Item Awakening, based on performance rather than luck

[yipksj]

Item Awakening:
Currently, it would gives random stat after completion. It also consumes a potential.

Problem:

• There is a huge selection of possible enhancement stats from Awakening which a majority would be irrelevant to the item. The value given is also random making a second layer of RNG based behavior.
• Unlike RNG loot where one may repeat as many times as it needs, Awakening consume potential and limited to an amount of tries.
• Do note that player already invested a character into a crafting class including the skill points assigned into such skill.

Suggestion:

• Make subset of stat type available when sacrifice GEM/item as material. Example: Using a blue gem as sacrificial item would make sure the awakening stat is within the subset of (int, matk, sp, ice sttribute damage, etc)
  This would keep certain RNG for uniqueness/personalized, yet eliminate frustration of irrelevant stat.
  If no sacrifice been offered, the current random stat type would apply

• Make the stat point (+N) based on performance in the item dungeon. Example: Clearing the dungeon faster would yield better bonus.
  This would make leveling Item Awakening skill very important even for low level items. This also would gives the sensation of fairness as of how much it would reward the player for the effort.
  This may also change the dungeon into a tower defense like game to better measure the performance.

[yipksj]

Over the second point (stat bonus based on performance)

This may also be the following:

• Waves of enemies with option to end awakening after each wave (the alchemist choose to continue or complete)
• Each completed wave add +1 / +2
• Wave 0 start at +0 stat and monster difficulty/level as current item dungeon
• Obviously, failing the wave means failing the dungeon, thus failing the awakening

Extra:

• Only player with level lower (or within +/- 5 level range) of the Alchemist may enter the dungeon (to prevent carry)
• Alternative: Infinite waves, but difficulty exponentially grow (to prevent low level item being pump with high bonus)

Note:

• This would means the party’s performance would greatly affect the result
• This would means the alchemist must gamble the later waves to push the limit of the upgrade. May result into higher awakening failures in general
• This would likely increase the time spend inside the dungeon (unless call it off on early waves) meaning upgrade based on effort
• Note that even with the first suggestion (Make subset of stat type available), the resulting bonus type is still random.

[Akuma86]

Why dont you just remove the potential drop on successful runs.

Successful Run -> Random Stat point (has to be repeated if stats are bad)

Failed Run -> Lose 1 Potential

[yipksj]

Because this causes frustration due to RNG and heavy grinding. Since there is skill point investment involved, user would rate the return of the skill. Currently, Briquetting’s risk vs return is better than Item Awakening (but true that this is due to potential consumption).
By making Item Awakening not potential required would in turns obsolete Briquetting.

IMO, luck based feature generate complains (well, there are complains over everything, but RNG mostly)

As a demographic of players may not invest a lot playing hours, “seeing/feeling progression” is important for them. It is not that I already cleared the level 90 dungeon 20 times that I am getting the Arde Dagger soon. In the end, probability is just probability.

Item Awakening’s probability is currently against the alchemist and not worth the time investment event without potential reduction. Note that dungeon does not reward anything else. The same amount of time may be better farming for desired item, leveling gem.

In the argument that what if the ultimate end game when one acquired all silver for attributes, best weapon/equipment: then it is more for completion rather than the worth. And this brings up the question: How would you prioritize Item Awakening in your quest to perfection?