What gear you have makes a BIG difference in veteran content, to the point that builds will live or die based entirely on what they're wearing. And so long as we're testing content using templates, this is going to be an issue.
The gear we get in templates is random and mismatched at best. Enchants are all over the place, and we really don't have any way of swapping them out for the type of enchant that we want. Some of the items we're given don't even have traits.
To remedy this, I suggest the creation of a testing-only vendor that has every permutation of every set item in the game. This way, testers will 1) be able to test content at an appropriate range of power levels, and 2) be able to test if set bonuses and any changes to them are functioning as intended. Each item should cost one gold max for availability, and so that the theorycrafters can have a field day (which is also a good way to get people on the test server).
I love testing the new stuff, but we need all the tools we can get to accurately assess everything. Access to any and all items in the game would help.
Edited by SirPuppingtonVonHat on June 5, 2014 7:02PM The Psijic Order