FATES need a nerf

[pandabearcat]

Moontide, I don't think you understand that there are no other viable options for leveling up.

I don't mean to say you don't know what you're talking about, but you don't know what you're talking about. And that isn't me being rude, its me trying to get you to understand what its like post storyline.

When you run out of storyline, everything else is just completely cut off from you. It is like playing a whole new game, because suddenly after you already have gotten what you wanted out of that level (hunting log, maybe 1 or 2 leves, maybe a dungeon), you are still 50-80% of the way from leveling.

And then what do you do? What do you propose everyone do? Force them to run a dungeon that they don't want to? Make FATE grinding a complete chore (lets say 1/2 the xp), so that it takes twice as long...for no benefit?

Like other people said, I don't buy the argument it makes other forms unfair. If you do other forms for the point of gaining xp, -you- are the one making a conscious choice to give up xp, for more enjoyment and/or ease, or social aspect, or cutscenes, or what have you.

tl;dr: You can't have your cake and eat it too. You cannot just have whatever it is you want to do be the best xp, simply because you do not enjoy what is currently the most xp, as xp innately has no value other than...level, and if you consume other content then it is your choice to, and you shouldn't feel bad that you're gaining less xp.

Wow that was a long and terrible summary, but this is what I mean.

Please, I beg you to get a character to 50, then renew your crusade against FATEs. Until then, you have no idea what its like.

[Moontide]

Moontide, I don't think you understand that there are no other viable options for leveling up.(Snip)

(stuff about how hard it is to do it with second class)

You are both attacking my personal preference without touching the fact that it's an easy and unchallenging bit where only the speed of tagging monsters counts.
For the leveling speed opinion: I do understand about the scarcity of the content. I've played MMOs back when it wasn't necessarily a smooth quest ride from the bottom to the top. Pausing to look for options about things to do is when I've found the most fun during MMOs though. Having to look at your options instead of "Do this one thing only" makes the virtual world feel more like... well, a virtual world.

The main issue is the brainlessness, exploitation, class unbalance, gear irrelevance and easiness, not the exact XP value. Those are the things that need to change regardless of my own preference about leveling speed.

[Tolmos]

I've played MMOs back when it wasn't necessarily a smooth quest ride from the bottom to the top. Pausing to look for options about things to do is when I've found the most fun during MMOs though. Having to look at your options instead of "Do this one thing only" makes the virtual world feel more like... well, a virtual world.

Ok, let's consider our options for leveling a second/third/fourth class atm:

Mindlessly grind mobs alone
Mindlessly grind mobs in groups
Mindlessly grind low level dungeons
Mindlessly grind fates

Yep, you're right- that was loads of fun!

It sounds to me like you have nostalgia goggles on. I've been MMOing since Ultima came out in '97, and I can assure you that I remember just how crappy mob grinding was in Everquest, XI and Aion. FATEs are just fine as they are. Dungeons need a boost to put them on par with FATEs (which would make them the superior options, since they also offer money and items). Neither needs a nerf.

[Moontide]

(tl,dr: Dungeons need boost FATE should stay as it is.)

You can't deny about FATEs not being the most mindless out of the options provided at the moment though. They teach very little about your class. And you missed battleleves completely from the options. Those need a huge boost from what they are now. Something tells me that they were supposed to be the thing to grind or at least use until you don't dare to spend your levies anymore once you're out of normal quests.

My personal pet peeve with FATEs is still the fact that in larger groups people get huge rewards for very little effort. Call that me wanting a difficulty buff / effort nerf at least if you want.

And I still stand with my slower leveling speed preference. You're free to disagree of course.