The constant disbanding of Steps of Faith

[Adire]

Just want to ask a question here.

I am about up to Steps of Faith now in my story. Should I bother trying to do it now if it's a huge issue getting it done at this point, or should I wait for the incoming nerf that a GM mentioned?

If it's really rare to get a party able to complete it or willing to try, I think I might save myself a headache by waiting. I'd like some input though.

[AkashiXI]

Just want to ask a question here.

I am about up to Steps of Faith now in my story. Should I bother trying to do it now if it's a huge issue getting it done at this point, or should I wait for the incoming nerf that a GM mentioned?

If it's really rare to get a party able to complete it or willing to try, I think I might save myself a headache by waiting. I'd like some input though.

I did 2 steps of faith yesterday, one on my alt and another to help a FC mate. Both were DF, and out of the 3 runs, only one failed horribly. I led both groups assigning roles and it went swimmingly. Hell, I got 8 commendations in total.

[SlyRoyale]

I hope the only adjustment to the Steps of Faith is an instance reset. Once you make one-too-many mistakes from the trial, you cannot recover from it. Such a situation, however, can be easily avoided with some coordination. Whenever I get that instance in my trial roulette, I take the initiative and lead the group: designating a tank and healer on cannons & tethers while the 2nd tank and healer gather up mobs and solo-heal respectively. After that, it's just having the DPS burn the boss down and have the casters AoE the adds near Vishap with Fire IIs, Flares, and Baned DoTs. One DPS is assigned to the Dragonkiller, and landing a single shot of it is usually enough if your group is focused and know what to do with add burning and pushing their numbers (the solo-healer can even go to town with Cleric Stance DPS after the adds are no longer an issue for each checkpoint).

I'm apprehensive about what the adjustment(s) may be, but I hope it is nothing too crippling. After Amdapor Keep and Pharos Sirius got nerfed, they became completely boring. The content itself isn't too bad, but if the players cannot or do not want to clear the content or have to resort to buying a clear, the issue does not lie within the content but how the people handle it.

[x-_-ILLUSION-_-x]

The only thing SoF needs is an instance reset.

Players who want to faceroll though everything don't need to clear this anyways. It's a game. A game has rules. This one's rules are that you can average dps and use your brain/eyes a little bit. Every SoF I've been in where roles have been assigned has gone down within 3 tries. The game is easy enough as it is, the player base doesn't need to have any more content gift-wrapped ad handed to them than they already have.

[mbncd]

2.57 Tuesday, wonder if it'll include this change.

[Mokikoza]

Thanks for your feedback.

Adjustments to ease the Steps of Faith trial are in the works, and we'll be announcing more information about the how and when soon enough!

:/ This is why we can't have nice things.

[Catsby]

I hope their rebuilt the fight instead of just nerfing it. As a DPS the fight is more mind numbing than most.

[Whocareswhatmynameis]

2.57 Tuesday, wonder if it'll include this change.

I doubt its a coincidence this post and patch 2.57 were both announced today.

The only change need to be made is 4 hour lockout for abandoning a duty. Game over.

[Adire]

I did 2 steps of faith yesterday, one on my alt and another to help a FC mate. Both were DF, and out of the 3 runs, only one failed horribly. I led both groups assigning roles and it went swimmingly. Hell, I got 8 commendations in total.

Thank you for your advice

I actually just learned about the patch coming up though. If it changes SoF, I may not have time to do it before the patch hits and nerfs it unless I can get it done tonight since I won't be on for the weekend.

Oh well...it's a shame they're having to change it at all. Even the smallest amount of communication being needed makes people say "too hard, giving up".

[kyuven]

I'm of the opinion that a lot of the issues with SoF could be solved if they just got rid of the damn turtle and replaced it with something else.
The primary mechanic for dealing with the adds is to herd them up and let the cannons hit them.
The turtle runs counter to this encounter for a few reasons:
1) It has an ability with a wide AOE in an encounter that already has wide AOEs. This is fine, I guess, but just adds more stuff to deal with.
2) It has high defense/HP. This would also not be a huge deal if not for the need to stun it. The longer it's alive, the more times it needs to be stunned. And stuns have diminishing returns.
3) It STOPS MOVING to cast its abilities. This means that it can and does end up separate from the rest of the mobs, preventing it from taking damage from the cannons. Since said cannons are also throwing out stuns...yeah.
4) It can become invulnerable, which just exacerbates problem #2.


I agree that SoF is easy if you pay attention to what you're doing (though I do agree a vote reset would be nice) but this turtle is just an unnecessary addition to the fight. It's not even technically a DRAGON, it's a freakin turtle!

Also they do kinda have to nerf the encounter a bit since it IS part of the main story, has no rewards, and serves as a roadblock to players. The minimum level is i90 for it. Do you REALLY expect newbies 6 months from now to have i130 gear when making their first grind to 60?
It isn't that it's marginally difficult that makes it in need of nerfing, its the position it has as a story quest that makes it in need of nerfing.
Though again, just getting rid of or changing the turtle would solve a lot of those issues.