Sharandar Campaign: The "Reinforce Protective Wards" task no longer awards Power Points. They are instead given through the task, "Assist War Effort."
This task requires 10 of each area's currency, along with 150 Feywild Sparks, 15 Gold, and 15,000 Astral Diamonds.
Sharandar is the most annoying of all the campaigns. The maps are way too small for the amount of people there, the quest objectives are mostly global, meaning they can be stolen by others; there are not enough enemies for the "kill x of them" quests if there are more than 3 or 4 people around; and all those patrols going around in these tight maps have an insane aggro range, meaning you have to fight at least 2 or 3 encounters every time you want to go to one quest objective. In short, noone will enjoy doing 30 daily quests there and then pay 15k ad on top of that for one power point. The old system with the overflow xp is a lot less frustrating. Please think about the pricing here or maybe even consider putting this reward into the dread ring campaign instead, which is a lot less frustrating to play.
Bonding Runestones now grant their combined effect in a single stack.
For example, if a summoned companion has two Bonding Runestones (Rank 12, 95% each) equipped, the related buff now gives the player 190% of the summoned companion's current stats.
This effect no longer stacks. This gives the effect a maximum of 285% of the summoned companion's current stats (with three R12s equipped).
So what will you do to make augment companions relevant again? Just a week or so ago there was a big advertisement on the launcher to buy augments with the 20% discount; many of the new companions are augments. Why make them so much weaker compared to other companions? (100% vs 285%) Please consider giving augments a bonus when being equipped with bonding stones as well, or make an exchange similar to the losmauth exchange where we can change augments for rank 12 bonding stones.
klangeddinMember, NW M9 PlaytestPosts: 882Arc User
edited May 2016
The new cost of the power point is absolutely terrible, 4 days for a power point. Is this a joke? With the proper investment it would be way (WAY) faster to get them via exp lol. I will not even bother at this rate.
So what will you do to make augment companions relevant again? Just a week or so ago there was a big advertisement on the launcher to buy augments with the 20% discount; many of the new companions are augments. Why make them so much weaker compared to other companions? (100% vs 285%) Please consider giving augments a bonus when being equipped with bonding stones as well, or make an exchange similar to the losmauth exchange where we can change augments for rank 12 bonding stones.
When the bug is fixed that is giving the bonding stack 100% uptime a bonding pet will only give an average of 188% of it's stats at r12. 285% for 20 seconds, and 0% for 10 seconds. This is the same average stats provided that bonding pets currently have on live right now except that the stacks you have are more spread out over time. basically, the augment vs bonding paradigm is not changing at all with this update. it is actually getting closer since bondings won't ever get past a maximum value of 3x lv xx bonding runestone whereas on live you can get 4,5,6 stacks of bondings depending on your pet
Guild - The Imaginary Friends We are searching for slave labor, will pay with food from our farm!
If the nerfbat is being unleashed on bondings, I would suggest removing the ability of Underdark rings to proc on pets with ring slots.
I fail to see how "the nerfbat is being unleashed".
285% effectiveness - the added amount of 3 R12 bonding stones is a cap. Stones should have never been able to stack more than 3 times - and as is, they do - very easily, something that IMO is obviously not WAI.
As an example, the Dwarven Battlerager is a companion that is available for free & easily attainable to everybody who plays this game.
Drowcraft raid rings are available for free (by playing content that grants Demonic Ichor) & easily attainable to everybody who plays this game.
Bonding runestones are an investment in upgrading your character if you so choose - they are readily available but will cost some AD - AD that can be acquired by playing this game.
Dwarven Battle Rager & kitting him out in R8 bondings with Drowcraft Raid rings amounts to a 5K+ stat improvement to your character for simply playing this game.
If you happen to use VIP, and use your keys to open lockboxes, trade bars can be used to buy R7's... add 3 R7 enchants to the free companion, the 5K improvement jumps to nearly 6K - for simply playing this game.
There is so much complaining about EVERYTHING that goes on in this game it amazes me at times.
I can hear it now, "I don't use R8's, R7's, that companion is trash, that gear is trash, I want BiS, it's too grindy to get...."
I'll be the first to admit there are serious issues with this game, at the same time there are several reasons I continue to play.
This thread is a prime example of some of the major problems...
Community says RnG on power points is stupid.
A potential fix is put in - community up and declares grinding for power points is stupid & costs too much...
Community says current content is too easy.
A broken mechanic is addressed that helps trivialize content - community declares NERF ALERT when the fix simply eliminates excess stacking.
This thread is a prime example of some of the major problems... Community says RnG on power points is stupid. A potential fix is put in - community up and declares grinding for power points is stupid & costs too much... Seriously pick a lane.
the fix is bad, just not as bad as rng having to grind a 64-68 over and over is not going to be fun for anyone. and takes away from guild coffers
this should be seen as something help people catch up that don't grind
This thread is a prime example of some of the major problems... Community says RnG on power points is stupid. A potential fix is put in - community up and declares grinding for power points is stupid & costs too much...
Seriously pick a lane.
Wanting a less random solution does not mean they wanted this system. The most popular suggestion was simply to award a power point with each level up reward. I guess they felt that earning 1.7 mill xp was enough of a barrier. At no point did anyone ask for a whole new system, only a fix to a system we already had.
If you took your shiny new sports car in to the mechanic for a tune up. Id expect you might feel a little ungrateful if his solution was to offer you a beat up mini van instead of fixing what you wanted.
running the 9 daily quests in Sharandar takes an hour tops - and grants an automatic 22500 enchant RP.
to get the currency needed it takes for simplicity's sake - 4 days, 4 hours over 4 days if you CHOOSE to do it everyday... currency for a power point + 90000 enchant RP.
How many people are leveling overflow every 4 days, over the course of 4 hours who don't grind (or who do grind for that matter)?
The coffer argument holds little weight as well, the crescent currency drops as well - and is not needed for a PP, most effective currency to donate, probably not, but it does count toward coffer donation.
Then there's the practicality sake argument - is any one in their right mind going to do this every day until they have every power maxed out? If they do, grinding seemingly isn't an issue.
I believe that would be 53 times to get the needed 131 power points needed to max every skill/power/feature... 2 class features/2 dailies/2 at-wills/3 encounters (4 if you happen to be a CW), chances are 1 of these is already at 4 on a fresh 70.
8 PP to max out 9 active abilities (add 1 if you're a CW). Totally within reason to grab a PP a week playing casually. If anybody is so obsessive they deem it necessary to grind out every ability to rank 4 - that is solely on them (and borderline insane).
Then there is the possibility overflow will also continue to grant the chance at a PP.
Implementing a way to guaranteed a PP is a win for the player base.
So what will you do to make augment companions relevant again? Just a week or so ago there was a big advertisement on the launcher to buy augments with the 20% discount; many of the new companions are augments. Why make them so much weaker compared to other companions? (100% vs 285%) Please consider giving augments a bonus when being equipped with bonding stones as well, or make an exchange similar to the losmauth exchange where we can change augments for rank 12 bonding stones.
When the bug is fixed that is giving the bonding stack 100% uptime a bonding pet will only give an average of 188% of it's stats at r12. 285% for 20 seconds, and 0% for 10 seconds. This is the same average stats provided that bonding pets currently have on live right now except that the stacks you have are more spread out over time. basically, the augment vs bonding paradigm is not changing at all with this update. it is actually getting closer since bondings won't ever get past a maximum value of 3x lv xx bonding runestone whereas on live you can get 4,5,6 stacks of bondings depending on your pet
They also can heal, tank or deal damage in addition to the stats provided, augments can't.
Arcane Reservoir gives 100 sparks, so this is 3⅓ days of all of the dailies plus the weekly. I'm ok with pacing one power point a week, but needing 3⅓ of ALL the dailies is a little grindy. (15k AD, being ~½ the daily refining cap, is not really so much once a week too.)
We should assume that players will want to do the task more than once. So the calculation needs to use average Feywild Sparks per day not burst Feywild Sparks. Players can average 29.3 Feywild Sparks per day. ((15 * 7 + 100) / 7 = 29.3) So it takes 5.1 days to grind enough Feywild Sparks while only taking 3.3 days to grind enough area currency. The Feywild Sparks requirement should be reduced to 100, so that it takes 3.4 days on average.
I'm sure some will want to do the task more than once, but the cost says to me that the devs don't want them to. "Do 3.3 days of dailies and toss in the weekly, then wait for next week." Kind of like how I can grind 400 demonic ichor in a few hours if I really want to, but I'm still capped at 400 per week.
The new cost of the power point is absolutely terrible, 4 days for a power point. Is this a joke?
I'm perfectly fine with the cost. As long as my hard work is guaranteed the reward of an actual power point, I'm fine. Sure beats grinding out multiple level ups only to be presented with some Tomes of Companion Exp, and a handful of cheap enchantments.
Re; the power point task. I don't mind there being a relatively high cost, I mind it being all from Sharandar as it just creates brutal monotony. Is there a way to have a task in the new campaign that connects other campaigns that goes across the different currencies?
As to bonding - It is good there's a fix coming, but I'm not sure that it being up 100% of the time is pointful. It means augements are plain useless if you can afford rank 8s. The random-ness of bonding needs to be preserved somehow, although I don't have an issue with them being better overall.
Re; the power point task. I don't mind there being a relatively high cost, I mind it being all from Sharandar as it just creates brutal monotony. Is there a way to have a task in the new campaign that connects other campaigns that goes across the different currencies?
Exactly my issue. Grind Sharandar for the campaign, then for the coffer, and now for powerpoints. I'm happy there is a guaranteed way to get them, but put that way in only 1 zone, and a zone that has been around for ages and is required for other things....the currency there is now needed for 3 separate tasks.
Make the same quest in WOD, DR, IWD and that solves a bit of it. Make it a new currency thats not used for anything else, and that solves a bit too.
In the end, people dont want to be repeating the same content over and over and over.....this is NOT engaging gameplay. Should have simply upped the chances at a PP from overflow and been done with it.
running the 9 daily quests in Sharandar takes an hour tops
my dc and gf really disagree on that statement
This^^- It takes me around 2 hours to do all of sharandar alone on my DC healer.. I haven't attempted it alone on my lower IL GF tank.
I'm quite happy about the addition all things considered. A+++ QOL thing.
Now if we could just get those skills that I'm not using on my DC to actually be worth using IE (Warding Flare/Geas/Hastening Light not working or being worth it) we would be in business. I'm pretty happy about the Bondings being changed as well from what I've seen so far.
Relmyna - AC/DC Righteous + Haste| Nadine - CW MoF (working on it)|Buffy - GF SM Tact| Hrist - Justice Tankadin|Healadin (Wannabe Tank)| Lena -MI Sabo TR (Farmer) | Jeska - GWF SM Destroyer (Farmer) | Maggie - HR PF Trapper (Wannabe DPS)
--
I'll never retrace my steps.
dheffernanMember, NW M9 PlaytestPosts: 216Arc User
It wouldn't surprise me much if the other campaigns were going to be adjusted as well to fit into this new paradigm, including ways to earn PP through them.
@Venture-1@Venture from City of Heroes if you remember that far back. Yes, *that* Venture. Yes, I probably trashed your MA arc. For me it was Tuesday.
We finally have a NON-RNG way to get PPs, and people complain... So unfathomable...
WORD !
Nancy - Dragonborn, SM Guardian Fighter A proud member of "mythical horde of DPS GFs"
1). Is SW more dps or tank based? 2). Yes. I am panzer! 3). Get ACT if you want to celebrate your epeen. 4). Horniness will not stand between me and what I believe - "MM"
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klangeddinMember, NW M9 PlaytestPosts: 882Arc User
edited May 2016
What I find unfathomable is how people can accept any bone they're thrown at them just because the current system is broken. The exp overflow system has to be fixed, period. This change not only doesn't help the overflow exp in any way, it gives you a brutally monotone and grindy way to get ONE power point every 4 days. Do you remember before mod 6? It was RNG, sure, but the overflow was so much faster that you could reasonably get power points in less than 4 days and without the need to grind the SAME SPOT OVER AND OVER. So you have still the same broken system + one additional unbearable grind (as if those damn campaigns weren't grinded enough for those accursed boons and guild coffers) and you're happy? Sorry, but I won't stand for this. They need to fix their overflow exp system to make it give always a power point, this change I do not find acceptable at all. In fact, I find it even more broken than the current overflow system if I was really keen on gaining power point. There are reports of people gaining multiple points in a weekend (two days) if they stack the various XP multipliers and farm exp (which can be done in several places, not only in Sharandar, you know this means a lot for the playability of a game). 4 days of ALL Sharandar for a single power point + AD cost, psshhhtt.... And oh boy if you have multiple characters... you may as well stop living real life.
I hope you folks realize that if you feel "happy" about this change, they won't be doing anything about the overflow exp rewards.
I spent 10 minutes to test the new bonding mechanism. I am surprised that the new companion gift buff refreshes if my companion attacks. This change is huge in my opinion. Before companion gift has 20 sec of 30 sec up time. But now it will be almost always up. @terramak, could you confirm if this works intended or not? Because this is not mentioned in the patch notes.
If this works as intended, I think it is a big boost to the bonding stone ( for players who does not overstack companion gifts). Yes, it will bring most if not all (slow proc) companions viable. But I see power creep! more (overall) stats and more useful active bonus/useful powers from companion will boost party damage. In addition, the bonding will like empowered augment companion, the current 20/30 mechanism may not be perfect but it is different from augments, now they are just the same. Well, boring!
I'll be interested to see if the 100% uptime was intended. Would level the pets almost completely...but leaves augments out in the wind.
I have a feeling it will be a 20 second buff, 30 second cooldown, and then triggered again on the next pet attack. So something like 66% uptime if math is right....
It is kinda weird that some are complaining about the Non-RNG way to get a power point, its not like its a requirement to advance through content. I think this is a great solution and can't wait for it to go live. I hate any RNG mechanic because it does not reward for timed played i.e. +5 rings, I have yet to get 1 and I have done a metric-ton worth of underdark content. I have flipped my XP overflow now for the 7th time without the power point reward, it just plain sucks as it is. Yeah, I get that there will be a choice to feed the guild coffers with Sharandar currency but that's just it, a choice. Hopefully, the Dev's will say one way or another if overflow XP still has that chance to give the power point that way if we still need to donate Sharandar currency we don't lose out that RNG chance to get a power point. Again, I for 1 appreciate the non-RNG way to get a power point and i'm not concerned with the cost. When my guild needs the Sharandar currency to advance it will go to the guild, when it doesn't I will use to get my guaranteed power point.
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zekethesinnerMember, NW M9 PlaytestPosts: 805Arc User
I think the non-rng solution for power points quite fair and if they had to pick a zone - sharandar is the best zone. They will scale it down from 70 so newcomers can do it daily during leveling from 60-70.
Because of bad rng many of my alts have only about 3 pp, now they can catch up. I look forward running the quests with other alts of my guild - should not take that long.
Sharandar Campaign: The "Reinforce Protective Wards" task no longer awards Power Points. They are instead given through the task, "Assist War Effort."
This task requires 10 of each area's currency, along with 150 Feywild Sparks, 15 Gold, and 15,000 Astral Diamonds.
Sharandar is the most annoying of all the campaigns. The maps are way too small for the amount of people there, the quest objectives are mostly global, meaning they can be stolen by others; there are not enough enemies for the "kill x of them" quests if there are more than 3 or 4 people around; and all those patrols going around in these tight maps have an insane aggro range, meaning you have to fight at least 2 or 3 encounters every time you want to go to one quest objective. In short, noone will enjoy doing 30 daily quests there and then pay 15k ad on top of that for one power point. The old system with the overflow xp is a lot less frustrating. Please think about the pricing here or maybe even consider putting this reward into the dread ring campaign instead, which is a lot less frustrating to play.
Bonding Runestones now grant their combined effect in a single stack.
For example, if a summoned companion has two Bonding Runestones (Rank 12, 95% each) equipped, the related buff now gives the player 190% of the summoned companion's current stats.
This effect no longer stacks. This gives the effect a maximum of 285% of the summoned companion's current stats (with three R12s equipped).
So what will you do to make augment companions relevant again? Just a week or so ago there was a big advertisement on the launcher to buy augments with the 20% discount; many of the new companions are augments. Why make them so much weaker compared to other companions? (100% vs 285%) Please consider giving augments a bonus when being equipped with bonding stones as well, or make an exchange similar to the losmauth exchange where we can change augments for rank 12 bonding stones.
Maybe make it to where if the Bondings are placed on a augment it automaticly procs at the beginning of battle and at the end of each cooldown, that would be the only viable way to make bondings work on augments also have to make the Percentage of the companions gift be reduced when placed on augments if that's the case, don't want it messed up
Comments
In short, noone will enjoy doing 30 daily quests there and then pay 15k ad on top of that for one power point. The old system with the overflow xp is a lot less frustrating.
Please think about the pricing here or maybe even consider putting this reward into the dread ring campaign instead, which is a lot less frustrating to play. So what will you do to make augment companions relevant again? Just a week or so ago there was a big advertisement on the launcher to buy augments with the 20% discount; many of the new companions are augments. Why make them so much weaker compared to other companions? (100% vs 285%) Please consider giving augments a bonus when being equipped with bonding stones as well, or make an exchange similar to the losmauth exchange where we can change augments for rank 12 bonding stones.
I will not even bother at this rate.
basically, the augment vs bonding paradigm is not changing at all with this update. it is actually getting closer since bondings won't ever get past a maximum value of 3x lv xx bonding runestone whereas on live you can get 4,5,6 stacks of bondings depending on your pet
We are searching for slave labor, will pay with food from our farm!
285% effectiveness - the added amount of 3 R12 bonding stones is a cap. Stones should have never been able to stack more than 3 times - and as is, they do - very easily, something that IMO is obviously not WAI.
As an example, the Dwarven Battlerager is a companion that is available for free & easily attainable to everybody who plays this game.
Drowcraft raid rings are available for free (by playing content that grants Demonic Ichor) & easily attainable to everybody who plays this game.
Bonding runestones are an investment in upgrading your character if you so choose - they are readily available but will cost some AD - AD that can be acquired by playing this game.
Dwarven Battle Rager & kitting him out in R8 bondings with Drowcraft Raid rings amounts to a 5K+ stat improvement to your character for simply playing this game.
If you happen to use VIP, and use your keys to open lockboxes, trade bars can be used to buy R7's... add 3 R7 enchants to the free companion, the 5K improvement jumps to nearly 6K - for simply playing this game.
There is so much complaining about EVERYTHING that goes on in this game it amazes me at times.
I can hear it now, "I don't use R8's, R7's, that companion is trash, that gear is trash, I want BiS, it's too grindy to get...."
I'll be the first to admit there are serious issues with this game, at the same time there are several reasons I continue to play.
This thread is a prime example of some of the major problems...
Community says RnG on power points is stupid.
A potential fix is put in - community up and declares grinding for power points is stupid & costs too much...
Community says current content is too easy.
A broken mechanic is addressed that helps trivialize content - community declares NERF ALERT when the fix simply eliminates excess stacking.
Seriously pick a lane.
having to grind a 64-68 over and over is not going to be fun for anyone.
and takes away from guild coffers
this should be seen as something help people catch up that don't grind
If you took your shiny new sports car in to the mechanic for a tune up. Id expect you might feel a little ungrateful if his solution was to offer you a beat up mini van instead of fixing what you wanted.
to get the currency needed it takes for simplicity's sake - 4 days, 4 hours over 4 days if you CHOOSE to do it everyday... currency for a power point + 90000 enchant RP.
How many people are leveling overflow every 4 days, over the course of 4 hours who don't grind (or who do grind for that matter)?
The coffer argument holds little weight as well, the crescent currency drops as well - and is not needed for a PP, most effective currency to donate, probably not, but it does count toward coffer donation.
Then there's the practicality sake argument - is any one in their right mind going to do this every day until they have every power maxed out? If they do, grinding seemingly isn't an issue.
I believe that would be 53 times to get the needed 131 power points needed to max every skill/power/feature... 2 class features/2 dailies/2 at-wills/3 encounters (4 if you happen to be a CW), chances are 1 of these is already at 4 on a fresh 70.
8 PP to max out 9 active abilities (add 1 if you're a CW). Totally within reason to grab a PP a week playing casually. If anybody is so obsessive they deem it necessary to grind out every ability to rank 4 - that is solely on them (and borderline insane).
Then there is the possibility overflow will also continue to grant the chance at a PP.
Implementing a way to guaranteed a PP is a win for the player base.
Kind of like how I can grind 400 demonic ichor in a few hours if I really want to, but I'm still capped at 400 per week.
As to bonding - It is good there's a fix coming, but I'm not sure that it being up 100% of the time is pointful. It means augements are plain useless if you can afford rank 8s. The random-ness of bonding needs to be preserved somehow, although I don't have an issue with them being better overall.
Make the same quest in WOD, DR, IWD and that solves a bit of it. Make it a new currency thats not used for anything else, and that solves a bit too.
In the end, people dont want to be repeating the same content over and over and over.....this is NOT engaging gameplay. Should have simply upped the chances at a PP from overflow and been done with it.
I'm quite happy about the addition all things considered. A+++ QOL thing.
Now if we could just get those skills that I'm not using on my DC to actually be worth using IE (Warding Flare/Geas/Hastening Light not working or being worth it) we would be in business. I'm pretty happy about the Bondings being changed as well from what I've seen so far.
--
I'll never retrace my steps.
Some of my best friends are Imaginary.
A proud member of "mythical horde of DPS GFs"
1). Is SW more dps or tank based?
2). Yes. I am panzer!
3). Get ACT if you want to celebrate your epeen.
4). Horniness will not stand between me and what I believe - "MM"
The exp overflow system has to be fixed, period. This change not only doesn't help the overflow exp in any way, it gives you a brutally monotone and grindy way to get ONE power point every 4 days.
Do you remember before mod 6? It was RNG, sure, but the overflow was so much faster that you could reasonably get power points in less than 4 days and without the need to grind the SAME SPOT OVER AND OVER.
So you have still the same broken system + one additional unbearable grind (as if those damn campaigns weren't grinded enough for those accursed boons and guild coffers) and you're happy?
Sorry, but I won't stand for this. They need to fix their overflow exp system to make it give always a power point, this change I do not find acceptable at all. In fact, I find it even more broken than the current overflow system if I was really keen on gaining power point. There are reports of people gaining multiple points in a weekend (two days) if they stack the various XP multipliers and farm exp (which can be done in several places, not only in Sharandar, you know this means a lot for the playability of a game). 4 days of ALL Sharandar for a single power point + AD cost, psshhhtt....
And oh boy if you have multiple characters... you may as well stop living real life.
I hope you folks realize that if you feel "happy" about this change, they won't be doing anything about the overflow exp rewards.
If this works as intended, I think it is a big boost to the bonding stone ( for players who does not overstack companion gifts). Yes, it will bring most if not all (slow proc) companions viable. But I see power creep! more (overall) stats and more useful active bonus/useful powers from companion will boost party damage. In addition, the bonding will like empowered augment companion, the current 20/30 mechanism may not be perfect but it is different from augments, now they are just the same. Well, boring!
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
I have a feeling it will be a 20 second buff, 30 second cooldown, and then triggered again on the next pet attack. So something like 66% uptime if math is right....
Well see.
Yeah, I get that there will be a choice to feed the guild coffers with Sharandar currency but that's just it, a choice. Hopefully, the Dev's will say one way or another if overflow XP still has that chance to give the power point that way if we still need to donate Sharandar currency we don't lose out that RNG chance to get a power point. Again, I for 1 appreciate the non-RNG way to get a power point and i'm not concerned with the cost. When my guild needs the Sharandar currency to advance it will go to the guild, when it doesn't I will use to get my guaranteed power point.
(Sin)cerely
Kain
Because of bad rng many of my alts have only about 3 pp, now they can catch up. I look forward running the quests with other alts of my guild - should not take that long.
Maybe make it to where if the Bondings are placed on a augment it automaticly procs at the beginning of battle and at the end of each cooldown, that would be the only viable way to make bondings work on augments also have to make the Percentage of the companions gift be reduced when placed on augments if that's the case, don't want it messed up