I did play through HOT before I went into POF.. The mastery point issue wasnt an issue in HOT. The only content I skipped was the living world expansions because they cost gems to unlock and I had already spent $80 for the game just recently. I love the game, and am enjoying the story. I was only expressing my concern that the points do not flow into the story and cause a wall that ruins the flow of the story.
I wasnt debating whether it is possible to get the points needed, only that they dont occur naturally in the flow of the game through the story. And progressing in POF requires canyon jumping and gem shard collection that required the springer to progress.