Exp loss on death topics are getting out of hand.

Tone isn't conveyed well over text, so I want you to know that this is heartfelt.

Time and choices; that's all we have.

The battle for the "soul" of this game is a lot like what happened in D4. Veteran ARPG players wanted a solo experience. Blizzard wanted to try to make an MMOARPG, like Lost Ark, because WOW was in decline.

Some people want a more accessible game that respects their time; by this I mean that even if you're stopped at certain points due to build, skill, etc. you're not pushed back. That's why I used the example of coming home from a long day's work shift -it would feel fine, to most, to be "stumped" at a certain progression point... and it would feel intolerable, to most, to lose that progression and have to re-do/re-grind lost work.

And you're right: the latter is "fun" for many. And that's okay too.

What you said it true. Happiness and fun are different things to different people. I think that's why there's so much passion in this discussion: fundamentally, people did like this game... they want it to succeed -but that's subjective too. Mainstream success makes elitists feel like it's "dumbed-down"; longitme WOW player here... it's the sentiment. But catering to the top 1% of players, which I'm sad to admit, in my younger years, I was because I had no real life or relationships... cost WOW dearly. Niche success will likely anger Tencent who have lost lots of money on the Arcane shows as a failed pipeline to LoL; i.e. people get hyped by Arcane and then quit after a week of LoL's toxicity.

Ultimately, that's why the devs are silent: they could have a game-of-the-decade... but their pride won't let them. Do they listen to the streamers and the no-lifers? Do they listen to the "filthy casuals" who have real jobs and lives who have since left? All we can really do is say our piece and move on. It's really up to GGG to determine the direction of this game at this point.

I wish you the best. Thanks for engaging in good faith and I hope you have a great 2025!

funny, this guy probably havent ever played poe1 endgame
saying poe1 is more 1shot then poe2 is kind of a meme
in poe1 you can gear against 1shots with armour(which is useless here) etc/not every mob has 12 on death effects, but yeah nice try buddy

I can understand that there will be exp lose in death i play other game's with this mechanic i am familiar to that so i dont have major issues with this , the problem come's with the millions 1shot mechanics that the game has and my expiriance from one point and after was only hit and run nothing else so ok i can do that i mean if this is the game ok BUT have all those 1shot mechanic's that you need to avoid like crazy AND also having monsters on steroids from suffixis make's the experiance random you cant control if you die or not you wish to not miss step somewhere and then it comes the 10% exp lose i grind in 93 hours to get a 40% and i literally die 4 times in a row after days without death and lose hours of progress . The game its hard ennough at least make it 5% so its not that punnishing not to metion that you will lose the waystone and the map with 1 attempt those things and the complitly random crafting system makes the game feels like a totally random experiance for a new player and not a veteran from poe 1 i have 260 hours game play i know i have room to grow and be better but the game make's me feel i am not progressing at all

93 lvl

I mean, does causing a seperation in difficulties have knock on effects I'm unaware of? Have a difficulty with no xp penalty and one with. Bang, problem solved. Next?

This is still going and strong i see XD.

I would like to point one thing for all those that believe that penalties on death are a must have in this game. You don't have to reply, just read and think about it, that is all i am asking. I didn't see it yet in this thread so here it goes:

What if there was a game like Poe 2 that wouldn't have absolutely any death penalties during the most challenging and difficult moments in it? And many of you, if not even all, would consider it the best fun and challenging moments they had in it? Not possible? Well here it comes:

I give you Poe 2 campaign!
- During the pinnacle moments (act bosses) you respawn excatly few steps of the portal to the boss room, not even walking back is a penalty.
- You have unlimited entries, you can try for forever, not 1 portal, not 6. Absolutely forever !
- You don't lose expierence here. Nothing, zilch, nada. Your equipemnt doesn't get broken.. nothing, no penalties, just go and try again
- This is widely considered the best Poe 2 experience and the most challenging one
- it doesn't destroy build diversity and people don't go there with absolutely zero mitigation, they actually try new skills and improve their gear..

Let it all sink in. It is in your head, the possibility of the idea that suffering doesn't really enhance experience, challenge or fun. That fear is not a feeling one has to use to create something good, fun and challenging.
Stay sane exile

I have yet to see someone explain to me why these death penalties are a good thing, let alone why they exist at all. The folks who defend them say “they’re in the game for a reason” but then never explain what that reason is. The sad reality is that they’re so used to the status quo they’re simply incapable of seeing beyond it, and worse still, are adamant on forcing it on the new players as well. This game was supposed to expand and modernize the franchise but the developers are letting their egos get the better of them and driving new players away with their rigidity and obstinance.

"

ArcaneArchmage#7600 wrote:

I have yet to see someone explain to me why these death penalties are a good thing, let alone why they exist at all. The folks who defend them say “they’re in the game for a reason” but then never explain what that reason is. The sad reality is that they’re so used to the status quo they’re simply incapable of seeing beyond it, and worse still, are adamant on forcing it on the new players as well. This game was supposed to expand and modernize the franchise but the developers are letting their egos get the better of them and driving new players away with their rigidity and obstinance.

Players (well some) tend to devour content and then say “this is boring!” The heavy death penalty is intended to slow the pace and make the content last longer.

For me, it’s so extreme I don’t want to play the endgame. There’s no adjustment, gearing, play style, level of caution or class selection that prevents that horrific death penalty. That’s why it’s no fun.

"

Nemmerle#4704 wrote:

"

ArcaneArchmage#7600 wrote:

I have yet to see someone explain to me why these death penalties are a good thing, let alone why they exist at all. The folks who defend them say “they’re in the game for a reason” but then never explain what that reason is. The sad reality is that they’re so used to the status quo they’re simply incapable of seeing beyond it, and worse still, are adamant on forcing it on the new players as well. This game was supposed to expand and modernize the franchise but the developers are letting their egos get the better of them and driving new players away with their rigidity and obstinance.

Players (well some) tend to devour content and then say “this is boring!” The heavy death penalty is intended to slow the pace and make the content last longer.

For me, it’s so extreme I don’t want to play the endgame. There’s no adjustment, gearing, play style, level of caution or class selection that prevents that horrific death penalty. That’s why it’s no fun.

Exactly, it’s all done to artificially slow the game down because they can’t produce content that’s actually engaging. I am sick and tired of these artificially prolonged grinds from lazy developers but sadly that’s all we’ve been getting in the A-RPG space lately (with Last Epoch as a notable exception).