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Too easy!

AuthorMessage
Ensign
Nov 25, 2012
34
Yay! It's been forever since I last bought enough crowns to post. Here's something I've had on my mind for a while:

What seems like an eternity ago, I wrote a rather un-defendable post about a certain dungeon being too easy. In response, I got many responses which ranged from

"You know, some younger players find the game too hard. KI is satisfying those players with gameplay that is not annoyingly hard."

"I usually don't say when the game is too easy. Ratbeard might hear."

"Oh, just you wait until you get to Deacon. Then you'll be sorry."

So, yeah. I'm here to talk about the last response. Guess what happened with Deacon:

After having breezed through Miranda without losing any companions or dropping below green health, I went into Motherlode Mine and soloed him first try no sweat. I was wearing level 30 gear, had not done any side quests for extra levels, had under leveled companions, etc.

Is it just me?

I understand that this area of the game has been nerfed recently, but this is getting to be too much. I believe that players who are devoted enough to spend the money to play through all of Cool Ranch are not the young unskilled players that KI is trying to please by making the game ridiculously easy. Players deserve a challenge at the end of the game's longest world, and they deserve a taste of the MooShu difficulty that is to come. Players should be able to take pride in wearing the "Avenged" badge that comes with defeating their first member of Kane's Court

O.K. I'm done ranting.

I'm pleased with the challenge that MooShu is giving me, but I still have not been pushed that much at any point. If KI could find a way to please both age demographics, young and adult, that would be amazing. And I'm not even adult! I'm not asking for KI to make the Deacon fight immensely hard. Just as hard as it was pre-nerf.

Of course, this is my opinion. Everybody can have their own. Don't feel insulted if you are struggling with the game. You may not be putting as much time and effort into it as I am. That's okay; it means you have more of a life than I do. Hopefully, someday KI will make the game not too easy and not too hard for everybody.

Cunning Nicholas Sharp, Level 40

Pirate Overlord
Mar 16, 2012
10631
Pokopolypse on Oct 30, 2014 wrote:
Yay! It's been forever since I last bought enough crowns to post. Here's something I've had on my mind for a while:

What seems like an eternity ago, I wrote a rather un-defendable post about a certain dungeon being too easy. In response, I got many responses which ranged from

"You know, some younger players find the game too hard. KI is satisfying those players with gameplay that is not annoyingly hard."

"I usually don't say when the game is too easy. Ratbeard might hear."

"Oh, just you wait until you get to Deacon. Then you'll be sorry."

So, yeah. I'm here to talk about the last response. Guess what happened with Deacon:

After having breezed through Miranda without losing any companions or dropping below green health, I went into Motherlode Mine and soloed him first try no sweat. I was wearing level 30 gear, had not done any side quests for extra levels, had under leveled companions, etc.

Is it just me?

I understand that this area of the game has been nerfed recently, but this is getting to be too much. I believe that players who are devoted enough to spend the money to play through all of Cool Ranch are not the young unskilled players that KI is trying to please by making the game ridiculously easy. Players deserve a challenge at the end of the game's longest world, and they deserve a taste of the MooShu difficulty that is to come. Players should be able to take pride in wearing the "Avenged" badge that comes with defeating their first member of Kane's Court

O.K. I'm done ranting.

I'm pleased with the challenge that MooShu is giving me, but I still have not been pushed that much at any point. If KI could find a way to please both age demographics, young and adult, that would be amazing. And I'm not even adult! I'm not asking for KI to make the Deacon fight immensely hard. Just as hard as it was pre-nerf.

Of course, this is my opinion. Everybody can have their own. Don't feel insulted if you are struggling with the game. You may not be putting as much time and effort into it as I am. That's okay; it means you have more of a life than I do. Hopefully, someday KI will make the game not too easy and not too hard for everybody.

Cunning Nicholas Sharp, Level 40
The Deacon fight is still difficult, it makes my top 5 dungeons, that being said some classes have an easier time with Deacon than others. Musketeers have the easiest time, while Witchdoctors struggle.
I have probably logged more hours than you in this game with 6 max level pirates. Most recently I sent my last pirate ( a buccaneer ) into Motherlode Mine; just at the time of the first update, I assure you it was not 'nerfed' ( how I hate that term! )
Many people have been saying how 'easy' certain dungeons are, I ask you, isn't this because you've already experienced this dungeon and know what to expect and what strategy to use beforehand?
Some dungeons have been shortened and others lengthened and made more difficult, why don't you wait until you've completed the game before complaining?

Ensign
Nov 23, 2013
30
So far Cool Ranch has been a nice challenge for me on my Swashbuckler, my only Pirate. When it came to MooShu, however, it got fairly difficult. I'm only at Khotan Skyway - I just defeated the Governor of Yagizawa Village - and I already lost four of my companions, all of them in their 40s or so. But MooShu is so far a good challenge after completing the Deacon boss battle on my second try.

It may be easy for you, but most players struggle with Cool Ranch, possibly due to their class, or maybe they didn't do the side quests.

But, tell me this - how did you defeat Deacon so easily? Can you tell me your strategies at least?

Loyal Emmaline Ramsey, lvl 42

Commodore
May 31, 2009
894
Pokopolypse on Oct 30, 2014 wrote:
Yay! It's been forever since I last bought enough crowns to post. Here's something I've had on my mind for a while:

What seems like an eternity ago, I wrote a rather un-defendable post about a certain dungeon being too easy. In response, I got many responses which ranged from

"You know, some younger players find the game too hard. KI is satisfying those players with gameplay that is not annoyingly hard."

"I usually don't say when the game is too easy. Ratbeard might hear."

"Oh, just you wait until you get to Deacon. Then you'll be sorry."

So, yeah. I'm here to talk about the last response. Guess what happened with Deacon:

After having breezed through Miranda without losing any companions or dropping below green health, I went into Motherlode Mine and soloed him first try no sweat. I was wearing level 30 gear, had not done any side quests for extra levels, had under leveled companions, etc.

Is it just me?

I understand that this area of the game has been nerfed recently, but this is getting to be too much. I believe that players who are devoted enough to spend the money to play through all of Cool Ranch are not the young unskilled players that KI is trying to please by making the game ridiculously easy. Players deserve a challenge at the end of the game's longest world, and they deserve a taste of the MooShu difficulty that is to come. Players should be able to take pride in wearing the "Avenged" badge that comes with defeating their first member of Kane's Court

O.K. I'm done ranting.

I'm pleased with the challenge that MooShu is giving me, but I still have not been pushed that much at any point. If KI could find a way to please both age demographics, young and adult, that would be amazing. And I'm not even adult! I'm not asking for KI to make the Deacon fight immensely hard. Just as hard as it was pre-nerf.

Of course, this is my opinion. Everybody can have their own. Don't feel insulted if you are struggling with the game. You may not be putting as much time and effort into it as I am. That's okay; it means you have more of a life than I do. Hopefully, someday KI will make the game not too easy and not too hard for everybody.

Cunning Nicholas Sharp, Level 40
If there were a 'nar' button I certainly would have pressed it. I highly disagree with your argument. Going through Cool Ranch was tough for me even as a Swashbuckler, and I would never say that Pirate101 is "ridiculously easy". Ratbeard has even said that the developers watch feedback to balance the difficulty of the game.

If you had, as you say "breezed through Miranda", I assume that you have recently done it, as in after the most recent updates. KI took out the wandering enemies to shorten the instance due to unnecessary battles taking place. While Miranda and Motherlode Mine were both challenging, they weren't overly easy or hard, but somewhere closer to the 'difficult' end of the battle-toughness scale.

You stated that players "deserve a taste of the MooShu difficulty that is to come". Didn't the whole of Cool Ranch tell you that what was coming next would be more difficult? MooShu is a challenge even for the best players. It is a long world and the jump in difficulty is to be expected. By then, you have become a more experienced player and are able to cope with the more challenging enemies.

Now this isn't to say that I did not find some parts of the game easy. The way that KI has balanced the game has made a perfect mix of not-so-hard fights and good challenges.

Just wait until you get to Aquila. Eagle Shades are wonderfully tough, as are Manticores. Diskylos is lovely too. Oh, and have fun with the Satyrs.

Ensign
Nov 25, 2012
34
anecorbie on Oct 30, 2014 wrote:
The Deacon fight is still difficult, it makes my top 5 dungeons, that being said some classes have an easier time with Deacon than others. Musketeers have the easiest time, while Witchdoctors struggle.
I have probably logged more hours than you in this game with 6 max level pirates. Most recently I sent my last pirate ( a buccaneer ) into Motherlode Mine; just at the time of the first update, I assure you it was not 'nerfed' ( how I hate that term! )
Many people have been saying how 'easy' certain dungeons are, I ask you, isn't this because you've already experienced this dungeon and know what to expect and what strategy to use beforehand?
Some dungeons have been shortened and others lengthened and made more difficult, why don't you wait until you've completed the game before complaining?
The encounter in question was my first ever with Deacon, done on a witchdoctor. So what you're saying about witchdoctors and first-timers struggling makes no sense to me.

And as for CyanGirl's question about how I did it, (You can't quote multiple posts)
  • I fired traps with the cannons to thin Deacon's troops
  • Used my infinite range powers on Deacon
  • Broke the barrels and attacked him with my companions
  • Watched my companions take all of the hits for me and die
  • And then Shadow Stepped over to him and Mojo-Reavered him to death

His HP went down pretty fast.

And yeah, the responses I'm getting here are much like those I got on my previous post. It's really just a negative topic in general, I now realize. I'm just going to admit defeat here rather than drag out the argument like I did with my last post on the subject. I was underwhelmed by Deacon's fight, but it looks like I'm in the minority. As I said earlier, this is my opinion. You can have yours.

And yes, I am now having trouble with MooShu. Serves me right.

Cunning Nicholas Sharp, Level 40

First Mate
Mar 30, 2011
483
With so many new additions to the game, I barely notice how nerfed some things have gotten. The Miranda and Motherlode Mine dungeons both did become easier for me, but to be honest, before the update Miranda was the only thing that took longer for me. It may seem easy but if you're too underlevelled then you will find how difficult it is while when you are too overlevelled then you will find how easy it is. Your strategies, companions and class can affect the difficulty of a dungeon as well. To be honest, even though it's less of a challenge in some ways, I find it more fun.

Captain
Oct 16, 2012
619
Pokopolypse on Oct 30, 2014 wrote:
Yay! It's been forever since I last bought enough crowns to post. Here's something I've had on my mind for a while:

What seems like an eternity ago, I wrote a rather un-defendable post about a certain dungeon being too easy. In response, I got many responses which ranged from

"You know, some younger players find the game too hard. KI is satisfying those players with gameplay that is not annoyingly hard."

"I usually don't say when the game is too easy. Ratbeard might hear."

"Oh, just you wait until you get to Deacon. Then you'll be sorry."

So, yeah. I'm here to talk about the last response. Guess what happened with Deacon:

After having breezed through Miranda without losing any companions or dropping below green health, I went into Motherlode Mine and soloed him first try no sweat. I was wearing level 30 gear, had not done any side quests for extra levels, had under leveled companions, etc.

Is it just me?

I understand that this area of the game has been nerfed recently, but this is getting to be too much. I believe that players who are devoted enough to spend the money to play through all of Cool Ranch are not the young unskilled players that KI is trying to please by making the game ridiculously easy. Players deserve a challenge at the end of the game's longest world, and they deserve a taste of the MooShu difficulty that is to come. Players should be able to take pride in wearing the "Avenged" badge that comes with defeating their first member of Kane's Court

O.K. I'm done ranting.

I'm pleased with the challenge that MooShu is giving me, but I still have not been pushed that much at any point. If KI could find a way to please both age demographics, young and adult, that would be amazing. And I'm not even adult! I'm not asking for KI to make the Deacon fight immensely hard. Just as hard as it was pre-nerf.

Of course, this is my opinion. Everybody can have their own. Don't feel insulted if you are struggling with the game. You may not be putting as much time and effort into it as I am. That's okay; it means you have more of a life than I do. Hopefully, someday KI will make the game not too easy and not too hard for everybody.

Cunning Nicholas Sharp, Level 40
I think everyone will agree with me when I say that when you get to the Tower of Moo Manchu......that will be your DARKEST HOUR . Also, Misty is right! Once you get to Aquila, things are gonna get intense. Cheating bosses come into play, super hard and OP enemies, Diskylos, decked out with Follow Through 3, Blade Storm 3, Turn the Tide 3, Riposte, and nearly 14000 health, Satyrs that strike fear into the hearts of even the hardest buccaneer, Eagle Shades that heal HALF of their lost health, Antinous the Suitor, Eurymachus, Scylla the ULTIMATE ship combat boss, Cadmus the Eagle Shade, Khagan, a devastatingly powerful Ettin, Hykssoss, a deadly Ophidian warrior, Lulz the Trolling Troll, Medusa, and so on will promise to be a REAL challenge. Only the STRONGEST shall survive Aquila and bring back the (REDACTED), the one thing that could turn the tide of the war against the Armada. Will YOU survive? May the Mighty Zeus be with you!!

Ensign
May 03, 2010
29
Pokopolypse on Oct 30, 2014 wrote:
The encounter in question was my first ever with Deacon, done on a witchdoctor. So what you're saying about witchdoctors and first-timers struggling makes no sense to me.

And as for CyanGirl's question about how I did it, (You can't quote multiple posts)
  • I fired traps with the cannons to thin Deacon's troops
  • Used my infinite range powers on Deacon
  • Broke the barrels and attacked him with my companions
  • Watched my companions take all of the hits for me and die
  • And then Shadow Stepped over to him and Mojo-Reavered him to death

His HP went down pretty fast.

And yeah, the responses I'm getting here are much like those I got on my previous post. It's really just a negative topic in general, I now realize. I'm just going to admit defeat here rather than drag out the argument like I did with my last post on the subject. I was underwhelmed by Deacon's fight, but it looks like I'm in the minority. As I said earlier, this is my opinion. You can have yours.

And yes, I am now having trouble with MooShu. Serves me right.

Cunning Nicholas Sharp, Level 40
Well, that explains our different definitions of 'easy'. Easy for me is when there is no chance of any companion dying. Moderate difficulty is when companions can die, but only if I do something wrong. Tough fights are battles that it's a struggle to keep every companion up and standing. Hard fights are fights that you accept you'll have losses in. Then there's the Hydra and Moo Manchu's tower.

Either way, since you watched your companions die, I'd count that as a hard fight. My hit point bar (in my humble opinion) isn't MY hit point bar- it's the combined strength of my entire team. If I loose one companion, I've either made a stupid mistake, or I'm being mentally challenged in my battle to keep everything alive.

The game is very doable- I'm very rarely defeated, and I also play with a main witchdoctor. After playing other classes for a little, it's tough to come back to witchdoctors- but knowing how to play them well makes you a devastating force, so that's why people probably tell you how hard that is. But I believe that the actual tough game starts when you reach Deacon- his battle's just the tutorial for what's to come. If you're still bored once you get used to the land of tanks that is Mooshu, I suggest trying a Pirate101 nuzlocke- that can be a real challenge. Loose a companion once, and you never use them again. It's a great mental puzzle, and changes your playstyle on all your characters to more defensive and tactical. Give it a shot.

Either way, keep playing, and I hope you find some battles that give you the challenge you look for.

PRAISE CTHULHU
Crazy Cody

Dread Pirate
Jun 17, 2013
2743
Pokopolypse on Oct 30, 2014 wrote:
The encounter in question was my first ever with Deacon, done on a witchdoctor. So what you're saying about witchdoctors and first-timers struggling makes no sense to me.

And as for CyanGirl's question about how I did it, (You can't quote multiple posts)
  • I fired traps with the cannons to thin Deacon's troops
  • Used my infinite range powers on Deacon
  • Broke the barrels and attacked him with my companions
  • Watched my companions take all of the hits for me and die
  • And then Shadow Stepped over to him and Mojo-Reavered him to death

His HP went down pretty fast.

And yeah, the responses I'm getting here are much like those I got on my previous post. It's really just a negative topic in general, I now realize. I'm just going to admit defeat here rather than drag out the argument like I did with my last post on the subject. I was underwhelmed by Deacon's fight, but it looks like I'm in the minority. As I said earlier, this is my opinion. You can have yours.

And yes, I am now having trouble with MooShu. Serves me right.

Cunning Nicholas Sharp, Level 40
Well, nobody wishes you difficulty or to struggle through anything-- even if they didn't agree with your posting...

I forgot to reply to your original post and wasn't going to do so to disagree with you or say you were crazy, but instead to offer up suggestions for you. This game is designed for us to make it as easy or difficult as we choose to. There are so many ways to accomplish both-- we have the means to do so. Just as you stated that others should put more time and effort into making the game less difficult, the same could be said in regards to your early game ease. We can and have the resources and liberties to make the game more difficult if we put the time and effort into it. If we use every resource at our disposal, master strategies, complete side quests, train crew and pirate properly...the game is naturally going to be very easy. If we do none of those things, the game is going to be understandably more difficult.

I too found that the game was rather easy early on by doing the above things. MooShu, Marleybone and Aquila...very easy because I put the time and effort into making it so, by learning and tying up all loose ends. Cool Ranch was the toughest spot, but only because I wasn't paying much attention to strategy, just trying to power my buccaneer through it. All classes are going to hit a "rough spot" and usually in 1 particular world or area of that world. As a Witchdoctor, you may come across tough times in Aquila with all of the Buccaneer enemies with multiple Relentless and Blade Storms.

At any time you can make the game more difficult if you find it too easy, especially with the addition of companion tasks. You can put all but your first mate set to taskin' and just go with a 2 man crew, if you'd like (or add 1 other, for slightly less difficulty). Or only leave "lesser" crew members without tasks, so you don't get your heaviest and most reliable hitters helping out. You can equip "lesser" gear and weapons, arrange your powers from "least to worst", use challenges like no buffing or shielding...there's many ways to make it harder going-- just have to put time and effort into it. So, instead of posting that it is way too easy and possibly getting some pirates' dander up, just make it harder for yourself-- KI gave us the tools to do that too.

But now that you humbly admit that you are having a tough time in MooShu, if you need any help just post here on the boards and I would surely lend a hand if you can't get through a rough spot. There's absolutely no shame in seeking out help, that's the great thing about an MMO and this game, help is there if you need it and ask for it.

Captain
Mar 24, 2013
732
I remember those days when Cool Ranch was a very challenging, this made this game enjoyable in my opinon. As a veteran player, i remember how though those boss where and some dungeon are that long. Fighting 12 ships in a row was very tedious( time consuming ), as a Buccaneer i remember those though challenges and long quests. My lower leveled pirates will now pass Cool Ranch much easier,I'm surprised how easily my Swashbuckler beat Dusty Arryo and Marianda. It took a lot less time,compare to my Buccaneer witch took a lot longer. But when my Swashbuckler entered Moo Shu, now that's a differnt story it's as challenging as before,but not as long as before like collecting that key. Marlyebone was okay, not as hard as Moo Shu and in the Olden days Cool Ranch. I can't say about Aquila,I did some quests to help a friend all i can say is " That's legendary. " Aquila is currently the most challenging world in the spiral,Unless you count the Smuggler's arena or Moo Manchu tower. That's only my opinon.

Bosun
Dec 16, 2012
331
anecorbie on Oct 30, 2014 wrote:
The Deacon fight is still difficult, it makes my top 5 dungeons, that being said some classes have an easier time with Deacon than others. Musketeers have the easiest time, while Witchdoctors struggle.
I have probably logged more hours than you in this game with 6 max level pirates. Most recently I sent my last pirate ( a buccaneer ) into Motherlode Mine; just at the time of the first update, I assure you it was not 'nerfed' ( how I hate that term! )
Many people have been saying how 'easy' certain dungeons are, I ask you, isn't this because you've already experienced this dungeon and know what to expect and what strategy to use beforehand?
Some dungeons have been shortened and others lengthened and made more difficult, why don't you wait until you've completed the game before complaining?
What do you mean by witchdoctors having a problem? I was a bit underleveled and I had no problem. I just used ranged companions and did not break the wall between me and the armada and deacon was the only one who could target anyone.

Petty Officer
Feb 29, 2012
67
I cheated in the Deacon battle on my Priv. On my musk, I just got a friend to help.
So what happened was Deacon doesn't have good range, so after clearing all the minions and me and my companions too, Calamity Jane was able to attack him. Deacon didn't have the range to actually attack! He just did barrage, and Calamity Jane killed him like *snap*!

Petty Officer
Feb 27, 2009
94
Pokopolypse on Oct 30, 2014 wrote:
Yay! It's been forever since I last bought enough crowns to post. Here's something I've had on my mind for a while:

What seems like an eternity ago, I wrote a rather un-defendable post about a certain dungeon being too easy. In response, I got many responses which ranged from

"You know, some younger players find the game too hard. KI is satisfying those players with gameplay that is not annoyingly hard."

"I usually don't say when the game is too easy. Ratbeard might hear."

"Oh, just you wait until you get to Deacon. Then you'll be sorry."

So, yeah. I'm here to talk about the last response. Guess what happened with Deacon:

After having breezed through Miranda without losing any companions or dropping below green health, I went into Motherlode Mine and soloed him first try no sweat. I was wearing level 30 gear, had not done any side quests for extra levels, had under leveled companions, etc.

Is it just me?

I understand that this area of the game has been nerfed recently, but this is getting to be too much. I believe that players who are devoted enough to spend the money to play through all of Cool Ranch are not the young unskilled players that KI is trying to please by making the game ridiculously easy. Players deserve a challenge at the end of the game's longest world, and they deserve a taste of the MooShu difficulty that is to come. Players should be able to take pride in wearing the "Avenged" badge that comes with defeating their first member of Kane's Court

O.K. I'm done ranting.

I'm pleased with the challenge that MooShu is giving me, but I still have not been pushed that much at any point. If KI could find a way to please both age demographics, young and adult, that would be amazing. And I'm not even adult! I'm not asking for KI to make the Deacon fight immensely hard. Just as hard as it was pre-nerf.

Of course, this is my opinion. Everybody can have their own. Don't feel insulted if you are struggling with the game. You may not be putting as much time and effort into it as I am. That's okay; it means you have more of a life than I do. Hopefully, someday KI will make the game not too easy and not too hard for everybody.

Cunning Nicholas Sharp, Level 40
I remember what happened when people said the very same things in Wizard101...

Zafaria strengthed

Sunstones increased in rarity by 200%

Celestia dungeons strengthened

Crating Recipe ingredient requirements increased

Collect items off the ground requirements increased. I could go on and on....

Quentin Davenport, lvl 65

Marcus Davenport, lvl 27