Which MMOs Are Truly Gear Grind/Vertical Progression Based?

FuryV

I'm probably in the minority, but I'm looking for a well populated (or at least semi populated) MMO (or ARPG) that has a gear grind, preferably with updates every so often that increase the gear cap and give you new ways to farm better gear. The only ones I can think of like this WoW and FFXIV, although I don't want to get back into WoW. I've tried games like GW2 & ESO, although reached the gear cap quite quickly and just lost enjoyment after a while. Horizontal progression was enjoyable for a short while, but couldn't hold my attention as long as a vertical progression based game would give.

I love getting loot drops and checking to see if they'll improve my character more than just aesthetically, as is the case in GW2 and ESO at end game.  I've had people recommend BDO and Archeage to me for a grind, but even those two seem like whilst it may take you a LONG time to reach the gear cap, once you reach it that's the end of it and you'll never be able to improve your character with better gear anymore.

So are WoW and FFXIV the only two like this?

DafAtRandom

Pretty much any ARPG will be like this....Path of Exile and Grim Dawn are 2 of the best.

You could try EQ2's progression server, it has good population but depending on how much you play you may cap really fast and plateau since expansions are coming out every 3 to 4 months.

Iselin

FuryV said:

I'm probably in the minority, but I'm looking for a well populated (or at least semi populated) MMO (or ARPG) that has a gear grind, preferably with updates every so often that increase the gear cap and give you new ways to farm better gear. The only ones I can think of like this WoW and FFXIV, although I don't want to get back into WoW. I've tried games like GW2 & ESO, although reached the gear cap quite quickly and just lost enjoyment after a while. Horizontal progression was enjoyable for a short while, but couldn't hold my attention as long as a vertical progression based game would give.

I love getting loot drops and checking to see if they'll improve my character more than just aesthetically, as is the case in GW2 and ESO at end game.  I've had people recommend BDO and Archeage to me for a grind, but even those two seem like whilst it may take you a LONG time to reach the gear cap, once you reach it that's the end of it and you'll never be able to improve your character with better gear anymore.

So are WoW and FFXIV the only two like this?

IDK about GW2, it's been a while and I can't remember much about it, but in ESO the gear grind is alive and well just not how others do it.

ESO has literally hundreds of gear sets all with their own unique 2, 3, 4 and 5 piece bonuses and more added with each quarterly update. To get the sets you need to do specific content (PvP, specific dungeons, specific zones, trials, arenas) or craft them.

The differences are a lot more than just cosmetic. It is a mostly horizontal progression but there is some vertical progression there too if you know which sets will enhance your given build for a given activity. Cosmetics are actually a totally different thing in ESO since anything can be made to look like anything else by using the outfit station.

There are also 12 gear slots and that makes mastering most build a matter of which two 5-piece sets and which 2-piece shoulders/head "monster sets" you use. It's all about synergizing your gear set bonuses and the abilities you choose to slot.

cameltosis

My initial thought is they all are.

I've personally never seen or heard of an MMO that is built entirely around horizontal progression. In fact, that is why I'm so excited about camelot unchained - it's the first one that is!

I know a few MMOs make a few nods towards horizontal progression at endgame, usually through the form of alternate gear sets, but that's only horizontal progression within an extremely small part of the game and is usually a case of providing you with alternative vertical paths, rather than being truely horizontal.

As to gear grind, thats entirely down to personal preference. If you enjoy it, it's not a grind, so its all down to your personal tolerance levels for repetition and group content.

Ungood

If you are looking for endless grind, for both gear and levels, nothing beats Kicking it old school with EQ - classic.

Caffynated

FuryV said:

I'm probably in the minority, but I'm looking for a well populated (or at least semi populated) MMO (or ARPG) that has a gear grind, preferably with updates every so often that increase the gear cap and give you new ways to farm better gear. The only ones I can think of like this WoW and FFXIV, although I don't want to get back into WoW. I've tried games like GW2 & ESO, although reached the gear cap quite quickly and just lost enjoyment after a while. Horizontal progression was enjoyable for a short while, but couldn't hold my attention as long as a vertical progression based game would give.

I love getting loot drops and checking to see if they'll improve my character more than just aesthetically, as is the case in GW2 and ESO at end game.  I've had people recommend BDO and Archeage to me for a grind, but even those two seem like whilst it may take you a LONG time to reach the gear cap, once you reach it that's the end of it and you'll never be able to improve your character with better gear anymore.

So are WoW and FFXIV the only two like this?

BDO is always moving the gearcap forward. Even after 3.5 years in the West, nobody is close to being full PEN yellow grade gear with level 20 Caphras, and they're starting to release new orange grade equipment that's above yellow. 

If you want to grind until your eyes bleed and still have thousands of hours to go, this is your game. 

To give you an idea of how much grinding it takes:

Typical silver/hour from grinding is around 75 million.
1 piece of PEN yellow armor/weapons (7 slots) is 15-20 billion.
Enhancing 1 armor/weapon to PEN 20 caphras is another 80-120 billion. 
Then you have accessories (6 slots) which costs 20-40 million each for PEN. 

You've got a solid 13,000 hours ahead of you before you cap out current gear. That's over 2 years of playing 16 hours a day. By then the gear cap will be even higher. 

So have fun enjoying the one thing that most of us hate about BDO, because it definitely doesn't lack for infinite progression. 

Mmochamp19

if you find it let me know, I want a game like Diablo 3, but with a little more MMO mixed in, waiting on Wolcen/Last Epoch/Lost Ark 

I too don't want to be lured by WOW, but that Classic server is right around the corner

AAAMEOW

Korean pay to win games?

I dont' know if  you want to get into that...  They aren't populated though.