Make the endgame higher maps viable for "normal" solo characters

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RestInPieces wrote:

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Undon3 wrote:

It is hardly my fault you can get to 80 in less than a month, if I were to design the game, it would have taken 3 moths for that, and when the 3 months would have been over, I would have already offered new content at suitable levels, with suitable rewards, to keep high level players interested.

It's easy to say that you would have designed content lasting for 3 months. But it isn't feasible for anyone. Do you want to take D3 as an example? Go ahead. But don't bring an MMO as an example because as you very correctly said you don't play an ARPG for it's campaign/lore/quests/socialcrap etc. What makes ARPGs tick, is, as blunt as it sounds, slaying monsters with spamming skills and RNG.

Maps are indeed rehashed content. It wouldn't be possible to be otherwise. If i may say it's cleverly rehashed content and i personally like it - it's a neat sandbox where the campaign ends. I don't have unreal expectations. Did you expect forever-ending campaigns? As i said above take D3 or TL as examples they have MUCH shorter lifespans.

Btw do not ever vendor lower level maps for higher ones. You will most probably gain more maps by completing them. Also try buying maps instead of wasting the same currency to get the perfect 100+q mods (if that is the case).

I didn't bring D3 (which I never played) or any MMO as examples. And the game is planned for 10 years. I wonder what will they do with the max level given the many acts to come and many years of life?!? So I believe 3 months of grinding for an 80 is not that ridiculous. As I said - progression should feel smooth - it's an RPG, you need to feel you are progressing at a decent pace. If you take it as an ARPG, quick progression becomes even more classical.

I like the maps too, I enjoyed them even those with OP mobs that raped my char and finished them all with all mobs cleared (I believe...). I wondered quite a few times who invented the system, PoE or TL. But I'd like to be presented exactly as they are, nothing more than just content, not with the rare item halo they enjoy right now. Maps could also be new, original content, with new bosses and new abilities, right? What would stop them from being that?

The thing with the 66 maps is that they were always sufficient enough. Rare, but enough, and no need to farm lower end content for them - ideal to me - I just got enough map sustenance as I progressed-->a single grind level. I posted as I progressed through maps in the "Level XX and out of maps" topics quite regularly, and was constantly on the side of the guys that had maps. So given the fact that I had quite a lot of them at one point, I even vendored or sold some 66s for alchs.
The problem really arises with 69+ maps, in my case. Couple that with bad RNG runs, and you end up in my position.

And no, I am pretty poor, I never used more than 3 chaoses/map. I have even traded bad rolls on yellow maps (such as Chaos DoT) for white maps a level above and stuff like that, in an attempt to maintain some currency efficiency.

But I did use all my chisels and lots of currency on the 82-83 push, in an effort to sustain my 69+ map stash somehow, and I suppose a pretty big amount of alterations, which are becoming quite valuable, to get the maze/area large/pack size 40%+ mods, because from my observations and other people's too, more mobs=more chances at a map drop.

Was still not nearly enough...

But hey, at least I made it to 83.

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Undon3 wrote:

Maps could also be new, original content, with new bosses and new abilities, right? What would stop them from being that?

Certainly, i would love that as well.

I ran out of maps a few times (usually maps around 70ish) and if i do, i buy a few 67-68, kinda all over from the start again. I am just probably so frustrated about it because i mostly focus on item drops and forget about the 0.5% experience i get from them. I only use alterations to play on the very safe side (HC).

Anyway, wish you well with the RNG on drops. Maybe you were caught in a very unlucky streak, maybe not, i do not know, but personally, i always drop something neat once in a while to get me going.

PS:Also what someone said in this thread about newbie characters being able to get richer than high level ones, certainly does not apply. Higher level characters get the same currency plus chances for 4-5-6 linked items, better uniques, end-game rares etc..

Let me ask a simple question.

How many characters did you make in D2?

Well map drop rates just got increased in the latest patch, both in non map areas and higher level maps in general

Definitely a start

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deteego wrote:

Well map drop rates just got increased in the latest patch, both in non map areas and higher level maps in general

Definitely a start

Just went and read the notes. Saw no numbers in the comments, so... I'm sceptical. Also, RNG is still king, and the "slight" word in the already ambiguous patch notes is not encouraging.

But, I'd have to play and see first. My hopes that the issue will be solved for me are extremely slim.

I am willing, however, to give it another try and rebuild my 70+ stash once more. Just hope nothing stupid happens from my part or PoE's, and I can stay alive through the many 0.5% runs I'll have to make.

At least, I hope I'll get some amazing drops for my effort... maybe the best ES/HP/Chaos resi 6L Chest in the game. And some mirrors. I think that would be reasonable :P

Well, 10.3b is step in right direction. The drop rate of lvl66 maps in non-map content was atrocious. The slight increase on high level maps is also good but there need to be some clarification to that statement. What is considered slight and what is high level map?

What the latest patch does not fix is the cost of running those maps that drop, supposedly more often now. The patch also does not fix the effort and reward ratio for solo players unless you consider map drop as a reward rather than necessity.

I'm glad 10.3b patch made it in. If nothing else, I can run lvl66 maps for fun and giggles with my RL friend on our lvl66 characters. I wont be saving those maps for my ranger who can run lvl66 and 67 maps with as much IQ/IR gear as I can find in my stash.