Guild Wars 2

I’ve just finished forging a “Quiver of Swift Flight” which I started to want so much after the Ascended gear came in the game. I’m not saying I’m happy about the introduction of Ascended gear, but that’s not what this topic is about. A stronger back piece came up and I wanted to have it so I went after it. My back piece was crap and I thought it was worthwhile to work hard for one that was going to be the BIS (or so I thought at least).

After a lot of farming and spending all of my gold reserves (I bought part of the materials from the TP) I finally made it and I’m happy with it so far, but then a question came to my mind.

I spent quite some time and resources to get it. Recent official statements informed us that, unlike some (including me) seemed to think, GW2 was built to have gear progression to the full extent of the word and even to have the level cap raised in the future.

Then the question is: what will happen to all of those so hard to get pieces of Ascended gear? I don’t suppose they will scale up to level 90 when the level cap raises?

Will they become obsolete (like exotic back pieces and rings just did)?

Will I be able to loot from a, say, level 90 mob an item that is equally or (most probably) even stronger than the Ascended item which cost me so much to get?

Will I be able to use the Mystic Forge to “upgrade” the Ascended item that set me back so much so I don’t have to work as hard as someone going from scratch to get the new BIS level/tier?

I’d really like to know the answer to these questions because they’re going to help me decide what I’m going to do in the game from now on. If a new BIS comes (and it will come) in the future and I won’t be able to upgrade the Ascended item which set me back so much, I will have to rethink my play style (maybe I’ll even rethink my choice of game).

I was brought to GW2 by premises that weren’t absolutely true in their entirety. However, those premises weren’t stated by ArenaNet, but by other fellow players, YouTube videos and gaming sites’ reviews who in turn were just saying what they believed to be true. I guess there’s nobody to blame.

I would like to know what exactly I should expect from GW2 in the next months and years. That will help me decide how I want to play GW2, and even IF I want to play it. Maybe I’m thinking GW2 is/will be something that it isn’t/won’t be. It’s an awesome game, even if it turns out not what I expected.

I’m just trying to avoid the sadness that might come after hours of dedicated playtime when something happens that I do not want to happen. I just want clarifications about the many false ideas I had and about what kind of game GW2 really is/will be.

Help me! :P

VBMeireles.4951:

Then the question is: what will happen to all of those so hard to get pieces of Ascended gear? I don’t suppose they will scale up to level 90 when the level cap raises?

The issue with playing through content you do not enjoy, doing things you don’t have fun doing, just to get a shiny reward in the end (in other words, the issue with grind) – is that one day you realize your reward is actually useless, and your effort has been in vain. One day ArenaNet will introduce more powerful items, and when you look back at all the time it took you to get your ascended backpiece, what will you think?

I will feel bad I spent so much to get it. ;P

Will they become obsolete? Of course. Welcome to “vertical progression.” Enjoy your stay!

It won’t be for a while though…first you get to collect a complete set of ascended items with all the grind associated with it.

When you have everything complete, suddenly it will become 10 times easier/cheaper to get and then the new tier comes out. Very much like other MMOs.

I think what Anet did wrong mostly is that they took some fun ideas and stretched so they take too long to do to actually enjoy it. Also vertical progression which a lot of people like is stretched and it will take too long for them and it’s too much for casual at the same time because of the needed grind.

Why please one camp if you can displease both? Well, I am sure that’s not what Anet is intending but it does make you wonder sometimes.

“But thats only like 0.001% increment in stats! why would anyone want that?? Wait what? youre saying every area in the game is pretty much empty and most of the gaming community is going for the max stats? Nowai.”

Thank you for the nice replies, guys.
I’ve been reading about the subject and I’ve been enlightened by some of the answers.
I’ll probably take it a lot easier from now on and play the game because I enjoy it and not to be at the top as fast as possible.

Back in WoW I wondered why some people still played the game even if they decided not to buy some expansions and stay level 60/70 whatever.

Now I know the reason. :P They enjoyed the content, but didn’t like the gear grinding.

VBMeireles.4951:

Thank you for the nice replies, guys.
I’ve been reading about the subject and I’ve been enlightened by some of the answers.
I’ll probably take it a lot easier from now on and play the game because I enjoy it and not to be at the top as fast as possible.

Back in WoW I wondered why some people still played the game even if they decided not to buy some expansions and stay level 60/70 whatever.

Now I know the reason. :P They enjoyed the content, but didn’t like the gear grinding.

Yep, that’s the best thing to do. I hope your experience is different than mine though cause when I decided to do just that, I realised this game wasn’t as fun after all. So better luck to you.

With each new tier, (remember that’s what Vertical progression is), you will hop on the treadmill wherever it’s implemented closest to your preferences. And, you will then prepare to have fun for the length of the grind, long or short. When you hop off you’ll have all the shinies that everyone else has also acquired. Most MMO’s have defaulted to this system because of the success of WoW. In time a game company will come along with a vision and hopefully help move us out of the rut we are stuck in.

Feel happy. I don’t have any ascended items at all. Lol.

I don’t have any Ascended items, nor am I likely to get them unless they really do become available outside the torture chambers.

But I have a question. It was asked if the new gear will become ’obsolete like the exotic back pieces". Are there exotic backpieces? If they exist, where? I have not seen anything better than the Personal Story reward ones.