Contradictory Mentality with build permanence

So first of all read the OP, I didnt say passive tree gets changed every 2 months... I said my build gets changed. Be it by passive tree changes, mechanics changes, item changes, etc.
It has been stated by ggg that they dont have easy full respecs because they want your decisions to have more meaning due to its more permanent outcome as opposed to say D3.
Go read the forums from 2 years ago and you see it talked about in 100 dif threads.

http://www.reddit.com/r/pathofexile/comments/1u1atc/athene_interviews_gggs_ceo_chris_wilson/

The overview of the vid is there in the 2nd response. If you want to listen to it run it from about 17:00-25:00ish

Not the best example, there is interviews where he says it basically the same way I wrote it but im to lazy to search all day for them.
Just ask Chris himself if he said something similar to not wanting respecs so that choices are permanent and mean something...

Builds have only gotten stronger, you just need to do some adjustments occasionally.

Full passive resets are rare enough that they should not be an issue. It's done precisely because the passive skilltree is greatly improving. GGG are not changing it for the sake of it.

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kasub wrote:

Builds have only gotten stronger, you just need to do some adjustments occasionally.

Full passive resets are rare enough that they should not be an issue. It's done precisely because the passive skilltree is greatly improving. GGG are not changing it for the sake of it.

Sorry, Kasub, but that is pretty subjective. Show me one person whose tree improved and I'll show you another that it demolished. And it is most definitely can be an issue if it affects a persons preferred gameplay style.

I find myself feeling quite contradictory about all of this. At times I am frustrated by the ever changing tree and at other times enjoy it.

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Barl wrote:

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kasub wrote:

Builds have only gotten stronger, you just need to do some adjustments occasionally.

Full passive resets are rare enough that they should not be an issue. It's done precisely because the passive skilltree is greatly improving. GGG are not changing it for the sake of it.

Sorry, Kasub, but that is pretty subjective. Show me one person whose tree improved and I'll show you another that it demolished. And it is most definitely can be an issue if it affects a persons preferred gameplay style.

I find myself feeling quite contradictory about all of this. At times I am frustrated by the ever changing tree and at other times enjoy it.

I use to kind of feel that way too.
I would be upset a big change to game mechanics, the tree, items, etc changed my build but I would look at it and go "yeah I can see why"
At this point though im realizing that they make a change and destroy one thing to make other options better and as soon as people start using the new system and it has successful builds then they readjust that too.
Many of good well made skills and items and even game mechanics have been destroyed merely because they were usable and thus popular.

The bigger problem I see with the current respec system is the viability of ES to level a character, or rather the lack of it.

As a person who wants to run an ES based character you cant do so while leveling. Youre almost forced to run Life instead, investing a lot of point into nodes so you even have a shot at making it to endgame. This is pretty unfair considering the fact that its not a change of heart that makes you want to respec, but the fact that you wouldnt reach endgame if you didnt adjust to the situation. It forces people who try to run ES builds to invest a lot of currency for Regrets rather early into the game while life based characters can make adjustments and optimize their build using the quest given respect points.

This is something that bothered me for ages, and I am sure that I am not the only one, but we simply accepted the situation. I still think that there need to be a different way to solve this problem because you put ES based builds at a severe disadvantage, especially in the beginning of a league. These couple Exalteds that you might, or might not have to invest on Regrets can make the difference between enjoying the game and dropping the game.

Full respec for a level ~85 character is ~7 Exalt, if I understand current exchange rates properly (haven't played in weeks, just googled it). You don't always need it to be full, you can normally get away with less.

This isn't a game which doesn't allow respecs. It's just a game where respecs cost a pretty penny.

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ScrotieMcB wrote:

Full respec for a level ~85 character is ~7 Exalt, if I understand current exchange rates properly (haven't played in weeks, just googled it). You don't always need it to be full, you can normally get away with less.

This isn't a game which doesn't allow respecs. It's just a game where respecs cost a pretty penny.

I am not talking about respeccing on Standard. I am talking about being forced to reorganize your points so you can play what you want and planned to play after 5 days into a new league.

Regrets usually are even more expensive in the beginning, meaning you end up dropping a handful Exalteds for proper relocation. A handful Exalteds than could be used to buy you a new item. A handful Exalteds that a life based character doesnt have to spend.

All I can say is, I hope the new 3-month leagues will mean tree changes every 6 months. Because 4 is too often. Even though builds will typically still be salvageable, the time investment to make sure things work out is intense. When you've got a huge gang of 70+ characters (I'm not on my main account right now) and several in the high 80s, the changes can be overwhelming.

I think the major complaints from the OP are valid. Especially with regards to GGG trying to "steer" the metagame. I personally think that they purposely overnerf popular builds simply so the metagame changes. If every 4-month was dominated by buzz saw builds, the competitive scene might seem stale. I don't agree with this method of balancing exactly, and it's obviously not the only approach they take, but I think they definitely do it.

For me, I'm one of those long-game players. I play the leagues, I love re-rolling, but for me to hit 90 takes more than 4 months. And leveling gems to 20 takes months. So when my builds are getting changed sooner than they are even completed, it can be upsetting. On the other hand, I have several builds I'm not happy with that I'm glad I'll get to reroll for free.

Mostly, I'm just hoping my Arc Witch doesn't get completely wrecked lol. I was there for when they nerved auras originally, and when they nerved Spark totems… so here's hoping she doesn't have this happen to her a third or fourth time.

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MaxTheLimit wrote:

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H4T3MONG3R wrote:

So first of all read the OP, I didnt say passive tree gets changed every 2 months... I said my build gets changed. Be it by passive tree changes, mechanics changes, item changes, etc. but then the tree get a full overhaul ever couple months ?

You said:

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H4T3MONG3R wrote:

...but then the tree get a full overhaul ever couple months ?

Maybe the phrasing and context are a bit different than your intent, but I think he may be forgiven for interpreting it the way he did...

I think he may have assumed when you said :"the tree get a full overhaul ever couple months"
that you meant the tree was changed significantly every 2 months.

Yes I agree with your assumption. I used "couple" as a abstract term rather than intending its literal meaning.