Important Ideas- Balance Changes, Gear and Players

I LOVE the gearing process, crafting and gear stat swap options in this game. The absolute BEST of any MMO I ever played, but I’d like to recommend improvements in some areas that make sense… “Sense” as in… Being able to stat swap all back pieces, trinkets and wvw infusions. I believe this is important from a QoL perspective, but also because balance changes like https://en-forum.guildwars2.com/discussion/63014/a-note-on-future-boon-direction can diminish the desired effect of gear on builds.

Was really cool to have added Bloodstone Fen Ascended trinkets, and the more recent Ascended Mist trinkets, that can have their stats changed. Every other Ascended Back piece and trinket in the game can’t, and there are times where the stats on those gears can become suboptimal. This can also affect the WvW infusions as well… Thus wasting player currencies such as Gold, Laurels, Badges of Honor, Zone Currencies... and to a lesser degree Spirit Shards for crafted back pieces. Edit- Forgot to mention other crafting materials and most importantly... player game TIME.

The suggestions…

My IDEAL changes first…

• Mystic Forge process that can stat swap Ascended back pieces, Ascended trinkets and WvW Infusions.
• Additional ways to get Spirit Shards and Laurels for gear creating and gear stat swapping https://en-forum.guildwars2.com/discussion/62550/more-ways-to-obtain-spirit-shards-and-laurels

NOTE- There could be some milestones a player has to reach before being able to directly purchase Spirit Shards and Laurels.. Like having ALL crafting professions maxed + core Tyria map completion + 5k AP…

OR

• Mystic Forge process that can stat swap Ascended back pieces, Ascended trinkets and WvW Infusions.
• Lowering the cost of Spirit Shards to 10 for https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Augur%27s_Stone AND to 5 Spirit Shards for https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Anthology_of_Heroes

I prefer the top changes because it smoothens out the gearing up and stat changing process, while also serving as a MUCH NEEDED gold sink. This also makes gear related changes and experimentation way way way more tolerable and positive for the players.

Thanks for reading!