PTS PvP Normalization Test : Round 2 – Tuesday, 8/21 @ 4PM PDT

[Walsingham]

Hail Ascended!

We’re getting prepared to undertake a grand experiment – to explore the potential of normalizing player stats in Warfronts & Conquest.

Changes this for this test:

• PVE Synergy Crystals do not function in Warfronts or Conquest during the test
• Additional improvements to damage and healing
• Item procs are disabled for this test

Join us tomorrow, Tuesday 8/21 @ 4PM PDT (11PM GMT) on the Public Test Shard as we explore this test and help us to uncover any bugs or issues.

Should these changes pass inspection our intent is to deploy them on live shards for roughly a week allowing us to collect vast amounts of metrics and feedback far beyond the capacity of PTS. After the experiment is over we’ll be assessing all of the information we collect before making a final decision to officially make the transition.

What does this mean?

It means that all players will compete with the same baseline stats with no benefit received from upgrading your armor or weapons. This potentially means more even matches where skill & coordination is the biggest factor in determining the victor. Consumables, class buffs, Planar Attunement and other buffs/temporary effects will continue to provide a benefit, only the stats granted by the gear you have equipped will be normalized.

Now obviously, this is a big test, and we’re well aware that we’ve got our work cut out for us. We’re already hard at work finding and resolving any edge cases we can think of. Ultimately the success of this test comes down to you – helping us to explore whether this is a viable option and if so, assisting us prepare it for its debut.

What about PvP Progression?

Meaningful PvP progression is definitely not something we want to lose because of this – we’re exploring a myriad of options and will keep you informed as development continues.

Ultimately we are seeking a better balance between “fair” and “fun” and seek to answer the question – “is more fair fun?” Your feedback is an important part of finding the answer, just make sure it stays constructive and that you actually try the changes for yourself before forming an opinion.

Read below for instructions on how to access PTS and come see what these changes mean with your own eyes!


Character Copy to PTS

You can now copy your character to the Public Test Shard! Simply click the Transfer button when you’re at Character select on the Live client and select “Copy to PTS” – it’s as easy as that! (though there may be a few bugs/limitations we’re working out). We will no longer be offering Gear/Leveling vendors with the introduction of this feature (except when testing requires it.)

You will need to download the PTS client if you have not done so already, this is approximately the same size as installing the full game and may take some time. For more information about PTS and how to access it please see:

Welcome to the Public Test Shard! – Getting Started

Have fun!

[Ropeadope]

Quick everyone panic!!!

[bitnine]

Changes this for this test:

• PVE Synergy Crystals do not function in Warfronts or Conquest during the test
  [...]
• Item procs are disabled for this test

Hell, I'd be very interested to see a PvP test with these elements alone. However, I feel compelled to follow the dictate spelled out in that classic song:

[bctrainers]

Interesting, will try to be around for it.

[Tyaus]

I will be there of course, make sure that mana draining mage is there too.

[Synovia]

Looking forward to it. Cya at 4 PDT.

[Mirimon]

too bad some classes not only benefit more from certain stats.. but literally rely on them.. and that most of our class abilities that passively or temporarily would add to those stats have no effect (thats like 85% of any skill in all the rogue trees....) with all this normalizing, side by side will a warrior do the same damage as a rogue? no? oh.. so hit for hit the rogue will be dead... got it...

btw... do anything to fix the whole "i'm a warrior tank taking on 10 people for 15 minutes.. killing them all one at a time but never dropping below 90% hp w/o a healer?)... I should have got that one on vid... was crazy (i'm sure he was having a ball).

You say that PA/Skills etc. will still effect us.. but that was not the case

[Fates]

remove all PA trees besides the pvp one and I will enjoy testing this

If PAs remain, this is not normalized nor worth testing

[Anthony01]

remove all PA trees besides the pvp one and I will enjoy testing this

If PAs remain, this is not normalized nor worth testing

60 points into stats don't seem like a HUGE difference.

60 points of stats for me means:
540 more HP
60 more SP
60 more spell crit

This isn't counting the SP from Wand or Hammer attunements though. It's -half- of a Flaring Glyph in SP and not a huge increase in critical chance. It's not going to make or break anyone.

[Nam19771]

remove all PA trees besides the pvp one and I will enjoy testing this

If PAs remain, this is not normalized nor worth testing

This.
If someone has better gear than mine, I think it's safe to assume he has more PA too. I'm not too fond of consumables still working too, btw.
Also, I know the people I know ingame are probably not the most representative data one can get, but I didnt see people around me being more interested in pvp, or having more fun in it, when ranked matchs or bolstering where implemented. Not that I'm against normalisation, just saying.
Still it's good to know you guys are working on improving the pvp.

[LOveRH]

remove all PA trees besides the pvp one and I will enjoy testing this

If PAs remain, this is not normalized nor worth testing

If only the pvp war tree remained and if there was more tiers added in the future.. wouldn't pvp progression just come down to how many lvls you put in your pa tree? x.X If ranks mean nothing during normalization the only thing that would/might be different is how many points are in the War tree.

It wouldn't solve any problems... it would just create more over time. All PA including PvP PA, is the opposite of normalization. People wouldn't have the gear argument anymore they would have the PvP PA argument. I say just get rid of all PA in pvp because it will cause issues over time just like gear etc.

[Fates]

60 points into stats don't seem like a HUGE difference.

60 points of stats for me means:
540 more HP
60 more SP
60 more spell crit

This isn't counting the SP from Wand or Hammer attunements though. It's -half- of a Flaring Glyph in SP and not a huge increase in critical chance. It's not going to make or break anyone.

Yea if you only look at the wisdom an intel you gain an not the SP PAs for weapons. This makes it seem not nearly as bad as it is TBH.
For example my cleric uses MH/OH:
Max PAs
144 SP from weapons
60 Intel
60 Wisdom
60 Endurance

If we add the intel an wisdom together they give you an additional 55 SP and when added to the 144 SP from weapons that is 199 more SP. If anyone in this game doesn't think an additional 199 SP on top of the crit, mana, and endurance you also gain than I am not sure what to say. That is such a huge difference and PAs are actually quite a bit harder to grind than pvp gear making it even more inbalanced. They really need to get rid of them in pvp if they want to add anything besides random pug Wfs.

If only the pvp war tree remained and if there was more tiers added in the future.. wouldn't pvp progression just come down to how many lvls you put in your pa tree? x.X If ranks mean nothing during normalization the only thing that would/might be different is how many points are in the War tree.

It wouldn't solve any problems... it would just create more over time. All PA including PvP PA, is the opposite of normalization. People wouldn't have the gear argument anymore they would have the PvP PA argument. I say just get rid of all PA in pvp because it will cause issues over time just like gear etc.

This would honestly be ideal, but Trion already removed the pvp soul so they would have to shove some of the thingd in the PvP PA into a soul. An even better idea would be to just give them to everyone when entering a pvp match.

I stand by my idea that PAs need to be removed or "normalization" isn't worth testing. Please understand I would absolutely love for normalization to work and there is nothing more I want for this game than even competition.

[Mirimon]

stats from pa don't even matter on my rogue.. nor does any stat skills in my soul trees past tier 2 since all my stats are already capped by then..... perhaps rogue tank hits hard like war tank does? (ppffttt, haha, nah, nvm.. war tank in normalized pts pvp is just broken)

[Fates]

stats from pa don't even matter on my rogue.. nor does any stat skills in my soul trees past tier 2 since all my stats are already capped by then..... perhaps rogue tank hits hard like war tank does? (ppffttt, haha, nah, nvm.. war tank in normalized pts pvp is just broken)

So if they removed PAs from pvp it would actually benefit your rogue since different calling may benefit from different stats more so than others. Once they are removed we can start to actually see how unbalanced things really are.

[Mirimon]

doubt it.. lets say its al even.. stat wise.. as they are trying to make it.. well, hit for hit, with the exception of finishers.. rogue does the least damage per strike.. especially vs a warrior.. who not only does more damage per hit, but also needs less hits per finisher.. in the end, from start to finish, the total output is still much higher than a rogue.. from base to stat cap.. normalization will in tern lead to drastic base stat changes unless things get done far differently (like altering the amount at which stats per class get "normalized") though, I am sure some ****** will cry when a rogue gets 1k ap, while a warrior or a cleric only get like 700... (just an example) if thats what it would take to level out the dmg of the classes.