I’m OK with the mastery system in the new content, but I’m already bitter about core content masteries that I now need to grind out XP for, when I’ve already put in countless hours and rolled 80 hundreds of time, for what…for them to be converted to essentially useless spirit shards, of which I have nearly 900 (Other have far more to be sure). We should be able to spend the spirit shards to unlock core content/functionality now locked behind masteries, provided we have the mastery points to spend.
I did tailoring last night because I wanted Sinister gear for my necro. Sinister gear can only be crafted. So I figured I’d use the opportunity to level up a mesmer (Crafting is normally good for about 70 levels if I remember right), but to my disappointment, the new character sadly only gained 7 levels, plus another 2 crafting the Sinister gear after reaching 400. So, when all was said and done, she only went from 20 (Used a scroll to start at 20) to 29. I assume one requires “Productive Downtime” in order to get the proper amount of experience from crafting.
What a kick in the face for someone who has been playing the game since essentially launch.
Now it becomes a question of whether I even want to stick with this character or abandon her, and turn her in to another bag mule. I have enough to do with trying to work on the HoT masteries and elite specs with my existing 80s and working on a legendary at the same time. I don’t need the BS of leveling a new 80 from essentially scratch. It also used to cost 254000xp to roll an 80, now I’m looking at my account, while standing in Rata Sum, mastery rank 4, all in HoT, and it’s going to cost 635000xp to roll the XP bar.
I can hear all the criticisms now, about how I “expect” 80’s to be just given to me and to be honest I don’t care what anyone thinks., how it’s “only 2 level”, etc. After 3 years, and doing full map completion essentially twice (I know others have done it way more), I don’t play GW2 to grind through leveling 80s the hard way I play to play the content I enjoy. I realize that pushing out two masteries isn’t a huge amount of time, but core content, previously available, should not have been locked out for paid players. Only new things should have been added. It’s a load of crap!!
In my opinion, Pack Mentor should be the last one of the the Pact Commander masteries gained and the crafting one should not be there at all. Like the original commander tag, Mentor is too easy to get and will be used as a status symbol for those who have no business having it.
