POE2 Feedback from a New Player: Item Drops, Crafting Complexity, and Class Identity

The game is incredible and seems to have improved significantly since launch. However, based on my experience, I have a few notable points to discuss.
First of all, it’s important to state that I am a player who has never played POE1 and does not intend to. Therefore, I ask older fans to please avoid comments like "Ah, but that's how it was in POE1, and it works better" – my feedback is purely based on the POE2 experience.

1. Item Crafting System
Since launch, I've noticed the game's intent to have an overly complex item crafting system. I understand that a game needs to cater to different player profiles, from hardcore to casual. I fall into the middle ground: I like to learn and optimize my characters, but I do not want something excessively complex.
The mechanic of having to take one item, combine it with another, 'buff' it with a third, mix it with a fourth, and so on, is tedious. It requires me to stop playing to read hundreds of articles and guides just to understand how to craft a basic item. This consumes valuable hours of my leisure time.
• Suggestion: Do not make crafting too complicated. This excessive difficulty can be a major factor in player disengagement.

2. Builds and Skills System
Regarding the freedom to create builds in any way, I think that's great. However, I believe each class should have a more distinct and unique characteristic. Currently, I feel the classes are a bit lacking in personality. For example, if I create a witch, I might end up doing what any other class can do.
Other points of concern:
• Simple Process: The skill point distribution process needs to be simpler. To this day, I don't know exactly how to get points in the skill tree outside of the normal distribution flow.
• Urgent Counter: Please, urgently include a skill point counter on the interface!

3. Item Drops (Loot)
We need to talk about item drops. I've played several games of this type, but POE2 drops too much junk loot that we never use. The proof of this is the need to use a filter (addon) that hides the majority of items.
Take advantage of this new game launch moment and focus the drop. Perhaps by focusing the drops according to the class you are currently playing (items that benefit your class), or the GGG team needs to discuss a more efficient solution.
It's genuinely frustrating to have to install loot filters to ignore most drops. At a certain point, this severely worsens the experience. Consider solutions like auto-loot for valuable items (or items from events like Rifts/Rituals) that go straight to the stash, or simply remove the use of these useless items that clutter the screen.

4. Class Releases
My suggestion for class releases is as follows: first release all classes with only two specializations (Ascendancies), and then circle back to release the third for all of them.
So far, I haven't been excited by any of the current classes, despite having played them all. Please provide a date for the next classes, as I am eagerly awaiting more options.
Final Thoughts
Overall, the game is fun... up to a point.
Now, the expectation is on GGG and what will happen in the coming months. Right now, the game is not hooking me. I can't pinpoint the exact reason, but besides the lack of engagement, I can't create satisfying/explosive builds like the ones I see in videos. The item market is also quite messy right now. You need to improve these drops and the economy somehow.
Anyway, best of luck! I'll be sitting this one out for now and will come back to test again when the next class is released.

I feel like if they're gonna force more homogenized class options like witch being the "chaos minions" class or merc being "Crossbow Ballista" class,they need to double down and enhance it greatly rather than try to keep the whole "make your own build" aspect 1 had.

It'd be great if there is a vendor option for non-usage currencies to exchange it to a random different one, even mirror with extremely low chance. So all currencies have some kind of worth.

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carvalhopedro#0813 a écrit :

if I create a witch, I might end up doing what any other class can do.

Not exactly. Even if you have an almost identical passive tree, the ascendancies will interact with it differently.

I'm currently running an Ice Strike Pathfinder who fights unarmed (Hollow Palm Technique). Plays a bit like a monk, but is evasion-only, no energy shield. The ES recharge goes to life recharge instead. From the Pathfinder ascendancy, I get Shattering Concoction and Evasion giving elemental damage reduction. An Invoker would play differently.