Guardian Arkveld sets an example of how Trial reward structure should be

[bluestorm]

I think the reward structure from Guardian Arkveld is great
Getting a lower iLvl weapon from normal mode which you can then upgrade from tokens you get in extreme is a really good idea, and to be honest I think that's how all trials should be going forward.

It made me think about how the pipeline for getting weapons for alternative jobs is pretty weak if you are not playing extreme+ content - your only options for the majority of the time is the crafted weapon, and a tome weapon which is locked behind both a weekly tome cap and 7 weeks of the normal mode trial.

On top of this, it always seemed odd that normal mode trials give no reward at all, save maybe a triple triad card. Going forward I would love to see all trials give players a lower item level version of the weapon which can then be upgrade from doing extreme. I don't think it would be a problem if it was the same ilvl as the normal raid gear (for odd patches it could be same as unupgraded tome weapon)

I know arkveld is a special case and we are very unlikely to see this sheer volume of reward for other trials, but if they carry over just one thing I hope its how they handled the weapons. Though maybe make the upgraded versions dyable

[mallleable]

A change to this system I would like to see in the future is that the guaranteed weapon coffer you get should drop from a guaranteed personal spoils coffer at the end of the trial instead of automatically going into your inventory. This would provide an option to not grab the coffer if you don't want it or need it so your inventory does not get clogged up with unnecessary items. It would be like the scales, if you don't need them, you don't carve, but they are always there.

[bluestorm]

Yeah totally fair, at least with arkveld the coffers stack so they only take one spot but having the option would be better.
I wonder if there is some sort of technical limitation with having both a 'personal spoils' coffee and a regular coffee in the same instance?

[Myotis]

I would like not to farm 99 tomes or any other currency for a mount - It's dead boring and it doesn't prove anything of a value.

[Miradelle]

I would like not to farm 99 tomes or any other currency for a mount - It's dead boring and it doesn't prove anything of a value.

Theeeeeen ... don't do it!

It's kind of like not wanting to do all the relic grind for the relic. At least with the extremes you can wait a few years and you can oneshot them.

[Raikai]

The only problem for me really, is the usefulness of those upgraded weapons.

The baseline ones are perfectly fine as catch-up gear, but for the EX Trial, we already have a 760 weapons from a month ago with the Relic grind. We basically don't have anywhere to apply those EX Trial weapons unless you're a /very/ late Savage enjoyer. I could think about the cosmetic value, but they are very similar to the baseline ones.

IMO those late Arkveld weapons should've been slightly better than crafted weapons for the next patch, just to give some reason to gear them up.

[Khryseis_Astra]

My only real disappointments were the lack of Guardian Arkveld gear sets for Extreme, because what else is going to match those weapons? (Plus it would be a good incentive for people to actually do the Extreme!) That and the fact that the pop-up camp tent is empty and unenterable. If you can’t go inside it and it’s just for decoration, leave all the stuff in it! lol

But on the whole, this is the content of the patch that I’m spending the most time on. The biggest reason being, I feel like it respects my time. I do one run, I can get something with those two scales right away. Or I can do a couple runs for some of the higher priced items. To get everything in the shop will take some farming, but it doesn’t feel like a tedious slog that some of the other content does, because I’m getting something for every night I spend running it, and there’s lots of stuff to get. Beyond that, it’s just a fun fight. I understand everything can’t be structured like this, but it’s easily my favorite content of this patch.

[bluestorm]

The only problem for me really, is the usefulness of those upgraded weapons.

The baseline ones are perfectly fine as catch-up gear, but for the EX Trial, we already have a 760 weapons from a month ago with the Relic grind. We basically don't have anywhere to apply those EX Trial weapons unless you're a /very/ late Savage enjoyer. I could think about the cosmetic value, but they are very similar to the baseline ones.

IMO those late Arkveld weapons should've been slightly better than crafted weapons for the next patch, just to give some reason to gear them up.

Personally I think the iLvl they are is ok. Yes the relics are the same but in my opinion it's about providing more options for players. For gearing all your jobs, a few arkveld Ex kills is a lot less of a time invest than farming 1500 (or 3000 if you don't have the first step) tomes for relics.

Having said that I do know a few people that share the same opinion as yours so I think its an interesting discussion to have

[Raikai]

Personally I think the iLvl they are is ok. Yes the relics are the same but in my opinion it's about providing more options for players. For gearing all your jobs, a few arkveld Ex kills is a lot less of a time invest than farming 1500 (or 3000 if you don't have the first step) tomes for relics.

Having said that I do know a few people that share the same opinion as yours so I think its an interesting discussion to have

The problem goes even further than that. Players simply don't have (sans very late Savage) anywhere to effectively use the potential of those weapons. Both the Arkveld EX and the Relics. Heck, it's surprising that the latter don't even give bonuses for the Occult Crescent when it would be the most obvious thing to have. Even if the second step is done outside of the OC, the weapon is still themed with the zone itself.

Also imagine if Quantum becomes a "tool" rather than a difficulty mode. So, you farm Arkveld EX for the 760 weapons, or even the relic weapons. Now you can further increase the difficulty and rewards of this EX Trial with the Quantum mechanic, so you actually have something to benefit from having those items.

[Teno]

The only problem for me really, is the usefulness of those upgraded weapons.

The baseline ones are perfectly fine as catch-up gear, but for the EX Trial, we already have a 760 weapons from a month ago with the Relic grind. We basically don't have anywhere to apply those EX Trial weapons unless you're a /very/ late Savage enjoyer. I could think about the cosmetic value, but they are very similar to the baseline ones.

IMO those late Arkveld weapons should've been slightly better than crafted weapons for the next patch, just to give some reason to gear them up.

I wish they added a dedicated armor. And Arkveld as a mount, instead of this weird cart...