Is it possible to enjoy this game without trading?

[CaleoGaming]

Given how stupidly gear dependant the classes are in order to get builds working, is there any chance to ever get any fun out of this game when levelling solo?
I've made it to crude difficulty on witch and then i attempted monk and melee was literally just banging your head against a wall, even when I had decent loot dropped it would only be a matter of time before I hit another brick wall.
Which made me reroll once again now as a sorceress. And it is day and night compared to melee. Having a good time clearing through mobs like it was nothing, but I know that Path of Exile being the game it is, it's only a matter of time before the fun ends.

All I ever see from build makers is that you need to trade currency to get gear, what's the point in playing then? I don't judge people for doing it, I just don't understand it. Are items really that insanely rare to get just from playing? Is it like Diablo 2 where you hit hell and then your character is at a standstill for another year unless you buy gear with RWT?

Not to mention that in order to farm said currency, you need a build that can clear the content to farm for it, which you can't unless you have gear for it. LOL

I *really* want to like Path of Exile 2 because i didn't bother playing the first one due to the skill system. But the game is making it very hard for me to like it ngl

[Ashyne]

Originally posted by Lumifel:

Imo ssf players enjoy more the game than players in the trade leagues. We don't have to worry about trade prices or waste our game time on a website.

Just based on here, 9/10 complaints about loot are made by people telling they are in the trade league.

I'm in T15 sff. Getting there wasn't that hard.
People on the trade league seems to search their gear according to the build they want or follow while in ssf you mold your build according to the good gear you have.

I'm also a SSF player in every online action-RPG. I always play them like a single-player game, and never take part in trading. I even avoid party play unless it's part of the game like Undecember or Diablo 4. I don't feel like I'm missing out, because when I manage to find good loot, there is a satisfaction that I don't think trading can give me.

[exotrax]

Originally posted by TGC MadGod:

SSF is the way.

+1

also trading is screwed by RMT so why play there ?

[Volonur]

Without trading PoE2 is pretty dog poopoo in its current state. I play on HC and the market is pretty much dead there since most die early on and never make it to end game.

Crafting is a miserable gambling experience, and without a strong market from SC, it is nearly impossible to get enough currency to even touch craft-gambling, so in SSF, you are always at the mercy of loot rng, and as everyone knows by now - loot in PoE2 is horrendous.

[Shade30Seven]

SSF 100%

[Tech Enthusiast]

The shortest answer is:
No.

A slightly longer answer is:
Maybe, if you really, really don't care about doing it all OR are absurdly lucky with your drops / crafts. Or if you just wanna play the campaign and then some maps and restart.

But no. I don't think a normal player can enjoy the game without trading.

[Grimmx]

Its possible if you dont need builds that kills the whole screen while you are rolling your face over the keyboard.
More work, more grind but more rewarding. (IMO)

Edit: All my hours in this game has been completely blind with no trading and on SSF. What makes me want to quit isn't bad loot but the Ascendancy Trials and Honour system.

[Drogash]

only play Hardcore SSF

[Grimmx]

Originally posted by Ashyne:

Originally posted by Lumifel:

Imo ssf players enjoy more the game than players in the trade leagues. We don't have to worry about trade prices or waste our game time on a website.

Just based on here, 9/10 complaints about loot are made by people telling they are in the trade league.

I'm in T15 sff. Getting there wasn't that hard.
People on the trade league seems to search their gear according to the build they want or follow while in ssf you mold your build according to the good gear you have.

I'm also a SSF player in every online action-RPG. I always play them like a single-player game, and never take part in trading. I even avoid party play unless it's part of the game like Undecember or Diablo 4. I don't feel like I'm missing out, because when I manage to find good loot, there is a satisfaction that I don't think trading can give me.

This.

[Shade30Seven]

Originally posted by Grimmx:

Ascendancy Trials and Honour system.

That will get patched buddy! to many people pissed off about it

[Fluffy Newfoundland]

Originally posted by Grimmx:

Originally posted by Ashyne:

I'm also a SSF player in every online action-RPG. I always play them like a single-player game, and never take part in trading. I even avoid party play unless it's part of the game like Undecember or Diablo 4. I don't feel like I'm missing out, because when I manage to find good loot, there is a satisfaction that I don't think trading can give me.

This.

So playing the game in SSF or with a group of friend is perfectly fine ? People complaining about the economy/loot are a little exaggerating ?

I played D4 in September with a friend, never had the need to do some trading, i grinded my gear to make my build work or changed my build depending of the gear i had.

Also, does being in SSF increase loot drop ? I can still play with 2 - 3 friends when in SSF or stuck in a trade league ?

[Tech Enthusiast]

There being an option to try and go SSF, does not mean it answers the OPs question with a "yes".

SSF is a hardmode style option for experienced players or those that just like pain, or don't care about reaching a certain build goal. Well, or people that don't mind spending hundreds of hours on something a trader can do in 10.

That may be the most fitting answer actually:
Yes, you can play without trading, IF you don't mind that it will take you 10x or 20x as long to get to the same point. You also have to take what you get and may not be able to do the build you planned, but will have to adjust the build to what you get. Want a fire sorc, only finding fire stuff? Well, you are a fire sorc then.

Totally possible, but you have to be ok with the tradeoffs. If you are not, then no. Simple as that.

[Shade30Seven]

Originally posted by Tech Enthusiast:

There being an option to try and go SSF, does not mean it answers the OPs question with a "yes".

SSF is a hardmode style option for experienced players or those that just like pain, or don't care about reaching a certain build goal. Well, or people that don't mind spending hundreds of hours on something a trader can do in 10.

No we play SSF because it removes the BS that comes with trade! Trade is in a league of its own, with an economy ran bye bot farmers and pay to win tards, so they can compete on a ladder of their own!
It is more challenging, only if you've never done the the mode, once you know what you're doing you learn how to build around SSF! For example none of my builds rely on any one peace of gear I can make what i have work!

[Grimmx]

Originally posted by Shade30Seven:

Originally posted by Grimmx:

Ascendancy Trials and Honour system.

That will get patched buddy! to many people pissed off about it

Well, i am taking a break until they do. I just cant stand the thought of doing it on every character.

[Pipakrax]

Originally posted by CaleoGaming:

Given how stupidly gear dependant the classes are in order to get builds working, is there any chance to ever get any fun out of this game when levelling solo?
I've made it to crude difficulty on witch and then i attempted monk and melee was literally just banging your head against a wall, even when I had decent loot dropped it would only be a matter of time before I hit another brick wall.
Which made me reroll once again now as a sorceress. And it is day and night compared to melee. Having a good time clearing through mobs like it was nothing, but I know that Path of Exile being the game it is, it's only a matter of time before the fun ends.

All I ever see from build makers is that you need to trade currency to get gear, what's the point in playing then? I don't judge people for doing it, I just don't understand it. Are items really that insanely rare to get just from playing? Is it like Diablo 2 where you hit hell and then your character is at a standstill for another year unless you buy gear with RWT?

Not to mention that in order to farm said currency, you need a build that can clear the content to farm for it, which you can't unless you have gear for it. LOL

I *really* want to like Path of Exile 2 because i didn't bother playing the first one due to the skill system. But the game is making it very hard for me to like it ngl

Not really, if you are a normal person with normal playtime and normal luck (so being unlucky), you will never get good gear and forget about crafting. After more than 200hours, I never get good usable loot, and I NEVER GOT (like really never) a good affix when trying to craft a good base. Im warrior and I always get light radius, mana max, leech mana, spell damage, minion things etc.... Which is pure garbage. If the craft were more deterministic, even with the ♥♥♥♥ loots, the game would be awesome to play without trading.

But the reality is that many people on forum are either liars, or doing low level campaign and say everything is fine, or they are very very lucky. Statistiscally, because there is like 1-2 millions players, you will find hundreds, if not thousands, SSF players that will tell "no no you are wrong, I play only SSF and im overgeared and I do T99 maps, skill issue bro", but it's just anecdotal, its statistical residues. Majority of players don't get any good gear in loot and crafting is even more RNG unsatisfying because if you start with a white base you have to put 6 affix on it, 6 times change to get garbage affix. I bricked ALL items I tried to craft, like ALL.

So don't listen to most of these people, many trolls, few lucky people (but with 2 millions players it's dozens people on the forum so it look many), and they are statistical residues, it's not the reality of the game. Most people endure what you endure.


The loots and/or the craft should be more deterministic. Like for loot, idk, tweaking waystone or having an item that guarantee you "x or y affix" on items you loot, or "always physical damage on weapon" if you are a warrior etc.. wether class based, waystone based, or item based. We need deterministic CRAFT at least. I can accept bad loots if craft improve. But currently, its impossible for MOST players (normal luck, so unlucky) to get good gear.

The problem is trading is opening the pandora box, you lose enjoyment from the game since loots are pure ♥♥♥♥. I tricket myself into it like : I will just trade to reach and beat endgame contents, then I will not need trade anymore because endgame loot. I was so wrong. The trading site is 100% better loot than the real game. Then because of that, the game become bland and grey, you don't enjoy, and you gradually stop playing or you create a new character. It walls you because when you reach that endgame with the good stuff you bought for few exalts, you discover that ANY small upgrade would cost you lot of divines or hundreds exalts, which you will need several days or week to farm (but inflation will have continuously grown, and you can't catch up, so its an endless race you already lost).

Thats the reality, no matter how trolls are telling you its skill issue, or the lucky guys are telling you its wrong.

[Grimmx]

Originally posted by Fluffy Newfoundland:

Originally posted by Grimmx:

This.

So playing the game in SSF or with a group of friend is perfectly fine ? People complaining about the economy/loot are a little exaggerating ?

I played D4 in September with a friend, never had the need to do some trading, i grinded my gear to make my build work or changed my build depending of the gear i had.

Also, does being in SSF increase loot drop ? I can still play with 2 - 3 friends when in SSF or stuck in a trade league ?

Never played with other people so cant answer that, but as far as i know SSF dont increase loot. I play solo only in this game.