Curse

RPGmaniac · Nov 21, 2006, 08:18 AM // 08:18

One thing Anet seems to have abandoned was the quest reward system from Prophecies. For those who don't have Prophecies or just don't remember how it went, here's how it went: experience gain was a lot less than it is in Nightfall or Factions, gold gain was about the same, skills were sometimes given as rewards (outside of pre-searing), and items that were a little lower quality than collectors items were also given out when skills were not given out. With this in mind, here is what I'm suggesting:

1) Bring back skills as a reward for quests. It would basically mimic the trend set in Prophecies, where sometimes you would get skills as quests and sometimes you wouldn't. This way people won't have an excess of skill points sitting on their character or if they do, they can use them on skills from the secondary professions they didn't pick at the start. Also, we won't have to spend as much money buying skills because we will already have a decent arsenal just from going through the game.

2) Bring back items as quest rewards as well. Again, the distribution would mimic the Prophecies distribution: sometimes you get items as a reward and sometimes you don't. Of course, I would like to propose an improvement from how it was done in Prophecies. When you would do a quest, most of the time you got items you would never use (I.E getting a protective icon when you are a warrior or a ranger). Perhaps Anet could program it so depending on which primary/secondary profession you are, you would get items relating to those professions (I.E getting a bow or scythe as a D/R or a motivation based shield or an axe as a W/P)

If anyone has any comments, suggestions, or constructive criticism, I would love to hear it, as this is my first suggestion as far as I remember.

Thank you

mega_jamie · Nov 21, 2006, 04:40 PM // 16:40

The trouble with skills as rewards was that everybody ended up playing the same thing.

Necros up until Yaks were quite crude Death magic users, i recall atleast, and at the time I was ina guild with somebody who was also a necro and we ran pretty much the same build through the game because of the skill rewards.

Atleast with Skill trainers in Factions there was alot more deviation in preoples builds as they took what skills sounded best to them, as opposed to what skills they were given.

Perhpas skill rewards could be given as a "Have this skill .... OR this one ....." and pickig one stops you getting the other up until quite close to the end of the game. That way the money sink of buying new skills goes, but peopel can choose their path with greater ease.

I often felt in Tyria my monk was forced down the healing path with so many healing skill rewards and so few others.

Tyggen · Nov 21, 2006, 05:14 PM // 17:14

I really like getting skill unlocks as quest rewards, but as mega_jamie points out it limits the amount of usable builds. It could be a possible solution to have optional unlocks (You saved my cat! Here, have [Dismember], [Sever Artery] or [Hammer Bash] and 200 gold for some ale.), but in the long run this would quickly exhaust the amount of skills available if you get more then 1 skill quest per outpost. Unless you can get the same skill several times.

Item rewards are also good, but only if they come with unique attributes, there's no point having a collector item as a reward. For example a sword with 20% faster Healing Prayers casting and recharge or a focus with +1 base damage to all attacks (yes, I know those would upset balance :P).

But yes, /signed for better rewards

-edited to make it easier on the eyes-

SpeedyKQ · Nov 21, 2006, 05:48 PM // 17:48

Prophecies skill rewards are horrible. You get far less money than in the other two games, the items are almost always worse than what you are already using, and the skill rewards are narrow and limiting. Mostly you just get a pittance of XP that you don't need.

But I agree with the OP that skills and items can be good rewards. I think Anet should expand the reward system from Factions and Nightfall. Skill trainers could let you trade Luxon Totems or Kournan Coins (or whatever) for skills. Weapon crafters could do the same for weapons.

Helcaraxe · Nov 21, 2006, 05:54 PM // 17:54

you guys... quests are not the only way to get skills in prophecies. There will still skill trainers throughout the course of the game. You didn't have to run the same build, it was a choice not to visit the skill trainers that did that. Not the fact that the quest rewards gave you skills.

MithranArkanere · Nov 21, 2006, 06:09 PM // 18:09

There are skill you won't get from quests since Yak's Bend in trainers.

Dougal Kronik · Nov 21, 2006, 06:25 PM // 18:25

Allow the rewards from quests be selectable.

Example:

You complete the quest and see the guy for your reward. You can select 2 of the following (the ones with a box []):

750XP
250gold
Select one of the following:
[]Protective Icon
[]Sword
[]Staff
[]Bow
[]Spear
[]Scythe
[]Daggers

Select one of the following:
[]Monk Skill
[]Warrior Skill
[]Ranger Skill
[]Assassin Skill
[]Ritualist Skill
[]Dervish Skill
[]Paragon Skill
[]Mesmer Skill
[]Elementalist Skill
[]Necromancer Skill
[]1,000XP

The skills would actually be one of the skills from each profession.

This way you could select which item you would get, if any are available, and then select a skill or the XP if you want to buy your own skill.

HawkofStorms · Nov 21, 2006, 10:07 PM // 22:07

The problem with the item rewards is that the items were either
a) garbage and instant merchant fodder
b) unbalanced

What I mean by b) is that many of these items had oddball stats that couldn't be replicated anywhere else. Therefore, over time, those items began to have value because they were used in builds that manipulated those items (-50 offhand for 55ers, the +17 energy trapper staff, the -2 while in a stance ranger FoW bow, the Mark of Rodgort increased attack speed fire wand from Noliani etc).

The main reason that I believe a.net removed item rewards was because many of them created and were used by wierd builds like that and since they could only be obtained from a quest, you could only get one per character, thus making them rare and have some value. /end runon sentance

RPGmaniac · Nov 21, 2006, 10:40 PM // 22:40

That idea about choosing which skill you get out of a list sounds like a better way of doing things because yea, you were forced to play a certain build in prophecies until more skills became available. And SpeedyKQ, I don't know if that's how it came off to you, but I'm not suggesting a full revert to Prophecies quest rewards. I still say keep the exp and money trends from Nightfall, I hated how little money and exp I got for doing quests in Prophecies, the only ones I bother doing on Prophecies characters now are the ones that give skills as a reward. Maybe Anet could make skills that are available from quests unable to be bought in the skill trainers so you don't waste money and a skill point on a skill you could've just gotten from a quest. Thanks for the input, keep it coming!

MithranArkanere · Nov 22, 2006, 02:53 PM // 14:53

There are special keys that gives your account 'unlocks' for items and skills.
There are quest reward token ins Cantha ans Nightfall.

Why not to mix that? Give players (non physical) skill buying tokens so the next time they talk to a trainer, they can see: You have XX free skill purchases.
This won't affect Profession specific quest, so you'll still get the same skills from those 'Tutorial' and 'Secondary profession' quest.

And for items (physical) make some collectors in Ascalon City(this one would have the -50 cesta), Droknar's Forge, Lion's Arc(this one would have the +18energy staff), Denravi and the Amnoon Oasis, so you can exchange them for those tokens.
They could be in the form of 1 for weapons and offhand items, and another three for the tipical 1,3 and 5 rewards. (and maybe 7 like Vabbi)

Just a retroactive change, like the new icons on old mission maps.

Darksun · Nov 22, 2006, 06:48 PM // 18:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by mega_jamie

The trouble with skills as rewards was that everybody ended up playing the same thing.

Necros up until Yaks were quite crude Death magic users, i recall atleast, and at the time I was ina guild with somebody who was also a necro and we ran pretty much the same build through the game because of the skill rewards.

huh? Making it so you have to buy the skills is no different. People use what is popular. I think it is stupid to have to PAY for all/most of my skills. the Factions/NF skill distribution sucks. (except at the begining when they give you lots)

Crom The Pale · Nov 22, 2006, 07:18 PM // 19:18

I really do like the idea of skills and items as quest rewards. Note that you do not have to spend gold to buy every skill in nightfall since you learn the skills you purchase from a Hero skill trainer and they only require hero skill points.

I would suggest that the skills provided by quests would be only ones that could be purchased at the nearest skill trainer, ie if your a new account you wont get an end of game skill on the first quest.
Another idea would be to put skills from the other campains in as quest rewards. These could be for master difficulty quests.

As for items I would sugest weapons and offhands with empty inscription slots and no mods. The lvl of the item would be equal to the area the quest was offered/takes place in. Since a max item with no inscription costs 5K + materials this would really make end of game quests worth doing. Right now the rewards are just not worth the time and effort.
The items should also be based upon the class of char claiming the reward, dont give my dervish a monk divine prayer offhand please!!

/signed

MithranArkanere · Nov 22, 2006, 08:23 PM // 20:23

Quote:

Originally Posted by Crom The Pale

[...]
Another idea would be to put skills from the other campains in as quest rewards. These could be for master difficulty quests.
[...]

No, no! Skill from other campaings should never be given in other!

That is one of the points on purchasing a campaing: gain access to its array of skills!

Dougal Kronik · Nov 22, 2006, 08:27 PM // 20:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by MithranArkanere

No, no! Skill from other campaings should never be given in other!

That is one of the points on purchasing a campaing: gain access to its array of skills!

No one mentioned skill rewards from other campaigns.

Just to have the option of getting skills as quest rewards.