My feedback of all Leagues and my Hopes for the future

Well this could a personal take of the game but I hope that many people can feel the same about it, I start to play in the "The Awakening 2.0" and the first league you play it's like a bunch of stuff that you have to learn and there is no reference/floor/base to contrast, the game just overwhelm and you try to beat the game (longstoryshort: amazing, simple but hard to understand, just a few PoE videos on YouTube)

Talisman League 2.1: Oh man, oh god! the last memory in contrast of the new leagues is, what a waste of time, imagine a recent player without stashes and 1 of the 4 stashes full of bad talismans, the fight concept was not enough to justified a league mechanic. BUT! the skill variety was so open, people was thinking to do almost any skill of the game even Reave.


Perandus League 2.2 "Ascendancy": oh boi, one of the best league feedback thanks Izaro and ascendancy system, reeeaaally hard to beat Izaro, almost a joke, but was a full adrenaline pleasure. this league open a bunch of new skill metas and was the new base to learn that is one of the things that I like the most of the game, new mechanics on builds, shake the current skills, swap everything or revive some dead skills.


Prophecy league 2.3: sorry, no time to play (work, family, etc.) I remember that challenge rewards were meh.


Essence League 2.4 Atlas of Worlds: Another nice league, is really funny because we farm new more essences in 3.19 than people in this league 2.4. Monster were less stupid to kill in contrast 3.19, reward was straight, new options for crafting is always a pleasure because open a new skill strategies, the game balance were ok, I remember that cyclone was OP.


Breach League 2.5: From all my memories of the game, the best league of all, the feedback of that league was the base to me to invest money on the game, challenges were so freaking good, skill balance were really nice, "The Berserk Obliteration Blade Vortex" was the meta, nice league.


Legacy League 2.6: The exciting meh league, the mechanic was between meh and could be exciting just depending on the investment, for new players, was really bad, didn't like at all, challenges was a bit hard, didn't want to do 36 because zero interest or motivation.


Harbinger League 3.0 The Fall of Oriath: I remember at that time, people reeeeally hate to wait for killing mob, that mechanic could be solve in just adjusting the time variable of clear the pack of monsters, the fastest you kill the pack of monsters the faster the pack respawn, but never mind, This is another league that I personally like so much, the skill balance was right, was open and were a bunch of variables that are close now, my favorite build was "AFK Gone Balls" by Chilifreak.


Abyss League 3.1 War for the Atlas: Was weird because they do two league expansion in a row, cool concept, a new thing, the reward feeling was bad, but the concept is ok, they nerf a bunch of skills, that was a hard hit, but the challenge reward was so interesting, a portal on the floor, was something unique.


Bestiary League 3.2: sorry but no thx, one of the worst leagues to me, the only good thing was split, aspects, imprint, rewards were not looking good, even portal.


Incursion League 3.3: bad challenges rewards, lame feeling of the mechanic, "complex" mechanic with low reward feeling, the new open stuff was Vaal skills with the unique flasks.


Delve League 3.4: an interesting league mechanic, not so complex than it seems to be, good wings reward, lots of unique items that enable many builds, not a fan of delve but was a nice league concept.


Betrayal League 3.5 Betrayal expansion: The King of player retention, the king of Hillock Slam and Dead. the first week was a joke, the game mechanic was really vast and complex but rewarding, and that's the more important thing in this topic, people a find that league super complex, but were super rewarding (without say the exploit that some people find to do with movement speed builds) but the concept of Grand Masters betray the exile, the veiled mods are the new base of the crafting in the game, people were so happy with this new mechanic, and again, loot and healthy crafting options. (Good reward until 24 challenge)


Synthesis League 3.6: Too complex, GGG mark a fast pace in this league, pushing people to go ultra fast in movement and clear, didn't like challenge rewards too, nice boss but so hard to find the unique maps like cortex, the skills balance at that time were lame too.


Legion League 3.7: Complex and mixed feelings about this league, the melee changes and cyclone revive. I've to be honest, Awesome concept, but I REALLY HATE how hard the shield general hits, is just a joke that DPS, makes me don't wanna interact with that league mechanic anymore. One of the best challenge rewards looking, a bunch of unique items that enable so many builds, is the second king of player retention.


Blight League 3.8: The sister league was fun, nice portal bad wings in the challenge section, interesting mechanic, I remember that league could be better if they had revived some skills or redesign some skill concepts, people just go minion and afk at the end.


Metamorph League 3.9 Conquerors of the Atlas: Dude, this is the father of being scare, and the third spot on the player retention, complex concept but "rewarding" you make your own mess, at the first week was lame because of the samples you had to loot, but later go better with that autoloot. Amazing rewards, good looking and new concept design. they add Conquerors so the hype was to the roof with Awakened gems.


Delirium league 3.10: the covid league, has Graphic Designer this is one of the best good looking design of the entire game, just everything black and white design that makes this resemblance of twisted/vague memories, the first league that a saw GGG change my beloved Gantz/warframe wings into a meh/ok wings. What I hate about this league is that GGG add a bunch of physical damage even to spells from the mobs, low amount of people know that so the start was frustrating to me at the point of not playing so much and I gave up with the wings because of the changed design, I prefer the cloak.


Harvest League 3.11: GOD this league was so freaking complex to be profit, at the point that people find the break point, then the league goes really weird, really nice craft sustain, remember that the first layer of currency was free alch, spectres were so strong, didn't like that direction (I'm more on variety of minions rather just play with one kind of minion).


Heist League 3.12: The pinnacle of frustration, bugged doors league, low exp, nice 12 challenger reward (3 helmets) but for real 24 and 36 were really bad, the only good point of that league are replica and new quality gem type, didn't like skill balance too.


Ritual League 3.13 Echoes of the Atlas: Finally a fun league in time, simple rewarding and sometimes scary, nice concept, good interactions with other items, nice challenge reward (first time HO reward and that was nice, but I don't like it). Introduction of Maven, a new difficulty with Uber Elder or guardians, a new atlas mastery points, nice.


Ultimatum League 3.14: The most rewarding league, was a bit scary but was a super gamble that push people to their limits tempted by rewards, challenges were a bit hard, introduction of "Hail the toucan" pet or Ultimatum Pet, nice build were added, nice reverse ailments stuff, blood bomb everywhere, was a nice league (even with the meh balance changes).


Expedition League 3.15: the break point, the nerf league, the balance on this league make the retention goes to the floor like no other, I think if GGG just add % more life depending on the tier of map could be better slow than just doing 5 to 15% less damage with every gem and like 1 sec more in travel skills, I don't like the concept of Immunity on the game, you can do 90% "tag" damage, but never immune, please, you hate Immunities but you add to the game, be fair, just Kalandra league beats this league in worst player retention at the first 2 weeks, look was meh on maps, but good doing logbooks, and people that hate that interactions were kinda frustrated.


Scourge League 3.16: The Doom league, the monster concept is really good, so devil and twisted, was a fun league, epic challenge rewards (I couldn't do the 36 challenges due to time, work, family problems etc), but in the concept of scourge gear, was a joke in some cases, I've a weapon that convert all your damage to chaos, and you can deal chaos damage. Those kinds of things lower the player interest, tainted currency <3. The only worst part of the league mechanic was the "back tracking" or Relocation.


Archnemesis League 3.17: Dude this league was so bad in so many aspects but at the end you make your own archenemesis, low rewards at the end, metamorph felt more rewarding back then, GGG add many new mtx reward challenges (nice there), lame Fried Chicken Wings. Worst player retention at day 11 of all leagues. Skills balance were lame in any angle.


Sentinel League 3.18: MMMM have to say that I don't find it exciting at all, just more loot league, for those that farm like crazy, was ok, but I'm more into the mechanics that involve learn to play different, calculate, learn something about pathing or make my own plan. First time for me were I can get a full body MTX challenge reward and the skin looks nice. Skill balance or choices were limited and nothing new to me.


Kalandra League 3.19: Worst league retention at day 8 and 15 of all leagues, and the vast amount of people that is logged are AFK, you can feel the dead market, by the way, I like the concept, for real, is not that bad, but the Time/Loot is not enough, like the reflection jewelry nice concept, skill balance are lame, to be honest, I wanted to minion player feel the pain, really like that nerf inside, no more braindead people walking through the game and saying the game is so easy, but I could like more, were more minion variety playstyle, I like SRS, Arakalies, animate weapon, but in order to minmax those builds your need animate guardian, and that feels lame to me, just my opinion, people find it so nice but how I see Animate Guardian is more like 1 man army, that concept could be nice if you can make Animate Guardian a real deal to use Link Gems (PLEEAAASE, nobody use link gems). I find the goblins so unexciting, like lottery, feels so bad, really bad, in a game there you have to go fast to feel the profit and then 1 mob that have potential to make you so freaking reach, but you need to relog a MF character or call another MF in TFT??? that feels weird, bad, wrong, any bad adjective, dislocated from the real meaning of the game, really nice challenge reward and feels smooth to accomplish.


Final Thoughts: I'm aware of Path of Exile 2, but we need a drastic gem revamp on melee, a bit on spell or CwC/CWDT or something new, people just play few skills on totem builds, I like the unique revamp/buff in many of them, but the game really needs something different in those areas or the new league mechanic have to enable slow builds too in reward.

I like the thorough feedback, although I do need to criticize the conflating of "league mechanics" with "general mechanics"

League mechanics are completely separate from expansions. Things like: atlas expansions, endgame tweaks, skill balancing, etc. are all NOT league mechanics and shouldn't really be included in an argument about "leagues". They existed in both the league AND standard at the same time and are more changes to the overall game rather than a temporary league.

In order to truly argue about successful league mechanics, we need to separate the extra stuff OUT. A good example is your feedback on Perandus league. You mention ascendancies as what makes that league great, along with new skill mechanics. But those things had nothing to do with Perandus league content....that was the perandus chests, Cadiro, and item trading (and only those things). It was a pretty stupid league. If you take all the changes at once, you come to false conclusions about the league.

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jsuslak313 wrote:

I like the thorough feedback, although I do need to criticize the conflating of "league mechanics" with "general mechanics"

League mechanics are completely separate from expansions. Things like: atlas expansions, endgame tweaks, skill balancing, etc. are all NOT league mechanics and shouldn't really be included in an argument about "leagues". They existed in both the league AND standard at the same time and are more changes to the overall game rather than a temporary league.

In order to truly argue about successful league mechanics, we need to separate the extra stuff OUT. A good example is your feedback on Perandus league. You mention ascendancies as what makes that league great, along with new skill mechanics. But those things had nothing to do with Perandus league content....that was the perandus chests, Cadiro, and item trading (and only those things). It was a pretty stupid league. If you take all the changes at once, you come to false conclusions about the league.

+1

"

jsuslak313 wrote:

I like the thorough feedback, although I do need to criticize the conflating of "league mechanics" with "general mechanics"

League mechanics are completely separate from expansions. Things like: atlas expansions, endgame tweaks, skill balancing, etc. are all NOT league mechanics and shouldn't really be included in an argument about "leagues". They existed in both the league AND standard at the same time and are more changes to the overall game rather than a temporary league.

In order to truly argue about successful league mechanics, we need to separate the extra stuff OUT. A good example is your feedback on Perandus league. You mention ascendancies as what makes that league great, along with new skill mechanics. But those things had nothing to do with Perandus league content....that was the perandus chests, Cadiro, and item trading (and only those things). It was a pretty stupid league. If you take all the changes at once, you come to false conclusions about the league.

I know, this is not to criticize the league at all, is the overall feedback about that league, even that, some league with expansion don't even make me feel fully excited, they were just extra content, and if the league mechanic was bad, the league expansion just feel like a large amount of bad things to do, I understand that point of chopping the real content of the league but I think that GGG in the end, balance the league side by side with the expansion, they are not doing separate without thinking, they try to balance both to the point of "no break" or trying to not exploit the "league mechanic" with the Expansion, so yeah there is a bunch of league mechanics that are a pain in the ass. I really hate Legion, metamorph, archnemesis, expedition, I don't like sentinel (but I like the recombinator currency), legacy and talisman.

But there is a league mechanic, and what GGG decide to do with balance around that league, that brings to the table a big picture of how bad or good is that league, I mean if GGG hadn't done the nerfs on support gems and travel gems in Expedition League, maybe would had a better response from the community, because my intention is not just go and criticize GGG decisions, I hope that some feedbacks to GGG could impact on a better future for upcoming leagues, more people, more retention. They have to stop cornering the builds for example, create new horizons for each and every one of the skills in the game, its insane that one magic caster in this game could be more tanky and strong than a melee character, why?.

Maybe I could explain or detail more each league, but how Tibbs says, I do my best, but DAMN!. Is too long to read I think.