One thing to take from Wolcen - I hope for PoE2

I love the PoE experience but there is one thing that makes be not want to spend too much time on it: being a SSF to the core due to time constraints and personal preferences, I find getting insta-killed after effortlessly clearing bunch of content too punishing. Often it is with no warning and no chance to react or even realize what happened. On top of that, the death penalty after Lvl 90 is just too discouraging. I know, people what to be challenged and hardcore and what not, but far not everyone needs that "all or nothing" experience, where you either go all the way with just one game or not bother to invest time in it at all.

There is a middle ground that can make the game less punishing while still requiring to work on your build. In Wolcen, there is a mechanic that gives you "four lives" during a battle or a map. Thus, if you get downed by ab accident, it it is still not over yet. However, if you are outmatched, this won't save you eventually. I wish PoE incorporates a similar rule. It will make it so much less frustrating for me.

Pretty much every build in this game works on lvl 90. If you need more points, rework your build. Points after lvl 90 are just bonus for some effort, thats all.
GGG will rather make leveling past lvl90 ever harder than do what you say.
(they already made 95-100 lvling way more grindy than it was)
Also PoE gives you 6 lives per map, Wolcen gives you only 4.

Not gonna comment on the death penalty mechanic, but...

In poe you (generally) get 6 attempts. maps and bosses come with 6 portals.

Yes, there are a few things (delve, menagerie fights) that you only get 1 chance. But most things, including end game bosses, have 6 portals.

Although your characters are private, from your account it looks like this is your first league. It can take several leagues to get your feet firmly on the ground, even if you're a quick learner. If you're more casual it can take even longer.

This league is also the deadliest in a long time since it's been a big correction for quite a few leagues of player power creep.

Give it a couple more leagues. You should feel a lot more comfortable by summer.

People who learn from their mistakes quickly get over this. Those who don't go on and on and on about it.

Players get to level 100 SSF-HC. That means stuff like you describe is 100% avoidable.

I think the "second, third and fourth wind" that you get in Wolcen cheapens the game. Maybe to the point where I don't even give a damn what they do with it.

Only thing to learn is how NOT to launch a game

Im surprised everyone is defending the one-shot nature of poe in its current form.

I think it feels like trash. Its surmountable, of course, but its less fun and feels less balanced than ever.

I dont think Ive died all league to progressive damage. Its either Im fine or Im instantly dead (either one shot or multiple hits landing together). Zero middle ground.

Of course, this is due to many builds being able to regain their entire life pool 2-3 times per second, so without one shots they would be immortal. But I think we have balanced around that a little too much.


Edit - I dont want the game to be easier, the added challenge is welcome. But dying instantly feels bad because you didnt have a chance to apply skill or respond. The skill came from avoiding damage. There is no back and forth. Either you avoided it, or you die. I think games shine when they pressure you, you can respond, they pressure you again, its a feeling of intensity and fun.

In this game, I rarely feel pressure. Im either fine or dead.

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trixxar wrote:

Im surprised everyone is defending the one-shot nature of poe in its current form.

I think it feels like trash. Its surmountable, of course, but its less fun and feels less balanced than ever.

I dont think Ive died all league to progressive damage. Its either Im fine or Im instantly dead (either one shot or multiple hits landing together). Zero middle ground.

In this game, I rarely feel pressure. Im either fine or dead.

the problem is this is only perpetuated with how GGG goes about balancing the game, unfortunately.
its been this way for a very long while now. i'd like to see it reversed to some extend but i just don't see how it can be at this point. 6 years of bringing it to its peak now, it can't be flipped around in a league or two. probably not even a year or two.
possibly not ever, because it would require taking a lot of offensive capabilities away from the player.

numbers just keep going up and up and up, except those of our defenses. in fact, mechanics used to get actual defense just keep getting nerfed and tossed out the window.

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trixxar wrote:

Im surprised everyone is defending the one-shot nature of poe in its current form.

We are not. We are defending the meaning od death in PoE. This game was never aiming to cater "casuals". Diablo 3 is the game for them. Removing the only meaning(or penalty, call it whatever you want) of the death would casualize this game even more.

there is a reason D3 removed 'life leech' from their game post launch. With damage numbers at endgame, as long as you are hitting something, you have incredible life sustain.

As said, PoE would have to drastically remove a lot of the recovery sources players have, so that small bits of damage can stack up and be meaningful. it would greatly change the game to rework the "1 shot meta" that we have now.