Please consider changing the role of normal mode Alexander in future patches

[Renault]

I know the time of savage raiders having to farm Alexander normal has passed, but I really, really, really do not want to do that again.

I'm fine with normal mode existing, I really am, but PLEASE, do not make me farm that boring junk for 4 weekly lockouts again.

Either make it so that people already doing savage do not need the gear (ie: the gear dropped from normal Alexander '2' is i200 or i205 equivalent), or make it drop no gear at all like the rest of the story mode content.

If you're not going to make the less-skilled/dedicated players do Savage to get the story, please consider not making us Savage raiders do the normal mode to get the gear.

Edit: BEFORE YOU POST, READ THIS: I'm not proposing we remove the current loot, or change the current tier! Please comprehend this point: I do not want to grind the normal mode of the NEXT TIER OF ALEXANDER to be able to do savage when it is released in 3.2. Why do I get the feeling people here only read the title of the thread before posting?

[Colorful]

My suggestion is to make them share lockouts, and make it so gear from NM Alexander isn't required to beat Savage Alex along with whatever the next tomestone gear is. That way they can't complain about having to do Alex normal, and if they did it's just because they aren't skilled enough to beat it without the extra gear.

[Renault]

My suggestion is to make them share lockouts, and make it so gear from NM Alexander isn't required to beat Savage Alex along with whatever the next tomestone gear is. That way they can't complain about having to do Alex normal, and if they did it's just because they aren't skilled enough to beat it without the extra gear.

Gonna respectfully disagree with you on this one, and here's why:

What if a progression savage raider -wants- to do Alexander normal to gear their alt or help their friends? While I still stand by my opinion that normal mode, if it's going to be on the same level of difficulty as story mode content, should not drop gear, I don't think forcing players to do one or the other is a good solution.

[Ashkendor]

My suggestion is to make them share lockouts, and make it so gear from NM Alexander isn't required to beat Savage Alex along with whatever the next tomestone gear is. That way they can't complain about having to do Alex normal, and if they did it's just because they aren't skilled enough to beat it without the extra gear.

No thanks. I don't agree with this at all. Some of us like to play more than one class and shared lockouts really screw that over. I'm fine with the Esoterics gear as it is as long as I have alternatives to get reasonably good gear. Hive weapons, upgraded Law gear, and Alexander Normal gear fit the bill just fine for the time being.

Why not just add Savage first and then normal a few weeks later?

Only problem is SE would need to bring more new content to keep non-hardcore-raiders busy.

I honestly think that in part it could quite possibly be a PR move. Releasing the Savage version first (the one that many less people will be able to successfully clear) just isn't going to sit as well with the majority of people. They mayaswell be saying: hey, here's this great raid... but most of you suck too bad to clear it so here have this watered down version a couple of weeks later just so you guys will get out of our hair for awhile. Release Normal first (or even at the same time) and it changes things. I dunno, maybe it's just me. Either way, I'm fine with the way it is now. I still farm my Normal every week, as does the rest of my static and most of my other friends.

[CGMidlander]

I honestly think that in part it could quite possibly be a PR move. Releasing the Savage version first (the one that many less people will be able to successfully clear) just isn't going to sit as well with the majority of people. They mayaswell be saying: hey, here's this great raid... but most of you suck too bad to clear it so here have this watered down version a couple of weeks later just so you guys will get out of our hair for awhile.

SE doesn't have a problem with cutting difficulty
(Steps of Faith, T6-8, ever-increasing Echo...etc.)

[Ashkendor]

SE doesn't have a problem with cutting difficulty
(Steps of Faith, T6-8, ever-increasing Echo...etc.)

Everyone expects content to get nerfed as it ages and therefore becomes less pertinent, but not so much when it's newly released. I guess I just don't see what the point of it being released later and/or dropping the same item level gear as upgraded Law equipment would be. I think a lot of people just kind of forget that casuals form the vast majority of the playerbase, and when you get down to it a lot of them have the same fundamental wants as hardcore raiders. In short, they want to progress too. Sure, you don't need anything above Law gear to clear anything short of Savage but it's certainly a lot less of a pain in the ass. I know I cringe when I go into a dungeon or trial and see people barely scraping by on item level, because I know it's probably gonna be a bumpy ride.

TL;DR - everyone loves blowing stuff up faster so moar gears pliz.

[Renault]

Everyone expects content to get nerfed as it ages and therefore becomes less pertinent, but not so much when it's newly released. I guess I just don't see what the point of it being released later and/or dropping the same item level gear as upgraded Law equipment would be. I think a lot of people just kind of forget that casuals form the vast majority of the playerbase, and when you get down to it a lot of them have the same fundamental wants as hardcore raiders. In short, they want to progress too. Sure, you don't need anything above Law gear to clear anything short of Savage but it's certainly a lot less of a pain in the ass. I know I cringe when I go into a dungeon or trial and see people barely scraping by on item level, because I know it's probably gonna be a bumpy ride.

So you're a casual, as you put it, and that's fine. You're right, you guys make up the majority of the playerbase, pay your $15 a month and yadda yadda. So let me ask you: if you shouldn't be forced to do difficult raid content to see the story of the raid tier, why should I, as a "hardcore" player, have to farm content that was made specifically for casuals to be able to do my hardcore content? Not sure of your opinion on this second point I have here, but tons of people in my FC (which is all casual players except for myself) are not even doing Alexander normal passed their 1st clear because they will just get better loot from Eso gear anyway. So would it really change much for you guys if it was just i180, glamourable gear? I'd like to hear your opinion!

[Itseotle]

I don't mind the farming but I do mind missing the surprise factor of clearing a new floor for the first time. It kind of takes away a little bit of the victory from clearing a savage boss for the first time that you already know what's next

[LazyC]

I don't mind the farming but I do mind missing the surprise factor of clearing a new floor for the first time. It kind of takes away a little bit of the victory from clearing a savage boss for the first time that you already know what's next

yeah agreed 100%, nothing felt as great as when my group finally beat FCoB turn 12 and getting to see what follows, made finally beating that particular fight so rewarding, i kept myself from spoiling what had happened the entire time till we had beaten it.

13 not nearly as much cause what followed was just a conclusion, but working all that way and finally unlocking turn 13 and getting the story felt great

[Renault]

I don't mind the farming but I do mind missing the surprise factor of clearing a new floor for the first time. It kind of takes away a little bit of the victory from clearing a savage boss for the first time that you already know what's next

Yep, I feel the same way on the whole 'wow' factor aspect of raiding and taking down bosses. So, would you agree that adding the normal/story mode after savage statics were given a fair chance to clear and experience the raid would be a good idea?