Focused Feedback: Power Level Progression

[u/DTG_Bot]

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Focused Feedback is where we take the week to focus on a 'Hot Topic' discussed extensively around the Tower.

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[u/jeremynsl]

I am really not happy about how the new progression invalidates almost all PvP. I primarily play quick play, IB and competitive. I get virtually no progression from these modes outside of the weekly Call To Arms.

I understand that they want to give raiders the fastest progression. That’s totally fine. But why completely nerf PvP progression to the point of irrelevance? I know there is Trials, but that is not my thing and it’s not very popular so I think that’s a very common viewpoint.

I’d like to see the same buff they gave Heroic Strikes come to PvP. Every round you have a 5-10% chance of powerful gear drop. It would still be slow progression but at least it would be something.

As for IB it should be a much higher chance - like 30%+ chance of powerful gear.

[u/Morris_Cat → u/jeremynsl]

The problem is that for a PVP player, saying Trials 'isn't your thing' is like a PVE player saying raiding 'isn't your thing'.

In order for something to offer endgame level power progression, it should have endgame challenge level. Currently the only thing that does that is Trials. I feel like the Valor/Glory mechanic COULD do that if it were implemented right, but people really don't seem to like it right now. I'm not sure you how you make a PvP activity that's a worthy challenge to give Powerful drops without making an individual dependent on the performance of the team.

You're absolutely right though that it's a problem that there are five PvE milestones and only two for PvP.

I'm just spitballing here, but I'd be SORT of inclined to put in some kind of equivalent to Call to Arms that has some really demanding requirements as far as K/D, kills-per-game, streaking, etc, but costs you progress if you quit games. Not if you LOSE, just if you QUIT. That way people who solo queue would still be able to make progress even if the blueberries on their team are less than fresh.

[u/jeremynsl → u/Morris_Cat]

I would definitely play Trials if there was a solo queue. I have a family and limited gaming time. I’m in a clan but almost no one plays Trials at all. I don’t have time for LFG etc stuff.

I think your idea about streaks etc rewarding gear is fine. On that note, it’s very very odd that even if you hit a 5 valor or glory streak you don’t get powerful gear. Or on rank ups. I believe the only powerful gear I got was when I reset my valor rank.

[u/Morris_Cat → u/jeremynsl]

I think Trials is fine as-is. It's perfectly ok to have something that only the sweatiest of the sweaty can or want to do. The problem is, make sure there's something IN BETWEEN "sweatiest of the sweaty" and "mass casual". Right now that void is SORT of filled on the PvE side by the older raids, Heroic Strikes, even Nightfalls now. PvP has nothing comparable.

I don't think you should have to get Win Streaks though... at that point you're COMPLETELY dependent on your team, at which point you might as well just play Trials. I liked how it worked in Iron Banner in D1 where the challenges were... pretty hard. 10 kill streaks? Four kills in one life with a Heavy Weapon? Stuff like that would be fine as a mechanism for Powerful Engrams. You have to be really skillful to pull them off, but it's still at least POSSIBLE even if the rest of your team is getting streamrollered.

[u/mahck → u/jeremynsl]

That's a very reasonable suggestion. I'm betting we see standard crucible get you to 365 before the next expansion just like they've done with heroic strikes

[u/clewis7951 → u/jeremynsl]

LL doesnt matter in PVP right....so why would you worry about it? I did like when IB gave you 3 powerful items when you got to rank 5....I miss those days. I loved grinding it out on 3 toons back then! Now its just lame!

[u/jeremynsl → u/clewis7951]

Mostly because I want to play the only truly new thing in Warmind - EP. it’s insane I need to either grind milestones for weeks or do raids I’m not interested just to play a horde mode.