Guild Wars 2

The problem: Ascended items basically lock you into one stat combination. Sure, you could make yet another set, but this clutters your inventory and more importantly requires just as many materials as the first set. On top of this, you even need to get sigils/runes/infusions again. The issue gets worse if you take alts into consideration.
Furthermore future balance updates like the nerf to critical damage are going to upset many people who already crafted their ascended stuff. Additionally new content might also require new builds.
What also bothers me is that legendary trinkets or armor could be introduced. As it is currently implemented, legendary items make ascended ones obsolete once you got them, thereby destroying your progress.

The solution: Add a means to unlock stat combinations on ascended items. This can be implemented in a variety of ways, including crafting, a scavenger hunt, etc. Once all stat combinations are unlocked, these items function like legendary items. The next step is therefore pretty clear: Allow us to use these items in place of legendary precursors. Now going from some fully unlocked ascended item to a legendary one is a purely cosmetic upgrade.

Some thoughts: There are also recipes for ascended insignias/inscriptions and the <stat type> item. What to do with them? One option would be to refund those recipes (which should not be too difficult), but leave all recipes in the game. This way you can choose the initial stats of your new item. Maybe even use those ascended insignias/inscriptions in the unlocking process to let them remain useful.

Pros:

• Getting ascended items is a part-success on the long road to a legendary item. Not many people use the current precursors, but lots of people use ascended items. This also makes ascended items a more short time goal than legendary ones and not an alternative path.
• You can stop upgrading your item, whenever you like. If Berserker and Soldier stats suffice for you, stop there. If you want all stats unlocked, but do not mind the skin, so be it. If you want to go all the way to a legendary, do just that.
• No progress is lost if you decide to make a legendary item after already getting its ascended counterpart.
• Ascended items do not become obsolete if legendary armor/trinkets are introduced
• Non RNG way to getting precursors + possible scavenger hunt
• Changing builds even with best in slot gear
• New content can require changing stats. Mobs can be immune to direct damage or immune to conditions. This can make for more interesting encounters.
• Future balance updates without everybody freaking out

What do you guys think about this?

I edited the above post the make it easier to read and included a basic example of how I think precursor crafting could work out. As I pointed out near the end of the post, I do not want it to be implemented exactly like this. The abstract pretty much distills the essence of the suggestion.

After reading through other people’s suggestions on this topic, I rewrote the first post in this thread. In another thread it was also suggested to allow upgrade and infusion swapping on items. This can also be worked into this framework of unlocking features of your gear and making it better step by step.

Excellent post – provides a continuous vertical/horizontal gear path without any dead ends.

I like the idea of several stat sets on a single item. I think it may work in the following way:

• you craft an ascended armor/weapon piece;
• you craft an ascended inscription of the desirable stat;
• you forge an Ascended Versatilizer in the Mystic Forge using bloodstone, dragonite, empyreal (preferably unrefined) and globs of dark matter or skillpoint-heavy material from Miyani (like eldritch scroll or bloodstone shard);
• you “transmute” the inscription to the weapon in the same way you transmute items.

Lishtenbird.2814:

I like the idea of several stat sets on a single item. I think it may work in the following way:

• you craft an ascended armor/weapon piece;
• you craft an ascended inscription of the desirable stat;
• you forge an Ascended Versatilizer in the Mystic Forge using bloodstone, dragonite, empyreal (preferably unrefined) and globs of dark matter or skillpoint-heavy material from Miyani (like eldritch scroll or bloodstone shard);
• you “transmute” the inscription to the weapon in the same way you transmute items.

This would probably be the easiest to implement, because inscriptions remain useful and they just need to add some mystic forge recipes and a couple of items. Ascended crafting materials also get an additional use. That could be a potential sink for Bloodstone Dust. Inscriptions constitute about half the price of an ascended weapon, which is alright for unlocking one stat combination (maybe slightly too expensive).

What I don’t like, however, is that it is just another grind for materials. They could maybe add some challenge to it (in place of the Ascended Versatilizer or in addition to it). Say you get an item you need to unlock Settlers stats after defeating the Karka Queen. By doing guild missions you get an item needed to unlock Soldier stats. Maybe add multiple ways to get such an item, so people are not forced to do content.

But if Anet should ever decide to implement a system like this they likely want to figure out the details themselves.

This suggestion will make my opinion on GW2 do a 180!

This, I need this! I don’t mind the grind if it remove all the clutter from my inventory.