Make peak trials appealing at Endgame stage

[Jose Sarmento]

I would like to leave an appeal, as perhaps now one of the older remaining players, that, as you "fix" the now-buggy Trials, you cater for *some* endgame appeal in the >T100 range.

Presently, the only reward for completing one's highest Trial - after T100 - is simply the unlocking of the next Trial level.

What this means is that, once we realize we're *not* going to finish within the timer (bad map, higher-HP mobs, type of Elites, dying more than once, etc.), we have ZERO reasons to actually keep playing the Trial:

- gear can be obtained through L and C boxes in much better custom quality
- XP becomes barely noticeable after CL 2000-2100 (plus it is capped at T100 anyway)
- gemstones we get much better from boostered farming in Story mode levels
- gems we simply complete Daily quests, again in Story mode, and have little remaining use for them outside of ANBs anyway

So as we hit our peaks, the ratio of "failed trial attempts" to "successful trial attempts" becomes larger and larger... and the game itself becomes less appealing.

I understand the need to prevent "top player encroachment" (wherein us "veterans" are able to obtain any reward that further distances us from newer up-and-rising players).

However, at the same time, I feel it is us "veterans" that newer players "look up" to, and thus it is "desirable" (from developer perspective) to keep us engaged. And I believe that if we had *any* motive to persist and complete our highest unlocked trial, even if it would finish beyond the timer, our lifetime in this game would be extended, to the benefit of all.

Some ideas:

- have the "complete your highest unlocked trial" be one of the new revised daily quests, rewarding a substantial portion of the daily gems (e.g. 50gems per character, or a scaling amount of gems according to your highest trial level)

- have a small, increasing, nonzero chance at >T100 trials to drop:
a) an L-box
b) a C-box (*very* small chance, obviously)
c) a 200% XP booster
d) a new "consumable" item that increments your total XP by 20% of the total required for your next CL
e) a new "consumable" item that boosts one stat of your choice on any one item by 1 point (not exceeding max value)

- reduce map variability above T100. I don't mean the map layout, but for example instead of randomizing the mobs / elite types, make it a fixed amount of each type, randomly placed (X healers, Y elite archers, Z elite liches, etc.)

[Coda]

At the high end, there are a LOT of reasons to not stay in a Trial very long:

• Elite Sisters / Healers are broken even worse now. Even ONE can be unkillable. And they follow you with decent speed, so hard to leave behind = abandon
• Darkness = abandon
• Cave = abandon
• new 'Forest' = learning not to like it; the foliage blocks view of important things on the ground like red arrows and red circles = abandon
• Chargie-McCharge face attackers are faster and pinball around further, and one-shot you = abandon
• Kara is so much harder, it's better to finish the prior level in 6:30 and unlock the level past her

It seems Devs are trying to force all high end players to max out at 115 or 120 against Kara, ... probably in their minds, so we will all feel more competitive against each other, and spend to one-up each other.

I'm not competing against anyone else, but against the game, and when it is virtually impossible, I'm done.

P.S. good ideas in your OP

[Jose Sarmento]

At the high end, there are a LOT of reasons to not stay in a Trial very long:

• Elite Sisters / Healers are broken even worse now. Even ONE can be unkillable. And they follow you with decent speed, so hard to leave behind = abandon
• Darkness = abandon
• Cave = abandon
• new 'Forest' = learning not to like it; the foliage blocks view of important things on the ground like red arrows and red circles = abandon
• Chargie-McCharge face attackers are faster and pinball around further, and one-shot you = abandon
• Kara is so much harder, it's better to finish the prior level in 6:30 and unlock the level past her

It seems Devs are trying to force all high end players to max out at 115 or 120 against Kara, ... probably in their minds, so we will all feel more competitive against each other, and spend to one-up each other.

I'm not competing against anyone else, but against the game, and when it is virtually impossible, I'm done.

P.S. good ideas in your OP

I sympathize with those reasons to abandon, but my emphasis was on the underlying "ulterior motive" to abandon because, in fact, you have nothing to gain from persisting on the Trial, when faced with the likely or certain prospect of not completing it within the timer (which happens for all or most of the reasons you listed).

E.g. when I was XP+gear farming with my Mage a while back, I got a "ring map from hell" with all the worst elite types scattered. Must have died like 15x to complete it, but *it was thoroughly fun*, because the reward I was looking for (in this case, boss drops) wasn't "tied" solely to my success wrt the timer.

Also, I reiterate that in my view Kara's power is rather tied to the "mobs on hyperdrive" bug that presently exists, and which (hopefully) will be fixed soon(tm), making her summoned maidens more manageable and her skill attacks more sustainable.

[Coda]

My post was meant to imply "I agree 110%".

I have an old suggestion about light levels -- either get rid of the effect or make it worth while to play in near-darkness.

Same for caves.

A dark cave could become "sought-after" not an instant abandon.

Chargie-McChargers could grant extra XP or loot or both. Kara too. Kara especially.

Today all elites grant the same XP and all bosses, the same XP. Same loot drop-table too, I'd wager. Doesn't have to be that way.

Kara in a dark cave with some bad-ass Elites along the way before she is summoned ... I'm in. **IF** it is worth it.

Elite Sisters are still broken. If you cannot kill them, nor leave them behind, you must abandon.

[Oldmobilenewbie]

XP becomes barely noticeable after CL 2000-2100 (plus it is capped at T100 anyway)

What's the rationale for this cap anyway? Is game *designed* to produce a soft cap at CL 2100 or so as effectively the max level you can attain (practically speaking)? If this is to tighten the field to allow new players a sense that within a few weeks or months (depending) they can "catch up" more or less with more advanced players, then it makes sense I guess. For you guys sitting at 2100 with perfect jewelry and TL 118-121 or so, it seems to me, there's only one reason you play: Celestials. (Assuming not everybody at this level already has full celestial sets). So inbetween ANB events, I suspect, you are just basically waiting for the next ANB event. Is that more or less right?

[Nhat]

Sorry maybe this is a dumb question...err..what is the EXACT meaning that XP is capped at TL 100?...thank you

It means that mobs and bosses for Trials above 100 gives the same amount of XP as those at T100 - even though they are tougher to kill.

[Jose Sarmento]

XP becomes barely noticeable after CL 2000-2100 (plus it is capped at T100 anyway)

What's the rationale for this cap anyway? Is game *designed* to produce a soft cap at CL 2100 or so as effectively the max level you can attain (practically speaking)? If this is to tighten the field to allow new players a sense that within a few weeks or months (depending) they can "catch up" more or less with more advanced players, then it makes sense I guess. For you guys sitting at 2100 with perfect jewelry and TL 118-121 or so, it seems to me, there's only one reason you play: Celestials. (Assuming not everybody at this level already has full celestial sets). So inbetween ANB events, I suspect, you are just basically waiting for the next ANB event. Is that more or less right?

Yeah the "soft cap" (exponential curve after a certain CL) is designed to not let veteran players encroach at the top: under a linear CL, and with my near-perfect gear, jewelries, the ability to farm T100, etc., I could "keep a distance" that would prevent any newcomer from catching up to my peak trial level (or at least create serious difficulty, and of course, for similar skill).

As to "us guys sitting at 2100" (well, 2025), it's not just the Celestials...that would quickly prompt the question, what's the point of hoarding Celestials, since you can't use them in ANBs anyway and the rest of the game doesn't appeal to you?

Personally I still enjoy fighting peak trials and pushing, but the zero reward for a "failed" trial (completion beyond the timer) is quite disheartening. A game at any level is supposed to be fun!

[Guest]

Has anyone actually beaten Kara at TL115 or TL120 yet??? Or even TL110 for that matter?

[lama75]

Has anyone actually beaten Kara at TL115 or TL120 yet??? Or even TL110 for that matter?

Warrior is the only hero that has a chance to defeat kara at those levels, for now, imo. That said, I don't know of any warrior players that have tried her at those trial levels.

I've tried kara with my mage at 110, 115 and 120 and she is impossible to kill for me. There ARE some bugs that hopefully are getting fixed which cost mages significant DPS. So possibly 110 will become viable for mages.

I know of 1 other player that's tried kara with BH. Pre-beta they had beaten trial114, but was barely able to beat Kara on trial 100 with that same BH.

[Jose Sarmento]

Warrior is the only hero that has a chance to defeat kara at those levels, for now, imo. That said, I don't know of any warrior players that have tried her at those trial levels.

I've tried kara with my mage at 110, 115 and 120 and she is impossible to kill for me. There ARE some bugs that hopefully are getting fixed which cost mages significant DPS. So possibly 110 will become viable for mages.

I know of 1 other player that's tried kara with BH. Pre-beta they had beaten trial114, but was barely able to beat Kara on trial 100 with that same BH.

For Warrior, it's not Kara herself that is of particular issue, but rather the much higher overall Trial difficulty that stems from the various present bugs (mobs on hyperspeed, bad targeting, deficient LoH, etc.)

[lama75]

For Warrior, it's not Kara herself that is of particular issue, but rather the much higher overall Trial difficulty that stems from the various present bugs (mobs on hyperspeed, bad targeting, deficient LoH, etc.)

If it's possible to fight through to the summon, I, at least, would be curious to know how well a high-level warrior can do against her. I would be a useful datapoint. But I understand if it's not worth the bother.

[Jose Sarmento]

If it's possible to fight through to the summon, I, at least, would be curious to know how well a high-level warrior can do against her. I would be a useful datapoint. But I understand if it's not worth the bother.

I'll think about it. I understand what you're after, but I don't find much motivation in fighting what I perceive to be just a "temporary bug" in the Trials.

I can attest that at T105 she was not the "hard part" of the Trial. Wasn't easy, but it helps considerably that:
a) minions can be fairly easily kept alive against her (by a Warrior) because you can ensure the Knives special always goes to the opposite side of where the minions are;
b) Rending Slash / Shockwave tends to naturally take care of her Maidens with no DPS loss (well, a little, because Deadly Throw will still bounce on them rather than solely Kara, but still...)