it sounds alright, however its extremely doubtful to get more than 1 respec from them for 2 reasons
- changes their plan for them, the devs originally planned for each trial to award only a single respec period, no more no less
- they would have to altar the villain trials too so they could award multiple respecs too
the trials should not be made harder as they should be doable by toons running on gimped builds needing the respec
With the Most Boring Trial returning to WST status this week, I figured I'd put down some ideas about how these trials could be redesigned to be more fun.
Note: any numbers I mention are not really thought through, just made up in order to show the contrast between the three different trials.
All versions are accessed through the Team Up Teleporter.
General approach to balancing
Sky Raiders trial: Easy mode. Intended to be the trial run if you need a respec due to a broken character. Repeatable once a week per account for another respec. Another option is a useful, repeatable auto temp power for those who help. 4-8 players.
Freakshow trial: More difficult. This is what you run while levelling, and for a wider choice of more potent temps - though you can also get a respec from it. 4-8 players
Rikti Trial: Challenging. Level 50 only, and while it won't drop Empyrean Merits or Incarnate salvage, you can get Astrals and threads from it (and respec). 8-16 players.
The respecs from all three trials stack with each other - you get one per week per account no matter if you run all three.
General process for all three trials
1) The missions before the trial proper are gone. Instead the TUT drops you in an instanced Terra Volta to start with, and you must fight your way to the reactor, killing several bosses or achieving objectives along the way to open the front doors.
2) The second section, getting the keys from captured scientists, plays out as it currently does.
3) The reactor phase is MUCH quicker paced. There can be a set number of enemies in the reactor at any one time, and as soon as enemies are defeated, more arrive. This phase ends and the trial is over once a certain number of enemies have been defeated. No more waiting around for 45 minutes for something to happen. The radiation shields mechanic stays the same.
Sky Raiders trial
Outdoors: The sky raiders have set up a forcefield around the entire building, entry is impossible until you destroy four forcefield generators.
In the Reactor: There can be up to teamsize*1.2 enemies in the reactor at one time, and you must defeat teamsize*5 enemies to win. Bosses appear rarely.
Freakshow trial
Outdoors: The freakshow have set eight bombs (glowies) around the outside of the reactor. They are optional, but if you don't disactivate them, you will face more enemies inside the reactor during the final phase, as their bombs will blow open the outside wall and give them easier access to the core.
(yes this is a deliberate inversion of the "don't touch the glowies" rumor)
In the Reactor: If you got all the bombs, it's teamsize*1.6 enemies at one time, and teamsize*9 enemies to win. That scales up to teamsize*2.5 and teamsize*13 if you didn't get the bombs.
The final enemy to spawn is always a Freak Tank Elite Boss.
Rikti trial
Outdoors: It's a raid! Plays similarly to a Rikti raid - Rikti dropships patrol the skies dropping bombs, and Rikti teleport in right next to the players.
A pair of Rikti dropships have parked on the ground near the front door and trained teleportation rays on the area. Any hero approaching the front doors will be instantly teleported away. Both must be destroyed before access can be granted.
In the Reactor: Rikti teleport directly into the core room instead of using the upper doors. Teamsize*2 enemies at a time, and teamsize*15 enemies to win. Every tenth enemy is a Rikti Magus or Heavy Assault Suit. The "final" enemy to appear is an AV, though infinite enemies can continue to appear while you fight him as long as they don't exceed the cap.
Astral for opening the front door, astral for freeing all the scientists, astral for defeating the AV.
Yeah, these are rough ideas, but I think it'd be better than what we have.
"The Hamidon is a what what of what?" - Brian the mission guy.