Guild Wars 2

tl;dr: New animation or cosmetic reward for completing content similar to green warlock fire in WoW for progression.

This is something that has been bugging me ever since I started MMOs in general. Typically when a character hits the level cap and no longer earns additional skills or talents/traits etc, the way to progress is via gear. Your armor becomes spiker, your shoulders are bigger and your helmet glows like the lighthouse. However your character actually does not become better, but rather your gear does.

When I first started my character, a moose can kick him and he would fly through the air and faceplant into the ground. 80 levels later, my character is the commander for the largest military force in Tyria, slayed countless horrors and faced some of the most deadly challenges. Yet he still flies through the air and faceplant when he is kicked by the same god kitten moose. It feels like this supposedly legendary hero is just like a starting greenhorn cannon fodder.

I suggest that completing content and especially difficult content should grant cosmetic animations or particle effects to the character. Similar to how thieves dodge looks, each class would preferably have different animations or effects for certain actions or skills after completing certain requirements. For example if a necro is able to solo Lupi, the staff action now fires a skull instead of the black goop looking thing. Or if a guardian is able to perfectly reflect the Asura in kitty golems, the wall of reflection now glows brighter or becomes shiner. Or if a warrior is able to successfully use dodge roll to kill certain enemies, the dodge animation now becomes a shoulder bash.

I believe this way is how character horizontal progression should ideally work. Your character should be the one improving alongside your gear. However I also know animation work is rather difficult, but different colors shouldn’t be that bad for a start eh? Preferably as potential loot in raid?