Used to be in Mabinogi you could Be Anything. Nowadays though, you are REQUIRED to be EVERYTHING in order to enjoy the latest content. Used to be my Human and Giant Warriors and my Elf Archer could fight their way through anything the mainstream quests threw at them, sometimes with the help of new mechanics, but mostly through their original skills from way back at the start of the game, just applied in a different way. Not any more. The warriors are stymied by the Incubus King's sheer power. The archer is stuck further behind, unable to overcome Mutant Talek's total immunity to ranged attacks. I've stocked up on support items, thought up and practiced new skill combos, leveled up my Fynni pets, and again and again my toons go in resolute and are spit out defeated. The only solution is to go train up other talents and skills, talents and skills in which I have no interest whatsoever.
Never wanted to be a Wizard. Or a Fighter. Or a Cleric. Or a Bard or a Battle Alchemist or a Ninja or a Dorcha-whatever-the-Hey-they're-called. Likewise, I was happy just with a Tailor, a Smith, and an Apothecary, never you mind that they're pretty much useless now (just like all the other Life talents, IMO). But newer mechanics like Techniques and Stardust DEMAND I not only be these all these other things, but have them at maximum rank. That I put in time and effort in things I don't want to spend either on. And that's simply not how I've played the game, and definitely not how I've enjoyed it since 2008.
So it's pretty clear the game's no longer what it was back in the game, and no longer caters to players like me. I think it's pretty darn amazing it managed to entertain me for eleven freaking years, and equally devastating that it has taken away all that joy in a measly two. Some people are of the opinion I should take a break from the game and return after a while, but I'm pretty sure if I left and returned, it would only be to find that my toons are still stuck at the same points, and that in order to progress they will still need to be Grandmaster in all 800 Talents that will be available by then.
I'll ponder this some more until year's end, and maybe try one or two more things against the foes that my toons face, but I'm pretty sure this is my last year in Erinn. Tir Na Nog has simply moved on, and I seem to have been left behind. Pity,
Comments
I would like to offer a semi-compromise to your position, just to solve your current dilemma - take a rebirth to train each talent you dont want to be. Even if you never use the skills themselves ever again, just ranking them up offer 2 very valuable things: 1) stat points - these are invaluable at making your characters better with survivability and damage output. 2) options - for example Mutant talek is immune to ranged attacks.....a cheese way you can beat him is simply dropping a Hydra (alchemy) and then hiding until it's time to drop another one. Even in the beginning with Barri adv, there were enemies that couldn't be killed by just 1 talent. Giving players options to deal the same type of damage through different effects isn't a bad thing.
Note: Tailor, Smith, and Apothecary are far from useless as they are demanded for erg breaking unless you buy everything off the AH
While I do rank up other skill sets from time to time, you can still definitely get by with enough diligence and patience.
And as much as many people like to Solonogi, in the end it's a MMORPG so if there's something that can call for cooperation with others, then that's the way to go.
You are very disapointing. Sounds like it is completely a you problem, either play the game how it was MEANT TO PLAY or hit the road...
There must always be something new and shiny for players to chase or the game will die.
Mabi was created around players being able to mix and match as they please. So players do. I was running Kraken Elite with a couple guys, and as one was gathering up the golems, I found myself amused, saying something along the lines of "I don't think this is exactly what the devs had in mind when they came up with this..." My friend replied that the gamers will always figure the most efficient way.
Either way, yes, you are better off leveling up other classes, if for no other reason than increasing your stats. You don't have to be a bard or a mage. You just have to be creative. If you're lazy, just buy up every training potion you can get your hands on and brute force it with piles of AP. Or stack various double-skill-XP potions and items while training skills in cooking dungeon. There's many ways to do this without upending your playstyle for weeks at a time.
(Granted, it's probably because I'm just not any good at probably the two most important skills in this game - socialization and on-the-fly strategizing.)
It's totally like me to zero on this comment being the boomer of these forums.
Which?
or
Who's the boomer?
Exhibit A:
Exhibit B.
Exhibit C.
Is this a trick question?
I dunno, you tell me Cylon.
New skills and abilities is necessary, but it should be added without power creep, that comes from stardust, techniques, and other things. Tailoring, blacksmithing, and apocethary being only useful for erg is disrespectful. It's disrespecting life talents and the original way the game is designed. Apothecaries should be able to make potions relevant for healing in end game content, blacksmiths should be able to make end game gear.