Normal trials are not endgame content. You can completely ignore all mechanics and DPS/heal checks with very few exceptions. Things that kill you on vet maybe tickle a little on normal. You can use white gear you pick up from wardrobes and sacks in the trial to complete them.

Some normal trials are easier than some normal dungeons. Most can be cleared with far fewer than 12 people.

Normal trials are not endgame. They are as close to endgame as normal dungeons, with the exception that they can't really be solo'd as the # of adds can be a bit overwhelming.

I don't because my casual guilds used to have Naked Trials (no armor) and they can be completed by people under level 50.

Some of the normal dlc dungeons are harder than NCR.

No, definitely not endgame.

Normal trials are casual activities played in larger groups. They neither require builds nor extensive training for completion.

no.

as a totally unrelated aside: theyre also perfectly reasonable as a task to acquire seals of endeavor. i saw many guildies get the weekly done last night via trials.

SilverBride wrote: »

SpacemanSpiff1 wrote: »

no.

as a totally unrelated aside: theyre also perfectly reasonable as a task to acquire seals of endeavor. i saw many guildies get the weekly done last night via trials.

There is already a thread for discussing that. This is just a poll to get players' perspectives in how they view this content.

yes. totally unrelated.

colossalvoids wrote: »

Surprised even two people do tbh, no idea why that's even a poll.

I'm frankly surprised that so many don't consider them endgame. They may be entry level endgame but that still qualifies in my opinion.

SilverBride wrote: »

colossalvoids wrote: »

Surprised even two people do tbh, no idea why that's even a poll.

I'm frankly surprised that so many don't consider them endgame. They may be entry level endgame but that still qualifies in my opinion.

When I just started the game first month I've got a guild invite in zone, absolute casual guild with primarily newbies. Casual trading, casual zone runs, anchors etc, daily normal trials. Most people weren't casual there, we were straight up newbies and it surely wasn't beginning of endgame for any of us. It's literally the same as doing all zones anchors run, but with mechanics.

In my perspective things considered endgame are their "final" mode, it was HM's for me at first, than dlc HM's and nowadays it's trifecta runs as finale. What I saw as an entry level at the very beginning was veteran modes, as I've stepped up from overland difficulty on a way upscaled one.

RetPing wrote: »

You don't need to know mechanics
You dont need to know how to do a rotation
You dont need good build

Is this a serious poll?

Pretty much this. You don't even need to be level 50.

Ph1p wrote: »

What's your definition of "endgame"? Most people would understand it as what you do once leveling your character becomes unimportant, so in ESO that's somewhere after a few hundred CPs.

With that definition, normal trials are nowhere near endgame. You don't need a leveled character to participate, you don't need any experience or special gear to succeed. It's also weird to declare an activity endgame, when there are still several levels of "escalation" or additional content: You can move on to veteran, veteran hard mode, achievements, trifecta, and ultimately scorepushing. It's like asking a quest-focused player whether finishing the AD storyline is considered endgame.

We could say that veteran trials are not endgame because a lot of players run these and don't consider them a challenge like others may. Only veteran hard mode would qualify.

The fact that there are several levels of escalation in difficulty doesn't mean all the lower levels of the content do not qualify as endgame just because they aren't as difficult as the later levels.

SilverBride wrote: »

By that logic we could say that veteran trials are not endgame because a lot of players run these and don't consider them a challenge like others may. Only veteran hard mode would qualify.

That is certainly what some people consider endgame to be. I would also add that the definition of endgame can change over time. Someone might think of veteran trials at first, but as they progress and gain experience over the months or years, that threshold might shift to hard modes and perhaps even further.

SilverBride wrote: »

Ph1p wrote: »

What's your definition of "endgame"? Most people would understand it as what you do once leveling your character becomes unimportant, so in ESO that's somewhere after a few hundred CPs.

With that definition, normal trials are nowhere near endgame. You don't need a leveled character to participate, you don't need any experience or special gear to succeed. It's also weird to declare an activity endgame, when there are still several levels of "escalation" or additional content: You can move on to veteran, veteran hard mode, achievements, trifecta, and ultimately scorepushing. It's like asking a quest-focused player whether finishing the AD storyline is considered endgame.

We could say that veteran trials are not endgame because a lot of players run these and don't consider them a challenge like others may. Only veteran hard mode would qualify.

The fact that there are several levels of escalation in difficulty doesn't mean all the lower levels of the content do not qualify as endgame just because they aren't as difficult as the later levels.

A lot of people exclude regular Vet Crag Trials as midgame for that reason, myself included. But vet dlc trials aren't easy content and are not generally considered as such. You can't run a level 10 through Vet Cloudrest and have that person actually contribute to progress. They weren't designed that way either.

Whereas Normal Trials were designed to be something the general playerbase could do.

spartaxoxo wrote: »

Whereas Normal Trials were designed to be something the general playerbase could do.

I agree with this statement, because entry level anything, whether Trials or Dungeons or Arenas or even the Infinte Archive, should be at a level that most players can experience them. That doesn't mean that all players will find them easy or will continue to take part in the content, but rather that they will be able to experience it and see if it's for them.

This is why I consider them entry level endgame because it's the place to get our feet wet and see if it interests us. The difficulty may not be there but it is still 12 man group content.

SilverBride wrote: »

This is why I consider them entry level endgame because it's the place to get our feet wet and see if it interests us. The difficulty may not be there but it is still 12 man group content.

If you borrow a tennis racket and take a trial lesson to find out whether you like the sport, would you consider that "tennis endgame"?

SilverBride wrote: »

spartaxoxo wrote: »

Whereas Normal Trials were designed to be something the general playerbase could do.

I agree with this statement, because entry level anything, whether Trials or Dungeons or Arenas or even the Infinte Archive, should be at a level that most players can experience them. That doesn't mean that all players will find them easy or will continue to take part in the content, but rather that they will be able to experience it and see if it's for them.

This is why I consider them entry level endgame because it's the place to get our feet wet and see if it interests us. The difficulty may not be there but it is still 12 man group content.

I can understand that perspective. For me, whether or not it's group content doesn't particularly factor into my definition. Because I see content as either solo, small group, or large group content. And then endgame is a separate concept to myself, personally.

So, for me, activities are generally broken down into three categories, although those categories can be further broken down into early/late themselves.....but for the sake of brevity/this discussion, I'll go with these.

Early Game/Casual

Anyone can do these. There's nothing you need to do to prepare.


Midgame:

Players should do these activities only after they reach at least CP160. Some knowledge of gear, skill, experience etc is beneficial

Endgame:

Players must be prepared to even have a hope of being truly being successful. High skill needed.

I don't think there's a lot of endgame activities, personally. But that's just how I see things.