Trials are terrible

"

leopard2lx#3801 wrote:

1. Why is this tied to finding a random key for it? Why is it not clear what tier are you running or unlocking? I ran the trials multiple times without unlocking more points because it's not clear when I'm running the next tier.

Exactly! In POE1, you didn't need a key or anything to get into the first 3 Labs. Why would you do it for POE2?

I get why Sanctum and Ultimatum were used for ascension. The idea is that there needed to be some sort of trial, and at least the ideas behind these mechanics were already in place.

But they plain do not work. Am I really expected to spend 1.5 hours on a three floor Sanctum run to get the fifth and sixth ascendancy points that are important to move on to end game? And that's setting aside the overall difficulty, randomness, and inherent problems with honor and certain builds.

Realistically I'm going to have to run many Sanctums to get relics to help me get through three floors.

Ultimatum is even worse. Stacking up 7 possibly very punishing debuffs
(which are again totally random) on top of the inherent difficulty of the stages is a different problem with the same outcome.

Ultimately you need to now go into endgame with only four ascendancy points and play for quite a long time that way to level and gear up so that you can either take on these trials with efficiency or even survive them in the first place. Is end game balanced around having only 4 ascendancy points? If not you're limiting builds significantly.

Rattlecage in particular ISN'T EVEN A SKILL CHECK.

Due to his ground effect that is almost impossible to dodge, he is in fact a STAT check.

Stat checks are not fun for ascendancies.

"

Eight88#0861 wrote:

I get why Sanctum and Ultimatum were used for ascension. There idea is that there needed to be some sort of trial, and at least the idea behind those ideas were already designed.

But they plain do not work. Am I really expected to spend 1.5 hours on a three floor Sanctum run to get the fifth and sixth ascendancy points that are important to move on to end game? And that's setting aside the overall difficulty, randomness, and inherent problems with honor and certain builds.

Realistically I'm going to have to run many Sanctums to get relics to help me get through three floors.

Ultimatum is even worse. Stacking up 7 possibly very punishing debuffs
(which are again totally random) on top of the inherent difficulty of the stages is a different problem with the same outcome.

Ultimately you need to now go into endgame with only four ascendancy points and play for quite a long time that way to level and gear up so that you can either take on these trials with efficiency or even survive them in the first place. Is end game balanced around having only 4 ascendancy points? If not you're limiting builds significantly.

I don't get it though because why use two different trials which both use the same "You walk into a room and get a cringeworthily designed debuff that can instantly RIP your run". It's like an illusion of choice. Both trials use the same archetype of design on a basic level. It's almost like 2 different skins on top of the same thing.

the first trial Sanctum was a joke and easy mode, for a person running sanctum a lot.

But after i checked out floor 2, i cant hold myself.
This trial is balanced around movementskills, like we got in poe1 ( i think we still get movement skills, after they got enough information about dodge rolling )

These new Turrets with fire Balls, wtf. Ur Character is bigger than the space, they give u, where u have to go through.

Also the Enemys in the whole game are much to fast running and got to much action speed. Pare this with the Affliction, +action,attack,movementspeed, and u do not know, if u want to rage quit or lough.

The dodge role is somewhat slow. How could u ever escape this horde of Hasting Enemys, when u are not able to kill them with 1 hit.
Lets do not talk about projectiles.

This sanctum trial is just only for a few builds , like in poe 1

..............

Than we got Ultimatium. Yeah overtuned monsters, with a character that want to got to maps and try to get the 3 and 4th point in his ascendency.
7 Rounds of Luck. Hope u do not get 3 bad modifiers.
In poe1 u could overlevel Labyrinth and than get ur Points, when ur char is not strong enough while leveling.
This is also possible in Ultimatium. BUT , u have to farm 4-5 coins at lvl 65 and than play the game to level up to 70--75. Than try to run them. This is not really funny.

I played 3 Floor Sanctum Level 60 und my level 72 Char. Spend 1h to last boss and he killed me with 10% of his HP left. I did not now any mechanics, or can learn them.

1h hour full concentration gameplay gone. Guess what?

I log out. It is so frustating. It is the exact opposite of fun.

"

Kamstew#1014 wrote:

"

Eight88#0861 wrote:

I get why Sanctum and Ultimatum were used for ascension. There idea is that there needed to be some sort of trial, and at least the idea behind those ideas were already designed.

But they plain do not work. Am I really expected to spend 1.5 hours on a three floor Sanctum run to get the fifth and sixth ascendancy points that are important to move on to end game? And that's setting aside the overall difficulty, randomness, and inherent problems with honor and certain builds.

Realistically I'm going to have to run many Sanctums to get relics to help me get through three floors.

Ultimatum is even worse. Stacking up 7 possibly very punishing debuffs
(which are again totally random) on top of the inherent difficulty of the stages is a different problem with the same outcome.

Ultimately you need to now go into endgame with only four ascendancy points and play for quite a long time that way to level and gear up so that you can either take on these trials with efficiency or even survive them in the first place. Is end game balanced around having only 4 ascendancy points? If not you're limiting builds significantly.

I don't get it though because why use two different trials which both use the same "You walk into a room and get a cringeworthily designed debuff that can instantly RIP your run". It's like an illusion of choice. Both trials use the same archetype of design on a basic level. It's almost like 2 different skins on top of the same thing.

At a high level they're very similar, but the mechanics are different enough that some people either don't mind or even like one while hating the other. I'm sure GGG got plenty of feedback during those leagues and after they went core that they know this, so I can see why they wanted to offer a choice.

I also get that they didn't want ascending to be a formality like it largely was for most builds in PoE 1 until at least Uber Lab. But they've turned the knob too far in the opposite direction.

If they're going to keep these methods of ascending without totally nerfing both mechanics into the ground for 'non-ascension runs' then they need to provide special ascension versions of the tokens that are less punishing. IIRC the original implementation of Lab in PoE 1 was pretty challenging, especially the traps, and it eventually got seriously nerfed. The same thing needs to happen here, at least when running with ascendancy points on the line.

People expect the first 6 points at a minimum for their build to be complete, and really almost every build could eventually get all 8 points in PoE 1. How it stands now is that most builds probably won't even get points 5 and 6, let alone 7 and 8, until well into the end game if ever. That just feels bad if you're coming from PoE 1.

I hate Sanctum
I hate Ultimatum

Now they are required.

So much RNG BS mechanics of what buffs you get/rooms you get.


Never thought id say.. Old lab was 1000% time better.

"

The3rdLetter#3931 wrote:

"

Players should be able to ascend without feeling like this Ascendancy is gated behind concepts and mechanics that almost encourage you not to want to do it.

+1

another +1

100% agree with the OP. I absolutely love this game but when I hit my first trial, that was the first time I was having a completely unfun and frustrating gameplay experience.

Please either ditch the honour system. You could replace with fail trial on death or something.