Quote Originally Posted by Mahoukenshi View Post
Just because I decided to choose an easier setting, doesn't mean that I don't want to improve my equipment (as long as it doesn't lead to running the same dungeon over and over and over and over and over and over), or refuse to AoE or - at least - try to avoid bad stuff. That's pure BS and overgeneralisation of player groups.
This is absolutely true, and if you are this kind of player, you are not the type that the concerns are about. If you pull your weight in group content, I absolutely do not care, and have no way to tell, what level you did a solo duty at.

But it's not complete BS because the generalization doesn't exist out of nowhere. There are actual players who DO have this mindset that they are entitled to clear content just because they play, without putting in the effort. The game doesn't do a very good job of encouraging that effort, and changes like this do not help. Making things easier, regardless of how trivial it is can sometimes get people stuck in a valley of complacency. And I don't think people are wrong to be concerned over it. It starts to set a precedent. Forgive the slippery slope argument, but how long before people say other content is too hard, because they content they've done so far has held their hand and they don't know how deal? Can you see how that begins to do collective damage to the playerbase?

I'll answer that to some extent for you, because it has already happened. In 2.1, with Pharos Sirius. Nowadays, the dungeon is no harder than any other. back then, people actually would refuse to even unlock it, due to low clear rates. The reason was because they had to pay attention to someone OTHER than themselves. Healers had to heal the DPS. Tank had to learn they didn't have the healer's full attention and that they had a stun. Adds needed to be prioritized in a certain order. You had to look around the arena. Quite frankly, we were all terrible at the game back then, and instead of getting better and recognizing lack of skill was largely the problem, some people ran away and avoided it. This left the players who didn't shy away having to deal with people instantly leaving in the newly launched dungeon roulettes, or dealing with party members who did unlock it, but weren't up to snuff. Imaging running out the ENTIRE 90 MINUTE TIMER and still not clearing. And even if you back out of the dungeon, no guarantee you wouldn't just get it again when you re-queued. Can you imagine how frustrating this was, knowing people all around you refused to recognize they were part of the problem, and ignoring it only made things worse for everyone else?

I simply don't want to see a repeat. I want to see the game encourage people to get better, and this feels like a step back. Maybe it is small and insignificant and won't change anything for the worse. I honestly can't be the judge of that at this time. Nor can anyone in this thread.