Weekly Strike Target missed It's Mark...

Up until now the Weekly Strike Targets have been pretty good. I enjoyed having to run Statesman or Recluse for the first Notice of the Well drops. Then Reichsman and Lady Grey were excellent. Now we come to week four of the WTF and by the good graces we've been given *cue old Mario Bros. death sound fx* Sister Psyche and Silver Mantis? Ok...now it's really a WTF hehe.

The weekly strike targets primary purpose is to bestow the Notice of the Well for those players who have incarnate unlocked. The level 45 - 50 Strike / Task Forces all give you a chance for shard drops (incarnate worthy). They also drop Notice of the Well (incarnate worthy). Then they also give a double merit bonus (Level 50 worthy) and a chance at Purple Recipe drops (Level 50 Worthy).

Now we have two level 25-30 Task / Strike Forces that give you an XP bonus (Lowbie Worthy) a Double Merit Reward (Level 50 Worthy) and Notice of the Well (incarnate worthy). One thing though....they're lowbie TFs! You get no shard drops. A Level 50 toon loses every power they took from level 32-49. Unless they have purple sets they also lose their set bonuses. Thats really nothing new but Oh...and Incarnate Alphas....don't persist when exemplared or malefactored either.

The whole point of a lowbie TF is to play that TF when you're in that level range to begin with. The XP bonus and the merits are nice but the merits will probably only be stock piled until level 50 anyways. Their designed to help level the toons that are close to jumping into the next level range. Hence the 5 level variable for the TF requirements. That is when they are at their most fun. Most people these days just want to blow through all of it and get them done as quick as possible but they're meant to be enjoyed at the level they were designed for.

When I mentioned this stuff in a channel someone mentioned the fact that after issue20 you will get shards for doing the lower task/strike forces. Unless hes some kind of insider or I missed something (very possible) I'm taking that with a grain of salt. It raises the question however that if that were the case, why make these the strike targets before issue20? We still haven't gotten ITF or Tin Mage or Apex. (Tin Mage or Apex possibly because they're too short? *shrug*) who knows, one could speculate until they're blue in the face.

Basically my whole point is this. This is all just another precursor to the league system and all the other MASSIVE level 50 incarnate related content that is coming our way. The Weekly Strike Targets in spirit is mostly for level 50 toons. Players should be rewarded as such. I'm all for promoting the lower content but there is a reason why its lower content in the first place. I can't be the only one who feels this way.

So why do they award all that extra experience?

Yeah, the purpose of the Weekly TF isn't shards... so... I don't know...

You're not the only one who feels that way, but there are plenty of us who don't feel that way. No one is necessarily wrong for how they feel, but I don't think the idea was "primarily" a way to drop Notices of the Well, because the Devs could have selected any mechanic to make that happen.

In my opinion, they selected WSTs as a way to reward NotWs so as not to exclude lower level players or new players who don't yet have Incarnates.

And to clear up a few things - Apex and Tin Mage are in the group of future WSTs just announced, as are the ITF and a few lower level TFs. Also, many people, including me, have heard/read that lower level SF/TFs will drop shards for exemplared Incarnates after I20, so it's pretty likely that will happen.

I have one (1) level 50 character, and have not run a single WST. I'm excitedly looking forward to this opportunity to run my many, many alts through the WST and get them some of the rewards you've been getting for weeks now.

So no, not everybody agrees with you. I'm sure anybody who got into the game recently is also happy to know that the devs are not only interested in adding new stuff for only for your playstyle.

In short: stop assuming everything must revolve around your playstyle. Either re-learn to play your character without all the easy-mode IO slotting and complete build, or decide you don't enjoy it and take a week off from grinding the WST and farm something else.

I guess I don't see the big deal about this. The WST isn't incarnate exclusive. I don't believe such a thing was ever stated about it. Incarnates can run them to get Notice of the Wells, everyone else gets the XP bonus and the first run reward merit bonus. It just so happens that the last three WST were TFs that went to level 50, so incarnates also picked up shards. Again, never was it stated that the WST would always drop shards. Granted in i20 that will change, but not yet.

In the meantime I guess I will have to cope with beating up ridiculous amounts of Freakshow in the Sister Psyche TF and raking in huge piles of influence and prestige. It'll be tough, but I'll try to manage.

I think the OP missed his mark.

Also, Second Measure said...

"For our more casual players, we have added an option for you to continue to build your way up the Incarnate Tree by collecting Incarnate Shards without doing any Incarnate Trials--you will even get Incarnate Shards when you are exemplared down. It will take longer than it will take by participating in Incarnate Trials, and you'll miss out on some epic storylines, but you will be able to claim your seat at the Incarnate table nevertheless."

in his February Producer letter.

Perhaps it was bad form to start it prior to the I20 patch? I'm not calling their (Paragon Studios) judgment into question, I don't work there.

If you'll excuse me, I have several level 25+ character that would experience bonus and double merits.

I think it's a good move, and it'll be a better move after I20. I prefer a variety of strike targets to a rotation of STF/LRSF, ITF and LGTF over and over again.

Also, just to clear up a couple factual points...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tyranny_NA The weekly strike targets primary purpose is to bestow the Notice of the Well for those players who have incarnate unlocked. The level 45 - 50 Strike / Task Forces all give you a chance for shard drops (incarnate worthy). They also drop Notice of the Well (incarnate worthy). Then they also give a double merit bonus (Level 50 worthy) and a chance at Purple Recipe drops (Level 50 Worthy). Now we have two level 25-30 Task / Strike Forces that give you an XP bonus (Lowbie Worthy) a Double Merit Reward (Level 50 Worthy) and Notice of the Well (incarnate worthy). One thing though....they're lowbie TFs! You get no shard drops.

Actually, the level 45-50 strike/task forces give double exp as well. The only difference in rewards is the lack of shards, and as has been established shards will be added to low level strike targets in I20. Problem solved.

Quote:

The whole point of a lowbie TF is to play that TF when you're in that level range to begin with. The XP bonus and the merits are nice but the merits will probably only be stock piled until level 50 anyways. Their designed to help level the toons that are close to jumping into the next level range. Hence the 5 level variable for the TF requirements. That is when they are at their most fun. Most people these days just want to blow through all of it and get them done as quick as possible but they're meant to be enjoyed at the level they were designed for.

If this were the case the game wouldn't exemplar higher level characters down to allow them to participate in lower level TFs. That fact alone clearly shows that TFs are intended to be played and and enjoyed at any level where the TF is accessible (i.e. if you're high enough to do it). If the intention were otherwise higher level players wouldn't be able to participate in them, just like it was in the early days of the game.

I'd like to make one thing very clear. I am not nor have I ever been and elitist. I'm never going to sit here and say that the lowbies can go to hell and that the game is only about level 50 characters now. That would be absolute crap.

I have two servers with almost a full roster and only 13 50s to my credit. The rest are here and there and everywhere just like anyone else. I have 10s and 20s, 30s and 40s and everything inbetween. So lets keep this a civil discussion and not try to bash someones personal character without even getting to know the person first.

I'm not doing this for the shards either. That's GREAT that you get bonus XP for doing this weeks strike target. It's absolutely awesome. The whole issue that I'm raising is that there is a place for everything and everything in it's place. There is a reason the contents are labeled with a level requirement *sigh* Anywho, thats thrown right out the window now. Talking about promoting level 50s and lowbies playing together on TFs and all this stuff....its been going on LONG before the WTF. My family and I and our friends regularly gather groups of people regardless of level/AT whatever and run missions or TFs together.

I dunno. I figure, if you want shards, do something that gets you shards.

If you want xp, do something that gets you xp.

If you want merits, do something that gets you merits.

If you can combine the above in anyway, GREAT! If not, make the best of it.

Do any of you whiners actually read the forums? I'm surprised this topic doesn't have it's own section by now.

I'm sorry, I didn't read the dev's post where it says just level 45-50 or level 50 content for weekly strike targets. If you don't like it, you don't need to do it. There's always the option of quitting the game.
I know what I'll be doing. I'll play some of the content that I don't get done on lowbies since nobody wants to do them. Getting them some much needed xp.

I am well aware that if there is something in the game not worth doing then nobody is obligated to do it. Also "If you don't like the game, then quit!" attitudes do not belong here. Too much of that gets tossed out. Easy response I guess. Not a chance of me quitting over something like this either.

This is a discussion, am I not entitled to my opinions? Not able to post a suggestion or ask a question as to why certain things are done? I'm not expecting answers from Devs or GMs. I'm expressing my opinion on the matter and the intent is to see what other people think. Isn't that not one of the core functions of a forum? to discuss a topic?

Maybe I went about it wrong and assumed too much. I probably should have posed a different question like..."What do you all think of the new Weekly Strike Target being a 25-30 Level range TF / SF". Instead of "I can't be the only one who feels this way?" or whatever it was. If that was the case then I take full blame, not that big of a deal. Easy mistake to make.

It isn't a "big deal". But it is for me a disappointment. Right now I have limited play time. The last few weeks all I've managed is to run the weekly task force missions. Having this TF before Issue 20 means that I will be very short of shards.
Great for people that don't have that issue. For me it means it will take longer to get the next tier alpha.
I'm not rage quiting, I'm not crying doom. Just saying that this TF might have been better as a target after Issue 20.

Why would you think getting a Notice of the Well, would be limited to the level 50 TFs?

You're off doing something when the Well gives you a Notice. Nothing ever said it had to be the late game things.

Here's something crazy: I was the only level 50 on my WTF team last night. All seven other players were running it for XP, and the sake of running it.


MADNESS.