User:The Goron

An essay on Ursans and Consumables
I found a long discussion regarding the introduction of Ursan Blessing and craftable consumables. I started typing my 2 cents, and it turned into an essay, so I decided to move it to my own page so that I don't forget all those awesome points I made in my head but won't remember tomorrow, and so that it doesn't clutter up Gem's page.

Ursan and consumables are great for people that want to farm an area for items/gold/reputation repeatedly, as fast as possible, with the least risk possible (this is called "grinding" in some circles). They're also helpful for people who lack skill (either from ignorance or apathy), or for casual players who just need a boost to help out with a hard mission or vanquish.

As such, I don't usually use Ursan because A) I don't particularly enjoy grinding, B) I'm fairly good at the game (I'm also devilishly good-looking, and I make a mean beef stew) and C) I find pressing 2 buttons over and over to kill everything in an area extremely boring.

I'm not sure whether I think Ursan should be nerfed or not. I'm one of those players that before entering an area/mission, I'll tweak my skills and my heroes' skills for the enemies I'll be facing. I sometimes spend 5 or 10 minutes doing this, depending on the difficulty of the zone. To clear an area successfully and easily, it requires tweaking your skillbar to deal with different threats, and I enjoy the diversity you can create in a build just by changing a few skills. With the introduction of Ursanway & Consumables, however, you don't need new builds, new skills, a working knowledge of the game mechanics, or even a computer monitor to clear an area: press 1 and 2, and you're probably doing just fine. Does this affect me directly? Most of the time, no. I can continue to vanquish HM areas the old-fashioned way, lamenting the fact that other players will never have to develop new skills or learn new tactics to overcome difficult obstacles.

In several of the "elite" staging areas, though, it's becoming increasingly difficult to get a group without conforming to the new standard. Monks are forced to use a cookie-cutter Healer's Boon build or be kicked from the party. Everyone else is required to go Ursan; press "1" and "2" for victory, and the phrase "must have consets" (aka "sets of consumables" for the un-initiated) is a frequent demand. Is the Ursan/consumables imbalance affecting me directly in this instance? Well...yes.

Sure, Ursan + consumables is a faster method of clearing FoW or Slaver's Exile. However, the lack of skill required, coupled with the lack of diversity, compounded upon the repetition of each group being exactly the same is the very definition of boring, monotonous grind. Previously, there were a multitude of builds that were all arguably equal at clearing an elite area. Going in with a group of friends or skilled players and tweaking our builds for faster times was enjoyable and challenging.

Notice the past tense in those sentences. It all seems kind of silly now that we can just "go Ursan" and blow through the opposition. Why not just give everyone a skill that kills all enemies within a 500-yard radius instantly? I realize this is an extreme comparison, but the end result is the same: a fool-proof, no-skill-required method of clearing an area easily and quickly.

Is it about status? Is it elitism? Unlocking Ursan and grinding up to rank 8 or 9 doesn't take very long at all, and consumables are just a map travel and a few platinum away--am I angry that players with less skill than I are now able to accomplish just as much? Partially. And before you argue that their decisions and actions shouldn't impact me at all, how do you feel about farming bots? What about game hacks/exploits? For most people, watching 50 monk-bots with tattoos run out of Granite Citadel, making money faster than you without having to even be in the same room with their computers, incites some form of resentment or anger. Why? Their actions don't really have a direct impact on you. It's because the average player feels like they earned their money "the hard way," and someone buying elite armor with their cheaply-earned cash makes your identical elite armor, earned through hard work and patience, feel less special. In the same vein, when 6 Ursans blaze through a mission in HM that took me and a few other people several tries and tweaking to complete, I can't help but feel annoyed.

But honestly, that's just a minor irk. The real and present problem with Ursan Blessing and crafting consumables is the issue of challenge; skill vs grind. This is the reason I'm not sure whether or not to support a nerf of Ursan. Different people play PvE for vastly different reasons. Whether it's to get as many titles as possible, collect your favorite miniatures, unlock new skills, find new weapons, grind/farm for gold, or just beat the primary missions and see the ending cutscene. Some people only log on to chat in outposts and form synchronized dancing groups. No kidding. Everyone has a different goal or combination of goals when they log on to play.

The group of people that play the game for a challenge, to improve themselves, create new builds, find interesting ways to combine skills and calculate damage per energy spent ratios for different skills are hurt most by these PvE introductions. There is no longer a reason to do any of these things when Ursan Blessing out-performs all other builds in almost every situation. And before you argue that no one is forcing these players to use Ursan or consumables, that they are free to create a challenge for themselves by not using them--handicapping yourself intentionally doesn't make the game more fun for these types of players. Playing an easy Dora the Explorer video game (are there any other kinds?) and handicapping yourself by first cutting off your hands and dipping the bloody stumps in saltwater, doesn't make the game more fun. The reward comes from knowing you made the best of all available resources to overcome an obstacle that not everyone could. Another analogy: what if Halo only had a "very easy" mode? Sure, skilled players could make the game harder for themselves by only using punches, or only using the worst weapon available, but ultimately this is a very poor alternative to a true challenge, and these gamers will quickly lose interest in the game itself.

On the other side, a nerf would hurt the farming/grinding crowd. This group of players (which most likely has a much larger base than the former group) plays the game to get gold/items or increase a title track, i.e. GWEN reputation, allegiance, lightbringer, etc. Included in this group are casual gamers that find plowing through a bunch of enemies as an Ursan tank a welcome break from, and much more fun than, their normal role, be it ranger, mesmer, or whatever. For an assassin that used to have a tough time finding a group for an elite mission, all he/she needs now is Ursan Blessing.

So--to nerf or not to nerf? I suppose it depends on which of the groups your playstyle falls into, and no amount of arguing one way or the other will change your mind on the issue. Unless, of course, you only log in to dance in your virtual underwear.

Current Characters:

 * The Hylian -- My first toon, lvl 20 Elementalist. Fire for PvE, Air for PvP...not that I've done any PvP recently....
 * The Goron -- The one I play the most, lvl 20 Monk -- if you're ever in a mission group with 7/8 or whatever and need a monk, see if I'm around.
 * Princess Ruto -- The third of the references to the Legend of Zelda series (Ocarina of Time, to be exact), and a lvl 20 ranger, too.
 * Peppy Hare -- Runner extraordinaire -- lvl 20 Dervish, and I created him for the sole purpose of running. And he's good at what he does: if you need a run somewhere, look me up. A reference to Star Fox, by the way.
 * The Gerudo Thief -- Lvl 19 Assassin, naturally, haven't played with her in a good long while. I consider dusting her off every now and then, but haven't as of yet. Legend of Zelda.
 * The Sheikah -- Lvl 11 Paragon. Haven't used him in awhile, either. He'll be the first to be deleted when I decide to make a new character. Legend of Zelda again.
 * The Canthan -- Lvl 11 Warrior, and I love the fact that I somehow got this name. However, I don't especially like to play as a warrior, so she doesn't get much use.
 * Katt Monroe -- My hottest toon, with magenta hair and a special blend of dyes to make the armor match as well. I say "special blend" because I can't remember what I used, and when I get new armor, I'll have to figure it out again. Lvl 13 Necromancer, created fresh in NF fairly recently. A minion master currently, and working on Survivor title. Oh, and Katt Monroe was a pink-furred fighter pilot in Star Fox 64; she had a crush on Falco, and showed up to shoot some switches or beacons, depending on what path you chose.

Other
http://gw.gamewikis.org/wiki/User:The_Goron/Builds/SV_Invincimonk_Against_Magni

The Quiz Results - Stolen from Kalomeli
This was...interesting. My two favorite professions tied for first. Wish Necromancer was higher, but overall, spot on.

You scored as a Monk.

Mesmers can support a group amazingly, but only you can truly help a group in need. With the powers of the divine, you are able to cure the wounded, protect the weak, and even bring back the dead. You are almost a necessity to any team, providing the backbone of your group's structure.