Ok, not sure if this has been suggested yet. I see the good sides of the HP/Mastery nerf and the bad. The good is they are mostly now solo-able. The bad: this makes it way less interesting, and breaks the heart of the HoT purpose, which was the challenge.
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I want to suggest a two-part larger mechanic that would incentivize players helping each other, thus allowing you to restore (un-nerf) the original HoT content.
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[ Side note: I’m not sure if it’s true that there will be 3 total elite specs for each class when all is said and done, or if it will stay as one. If it is going to be 750 total hero points needed to unlock all 3 specs, that’s even more reason to use this idea. ]
Change 1: |-Optional-| Map completion with Notarized Scrolls
Give WvW Notarized Scrolls of Heroics the option to decide if they are map-unlock hero points or are floating hero points, that do not map unlock. Yes this means you could collect an infinite number of hero points, essentially. It also means you can decide if you want the game content to auto complete or if you want to actually do the challenges. Simply add a checkbox that retains the decision the player has made, every time they consume a HP scroll that reads: " [ ] Use as a contribution for map completion." When selected, it will map complete a hero point. When unselected, it just adds a hero point from nowhere’sville.
Change 2: Add Proof of Heroic “Fragments” for assisting/bring back hard content
In the same vein you could bring back the HARD challenges for the hero points and give hero point fragments to people helping. On the Champion challenges say they have to do at least 10% damage or whatever, and give them a “hero point fragment.” 10 of these can be exchanged for 1 notarized scroll of heroics.
Is it very much? No. Is it enough? Probably. In fact, almost certainly.
We like to help each other, just reward us for doing so in a way that matters.
We don’t want full bags or full friends lists for helping each other. We want the same achievement we are helping others accomplish, usually. I know a lot of people would be willing to stick around and help complete these for dozens of others if it means they aren’t wasting their time or falling behind to do so.
That was essentially the problem with the harder content. It was COOL content, and I think a lot of us liked it, but we had exactly zero reason other than “because we’re nice” to sit around and help each other. We ALL want to unlock our elite specs, and many of us are working on more than one character.
I have NO idea how you could add assist mechanics to non-monster challenges, but if you can come up with clever ways to reward for helping with those, you will see results there as well. *Maybe proximity/party tests? If party member A has already completed but is in party with member B AND is standing within 100 meters of the hero point, member A gets a fragment when member B gets the HP. *
I would only use these for HoT content, although Orr is a pain in some places as well. If you have any intent to use this for central Tyria as well, give them a fragment of a fragment. 10 pieces to exchange for a fragment, so 100 for a notarized scroll.
I personally would make these fragments account bound, not soulbound, as it means you can be helping people on the class that is actually helpful, while farming resources for the next class.
Is it abusable? Sure. Get the whole guild to do a hero point one after the other with you in party. MAYBE you’re lucky enough to have 100 people online. What do you get? The equivalent of 1 extra HoT hero point for loads of coordination, but 100 people have walked away with that hero point. So is it really abuse? I don’t think so.
I have heard a lot of whining about proofs of heroics not being account bound. In some cases this is a fair complaint, because if you’re running WvW with a group, you may not be on your favorite class- you may just be filling a needed role. However, as the rank up chests are currently NOT soulbound, I think it’s perfect. If you are sincerely interested in working on another class you have the option to transfer them, it just takes a little work. This is exactly how it should be, since it is SO MUCH EASIER to get HPs in WvW than in the rest of the game.
Change 3: Add “Proof of Heroics Fragments” to PvP reward tracks
As far as PvP players, perhaps implementing the fragments alongside transmutation charges and tomes of knowledge on their pvp reward tracks would be a good idea. Just because they play one part of the game does not mean they should be excluded from the rest.
Thank you to anyone for your comments. I hope you like this idea, and I sincerely hope they implement it, because I would love to see HoT back the way it was intended! It’s true most people couldn’t solo the harder challenges, but the talented people could. It was engaging and fun. All that was needed was a reason to stick around and help others.
tl;dr – Restore “hard” challenges. Add fragments of heroics- 10:1 notarized (1 HP, not 10) for helping on the hard stuff. Add them to PvP reward tracks. Add the option to NOT map complete when consuming notarized scrolls. Possibly add fragment fragments for Tyria assists. (Not nearly as hard, not nearly as big a reward.)
Thanks again!
(edited by Kane.6549)