Level Sync feels worse every expansion

[Akonyl]

I really don't get why they just don't:

1) Check the expected dps of a job at X level, at each level a dungeon's unlocked at
2) Calculate the expected damage at each level cap (70, 80, 90, 100, etc) per job
3) Make a buff per job where it nerfs your damage appropriately based on how far you're jumping back level-wise

This would basically require one "base" reading per job per expansion, with minor adjustments besides. It wouldn't be sufficient for high-end content like savage/ult (which require tighter tuning), but wrt duty roulettes it'd be a nice way to keep balance somewhat in-line without having to remove player abilities.

[Hasrat]

I really don't get why they just don't:

1) Check the expected dps of a job at X level, at each level a dungeon's unlocked at

Well, your first mistake here is only looking at dps. There are more variables at play than simply how much damage a player can do.

And, more importantly, this sets a fixed expectation. See, most low-stress (casual) content is completely clearable while half-assing your job, no matter your role. That's just how it's tuned. You don't need to be rolling a perfect rotation. You just gotta sorta try.

And here everybody is, wanting their high level skills, "just nerf our potencies," and, at a glance, that sounds perfectly reasonable.

But, see, half-assing your end-game rotation is still significantly more potency-to-be-nerfed than synced abilities. Which means it's not as simple as just knocking your potency down, it's gotta be buried. Now, you gotta actually try a little harder just to keep up with a synced player. "Ok, great, that's fine, we're asking for our whole rotation."

Sure. And what about the players that don't try a little harder? Just for the sake of having your whole rotation, everyone's potency has been nerfed to the ground. And now you get grouped with someone that doesn't want to try any harder, they're just here to half-ass it, as the dungeon is designed to allow for, and now it's going to take you twice as long to get through. All because you had to have all your skills.

This is all to say nothing of the monstrous amount of work to calculate and calibrate every job at damn near every level, for every dungeon, and do it every single time they adjust anything. Versus, y'know, letting the sync feature take care of all of that without any extra hassle.

[Akonyl]

Well, your first mistake here is only looking at dps. There are more variables at play than simply how much damage a player can do.

DPS is the vast majority of what's actually important when it comes to being synced down into low-level content, especially for anyone who isn't the tank.

Sure. And what about the players that don't try a little harder? Just for the sake of having your whole rotation, everyone's potency has been nerfed to the ground. And now you get grouped with someone that doesn't want to try any harder, they're just here to half-ass it, as the dungeon is designed to allow for, and now it's going to take you twice as long to get through. All because you had to have all your skills.

Max-level players should absolutely be expected to try a little harder, even if they "don't want to". If some level 20 bard only has to press 2 buttons in their AOE rotation to hit the same DPS I do in Sastasha while I'm doing a full level 100 song rotation I am entirely for it.

Saying "but what if someone doesn't want to try to play the game?" is meaningless because that already happens in Experts. People already don't push buttons if they don't want to, that won't be a uniquely Leveling Roulette thing if Leveling Roulette suddenly asks max level players to push more buttons.

[ovIm]

Sure. And what about the players that don't try a little harder? Just for the sake of having your whole rotation, everyone's potency has been nerfed to the ground..

Add in a toggle "use old level sync", I'd say, even though I fundamentally agree with Akonyl that higher level players can be expected to try a little harder. When reaching a certain level of play, the game should encourage you to use all your skills.

[Atreus]

Sure. And what about the players that don't try a little harder? Just for the sake of having your whole rotation, everyone's potency has been nerfed to the ground. And now you get grouped with someone that doesn't want to try any harder, they're just here to half-ass it, as the dungeon is designed to allow for, and now it's going to take you twice as long to get through. All because you had to have all your skills.

I completely get where you're coming from, but I can't get behind it. People opting to "not try" is already felt pretty hard now in all level ranges. That behavior already adds time to dungeon and trial completions and it's not going to change no matter what system you implement. The key is that the content is still as completable.