Suggestion: Let crafters be able to increase the level of existing gear.

Nerror

The basic idea is simply to let crafters be able to upgrade a weapon or armor to a higher level. This should be a level thing only, not a rarity thing. A rare item shouldn't be upgradeable to an epic, for example. The cost should be higher tier materials of appropriate rarity. Stat bonuses should scale appropriately to the new level. Any vertical enchantments need to be reset, but horizontal ones can stay I think.

Pros:

• Reduces or removes the value decay the crafting professions might experience long-term in the game. On top of repairing and making new items from scratch, they get one more important function.
• Alleviates some of the fun-killing aspects of gear obsolescence from expansions where the level cap is increased. The epics and legendaries that players worked so hard to get aren't worthless in one fell swoop anymore. There is a path to get them upgraded, even if it might be hard.
• On the development side of things, all the gear Intrepid has spent time and money on making look good, will be relevant throughout the lifetime of AOC.
• We don't know if there will be transmogging in the game I think, but if not, this is a way to preserve specific looks the players like. Really like that lvl 20 armor and weapon set? Upgrade it to lvl 50.
• Increases variety of things to do in the game, which helps with player retention.
• Adds a roleplaying element to the game: "This was my fathers sword, and his fathers before him!" - kinda thing.

Cons:

• This adds development time obviously, BUT this isn't a system we have to have at release. Before or along with the first expansion that increases player levels would be fine.

Up for discussion:

• I am a little unsure how the system should be designed so upgrading existing gear isn't a detriment to players also wanting to get the new, higher level crafted gear from higher level recipes. I think stat potency should be equal whether it's an upgraded lvl 55 sword vs. a lvl 55 sword from a new recipe, but perhaps it's enough to make the material cost of upgrading from 50 to 55 be at least equal to creating a different lvl 55 item from scratch.

Tragnar

This system might not be healthy for the game since we don't yet know the extent and practicality of professions into the crafting and upkeep of the gear. Also color of items have always been just a visual representation of the stats on it for players - not actual benefits from the color itself. That means the only way for this system to work is to enhance the existing stats, which as a system is kinda reduntant to the enchanting that is planned to be relatively uncapped (up to certain point no drawback, but after that a risk of destroying the item)

Nerror

Tragnar wrote: »

This system might not be healthy for the game since we don't yet know the extent and practicality of professions into the crafting and upkeep of the gear. Also color of items have always been just a visual representation of the stats on it for players - not actual benefits from the color itself. That means the only way for this system to work is to enhance the existing stats, which as a system is kinda reduntant to the enchanting that is planned to be relatively uncapped (up to certain point no drawback, but after that a risk of destroying the item)

Right, there are many things only Steven & Co. know yet. Some things probably aren't completely fleshed out yet, which is why I am suggesting this now.

And yes, enhancing the stats to match the new level is the whole point of this. I am not sure where you are going with that?

Enchanting in AOC doesn't add stats to gear directly. For example, you don't add +intelligence to a staff with an enchant. Enchantments increase the overall power, or they change the damage type of a weapon for example.

Vertical enchantments are a power progression for a crafted item. More damage or mitigations, added effects or bonuses.

Horizontal enchantments are more situational. For example: I'd like my sword to do force damage instead of holy damage because the monsters I tend to fight are incorporeal. This doesn't make the item more powerful, but instead more applicable to different situations, and less so to others.

So upgrading item levels works just fine with the proposed enchantment system.

Tragnar

It is most likely a matter of degree - if you can upgrade slightly an item only once or twice then it is pretty cool system. However if you can farm up obscene amount of the most common material and reupgrade gear up to the best raid level - then a hard pass

Nerror

I agree that it shouldn't require common materials, it should require the materials appropriate to the rarity and target level.

Nerror

Thinking more about it, any vertical enchantments have to be reset when upgrading. Otherwise it's too risk-free to over enchant a low level item and then upgrading it. Editing the OP to reflect that.

maouw

I love the idea of increasing depedence on the crafting system!
But doing so means we'd also need inherently engaging artisan systems (I'd prefer something a bit deeper than "press E next to a tree").

I like the idea of carrying half the enhancements from the pre-upgrade across.
That way there is benefit to enchanting low-level items, but it doesn't cut out high level enchantment.

Sathrago

maouw wrote: »

I love the idea of increasing depedence on the crafting system!
But doing so means we'd also need inherently engaging artisan systems (I'd prefer something a bit deeper than "press E next to a tree").

I like the idea of carrying half the enhancements from the pre-upgrade across.
That way there is benefit to enchanting low-level items, but it doesn't cut out high level enchantment.

I think our friends over at final fantasy 14 would be a good example for this. The gathering and crafting classes all have unique actions and abilities for crafting/gathering. And the best part is, if you know what you are doing you will get more/better materials/equipment.

Voidwalkers

I remember it's been stated somewhere that lower level items would likely be ingredients for higher level items, and that idea overlaps somewhat with what the OP's proposing.

I'm up for giving crafters more options / alternatives of enchanting existing items though, apart from the obvious "enchanter enchants":
- alchemists can apply a chemical coating to items & increase their durability (think: rust-resistant coating)
- smiths can ... polish the sword and increase its damage?
- leatherworkers can ... improve the grip wrapping on the sword hilt and make it easier to handle (+agility) and resistant to disarm effect?
etc. etc.

but imo a crude iron sword should stay a crude iron sword, unless I melt it and reforge it as a steel sword

Vhaeyne

I would only be for this idea if it cost the same or more to upgrade a item than to make a fresh new item.
Obviously it should not cost less because that would lower the value of every crafting mat in the economy.

What I think you would find with a system like this. Is that people would use it to make themselves look like low level noobs for open world PvP, but they would be walking around with end game stats on their gear. Which could be another con depending on how the Devs feel about that tactic.