo cue and that TR got 16 kills zero deaths ,cause TR is already broken and ignores everything.
there will never be a balance in pvp as long as any type of damage ignores the Defense or tenacity stats.
Both HR and TR also have PIERCING damage that also ignores tenacity and defence stats.
NB that was vs my 4k iL GWF that has 150k HP and 16.9k defence and 3.8k tenacity...
Tr are already one shotting everyone in pvp and always have been and for 3 years i have been pointing out here in these forums how unbalanced they are but nothing ever happens.
Giving new gear that gives higher HP does not help since it just makes TR even harder to kill and do more damage.
crit suppresion and AR-Pen supression via tenacity does not work cause TR ignore both and ignore defence stats as well.As does any piercing damage.
2) you worked hard for XYZ, & you have every right to use it, right? Right. & when that broken thing make the game unplayable for ME, I have every right not to play in your sandbox. Right?
While I agree, you can get 8k Arp or 8k Power which are HUGE compared to another guild with say 5k of those stats. But at the end of the day this would be a MASSIVE step in the right direction. The removal of all the boons (minus SH) would remove easily over 10k+ in stats and ontop of that, things like Endless Consumption - which would be a HUGE reduction to self healing.
I honestly dont ever see Cryptic actually removing all boons, which is why I stopped posting about that (though i agree thats the best possible fix) but the middle ground would be removal of all campaign boons, while keeping SH and PVP boons.
Also to all the "What about TRs?!" as many of you have posted. Thats a VERY easy fix but I didnt want this to turn into a class specific "nerf request" thread and I am not 100% certain on this, but its my understanding that since SE bypassed Tenacity, it also bypasses crit sup as well - meaning a net zero change for SE.
What this post is, is focusing on the biggest changes that are logical, feasible, and would have the biggest impact on PVP. I could create a 100+ list of items that would make the game WAY more balanced, but the DEVs will never do that - just like I think the removal of ALL boons has a zero chance of getting approved, but if you leave them their "baby" (aka strongholds) there is a solid chance, and it still accomplishes the MAIN thing: reduction of power gap in PVP.
And I do think you mis understand my position about the "we worked hard for that". You know ive been here a long time, so give me some credit man. I bought an emblem mod 2 for 6Mil, it cost me another 4+ to level it so it was useful.... It needed to be nerfed, though they over did it IMO. I am NOT saying because something costs time or AD it cant or shouldnt be nerfed. What I am saying is the SH boons is a MAJOR system wide push/focus in which guilds have worked towards these for a year now? All the investment, guilds have merged over it, have created alliances over it, etc. Its not as simple as some FOTM item or build in which a single PERSON invests millions. Its literally changed the way people play the game, and for that, I sympathize with the response "We have worked hard".
I (again) am PERSONALLY with you, remove them all, but I just dont see it being widely accepted by the population nor something Cryptic will get onboard with, so given that is what I think, I am dropping my fight to remove ALL boons and honestly would encourage you to do the same. We need to try and "rally" behind feasible changes that actually stand a chance of happening. Really ask yourself, what has the better chance of happening. Removing ALL boons or removing all boons except SH boons.
I would, in my humble opinion, but it at 10:1 odds that there is a 10x higher chance of keeping SH boons and removing the rest, than removing ALL. Maybe you feel different.
I dont think tenacity was a horrible idea, I think that with a higher population, some of the mechanics and gear gap that neverwinter has would be fine. If Neverwinter had 500k-1M users it wouldnt be an issue... but we dont. So they need to take that into account when making the changes.
THe issue is there isnt the population to support having so much gear gap, hence they need to find ways to slice and dice that gear gap between the player base down.
removing tenacity as a stat is 1 way to do this, and making crits relevant again in PVP will also help that.
They still will NEED to address boons though.
I really see 3 viable options:
1) Removal of ALL boons, with the exception of the PVP boons, from PVP.
2) Removal of ALL boons but SH boons and PVP boons from PVP.
3) Only allow "1 set" of boons to be active at once, above the SH boons + PVP boons.
But either way, I dont see how it would be possible to keep boons as is, and reduce the gear gap issues. You cant just make boons easier to get, thats not the point. The point is the power creep and amount of stat allocation only creates a larger and larger gear gap between players. The ONLY way to reduce this, and get more people involved in PVP is to reduce the requirement to have all these campaign boons done, or specced for PVP.
Keep the campaigns as just that - PVE campaigns only.
Keep the SH as a PVP allowable bonus
This removes tens of thousands of stats from the "BIS PVP" players while it doesnt really impact the PVE players as much, because they didnt have PVP stats to begin with. Thats the simplest way to put it.
Ive disucussed this at length with many players
"what if boons are account wide"
"what if boons are easier to get"
"what if they allow for dual spec with your boons"
None of those will matter nor solve the issue.
This issue can ONLY be solved by bring the "floor" of the gear gap UP and reducing the ceiling. That can ONLY be done by REMOVING power creep, REMOVING stat allocation.
If it were solely up to me, I would make PVP Gear + 1 artifact. No boons, no mount bonuses etc. This may be too radical for players so this is why I think a middle ground is allowing your FULL character sheet. Allowing mount bonuses, allowing SH boons, but keeping it at that.
Its the only way this game can fix its current course.
It would be nice to see hybrid builds pop out again.
The proposed changes are coming from a guy who has focused only on PVP since the beta of this game. Has been PVP BIS every module this game has had with the exception of the most recent one. Please, I lost over 10 million just UNSOCKETING my Tenebrous enchants after they were nerfed to the ground. I bet you didnt know you had to pay 1M+ just to take an enchant out of an item back then.
Also, when the leaderboard was released in mod 3, I was literally the #1 on the leaderboard, back when it actually DID work.
So pls dont talk to me about cost of testing or gear or learning what works. I believe I have proved that time and time again. There is no crying here mate. Just a guy who wants this game to not die, because it used to be one of my favorites
So i envision then doing a mimic of your current character sheet, minus 4 artifcats, on its own "PVP tab" where it would be the "PVP version" of yourself. The PVP version that got loaded into a domination map - instead of the current version with w.e you had equipped.
So it would be akin to a "layout" if you will, but having it on its own tab, would allow you to see your stats without all the boons, etc. So it would allow you to prep for PVP better.
Make sense?