How do you feel about credit-card heroes?

[Rukh]

I probably have an unpopular opinion here.. but I'm actually in favor of them.

Like, so WHAT if they want to pay for a legendary with real money? I don't care, it's just a cosmetic item. It's akin to farming gold for several cash shop outfits, or buying them outright. I can get something with equal stats easily, it gives no advantage. (Unless you count them being able to switch stats on the weapon, which might save you like, what? an extra bag slot?) I have a friend who grinded like crazy to collect all of the legendaries, to him, legendaries aren't that special.

Legendaries, like any other skin in the game, are about your own personal feeling of accomplishment. The fact that I farmed a long time to get two zaps/bolts for my boyfriend and my friend last Christmas isn't somehow tarnished by the fact that someone used real-money to purchase the item. The ammount of work that I put in to obtain those is known by me and the recipients of that work, and that's enough. Other people don't need to know (nor do they care about) a person's journey to get a skin.

To me, the infinitesimal number of people willing to put (9 gems = 1g, Random Legendary: Juggernaut is about 3kg or 27,000 gems) around $350 to just get a skin doesn't matter. Again, this is a game where that has no advantage, and this skin can be obtained with a few months worth of work. They are basically just donating to arena net.

Even if people cry out and force arenanet to make precursors and legendaries account bound, it still won't hinder the people who really want the skin and don't care to put the time into obtaining the item. They'll just pay a friend or someone else to farm the item up for them. Why not just cut out the middle man and let people have their cosmetic shiny sword?

Why do that though? What's the point? If you're just slapping down the credit card, it's just a shiny skin. There's no triumph in obtaining it, no challenge you crushed. You just shelled out hundreds of dollars for a not even rare weapon in a videogame. Why do that?

This is really my point too. People are ruining what could be an awesome triumph for themselves.

[MoanaLisa]

Now I THOUGHT people played games for challenges. I know I do. The point of a game is to give you a challenge and to feel good when you triumph over it. Slapping down the credit card to just "have" misses the whole point. The whole point is to overcome the challenges. Sure in the case of legendaries a bit part of the challenge is if you can stand hours of grinding, but that's still a challenge.

Not for everyone. Games certainly can be all about the challenge but they can also be about having fun or just relaxing. If someone wants to part with some money and it increases their fun without causing a problem for anyone else it's difficult to see where the problem is other than some think ill of it. But as for the idea that everyone plays for the same reason, no. That's not true at all.

[Sohalia]

Why do that though? What's the point? If you're just slapping down the credit card, it's just a shiny skin. There's no triumph in obtaining it, no challenge you crushed. You just shelled out hundreds of dollars for a not even rare weapon in a videogame. Why do that?

This is really my point too. People are ruining what could be an awesome triumph for themselves.

I don't know, I don't use my debit card on expensive skins like that. (I will however spend $10 every year or so on a dress that I want, despite the fact that I can easily buy them with gold.) To me they're just extreme versions of the people that buy every $10 gem-store outfit. I have a friend who'se spent hundreds of dollars collecting every. single. skin. in League of Legends. Why does he do it? Nobody knows, he's just got lots of money and an obsession for completion.

If it's something they're willing to do, hey, it's their character and their money. It could be an awesome triumph, but to people like my friend who collected all the legendaries, it's not difficult and he didn't feel a sense of triumph until his collection was complete. (And yes, he farmed them all) Who knows? Maybe they feel triumphant after working hard at their job and saving their pennies to afford the legendaries. It could also be the only way they can get the legendary of their choice, since they might not play often enough. You can't ever tell for sure because they all probably have different reasons for doing it.

[Sorrior]

The journey is more important, but the current randomness to getting a precursor is disheartening (and not the definition of a challenge); it's understandable people move to buying rather than trying to earn the legendary. That said, someone else buying it doesn't do anything to take away from the work someone else puts into it.

This pretty much.

The RNG is HORRENDOUS on Precursors and if it was skill/time based(like the relics in FFXIV) THEN i would have issues but as is...It is too damn random.

I myself like to work on things. I would rather not ve carried in games that do it or be given money but work for myself till i earn stuff.

THAT SAID the GW2 legendaries were just poorly implemented/designed.

[Karizee]

Worth noting that the RNG for precursors is being eliminated in HoT - the new mastery system has a reward track for precursors. You can earn one of each and they will be accountbound.

https://heartofthorns.guildwars2.com...tion-masteries

[Sorrior]

Worth noting that the RNG for precursors is being eliminated in HoT - the new mastery system has a reward track for precursors. You can earn one of each and they will be accountbound.

https://heartofthorns.guildwars2.com...tion-masteries

Mhmm i am aware of this and THIS makes it more worthwhile imo.

[Deleted]

You were always going to be wrong when you assume all people play for the same reason.

[Housebroken]

I do not care at all. My friend used cheat codes to beat 007 Goldeneye, and I didn't. Just because he cheated doesn't invalidate what I found as fun and challenging. I still beat the game, I still enjoyed it, but so did he.

You see, he found fun in the face-roll violence. He enjoyed blowing off steam he had gain through the day. I, on the other hand, wanted to actually think, to challenge myself, to be better than I started. His way of play didn't diminish mine, and vice versa.

[Deleted]

i've spent a lotta money on this game. i paid for the gold for my dawn, then paid for most of the t6 mats. after that i did the rest myself.

didn't have the time or patience to sit mindlessly in silverwastes and had enough money spare. buying a legendary outright seems like a waste to me, but i guess i paid for almost half of it.

edit: also, what's all the talk about how 'difficult' it is to get a legendary? it's not really that difficult, just really grindy and reliant on rng. the only 'challenge' is the AC paths, which are easy any way. unless people consider wvw spam a challenge, or farming karma/silverwastes a challenge. world completion i did in about 20 hours (started at 50%, im really slow and lazy)

[Arlee]

The journey is more important, but the current randomness to getting a precursor is disheartening (and not the definition of a challenge); it's understandable people move to buying rather than trying to earn the legendary. That said, someone else buying it doesn't do anything to take away from the work someone else puts into it.

Pretty much this. I finally made my legendary at the beginning of this year because after playing since head start and never getting a precursor to drop at all (and I tried all the things) my husband bought the precursor I needed for me. I literally had all the other parts for the Legendary made. Just needed the precursor.

I'm slowly plodding away on having my ele decked out in all ascended gear. 4 armor pieces and 4 weapons to go o.o

Ooh, \o/ I just finally finished my ascended gear for my Ele and wow was I happy when that was done

What does it matter? That legendary is no better then my ascended weapon.. Only difference is, he spent irl cash on it, I didn't.

Well there is a difference in the Legendary in that the stats can be changed anytime you want out of combat which is nice if you want to try a different build or something. Though yea, for most people there isn't much difference between the two.

Why do that though? What's the point? If you're just slapping down the credit card, it's just a shiny skin. There's no triumph in obtaining it, no challenge you crushed. You just shelled out hundreds of dollars for a not even rare weapon in a videogame. Why do that?

This is really my point too. People are ruining what could be an awesome triumph for themselves.

In generally it's a poor practice to set yourself up to safeguard the sanctity of an experience for other people What gives meaning for one person won't be the same for others. Also it's worth noting that "credit card heroes" are helping to support the game itself in a big way. It would be foolish to give people grief over that.

[Christonya]

Well there is a difference in the Legendary in that the stats can be changed anytime you want out of combat which is nice if you want to try a different build or something. Though yea, for most people there isn't much difference between the two.

Keep in mind for the sheer cost of the legendary, I could produce several ascended weapons. That and unless you want to try a gimmicky build you're probably only using one or two stat sets. For example, I play a thief ... So really the only stat set that benefits me is berserker. However my dagger could go dire for wvw shinanigans, but again I could just produce a second ascended weapon without even scratching the cost of a legendary, let alone a pre.

[Arlee]

Keep in mind for the sheer cost of the legendary, I could produce several ascended weapons. That and unless you want to try a gimmicky build you're probably only using one or two stat sets. For example, I play a thief ... So really the only stat set that benefits me is berserker. However my dagger could go dire for wvw shinanigans, but again I could just produce a second ascended weapon without even scratching the cost of a legendary, let alone a pre.

Depends on which legendary you are talking about, the cost varies GREATLY. Also depends on if you want to take up inventory/space with the all those weapons. For your example if you only ever need two then yea your fine. If you make the legendary of a weapon then you are good forever no matter how gearing changes and what the meta does as far as stats go. It's all just a matter of preference.

All of that is beside the point though. You said the Legendary is no better, as if there was no difference when there is an actual difference. It might not be a difference which matters to you, but it is a difference that matters to some people.

[endersblade]

Welcome to 2015 gaming where the masses would rather buy or have the best gear handed to them. It is disgusting, put nicely.

You make it sound like this is a recent thing. Having ADHD and short term memory loss must do so much for you.

[Kelimbror]

I didn't realize there could even be 'credit card heroes' in a game where gear is relatively meaningless to gameplay. I'm not fussed about people wearing clothes from designer stores while I wear clothes I find at thrift stores, so I don't understand why I would be upset when they spend real money to acquire a legendary fancy looking item. If they want to skip that aspect of rewards and focus on other gameplay goals that is their prerogative.

I see no issue here.

[Gray_Matter]

For me it's a good thing. People buying gems to sell to get gold for a legendary is beneficial to all people who buy gems with gold which I often do.

[GodlyBob]

They're not called "credit card heroes," they're wallet warriors! And I am firmly against it if it leads to an unfair power increase in any game.

[rhandric]

They're not called "credit card heroes," they're wallet warriors! And I am firmly against it if it leads to an unfair power increase in any game.

And obviously you don't know what game we're talking about, as there is no "unfair power increase" in GW2

[Edge-]

They're not called "credit card heroes," they're wallet warriors! And I am firmly against it if it leads to an unfair power increase in any game.

Pocketbook Patriarchs? Moneyclip monarchs? Tallybook Tyrants? Man, there's all kinds of fun names!

And nothing you can buy in GW2 gives you any power that can't be relatively easily earned in-game.

[Val the Moofia Boss]

Well, considering you can only get a legendary through sheer RNG... that's not very valuable in the first place, is it?

[Kelimbror]

having one might let you win the annual dance off or the Who's Who of Tyria Fasion first place blue ribbon....

It's so pay to win guys. Cash Money Curs.