Do the people making this game want people to play more than 1 character at all? I enjoy playing alts, even if its not keeping 10 alts at max ilvl ready to raid. It keeps the game feeling fresh for me just to do emissaries or an m+ on alts once in a while.
The neck AP already made it very uninspiring to care about alts, but at least the traits are unlocked mostly now. However, the Azerite Essences now make it even worse. Sure, we are given the one essence, but the problem is that the others feel so out of reach that I lose all interest in working towards it.
Rep grinds are not fun to begin with, but I think they work at the start of content like Rustbolt and Unshackled in 8.2. That is 1000% unequivocally not the case for alts. I would say that a reduction of required rep would help, but I think that is still awful.
The game is constantly punishing people for playing alts to begin with, regarding everything from currency to professions. Doesn’t it make sense for game designers to WANT people to play the game more? To encourage people to play more than 1 character if it will make them play more? What is the downside? What is the logic involved with continuing to push people against playing alts?
I don’t see the problem with alts working to achieve something together like gathering Darkmoon Faire tickets, Island Dubloons, and Service Medals. If a player wants to use 10 alts to do Islands to get a mount, whats the problem with that? They still have to play the same amount of time that someone on one character would. The only downside is that they might have more fun doing so? It is such a pathetic attempt to get people to grind more, while dissuading people at the same time.
I get Manapearls being character specific because that is directly related to upgrading gear, but this other stuff makes no sense. Similarly, why require each character to do all these entry quest lines to get into zones? People are expected to have an hour of time for each alt, just to get into the zones? Then also have to deal with all the other garbage?
They continue to release content with these petty inconveniences and then can’t figure out why people stop playing the game?
5 Likes
neck AP aside, i really dont see much an issue with essences like i mean…having to farm it on other toons makes it far more tedious sure but you eitgher like to grind or you dont like grinds…cant have it halfway
I stopped playing my alts. In 8.1 I had 4 alts that I did some keys or ran heroic BoD on every week when I was done with stuff on my main. The essence system has killed all of my alts. I have no desire to go farm the same timegated rep I already completed on my main. Now when I am done with my main, I just log off and play other games. I’m guessing that is what Blizzard wants? Can’t think of any other reason to do this, especially when you look at how they made the Champions rep account wide to help out alts. Now they don’t want us to play them for some reason. It’s really confusing actually.
4 Likes
my biggest problem with them not being account wide is how temporary essences seem. i doubt they’ll carry over to the next expansion, and i suspect blizzard will make new essences next patch, that will probably invalidate the current ones.
so i can’t bring myself to do multiple essence grinds, just for them to be obsolete in a few months.
3 Likes
Yeah the little things keep adding up that make me not want to play alts. Heart levels and essences are big ones. But also things like mechagon recipes, profession recipes are gated, a lot of the main story campaign is still rep gated to exalted.
It’s fine the first time, but the thought of repeating those grinds and always needing reps for things I like to do makes me not want to do it. Should do like they did with CoA earlier. If one character opens the gates for something then it stays open for alts.
3 Likes
Same really, I am not even bothering with the essences on anything but my main. Even on my main I am not hunting them down. If I get one, good. If I don’t then no issue. It already feels like a grind getting AP and Reps up.
Just recently started gearing a another toon, and I’ll admit that I was dreading it.
But it’s not THAT bad, BUT! still a great deal annoying. You know?
Like I wouldn’t be able to do this another 3 times OVER AND OVER.
It just feels too much like homework or something.
Generally if you’re even using the word “grind,” it implies people don’t like it. Most people “tolerate” grinds, and have a limit to their tolerance.
It’s hard to quantify for different things, but fair to say that with essences, the tolerance level seems to be shaking out to “will do it once on my main, won’t do it again on alts.”
I tried doing stuff on my alts but its just too much time consuming. Sorry but doing the same thing i did on my main over and over is not a grind.
I almost went insane farming 50k honor for rank 3 essence. And if i wanted to get it on an alt i have to do that again? No thanks. Its the dumbest system ever, essences are a huge DPS gain and required for anything.
Idk what was blizzard thinking making it a pain to get on alts.
1 Like
No account wide necklace levels or essences is just to much.