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Redoing your feats, boons and powers, does this really cost money ?


I am new to Neverwinter, I always wanted to mess around with it but until now never had the chance.

I am having a decent time so far (lvl 33 rogue), though I have noticed a few things that I feel warrant discussion.

I am the type of player that constantly experiments with builds, specs and abilities. Neverwinter seems to charge real life currency for the ability to do what other games provide as part of the game. The amount of in game currency (AD) feats costs to change is flat out absurd for a low level player. It seems you do not even get 1 free do over and this bothers me.

Please, if I am wrong leave instructions on how to do this without spending massive amounts of in or out of game currency.

I have spent a lot of money in other f2p mmos in the past (and f2p games in general). I prefer to be lured into spending money over feeling forced to spend it. I think I would most accurately be described as a whale by most companies that have enjoyed my time with them and for the most part (Rift initial auction house unlock, although the rest of the pay model was more than fair) I never felt forced to spend money for basic things in other games.

Why is a feature that should be free and part of the game a paid service and why has the player base allowed this ?

Is there any plans to actually change this ?

Am I missing something ?

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Comments

  • valwrynvalwryn Member, NW M9 Playtest Posts: 1,620 Arc User
    Many of us travel over to the Preview server to test out all possible builds, Its FREE there. Normally respeccing does cost money but I've at least received many Free Respec tokens from the last 2 Simril Fests. So there isn't a need to change this service. Once ya know what build ya like then ya can change it, either wait til next Simril fest or get a coupn and buy the Respec token, unless the AD option is cheaper. :)
  • kreatyvekreatyve Member, Neverwinter Moderator, NW M9 Playtest Posts: 10,545 Community Moderator
    You can earn enough Astral Diamonds to get the Zen for it to be free. So please do not feel forced to pay money. And they give away retraining tokens during the Winter Festival as @valwryn said. Also if they do a lot of balance changes to a class when a new mod drops, they will sometimes give a free respec (or even a forced one).
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  • katarina#9982 katarina Member Posts: 18 Arc User
    Thanks for all the replies guys / gals.

    I am totally not used to being forced into one particular build (feel trapped), maybe AD gets a lot easier and this will not be a issue.

    In Rift you had 12 different (maybe 15 cant remember 4 sure) specs you could change to at the drop of a hat (best part of the game imo). 3 free slots and you had to buy the rest, which I totally did because options feel fun. 9 of my "specs" were for one particular role (chloromancer - offensive healer) and I was constantly changing those.

    Maybe this is just a me thing, but I much prefer to learn by doing compared to read and know. Maybe this is just a mental problem but those 3 little points keep calling out to me, lol. /sigh
  • bioshrikebioshrike Member, NW M9 Playtest Posts: 4,729 Arc User

    Thanks for all the replies guys / gals.

    I am totally not used to being forced into one particular build (feel trapped), maybe AD gets a lot easier and this will not be a issue.

    In Rift you had 12 different (maybe 15 cant remember 4 sure) specs you could change to at the drop of a hat (best part of the game imo). 3 free slots and you had to buy the rest, which I totally did because options feel fun. 9 of my "specs" were for one particular role (chloromancer - offensive healer) and I was constantly changing those.

    Maybe this is just a me thing, but I much prefer to learn by doing compared to read and know. Maybe this is just a mental problem but those 3 little points keep calling out to me, lol. /sigh

    Truly, the test server becomes your best friend, in this regard. Copy over there, where retrain tokens are free, and test test test until you find a build you like.

    I'd also like to point out that builds tend to be pretty forgiving in Neverwinter - unless you're going for BiS stuff, in which case, the aforementioned Test Server testing is a must.

    Good luck and have fun!
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  • zibadawazibadawa Member Posts: 1,266 Arc User
    It only takes about 120k AD to get a respec token, and that's the price when Zen is 400 AD each. It's more like 350 each right now, I think. So 3 to 4 days of refining on a single characters. There are lots of things to spend AD on to improve a character, but if you've messed up your feats/powers/boons then 120k is a pretty reasonable price in the greater scheme of things.
  • urabaskurabask Member Posts: 2,923 Arc User
    OP said:



    I am having a decent time so far (lvl 33 rogue), though I have noticed a few things that I feel warrant discussion.

    I'd be more worried about making sure that your attribute roles aren't terrible. They'll still work out to a few percentage here and there but that's ~450k with the current exchange rate and a 15% coupon (which is really low) for a race reroll.
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  • zibadawazibadawa Member Posts: 1,266 Arc User

    Do not respec until lvl 60 minimum.

    Absolutely no reason or benefit to do so.



    Focus on learning the different class roles, gameplay style preference and (gasp) have fun.

    Very true, though it's definitely possible to end up learning bad play strategy as a result of coping with a god-awful build. And most such bad habits are especially annoying when you end up in groups.

    As a pro-tip on that: skills that move enemies apart/away can be awesome in solo (and pvp), but in most cases are really bad ideas in group content. In group play the idea is usually to get the mobs collected together, and frequently stunned/dazed, so that AoE's can melt them away much faster. If you're doing something that runs contrary to that--using knockback effects, kiting mobs all over the place, etc.--then you're doing the group a disfavor. There are a few exceptions, but your default approach should be to avoid doing those things as much as you can until you're experienced with the content enough to know those few exceptions well. These are workable strategies for solo, especially when you're still weak or don't quite know how to min-max your class, but find ways to do the opposite in groups: group them up; root them in tight knit groups; stun them without moving them out of the melee and aoe attack ranges of your party members; if you have to kite then try to keep them as close to the main batch of mobs or at least high aggro-generating party members as possible--aggro will transfer faster, stuns are more likely to hit them to protect you, or they'll just get melted before they can take you out.

    There are a lot of players that use ranged attackers--HRs and SWs in particular, though not exclusively--that don't seem to know these differences between solo strategies and group strategies, and it gets seriously annoying when a fight last 4 times as long because they can't handle their own aggro and are zipping mobs all over the place, making the melee dps drop to like 4 damage per second and aoe attackers frequently can't hit all desired targets.
  • katarina#9982 katarina Member Posts: 18 Arc User

    This is still a problem for me. I absolutely cannot stand being trapped in my current build. Took forever to save up for a 80% horse and now I need 90k ad to respec ? That is what I paid for the horse.

    How can this game not have dual spec ?

    How can it take that much currency to change your build ?

    Time and money spent:

    NeverWinter: ~ 2 weeks, 0 us dollars spent.

    Blade and Soul: ~ 2 days so far, 125.00 us dollars spent. (will be spending a lot more here as well)

    If an employee of Arc ever notices this, the reason I am not and WILL NOT give you money is simply because you are attempting to force me to. There are things I would purchase, if basic game essentials were provided.

    I dont wanna respec once, I want to do it over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over until I find the build I am happy with. A test server is not sufficient due to lack of players to kill or be killed by.

    One of the two aforementioned games is going to get a very consistent player, the other is going to get a casual visitor. I like this game, it is more my style than B&S but not being able to test my build myself has me in a state of perpetual anger.

    Please. I can easily spend a third of my play time experimenting with builds and enjoy every second of it. Change this to 1 gold like it should be so I can put the time into this game I kinda want to.
  • urabaskurabask Member Posts: 2,923 Arc User
    Honestly if 90k is keeping you from playing the game you're not going to progress all that much. After a point you'll be spending five times that much just to upgrade one enchantment/companion/ etc.
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  • katarina#9982 katarina Member Posts: 18 Arc User
    urabask said:

    Honestly if 90k is keeping you from playing the game you're not going to progress all that much. After a point you'll be spending five times that much just to upgrade one enchantment/companion/ etc.

    Well I am still only 63, so I am only able to hit like 23k ad refined a day. I have been looking at prices of stuff and know there is a lot of expensive stuff.

    The fact I do not have the currency and need to wait 3 more days just to try a build that may or may not work for me is what is most disturbing. So intentionally I do 2 skirm, dung and pvp for the currency and log off because I hate my build and I am not having fun with it.

    There are like a zillion things I need to save ad for that is not a basic game necessity like a respec, but I will not be happy until I like my build. Even then I will experiment with other stuff.

    Unless there are drastic ad income changes at 70, I can safely say this is the best example of a pay to win game that I have ever played.
  • caunsidhcaunsidh Member, NW M9 Playtest Posts: 272 Arc User

    125.00 us dollars spent

    For that amount of money, you cold have respecced more than 50 times. Is that not enough?
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  • katarina#9982 katarina Member Posts: 18 Arc User

    Well they are a Company and need to gain money from the game.

    Price seems absurd initially but when you get to end-game it is bearable.

    Certainly you want to do all your testing in the Preview shard and then Respec with a definitive build in Live.

    Search in Google for Neverwinter Preview.

    I have no clue why this game does not pursue legitimate avenues for income such as appearance. This game really needs some type of transmog system with outfits for sale (copy Rifts, it is the best I have seen).

    The pay model this game is using needs to be improved drastically. Why ignore the #1 money producing element of free to play games (wardrobe) ?
  • katarina#9982 katarina Member Posts: 18 Arc User
    caunsidh said:

    125.00 us dollars spent

    For that amount of money, you cold have respecced more than 50 times. Is that not enough?
    It is principle dude, I do not feel forced to spend a dime in that game. Even though it is much less my type of game I am more willing to give them money due to being lured into spending it, instead of forced into it.
  • katarina#9982 katarina Member Posts: 18 Arc User

    Do not respec until lvl 60 minimum.

    Absolutely no reason or benefit to do so.



    Focus on learning the different class roles, gameplay style preference and (gasp) have fun.

    I ignored your advice and still need to respec (and will many more times), changing my builds and testing there effectiveness is fun to me (gasp).
  • frozenfirevrfrozenfirevr Member, Neverwinter Moderator, NW M9 Playtest Posts: 1,475 Community Moderator
    Mate... You saying how much you have spent doesn't do a thing for you. Get to 70 first. There is absolutely no reason to respec in this game if you got your build right... Read a decent guide for your class, use it to make choices while leveling. Copy to preview (I haven't found the need to), respec to some other stuff you fancy, compare your performance, pay for a single respec in the live server (if you haven't gotten a free one by then). This game ain't others, so stop comparing. The mechanics here don't require jumping between builds, at most you'd switch your powers for PvP, and PvE or single or multi target (some don't even this necessary), which wouldn't require any respecs if you have spent the points right. If you still want to be stubborn about your 'question' nobody can help you. We all have fair experience with the game and its mechanics and are mostly satisfied with the respecs.
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  • frozenfirevrfrozenfirevr Member, Neverwinter Moderator, NW M9 Playtest Posts: 1,475 Community Moderator
    And btw paying for a 80% mount is a very VERY bad decision. You must have run a 50% gold mount (many 50% and even 80%s were free during some events) till you had enough AD to buy a 110% mount from the zen store, they are decently priced and can be claimed any number of times and on any number of characters.
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  • katarina#9982 katarina Member Posts: 18 Arc User
    kreatyve said:

    You can earn enough Astral Diamonds to get the Zen for it to be free. So please do not feel forced to pay money. And they give away retraining tokens during the Winter Festival as @valwryn said. Also if they do a lot of balance changes to a class when a new mod drops, they will sometimes give a free respec (or even a forced one).

    Why is this enough though ? We are talking about a essential part of the game, this is not a area that should be taxed in a fair pay system.
  • katarina#9982 katarina Member Posts: 18 Arc User

    And btw paying for a 80% mount is a very VERY bad decision. You must have run a 50% gold mount (many 50% and even 80%s were free during some events) till you had enough AD to buy a 110% mount from the zen store, they are decently priced and can be claimed any number of times and on any number of characters.

    I am not giving this game money until I do not feel forced to. If ad income changes drastically at level 70 and 90k ad is nothing then I will pick up a account wide 110 and open some character slots. Until this is not a issue I am not a paying customer.

    I have played a lot of free to play games and this one is the only one I have not spent a dime on.
  • katarina#9982 katarina Member Posts: 18 Arc User

    Mate... You saying how much you have spent doesn't do a thing for you. Get to 70 first. There is absolutely no reason to respec in this game if you got your build right... Read a decent guide for your class, use it to make choices while leveling. Copy to preview (I haven't found the need to), respec to some other stuff you fancy, compare your performance, pay for a single respec in the live server (if you haven't gotten a free one by then). This game ain't others, so stop comparing. The mechanics here don't require jumping between builds, at most you'd switch your powers for PvP, and PvE or single or multi target (some don't even this necessary), which wouldn't require any respecs if you have spent the points right. If you still want to be stubborn about your 'question' nobody can help you. We all have fair experience with the game and its mechanics and are mostly satisfied with the respecs.

    It is not really a question, it is a petition to change something that should have never existed in its current form to begin with.

    Why even bother complaining about it ? I like this game, so far and wish to keep playing it. Yes, I hope positive change occurs.

    If I was not enjoying parts of this game this thread would not have existed.

    I am complaining because I care and would like to hang around a while.
  • vincentr6669vincentr6669 Member Posts: 235 Arc User
    Like everybody has said: preview server is your best friend to test builds, unlimited respecs there.

    WHEN you find the build you like making you respec on real server too, then it's not that hard to get AD for the real respec.

    You can get AD transfering from one character into another (if you have more than just your Trickster Rogue of course) making past the 36k cap. You can get AD salvaging a lot of item from levels 60 to 70. Plus the AD you get for doing the first 2 dungeons, skirmishes and PVP for each day and each character.
  • regenerderegenerde Member Posts: 3,046 Arc User
    edited January 2016

    Mate... You saying how much you have spent doesn't do a thing for you. Get to 70 first. There is absolutely no reason to respec in this game if you got your build right... Read a decent guide for your class, use it to make choices while leveling. Copy to preview (I haven't found the need to), respec to some other stuff you fancy, compare your performance, pay for a single respec in the live server (if you haven't gotten a free one by then). This game ain't others, so stop comparing. The mechanics here don't require jumping between builds, at most you'd switch your powers for PvP, and PvE or single or multi target (some don't even this necessary), which wouldn't require any respecs if you have spent the points right. If you still want to be stubborn about your 'question' nobody can help you. We all have fair experience with the game and its mechanics and are mostly satisfied with the respecs.

    Mostly satisfied with the actual respec system?
    No.

    Just read the answers in here, it's more like finding ways around it over the PTS, or trying to minimize the costs for it as much as possible, through discount vouchers or exchanging AD to ZEN when the exchange rate is more in your favour.

    Some might even dare to say, that the players have given up on hoping for any changes in this section of the game...

    Anyway, it would be nice to see more events with respec tokens as reward, or if we would get more informations in the "AD Changes" department.
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  • sangrinesangrine Member, NW M9 Playtest Posts: 575 Arc User
    edited January 2016
    During the recent winter event, I got 6 free account-bound respecs and several free character-bound respecs for my 5 characters. Neverwinter is the type of game you should regularly play (at least) a little every day, if you don't wish to spend real money (for whatever reasons). People who play infrequently or not regularly, will miss some benefits/gifts/rewards/freebies which regular players get for free.

    Last summer, during the summer event, cryptic gave players a free 80% speed horse, but you have to play regularly to get it. You can get many things for free in Neverwinter, but you must play regularly, especially during events.
  • silverkeltsilverkelt Member, NW M9 Playtest Posts: 4,235 Arc User
    I got 11 during christmas event.. im down to 8 in bank now, after respecing my dc back to righteous and redoing my tr that was point bugged from way way WAY back and making my cw a thaum.

    I will redo paladin eventually, as I messed up on certain powers I wont ever use.

    Then maybe do my gwf again.

    but yes.. before christmas events happened I was always really slow at respec.. never seemed worth the money half the time , unless it was something major.

    They used to be a little more "free" with free respecs , but lately that hasnt happened. So you have to be prepared to pay for one if you have to.

  • mercedesmanmercedesman Member Posts: 200 Arc User
    If someone can get Cryptic to start changing it's business model, please let me know. There are many things that I take for granted as "just they way they it is" and accept them that could be changed. I like driving, but don't like being forced to buy gas(or electricity) those car manufacturers could make a car that does not use any energy producing source that we have to buy. I need food to eat and stay alive and because of that I feel forced to buy food.. If God required us to eat to stay alive, he should make food free (well it is for certain levels of income in the USA).. the list can go on for a while but I will stop now. Just let me know if you have success here and I will look into hiring you for these other things.. I say "look into" because I hate to feel forced to pay someone for their skills and time as they should be free. Well better get back to work, I am sure that my employer wouldn't like the idea of me writing this on HIS time, even though he should pay me for doing nothing because I would rather not work.
  • bwowmpbwowmp Member, NW M9 Playtest Posts: 81 Arc User

    If someone can get Cryptic to start changing it's business model, please let me know. There are many things that I take for granted as "just they way they it is" and accept them that could be changed. I like driving, but don't like being forced to buy gas(or electricity) those car manufacturers could make a car that does not use any energy producing source that we have to buy. I need food to eat and stay alive and because of that I feel forced to buy food.. If God required us to eat to stay alive, he should make food free (well it is for certain levels of income in the USA).. the list can go on for a while but I will stop now. Just let me know if you have success here and I will look into hiring you for these other things.. I say "look into" because I hate to feel forced to pay someone for their skills and time as they should be free. Well better get back to work, I am sure that my employer wouldn't like the idea of me writing this on HIS time, even though he should pay me for doing nothing because I would rather not work.

    Great points. I like your attitude (I'm also delaying work to write this) and your handle (s500 in the garage).

    I can't understand why all the kvetching in threads like this about paying for respecs, transmutes, coal wards (pre TarBar store rework), etc. Game is F2P. Everything in game can be had for AD, or for Zen which can be bought with AD. No real-world money need be spent. And as mentioned...this is NWO...not another game. It is not set up to be friendly to the pockets of those who wish to re-spec every other day or own every fashion set in the game. While F2P, this game is not run by a charity, and they do need to secure some revenue to keep it up and running for us....even if we continually whine on forums about the product they provide.

    Here's what you may not have figured out yet, Katarina, and what no one has told you in this thread. This game has largely become a subscription game for those of us in it for the long-haul, and who are not just dipping our toes in before dashing off to another shiny new game. So if you want to make your life a ton easier, invest that $125 you talked about earlier once more into a 12-month VIP subscription. Use a 15% off coupon from invoking to make it cheaper. The daily rewards from free lockbox key can (typically) be sold on the AH for astral diamonds, which you can then convert to Zen if you like. If you hit a good lockbox drop here and there, you can buy all the respecs you want. At rank 12 VIP, you also get a huge discount on things from the wondrous bazaar (GMOPs, SMOPs, etc), which at your character level will save you a ton of money/AD down the road.

    No I don't work for Cryptic, so I'm not truly shilling here. I do spend money on the game though...and the re-work away from a Zen economy to a TarBar economy was brilliant on PWE/Cryptic's part. I effectively pay my $10/month subscription, I get the thrill of opening a lockbox for free every day, get tons of benefits (travel post, mailbox, bank anywhere...injury immunity is huge too), and the issues being discussed here largely disappear...because everything is either in the TarBar store (like the fashions you like so much, Katarina), or available via the AD you will make from selling your daily lockbox drops.

    Please don't let me add to the "feeling forced" vibe you already feel. It's a good game, with some good folks in it. I understand you have an issue with the way Cryptic/PWE tries to earn their money. This is just my honest opinion here...you will have to spend some money on any F2P game to advance significantly, unless you make that game your entire life. For me, VIP program makes that advancement a whole lot easier, and a lot cheaper in the long-run.

    I hope you can come to enjoy it here. It's actually pretty cool.
  • bobs1111bobs1111 Member Posts: 13 Arc User
    edited January 2016
    Cryptics model changed when PWI purchased them. Granted NW never released until after the purchase so it has always existed as it is. I feel your pain, before PWI Cryptics other games like STO allowed you to change things a lot more regular. It cost a good amount of in game currency, still it didn't cost money. They where also better about giving people respec tokens every 10 levels or so when they where leveling. When PWI changed it, STO lost a lot of people on that change alone. At this point though they won't be changing it. You can still grind to respec. (buying other peoples zen from them with ADs) Really though if you are going to play this game a lot as an experimenter of builds you are pretty much forced to either pay, or work the market. One up side of Cryptics model of charging for things people will always want, is there market is more "alive" then many other MMOs. If you play for awhile and pay attention you can make a good income of AD from the AH and feed your habits, be warned though if your a min max type player that has to have the best gear as well.... Cryptics AD sinks on gear upgrades are 20x worse then coming up with 110,000 (aprox) ad for a respec.

    What would be nice is if Cryptic added a weekly or monthly respec token for a higher level of VIP or something... at least then if you like the game and buy in the experimenters would be looked after a little.
  • chaosweaver83chaosweaver83 Member Posts: 37 Arc User
    Funny, I've never felt forced to spend money in this game. I do so from time to time because I enjoy it, never because I felt Cryptic/PWE were making me in order to advance. I don't pvp and don't care about being BIS. I play at my own pace and acquire most things by just playing. YMMV.
  • bobs1111bobs1111 Member Posts: 13 Arc User

    Funny, I've never felt forced to spend money in this game. I do so from time to time because I enjoy it, never because I felt Cryptic/PWE were making me in order to advance. I don't pvp and don't care about being BIS. I play at my own pace and acquire most things by just playing. YMMV.

    For many long time mmo players (not all of course) playing around with your build and testing changes is a large part of the appeal of playing. If you are one of those types, as the op claims they are... then yes Cryptics model feels punitive and greedy as a new player. When making 100k in AD seems like a huge amount of work, being asked for that much to just change some skills around is a massive red flag. Cryptic could easily fix this for honest to goodness first time players easy enough. They could send real new players (people a few weeks old with one or two toons) a welcome package with a few respecs or something. At this point most of the new players are not huge D&D fans... they are coming from games like RIFT as the OP is where paying for something like a respec is a strange idea. Doing something like that for new people would be a better way of keeping some of the newer players around long enough to get hooked and build up resources, and or a willingness to spend on such things.
  • mrshabokmrshabok Member Posts: 210 Arc User
    edited January 2016
    How can you say it's pay to win? The ability to change your spec at the drop of a hat has nothing to do with winning or performing well. Remember some of the greatest RPG's of all time, like BG2 for example, or more recently TES and Fallout? You never got to respec in those. Ever. Pick a "bad" build? Too bad, gotta do some research and start over until you find one you like. The PC ZAX rate doesn't help though. Right now on Xbox its only 60k AD to buy a respec with zen because of the rate.
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  • vaporwalkervaporwalker Member, NW M9 Playtest Posts: 19 Arc User
    1. the price tag on respeccing is not "reasonable" at all. even at max level.
    2. if you found a pvp spec and a pve spec, you can only have one at a time and are forced to pay to respec. which most players find a hybrid spec to do both (crappy design)
    3. there is no "real endgame" in this game as far as pve, and classes are not balanced well as far as pvp. You can botch up your spec and yet do well by having top gear/companions.
    4. yes, you can get free respec tokens from simril fest.... a once a year event that lasts a few weeks (doesnt help anyone starting the game now, next simril fest is in 11 months)
    5. my advice, play this game for free if its enjoyable to you but i wouldnt spend any real money on it.
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