**OPTIONAL** reductions to enemy density?

when I was introduced to PoE2 (I have 678.1 hours according to steam), I was under the impression that this ARPG would be slower-paced and more deliberate in it's combat (told by my friend and heard this from GGG on stream). and while this was the case throughout Acts 1 & 2, beyond that it becomes less and less of this until the endgame, where that same gameplay I had been practicing becomes almost impossible. I was able to still enjoy the game until I played the Simulacrum, where I was simply mobbed past wave 7 ish(?) and onwards. Now there is nothing wrong at all with the "Zoom-and-Boom" power fantasy style that ARPGs tend to have lately. BUT had I known it would have ended up like this, I would have avoided the game altogether.

my solution to this is simple, optional reductions to said density. We already have Atlas Passive nodes to increase pack size, magic mobs, etc. why not give us some to reduce those values as well? I know there would be no positive to this, other than player enjoyment (one could even argue it'd be worse, due to less items, Emotions, Splinters, exp, etc). There is also smth to be said about performance, but that could come with game optimizations instead of gameplay changes.

TLDR: Atlas Passives that reduce pack size (at the cost of less loot due to the reduced pack size) would be a great feature to introduce to the endgame, as a way to allow players to enjoy the game in a way that feels closer to the early game.

Thank you all for taking the time to read this, if you did. I know I am in the minority with opinions/ideas like this, but I am still grateful to have place I can share my thoughts, cheers!! :) <3

i agree and would love atlas passives that slow down/reduce mobs etc even at cost of loot.

optional everything is why poe 1 sucks and the last 10 years of culture has sucked in general. fake "player agency", open world, etc is all extremely cringe and superficial and is definitely not a minority opinion/preference but im glad its slowly dying out.

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Kotrr#0849 เขียน:

optional everything is why poe 1 sucks and the last 10 years of culture has sucked in general. fake "player agency", open world, etc is all extremely cringe and superficial and is definitely not a minority opinion/preference but im glad its slowly dying out.

I'd love to know exactly why having the option to reduce enemy density with NO advantage at all is a bad thing in your mind. I am genuinely curious about your mindset here

Having to spec into "less density and less loot" doesn't feel right tho, the game should be like that by default but the culture here (well, the poe1 culture) is really into trades and zooming through map so expect resistance even tho these people should just go play poe1 instead...

the solution is never to add layers of garbage on top of things that are bad.
if they want a slower game, they should make a slower game.