Power Creep and Low Level Play

[Paleus]

-insert another rant-

With the Crystal Cove Event....*ducks and hides from forum flung fruit for posting another event thread*

Ok, let me start again, with the crystal cove event I'm noticing a continuing trend in power creep at lower levels in gameplay. For me, this is found in things like the cunning trinket and the stalwart trinket, both ml 4. The cunning trinket gives 50sp (not the state 30) that stacks with all other sp bonus, as well as enchantment and necro spell focus bonuses. The closest equivalent I know of is the crimson gemstone, for 50 non-stacking sp at ml 5. The stalwart trinket, proccing stoneskin at level 4 seems like it would make one pretty darn immune to damage at those levels, added on to the already nice stacking 10 hp and 10% fort (again seriously did anyone at Turbine check the text on these). The other latest thing that procced stoneskin at a low level was the gorgon docent, with its +4 con and I daresay if there is a warforged in your group at level 8 he's probably wearing that docent.

Added to these types of items that have lately been appearing is the often talked about airship buffs (30 energy resistance basically nullified the power of kobold shamans).

Now, I havent been here as long as everyone else and based on the "back in my day" posts its clear that this is just a continuing trend. At what point do the combination of buffs and overpowered low level items (see I'm talking about the low level items not the easy to get epics here as with most other posts about the event) does this game become so easy at low levels that no one learns anything about survival skills. I've seen people complaining about high level or even TR players that don't seem to know how to play the game. But seriously, who would expect people to learn survival skills if when they are supposed to be learning the game they are walking around with DR/10, 30 energy resistance and +2 to all stats.

I don't know, am I the only one that is more annoyed at the low level items from this event than the epic items?

-Edit-

On further reflection, the crafting requirements of the items imply the use of a high level character. High level ship buffs tend to be reserved for high level guilds, which will not be likely to sit in Korthos Harbor spamming blind invites (notable exceptions to this case exist). Therefore, its unlikely that really new people will have these items and buffs right off the gate. Rather, TR's and twinked out veterans will, and the effect will be to widen the gulf between the new player and the veteran player.

[Talon_Moonshadow]

IMO, the biggest power creep is among players who already have high lvl chars.
So I don't consider it a problem.

Also, after playing the game for five years, I find it much more fun to lvl up new alts now.
It is far less of a grind, when I get to feel all excited about the gear I have.

And I like being able to take on tougher challnges right off the ship, instead of having to run the same low lvl content yet another dozen times.

I hate grinding. I almost refuse to do it.

I find the influx of nice loot that is relatively easy to obtain, help close the gap between the more casual gamers (or those who refuse to grind) and the too-much-time on their hands grind-till- you drop elite.

To me, that is a good thing.


Also, IMO, guild buffs and the DDO store have cause more of a power creep than the special events.

[FlyingTurtle]

Login a month from now and you won't see any of these fancy items at the low levels.

I've been levelling up a new alt and I've seen a grand total of zero flapping bats from the Mabar cloak from level 1-10.

[stainer]

-insert another rant-

-snip another rant-

-insert witty observation-
It just means that the new players will be a lot further into the STK run when you go back to get their stones. You should be thankful.

[dynahawk]

Login a month from now and you won't see any of these fancy items at the low levels.

I've been levelling up a new alt and I've seen a grand total of zero flapping bats from the Mabar cloak from level 1-10.

It might be a bit different this time through since the items are BTA.

[t0r012]

Login a month from now and you won't see any of these fancy items at the low levels.

I've been levelling up a new alt and I've seen a grand total of zero flapping bats from the Mabar cloak from level 1-10.

probably because you have an AC high enough to not get hit.
===========================

OP
yeah there is creep. but event items are only a small fraction of it. Even without the resist 30s or any decent ship buffs if you have a bit of coin and or can get some gear ahead of time you can be pretty much invulnerable to the old lower level content up to say level 10 or so. The newer stuff is a bit trickier but once you are loaded up with twink it still doesn't matter so much. It doesn't even take all that much twink. I just leveled a guilde with a fresh off the boat toon to 10 all I grabbed from the bank was a robe of invulnerability and a ghosttouch of pure good maul(lazy mans low level weapon) and charged gauntlets, and 3 cure serious wands.

no buffs on our ship worth mentioning (level 27 guild at the time) and just some decent random generated gear, except the charged gauntlets which are more for speed than anything.