Guild Wars 2

I been seeing alot of people complaining how ascended armor makes the game unfair but the stat increase is so small it wont affect the outcome of a fight. As long as player have full ascended trinkets with full exotics armour they are good to go. The offensive increase of zerker shoulders is only 1 power and 1 precision.

Flytrap.8075:

Ascended items were a terrible idea and ANet should feel bad.

I mean, it completely flies in the face of their “we don’t make grindy games” mantra.

This.

I don’t mind ascended, as long as it would have exactly the same stats as Exotic. The benefits should have been:

1) Cosmetic
2) Infusionstuff
3) Convenience such as ability to change stat layout, like legendary

This way, you remove all the downsides that they have now, because you don’t feel you have to gear all your alts with them as you only need the ascended gear if you want to do high lvl fractals (most people only have one character for fractals, right?). You also don’t have to have multiple sets of ascended armor in case you want to switch your character’s build (most people have different sets for PVE and WVW, etc).

Shakkara.2641:

Flytrap.8075:

Ascended items were a terrible idea and ANet should feel bad.

I mean, it completely flies in the face of their “we don’t make grindy games” mantra.

This.

I don’t mind ascended, as long as it would have exactly the same stats as Exotic. The benefits should have been:

1) Cosmetic
2) Infusionstuff
3) Convenience such as ability to change stat layout, like legendary

This way, you remove all the downsides that they have now, because you don’t feel you have to gear all your alts with them as you only need the ascended gear if you want to do high lvl fractals (most people only have one character for fractals, right?). You also don’t have to have multiple sets of ascended armor in case you want to switch your character’s build (most people have different sets for PVE and WVW, etc).

Here’s hoping they do something along these lines, anything to try to make Ascended more interesting than “and now you have Agony Resistance you won’t need for 99% of the game” and “some people might really like this aesthetic design”.

So long as ascended remains the final “power” tier I like it. It gives people a little something to spend time towards if they wish and opened things up for expanded crafting, expanded designs, etc. It’s a good ceiling provided it remains the ceiling.

Legendary armors, now, should honor the ascended power ceiling and go with the added features, such as the ability to change stats on the fly (out of combat).

VOLKON.1290:

So long as ascended remains the final “power” tier I like it. It gives people a little something to spend time towards if they wish and opened things up for expanded crafting, expanded designs, etc. It’s a good ceiling provided it remains the ceiling.

Legendary armors, now, should honor the ascended power ceiling and go with the added features, such as the ability to change stats on the fly (out of combat).

If ANet ever makes legendary armor, they deserve to go under. It’d be a complete betrayal of their founding principles in my eyes.

I’d be fine with it if it was on-par with how legendaries are currently implemented, but if there would be a further stat difference from Ascended items, then that’d be simply ridiculous.

Shakkara.2641:

Flytrap.8075:

Ascended items were a terrible idea and ANet should feel bad.

I mean, it completely flies in the face of their “we don’t make grindy games” mantra.

This.

I don’t mind ascended, as long as it would have exactly the same stats as Exotic. The benefits should have been:

1) Cosmetic
2) Infusionstuff
3) Convenience such as ability to change stat layout, like legendary

This way, you remove all the downsides that they have now, because you don’t feel you have to gear all your alts with them as you only need the ascended gear if you want to do high lvl fractals (most people only have one character for fractals, right?). You also don’t have to have multiple sets of ascended armor in case you want to switch your character’s build (most people have different sets for PVE and WVW, etc).

They might do something like that with legendary armour. This is more aimed at people who don’t do fractals and think they need the armor to be competitive. When I saw it was only a stat increase only1 power and 1 precision I really felt like I had wasted my time and money in making it.

Ascended weapons are actually worth the gain, they add about 10% damage output. The armor is a joke, the actual defense gain is 5% for an UNREAL amount of materials. I think people need to realize that ANet warned us a while back about “the economy” of the game would be altered in a major way.

Ascended items is a way to cause inflation because it creates an imaginary “need” that grinders will pine for as it gives them that 5-10% edge (armor – 5%, weapon – 10%). This is a way of controlling the market (Black Lion) so that prices spike and commissions improve for BLTP. It also removes a large amount of tier 3-5 mats and gives a use for mithril, elder logs, and silk which were worthless but now are necessary for building ascended.

What can you do about it? Well, first, don’t make ascended armor, as the original poster stated, the tactical advantage is miniscule. Ascended armor will NEVER be the deciding factor of a 1V1 fight (or any fight, really). At a 5% damage reduction it would take a fight lasting minutes to see the gain and that’s assuming both fighters are equal. Second, use the economic system ANet built to your advantage. If you are sitting on mats these ascended weapons require, sell them while their prices are artificially inflated because once people finish their grinding, the party is over.

Third, stop complaining that ascended armor/weapons even exist. No one complained that you could get ascended trinkets with laurels but there are a TON of people who don’t do dailies/monthlies and have no access to laurels so ascended trinkets are IMPOSSIBLE for them to get unless the RNG grants them the luckiest drop ever. They make do without those trinkets.

In defense of ANet, what they are doing is trying to keep people interested in BUYING mats and therefore create a cash flow via gem purchases. That is smart business especially when the majority of your audience is fickle and likes new things they think will replace their inability to fight by giving them super weapons and armor.

Why are we singly out just armor?

Maybe we should compare full exotic vs full ascended. Trinkets, armors, weapons.

Also, if this is mainly for fractals, why isn’t fractals the only source to get it?

Edit: To clarify, I was going off the idea that stats should be the same, just infusion slot, for the last point. Being that ascended jewelry was released with fractals and advertised with that content.

Ethics.4519:

Also, if this is mainly for fractals, why isn’t fractals the only source to get it?

because “mainly” is not “solely”.

GrandmaFunk.3052:

Ethics.4519:

Also, if this is mainly for fractals, why isn’t fractals the only source to get it?

because “mainly” is not “solely”.

I guess I should have specified, that I meant if the stats were the same (like somebody mentioned earlier)

Ethics.4519:

Also, if this is mainly for fractals, why isn’t fractals the only source to get it?

Because that would make too much sense. /sarcasm

It’s because all of Ascended got added in a . . . very sloppy and staggered manner which was almost always reactive to complaints of the times before each new piece/method was getting put into play. It was said Fractals being the only source was unfair, so Laurels and purchasing through them was added. Following the addition of Guild Missions there was still talk about how there was a narrow method of getting them, so let’s add the next slot added through Guild Missions.

Hey, WvW wants to get Ascended access, so let’s add in a way of exchanging Badges of Honor AND Laurels (at a lesser amount) for that!

Weapons? Well we wanted to overhaul World Boss loot and there’s been complaints Crafting was pointless so let’s add on some Crafting levels and make an ultra-rare drop of an Ascended Weapon Chest to let some lucky people bypass the crafting requirement. Hey, tie those into WvW world bonus chests too since we have Season 1 starting soon . . .

Like I’ve said before and stated earlier. The staggered release method kind of spread out the acquisition methods (in a way I think is highly reactionary and not guided by a plan) when it could/should have been leashed to Fractals. The one place where it matters if you have your Ascended Agony Resist above all others.

Flytrap.8075:

VOLKON.1290:

So long as ascended remains the final “power” tier I like it. It gives people a little something to spend time towards if they wish and opened things up for expanded crafting, expanded designs, etc. It’s a good ceiling provided it remains the ceiling.

Legendary armors, now, should honor the ascended power ceiling and go with the added features, such as the ability to change stats on the fly (out of combat).

If ANet ever makes legendary armor, they deserve to go under. It’d be a complete betrayal of their founding principles in my eyes.

I’d be fine with it if it was on-par with how legendaries are currently implemented, but if there would be a further stat difference from Ascended items, then that’d be simply ridiculous.

Expect Legendary armor, and expect it to be equal to ascended in stats but have perks like the aforementioned ability to change stats easily.

VOLKON.1290:

Flytrap.8075:

VOLKON.1290:

So long as ascended remains the final “power” tier I like it. It gives people a little something to spend time towards if they wish and opened things up for expanded crafting, expanded designs, etc. It’s a good ceiling provided it remains the ceiling.

Legendary armors, now, should honor the ascended power ceiling and go with the added features, such as the ability to change stats on the fly (out of combat).

If ANet ever makes legendary armor, they deserve to go under. It’d be a complete betrayal of their founding principles in my eyes.

I’d be fine with it if it was on-par with how legendaries are currently implemented, but if there would be a further stat difference from Ascended items, then that’d be simply ridiculous.

Expect Legendary armor, and expect it to be equal to ascended in stats but have perks like the aforementioned ability to change stats easily.

If it has the same or similar quick silver effect as The Juggernaut I’ll be expecting my gold back.

I do agree that I would have been much happier had ascended been the same stats as exotic, but added the infusion slot for fractals ar needs. That’s what I had hoped to see.

Since we actually got a whole new tier, I am with Volkon that I can live with is so long as it is the last tier. I do expect them to continue to upgrade infusions from fine to ascended over time, and again as long as it stop there, I can deal with it.

We’ve been told that legendary armor is coming; however we’ve also been told that like weapons, it is an aesthetic thing and will have the same stats at the top gear tier. (and probably the out of combat stat switching like weapons)

Keep in mind too, that 5% gain for the armor is only if you have a full set, which requires enormous grinding. If you only have a piece or two, the gain is barely worth mentioning other than bragging rights. Trinkets give you a slight stat bonus, plus an extra stat, but take away the ability to mix stats. i.e. Say adding a jewel such as emerald that gives toughness to a trinket with P/V/CD stats. You can’t customize ascended trinkets…so there is a downside.

I think someone mentioned a full berserker set difference is about 14% compare to exotic.

But the trinket and maybe a weapon shouldn’t be too hard to get to at least close some gap.

That defense infusion slot is another main benefit to ascended armor.
sure, you get +2 stats to the item, but the infusions can have +5 stat and +1% dmg vs. wvw guards and such. that bumps it to +7 stats higher than exotic (plus more dmg to guards). on all 6 armors, that’s a +54 stat difference for med armor without infusion; +84 stat difference for med armor with infusion.
that’s half the stats a Plate of Orrian Streak Frittes gives you right there.

laokoko.7403:

I think someone mentioned a full berserker set difference is about 14% compare to exotic.

But the trinket and maybe a weapon shouldn’t be too hard to get to at least close some gap.

Yes, but there is the argument that the math may be wrong. It is all theory craft since the exact calculations are not known. However, the ‘effective’ power being taken into consideration does not factor in the foe’s defense.

Mystic.5934:

That defense infusion slot is another main benefit to ascended armor.
sure, you get +2 stats to the item, but the infusions can have +5 stat and +1% dmg vs. wvw guards and such. that bumps it to +7 stats higher than exotic (plus more dmg to guards). on all 6 armors, that’s a +54 stat difference for med armor without infusion; +84 stat difference for med armor with infusion.
that’s half the stats a Plate of Orrian Streak Frittes gives you right there.

It’s a defensive infusion so it’s -1% damage from guards, not +1% damage to guards.

Ethics.4519:

Why are we singly out just armor?

Edit: To clarify, I was going off the idea that stats should be the same, just infusion slot, for the last point. Being that ascended jewelry was released with fractals and advertised with that content.

1. Ascended trinkets are far more obtainable(multiple ways to acquire) and anyone who is serious about gearing there toon the should and can get them.
A. available via wvw and pve though dailies.

2. When we compared ascended armor to other ascended items the cost is much higher and the gain is smaller.

Now ideally it would have been nice to keep ascended armor a pve thing only but at the end of the day it doesn’t really make much of a difference. Many people are used to playing other mmos, where if someone had a set of armor a tier above there own, there is now way for them to compete. In guild wars 2 that is far from true.

There has been an increased outcry of displeasure from some player with the introduction of ascended armor. I believe for the most part this is due to players have false ideas from the actual gain one would receive.

After talking with some unhappy players(who already had full ascended trinkets) and explaining the actual increase of stats gain from ascended armor there view on the armor changed. I think people just really need to be fully informed b4 there form there opinions.

i think ascended armor should be scrapped and they should just use the skins for unlockable armor skins.

All my characters only have ascended trinkets except my warrior who has sunrise.

I’ve never felt at a disadvantage against enemies with ascended weapons, and the few times I ever see them, ascended armor. I think people are just complaining because there are opponents with marginally better stats than them that they’re too lazy to get.

I change my build way too often to bother with ascended…

there s bunch of threads about why ascended are “evil”…

not much difference may be correct. no difference is incorrect.

I feel ascended armor is more for the people who have kind of run out of things to do and want to make a set for kittens and giggles. At least that’s why I made my set. It was either that or work on my 5th legendary which I’m sick of doing anyways and want to wait for a new set of legendaries to come out to work on.

The infusions are the risk we cannot judge at the moment. Will Arenanet continue the vertical progression via infusions? What will be the “high level” infusions that were mentioned by Linsay Murdock in the blog post dealing fractals and ascended items?

If we see a vertical progression via infusions beyond AR then ascended items will be highly demanded for several aspects of the game.

Sauzo.6821:

I feel ascended armor is more for the people who have kind of run out of things to do and want to make a set for kittens and giggles. At least that’s why I made my set. It was either that or work on my 5th legendary which I’m sick of doing anyways and want to wait for a new set of legendaries to come out to work on.

Pretty much why I did it. Theres no legendaries (or commonaries as I like to call them) that I’m interested in because everyone and their grandma has a few it seems so I made that set since I had about 90% of the mats laying around already and figured what else am I gonna spend it on since I already have 2 gifts of mastery and fortune waiting for something adequate to use them on and all my alts all geared out… its just something for people with nothing else to do and a lot of mats or money to kitten around with or for those who like working towards something kinda excessive for the sake of being excessive.

Sube Dai.8496:

I change my build way too often to bother with ascended…

That is a bigtime problem with Ascended gear as a whole. People can’t afford to change their builds when the time/gold sink of acquiring the BIS gear is so great. Compound that issue with the inevitable future nerf of builds and there can be a huge problem.
I have not gone past 400 in most crafting disciplines and I will not craft a ascended weapon. I am contemplating crafting a set of heavy for my main but, reading all these posts it seems that my money could be better spent elsewhere. Not to mention I would need 6 transmutation stones…..

Belenwyn.8674:

The infusions are the risk we cannot judge at the moment. Will Arenanet continue the vertical progression via infusions? What will be the “high level” infusions that were mentioned by Linsay Murdock in the blog post dealing fractals and ascended items?

If we see a vertical progression via infusions beyond AR then ascended items will be highly demanded for several aspects of the game.

We will cross that bridge when we come to it.

vincecontix.1264:

Belenwyn.8674:

The infusions are the risk we cannot judge at the moment. Will Arenanet continue the vertical progression via infusions? What will be the “high level” infusions that were mentioned by Linsay Murdock in the blog post dealing fractals and ascended items?

If we see a vertical progression via infusions beyond AR then ascended items will be highly demanded for several aspects of the game.

We will cross that bridge when we come to it.

Most won’t even look at the bridge or possibly burn it to the ground

vincecontix.1264:

Belenwyn.8674:

The infusions are the risk we cannot judge at the moment. Will Arenanet continue the vertical progression via infusions? What will be the “high level” infusions that were mentioned by Linsay Murdock in the blog post dealing fractals and ascended items?

If we see a vertical progression via infusions beyond AR then ascended items will be highly demanded for several aspects of the game.

We will cross that bridge when we come to it.

it s just the beginning of the treadmill.
and i think everyone of us knows it

Kevan.8912:

vincecontix.1264:

Belenwyn.8674:

The infusions are the risk we cannot judge at the moment. Will Arenanet continue the vertical progression via infusions? What will be the “high level” infusions that were mentioned by Linsay Murdock in the blog post dealing fractals and ascended items?

If we see a vertical progression via infusions beyond AR then ascended items will be highly demanded for several aspects of the game.

We will cross that bridge when we come to it.

it s just the beginning of the treadmill.
and i think everyone of us knows it

You can’t know it, because it hasn’t happened yet. You merely fear it is so, and what’s more if it never happens it won’t be because they didn’t intend for it. It’ll be because “we complained so much they decided to reverse course”.

Tobias Trueflight.8350:

Kevan.8912:

vincecontix.1264:

Belenwyn.8674:

The infusions are the risk we cannot judge at the moment. Will Arenanet continue the vertical progression via infusions? What will be the “high level” infusions that were mentioned by Linsay Murdock in the blog post dealing fractals and ascended items?

If we see a vertical progression via infusions beyond AR then ascended items will be highly demanded for several aspects of the game.

We will cross that bridge when we come to it.

it s just the beginning of the treadmill.
and i think everyone of us knows it

You can’t know it, because it hasn’t happened yet. You merely fear it is so, and what’s more if it never happens it won’t be because they didn’t intend for it. It’ll be because “we complained so much they decided to reverse course”.

Agreed.

But seriously, there aren’t THAT many PVE goals to have in game that don’t involve grinding for more gear at this point. If we are all happy and maxed (stat and sexy wise) on 8 character slots… and we don’t prefer PvP…. then… whats the reason to log in at all? Living story anyone?

To be honest, Anet doesn’t have a very expansive PvE endgame compared to its vertical progression competitors. They should totally follow in SWTORs footsteps in what I think we can all agree should totally happen in GW2… Space Combat.

Tobias Trueflight.8350:

Kevan.8912:

vincecontix.1264:

Belenwyn.8674:

The infusions are the risk we cannot judge at the moment. Will Arenanet continue the vertical progression via infusions? What will be the “high level” infusions that were mentioned by Linsay Murdock in the blog post dealing fractals and ascended items?

If we see a vertical progression via infusions beyond AR then ascended items will be highly demanded for several aspects of the game.

We will cross that bridge when we come to it.

it s just the beginning of the treadmill.
and i think everyone of us knows it

You can’t know it, because it hasn’t happened yet. You merely fear it is so, and what’s more if it never happens it won’t be because they didn’t intend for it. It’ll be because “we complained so much they decided to reverse course”.

i really hope that anet still cares of its customers
of “all kinds of customers”, especially that casual kind their efforts seemed to be aimed to.
until then…

Kevan.8912:

Tobias Trueflight.8350:

Kevan.8912:

vincecontix.1264:

Belenwyn.8674:

The infusions are the risk we cannot judge at the moment. Will Arenanet continue the vertical progression via infusions? What will be the “high level” infusions that were mentioned by Linsay Murdock in the blog post dealing fractals and ascended items?

If we see a vertical progression via infusions beyond AR then ascended items will be highly demanded for several aspects of the game.

We will cross that bridge when we come to it.

it s just the beginning of the treadmill.
and i think everyone of us knows it

You can’t know it, because it hasn’t happened yet. You merely fear it is so, and what’s more if it never happens it won’t be because they didn’t intend for it. It’ll be because “we complained so much they decided to reverse course”.

i really hope that anet still cares of its customers
of “all kinds of customers”, especially that casual kind their efforts seemed to be aimed to.
until then…

I’m sure they care. At least, I’m sure the individuals care, I don’t think a company in and of itself can care. It’s an entity on a piece of paper and not a person. But the people care, and just about all of them I actually get a chance to talk to when I see them slumming in LA are nice and responsive people.

However, being able to balance this all so they manage to keep going? There’s the real trick. I’m not as confident in their ability there as I am confident they care. But don’t take that too hard, devs, I don’t think any company really nails exactly what the players want.

. . . no, not even Mojang.

Then why put it in the game?

Lord Kuru.3685:

Then why put it in the game?

That’s an excellent question, why don’t you ask that of the people who can actually answer it instead of me?

I don’t mind ascended stuff. I’d like it if the laurel cost for patterns, particularly for armor, was less ridiculous, though. You need to spend like a gajillion laurels to get the patterns for them all, let alone the actual armor.

Would like it if the insignias and inscription patterns were the ones which cost laurels, and then you created the actual armor piece/weapon by combining Component A + Component B + Inscription in the discovery panel like every other piece of gear in the game. But, what’s done is done, so that’ll probably never happen. :x

Ascended gear does serve a pretty vital purpose in the economy so it’s pretty cool for that but yeah tone the cost down a notch.

Tobias Trueflight.8350:

Lord Kuru.3685:

Then why put it in the game?

That’s an excellent question, why don’t you ask that of the people who can actually answer it instead of me?

Because ppl need something to make them feel better then other ppl. Its the +1 effect. If there is something that every one has you no longer vale you it but if you can get the same thing but a bit better you feel as if your getting something over others. Its the same way for cars phones pc gaming system shoes name it that just how humans are its what drives humans to spend money and is the base of the USA economic system.

LanfearShadowflame.3189:

laokoko.7403:

I think someone mentioned a full berserker set difference is about 14% compare to exotic.

But the trinket and maybe a weapon shouldn’t be too hard to get to at least close some gap.

Yes, but there is the argument that the math may be wrong. It is all theory craft since the exact calculations are not known. However, the ‘effective’ power being taken into consideration does not factor in the foe’s defense.

Effective power as a number should be considered prior to the application of target armor. If there is a 14% difference in power, then the application of a multiplicative constant (a divisor, in the case of armor) would still yield a 14% difference. If you’re comparing the two types of gear versus different armor values, you’re not doing the comparison correctly.

Flytrap.8075:

VOLKON.1290:

So long as ascended remains the final “power” tier I like it. It gives people a little something to spend time towards if they wish and opened things up for expanded crafting, expanded designs, etc. It’s a good ceiling provided it remains the ceiling.

Legendary armors, now, should honor the ascended power ceiling and go with the added features, such as the ability to change stats on the fly (out of combat).

If ANet ever makes legendary armor, they deserve to go under. It’d be a complete betrayal of their founding principles in my eyes.

I’d be fine with it if it was on-par with how legendaries are currently implemented, but if there would be a further stat difference from Ascended items, then that’d be simply ridiculous.

If legendary armour has ascended stats and you can change them at will like legendary weapons that’s fine. Means you can maintain the one set of armour instead of switching, seems like a pretty good thing.

Ascended gear should be available through tokens (you know, by actually play the game instead of sitting at the crafting bench) instead of being a costly grind like it is now.

Lévis.5489:

Ascended gear should be available through tokens (you know, by actually play the game instead of sitting at the crafting bench) instead of being a costly grind like it is now.

I’d like it to drop like weapons and rings (presumably), or be available through other means than just crafting.

I had this comment similarly before when the only way to get the rings was drop or Fractal Relic exchange.

Lévis.5489:

Ascended gear should be available through tokens (you know, by actually play the game instead of sitting at the crafting bench) instead of being a costly grind like it is now.

The whole point is to create the costly grind.

ascended was designed to keep the fractal grinding players busy, and to cover up anet’s mistake in estimating how quick players can get their hands on the exotics….

azizul.8469:

ascended was designed to keep the fractal grinding players busy, and to cover up anet’s mistake in estimating how quick players can get their hands on the exotics….

ascended was designed when anet realized that could earn more money make some people login long hours grinding, as ingame time increases probability of selling gems and stuff.
carrot of the very long stick just as any other mmo, instead of creating contents.

and, as the casual audience they aimed before (the manifesto is online) was too little, they also tried to extend gamers’ population to standard mmo grinders from wow or others.

however, i think they should discuss about the fact that now:
altough they made some people play more hours, on the other hand gw2 has lost its specific initial advantage over other mmo: casual friendly.
casuals like me will leave, and it’s likely that also pro-grinders now or soon will understand that, if you want to grind and get good rewards, there are better games on the market.

the risk is that to make more money from different kinds of players, all of them feel unsatisfied of it.

isn’t the point of ascended armor is so you can choose your stats on it whenever? Or am I just getting the info wrong?

Coltz.5617:

isn’t the point of ascended armor is so you can choose your stats on it whenever? Or am I just getting the info wrong?

You choose stats for Ascended just as you do for exotics, by getting the right recipe. Once made, those stats cannot be changed. Legendary weapons allow you to switch stats out of combat, whenever you want. Presumably, Legendary armor will if/when it is implemented.