Icebrood Saga Mastery points available to needed ratio is a bit tight

[Mewcifer.5198]

Currently the icebrood saga requires 43 mastery points to have completed while there is only 50 available points.

 

3 require you to craft weapons (luckily not a whole set since that would be over 100 gold each. Ouch.) and 3 require instanced group content. And a whopping 5 require you to grind 5000 commendations in drizzlewood each.

 

Could anet maybe be a little bit more liberal with mastery points in the next episode?

[Inculpatus cedo.9234]

I don't know if I would call it a 'grind' for the 5000 commendations. Those add up pretty darn fast.

[coso.9173]

I agree that it's pretty tiring to have to grind so much for them. I understand they want us to take our time doing it, and im okay with something taking longer and long as it's not pure grinding. But many of those are pure masochistic grinding.

[Randulf.7614]

I’d be bothered by it if the masteries were worthwhile, but some of these are masteries just for the sake of masteries

[Cyninja.2954]

> @"Mewcifer.5198" said:

> Currently the icebrood saga requires 43 mastery points to have completed while there is only 50 available points.

>

 

The wiki is missing some points. I have 9 spare points. From what I can tell, the wiki does not account for multiple mastery points being available from the same achievements track. Case in point: the Moral Breaker achievement, which goes up to 50 completions of the Cold War strike, rewards 2 mastery points, 1 at first completion and another at 10. This is not accounted for in the wiki. Not sure which other achievement is missing.

 

The spare and total amount of mastery points have steadily been increasing with the release of more episodes. Making it easier to acquire sufficient mastery points as the Season/Saga progresses. If memory serves me right, after the first Episode, there was only 1 spare mastery point, after the previous episode it was 6, now it's 9.

 

This is likely to not make mastery points meaningless to early.

[Mewcifer.5198]

> @"Cyninja.2954" said:

> > @"Mewcifer.5198" said:

> > Currently the icebrood saga requires 43 mastery points to have completed while there is only 50 available points.

> >

>

> The wiki is missing some points. I have 9 spare points. From what I can tell, the wiki does not account for multiple mastery points being available from the same achievements track. Case in point: the Moral Breaker achievement, which goes up to 50 completions of the Cold War strike, rewards 2 mastery points, 1 at first completion and another at 10. This is not accounted for in the wiki. Not sure which other achievement is missing.

>

> The spare and total amount of mastery points have steadily been increasing with the release of more episodes. Making it easier to acquire sufficient mastery points as the Season/Saga progresses. If memory serves me right, after the first Episode, there was only 1 spare mastery point, after the previous episode it was 6, now it's 9.

>

> This is likely to not make mastery points meaningless to early.

 

You are right that as a season/saga goes on the number of spare points increase. I just don't remember the last living stories feeling like this. It seems like with the increase in the ratio they are also increasing how grindy the achievements that give the masteries feel.

 

Maybe it's just me though. I work more hours now. So having less time to play makes grinding a lot more frustrating.

[zealex.9410]

> @"Mewcifer.5198" said:

> > @"Cyninja.2954" said:

> > > @"Mewcifer.5198" said:

> > > Currently the icebrood saga requires 43 mastery points to have completed while there is only 50 available points.

> > >

> >

> > The wiki is missing some points. I have 9 spare points. From what I can tell, the wiki does not account for multiple mastery points being available from the same achievements track. Case in point: the Moral Breaker achievement, which goes up to 50 completions of the Cold War strike, rewards 2 mastery points, 1 at first completion and another at 10. This is not accounted for in the wiki. Not sure which other achievement is missing.

> >

> > The spare and total amount of mastery points have steadily been increasing with the release of more episodes. Making it easier to acquire sufficient mastery points as the Season/Saga progresses. If memory serves me right, after the first Episode, there was only 1 spare mastery point, after the previous episode it was 6, now it's 9.

> >

> > This is likely to not make mastery points meaningless to early.

>

> You are ring that as a season/saga goes on the number of spare points increase. I just don't remember the last living stories feeling like this. It seems like with the increase in the ratio they are also increasing how grindy the achievements that give the masteries feel.

>

> Maybe it's just me though. I work more hours now. So having less time to play makes grinding a lot more frustrating.

 

I mean achievements in general have gotten more grindy but thats unrelated to how tight or not the mastery points have been, you could have the same tightness and the achievements be less grindy.

[Mewcifer.5198]

> @"zealex.9410" said:

> > @"Mewcifer.5198" said:

> > > @"Cyninja.2954" said:

> > > > @"Mewcifer.5198" said:

> > > > Currently the icebrood saga requires 43 mastery points to have completed while there is only 50 available points.

> > > >

> > >

> > > The wiki is missing some points. I have 9 spare points. From what I can tell, the wiki does not account for multiple mastery points being available from the same achievements track. Case in point: the Moral Breaker achievement, which goes up to 50 completions of the Cold War strike, rewards 2 mastery points, 1 at first completion and another at 10. This is not accounted for in the wiki. Not sure which other achievement is missing.

> > >

> > > The spare and total amount of mastery points have steadily been increasing with the release of more episodes. Making it easier to acquire sufficient mastery points as the Season/Saga progresses. If memory serves me right, after the first Episode, there was only 1 spare mastery point, after the previous episode it was 6, now it's 9.

> > >

> > > This is likely to not make mastery points meaningless to early.

> >

> > You are ring that as a season/saga goes on the number of spare points increase. I just don't remember the last living stories feeling like this. It seems like with the increase in the ratio they are also increasing how grindy the achievements that give the masteries feel.

> >

> > Maybe it's just me though. I work more hours now. So having less time to play makes grinding a lot more frustrating.

>

> I mean achievements in general have gotten more grindy but thats unrelated to how tight or not the mastery points have been, you could have the same tightness and the achievements be less grindy.

 

Right now I think the tight feeling is closely tied with the fact that I have played on the maps enough to have more than enough XP but I am still chasing those points.

 

I even spent a good amount of gold getting the points that are locked behind the early tiers of the weapon collections.

[Ototo.3214]

I personally found the latest episode to provide a lot more mastery points compared to before. It's the first time I've been at max mastery level in quite a while.

Then again, I kinda like the drizzlewood metas and don't mind doing strikes.

Besides, the upgraded laser beam masteries aren't even all that amazing so skipping out on immediately upgrading those isn't the biggest issue imo.

[zealex.9410]

> @"Mewcifer.5198" said:

> > @"zealex.9410" said:

> > > @"Mewcifer.5198" said:

> > > > @"Cyninja.2954" said:

> > > > > @"Mewcifer.5198" said:

> > > > > Currently the icebrood saga requires 43 mastery points to have completed while there is only 50 available points.

> > > > >

> > > >

> > > > The wiki is missing some points. I have 9 spare points. From what I can tell, the wiki does not account for multiple mastery points being available from the same achievements track. Case in point: the Moral Breaker achievement, which goes up to 50 completions of the Cold War strike, rewards 2 mastery points, 1 at first completion and another at 10. This is not accounted for in the wiki. Not sure which other achievement is missing.

> > > >

> > > > The spare and total amount of mastery points have steadily been increasing with the release of more episodes. Making it easier to acquire sufficient mastery points as the Season/Saga progresses. If memory serves me right, after the first Episode, there was only 1 spare mastery point, after the previous episode it was 6, now it's 9.

> > > >

> > > > This is likely to not make mastery points meaningless to early.

> > >

> > > You are ring that as a season/saga goes on the number of spare points increase. I just don't remember the last living stories feeling like this. It seems like with the increase in the ratio they are also increasing how grindy the achievements that give the masteries feel.

> > >

> > > Maybe it's just me though. I work more hours now. So having less time to play makes grinding a lot more frustrating.

> >

> > I mean achievements in general have gotten more grindy but thats unrelated to how tight or not the mastery points have been, you could have the same tightness and the achievements be less grindy.

>

> Right now I think the tight feeling is closely tied with the fact that I have played on the maps enough to have more than enough XP but I am still chasing those points.

>

> I even spent a good amount of gold getting the points that are locked behind the early tiers of the weapon collections.

 

Im still chasing masteries, im nowhere near capped. I prefer it over it just sorta being drowned in mp and it feeling worthless.

[coso.9173]

i partiularly dislike mastery points being given as a reward for doing the same event 15 to 20 times. i just loathe that kind of line of thought. specially when the event is in itself a meta event that takes a long time.

[Mewcifer.5198]

> @"coso.9173" said:

> i partiularly dislike mastery points being given as a reward for doing the same event 15 to 20 times. i just loathe that kind of line of thought. specially when the event is in itself a meta event that takes a long time.

 

I don't mind having to do an event multiple times. But I totally feel you on the long meta part of that. Doing it more than once a day mushes my brain.

[LucianDK.8615]

Op, you havent counted right.

I have everything mastered in icebrood saga. I have 5 spare points, and theres 4 more to get for me.

[Mewcifer.5198]

> @"LucianDK.8615" said:

> Op, you havent counted right.

> I have everything mastered in icebrood saga. I have 5 spare points, and theres 4 more to get for me.

 

Someone else pointed out that the wiki doesn't have them counted right. That's where I got my numbers from.

[Cyninja.2954]

> @"Mewcifer.5198" said:

> > @"Cyninja.2954" said:

> > > @"Mewcifer.5198" said:

> > > Currently the icebrood saga requires 43 mastery points to have completed while there is only 50 available points.

> > >

> >

> > The wiki is missing some points. I have 9 spare points. From what I can tell, the wiki does not account for multiple mastery points being available from the same achievements track. Case in point: the Moral Breaker achievement, which goes up to 50 completions of the Cold War strike, rewards 2 mastery points, 1 at first completion and another at 10. This is not accounted for in the wiki. Not sure which other achievement is missing.

> >

> > The spare and total amount of mastery points have steadily been increasing with the release of more episodes. Making it easier to acquire sufficient mastery points as the Season/Saga progresses. If memory serves me right, after the first Episode, there was only 1 spare mastery point, after the previous episode it was 6, now it's 9.

> >

> > This is likely to not make mastery points meaningless to early.

>

> You are right that as a season/saga goes on the number of spare points increase. I just don't remember the last living stories feeling like this. It seems like with the increase in the ratio they are also increasing how grindy the achievements that give the masteries feel.

>

> Maybe it's just me though. I work more hours now. So having less time to play makes grinding a lot more frustrating.

 

This is due to I believe 2 factors:

1.) any previous season after Expansion used the same mastery points as the expansion preceding it, thus both requiring but also expanding upon the mastery points available and starting with a far bigger pool of potential spare points

 

2.) previous season masteries were far less comprehensive. They were minor additions on top, while this Saga/Season, they are of central importance. Ancient Magics required 24 mastery points to finish, Rollarbeetle (12), Skyscale (12) and Crystal Champion (14) required a total of 38 mastery points. The Icebrood Saga masteries already out require them with 43 points required, without the benefit of left overs from a preceding expansion.

 

Both of those points make it seem as though it is far harder to get the required mastery points this time around, which is actually true. Given the overall total spare points for past content though, I am sure this will be far less of an issue towards the end of this "mastery point cycle".

[Mewcifer.5198]

> @"Cyninja.2954" said:

> > @"Mewcifer.5198" said:

> > > @"Cyninja.2954" said:

> > > > @"Mewcifer.5198" said:

> > > > Currently the icebrood saga requires 43 mastery points to have completed while there is only 50 available points.

> > > >

> > >

> > > The wiki is missing some points. I have 9 spare points. From what I can tell, the wiki does not account for multiple mastery points being available from the same achievements track. Case in point: the Moral Breaker achievement, which goes up to 50 completions of the Cold War strike, rewards 2 mastery points, 1 at first completion and another at 10. This is not accounted for in the wiki. Not sure which other achievement is missing.

> > >

> > > The spare and total amount of mastery points have steadily been increasing with the release of more episodes. Making it easier to acquire sufficient mastery points as the Season/Saga progresses. If memory serves me right, after the first Episode, there was only 1 spare mastery point, after the previous episode it was 6, now it's 9.

> > >

> > > This is likely to not make mastery points meaningless to early.

> >

> > You are right that as a season/saga goes on the number of spare points increase. I just don't remember the last living stories feeling like this. It seems like with the increase in the ratio they are also increasing how grindy the achievements that give the masteries feel.

> >

> > Maybe it's just me though. I work more hours now. So having less time to play makes grinding a lot more frustrating.

>

> This is due to I believe 2 factors:

> 1.) any previous season after Expansion used the same mastery points as the expansion preceding it, thus both requiring but also expanding upon the mastery points available and starting with a far bigger pool of potential spare points

>

> 2.) previous season masteries were far less comprehensive. They were minor additions on top, while this Saga/Season, they are of central importance. Ancient Magics required 24 mastery points to finish, Rollarbeetle (12), Skyscale (12) and Crystal Champion (14) required a total of 38 mastery points. The Icebrood Saga masteries already out require them with 43 points required, without the benefit of left overs from a preceding expansion.

>

> Both of those points make it seem as though it is far harder to get the required mastery points this time around, which is actually true. Given the overall total spare points for past content though, I am sure this will be far less of an issue towards the end of this "mastery point cycle".

 

This makes a lot of sense. I didn't think about the rollover from expacs.

 

So this is more like starting out a new expansion itself, except because not all the content is there at the moment, many of the masteries people would go for because they are easy aren't out yet.

[Manasa Devi.7958]

> @"Mewcifer.5198" said:

> > @"Cyninja.2954" said:

 

> You are right that as a season/saga goes on the number of spare points increase. I just don't remember the last living stories feeling like this. It seems like with the increase in the ratio they are also increasing how grindy the achievements that give the masteries feel.

Season 3 and season 4 both build upon the masteries of the previous expansion. Speaking for myself, I had plenty of mastery points left over from the expansions when I started the seasons that came after. Can't speak for anyone else, but this might contribute to mastery points feeling tight for the Icebrood Saga, starting at 0 mastery points.

[Jwake.7013]

I remember all of season 4 people complaining there was nothing to spend all the extra mastery points on and how they didn't feel meaningful cause there were too many and you could just unlock everything when the next episode came out without doing anything. Now the other side is complaining about the mastery points not being thrown at them fast enough because they have to play more. Can't make everyone happy I guess.

[coso.9173]

They should leave mastery points tied to relatively easier achievements IMO. I probably will never get all weapons of anything because it's expensive and time consuming. Same as the 5000 enemies

[Shiyo.3578]

Masteries were meant to be sidegrade character progression but they nerfed them in HoT then afterwards they've been literally free with zero effort until now. These actually require effort again and that's good - you don't need them to play the game but they make you slightly stronger in fun ways. I hope they continue to make masteries require some amount of effort to max.

[Mewcifer.5198]

> @"Shiyo.3578" said:

> Masteries were meant to be sidegrade character progression but they nerfed them in HoT then afterwards they've been literally free with zero effort. These actually require effort again and that's good - you don't need them to play the game but they make you slightly stronger in fun ways. I hope they continue to make masteries require some amount of effort to max.

 

I wouldn't call crafting and replaying the same meta over and over and over again effort. One is just materials, the other is just plain boring.

[Shiyo.3578]

Crafting, no, replaying the meta, yes. That's literally grinding for player power, and what they were originally meant to be.

[Jilora.9524]

All start off tight at first. Then they add more. Anyone caught up gets to advance the new story masteries in the 1st 5 minutes if they save up daily pots for exp. I had mount stealth basically right away last story

[coso.9173]

IMO, masteries are more or less the equivalent of getting to higher levels on other expacs, and should be reached relatively easy.

BUT getting better equipment, ascended, legendary, or achievements can be harder to get. But putting actual skins behind long achievements is a mistake. (again, in my opinion)

[Josiah.2967]

If this is suppose to be a casual MMO. We should have more mastery sources. My friends play this because it is the casual friendly option. If that is no longer the case, they are on the right track.