Is Buying Skyshard SP Pay to Win?

thedude33

No it's not P2W.

Of course it's P2W

Two years ago I wanted to play the game. Didn't have any spare cash so couldn't buy it. So I wasn't able to level, craft, try all the classes, collect shards, try PvP, try BGs etc

Then 18 months ago I got some money for Christmas. I bought the game and everything opened up. Everything I couldn't do before, I could do now. It most definitely was a win.

Ergo P2W without a doubt

RazielSR

No it's not P2W.

Obviously,it is not. To say it is, just shows how ignorant a person can be.

ManwithBeard9

Yes it's P2W.

I am not please with this at all. This is no longer pay for convenience, this is Pay To Win.This is adding actual power to your character. They won't be getting any money for this from me, nor anymore sub money.

pelle412

No it's not P2W.

This is not P2W because you can do it the hard way in a reasonably short time to be ready for end game content. If you could buy top sets and buffs with crowns no one else could get, that would be P2W.

Thorstienn

No it's not P2W.

Not even close to P2W. You have to of found the skyshards before for 1, plus it's not like you can actually spend them until you level up skill lines etc.
Its pure monetized convenience.
IF Imperial was the undisputed BEST race= P2W
IF Warden and/or Necro are the only meta professions, P2W
The closest this game has to P2W is the Psjic order, and people decided that wasn't, so this most certainly is not.
If you think having an abundance of SP (or Meteor) early game is so great, I suggest you do what I tested: skipp all content while you run around collecting skyshard and lorebooks; hint: I dont win!

Fleshreaper

No it's not P2W.

ManwithBeard9 wrote: »

I am not please with this at all. This is no longer pay for convenience, this is Pay To Win.This is adding actual power to your character. They won't be getting any money for this from me, nor anymore sub money.

@ManwithBeard9, I guess ZoS should take away all Champion Points from everyone's characters that did not earn those points.

Fleshreaper

No it's not P2W.

Having an available pool of skill points does not make you stronger or better than anyone else. You sill have a max of 10 active skills and two Ult, the same as everyone else. You still have to level each skill before you can dump skill points into that tree, the same as everyone else. The fact that they are putting this in the Crown Store is to simple give people the option to use it or to collect skyshard. And to make some money off of it.

ghastley

Other.

The saving aspect is the need to earn the points on one character before they're available on an alt. There's no short-cutting that first time work. Without that aspect, I'd be saying it's P2W, too.

I doubt that I'll ever use this. Since you need to level the skills you're spending the points in, you might as well do that while collecting them for free. The new skills you didn't have on the first character need practice, too.

ManwithBeard9

Yes it's P2W.

Fleshreaper wrote: »

ManwithBeard9 wrote: »

I am not please with this at all. This is no longer pay for convenience, this is Pay To Win.This is adding actual power to your character. They won't be getting any money for this from me, nor anymore sub money.

@ManwithBeard9, I guess ZoS should take away all Champion Points from everyone's characters that did not earn those points.

Did you buy them for your other characters? No, you didn't. You are literally buying skill points with this proposition. If this goes live, you'll see max level necros running around day 1 only needing some XP for skill lines.

mayasunrising

Yes it's P2W.

Most definitely P2W and I am NOT a fan - just as I wasn't a fan of the change to skills leveling super fast (I've had a skill level from 1-morphable in one battle), nor am I fan of new characters having access to CP from the go. Part of playing a persistent world game is the understanding that individual character development takes time. And characters should be just that; individual entities, not some kind of Borg collective with a hive mind. (Unless of course you're playing a Star Trek mmorpg as a borg...then...vice versa. )

Jamdarius

Other.

Haaaaaah.... so a thing people wanted for a long time to become a feature is gonna be monetized, typical ZOS I am disappointed... it is not a P2W, it is just time saver, it is like debating whether a an XP potion bought in store is P2W...

There should be a way to obtain those shards by using gold not just crown store...

RusevCrush

Other.

Can i have the flawless i earned on my one bar sorc copied over to all my alts?
I want lorebooks undaunted psyjic and every other grind on my alts as well.

Jamdarius

Other.

KhajiitFelix wrote: »

Can you achieve it in game? Yes so it's not a p2w.

Careful with this statement, in previous games I played special items could be farmed also yes but it took over 2 years to farm it as it was Open PvP game, while I finally managed to get last drop needed for the assembling of special 20% pvp res necklace other more let's say "good players" payed for it and had it in less than 5 minutes... It all depends how is the thing obtainable, lucky for us ESO is pretty farm friendly.

Fleshreaper

No it's not P2W.

ManwithBeard9 wrote: »

Fleshreaper wrote: »

ManwithBeard9 wrote: »

I am not please with this at all. This is no longer pay for convenience, this is Pay To Win.This is adding actual power to your character. They won't be getting any money for this from me, nor anymore sub money.

@ManwithBeard9, I guess ZoS should take away all Champion Points from everyone's characters that did not earn those points.

Did you buy them for your other characters? No, you didn't. You are literally buying skill points with this proposition. If this goes live, you'll see max level necros running around day 1 only needing some XP for skill lines.

So, your only problem with it, is that it is in the crown store? Because Champion Points absolutely give an advantage but skill points do not.

DaveMoeDee

No it's not P2W.

Defilted wrote: »

From what I understand you will all ready had to collect the skyshards on a different character. You can then by a SP for a zone you have already previously collected. I don't consider this P2W. This means you already have a more than likely a max level toon you are playing.

P2W would be start a brand new account. Then buy all the Skills you need to complete it without ever taking a step into game areas. This would allow you to get a big head start on another person who runs around and collects them.

That head start doesn't mean anything unless you go to under-50 Cyro/BG.

Are they letting anyone buy skyshards, regardless of whether they found them on another character? That seems like a misrepresentation. The OP stated that your account needs to already have the achievement on a character. Don't compare old accounts with new accounts. There is nothing wrong with an old account having an advantage over a new account.

BaylorCorvette

No it's not P2W.

grannas211 wrote: »

No its pay for Convenience

This.

You already did it once. I'm fine with ZoS making a little money if you want convenience. It helps fund the game for future development and allows an alternative if you don't want to sit doing the same crap over and over again.

DaveMoeDee

No it's not P2W.

My only issue with buying skyshards on alts is that is comes across as an admission that the current design is not fun. In my view, not fun = bad design.

If it is a bad idea, just change it.

ManwithBeard9

Yes it's P2W.

Fleshreaper wrote: »

ManwithBeard9 wrote: »

Fleshreaper wrote: »

ManwithBeard9 wrote: »

I am not please with this at all. This is no longer pay for convenience, this is Pay To Win.This is adding actual power to your character. They won't be getting any money for this from me, nor anymore sub money.

@ManwithBeard9, I guess ZoS should take away all Champion Points from everyone's characters that did not earn those points.

Did you buy them for your other characters? No, you didn't. You are literally buying skill points with this proposition. If this goes live, you'll see max level necros running around day 1 only needing some XP for skill lines.

So, your only problem with it, is that it is in the crown store? Because Champion Points absolutely give an advantage but skill points do not.

If they made it something earnable in game, I'd still be opposed to it, but at least it is part of the game. When it is in the crown store, it is not a game mechanic, it is a wallet mechanic. I had no problem with vet ranks not being shared and CP has always been shared.

Iarao

Yes it's P2W.

Universe wrote: »

Skyshard packs, monster helm items and skill lines in the crown store etc. is P2W.
The moment it lands in the crown store, I will safely label ESO as P2W game.

Some shortcuts are fine, like upgrading the Riding Speed/Stamina/Capacity and reducing crafting research time, but when the shortcuts are directly related to combat effectiveness and hard earned achievements, it crosses a thin line to the P2W model.
While players will not get exclusive special weapons/power from the new crown store features, they will utilize the crown store to get stronger and skip a lot of normal gameplay & achievements.

correct.

rotaugen454

No it's not P2W.

ManwithBeard9 wrote: »

Fleshreaper wrote: »

ManwithBeard9 wrote: »

I am not please with this at all. This is no longer pay for convenience, this is Pay To Win.This is adding actual power to your character. They won't be getting any money for this from me, nor anymore sub money.

@ManwithBeard9, I guess ZoS should take away all Champion Points from everyone's characters that did not earn those points.

Did you buy them for your other characters? No, you didn't. You are literally buying skill points with this proposition. If this goes live, you'll see max level necros running around day 1 only needing some XP for skill lines.

How does getting the skill points make the necros max level? You don’t level from skill points, so your argument is invalid.

ManwithBeard9

Yes it's P2W.

rotaugen454 wrote: »

ManwithBeard9 wrote: »

Fleshreaper wrote: »

ManwithBeard9 wrote: »

I am not please with this at all. This is no longer pay for convenience, this is Pay To Win.This is adding actual power to your character. They won't be getting any money for this from me, nor anymore sub money.

@ManwithBeard9, I guess ZoS should take away all Champion Points from everyone's characters that did not earn those points.

Did you buy them for your other characters? No, you didn't. You are literally buying skill points with this proposition. If this goes live, you'll see max level necros running around day 1 only needing some XP for skill lines.

How does getting the skill points make the necros max level? You don’t level from skill points, so your argument is invalid.

Thank you captain obvious. But there are a million and 1 ways to level a character in one day. Some don't even involve combat. Buying skill points means your character can go right from the dolmens and into trials, putting no effort into your character. This is Pay To Win. It allows you to put zero effort into a new character.

rei91

No it's not P2W.

I consider "pay to win" only something that is unique, very powerful and only can be bought/extremely hard to acquire.
Skyshards are none of that.
If someone want to spend real money for something that can be done without any effort in few days - well, their choice...

rei91

No it's not P2W.

Actually, I don't think ESO has any true p2w options whatsoever. All you can buy is either cosmetic or make your life more comfortable, thats all...

xaraan

Yes it's P2W.

Fleshreaper wrote: »

ManwithBeard9 wrote: »

Fleshreaper wrote: »

ManwithBeard9 wrote: »

I am not please with this at all. This is no longer pay for convenience, this is Pay To Win.This is adding actual power to your character. They won't be getting any money for this from me, nor anymore sub money.

@ManwithBeard9, I guess ZoS should take away all Champion Points from everyone's characters that did not earn those points.

Did you buy them for your other characters? No, you didn't. You are literally buying skill points with this proposition. If this goes live, you'll see max level necros running around day 1 only needing some XP for skill lines.

So, your only problem with it, is that it is in the crown store? Because Champion Points absolutely give an advantage but skill points do not.

Skill points do.

You can buy passives with them that you normally cannot. Passives give power. You can buy skills with them you normally cannot, they give power and options.

WHICH I don't think matters too much looking at max level characters, but I think they should only allow people to purchase skyshard clears on a character that is already level 50. I don't lowbie pvp really, but I feel for the guy that comes across a level 10 that has ten times as many things open for his build than most others just b/c he paid for it.

rotaugen454

No it's not P2W.

ManwithBeard9 wrote: »

rotaugen454 wrote: »

ManwithBeard9 wrote: »

Fleshreaper wrote: »

ManwithBeard9 wrote: »

I am not please with this at all. This is no longer pay for convenience, this is Pay To Win.This is adding actual power to your character. They won't be getting any money for this from me, nor anymore sub money.

@ManwithBeard9, I guess ZoS should take away all Champion Points from everyone's characters that did not earn those points.

Did you buy them for your other characters? No, you didn't. You are literally buying skill points with this proposition. If this goes live, you'll see max level necros running around day 1 only needing some XP for skill lines.

How does getting the skill points make the necros max level? You don’t level from skill points, so your argument is invalid.

Thank you captain obvious. But there are a million and 1 ways to level a character in one day. Some don't even involve combat. Buying skill points means your character can go right from the dolmens and into trials, putting no effort into your character. This is Pay To Win. It allows you to put zero effort into a new character.

I can get enough skyshards in a couple hours to fill both skill bars and the passives I would use for a build. I’ve done it 12 times already. How saving that time is P2W makes no sense. I’d be at the same point the next day anyway.

TheForseti

No it's not P2W.

Across my fifteen toons, I have collected precisely 3,741 Skyshards (I have an Excel spreadsheet in which I keep track of all of my toons' pertinent statistics). I do not consider buying Skyshards pay to win. Buying skyshards is pay to convenience, which I think is an excellent approach to in-game purchases. Pay to win would be buying emperor in Cyrodiil with crowns, or purchasing an Asylum Sanctorum hard mode clear directly from the store with crowns. Technically you can buy crowns, and then trade those crowns for gold, and then use the gold to buy a carry for Asylum Sanctorum, so that would be far closer to pay to win than buying skyshards for convenience. Would buying the new target dummy, which provides all raid buffs and shard synergies on cooldown for dps testing, count as pay to win? Of course not. It is another example of pay to convenience, and is where the monetary incentives should remain.

Jayroo

Yes it's P2W.

I can see reworking/making the mages guild a bit easier to level/making it account wide.

but skyshards?? for crowns on top of that??

Jhalin

Yes it's P2W.

It’s using money to circumvent gameplay, the same as it’d be to make gear sets in the crown store

It is pay to win

You do not buy these things to obtain them like you do riding lessons or bag space, they are rewards for gameplay. They should never be made available for direct purchase, much less exclusively a cash purchase

dbgager

No it's not P2W.

Its not skyshards for crowns. It only gives you ones you have already located is my understanding. SO if your a brand new player it won't give you anything.

Myrkgrav

I can't believe how many people think SS are p2w lol. If you're on PC, 1 addon and a day of laziness is all you need to get more than enough shards.
Sometimes the complaints people have about this game, it is clear that people have never or rarely touched on ported MMOs from asian countries, where p2w is staple lol. I think this game is exceedingly fair and easy compared to those.