A Humble Request for Full Repecs

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I understand the value of having unique and valuable characters so a free respec is not acceptable by any standard to be taken seriously. No game does that for good reason. At the same time no major game in the last 8 years (since diablo) has this sort of a rigid respec system. I expect it to be frustrating to nearly everyone at one point or another.

There are good reasons to respec....

* -flexibility to do PvP vs PvE tweaks
* -flexibility to mix things up or help your guild/group needs DPS vs Tank
* -a lvl 5 skill might become obsolete at level 35.
* -honest mistakes (i.e. new game, wanted to try double meele build or something.)
* -content changes favor/obsolete certain skills
* -Nerf grants a respec but a "tweak" might just give you a dead skill.

Any of this happens and you got a suboptimal build. Choices 1-30 are locked forever. It will happen where someone will have an issue (per the above) even with careful planning and the powerhouse.


There are good ways to limit/eliminate abuse FoTM, the devaluing of hard work and alts.....

* -limit 1 pre 30 skill drop per month
* -respec cost a million billion dollars [Perhaps a highend crafting item as Cambios has suggested]
* -~5 skills are anchored to your first tree
* -Only allow skill respecing not the attribute points.
* -Drop 1 level for every 1-30 choice respec
* -Quest prereq

Basically you would need to institute something creative, (not just yes full respec, no full respec).
-Is there value to the average player here?
-Can it be done in a way that doesn't compromise the game?
-Would it eliminate some frustration and improve fun factor when experimenting?
-Would almost every player in the game use this at some point?

I hate the idea of a free full respec. I also hate selecting skills just knowing I'm going to make some mistakes even after hours of builder and targeting dummies. I hope Cryptic looks at the options and gives full thought to if there is any opportunity for improvement.


I found this post in one of Cambios' threads a while back and it really struck me as all to reasonable to all sides. The people in charge of this game do not want people turning into shape shifters(well maybe if you spend enough time at the tailor). You can't be Cameo from WildCards, it would ruin their vision for the game and I respect their decision to try to keep respecing under control.

Yet there seems to be a need for an over haul of the current respec system and a way to go back and edit those old powers if you so choose-if you have done something that the devs have seen fit to earn you that ability.

Restarting your character does not seem to me to be a very good argument. Neither is using ChampionBuilder. One is frustrating and the other should be a luxury not a necessity.

If anyone has any other good ideas- I know there are lots out there- for a way of respecing that would not destroy the dev's intention of character continuity then I hope you post them here. If you want to complain that people who want respecs are losers I suggest you make your own thread. Though my ingore list is kind of small right now and that makes me feel just a little behind the times.

Also I would like people to post more reasonable issues caused by the lack of full or more flexible respecing options to help the devs and CO community understand why it would be such a welcome feature.

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If they were smart they would offer an item that gave a full respec as part of their microtransaction system for like 10 dollars.

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Oh and just to be clear that would be for a single respec. Not unlimited.

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I think that a MT would work as a supplement but not a solution to the problem. They have also promised to be able to earn everything with in game that could be bought with MT though, so I am not opposed to that idea.

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I don't have a great idea. If it were me I'd offer limited like for like power respecs (e.g. a tier 2 ice power for any tier 1 or 2 ice power) and unlimited advantage respecs. Or a complete respec where every single power change on its own still creates a legal build. So you can't swap a force power for an ice power and an ice power for a fire power and still get that tier 2 power you took as soon as it became unlocked. That force power can be whatever you could take at that level, but the ice power has to remain ice.

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Any discussion or input is welcome. Come on guys, you debated this topic to death and I ask for a constructive topic and everyone becomes silent?

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I still can't believe the devs haven't commented at all on this subject when I see multiple ones of them daily.

I fully support full respecs, I think this game is making a big mistake not allowing it someway or another. I don't think it should be such a daunting task as the quoted text you listed above, like costing way too much, or making you do a frustrating quest, going down a level, or ONLY allowing you to respec powers... I don't think it should necessarily be free, but all of those seem too extreme.

I think it should cost some money, and especially at level 40 the cost should scale with your level and they should make it so it's not too costly, but it's not so expensive you really have to worry about all the money you are using to make a few simple changes to your build. Sorry to bring up WoW, but their cost for respecs was pretty fair, and now they have two different builds you can have at a time, making it a pretty solid system.

Also, perhaps limit it to one full respec per 3 - 5 days. This keeps people from playing multiple rolls in a single day, but it's not so long that if you nerfed your character bad you won't get to play him for weeks.

And maybe make it so you cannot change the very beginning powers and innate stats you picked for your character. That way people will have a reason to roll alts, because if you picked a melee energy builder and stat, you'll never want to try and play that character as a Munitions guy.

They need to do something though, for sure, the community has made it pretty clear they want something better than the "last 10 points."

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This respec price debacle is a good indication of what we can expect to see....

Lot of people using nerfed powers with side effects you cant test or try in the power house.
Bad choices? Well its too expensive to respec so your just going to have to live with it unless they grant respecs after the fix.

I realize a new problem earlier today. What happens when the buff a skill making yours now suboptimal. Without respecs you can re-roll or just eat it.

I'm calming down a little on my concern about this subject. I believe some modification is required and inevitable.

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I realize a new problem earlier today. What happens when the buff a skill making yours now suboptimal. Without respecs you can re-roll or just eat it.



This happened in the open beta, or I assume it did. I discovered that several of my abilities were missing from my hot bar and that I had skill points to spend. This is kind of common in MMOs, if they significantly change an ability, they unlearn it from your character and allow a partial or full respec for free.

I think full respecs should be available and relatively inexpensive. I've never heard of a good reason not to have this.

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I think character continuity is a bad reason to keep respecs out of the game - especially when the limited respecs damage continuity even more than what I have in mind. This is my take and I believe it adds to the game in addition to providing more freedom while alleviating frustration. Read it all as one idea.

FULL RESPEC

Costs in-game currency, you do a quest, and everything you have resets (powers, travel powers, advantages, innate, EVERYTHING).

Monetary Requirements
Respecs should be relatively inexpensive, but cost something so you'll go broke if you keep swapping. This is in-game currency, not real world. Real world currency makes it unfair for the younger players and those without as much disposable income. A micro-transaction parallel to an in-game one would be fine, though.

Lore and Quest Incorporation
Completion of a short (20 minutes maybe), easy quest - but fun! Games are all about fun so make it fun and cool. Great ideas such as having your character broken down (defeated? toxic sludge?) and rebuilt doesn't break continuity. In fact, this deepens the story of your Champion! Let's call it "A Hero Reborn" or something. At the end, you're revived and must retrain all of your powers, advantages, talents, etc. Also include the option of a tougher group quest to make it more interesting.

ADVANTAGE RESPEC

No or insignificant cost.

Monetary Requirements
Completely free or charge pocket change. These are important, but mistakes are often small annoyances that make things frustrating.

INNATE, CHARACTERISTIC FOCUS, TALENT RESPEC

No cost or insignificant cost, completion of a quest.

Lore and Quest Incorporation
Make this quest just as short as the full respec, but not as cool. It should have something to do with your character re-training. Spending time in the powerhouse taking down dummies, running laps around a couple blocks, studying... something, etc.

LIMITATIONS

Your energy builder and first one or two powers are restricted to your first power tree. This keeps people from just respec-rerolling. Complete freedom on those powers should only be allowed for special respecs.

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honestly i don't care if people are able to fully respec as much as they want, for free or not. my ideal situation would be free (or modest costing) full respec on long cooldown timer (once every 3days/weekish). Respec itemdrops would be acceptable as well, because you must commit the time in the build you are in to obtain the item.

longish cooldown timers blocks flip-flopping between PVP setups and PVE, while also not punishing people that want to go for a change in how they play without having to run through the tutorial over and over.

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I'd love a full respec like I had in closed beta..