Ascendency Trials: GREAT CONTENT... but badly implemented in the game
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The Wikipedia definitions of "Dungeon Crawl" and "Action Role-Playing Game" highlight their distinct gameplay styles. Here are the key points:
" " " Many players expect PoE2 to follow the ARPG formula. Early gameplay aligns with this, offering real-time combat and character progression. However, the Trials introduce a stark shift in gameplay: solving puzzles, navigating traps, surviving waves, and completing timed challenges. These mechanics feel more like a dungeon crawler and are exclusive to the Trials, never appearing elsewhere in the game. And they are mandatory, because the ascendency points is a build-enabling core-mechanic within the game, giving players a huge power spike. This gameplay-shift can be jarring. Imagine playing a fast-paced shooter like Call of Duty, only to encounter a difficult sports car race quest that is mandatory to progress in the games story. It would frustrate players who just want to enjoy the core shooter experience and/or are bad at racing sim games. Similarly, PoE players expecting an ARPG may feel alienated by the Trials, especially those who prefer solo self-found (SSF) or don’t want to rely on others (paying someone to do the trials). Suggestion: Keep the Trials for those who enjoy them and increase their loot rewards for farming purposes. However, grant players Ascendancy points after finishing the storyline (e.g., 1 point for each arc, so 6 points after beating act 6) and let them earn the final 2 points through a questline during mapping. This respects both player preferences and the game's core ARPG identity, while still providing a different and rewarding experience, for those who enjoy the dungeon crawl genre. Last edited by AceNightfire#0980 on Feb 7, 2025, 6:24:23 AM Last bumped on Feb 7, 2025, 4:21:43 AM
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The mistake here is assuming that the "Dungeon Crawl" and "ARPG" definitions are universally independent.
There is nothing about the ARPG definition that the Dungeon Crawl one can't fit into...it's just more specific. You can also have a turn-based Dungeon Crawl, what you see in most CRPGs (like Baldur's Gate). Diablo 4 has boss battles that are essentially puzzles with traps. Grim Dawn has literal end game dungeons with traps. Path of Exile 1 has the Labyrinth. Even Torchlight had small puzzles and trap rooms amongst everything else. |
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Eh I like the sanctum trail, its super easy (if you ever ran sanctum in poe1, without it you might need 2 or 3 tries to finish it).
Chaos is overtuned in the campaign, mostly because people are not resistance capped. In endgame both are really under tuned and I would say they are easiest end game farming content currently available. Only real danger is the hourglass minigame in the last Sekhema trail but it gets easy when you get comfortable with it. I dont really get why you think that a genre has absolute defined boundaries and its not allowed to experiment. Both systems are also in another well established and successful arpg called Path of Exile or are you arguing that PoE1 isnt really an arpg because it has those features? Last edited by Zerber#2188 on Jan 28, 2025, 10:47:15 AM
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The problem is not that these trials exist, but that they differ immensely from the rest of the gameplay. If the whole game would have traps and puzzles, then the trials would make more sense. Right now the trials feel like a (for many players) difficult mini game that is mandatory to get your power spike (ascendencies). Why not remove ascendency from trials and buff them regarding loot? This way, everyone could be happy. Those who like the trials can use them as a farming method and those who dont are not forced to play them or pay someone to clear it for them.
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" Immensely might be a bit of an exaggeration - but yeah, new and fresh mechanics sure do suck I guess? " Then they would just be the game, and be nothing new or unique or interesting. " Yes. " And for those who like the trials as they are, go kick rocks. Unfortunately, you obviously don't believe those people exist or you'd have explained that "everyone could be happy" means "me and some other people could be happy, but f everyone else". |
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Ascendancy points are very unlikely to ever be handed out just for participating
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" I wouldn't call it an exaggeration. 80% of the trials can be done without killing one monster. On top of that, you really have to dodge everything thanks to honour mechanic. The only content from the trial that feels more like the core-game is the actual boss at the end. But until then, it's definitely more of a dungeon crawl instead of a classic ARPG. Dont get me wrong, I personaly like the trials, but I can fully understand why others do not like them and I can understand the frustration it triggers. That's why I included the CoD/Race Sim example on top. " Oh, I dont think so. If the campaign maps had some traps here and there and maybe small puzzles, it would prepare the players for the trial that has an increased density of traps/puzzles. Then it wouldn't feel so "off" for some players. I mean, take a look at PoE1. At least there were the small trials before you could actually enter the labyrinth. This way, labyrinth was kinda a part of the world, though I wish they either implemented it in the whole game, or not at all. In PoE2 it's worse. Suddenly you are that trial and have to think about stuff you didn't care before. And after you did it, you can forget it all again, since it doesnt matter for the rest of the game. " Oh ofc those people exist. I am one of these people. I like to run trials. Why? Because I like to play rogue like games. I have over 1000 hours in Binding of Isaac (got Dead God achievement), the best Rogue Like out there and the trials have these "random" elements as well. So I don't mind that this content exists and I also don't mind to get my ascendency points through that. But like I said above, I can understand players who don't want to mess with this content at all. It's just so different from the rest of the game. On the other side, I could still enjoy this content, even after they would've removed the ascendency from it. If they buff the loottable for trials a little bit, it would definitely be worthwhile for many players. Trial lovers wouldn't lose anything if ascendency would be placed within the campaign, because you still have to beat the campaign bosses to get the points. It would even make sense to get these ascendency points after every second act, because you did something not any human could do and therefore the gods let you ascend further and further. And it would definitely help those who have trouble with puzzle- and trap-gameplay. |
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" Well, right now you don't get any reward for defeating the act bosses. I think that's kinda sad. I mean, these bosses are the biggest challenges each act and you get nothing? I think one ascendency point could definitely make sense and would give overcoming these bosses more meaningful. |
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Your replies got me thinking - I think a fair alternative would be (as your first two attempts are infinite tries) for you to somehow obtain an "infinite" 3rd and 4th ascendancy stone, that could be used for Sekhema or Chaos, to practice. Some combination of no loot, no xp, no xp loss...basically a practice mode, but no ascendancy rewards. You have to do a "real" one for that. But unlimited practicing would be nice.
I'm rarely against things that allow more people to experience more things, as long as there's some sort of a cost. In this case, time. Last edited by Redthorne82#3177 on Jan 28, 2025, 12:05:26 PM
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