Guild Wars 2

I just found out about this now. Getting highest-stat gear is the a big deal in any RPG, and it used to be a huge goal for me.

I have ten characters. I also love to experiment with builds, like GW1 allowed us to do. Have been doing so since GW2 came out. Different builds require different gear. So while I actually had saved enough to craft several sets of ascended gear throughout the past years, I put off crafting most of them until I found out what I really want. Which is not easy when re-invention and balancing of skills and traits occurs often.

So the prospect of having several sets of top-grade gear just vanished, while the necessity of getting ascended gear is greater than ever (raids). Shame on you, ArenaNet. The pressure to play more, grind more and (what you’re probably after) buy more gems is ever increasing. Are you that desperate? You’ve come a long way since GW1, and you won’t be getting another dime from me. Like so many others, I regret buying HoT. After all, this is one of many recent disappointments.

This is what (other) players asked for – challenging content and meaningful progression, which apparently means requiring increased stats.

The thing is.. you don’t full ascended gear. Exotics is fine. If you really want to gear with ascended then gear your MAIN and/or the one you play raids with. Every other character can do just fine with exotics and some ascended trinkets (these are CHEAP).

So what to get:
Ascended Armor – NO, horribly overpriced for minimal stat increase.
Ascended Weapon – YES, but only for main and raid characters.
Ascended Trinkets – YES, cheap to buy with laurels/guild commendations.

So… let me get this straight… Because its expensive to craft, you shouldn’t get ascended gear?
Dude, 20 minutes a day for 2 weeks and I’ve got 4 ascended armour pieces and an ascended weapon…
Quit complaining about the prices and get into the fractals and raids… its a lot easier to get the ascended items now than it have ever been before…

Make sure to do your daily fractals, pvp etc. The ascended armor/weapon chest drop is not that bad. I find myself getting a ascended drop faster than I can collect the required materials for crafting. So far I fully equipped four characters with ascended gear and I didn’t craft a single piece.

Danikat.8537:

This is what (other) players asked for – challenging content and meaningful progression, which apparently means requiring increased stats.

I’m not sure this is what people had in mind. Even if they did, the solution isn’t very creative, frustrating for people who put off crafting and not really helping the no-grind philosophy.

Bambu.4270:

The thing is.. you don’t full ascended gear. Exotics is fine. If you really want to gear with ascended then gear your MAIN and/or the one you play raids with. Every other character can do just fine with exotics and some ascended trinkets (these are CHEAP).

So what to get:
Ascended Armor – NO, horribly overpriced for minimal stat increase.
Ascended Weapon – YES, but only for main and raid characters.
Ascended Trinkets – YES, cheap to buy with laurels/guild commendations.

I hear you, I really do. This is what I’ve been doing. But it isn’t top stat. Every time I spend resources on exotics, I find myself wondering if I’m wasting those resources. Because I imagined most of my characters would eventually have ascended gear. That was my goal. This has just gotten a lot harder.

Also, funny you’re calling armor overpriced. I was attempting to craft a set when I noticed the ridiculous price increase.

Zelanard.5806:

So… let me get this straight… Because its expensive to craft, you shouldn’t get ascended gear?
Dude, 20 minutes a day for 2 weeks and I’ve got 4 ascended armour pieces and an ascended weapon…
Quit complaining about the prices and get into the fractals and raids… its a lot easier to get the ascended items now than it have ever been before…

I don’t really understand why you say it’s easier than ever before. But it’s beside the point. I am frustrated because had I known, I would have crafted more ascended gear prior to the release of HoT. I feel like I missed out. And that is happening a lot for me as a GW2 player.

Amplifiction.8413:

I hear you, I really do. This is what I’ve been doing. But it isn’t top stat. Every time I spend resources on exotics, I find myself wondering if I’m wasting those resources. Because I imagined most of my characters would eventually have ascended gear. That was my goal. This has just gotten a lot harder.

Also, funny you’re calling armor overpriced. I was attempting to craft a set when I noticed the ridiculous price increase.

The price increase for crafting ascended armor is directly attributed to the increased demand from other players.

It was to be expected with the announcement of raids.

Prices have started droping since the major first weeks craze has lifted slightly. As is, the price for crafting ascended armor is now approximately 30% higher than pre HoT and about 60% cheaper then when ascended armor/weapons got introduced (Damaske was 30g a piece back then).

Amplifiction.8413:

Zelanard.5806:

So… let me get this straight… Because its expensive to craft, you shouldn’t get ascended gear?
Dude, 20 minutes a day for 2 weeks and I’ve got 4 ascended armour pieces and an ascended weapon…
Quit complaining about the prices and get into the fractals and raids… its a lot easier to get the ascended items now than it have ever been before…

I don’t really understand why you say it’s easier than ever before. But it’s beside the point. I am frustrated because had I known, I would have crafted more ascended gear prior to the release of HoT. I feel like I missed out. And that is happening a lot for me as a GW2 player.

He’s refering to:

- fractals taking less time now
- the powercreep of new elite specilisations and the changes/additions to/of (new) game mechanics (quickness is a boon, alacrity got added) making old content like TT and Tequatle easier (Teq even got got nerfed)
- there being even more achievements which rewards different slots of ascended equipment

No, it’s not beside the point. You basically did not care about ascended pre HoT, and now suddenly that you’ve decided that you want ascended for what ever reason, you complain that current prices are not equal to the cheapest prices available.

If you played 10 characters up and had no issue not getting ascended, why is it such a big deal to you now? Just play fractals and you’ll eventually get your ascended armor/weapons for free.

So OP, you are saying “shame on Anet”, because you(!) feel you missed out again by not making ascended before HoT? ehm, oooookey? kitten it Anet, why didnt you send me a letter!!
But hey, at least its christmas soon the oh so awesome dinner. Highlight of the day

yep, that´s the no1 reason why I left the game.

Not grinding the Silverwastes for hours everyday for months just to be able to raid. Too many other games to play.

So much for no required gear grind.

ChrizZcE.5981:

yep, that´s the no1 reason why I left the game.

Not grinding the Silverwastes for hours everyday for months just to be able to raid. Too many other games to play.

So much for no required gear grind.

Because you need to grind SW for hours, days and months to play raids…….
Sarcasm Intended

CruSheR.3297:

ChrizZcE.5981:

yep, that´s the no1 reason why I left the game.

Not grinding the Silverwastes for hours everyday for months just to be able to raid. Too many other games to play.

So much for no required gear grind.

Because you need to grind SW for hours, days and months to play raids…….
Sarcasm Intended

I restrained myself… But now I cant stop xD
Dude… If you think you need to grind SW at all, for ANY reason, You’re doing something wrong xD

Unless your doing fractals or running end-game content with elitists you shouldn’t feel compelled to get ascended at all. So relax and sleep well. Enjoy your holidays.

Cyninja.2954:

The price increase for crafting ascended armor is directly attributed to the increased demand from other players.

It was to be expected with the announcement of raids.

Prices have started droping since the major first weeks craze has lifted slightly. As is, the price for crafting ascended armor is now approximately 30% higher than pre HoT and about 60% cheaper then when ascended armor/weapons got introduced (Damaske was 30g a piece back then).

(…)

No, it’s not beside the point. You basically did not care about ascended pre HoT, and now suddenly that you’ve decided that you want ascended for what ever reason, you complain that current prices are not equal to the cheapest prices available.

If you played 10 characters up and had no issue not getting ascended, why is it such a big deal to you now? Just play fractals and you’ll eventually get your ascended armor/weapons for free.

I did care about ascended before HoT. Read OP please.

I did get ascended gear before HoT, but kept a lot more materials, gold and laurels in storage anticipating crafting ascended gear. Those resources used to suffice to craft. Now, more are needed. x10, that is a big deal.

Also, I did not express that I expect highest tier gear to be available for the cheapest price. My issue is not with prices or supply and demand, but with Anet changing the recipes, requiring even more materials to craft the same item. Admittedly, I could have been clearer about that in OP. The rise in prices caused by this recipe change is of course no consolidation.

Valentine.4286:

So OP, you are saying “shame on Anet”, because you(!) feel you missed out again by not making ascended before HoT? ehm, oooookey? kitten it Anet, why didnt you send me a letter!!
But hey, at least its christmas soon the oh so awesome dinner. Highlight of the day

The sarcasm is strong with this one. But actually, yes. A notification would have made a difference for people who had the materials in storage. Such a notification would have caused prices to rise, but I didn’t need to buy.
And merry Christmas to you too I hope your sarcasm didn’t extend to your last sentence! If it did, just hit the wine

To the people advising daily fractals:
Thank you for your advice. (I didn’t know about increased drop rates.) However, I don’t like doing the same stuff every day, especially (daily) fractals. If that is the only viable path to ascended gear, we are being forced to grind! And based on your reactions, it does seem to be the best way.

Anyway, time for a break from GW for me. Like I said, this wasn’t exactly the first disappointment. I play games to have fun, and like this guy said,

ChrizZcE.5981:

Too many other games to play.

More than I have time for!

Ascended armors are more expensive, however, making money is easier, too. Farming the mats overall is easier (its’ raining ectos and stuff to salvage now). I’ve crafted a heck of a lot more ascended stuff now than I have pre-HoT. You need more stuff, but that stuff is handed to you on a silver platter (ok, aside the low level leather, but if it’s the only thing you have to buy…)

Unless you plan on raiding or doing really high level fractals, I don’t believe ascended gear is required at all. I mean you can do the open world and PvP stuff in blue armor and still be fine.

Euhm, no.

Exotic Berserker heavy coat : 363 def, 134 power
Ascended Berserker Heavy chest (zojja) : 381 def, 141 power.

https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Draconic_Coat
https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Zojja%27s_Breastplate

And that’s just 1 piece of ascended compared to exotic. Saying you can do open world pve in blue gear is very very outdated. Not to forget is that you get an extra slot for either a versatile AR or a defensive slot (toughness/hp/..) on ascended.

A fully equipped ascended and slotted character will do more damage and will be able to survive better then your run-of-the-mill ‘blue/green/exo’ toon. I don’t compare skills or abilities or even classes, just gear.

Basically, if you want the best equipped character, go ascended all the way. Unless you don’t want to do fractals, or raids (asc weapon at least) or don’t care about the base premisse of the game : farming for the endgame gear. (Until Leg. comes along for the die-hards)

My issue is not with prices or supply and demand, but with Anet changing the recipes, requiring even more materials to craft the same item.

Amen to that. I find it staggering they just change recipes without any kind of forewarning or even a hint of it. No, just change at will and let players sort it out for themselves.
Those that HAD the materials to make a set or close to it, now had to dish out even more cash or wait way longer to make it then before.

Why would you want ascended on alts that you’ll never play?

Since when is ascended needed for anything but fractals? Most of your stats come from jewelry anyways which is easy to get.

I love this idea that the op is so ocd that they just have to have ascended on every alt just cause. You know reasons.

I have 8 80’s and I play 3 of them regularly. Why i would need full ascended on crafting alts is beyond my reason or logic.