Is Nerfing Bondings and Reselling the Same Power a Smart Move or Incredibly Insulting?

In today’s article I’m picking up a question that I originally had thrown out in my preview and guide about the nerf of Bonding Runestones and new Rank 14s / Unparalleled Enchantments. While the nerf may have crippled endgame players stats, they are able to get some of them back by investing into the new Rank 14s. Is that a smart move or just incredibly insulting?

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I planned to write a full commentary on the topic, but sometimes there’s only so much time. Also, in this case, I couldn’t really decide in which direction I’d like to go. On the one hand I was probably as pissed as others. I had worked my way up to Rank 12 Bondings, and it wasn’t effing easy. Seeing your effort going to waste just because the devs fucked up and had to correct their own wrongdoing doesn’t feel fair. On the other hand, while labeled a nerf, it could be seen a form of usual MMO progression where players always see power taken away from them.

Well, after a couple weeks, I still can’t decide. That’s why I bought my opinions a beer and let them settle their differences without me. This is an adult conversation using adult language. You have been warned.

Yesterday at the Driftwood Taverns…

So a beer from an unknown donor? That’s the best news today, because my day sucked. Like did you see what happened to our Bondings? I can’t effing believe it. I was literally just wrapping up Rank 12s and bam, nerf bat hit me right into my soft parts. I’m fucking pissed as fuck.

[su_quote]Yeah, seems like somebody is generous, because I got a free drink myself. Would you mind calming down a bit though? My Bondings also lost half their worth today, so what? It is what it is.[/su_quote]

I’ll tell you what it is. A giant fuck-up! Like how in the world can you not be up in arms? Here’s a little reminder. The devs introduced overpowered Bondings, until, surprise, somebody with half a brain suddenly realized how broken it is. Of course, since you let that crappy system linger for a shit-ton of time, everybody and their mother had already thrown their ADs into Bondings.

[su_quote]Look I get that, it’s just that no matter how you spin it, that’s how progression in MMOs works. Like think back at Elemental Evil…[/su_quote]

Oh yeah, GRE-E-E-E-A-T example. Let’s talk about Elemental Evil a bit, that’s going to be fun! Hey Rob fucking Overmeyer, that module was just an insane overall success, wasn’t it? Have fun ruining games at Daybreak!

[su_quote]Sheeesh… ok, whatever. What I wanted to get to was level cap raises. Every MMO knows them and one key aspect is that they level the field. That’s worse than any Bonding nerf, because your power is literally reduced to nothing. You’re starting fresh. So now tell me, aren’t you overreacting to the term “nerf” a little bit? Couldn’t this be seen as one way of progression?[/su_quote]

Level cap raise you say? Interesting. Because in every other half decent title, shit works like this. Every level cap raise comes with a crap load of new content, dungeons, story and gear. Apparently “progression” in Neverwinter works like no content, no story, no dungeon, and gear that brings us right to where we already were. You gotta be kidding me! We are grinding again to do the same shit as efficiently as before. God fuck I need another beer. BARTENDER!

[su_quote]All right, I’ll agree on the content thing. Letting players upgrade to the new Rank 14 without a different goal in sight is not the smartest move. My point still stands though. Progression essentially means nerfing stuff. Normally done by making everything else harder so that you have to gear up again. But Neverwinter as small game has limited options, and can’t always shoulder a full-sized level cap raise.[/su_quote]

I think you’re wrong, but let’s say you’re not. Let’s say progression in Nerferwinter works like a fucking rat race in which we have to invest time to keep our status quo. I mean that’s great and all, BESIDES THAT WE CAN’T GET FUCKING ULTIMATE ENCHANTING STONES BECAUSE THEY FUCKING NEVER DROP! Have you been in the Tomb of the Nine Gods lately? What in the name of the Trickster gods do I have to do to get one of these? Shove a dagger up my ass?

[su_quote]Well that’s a different issue actually. I think people need to realize that, at least currently, Rank 14s are as rare as legendary rings. You’re not meant to get there instantly, if at all. It’s completely insane to buy into Rank 14s for the amount of stats they give per AD. The devs sort of introduced two new “bis”. The first one is Rank 13, which is achievable over time. The second one is Rank 14, aimed at the super rich, the hardcore players, the onepercenters. That’s why they’re hard to get.[/su_quote]

No, it’s because someone’s penis is as small as the drop rates. Can’t they solve their confidence issues at home and leave us players alone? BARTENDER! BEER!

[su_quote]Look, only because there’s a ceiling doesn’t mean you absolutely need to get there. Every content can already get roflstomped with way less. Forget the nerf, settle for Rank 13s and live a happy life. You’ll hardly notice any difference to runs before the update anyway.[/su_quote]

Yeah right and then next month, they’ll be like. Oh hey, companion system, not so great. Here’s a nerf and mythic ranks, that by the way do the same as the old legendary ones. Oh and upgrading only costs one fuck-you-token that you can get once a month with new Masterwork IV recipes. C’mon man…

[su_quote]Well I certainly hope this won’t become the norm. Don’t forget Bondings date back to the level 60 era. Most devs that designed them are probably no longer with the studio. So although it seems like the devs have corrected their own mistake, they really haven’t. So here’s hoping that the current set of devs won’t repeat history and adjust to obviously broken stuff faster and more appropriate.[/su_quote]

Oh you mean like Clerics being overpowered and the meta consisting of two of them? I’m sure the upcoming nerf, pardon me “progression”, will work out great, because the devs did everything to ensure to fix this in a timely manner so nobody had to feel forced to invest time and money into building a DC.

[su_quote]Fair point.[/su_quote]

Thanks. BARTENDER! BEER!


I’m glad my opinions came together to talk the topic. And it looks like there’s even a conclusion, sort of? Where do you stand on this one? Share your thoughts in the comments below and visit the corresponding thread on our message board!

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j0Shi

j0Shi plays the Neverwinter MMORPG since the open BETA in 2013 and is a regular contributor to the blog and the whole UN:Project. Originally a Guardian Fighter, he has built up ALTs of all classes and plays on BIS/near-BIS level.

6 thoughts on “Is Nerfing Bondings and Reselling the Same Power a Smart Move or Incredibly Insulting?

  • November 8, 2017 at 9:23 am
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    I made a post on reddit of a suggestion to increase players enchantments by 2 ranks as a compromise to the players investment. So if you had rank 9s they’ll be 11s. Or had the highest rank 12s they will now be rank 14s.

  • November 8, 2017 at 9:49 am
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    While I find insulting that they are selling our power back and that the droprate of UE is absolutly horrendus, making everyone enchants +2 is imo a really bad idea. That way BiS players will remain BiS without an effort and new players won’t even have the tiniest chance to ever catch up with the droprate of UE.
    Meanwhile they would get the hardest time of their life getting rank 14, BiS would get even richer selling the US they don’t need.

    Also, +2 ranks from R9 is not the same as +2 ranks from R12, we’re talking millions of investment of difference

  • November 8, 2017 at 12:11 pm
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    “in every other half decent title, shit works like this. Every level cap raise comes with a crap load of new content, dungeons, story and gear. Apparently “progression” in Neverwinter works like no content, no story, no dungeon, and gear that brings us right to where we already were.”
    This sums it all up for me. We pay good money for all these micro transactions to play at a decent level in the game and the goal posts are always moved further and further away at our expense and without sufficient gains in the game in the way of end game content etc. It seems like a f@*k up and a money grab….. just my 2 penny worth.

  • November 9, 2017 at 12:06 am
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    “and upgrading only costs one fuck-you-token that you can get once a month with new Masterwork IV recipes”

    rofl really made my day

    sry but i aggree 100% with the beer guy

  • November 9, 2017 at 7:30 am
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    Be happy that you dont need 5 of this ”Fuck-you-token that you can get once a month with new Masterwork IV recipes” only to roll dices with 0,000000…no such low number…00001% chance to succeed 🙂

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