Please help me get some attention from GGG since I believe they dont even realize they nerfed blighted maps by over 30% AGAIN
Hello guys,
Believe or not but I am full time blighted map player, I have some youtube channel doing little science and trying to maximize income while having lots of fun with ravaged blight maps. I try to stay positive, regardless of negative changes to the game like AN changes, loot goblins which also impact Blighted maps. I try to have fun and share my findings with community.
Unfortunately, GGG doesn't care at all about this content, doesn't care at all about players like me. Blighted maps did not get any QoL changes for few leagues, that's fine. They have busy schedule. But, they do change things that impact Blighted maps indirectly.
So little bit of history how GGG does not any impact analysis when changing core functionalities of their game.
EDIT: Picture of change in 3.20 here
1st major change - 3.17 Atlas introduction.
Before Atlas Invasion, we had something called 'Awakening Bonus'. It was simply bonus for completing maps, just like you get Atlas passive points now. This bonus granted increased effect of map modifiers in your maps, but in Blighted maps as well(blighted map is not atlas map with guaranteed blight encounter, its a separate instance, like simulacrum or logbook).
In 3.17, Awakening bonus was removed and new nodes 'increased map modifiers' have been added at the top of your tree. This has been tested and immediately reported on their forum and thanks to reddit, GGG hotfixed the game that those passive nodes also apply to Blighted maps.
Bug report thread on their forum: https://www.pathofexile.com/forum/view-thread/3233955
This bonus was even stronger than awakening bonus and it was 30%, that was the best time for playing blighted maps ever.
2nd Change 3.18
In 3.18 GGG introduced Epidemiology and set for 25% bonus (less than awakening bonus but they increased quantity of maps into chest loots on ravaged maps from 20% to 40%)
3rd Change 3.20
They changed Epidemiology node without any mentions or hints why would they do it, completely ruining all blighted map strategies. Including early strategies (that rely on supportive oils) and end game strategies (that rely on % values being increased by this modifier).
This has been reported on the forum, but since the list of bugs is so long, it wont gain visibility until next league, and Blighted maps are basically unplayable without this node.
https://www.pathofexile.com/forum/view-thread/3327644
Why this is so crucial?
Blighted maps are balanced around anointments with oils. Those oils are just modifiers, that have been increased by Awakening bonus. It was never the most or the best way to make money, although some people state regardless of profit, it will be their #1 money making strat since they can AFK it. So profit levels are irrelevant for those people, comfort is. Those people are completely not impacted by having awakening bonus or not. They will do blighted maps even if they provide 10c/h.
The reason why it's such a huge deal it's not even profit itself, but the way how supportive oils like amber oil (reduced tower cost) or teal oil (reduced encounter time) work. Regarding rewards, you have % values, that need to reach certain threshold to realistically improve chances of getting anything to reach your minimum filter levels. This is hard to explain in words, but I've spent hundreds of hours testing combinations of 'lucky chests' and 'increased rewards' and thanks to the Awakening bonus, we could achieve few interesting outcomes that could match other content profits, but not as high as Heist or Loot gobling hunting. It was still fun for many though and fun is priceless!
Very important note here is that 'increased map modifier effects' also increase map difficulty by A LOT. Ravaged maps have base 200% increased monsters health modifier, this gets up to 250%. The same with increased monsters speed and all random modifiers you can find on your maps as well, like increased critical chance etc. So this was optional for players, to fully control and own the risk and reward balance. One of the reasons why I love this content, because it doesnt take much to lose everything and it takes a lot of effort to run advanced strategies.
Why am I posting this here and what I want to achieve?
The only reason why I spend time and effort to post this is to get your help to reach GGG and ask them for one of two things:
- Did you remove this on purpose? What was reasoning behind it? Why it has not been compensated in any other way?
- If it was removed by a mistake, can you please revert it or compensate so that we can enjoy this league?
So please, bump my thread on their forum for visibility https://www.pathofexile.com/forum/view-thread/3327644
Thanks in advance <3
Update:
It's done, Thanks everyone