Why you shouldn't nerf in ARPGS

I can understand nerfs in competitive games like starcraft and dota, but I really don't see why things should be nerfed in poe for an example.

If something is good, and people like using it, then why nerf it? Many people have spent much time making a build around a skill, just to have it nerfed. This makes their char useless and people will feel that they have wasted their time. Since this is the case, why do ggg nerf stuff? People who have made builds that doesn't use the skill aren't gonna gain anything if the skill gets nerfed. Nothing. If they feel that their build is bad compared to the other build, then they can just use the skill themselves. Nobody is saying that they are not allowed to use it, and by nerfing the op skill their build is still going to be as bad as it was before, just not as bad as compared to other builds.

Nerfing things is Anti-fun and only makes sense in competitive games, which POE isn't. so why nerf?

Because the game is built around the content within it. When one build clears content much faster then game balance is out of whack.

There's a few ways to fix it.
Increase game difficulty. Affects every other build in the game.
Buff every other build. Takes ages.
Nerf the overpowered build. Just right.

To do nothing would be pretty silly, because this game is supposed to be about build diversity. When one build is clearly stronger then there is no reason to play anything but that build.

Give me full set of BiS gear at lvl 1 upon creation or this game is BORING and I will qq about it and quit!!

This game is meant to be challenging, not casual fun.

There are other games out there where you can easily beat without much challenge, but this isn't what PoE meant to be.

Therefore, anything that gives the player a huge advantage should be balanced accordingly. Otherwise, it takes away the challenging aspect of this game.

So what you're really saying is "Why are they balancing the game"?
To make more builds viable. Argue all you want, if there is one build that can beat merc difficulty simply by holding down left mouse button, the majority of players will go for that build. When they then try to switch it up and get creative with builds or try other classes they end up getting completely crushed. They will feel they are forced into a specific build, game will lose its long-term replayability and they will likely end up leaving much sooner then they would have otherwise.

Imbalance is never, in any circumstance, good for a game (not to be misstaken wiith perfect imbalance wich is a completely different beast) and any company who does not try to correct such things in their games either don't give a **** or they are simply incompetent.

"

Zenanii wrote:

So what you're really saying is "Why are they balancing the game"?
To make more builds viable. Argue all you want, if there is one build that can beat merc difficulty simply by holding down left mouse button, the majority of players will go for that build. When they then try to switch it up and get creative with builds or try other classes they end up getting completely crushed. They will feel they are forced into a specific build, game will lose its long-term replayability and they will likely end up leaving much sooner then they would have otherwise.

Imbalance is never, in any circumstance, good for a game (not to be misstaken wiith perfect imbalance wich is a completely different beast) and any company who does not try to correct such things in their games either don't give a **** or they are simply incompetent.

I agree that you should try to balance the game, but don't do it once the players have started to enjoy using it, and have spent time which they can lose by a nerf. They should spend more time balancing before they release something and less time after.

"

MperorM wrote:

"

Zenanii wrote:

So what you're really saying is "Why are they balancing the game"?
To make more builds viable. Argue all you want, if there is one build that can beat merc difficulty simply by holding down left mouse button, the majority of players will go for that build. When they then try to switch it up and get creative with builds or try other classes they end up getting completely crushed. They will feel they are forced into a specific build, game will lose its long-term replayability and they will likely end up leaving much sooner then they would have otherwise.

Imbalance is never, in any circumstance, good for a game (not to be misstaken wiith perfect imbalance wich is a completely different beast) and any company who does not try to correct such things in their games either don't give a **** or they are simply incompetent.

I agree that you should try to balance the game, but don't do it once the players have started to enjoy using it, and have spent time which they can lose by a nerf. They should spend more time balancing before they release something and less time after.

So about what are you complaining ? Cast on damage taken ? Dude, 99% of the players uses it, which is and was NEVER GGG's intention. As others said, this game is about build diversity. Stuff too strong to let people choose to have it or not have it should not be in this game. simple as that.

"

MperorM wrote:

"

Zenanii wrote:

So what you're really saying is "Why are they balancing the game"?
To make more builds viable. Argue all you want, if there is one build that can beat merc difficulty simply by holding down left mouse button, the majority of players will go for that build. When they then try to switch it up and get creative with builds or try other classes they end up getting completely crushed. They will feel they are forced into a specific build, game will lose its long-term replayability and they will likely end up leaving much sooner then they would have otherwise.

Imbalance is never, in any circumstance, good for a game (not to be misstaken wiith perfect imbalance wich is a completely different beast) and any company who does not try to correct such things in their games either don't give a **** or they are simply incompetent.

I agree that you should try to balance the game, but don't do it once the players have started to enjoy using it, and have spent time which they can lose by a nerf. They should spend more time balancing before they release something and less time after.

If you can understand nerfing in OTHER games, then why not this one? It's a competitive game just like those, there are leaderboards and such, as well as some pvp stuff...

Balancing the game needs to be done no matter what time, I am sure a lot of changes where made through the course of the extensive beta and alpha builds but just because of a release and you being happy making the game easier through a certain skill shouldn't force a patch to be withheld...?

I think the harder and more balanced the game is, the more enjoyable it will be along with it lasting much longer!

For everything nerfed there will be good reason for it, of that I am sure!

I agree completely with the comment that you replied to here in the quote!!


Kind Regards
Patrick

You don't quite understand how game design works. In a long running game like Path of Exile, balance changes WILL be made. You are just going to have to learn to live with it. If you think it is fine to just leave everything as is, you'll eventually succumb to power creep and a broken mess of a game.
You also talk about how PoE isn't competitive at all, but it definitely has a competitive edge to it, especially when the race seasons are ongoing.
You also speak of just saying if skills are underpowered, people should just use the overpowered ones instead. Why should they? What if they would like to make a build revolving around one of those underpowered moves?

Anyway, long story short, balance changes have to happen. It is also always better to bring very powerful abilities in line with lesser ones, rather than buffing everything to the sky. Otherwise you just end up with a cycle of buffing moves, buffing monsters, buffing moves, over and over again.