Specialization collections in PoF are worse than in HoT

The specialization collections are a fun addition to GW2; they unlock a unique, thematic skill, and also serve as a way to direct gameplay. In Heart of Thorns, to complete a specialization collection, we usually had to:

• Begin training a specialization
• Complete the specialization
• Fully explore a map with a character of the specialization's profession
• Use stealth gliding with a character of the specialization's profession
• Unlock a high tier mastery (Exalted Gathering)
• Craft an exotic at the Mystic Forge using Mystic Coins
• Buy a specific item for a low Karma cost
• Do a specific event (may be something easily soloable in Central Tyria, or something that requires a group in HoT)
• Earn bronze in a specific adventure
• Defeat a Treasure Mushroom
• Get a random drop from a specific enemy type
• Buy an item at Dragon's Stand after its meta has been completed
• Buy an item for airship parts
• Complete a specific Machined weapon collection, which basically requires using currency from the HoT maps and doing the Dragon's Stand meta event

Notice how...

1. There's little randomization there. With one exception per specialization, it's not a matter of acquiring a collection of random drops; the Treasure Mushroom could have been an issue, but those have guarantied spawns after completing the Dragon's Stand meta event.
2. Other than map completition and stealth gliding, there's no profession restriction. Killing a Treasure Mushroom at first gives the specialization item for the profession that killed it, but after the first kill, defeating it again gives the item for another collection that is unlocked in the account. Most requirements - gaining masteries, acquiring map currencies, doing the events, and so on - can be done by any profession.
3. Almost everything is accound bound. Gold has little value for those collections.

Meanwhile, in Path of Fire, completing a specialization collection usually requires:

• Things similar to the HoT collections (unlocking the specialization, mastering it, fully exploring a map with a character of the specialization's profession, doing a specific event)
• Using a Mystic Coin in the well in Vabbi using a character of the specialization's profession
• Completing the caffeinated skritt event in the desert. The skritt isn't a guarantied spawn; it has a set of possible locations, but it does not have to be in any of them. Also, the required item only appears if you loot the event's chest with a character of the specialization's profession.
• Getting a drop from a specific enemy type. It's not random, unlike in HoT, but the item only drops if you're using a character of the specialization's profession.
• Buying an item from Keeper Pamir, the heart vendor at Torment's Watch in the Desolation. But each item is only available if you're using a character of the specialization's profession, so you have to do the same heart again for each specialization collection.
• Completing a race in PoF with a character of the specialization's profession. You don't have to win the race, just complete it to get the item.
• Completing a specific heart (other than the one in Torment's Watch), but you have to be using a character of the specialization's profession
• Doing a specific bounty
• Finding a specific chest using the Jackal's sand gates
• Crafting a specific Mordant weapon. Those are account bound, but the recipe for them is only available from heart vendors after you have unlocked the corresponding Awakened weapon skin. Those are random drops in the Crystal Desert, or you can buy them at the Trading Post.
• Finding a specific named Sunspear weapon. The in-game hint suggests buying it "from the Black Lion Trading Post. ". One can be obtained by completing the Tip of the Spear achievement, which requires you to unlock all Sunspear weapon skins; those weapons are random drops, or you can buy them at the Trading Post.

Notice how...

1. The system is far more limited than in HoT, in that a lot of steps require you to be using a character of the specialization's profession. In HoT you would advance a collection while doing something else - almost everything gave the map currencies, for example - but in PoF often you have to be using the "right" character, or it won't matter. This generates a lot of repetition, exemplified by having to do the same heart (the one in Torment's Watch) for each specialization you wish to unlock.
2. There are a lot more random drops than in HoT. the caffeinated skritt is a pain to find, and someone else finding it doesn't really help if you're not using the "right" character. The Awakened weapons, the Sunspear weapons, the named Sunspear weapon; those are all random things...
3. ...Or, you could just buy them. It's kinda sad when the epic activity required for completing a collection is to buy stuff from the Black Lion Trading Post, but that's the advice of the collection achievements. Not only the named Sunspear weapons (the ones used for the collections are being sold right now for 60-70 gold), but all other weapons required for the collections can be bought.

The HoT specialization collections took more time, and many were harder than the PoF collections, but they were more fun - they were less about restrictions, random drops and buying stuff from the trading post, and more about actually playing the game your way.

The main one I have a problem with is the named Sunspear weapon, because the drops are too rare to realistically acquire them by chance. I personally have only gotten about 6-8 exotics from identifying gear, and none of them were Sunspear weapons (in fact I don't think any of them were even PoF stats/skins). I don't mind the grind to get rare stuff, but when the grind is really more "farm gold to buy it on the TP" I think they should probably revisit the concept of "collections".

I haven't fully unlocked one of these yet, but I could have if I'd put a bit more effort into it. I have most of the pieces for many of them, just not all on the same one. I agree with you that these are a bit more character-specific, but I don't think that's entirely a bad thing (although finding the skritt is hard to do when you're actually trying), the only real issue was needing the named exotic, which they didn't adequately prepare for, but I hear the recent update made them more available, which is nice.

I don't know if this helps - im remembering something someone said in Reddit earlier but im not collecting these weapons yet so I could have got it wrong...

In the update there was some loot improvements in PoF and I think it was said that the Meta events in the last 2 maps now have a chance to drop the Sunspear weapons :)

Meh to me everything other than the sunspear elite weps are fine. Having to play as the profession to unlock the profession specific weapon makes sense and seems fair. Having to grind for gold and buy an elite off the TP as you can only realistically gain 1 if you want to get more than 1 professions collection wep, (drop way is WAY too low to get more through RNG) isnt cool.

I too am fine with requiring a character of the corresponding profession to get some of the items, because it's more thematic and appropriate. But the named weapon drop is the absolute worst and makes the collection so much less satisfying. In HoT, you could always work on getting what you need, and the droprates were never a problem for me (though granted, I was on break from the game when HoT first released, and I hear it was worse early on). With the PoF collections, you can do everything else ... and then you're stuck waiting for that lottery-win of a drop. And waiting. And waiting. And waiting. Or you're looking at a TP price that exploded from <20g to 80g or more, for a single weapon that doesn't even have a unique skin. I am baffled that anyone thought this would be a good idea.

Specialization Collections impossible to complete for ele. Aszar in desolation. tried and failed several times with groups of upto 6 players . every map has groups doing doing bounties both normal and legendary except desolation, I go every day for a couple of hours advertise a group and look for groups but never any takers... POF not even 2 months old yet desolation is empty and devoid of players except for maw event.

I don't see an issue with a bunch of them expecting you to play that class. While getting cross-class stuff is convenient, I don't think it's really the best to be able to earn these weapons without necessarily playing that class at all.

The only 'issue' is the valuable weapons, but even then- it's just them and the Mordant weapons, and you're getting an ascended weapon with a unique skin. Assuming that's the only cost you're paying it's pretty reasonable.

I liked the PoF more than HoT. It's easier to do and include some fun things like bounty and jackal chests.HoT was pretty much grind events for currency and buy stuff.

How are they worse??, they are much easier to getBefore you had to beat meta events to get it done- those stuff are out of your control and require larges groups to do it + they were much harder back then as you could easily fail