With the addition of refined artefacts the grind (overall) will have to be re-done by the "big guys" too; I realize that the changes may seem frustrating without specifics but it is important to note that the devil lies in the details here.
But getting to the stage where we are has been made difficult for these players, you will not tell me that it is not. You won't tell me it's easier for them than for them, or the same.
It is slightly harder than it was before, so much is true; but the soft requirement of a golden rofl set (and frankly, enough skill to play the events) is enough to incentivize the weaker players to seek alternatives to Kalin until they are ready. This is intended.
That being said, the entire dynamic that one could obtain an artefact without running the full instance was a design flaw; one that had to be fixed. The solution to create an upgrade so that players are incentivized to fully run the instance is just the natural progression.
I would like to ask, since this is an oversight, how did this happen, if there was no such possibility at hoto.
New systems provide new frameworks and challanges - and the idea that one may upgrade materials that drop was supposed to take the pressure off the players, get the progression towards the artefact more fluid and make it easier to split the loot for random parties, as one could then simply divide by the number of players in the party to distribute. During testing, the focus laid on mostly damage values, mechanics, the artefacts themselves. Mistakes have been made and we'll avoid them in the future! We're only human, after all.
