Since 1.6, I have noticed a significant drop in Trial interest. Though I love the new difficulty because of mechanics in fights meaning more, I find little more reason to do the Trials. First and foremost...Champion Points (CP). CP is character progression. For a VR14 (or anyone for that matter), Trials are the absolute worst place to achieve CP. This is endgame material right? Then it should be the optimal way to progress. PERIOD. Putting 12 people together for endgame content should be the most rewarding (PvE side of things that is). I am not even sure how this fact could possibly be overlooked in house. Currently, the best way to "progress" is to either farm DSA for CP or roll an alt for CP, really? AA, HelRa, and SO should be the bread winners. They are what endgamers assume to be....well....endgame. Progression should constitute CP gain, and loot, particularly for an already VR14, hands down, no questions asked, PERIOD. And typically in MMOs, endgame is the stuff that takes the large groups, i.e. Trials, Raids.
Hopefully, in terms of CP (XP), ZoS has made the correct change:
http://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/en/discussion/159107/changes-to-xp-gains-for-trials#latest
But that leaves one more very important problem...LOOT!
Currently, particularly for DPS, the working strategy is to stack either weapon or spell POWER. So lets ask ourselves where the best LOOT for such stacking is available:
Spell pwr: Martial Knowledge - Cryodiil delves or rare chance in SO treasure chest.
Cryodiil Light Jewelry - Cryodiil PvP vendor
Torugs Pact - Craftable
Adroitness - Vet Dung
Weapon pwr: Two-Fanged Snake Jewelry - AA, Helra (probably the ONLY loot in Trials that people want....ONLY)
Ravagers set - Cryodiil PvP vendor (besides the jewelry, however, it is heavy)
Morag Tong set - PvP vendor
Hawk's Eye (for bow users) - PvP vendor
Druegh Slayer - Yeah, random drop in Trials. (However, it is heavy)
Hundings Rage - Craftable
PRIMARY PVE LOOT IS IN PVP?????????????????????????????????
Maybe I did not get them all, and I know there are a couple medium armor sets with wpn power, but they have horrible traits. Ultimately, you should get my point. Where is the endgame loot? CERTAINLY NOT IN ENDGAME MATERIAL. How many PvE'ers want to farm PvP for their loot? The system is completely screwed, imo.
Having craftable gear to fill in slots is good, this part is correct. Though I would love a 2pc wpn power craftable set to work with, but I digress. But what about the rest? The Trial gear is horrible for DPS'ers, period. Why is the Trial gear not on par with endgame mechanics? This is a huge miss for ZoS.
To me, the "carrot-on-the-stick" does not exist in ESO. This "carrot" is why most of us progression endgamers play. My 12 man group in a Trial should be earning CP at an optimal rate. They should also be fighting as a team to down these bosses for the loot. Neither of which are the case. The absolute only reason to go into Trials currently is for a score. Even the weekly loot is just legendary vr14 versions of the loot we dont want. I hate to do weeklys for eternity just to finally get the only loot worth having for Trials.....two fanged jewelry for my melee toon.
Solutions:
http://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/en/discussion/159107/changes-to-xp-gains-for-trials#latest
hope this covers the optimal xp gain ENDGAMERS DESERVE!!!
Come up with a new loot table for the Trials, with weapon/spell power loot. PvE'ers should PVE FOR PVE LOOT!! Trials should offer top tier loot. Fixing this will make a WORLD OF DIFFERENCE.
THATS IT!!
The "carrot-on-the-stick" should be in endgame for endgamers, this is not a hard concept to wrap your mind around. If you (ZOS) dont grab onto to this logic soon and keep in the forefront of your material...then endgamers will leave to a game with actual endgame. This is critical to the survival of PVE gamers on ESO. If that proverbial carrot does not exist, what do you think will happen? The logic is grounded, obvious, and right in your face. Please fix it so ESO has logical endgame. PLEASE! I highly recommend you get on this quickly as damage control. Keep what loyal endgamers you have. Or suffer a game lost to console/PC casuals.