I know that some players view these passes and skipping content critically. However, I find it important that such mechanics exist. Because my friend group around MeinMMO author Mark Sellner plays Lost Ark very actively. However, I was always on the outside. Without the pass, I would have had to struggle to ever catch up again.
This also closes the circle to a controversial column from last week. I said that more MMORPGs should allow the sale of characters, and I still stand by that:
What do you think about the possibility of skipping content and grind? Should more MMORPGs offer that or is it a mistake?
Above all, I save myself the linear areas that I still don’t like at all.
I know that some players view these passes and skipping content critically. However, I find it important that such mechanics exist. Because my friend group around MeinMMO author Mark Sellner plays Lost Ark very actively. However, I was always on the outside. Without the pass, I would have had to struggle to ever catch up again.
This also closes the circle to a controversial column from last week. I said that more MMORPGs should allow the sale of characters, and I still stand by that:
What do you think about the possibility of skipping content and grind? Should more MMORPGs offer that or is it a mistake?
What do you think about the possibility of skipping content and grind? Should more MMORPGs offer that or is it a mistake?
Above all, I save myself the linear areas that I still don’t like at all.
I know that some players view these passes and skipping content critically. However, I find it important that such mechanics exist. Because my friend group around MeinMMO author Mark Sellner plays Lost Ark very actively. However, I was always on the outside. Without the pass, I would have had to struggle to ever catch up again.
This also closes the circle to a controversial column from last week. I said that more MMORPGs should allow the sale of characters, and I still stand by that:
What do you think about the possibility of skipping content and grind? Should more MMORPGs offer that or is it a mistake?
Above all, I save myself the linear areas that I still don’t like at all.
I know that some players view these passes and skipping content critically. However, I find it important that such mechanics exist. Because my friend group around MeinMMO author Mark Sellner plays Lost Ark very actively. However, I was always on the outside. Without the pass, I would have had to struggle to ever catch up again.
This also closes the circle to a controversial column from last week. I said that more MMORPGs should allow the sale of characters, and I still stand by that:
What do you think about the possibility of skipping content and grind? Should more MMORPGs offer that or is it a mistake?
Above all, I save myself the linear areas that I still don’t like at all.
I know that some players view these passes and skipping content critically. However, I find it important that such mechanics exist. Because my friend group around MeinMMO author Mark Sellner plays Lost Ark very actively. However, I was always on the outside. Without the pass, I would have had to struggle to ever catch up again.
This also closes the circle to a controversial column from last week. I said that more MMORPGs should allow the sale of characters, and I still stand by that:
What do you think about the possibility of skipping content and grind? Should more MMORPGs offer that or is it a mistake?
What do you think about the possibility of skipping content and grind? Should more MMORPGs offer that or is it a mistake?
Above all, I save myself the linear areas that I still don’t like at all.
I know that some players view these passes and skipping content critically. However, I find it important that such mechanics exist. Because my friend group around MeinMMO author Mark Sellner plays Lost Ark very actively. However, I was always on the outside. Without the pass, I would have had to struggle to ever catch up again.
This also closes the circle to a controversial column from last week. I said that more MMORPGs should allow the sale of characters, and I still stand by that:
What do you think about the possibility of skipping content and grind? Should more MMORPGs offer that or is it a mistake?
Above all, I save myself the linear areas that I still don’t like at all.
I know that some players view these passes and skipping content critically. However, I find it important that such mechanics exist. Because my friend group around MeinMMO author Mark Sellner plays Lost Ark very actively. However, I was always on the outside. Without the pass, I would have had to struggle to ever catch up again.
This also closes the circle to a controversial column from last week. I said that more MMORPGs should allow the sale of characters, and I still stand by that:
What do you think about the possibility of skipping content and grind? Should more MMORPGs offer that or is it a mistake?
MeinMMO editor Alexander Leitsch played Lost Ark at release, but had some criticisms at that time. In November 2022, he returned to the game and invested a few euros. Since then, he has been having great fun.
Lost Ark and I have a complicated relationship. Shortly after release, I published an opinion article, in which I criticized 5 points that simply made no fun for me in the MMORPG. And even now, I would still fully agree with four points.
The entry, the areas, the key assignment, and the work points are still a thorn in my side. However, my opinion about the combat system has changed, as has my opinion about the entire game.
Because Lost Ark simply has a very cool endgame. The boss fights are fun, the group finding is still quick, and my character becomes more dynamic, thanks to shorter cooldowns and more frequent dodging rolls.
However, the path to fun also came with a price, as I used real money to skip the boring parts.
Using real money for fun content
The way to the endgame was actually quite simple. I paid once 50 euros for the latest power pass and immediately got a character set up that is level 50, can show an equipment level of 1,302, and has completed the story up to and including Punika.
Right in the next step, I bought the Crystalline Aura for free teleports and some other bonuses. On top of that, I also got the item Unas task: completion ticket a few times, with which I can automatically complete previously completed daily quests. This will be important later.
Lastly, I treated myself to the battle pass in the premium variant for 15 euros. There are some upgrade materials and other useful items for fast progress.
In total, the fun cost around 90 euros, even a bit more than a completely new AAA title for the PC. However, it brought me a lot.
Within just five days, I skipped the equipment level of 1,370. This went so quickly also because an event for returnees was running and I received many bonuses for the initial completion of content through the Mokoko challenges.
Here, the tickets for Unas tasks came in handy. I only did the daily quests in Punika once and then always completed them with the ticket. This saved me the annoying grind and brought bonus rewards in the events.
Starting from item level 1,370, the first raid began and the dungeons became tougher. Nightfox Yoho from a four-player dungeon was not defeated directly in every attempt. And the first rounds against the raid boss Argos were challenging.
Argos is so much fun because players are split into two groups, Day and Night. This plays a significant role in several mechanics of the fight. Some attacks, for example, do no damage to you if you belong to the right team.
Epic boss fights are the best part of MMORPGs
Learning these mechanics, fighting against epic bosses, and finally defeating them – that is the core of every PvE MMORPG. The head of the new LoL MMORPG Ghostcrawler agrees, as he especially loved the raids in WildStar.
However, in Lost Ark, the path to that always annoyed me, filled with grind, slow progress, and boring tasks. Now I have spent 90 euros and finally have fun in the MMORPG.
While I have to grind through the dungeons and raids to reach the really challenging endgame content – the Legion raids – every instance run is just fun right now, even if someone makes a mistake.
What do you think about the possibility of skipping content and grind? Should more MMORPGs offer that or is it a mistake?
What do you think about the possibility of skipping content and grind? Should more MMORPGs offer that or is it a mistake?
Above all, I save myself the linear areas that I still don’t like at all.
I know that some players view these passes and skipping content critically. However, I find it important that such mechanics exist. Because my friend group around MeinMMO author Mark Sellner plays Lost Ark very actively. However, I was always on the outside. Without the pass, I would have had to struggle to ever catch up again.
This also closes the circle to a controversial column from last week. I said that more MMORPGs should allow the sale of characters, and I still stand by that:
What do you think about the possibility of skipping content and grind? Should more MMORPGs offer that or is it a mistake?
Above all, I save myself the linear areas that I still don’t like at all.
I know that some players view these passes and skipping content critically. However, I find it important that such mechanics exist. Because my friend group around MeinMMO author Mark Sellner plays Lost Ark very actively. However, I was always on the outside. Without the pass, I would have had to struggle to ever catch up again.
This also closes the circle to a controversial column from last week. I said that more MMORPGs should allow the sale of characters, and I still stand by that:
What do you think about the possibility of skipping content and grind? Should more MMORPGs offer that or is it a mistake?
