Auto-exemping on TFs

Was there a change made to how auto-exemping on TFs works?

I seem to remember in the past if I started a TF at less than the maximum level, I would continue leveling, and then when I hit the maximum level, I got auto-exemplared.

Now though, it seems like if I start at less than the maximum level, I can't level up at all.

For example, I just got done running a manticore TF. I was level 33 when I started, and as soon as I hit level 34, I got exemplared to 33, and I stayed at 33 for the whole TF. Is this a bug, or WAI? And if it is WAI, anyone know why it was changed?

Isn't there an option for "earn XP while exmplared?" Is is checked for you or not?

As long as I've been playing, TFs lock you in to the level you start it at. You can earn experience and level up and go to a trainer but you stay at the level you started it.

This was changed a few years ago, in Issue 16, when Super-Sidekicking was introduced.

Before that, yes, you used to level on a TF, up to the max level of the TF at which point you would auto-exemp to it. A group that I play with used to sometimes start the old Posi TF at level 10 (which was immensely painful at first against those vahz), and it would slowly get easier as we leveled, until we hit the cap by the end of the TF.

After I16, however, the team is locked to the level that the leader is when they start the TF, or the TF cap, whichever is lower, for the duration of the TF. Most teams run TFs at the max level for them, so they never notice. It definitely happens, though, and is easy to reproduce.

I seem to recall a little bit of discussion about it at the time, but there was never any dev confirmation IIRC if this was intended or not. Most people I know have just accepted it as a fact of life now. :/