That you only allow level 60s into Output Rush is a clear indication that you acknowledge PvP scaling doesn’t result in fair fights. Instead, it’s clear that higher level characters have significant advantage over lower level characters. There are numerous threads reporting concerns with PvP scaling (see end of this post for just a few) and it desperately needs to be fixed.
The feeling of getting and feeling more and more ‘powerful’ as you spend time earning XP is important for PvE. There’s no question there. Games like ESO that implement MOB scaling have removed an integral component (reward) of PvE. But PvP is a different beast and player skill and choices should have much more impact than character progression.
PvP scaling should involve scaling character level effectiveness to level 60 and all equipped gear to GS 600. This will lead to much more balanced and fairer PvP, while still allowing a degree of progression via both weapon skill (a player with WS 20 will have more active and passives slotted) and gear perks (a higher level player will be more likely to have gear with more and carefully selected perks).
It will also allow you to open Output Rush to those who haven’t yet reached level 60, while keeping it fair and enjoyable to all. Frankly, it’s unbelievable you have such a core and enjoyable gameplay mode locked behind this gate.
Put simply, player skill — in the form of build choices and actual play — should be the deciding factor in who wins a PvP encounter, not character progression. Character progression should give no more than an edge.
Making you reach level 60 already gives you large amounts of gold, provides you with territory standing and brings other benefits.
If you want to skip this all, just to participate in Outpost Rush, this seems to be just a request to easy gold.
Providing any scaling actually removes the whole leveling and gearing up process out of the game. So why not stay at level 1, remove all stats, select all weapons, respec for free, have no weight… Why am I suggesting creating a different game?
I can’t believe you’re not taking part in any pve. Are you really not crafting or harvesting or completing elite missions or expeditions? Progression has a clear and important impact in pve. What it shouldn’t have an important impact on is pvp.
That said, even if you somehow manage to only pvp in this game, progression would still give you an edge with the scaling I suggest. WS most obviously, but gear as will. A legendary axe would give you an edge over someone with a common axe. But it wouldn’t be the be-all-end-all.
I honestly can’t understand why anyone who’s actually interested in pvp would defend unfair and unbalanced fights. If you want to feel powerful, go stomp on some mobs. But if you come across another player, being 10+ character levels higher shouldn’t be an i-win button.
On Output Rush being ‘easy gold’, they can of course scale rewards if necessary.
WS20 isnt that difficult to reach, so the difference is negligeable.
Perks on armor and other items (outside of legendary or fixed drops) are random and often dont contribute to the character power, so you are on same footing here too, maybe even stronger if you start to play a low-level toon with min-maxed items available for cheap because low level.
I dont understand your suggestion, it seems.
During WoW Burning Crusade, level 60 with full green badlands items were strong enough to kill a bad level 70 player. Is this what you are looking for
I dont disagree to that, but it requires a whole different game setup, in my opinion.
I’ve not played WoW for… too long, so I’m clear on your example. But using NW as an example, I’d say a competition-level skilled pvper running a level 10 character should be able to defeat a top geared level 60 who spam clicks and doesn’t know what he’s doing (which is a great many level 60s that rushed to level 60 doing pure pve).
Another example if you’ve played EVE Online is someone who only pved taking time to build up skills to fly a faction frigate equipped with top gear (say, 50M ISK value) who complains when they get ripped by a pvper flying a basic frigate (say, 1M ISK value).
And lol on WS20 being not difficult to reach… I’m level 52ish and have only used life staff and warhammer and still have just WS 14 in one and I think 12 in the other. I’m not saying it’s difficult and I’m sure I could grind WS if I wanted, but it’s not my play style. I’d expect the vast majority of people with WS20 are also level 60 or will quickly reach it.
Some more functionality in scaling, sure. But a completely different setup? They already have a good amount of scaling functionality in place, they just need to make it more effective and expand it to GS if it’s not already part of scaling.
