Why is anima so rare?

[bullseyed]

I admit it isnt a make it or break it issue but has anyone else found it a struggle to simply escape together enough anima to upgrade your covenant much less buy any of the cosmetics?

I admit the content I enjoy doesn't overly reward anima but it does strike me as odd just how hard to come by it is.

If you play the game you'll be spending anima to avoid the 35k cap.

[Cosmic Janitor]

Cant understand why they have such steep prices anyway. The buildings should be something to be used and played with, not left behind and forgotten cause of the cost.

This. Especially if you don't participate in group endgame activities stuff like path of ascension is pretty much the new brawlers guild but locked behind a steep grind of one covenant, that even if you happen to be kyrian on your main will take you a while. If you have to do this on an alt, I'd wager that most people wouldn't even bother with it at all.

[SynDethroc]

I don't know that I'd call it 'rare' given that you can get it from just about anything; I think it's more the amount that you get at any given time. I mean, 5-35? It's such a tiny, insignificant amount and it doesn't feel satisfying to earn.

[Adamas102]

I have 5k anima on all of my characters (3). I do the bare minumum of WQs and a few m+ a week. I see no need gain in upgrading my covenant features, so for me anima is collected only to do the one weekly quest for renown. Still, 5k on each character as a very casual player? I feel anima is everywhere.

Well at that rate you MIGHT be able to afford all the upgrades and cosmetics by the end of this expansion (in two years). Assuming, of course, that no new upgrades or items are added, or that you take any breaks. And this is supposed to be the CASUAL system for the expansion...

[crusadernero]

Well at that rate you MIGHT be able to afford all the upgrades and cosmetics by the end of this expansion (in two years). Assuming, of course, that no new upgrades or items are added, or that you take any breaks. And this is supposed to be the CASUAL system for the expansion...

And keep in mind you gotta keep going doing most content every week for a long ass time to get anywhere with the buildings.

[Sithalos]

The bigger issue is that all of the cosmetics cost way too much. I already have the full set from my covenant, but if I want a slight recolor it costs what, 25k anima? No thanks. I have much better things to do with my time other than grinding the worst form of WQs yet, such as staring at my wall.

[crusadernero]

I don't know that I'd call it 'rare' given that you can get it from just about anything; I think it's more the amount that you get at any given time. I mean, 5-35? It's such a tiny, insignificant amount and it doesn't feel satisfying to earn.

Its worthless. I've completed two covenant campaigns on the chars i've been playing on(Pala Kyrian & DK Necro) and right now theres no reason to do anything in the world. I did WQs for anima to get renown. Now I have no reason to do them whatsoever. The prices are to high to bother

[Schizoide]

It's all cosmetic stuff, not a huge deal.

That said, anima rewards should be quadrupled across the entire expansion, all activities.

I'm now stuck unable to upgrade my covenant because I don't want to grind anima. While it's true all the rewards are just cosmetic, it feels bad with all the conductor rails reinforced and insufficient anima to upgrade it, it feels bad being unable to upgrade my seed garden thing when the current rewards are 4 fish from a 3 day long cooldown. It all just feels bad, even though the rewards are just cosmetic, I'm still blocked from playing with these systems unless I'm willing to grind anima.

[crusadernero]

The bigger issue is that all of the cosmetics cost way too much. I already have the full set from my covenant, but if I want a slight recolor it costs what, 25k anima? No thanks. I have much better things to do with my time other than grinding the worst form of WQs yet, such as staring at my wall.

and this. just by looking at the prices and what you get from various activites, its just not worth doing at all.

Maybe in a years time its better.

[Schizoide]

I agree with other posters that they'll buff anima gains later on. It's probably already planned and ready to go.

My counter-offer, just frickin' do it now.

[rhorle]

It all just feels bad, even though the rewards are just cosmetic, I'm still blocked from playing with these systems unless I'm willing to grind anima.

Why is it bad that you have to actually play parts of the game?

[crusadernero]

It's all cosmetic stuff, not a huge deal.

That said, anima rewards should be quadrupled across the entire expansion, all activities.

I'm now stuck unable to upgrade my covenant because I don't want to grind anima. While it's true all the rewards are just cosmetic, it feels bad with all the conductor rails reinforced and insufficient anima to upgrade it, it feels bad being unable to upgrade my seed garden thing when the current rewards are 4 fish from a 3 day long cooldown. It all just feels bad, even though the rewards are just cosmetic, I'm still blocked from playing with these systems unless I'm willing to grind anima.

I would think Blizzard wants people to actually use and play with these buildings. Im pretty sure most people dont give a shit about them because of the cost.

Its obvious why Blizzard has done it though.. Its to keep people playing longer.

[Schizoide]

Why is it bad that you have to actually play parts of the game?

Simply put, I don't enjoy grinding for AP. Doing every WQ? Hell with that!

If you do enjoy it, that's great for you. It does not invalidate my experience.

@crusadernero: Yes, this is an obvious retention mechanism and to be fair, again, unlike previous expansions it's all optional and that's a huge improvement. Blizzard is learning! But it could be better-- let the gameplay stand on its own without these artificial gates requiring what I, and many other players, consider to be un-fun grinding.

[Lolites]

Anima is required to upgrade the covenant gear.

which at their max rank is worse than normal raid, so you can get better gear faster via m+/pvp/raiding...
sure its nice for alts or people who play very little, but hardly its "main" use

[rhorle]

Simply put, I don't enjoy grinding for AP. Doing every WQ? Hell with that! If you do enjoy it, that's great for you. It does not invalidate my experience.

You don't do every world quest just the ones with anima as their reward. It also is far from any kind of usage of the word grind in the context of video games. It isn't bad the at you don't get a reward if you don't do the content and just because you don't like something doesn't make it bad.

[Schizoide]

Loot drops are very rare this expansion while the covenant gear is guaranteed, and while it's slightly lower itemlvl than normal raid loot, that's only 3 itemlvls.

@rhorle: We fundamentally disagree on this.

[Lolites]

Simply put, I don't enjoy grinding for AP. Doing every WQ? Hell with that!

isnt that how all MMORPG (and a lot of other games) always worked? you consider if the task (grinding anima via WQ in this case) is worht the reward for you and if not you dont do it...
sure it would be nice if i enjoyed all aspects of the game, but as long as im not only player playing it its literaly impossible to achieve...

[crusadernero]

Why is it bad that you have to actually play parts of the game?

After playing this game for over 15 years, im no stranger to grinds. I've done my fair share of it.

These prices compared to what you get from doing various activites dont match though. Its alot of work for things that are supposed to be a side activity and something to do besides the usual stuff we do in the game.

When I heard they were putting this into the covenants, I was looking forward to having an alternate progressionpath besides the usual gearing/lvling/rep grind. Right now its pointless doing all this grind and get sick and tierd of the game. Its better to just leave it behind, forget they excist and either play other parts oif the game or just stop playing.

ask yourself - how would it hurt the game if getting more anima was in place? How would it hurt the game if more people would interact and use these buildings each covenant has?

THis is just another attempt to get people playing and playing, farming and farming for miniscule rewards.

[Schizoide]

There's always some degree of grind, yes. That doesn't make it fun, unless you like grinding. "It's always been this way" doesn't excuse poor design.

The problem is these systems aren't supposed to be fun-- they are thinly disguised retention mechanisms. That's their design goal and they effectively do that. So this comes down to intention rather than implementation. The devs want it this way because WoW is a subscription title and they need some sort of infinite or high-capped progression to keep players engaged.

[crusadernero]

Simply put, I don't enjoy grinding for AP. Doing every WQ? Hell with that!

If you do enjoy it, that's great for you. It does not invalidate my experience.

@crusadernero: Yes, this is an obvious retention mechanism and to be fair, again, unlike previous expansions it's all optional and that's a huge improvement. Blizzard is learning! But it could be better-- let the gameplay stand on its own without these artificial gates requiring what I, and many other players, consider to be un-fun grinding.

Thats very true. We arent required to do this in order to progress our character, and thats a very good thing. That said, they should make sure that players get to actually take part in this and actually make use of the buildings instead of just dropping it.

Theres something there for Blizzard to capitalize on. Like with class halls, mage tower, torghast++, its nice having something else do do on your own. Sadly the prices are to steep