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Pay to Win Frustrations

AuthorMessage
Survivor
Mar 12, 2013
17
I know people are just as frustrated as I am with the whole, "Pay To Win" attitude KI has put into their games. After reading multiple posts about Azteca, and Avalon, there are hundreds of players angry that they have to pay for henchmen (in a game they are already paying for) when they never had to in any of the level 50 and under worlds.

Additionally, crown gear is far too OP. I am a level 37 Ice wizard who has never purchased any of the crowns items (except a henchman for Meowarity) and It frustrates me to see how easy other people of the same level as me can clear the same dungeons, or enemies. It is also annoying to see level 35's walking around with crazy damage and resistance buffs in addition to critical rating! I believe that hard work is it's own reward. Paying for an overpowered item is not my idea of working hard.

I know that many people will argue that Crowns items are just a nice option for people that want to pay a little more. This holds some truth up until level 50+ with Celestia. Now buying crowns items or henchmen is a necessity to clear some of the more difficult bosses. Has anyone else experienced this need for extra help?

-Kyle MoonStalker

Delver
Jul 15, 2011
288
Henchmen are not necessary to finish Azteca, a group is though. With the gear you loot in Azteca, it is possible to win most any fight there, although it won't be a quick 3 round bout.

Crowns gear, really isn't that OP. Usually, the wands are the nicest pieces. The armor, most of it will get a person killed if they wear it after entering azteca. There are a few good pieces, but they come from hoard packs and that is a costly game of chance. Crowns gear is nice for lower levels, but once you can run waterworks, the differences in gear begins to shrink a lot.

Defender
Jun 06, 2009
101
KyotoBro on Apr 14, 2013 wrote:
I know people are just as frustrated as I am with the whole, "Pay To Win" attitude KI has put into their games. After reading multiple posts about Azteca, and Avalon, there are hundreds of players angry that they have to pay for henchmen (in a game they are already paying for) when they never had to in any of the level 50 and under worlds.

Additionally, crown gear is far too OP. I am a level 37 Ice wizard who has never purchased any of the crowns items (except a henchman for Meowarity) and It frustrates me to see how easy other people of the same level as me can clear the same dungeons, or enemies. It is also annoying to see level 35's walking around with crazy damage and resistance buffs in addition to critical rating! I believe that hard work is it's own reward. Paying for an overpowered item is not my idea of working hard.

I know that many people will argue that Crowns items are just a nice option for people that want to pay a little more. This holds some truth up until level 50+ with Celestia. Now buying crowns items or henchmen is a necessity to clear some of the more difficult bosses. Has anyone else experienced this need for extra help?

-Kyle MoonStalker
I played with a strict no-Crowns policy for the first three years of the game, and a mostly-no-Crowns policy for another half year.

I have soloed everything in the game except Tower of the Helephant and Ghost Avalon. And I did all but Azteca without a healing pet.

You don't need Henchmen. But you do need to adjust your playing style to match the situation, and thinking outside of any box prior worlds have put your mind into.

Azteca challenged my approach the most, but I overcame it.

You can, too.

- Stephen Earthmender
Life Wizard, Pixie Realm

Survivor
Nov 10, 2008
6
I completely disagree. You can do almost anything that you want to in this game without crowns,
It just takes more effort and time. For example you can take the time to farm for mega snacks, or you can buy them. Crafted gear and other gear is usually even better than crown gear anyways. You can spend the time, or you can pay. I survived azteca mostly solo without using any henchmen.

Defender
Jul 17, 2010
123
Does it annoy anone that crowns uses get stuff like henchman, crowns gear, and mounts when you can't get most of that stuff as a normal member?

-Ryan Moonshield Level 69 (lol)

Defender
Jan 02, 2011
138
I really don't understand why one person should be annoyed at another one for this. Neither are actually competing against each other except in PVP.

To me, it sounds like jealousy on the part of the person that won't/can't buy the crown items more than anything. Perhaps some envy too.

The way one person chooses to play the game should have no effect on how someone else chooses to play it. And usually doesn't. (except for a few that for some reason feel that because they personally choose one method - not buying crowns - then everyone else should too.)

That leaves the people forced to play the game without crowns to spend (broke or young enough that parents say no crowns) gnashing their teeth and figuring that since they can't get the crown items, then no one else should be able to.

Geographer
Mar 12, 2013
923
You can get everything in the game without spending crowns. It will simply reduce your choices a lot. And it will take lots and lots of time, doing some things repeatedly long past the point where you are bored and frustrated. It's up to you whether you have time to grind and farm, or whether you just want to have fun and spend the limited time you have to play W101 doing fun things.

I consider a few crowns spent wisely, a good investment because the most precious resource of all is time.

If you are going for pvp, it's harder to perform well without at least some crowns. This is why I don't pvp in ranked matches, because it's more of an arms race than I'm comfortable with.

Survivor
Mar 12, 2013
17
It may be that crafted level 50+ gear is pretty awesome, but I think it is pretty unfair that level 30's are walking around with crit rating.

I also think that it's slightly unfair that even though I am a paying member, I have to pay even more for items that are exceedingly useful in the game. Maybe KI could make a 500 Crown a month allowance for people with recurring memberships. 500 crowns isn't much so it would still allow for people to buy more, and it would allow for solo players like me to purchase henchmen and healing pets.

Delver
Aug 12, 2009
260
It does not bother me at all. Some people invest time, others invest money. Some dungeons are designed for group play and not solo. That being said, 99% can be done solo with enough effort with no crowns spent. Granted this has caused me to run with 7 different decks and die a few times before I get it right!

I farmed the waterworks over and over and over and the gear has kept me through Azteca. Even got some mastery amulets drop in there. Through the most boring, eye-bleeding, frustating part of this game, I was able to breed a desent pet with help from strangers.

I have spent crowns on mounts mostly.

Armiger
May 10, 2010
2080
Crowns vs Time is an expression KI likes to use. You can either spend the time or spend the crowns.

There is nothing in this game that can not be done without using Crowns. You can get almost anything, except imo the best wand. Best wands are strictly Crown Items, not sure why on this point, but that is the only thing.

Everything else is achieved by either hard work, farming, or crafting. So Crowns vs Time for the most part, still holds true. Maybe soon, KI will update the Wands so same can be said for them.

DarthJT

Survivor
Mar 12, 2013
17
Well, why should I pay for a game, then pay even more for items that I want/need? Almost every other MMO with premium content grants paying players an allowance every month. I really don't think it would be too much trouble to grant a 500 (or less) crown allowance to paying players. This way it would allow for henchmen, and other nice bonuses to bought without paying even more in the game.

Armiger
May 10, 2010
2080
KyotoBro on Apr 25, 2013 wrote:
Well, why should I pay for a game, then pay even more for items that I want/need? Almost every other MMO with premium content grants paying players an allowance every month. I really don't think it would be too much trouble to grant a 500 (or less) crown allowance to paying players. This way it would allow for henchmen, and other nice bonuses to bought without paying even more in the game.
Almost everything that is in crowns can be gotten from farming. So, if you want/need it, take the time and farm for it.

I can serve cheese and cookies if needed.

Armiger
Feb 25, 2009
2425
Darth JT on May 11, 2013 wrote:
Almost everything that is in crowns can be gotten from farming. So, if you want/need it, take the time and farm for it.

I can serve cheese and cookies if needed.
Darth is right. It is all there but it does take time and effort to get it. He has helped me several times with WW to get a piece of missing gear and with hatching to get a better pet. (Thank you Darth)

I don't spend crowns for those items and won't waste hard earned cash either. I buy very few crowns and that is usually when a new hoard pack is out. Even for those I only buy about 3 on each account(2). If I get what I am wanting ok, if not fine.

The same goes for buying Crowns seeds. I farm for mine instead of spending 1250 to 1500 crowns per seed. Yes, you have to work for them but it is a lot cheaper.

@FDrybob, no, it does not annoy me that crowns players use their crowns that way. What does annoy me is when some of them brag about having all the best. Honestly, when you EARN something it means a lot more than just being able to buy anything and everything you want.