Fellow HC Masochists - do we have a future?
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To begin, I don't believe the majority of the game should be balanced around HC. That said, HC is the only way I truly enjoy ARPGs because it makes my choices and preparation feel meaningful. I've been playing HC in POE since 2013, back when binding a desync command was practically mandatory.
The number of complaints from SC players, both friends and forum users, about the one-portal rule being too punishing due to one-shot mechanics suggests to me that HC might not be viable—especially in party play. While solo players can (and do) use the pause mechanic as a workaround, party play doesn’t allow for pausing or an easy escape via portals during tense boss fights. This can make HC party play especially punishing. Furthermore, progression and leveling are significantly slower, which comes with both pros and cons. While this will likely improve over time as we learn more about the game and as inevitable power creep sets in, I don’t think (and honestly hope) we’ll ever return to the progression speed of POE1. The maps in POE2 are larger, randomization is more complex, white mobs are tougher, boss fights take longer, and gearing up feels slower overall. This leads to a “souls-like lite” experience where characters can be instantly killed, and the time investment required to replace a character is far greater than in POE1. This gameplay loop isn’t particularly enjoyable. To adapt, players are building the tankiest characters possible, but unfortunately, the pool of viable builds capable of surviving the current tuning is very small, which is also less than ideal. I don’t inherently have an issue with one-shot mechanics, as I expect to learn and adapt to them over time. However, when you combine one-shot mechanics with the slower progression and leveling system, it raises concerns. As an example, Zizaran mentioned in one of his videos that he can clear the POE1 campaign in 2-3 hours (which might be too fast), but completing POE2 took him over 28 hours—even while using a meta HC build. One final point: While I don’t think the game should be balanced around HC, it’s somewhat ironic that the one-portal system feels like GGG is nudging SC players to engage with HC-like mechanics. I imagine this shift isn’t enjoyable for many SC players. I’m curious to hear what other HC players think about this. Last bumped on Dec 20, 2024, 1:12:19 PM
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Plenty of HC characters are pushing the ladder just fine. The game isn't balanced around SC or HC, it's balanced around trade and the game is vastly easier with trading. That's why SSF was a godsend, because the game is infinitely more fun when you can't max out your character with a few ex/div trades.
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I am also a long time HC POE1 player. I've been playing since Piety was the end boss (before they added Dominus). For reference, I used to trade in POE1 but gave it up after 5-6 leagues. I don't trade in POE2.
I never liked how easy it was to get through the POE1 campaign. It just felt like you were throwing away some hours of time before the game actually got any semblance of difficulty (hence why so many people say POE1 doesn't start until you begin mapping). The fact that there are actual stakes from level 1 makes the leveling experience actually enjoyable to me. As to the length of the campaign, I wouldn't have a problem with this if leveling still happened at the same speed. Currently it takes far, far too long to get your character to a point where its build feels unique. You will spend at least 5 hours with something that feels like a generic warrior/ranger/witch etc... and if you're playing HC you'll probably end up having to level with that generic class feeling multiple times. IMO, somebody moving at average speed should reach level 30 in three hours, otherwise they spend too long in the 'generic' space. Last edited by Rizzmond#7658 on Dec 20, 2024, 9:42:56 AM
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" This sums it up pretty well. The game being punishing isn't inherently bad, but knowing death is inevitable and the time it takes to get back to an enjoyable play style is quite long. |
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" No, there is no future for HC players. Only those with no lives and inhuman levels of skill. The game is designed like dark souls not a typical ARPG game. The pace is already very slow playing HC you gonna need a astronomical amount of time on your hands. |
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