Guild Wars 2

I’ve spoken to a lot of ex players to find out what they think of all this feature pack noise and whether they would consider coming back to gw2.

The major questions which need answering with the correct answers are requirements for most of them returning, however interesting the feature patch may look.

A) Is there still a grind for the gear with the highest stats? (Ascended).
B) Do I still need to perform this grind for every alt?
C) Do I still need to perform this grind for every playstyle? (eg – grind for zerker, then grind for tanky, then grind for healing, then grind for conditions?)

A) Yes
B) Yes, but less so due to account bound Ascended
C) Yes

A) That hasn’t changed
B) They’re making all Legendaries and Ascended gear Account Bound with the April patch
C) The only Ascended where you can swap stats is Legendary

We can answer yes to all three of your question.

But at the same time. I have 1 ascended armor, a second one almost complete (only need 2 more damask) and i have 3 ascended weapons.

And i never did any grind. I simply accumulated material by playing like always. Only two things i did different. My alts that i don’t play much with (they change depending on what i do these day and what i want to play) are no longer next to orichalcum vein, but next to a Rich Iron Vein. And i take 5min per day to do my daily crafting. Now you can see that as grind, but i’m not.

If those players feel it’s a “grind” I really wonder at what game they left GW2 to play. Call of Duty perhaps?

Heck right now I’m playing an even grindier game alongside GW2 because it has more content/rewarding game play right now…

Paulytnz.7619:

If those players feel it’s a “grind” I really wonder at what game they left GW2 to play. Call of Duty perhaps?

GW1, genius.

Bad Decision Dino.1386:

Paulytnz.7619:

If those players feel it’s a “grind” I really wonder at what game they left GW2 to play. Call of Duty perhaps?

GW1, genius.

I doubt that very much…..

fadeaway.2807:

A) Is there still a grind for the gear with the highest stats? (Ascended).
B) Do I still need to perform this grind for every alt?
C) Do I still need to perform this grind for every playstyle? (eg – grind for zerker, then grind for tanky, then grind for healing, then grind for conditions?)

A: Yes
B: Yes
C: Yes

Simple enough.

Paulytnz.7619:

If those players feel it’s a “grind” I really wonder at what game they left GW2 to play. Call of Duty perhaps?

Heck, WoW has less grind than GW2 does. Most “AAA” MMOs I have played have less grind than GW2 does.

fadeaway.2807:

I’ve A) Is there still a grind for the gear with the highest stats? (Ascended).

In order to get the Ascended as quickly as you can, then yes. There is also time gating because you can only make some of the materials once per day.

B) Do I still need to perform this grind for every alt?

I will pick out the key word here as Need. No, you don’t. You don’t even need to do it for your main. You can buy/make Elite and be good enough for anything you currently want to do in the game. Unless your need is self driven it doesn’t exist. If you feel the only way to play is with max possible stats, then you would want to have Ascended on whatever character you are playing, and they’ve made it easier to do that by account bounding that gear.

C) Do I still need to perform this grind for every playstyle? (eg – grind for zerker, then grind for tanky, then grind for healing, then grind for conditions?)

In order to have different stats you have to make different gear. But the same answer applies. You don’t mechanically need Ascended gear, your need is entirely self imposed.

Thanks for the answers.

That’s a shame.

I realise the grind is small compared to a real grindy game, but one of the draws to gw2 for a lot of people was the promise of no grind. I don’t have time to grind either a different playstyle set of ascended gear or a set of ascended gear for another character, and the thought of returning to the same playstyle and same class I played before isn’t too inviting. This is true for a lot of people.

SpyderArachnid.5619:

Paulytnz.7619:

If those players feel it’s a “grind” I really wonder at what game they left GW2 to play. Call of Duty perhaps?

Heck, WoW has less grind than GW2 does. Most “AAA” MMOs I have played have less grind than GW2 does.

Most AAA MMOs are also Theme Park and highly regimented in flow, until you reach max level, in which case I can’t think of more of a grind than dailies. Doing the same quests over and over adnosium is the worse. And this is coming from someone who levels my characters from 43ish to 80 by doing the Ulgoth chain every day.

Paulytnz.7619:

If those players feel it’s a “grind” I really wonder at what game they left GW2 to play. Call of Duty perhaps?

Heck right now I’m playing an even grindier game alongside GW2 because it has more content/rewarding game play right now…

It’s not a grind if the player feels equally rewarded for the time invested.

The difference is not how much time is being spent doing the same thing over and over again and getting the expected reward, that’s not grinding.

What’s grinding is that, you spent time doing the same thing over and over again only to get less than what is expected. The upcoming nerf to gold drops will make things even more grindier than right now. The ridiculously broken RNG in GW2 makes the anything a grinding experience. Making a material needed to build a Legendary rely on RNG is grindingly frustrated (I’m looking at you Mystic Clover).

So compare to other MMO, GW2 is the grindiest game ever due to the horrible drop rate, broken Trading Post, and account bound crafting materials.

Some people likes this, but I surely don’t.

Tbh I don’t find it a grind issue for this game (unless you are farming dungeons for their skins then yes I call that a grind), if anything it’s a very bad drop system with too much RNG for certain things. If this is what people refer to as the grind (having to kill things over and over again for a small chance at gaining that 1 mat they need) then again I say it’s not a grind issue, just a poor drop system. And yes I agree that needs fixing.

Lastly I do not count time gates as a grind, if anything they are the opposite of a grind. Still annoying none the less….

fadeaway.2807:

Thanks for the answers.

That’s a shame.

I realise the grind is small compared to a real grindy game, but one of the draws to gw2 for a lot of people was the promise of no grind. I don’t have time to grind either a different playstyle set of ascended gear or a set of ascended gear for another character, and the thought of returning to the same playstyle and same class I played before isn’t too inviting. This is true for a lot of people.

I always had a hard time figure out, why people want so much that ascended cost almost nothing so they can put any stats they want and on all their alts. I’m an hardcore player. I have 8 toons at level 80, 3 legendary, i do dungeon speed clear with my guild where we push our selves and our build to the max, i do WvW where we actively search for ennemy zerg that outmanned us and we feel ashamed of ourselves when we lost a 15vs30. And still i use exotic armor and weapons on all that. My ascended armor is on my guardian pve that i use only in some casual run or when i do guild missions.

SpyderArachnid.5619:

Heck, WoW has less grind than GW2 does. Most “AAA” MMOs I have played have less grind than GW2 does.

Simply untrue.

While WoW’s grind has been reduced to LFR spam fest, as soon as you complete one set, another comes out. WoW’s grind is never ending, while GW2’s has a finite end (at this point).

Thaddeus.4891:

fadeaway.2807:

Thanks for the answers.

That’s a shame.

I realise the grind is small compared to a real grindy game, but one of the draws to gw2 for a lot of people was the promise of no grind. I don’t have time to grind either a different playstyle set of ascended gear or a set of ascended gear for another character, and the thought of returning to the same playstyle and same class I played before isn’t too inviting. This is true for a lot of people.

I always had a hard time figure out, why people want so much that ascended cost almost nothing so they can put any stats they want and on all their alts. I’m an hardcore player. I have 8 toons at level 80, 3 legendary, i do dungeon speed clear with my guild where we push our selves and our build to the max, i do WvW where we actively search for ennemy zerg that outmanned us and we feel ashamed of ourselves when we lost a 15vs30. And still i use exotic armor and weapons on all that. My ascended armor is on my guardian pve that i use only in some casual run or when i do guild missions.

This just makes me happy.

Paulytnz.7619:

Heck, WoW has less grind than GW2 does. Most “AAA” MMOs I have played have less grind than GW2 does.

No. It doesn’t. We got SoO in September 2013, now we’re waiting OVER A YEAR for ANY NEW CONTENT AT ALL. And we’re paying subscriptions for this nonsense. Grinding is doing the same thing over and over, and SoO counts..

Paulytnz.7619:

If those players feel it’s a “grind” I really wonder at what game they left GW2 to play. Call of Duty perhaps?

Heck, WoW has less grind than GW2 does. Most “AAA” MMOs I have played have less grind than GW2 does.[/quote]

Been playing WoW for a long time. Can’t force myself to get PVP gear. Leveling takes long. Gearing up takes long and the difference between gear sets is brutal.
Difference between ascended and exotic gloves? 1 stat point. And exotics are not grindy at all.

Thaddeus.4891:

fadeaway.2807:

Thanks for the answers.

That’s a shame.

I realise the grind is small compared to a real grindy game, but one of the draws to gw2 for a lot of people was the promise of no grind. I don’t have time to grind either a different playstyle set of ascended gear or a set of ascended gear for another character, and the thought of returning to the same playstyle and same class I played before isn’t too inviting. This is true for a lot of people.

I always had a hard time figure out, why people want so much that ascended cost almost nothing so they can put any stats they want and on all their alts. I’m an hardcore player. I have 8 toons at level 80, 3 legendary, i do dungeon speed clear with my guild where we push our selves and our build to the max, i do WvW where we actively search for ennemy zerg that outmanned us and we feel ashamed of ourselves when we lost a 15vs30. And still i use exotic armor and weapons on all that. My ascended armor is on my guardian pve that i use only in some casual run or when i do guild missions.

It’s fairly easy for skilled, organised and well informed players to do what you mentioned, whether it is excelling at pve or stomping twice your number in wvw. The difference in stats between exotic and ascended is also fairly small, which is one of the things which allows this.

The problem however is that gw2 was always advertised as a grind free game where everybody would have the same gear setups and the fights would always be on a fair footing. Yes the gap is small, but it exists, and it’s a psychological barrier to those who want to be maxed out and/or on the same playing field as all the other players.

SpyderArachnid.5619:

fadeaway.2807:

A) Is there still a grind for the gear with the highest stats? (Ascended).
B) Do I still need to perform this grind for every alt?
C) Do I still need to perform this grind for every playstyle? (eg – grind for zerker, then grind for tanky, then grind for healing, then grind for conditions?)

A: Yes
B: Yes
C: Yes

Simple enough.

Paulytnz.7619:

If those players feel it’s a “grind” I really wonder at what game they left GW2 to play. Call of Duty perhaps?

Heck, WoW has less grind than GW2 does. Most “AAA” MMOs I have played have less grind than GW2 does.

You don\t know how to play GW2 then.

fadeaway.2807:

I’ve spoken to a lot of ex players to find out what they think of all this feature pack noise and whether they would consider coming back to gw2.

The major questions which need answering with the correct answers are requirements for most of them returning, however interesting the feature patch may look.

A) Is there still a grind for the gear with the highest stats? (Ascended).
B) Do I still need to perform this grind for every alt?
C) Do I still need to perform this grind for every playstyle? (eg – grind for zerker, then grind for tanky, then grind for healing, then grind for conditions?)

Your definition of the word “grind” is questionable. See any Korean MMO. Ever.

I think the key word in ALL those questions is need.

Unless you are going to play high level fractals with ALL your Alts, full Ascended gear is NOT something that is “NEEDED”, so the questions are more of a perception issue with the ex-players (IMO).

Kal Spiro.9745:

This just makes me happy.

Can i ask why? Just curious.

fadeaway.2807:

It’s fairly easy for skilled, organised and well informed players to do what you mentioned, whether it is excelling at pve or stomping twice your number in wvw. The difference in stats between exotic and ascended is also fairly small, which is one of the things which allows this.

The problem however is that gw2 was always advertised as a grind free game where everybody would have the same gear setups and the fights would always be on a fair footing. Yes the gap is small, but it exists, and it’s a psychological barrier to those who want to be maxed out and/or on the same playing field as all the other players.

I guess your right about the psychological barrier. But you seem to understand it pretty well and you seem to have a head on your shoulder. I understand someone that is new, or don’t really understand the deep mechanics of the game. Its simple for these people. Exotic is less stats than ascended so if i need to compete i need ascended. But when you understand how the game work, then its a totally other thing. Just a example guys.

I think its Nike or Obal (probably more Obal) from DNT. He posted a video of the maximum Damage you can get from a guardian wearing different gear and using different trait. I don’t want to talk about the max dps of the zerker full dps build. This prove nothing, only help you give some numbers. No the point that was astronishing was the damage he was able to pull off with a clearics gear and an AH build. Ya the exact build that everybody scream about because of his DPS.

He was able to get 13K dmg in a single Whirlwind attack from a guardian with full clerics gear and AH build. Most people that play the game, in full zerker gear will do about 10-15k in most run with a full zerker, full dps build. How’s that possible? Simply because he know how to play and use all the bonus he can get. Of course that’s not a number you can normally reach with that kind of build. It was in perfect situation with the party created specifically to max the DPS of the guardian. Don’t get that as clerics is op, because the same whirlwind with a full dps build did 56k dmg (so more than 4 times the dmg).

No my points is, not only the difference between ascended vs exotic is small. Its become FREAKING SMALL if you use the buffs and the game mechanics at your advantage. Its just sad, that some people reject the game because of ascended gear. I get the feeling and I would had prefer that they don’t add ascended gear to the game in the first place. But to me its like quitting your job out of principle because you boss ask you to work 5 more minutes per day. Ya its not the best feeling, but if its a great job and you have already a good pay, why quit.

Yes to all, though less so for #2.

The funny thing is that by making Ascended gear account bound, Anet is implicitly admitting that getting it is an awful grind.

Thaddeus.4891:

Kal Spiro.9745:

This just makes me happy.

Can i ask why? Just curious.

Because I’ve been saying, for since they became a thing, that you didn’t NEED Ascended to do anything and be competative. It’s nice to see someone who can legitimately back that up doing so.

fadeaway.2807:

I’ve spoken to a lot of ex players to find out what they think of all this feature pack noise and whether they would consider coming back to gw2.

The major questions which need answering with the correct answers are requirements for most of them returning, however interesting the feature patch may look.

A) Is there still a grind for the gear with the highest stats? (Ascended).
B) Do I still need to perform this grind for every alt?
C) Do I still need to perform this grind for every playstyle? (eg – grind for zerker, then grind for tanky, then grind for healing, then grind for conditions?)

No
No
No

Ascended material is so little better than exotic that skill and build is a more determining factor. You don’t have to do the grind. If you are good it doesn’t help you. If you are bad it still doesn’t help you. It is only there if these sorts of goals are interesting for you.

Um…no, not really.

Ascended’s not really required for the game unless you plan to do really high end Fractals for the Agony Resistance. I’m not sure why anyone would consider Ascended a “grind” if it’s not actually something that anyone is required to do to perform with any competency. The 5% stat increase is more or less a balance for the fact that no runes, sigils or jewels can be used on any of the gear – so it’s a bit more restrictive in terms of spread.

With that said, I think those ex-players need to understand that concept if their biggest concern with the state of the game is the grind.

fadeaway.2807:

I’ve spoken to a lot of ex players to find out what they think of all this feature pack noise and whether they would consider coming back to gw2.

The major questions which need answering with the correct answers are requirements for most of them returning, however interesting the feature patch may look.

A) Is there still a grind for the gear with the highest stats? (Ascended).
B) Do I still need to perform this grind for every alt?
C) Do I still need to perform this grind for every playstyle? (eg – grind for zerker, then grind for tanky, then grind for healing, then grind for conditions?)

For A I would say no. Grind is a matter of perspective.
For B&C I would say they don’t “need” to do anything. You can if you want to, but there is no need to do that for any toon.

Ascended gear is not a necessity for anything other than fractals. And there are enough easy ways to acquire ascended trinkets to satisfy that with no grind whatsoever.