Problems with the strength of gear coming from easy mode Alexander

[Brannigan]

You see the difference in raiders that don't stress about the patch and "raiders" that seem to care about an ilvl raise due to crafted gear on patch day?

I've cleared every raid before catchup patches and have been pretty much constantly raiding since 2.0 release but thanks for telling me what I don't care about.

[Shai]

This thread is baffling.

There are a few people who understand the initial complaint arguing with a limitless amount of people who obviously didn't cover reading comprehension in the first three years of their elementary education. I suppose that's true in every thread, but here it's like an ongoing argument where one side says "This is what's wrong" and the other side paraphrases "You mean this is what's wrong" and then the counter rebuttal of "No, that's not what I mean." And that goes on for pages and pages!

(I think) The simplest way to put it is -
If you can beat the hardest content [Brute Justice] with your Lore Weapon, what is the point of farming for your Midan Weapon?
The old (2.0) answer would be -> You take your Midan Weapon into the new raid content for a small advantage over the first few turns while you save up to get your new Tome weapon.
The current problem is -> You won't take your Midan Weapon into new raid content. You'll replace it in the first 24 hours of playing 3.4 and there was no real point to ever having it.

The common answer seems to be "Carrying around a weapon of status for 6 months"
but you could save yourself the time farming the weapon of your choice, by waiting 6 months, boosting your iLv instantly +10 to 20 and spamming A8S all in one day (as you would Sophia).

Maybe this rephrase will clear things up? But other people have already said all these things.

[Belhi]

Well the issue then isn't simply crafted weapons which will be new this patch but the new EX trial. The issue there is why would someone who has cleared the last Savage wing bother to run a EX trial then? Either the EX trial will reward a superior weapon meaning that their old raid weapon will be replaced before they start the new raid wing, or they will have no reason to do the EX trial.

Fundamentally the only way such a structure is going to work that maintains the strength of Savage gear into the next tier is if none of the other content except either time gated rewards (tomestones) or the new Savage Raid hold useful rewards for them beyond glamour.

[Shai]

The issue was never "simply" crafted gear. It was the instantaneous invalidation of raid gear you worked hard to get.

Prior to HW the EX Primal dropped a weapon of equivalent (at best) strength to the previous raid tier weapon.
It was good for raid members who weren't lucky enough to get their drop (as 2.0 did not have a token system).
...and primals in general are easier to farm than final raid bosses (on their release).

Regardless, your not solving the "why bother to farm A8S" question. You're just imagining a new problem that isn't really relevant.
So A8S farmers skip Sophia - so what? The vast majority of players who couldn't clear Brute Justice will farm Sophia. The content will get played.

[Brian_]

Well the issue then isn't simply crafted weapons which will be new this patch but the new EX trial. The issue there is why would someone who has cleared the last Savage wing bother to run a EX trial then? Either the EX trial will reward a superior weapon meaning that their old raid weapon will be replaced before they start the new raid wing, or they will have no reason to do the EX trial.

Fundamentally the only way such a structure is going to work that maintains the strength of Savage gear into the next tier is if none of the other content except either time gated rewards (tomestones) or the new Savage Raid hold useful rewards for them beyond glamour.

And why should someone who is capable of clearing the last Savage wing be forced to farm an EX trial? They'll still clear it because that's what they do but forcing them to potentially grind it 10 times for their weapon is just stupid. If they are a melee DPS that double dips in MNK / DRG, a MT that plays DRK / PLD, or a healer that plays WHM / AST / SCH, the grind will be even worse. The ones who care will still go back and farm for glamour, push for fflogs rankings, farm for the bird and other stuff, and play the content because unlike casuals, HC players don't need as much incentive to actually do content.

And really, SE actually agrees. Back in 3.0 when raiders were complaining about needing to spam Gordias NM for 5 weeks to gear for Savage, SE agreed it was dumb and added crafted gear to negate that need. Unfortunately, as with many changes SE makes, they never considered the overall negative effect on gear progression their short term solution would have.

In reality, if they implemented ilevel boosting crafted gear as a one-time solution to Alex NM gearing issues and then actually took the time to really think about the issue and read threads like this one, they would've seen better solutions.

[KarstenS]

Therefore I can understand why you are complaining about the ilvl 250 gear

Uhm. No. With the exception of a very rare amount of pieces, higher iLvl is better as: main stats outweights sec stats.

Tint did understood the issue correct.

[Cherie]

Is alexander story mode "raid" content? I guess it's on the raid tab? Checkmate I guess?

Blarg, I really dislike there being two modes of a raid. Who wants to run the same raid in two different difficulties each week? I mean, I do it so obviously I'm someone who is willing but. I preferred the old way if I had a choice.

Can't hold onto things though. I really doubt the majority that cleared alexander are all that worried about crafted gear being superior. Sure it's more superior now, but it always has been better, even at same ilvl because of overmelding. But I know I won't see things the same way as the OP so I'm going to leave it at that.

I just find it annoying that people get all attached to story mode and want to be serious sam when doing it (and same for lvl60 dungeons)... Then people wanna micromanage it. All the while, i'm here sitting on a tractor and just wanna farm my dumb tomes... It's like someone wants to micromanage me making a sandwich... I mean come on, I can make a sandwich, go make your own sandwich and let me be.

[silentwindfr]

raiding community do raid because it's them favorite activity.... if you need a shinies as reason for do it you are not a raider.

the op want to make raid the top dog for no reason. raider always get gear better. yes when you arrive in the 3.1, 3.3, 3.5 you will have catch up patch, allowing people that havent maybe time to group to be ready in case in the next tier they will have the time and the group.

crafted gear is used as much by raiding community and the non raider player. the loot is not the reason you do the raid... if that the case, i invite you take time to rethink your reason to partake into this content.

[Vaeria]

Oh the whereabouts of Kirin's Osode...

Outside of a passion for the actual activity itself (forget the destination, enjoy the journey yadda) there is Z E R O incentive to do anything. ANYTHING. Guy could have a full set of raid gear...and its advantage against vendor gear is laughable. Insteada being 3 on the dps chart..your number 2. Next patch? You're back to 4 cuz that chick just got a decent drop from a 24-man instance.

Same thing with relics. Example...how many nins bothered to build a relic, considering the stats of the 230-40 tome weap? Everything's the same..or just marginally different due to casual player. Again..zero incentive.

Myself...I only bother with PvE content for the glamour. Didn't start out that way, but it became the only thing worth doing anymore. Eyecandy. Completed FCoB just for the style of the brd coat/weapon..stats be damned. With everything on such an equal footing to keep as many people motivated as possible, its the result.

I always seem to find myself pointing back to FF11, especially when I hear that 'incentive' word. Times have changed and people don't have as much spare to play I guess, but such was required, and for those who put in their blood and sweat (much like todays devoted raiders) the payoff was worth it. Example...forget the actual fights UP there..remember how much effort it took just to GET TO Sky and later Sea? (and ironically..it was a hellava lot more than 1% fighting land, sky, and sea gods. And the rewards? Just using Kirin's Osode as an example in pvp, where your gear ment the difference between life and death, the advantages were overwhelming.

As long as Yoshi and the devs try to make it so theres sunshine 365 days a year for all, conternts only gonna be surface deep. It makes me feel sad for that 1% who constantly busts their asses to clear the hard stuff. Considering what your rewards are, guess its GOTTA be for love of the game. Cuz soon as the next patch rolls around, all those efforts, just like everyone elses....just goes up in smoke. Talk about a striving after the wind lol...

[Shai]

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Yes. This. Exactly this.