Thoughts After An EADQ2 Wipe

[Phidius]

An upped difficulty setting should give upped rewards.
...

In my opinion, the folks who are constantly asking for more difficulty in the game shouldn't be "punished" by getting better loot to make challenges easier.

If anything, the hardest difficulty should take gear AWAY ala Black Abbot.

[Futility]

...folks who are constantly asking for more difficulty in the game shouldn't be "punished" by getting better loot to make challenges easier.

So, THAT's what they call "punishing success"

[CountHenri]

The "you need Epic gear to do Epics" argument is a complete lie...

What you in fact need is the correct gear...

1. DR breakers ~ you'd think this would go without saying but i keep running into capped characters who just dont get the concept.
2. Trash beaters ~ LitII, smiters, disruptors oh my. Also the knowledge to pull out the appropriate weapon.
3. HP gear ~ GFL, +6 Con and GS HP. Again basic gear that is too often not being used.
4. Utility gear ~ Things like Leviks Bracers for the Heal Amp, Kunderak Delving Boots for the FOM effect (extremely handy in LoB), true seeing items, decent DT combos.
5. Caster Gear ~ Potency, Lore, Spell Pen the stuff that gives you the best bang for your mana buck.

There are other things that are nice to have like The Bloodstone or the Bauble but they are not essential ~ well worth spending some time grinding for though.

Finally knowing the limits of a character and your playing ability. There are just some epics I dont take certain characters into since they lack gear or I'm just not yet confident in my ability with that class (my Sorc is a case of both and he has 3 epic items yet still lacks finished con-op and GS HP so he just runs Shrouds and similar raids for the moment).

In order to run you need to walk first ~ thats why my Dark Monk is still doing Reavers Fate chasing Madstone Boots despite having 3 piece eAbishi and 2 slotted ToD Rings ~ this simple non-epic item will boost his DPS and survivabilty in harder Epics and is well worth the grind...