This game has serious free-rider problems and it's getting worse. A suggestion.

[technole]

Bozja is a very interesting idea on paper that never quite comes together well for me.

If there were ways to target desired essences a little better that would be better. As is it asks players to grind so they can have the opportunity to grind more but in content that actually progresses the relic.

....There is a Yo Dawg joke in there somewhere, I just know it.

Um...you practically get a DR essence starter pack now for clearing Castrum, also 5 crystals and not having to do some alliance raids.

[Lastelli]

Bozja is a very interesting idea on paper that never quite comes together well for me.

If there were ways to target desired essences a little better that would be better. As is it asks players to grind so they can have the opportunity to grind more but in content that actually progresses the relic.

....There is a Yo Dawg joke in there somewhere, I just know it.

But there are ways to target essences and actions, that's the thing. I do agree, however, that the game should do a better job at giving information on how to get them. Because once you do know, you realize how easy they are to get. Maybe add the information on how to acquire the required fragments next to the essences and actions. Right now, you either ask someone who knows or you look it up on google.

[Ayuhra]

There is. Several ways, actually.

Castrum gives dozens of fragments, for starters, and most of them are useful essences or actions. Then there are several methods to farm good or even great fragments quickly. And if you really can't spend even a few minutes grinding fragments with a friend or two, you can always buy them, they're very cheap.

Consider this: 10 minutes of good cluster farming yields several dozens clusters, that can be used to get essences and actions for delubrum that will last you for several runs. 10 minutes.

Skirmisher has a 1 in 7 chance to drop from Awakening.

I'm not saying you are wrong that there are ways to get them, but the RNG for DPS just seems greater than it is for healer or tanks (tanking essences are pretty easy to get from some very low level mobs even).

Broadly speaking essences seem designed to help each part of the trinity access the power of the other two parts

Tanks get access to healing and damage
Healers get access to damage and defense
DPS gets access to healing and defense

This allows for some very interesting group comps...in theory. For the usual pugs that form you quickly learn that many mechanics are one shot so the defense and healing doesn't mean as much so you end up with:

DPS that can do a bit of healing and can resurrect
DPS that can tank
DPS that does less dps than the other two

Obviously there are some very good ways to combine essences and LA for dps but most groups just want something like skirmisher and that's an annoying one to try to get. I've known people who get so fed up over being called lazy for not having a dps essence that they spend 50k on fragments and end up with like 2 that are gone in two runs. It gets pretty wild.

Um...you practically get a DR essence starter pack now for clearing Castrum, also 5 crystals and not having to do some alliance raids.

People deplete those VERY quickly doing the DR runs for the relic. Granted they last longer now that you don't have to it 15 individual times.

[Endariel]

I don't agree with their methods but I can certainly understand that perspective. I think it's a shame that SE has designed something where people hate the idea of logging in because they know it's going to be more content they're miserable in for a shiny they want.

That's funny that say it, because save the queen provides some nice alternatives OUTSIDE of bozja. Especially those where you would use DR for. But no, people will queue in the content they hate because otherwise it will require a minimum usage of PF and actual commitment to the gameplay instead of afk cure1 spam

[Lastelli]

Skirmisher has a 1 in 7 chance to drop from Awakening.

I'm not saying you are wrong that there are ways to get them, but the RNG for DPS just seems greater than it is for healer or tanks (tanking essences are pretty easy to get from some very low level mobs even).

Broadly speaking essences seem designed to help each part of the trinity access the power of the other two parts

Tanks get access to healing and damage
Healers get access to damage and defense
DPS gets access to healing and defense

This allows for some very interesting group comps...in theory. For the usual pugs that form you quickly learn that many mechanics are one shot so the defense and healing doesn't mean as much so you end up with:

DPS that can do a bit of healing and can resurrect
DPS that can tank
DPS that does less dps than the other two

Obviously there are some very good ways to combine essences and LA for dps but most groups just want something like skirmisher and that's an annoying one to try to get. I've known people who get so fed up over being called lazy for not having a dps essence that they spend 50k on fragments and end up with like 2 that are gone in two runs. It gets pretty wild.



People deplete those VERY quickly doing the DR runs for the relic. Granted they last longer now that you don't have to it 15 individual times.

Skirmisher is not a good one actually, if you think it is sorry to say but you fundamentally lack any form of understanding about the content, no offense. You're much better off with beast + lost assassination. Dozens of those can be easily acquired or bought for a few thousands gil. For delubrum, you just want deep essences. Again, those are very easily acquired by the dozens, as I already told you.

And no, essences are not designed to help each part of the trinity access the power of the other two parts. I mean, they also allow that, but that's obviously something you might want to do only if you're lacking the specialized party members. In group content, you should just take whatever increases your damage because there's no reason to do otherwise.

[Larirawiel]

Hi, IMHO it is not only a "free-rider-mentality". Seriously, when you fight the Castrum Lacus Litore bosses, you will never ever know what is going on without reading a tutorial. If you a sprout or a returner, like me, you have no chance to learn the encounters ingame. You need external information to do it properly. Or you will die again in the next 10 seconds after the last resurrection. That's also the state of the game.


Cheers

[Wavaryen]

When they make content for the normal crowd this is going to happen. Personally I think they should have just made essences mandatory in normal with HP and enrage mechanics, just like in DR Savage. Like the problem is the instance timer is so high, and no shred of hitting enrages. They got to put these things back to enforce better contribution even if it's semi-lax, just having the threat of having to start over is enough to push a little more. But thankfully we have savage where this does happen.

DR Savage where if you die, a healer raise does not work and Lost Arise is just a 10% chance of raising with a Pure Essence. Walls like this along with having a group to clear is already a good wall to keep out the free-loaders.



Clearly what I expected from Balmung, you are part of the problem.

Has nothing to do with what the developers said, or support. or even rule enforce. Nah, me being mature enough to accept it, and see no reason to complain is part of the problem.


Also the fact you would call out the server I play on makes it all the much sweeter that Leeches bother you. They are having fun, and happily running over your fun to do it. Must be rough on you. Be strong!


Not that I mind you all upset about it, but at this point you all just need to accept how the game is design and nothing you say will change that. The developers are clear.

[SturmChurro]

Well I mean, can you blame them? They don't want to be there in the first place. The devs decided to ignore the complaints against Eureka and tie the relic to Bozja. They just first did a ( rather underhanded all said) step that didn't require Bozja at all, then switcherroo'd everyone. I have friends who hate and resent every second they have to engage with Bozja, but they do it for the relic. They are not going to spend a second longer in that place than they need to for relic progression. SE created this monster by ignoring feedback. If they want to help, then they should have relic quests reward these items that can be used in the instances and have them auto-trigger when going in, or something along those lines. Could be special versions that are key items, just to get through things. For instances that have to be run multiple times, make it a repeatable quest.

Maybe they should just start handing out relic weapons, because some players may resent SE for "making" them do Bozja for it? I think maybe if they hate the content so much they just shouldn't do it. There are adequate weapon alternatives available by other means.

...

It does not take very long to actually get essences. All it requires is a player going slightly out of their way, and spend a few minutes to gather them and/or clusters. I'm not even talking about paying for them via marketboard. In turn time will be saved in the long run, well if people would actually collectively do it.

That is exactly why I suggested to at least make a few Save the Queen relic steps similar to the logos action requirement from Pyros and Hydatos.

[..]

SE probably wanted to encourage players to participate in other Bozja areas by implementing it like this. However, yes, as they aren't required, and the content can be completed (slowly) regardless, many players would seemingly rather not go out of their way even if it would save them and others time in the long run. SE even encourages the usage of essences, but to no avail.

[Joven]

Maybe they should just start handing out relic weapons, because some players may resent SE for "making" them do Bozja for it? I think maybe if they hate the content so much they just shouldn't do it. There are adequate weapon alternatives available by other means.

^This^. I have friends who complain about the relic grind, but have been plugging away almost nonstop because they want the BiS weapon yet for some reason settle for Augmented Cryptlurker for the rest of their gear.

[IckeDerTyp]

Reward good, don't punish bad! That's atleast how I see it, without even reading all posts in this thread ^^

It's a shame some people won't care but imagine how amazing people could be if they'd get something like the BK mentor crown