Guild Wars 2

With the announcement of the mastery system for pve you are now no longer going to be able to get skill points for leveling. Where are the 140-200 skill points needed for ascended crafting going to come from now? Same with legendary weapons, you need 200+ skill points to craft a legendary, where are these points going to come from?

I know there is content that gives you skill point scrolls but that requires you to participate in that particular content over and over to obtain the scrolls you need. This doesn’t even address wvw which has far fewer chances at skill point scrolls.

I’m not complaining about the masteries here, haven’t seen them yet so I can’t comment on them but I am concerned about the amount of grind that may be needed to obtain the skill points needed for some of the crafting. I’d much rather have the skill points remain as part of the leveling process.

This also concerns Tomes of Knowledge. Sure they’re great for leveling but once you reach 80 they were still nice if you needed/wanted to craft something that needed skill points, you could use them for the skill points. I hope they change the Tomes so they give skill points after HoT is released.

I’d be less concerned if Anet’s track record on these kind of changes was decent but with the change to traits last April and the NPE, I don’t have any faith in well thought out changes to overall game functions made by Anet.

Bunter.3795:

Where are the 140-200 skill points needed for ascended crafting going to come from now? Same with legendary weapons, you need 200+ skill points to craft a legendary, where are these points going to come from?

Probably from the ridiculous amounts of skill point scrolls you already get for doing almost anything in the game. Also, the article did say they’re going to put more skill points as content rewards to offset it.

Andred.1087:

Bunter.3795:

Where are the 140-200 skill points needed for ascended crafting going to come from now? Same with legendary weapons, you need 200+ skill points to craft a legendary, where are these points going to come from?

Probably from the ridiculous amounts of skill point scrolls you already get for doing almost anything in the game. Also, the article did say they’re going to put more skill points as content rewards to offset it.

And how many of those content options are going to be in WvW? There are very few chances (and they are all rng) to get a scroll in WvW and are usually behind defended objectives.

Also, skill point scrolls are only in abundance now because you get skill points as you level. If you had to use scrolls for everything post 80, you’d probably not have any scrolls left.

Besides the skill points for a legendary and ascended crafting, you have all the other mystic forge recipes that require skill points.

You are still geting skill points as you level up. But once you get lvl 80 youll stop geting sp and start geting mastery points.

tomes of knowledge and scrolls are easy to get if you wish to get skillpoints at lv 80
Im also sure the new content in hot will have a lot of champs that drop boxes for scrolls.

there are also a lot of players that have over 200 sp

I think you have roughly 1/6 chance to get a skill point from champ bag.

Those bag are quite common. Pretty much every part of the game drop them.

Bunter.3795:

Andred.1087:

Bunter.3795:

Where are the 140-200 skill points needed for ascended crafting going to come from now? Same with legendary weapons, you need 200+ skill points to craft a legendary, where are these points going to come from?

Probably from the ridiculous amounts of skill point scrolls you already get for doing almost anything in the game. Also, the article did say they’re going to put more skill points as content rewards to offset it.

And how many of those content options are going to be in WvW? There are very few chances (and they are all rng) to get a scroll in WvW and are usually behind defended objectives.

Also, skill point scrolls are only in abundance now because you get skill points as you level. If you had to use scrolls for everything post 80, you’d probably not have any scrolls left.

Besides the skill points for a legendary and ascended crafting, you have all the other mystic forge recipes that require skill points.

It’s true. We don’t know how many skill points are going to be available in WvW. However, if they are going to increase skill point aquisation methods across the board, wouldn’t it stand to reason that WvW would also see an increase of skill points?

Bunter.3795:

Andred.1087:

Bunter.3795:

Where are the 140-200 skill points needed for ascended crafting going to come from now? Same with legendary weapons, you need 200+ skill points to craft a legendary, where are these points going to come from?

Probably from the ridiculous amounts of skill point scrolls you already get for doing almost anything in the game. Also, the article did say they’re going to put more skill points as content rewards to offset it.

And how many of those content options are going to be in WvW? There are very few chances (and they are all rng) to get a scroll in WvW and are usually behind defended objectives.

Also, skill point scrolls are only in abundance now because you get skill points as you level. If you had to use scrolls for everything post 80, you’d probably not have any scrolls left.

Besides the skill points for a legendary and ascended crafting, you have all the other mystic forge recipes that require skill points.

I imagine in WvW you do a plentiful amount of capping as well, WvW is not only defense or ZvZ. The champ bags reward skill point scrolls like hotcakes.

I agree with your point though that the plethora of skill point scrolls we have now is due to an accumulation of not using them for a lot of things, but I think it makes the journey for a Legendary all that more special. Precursor crafting and skill pionts? It will take away the absurd RNG and prices and introduce practical effort to obtain your high quality items.

Your topic is misleading. They are not getting rid of the skill point acquisition, they are simply changing the source from where you can get them.

They can also remove/change the skill point cost for the recipe.

At this point, anything is possible until we hear more concrete information.

I wouldn’t be at all surprised if Skill Point Scrolls find their way onto the Gem Shop. To quote the great Tom Petty, “all the boys upstairs want to see how much you’ll pay for what you used to get for free.”

Vukorep.3081:

You are still geting skill points as you level up. But once you get lvl 80 youll stop geting sp and start geting mastery points.

tomes of knowledge and scrolls are easy to get if you wish to get skillpoints at lv 80
Im also sure the new content in hot will have a lot of champs that drop boxes for scrolls.

there are also a lot of players that have over 200 sp

Tomes do not give a skill point, they give a level which now gives you a skill point, in HoT it will not give you a skill point (as they are set currently).

While I agree you do get champ bags in WvW they are no where near as plentiful as those from other sources such as pve champ trains or pvp reward tracks. The use of skill points is also a lot higher in wvw as every piece of superior siege requires 1+ skill points to make.

As I answered above, Tomes of Knowledge give levels and not skill points, so currently it is the same but in HoT it will not be so. We don’t get skill point scrolls in the daily log-in rewards, we get Tomes which (unless they change them) will be wortheless post level 80.

Let me be clear as well, I’m not saying this is a horrible change. I am just concerned about the change in how skill points are acquired and created this thread to voice that concern. The change (whether good or bad) won’t be known for sure until after release but by voicing our concerns now we give Anet the chance to review their changes before they implement it. Maybe they have missed something about this change, maybe they haven’t but I/we can at least voice the concern.

I’m hoping they tone down the SP’s in all areas of the game…. SP’s used to be actually worth something… these days I can barely get 1g/sp, I used to be able to get 2-3g/sp.

ZudetGambeous.9573:

I’m hoping they tone down the SP’s in all areas of the game…. SP’s used to be actually worth something… these days I can barely get 1g/sp, I used to be able to get 2-3g/sp.

thats more to do, with more people using the baron spreadsheet than the number of sp in the game.

Taygus.4571:

ZudetGambeous.9573:

I’m hoping they tone down the SP’s in all areas of the game…. SP’s used to be actually worth something… these days I can barely get 1g/sp, I used to be able to get 2-3g/sp.

thats more to do, with more people using the baron spreadsheet than the number of sp in the game.

Guilty as charged! XD
That thing increased my earnings by a good 30% over market value. 10/10 would use again.

If they do what I think they are doing, I think this might actually be the best news out of all of it. Because gone will be a problematic portion of the grindy nature of crafting! I just hope they replace it with something sensible, sensible as in the decision to make switching traits free. That kind of thinking is absolutely welcome imo.

Do you think they would convert your skill points into mastery points? Because I have a LOT of skill points.

Oofta.8036:

Do you think they would convert your skill points into mastery points? Because I have a LOT of skill points.

The only way I could see them doing that would be to have some kind of meter on the system so that a character that does not have all skills unlocked, doesn’t lose the skill points. If, that’s if, they changed all the mystic forge/ascended/legendary/siege recipes to not require skill points, I’d be all for it but I don’t see that happening.

It would be an idea that they could, without changing any of the existing recipes, give us a merchant to pay for mastery points will skill points at our option. From what I read in the intro to masteries, it is more designed to get us to explore the world and not just “earn” points. Granted I haven’t read it that thoroughly and it’s only limited information at this time but that was the impression I got from it.

Seeing as how I currently have 900 skill points on my necro, over 800 on my main warrior, and around 500 on my guardian . . . I think I’m good and won’t really miss it.

I would like to see a toggle between the two systems. As I understand it so far the new mastery system will have you choose what your mastery “exp” is going towards. Why not also allow it to be set to skill point acquisition as an option. This way you have more flexibility but you also have to make a choice. You cant progress both at the same time. So it shouldn’t suffer in any way from being OP.

Bunter.3795:

With the announcement of the mastery system for pve you are now no longer going to be able to get skill points for leveling. Where are the 140-200 skill points needed for ascended crafting going to come from now? Same with legendary weapons, you need 200+ skill points to craft a legendary, where are these points going to come from?

You must have stopped reading before seeing the next line after they stated skill points would no longer be available through leveling:

Skill points will be added as rewards across high-level content to offset this change.

Viking.1950:

I would like to see a toggle between the two systems. As I understand it so far the new mastery system will have you choose what your mastery “exp” is going towards. Why not also allow it to be set to skill point acquisition as an option. This way you have more flexibility but you also have to make a choice. You cant progress both at the same time. So it shouldn’t suffer in any way from being OP.

Choice is always better

Bernie.8674:

Bunter.3795:

With the announcement of the mastery system for pve you are now no longer going to be able to get skill points for leveling. Where are the 140-200 skill points needed for ascended crafting going to come from now? Same with legendary weapons, you need 200+ skill points to craft a legendary, where are these points going to come from?

You must have stopped reading before seeing the next line after they stated skill points would no longer be available through leveling:

Skill points will be added as rewards across high-level content to offset this change.

No, I saw that line but what constitutes “high-level content” and does this also include WvW? I’m concerned that the lower attention paid to WvW in the past will translate to these bonus skill points only being available in PvE and then maybe locked behind group events that a person who prefers not to play is now locked out of skill points. The current system allows anyone, whether they dungeon run, group event, world boss trains, gather or just map clear to get additional skill points via leveling.

Like I said earlier, we can’t know what this change will all entail and I’m not here to preach doom and gloom, I’m just voicing a concern that the acquisition of skill points post level 80 will only be tied to certain content or the amount you gain will not be adequate to craft the item you need (whether it be legendary, ascended or mystic forge) in a reasonable timeframe. I am concerned that these additional “high-level content” will not be available to the WvW person. WvWers use a lot of skill points, as every piece of superior siege crafted requires at least one (and some pieces require more) to make. When you use 2 or 3 superior rams per gate on a keep, that’s 4 or 6 skill points that are required for one keep take and that is only if that first attack is successful. Add in failed attacks or destroyed siege due to defenders and you can easily go through lots of skill points in WvW. Right now those skill points are pretty easy to obtain as you have lots of minor events and/or kills to obtain more points and spread throughout a guild the demand on any one person for superior siege production is not great.

If, and that is IF, the high-level content additions are not placed in WvW as well as PvE, it’s an undeserved hardship on WvWers to have to go through PvE to obtain their skill points. It would be the same as requiring the PvE community to capture enemy keeps a number of times to unlock and progress in the masteries. I’m not saying it’s going to be this way, I just am voicing my concern to Anet to make sure that they have given thought about ALL the people that use skill points and constantly need to acquire more of them.

On a side note, I do like the idea about being able to select a mastery that would give you skill points as you leveled rather than mastery points as one of the above posters suggested. It would be a good compromise and allow you to decide which is more important to you.

Sir Vincent III.1286:

Your topic is misleading. They are not getting rid of the skill point acquisition, they are simply changing the source from where you can get them.

They can also remove/change the skill point cost for the recipe.

At this point, anything is possible until we hear more concrete information.

Simple solution would be a toggle to let us choose where to put XP. This is not a new concept, as the original version was set forth in EQ1 as the “AA” system. I have no interest whatever in their proposed Mastery system, particularly since they did such a poor job on revamping the skills, or any more of the grinding for mats-type mechanics that they have infested this game with.

Andred.1087:

Bunter.3795:

Where are the 140-200 skill points needed for ascended crafting going to come from now? Same with legendary weapons, you need 200+ skill points to craft a legendary, where are these points going to come from?

Probably from the ridiculous amounts of skill point scrolls you already get for doing almost anything in the game. Also, the article did say they’re going to put more skill points as content rewards to offset it.

I started making new characters, but still the skill points needed are not what are being allwoed to be gained now… it’s a new, harder and far more expensive game now.

Laurels are harder to get – and we use them many things.

Gaining skill points has been taken over by tomes of experience, which is great if you’re not sitting on a bunch from before pvp stopped allowing them to be sold and have made five characters, two of which you deleted, to 80 and and “younger” toons using tomes.

I love tomes, I don’t want them to go out of the rotation of dailies, but since we can’t get skill points on any end game 80 without being at the mercy of the game not even given the chance we had before World Completion, each level giving us a bit more so we had that buffer for the higher creations

Skill points now that I have my World Completion is now dependent on:

Magically getting them from anet’s new and not useful model

Making a new character, in other words anet gains money again, either way, more expensive for the player

or
Hoping for them to come up in another way in the new expansion.

Skill points and laurel acquisiton post World Completion seems impossible… So please don’t think that everyone is or will be awash in skill points or are, I’ve had many but I am getting low and i have a long way to go to Legendary or ascended on all toons…

The poor shouldn’t be classed out in a game, but it’s happening… the rich don’t complain except about the price, but they DO buy Legendaries and the rest of us will never see one – and before you think I am a casual, look again.

So in a game where sooner or later everyone will be level 80 there is no point in XP at all?

I’m worrying since skill points from levels has been my only source. I don’t want to have anything to do with champion fights which the only other source I know for skill points (the scrolls), and I most likely won’t care for what ever that high level content will be either. I simply don’t like “high end” combat.

It’d be nice if I could get scrolls from jump puzzle chests, I like those just fine. I also always wished the home instance skill point node was usable daily instead just once.

I’m actually sceptical about this one as well. Skillpoints are used for a lot of stuff in game, I just used 500 to craft a legendary, I use around 50? a week to craft superior siege.. So I’m not so sure I want to trade them.

I’m surprised so many people use skill point for superior siege.

Since for example superior flame ram is only 13 silver on buy order. You’ll need to spend 1 skill point just to save 10 silver to craft it.

If anyone didn’t know there’s a vendor which sell glove with karama. You can buy 4 and put it in mystic forge which give a new glove you can salvage for linen. So you can make about 8silver/1000 karma, that can probably help with the war effort.

If you are willing to drop say 10$ cash, that can buy you around 650 superior flame ram. I personally spend 10$ a month buying gem myself.

laokoko.7403:

I’m surprised so many people use skill point for superior siege.

Since for example superior flame ram is only 13 silver on buy order. You’ll need to spend 1 skill point just to save 10 silver to craft it.
…

If you are willing to drop say 10$ cash, that can buy you around 650 superior flame ram. I personally spend 10$ a month buying gem myself.

That really makes sense because people will have to craft it, if it isn’t you it’s someone else who will not have skillpoints as well. Not sure what your point is.

Jana.6831:

laokoko.7403:

I’m surprised so many people use skill point for superior siege.

Since for example superior flame ram is only 13 silver on buy order. You’ll need to spend 1 skill point just to save 10 silver to craft it.
…

If you are willing to drop say 10$ cash, that can buy you around 650 superior flame ram. I personally spend 10$ a month buying gem myself.

That really makes sense because people will have to craft it, if it isn’t you it’s someone else who will not have skillpoints as well. Not sure what your point is.

I always thought almost all of the superior siege weapons on the trading post are from rewards such as JP/map completion/rank up etc.

I’m surprise people willing to spend a skill point just for 10 silver.

You can make much more money promoting other items. If you willing to take some time to buy lots of tier 1 wood, and craft them into plank. You can probably make 4 gold per skill point. You can buy like 30 siege that way.

That’s why I always thought all the siege from the trading post are from map completion or rank up.

edit: i mean promoting tier 2 wood not tier 1. that’s a mistake.

Considering I’m having a hard time staying below 500 skillpoints … yeah. I’m glad they’re removing it for leveling above level 80.

Hopefully what will happen is they will use the sPvP system.
In the mastery menu you would select either gain skill points or progress ranking up the chosen mastery.

laokoko.7403:

I always thought almost all of the superior siege weapons on the trading post are from rewards such as JP/map completion/rank up etc.

I’m surprise people willing to spend a skill point just for 10 silver.

You can make much more money promoting other items. If you willing to take some time to buy lots of tier 1 wood, and craft them into plank. You can probably make 4 gold per skill point. You can buy like 30 siege that way.

That’s why I always thought all the siege from the trading post are from map completion or rank up.

edit: i mean promoting tier 2 wood not tier 1. that’s a mistake.

I’m no commander, so I use less/different siege than them, for me it’s about 15 ACs, 6 trebs, 3 catas and 3 ballis a day – that’s 4,5 gold a day.
A commander uses 2-4 rams per tower/keep, sometimes catas. Lets say he caps 15 towers a day, that’s 4,5 gold and he will gain a few more ranks than me and get more loot.
If the siege on the TP was from drops alone, a ram would costs one gold minimum as the drop rate is really low. I’m rank 1700 and think I have dropped one superior AC during that time.

Edit: The separation between commander and me is pretty useless and rather stems from me being a bit annoyed that defending is that badly rewarded – if I’d want to buy sup siege with silver/gold alone I really would have to buy gems to do so as defending stuff in wvw is expensive.

Traced.3495:

I’m worrying since skill points from levels has been my only source. I don’t want to have anything to do with champion fights which the only other source I know for skill points (the scrolls), and I most likely won’t care for what ever that high level content will be either. I simply don’t like “high end” combat.

It’d be nice if I could get scrolls from jump puzzle chests, I like those just fine. I also always wished the home instance skill point node was usable daily instead just once.

There are a bunch of other ways to get those bags/boxes besides fighting champions(most champions aren’t that tough anyway). Silverwastes and Dry Top are two alternatives. Several world bosses also give boxes.

Rather than discuss how to acquire skill points under the new system, I’d imagine WvW players should not be buying HOT expansion in the first place after reading the mastery blog.

From what I gather, mastery points use to unlock masteries only come from PvE and only benefit PvE(kinda like WvW ac mastery doesn’t benefit ac in sw), so WvW players will have significantly less mastery points to utilize exp with and probably have no need for them either.
Also, the new mastery system only kicks in if you are lv80 and own HOT, so if you don’t own HOT, exp will continue to contribute to skill points, meaning less wasted exp.

Until Anet make some clarifications in later blog, that’s the conclusion I stick with, although I highly doubt there are too many players play purely WvW.