A battle hardened Knight once said, “…many of the truths we cling to depend greatly on our own point of view.” These are mine.
This current tier of Operations, Dread Fortress and Palace, I’ve been exclusively a Story Mode Ops Leader.
My Dark Side screams out at me “PROGRESSION!, PROGRESSION!!, PROGRESSION!!!”
The Light Side of my persona repeats “Progression leads to fear, anger, and very very late nights.”
Is being just a Story Mode Ops leader something to be proud of, or a reminder that I’m not getting it done?
Read on Nation, for my full confession.
There is little to no frustration when running a Story Mode Ops. In fact the biggest hassle is getting the group together.
Which is considerably easier at the beginning, or end, of a game week.
Before the juicy bits of my confession, let’s review gear in SWTOR.
You can acquire 90% of the “Best” gear without ever setting foot into a Hard or Nightmare Mode Operation. This is achievable for one reason. The developers have placed gear of the same Stat level for purchase at vendors. Some class stat weights are skewed and not Min/Maxed, but I consider 90% of your gear attainable at a calculable rate a bonus. The only item you cannot obtain at a vendor is the very top tier Main Hand damage component.
Bioware has given the players the ability to craft almost the best for a few tiers of progression now. you can purchase this item for about a week’s worth of dailies in credits. I remember tiers of Group Content that yielded ZERO drops for me. The ability to just purchase the item I want from a player is a relief.
Now if I remember correctly, a large chunk of Group Content in MMOs is about getting new gearz. Harder contend giving you better gear. So… I can Min/Max my gear at a steady and predictable rate just by running Story Mode Operations, and get to bed early?!
Sign me up Comrade.
would I like to achive progression through Hard Mode Operations? Yes. I would enjoy progressing through the harder content in SWTOR, but not for new Gear. I can get that just playing the Meta-Game of Min/Maxing my gear with commendations. I would enjoy adding the HM Ops to my Achievement list as a badge of Honor.
Been there, done that and I got this sweet achievement and cool title.
In fact, Bioware has provided what I feel Group Content should have been all along. It’s not about the gear, it’s about beating the content with your friends. The player can attain the gear needed to participate in a much more relaxed setting.
Hmmm… you could almost relate HM and NiM Mode Group Content as a Prime Time Game. The player is there to participate and win, but learned the plays during practice.
What’s your opinion Nation? Is the way Bioware handling gear and progression, progressive, or just Easy Mode for the Masses?
The Silverstrike Legacy can be found on The Bastion’s Vaiken Spacedock and Carrick Station, as a Mercanary for Hire and a Ghost of The Zergadins and snidagreZ.