I don't get it.
No one asked for bigger main stat flats. Like, okay, maybe certain flat stat rings might see use now in very specific situations, but the real big issue is just the fact that flat substats are universally awful and will remain awful after this change. And if the "exchange 6 pieces of a set for 1 piece of the same set and rarity" thing results in more flat subs, well, what is even the point?
Once again... they make a change that's an improvement on paper, but doesn't actually solve the core issues involved. Mitigate, but don't solve. Smilegate is nothing if not consistent.
The good:
- 3* going from molas to stigmas plus mola refund plus 20% reduction in mola costs (again). I'll finally be able to reduce Iseria's S2 cooldown, lol.
- Powders and energy getting removed from the hunt loot table. Hopefully the increase in skystone and mystic medal drops is substantial....
- Raid finally becoming less of a time-sink... at least, if you only care about killing the bosses. Also more raid exchange tokens and free gear, yay~
- Morale being simplified and becoming less opaque (if you don't use a labyrinth morale calculator). More voice lines are always appreciated, as well.
- Better login rewards, yay. The 4-5* character ticket is especially nice. Not like I'd ever buy it normally, anyway.
The meh:
- Pets being added to do things that should have been in the game from the very start.
- More energy and gold from the mini events instead of just... addressing energy and gold costs directly.
- Spez being left alone because "he might be powerful in future content that have yet to be updated".
- A. Ravi being left alone because "she has just recently been released." I guess they don't want a repeat of the Tamarinne crap, but it seriously rings hollow to me. Isn't that all the more reason changes should be made quickly? Y'know, before she goes off-banner?
- RTA. Good if you're just screwing around with friends. Bad for anything resembling actual competition (always a shitshow - always). Goes double for how bad balance is in this game, even after the September 5th changes. Thankfully, we'll have at least three more balance passes before it's released to the public, so we'll see how that goes.
Already mentioned the bad up above. Thankfully, the gear changes are the only thing that I would actually describe as "bad". I am neutral on the other hell raid bosses getting released (knowing them, I won't be able to clear them anyway) and Nixied's Sanctum 4 & 5. There are no summoning changes to comment on. Hero dupe tokens are probably going to have the same pricing structure as the powder shop, so, uh, good luck getting a 5-star from it any time soon (especially if you need the hero SSS-imprinted before you get a token). Limited heroes returning, meh. I guess more people get to learn that Diene is worthless in arena now.
Really... I just want some real substantial changes to the gear system. Like a tightening up of the substat roll range. Or some kind of item that I can use to reroll substats. Or some way to dump gold to improve a specific substat roll that rolled too low. Some way to get actual improvement without being entirely 100% beholden to the whims of the RNG gods. As it is... it will still feel like running on a treadmill, in a way that few other games do. Forget item levels, I can't even get gear with decent substat combinations to even begin the RNG fiesta that is rolling substats. The freebies are still by and large the absolute best gear I have, and maybe will ever have.
Hard for me to respect this company when they keep tiptoeing around what is actually the game's biggest issue at current.
