Introduction
When I first read the article “Linsey Murdock Unveils New High End Ascended Gear”
(https://www.guildwars2.com/en/news/linsey-murdock-unveils-new-high-end-ascended-gear), I noticed that some of the terms used were very similar to terms used in GW1.
What do I mean by that, you may ask? In order to explain this, we will have to go back to GW1 – Prophecies.
GuildWars 1
During the Flame Seeker Prophecies, you had to complete some missions in the Crystal Desert, in order to become “Ascended”(http://wiki.guildwars.com/wiki/Ascension).
This would allow you to see the White Mantle’s “gods”, which were in fact the Mursaat.
The Mursaat(http://wiki.guildwars.com/wiki/Mursaat) are a race of “invisible” spell-casters that use “Spectral Agony” to kill their enemies.
So how did you combat “Spectral Agony”?
You met the ancient Seers(http://wiki.guildwars.com/wiki/Seer). They were at war with the Mursaat and nearly got annihilated. The Seers managed to negate “Spectral Agony”, by “Infusing”(http://wiki.guildwars.com/wiki/Infused) your armor with the essence of a Eidolon, a beast which you had to kill.
GuildWars 2
“Ascended” is now simply “Ascended Gear”.
“Spectral Agony” is now called “Agony” and is a condition.
“Infused” stays exactly the same, but now combats the effects of “Agony”.
Conclusions
So if this is so similar to GW1, then why is everybody so upset?
In GW1, you however did NOT have to acquire a different set of “Infused”/“Ascended” gear. You simply infused your existing armor!
When armor was “Infused”, Arenanet simply added the word “Infused” to your armor,
similar to “Customized” in GW1 and Soulbound/Account-bound in GW2.
The GW1 system worked beautifully and didn’t introduce the gear-grind or balance
issues, which Arenanet have now introduced to GW2.
In GW1, you can use the “Infused” armor, without any unfair advantage or gear-grind in both PvE and PvP.
“Ascended gear” in GW2 should have been purely cosmetic, with stats similar to Exotics.
Legendary weapons don’t give you an advantage over Exotic weapons as they share the same stats.
So why should Ascended and eventually Legendary armor have higher stats than Exotic armor?
What has changed?
There should be no bridging armor, as per AndrewMcLeod’s post here:
https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/game/gw2/I-ll-be-honest-about-the-gear-and-gearchecks/page/3
Legendary weapons and armor should always only have been cosmetic, as per the manifesto and various interviews with Arenanet.
Arenanet, why did you introduce a gear grind, with higher stat gear?
EDIT! See the attached image of GW1 armor. The armor has the same stats, with or without infusion.
