Improve Breakthrough Success Rate to Prevent Consecutive Failures

I recently attempted to level my Tetrahedron of Urgrund to level 80. It failed (due to having no Seal of Preservation). I went and ground out the source marks needed to buy the catalysts to try again.

I failed. AGAIN. Two consecutive failures at this stage of leveling an artifact really shouldn't happen.

I propose two alternatives.

1. If an artifact fails on a breakthrough, increase the success rate of the subsequent breakthrough attempt by 20%. If even this fails, add another 20%, and so on, until the success rate is set at 100%. If a breakthrough succeeds, the success rate of subsequent breakthroughs is set to its default value. This means that if, say, an artifact's success rate is 40%, and you fail twice, it increases to 80% (20% apiece). Then, it succeeds, breaking through past level 120. Then, at level 140, the success rate is 20%.

2. Make it so that artifacts NEVER fail up to level 80, but retain their default catalyst costs. This will ensure that people can eventually grind and get their artifacts to the first useful point. After that, failure rates can be implemented for level 100, 120, 140, 160, 180, and 200.

And, here's an alternative solution to requiring Seals of Completion, albeit a bit more grindy:

In order to guarantee an artifact's breakthrough to level 80, you'd need another "throwaway" artifact that is also at level 79. Sacrifice that artifact to guarantee a breakthrough to level 80.

Just don't do it without the seals. It's disheartening. No need to rewrite the rulebook over something so trivial.

It's a few bucks, man.

A few bucks that I don't have at the moment. Not everyone can lean on the comfort of knowing they have money to spare. Must be nice.

Not everyone has money to spare, but that's how they make their money. So we, as players, have two choices: pay or pay. One way you pay with money, the other way you pay with time (grind).

This just won't be happening I'm afraid. I appreciate that some thought was actually put into alternatives, but they're not viable either.

95% of this game is free these days. Which means the company only keeps the lights on with Marketplace Purchases and anyone paying for Membership. If you're low on money, start saving. 1 month of membership for €12.99 will get you 4 Destiny Tokens over the month. These can be used to get either 4 Seals of Completion, or 40 Seals of Preservation, or a mix of both.

Moneys tight right now for different people for different reasons so I'm not going to pretend saving €12.99 is automatically easy. But it's far more possible to do that than to wish this system would be implemented, because it just won't be.

I appreciate the thoughtful reply. The thing is, artifacts just feel like gacha the way they are. But you're right--I really ought to be considering getting the Seals of Preservation/Completion (I honestly think the best purchase is to get 20 Preservations and 2 Completions per month--Preservations are good up to about 140 or so, after which you will want to use Completions).

Also, my birthday is coming up, and I tend to get a decent chunk of money from relatives. On top of that, I might be landing a job for a company called CAI, which is an IT company specializing in working with people who are considered "neurodiverse" (the term disabled is itself considered 'politically incorrect' nowadays, because neurodiverse people often have very advanced skills in certain areas).

My "entrance exam" (which is meant to determine which role I'd be best at) is going to begin this upcoming Monday, and run through Friday, for 8 hours each day. Basically it'll be simulating a full-time job schedule.

Ultimately I appreciate your pain. The failure % is one of my least favorite parts of the game. And I have a longtime membership and I always have seals. It is still annoying to have to go buy one and add it in.

i would rather they get rid of it and come up with some other system for making money. I totally understand the need to make money. I just dislike it being attached to annoying systems.

yeah this game has no incentive for new players or returning players at all. It's funny that more people a realizing that

Kinda hoping that they cave in and make a Pre Leveled 180-200 artifact and max allies purchasable in the marketplace I'll gladly throw my money at them

This is a mechanic that I'm positive the devs thought people would enjoy. Losing all your catalysts sure feels nice, don't it?

Or, you know, buy a seal from Doctor Fate. Costs you nothing but the currency you get for your daily reward.

During the planning stage they discussed the possibility of us losing catalysts and the XP on a failed breakthrough like in other games. So it could have been worse.

Diabolical.

I agree it's very painful. I usually switch to completion seals around 20%, and roll the dice with preservation seals before that.
I especially dislike the use of seals for the episode augments. They attach feats to maxing out the augment, forcing you to use seals.
It was better when you could earn seals in game. That way there was at least an option for those that didn't want to pay.

You can purchase both seals from the Fate Vendor for like 1-2 Fate tokens. Preservation seals come in a 10-pk, as well.

It’s nudging, it’s not forcing.

As Black Desert retired player I just can say...awww so cute (try to upgrade your gear in BDO to know the real meaning of pain)

Dude, this breakthrough mechanics are really soft...seals are cheaper even for free players, just use it

If you are paying for a membership subscription they are already making money from you. You shouldn't have to pay extra money on top of a sub. Imagine if WoW or a more modern reputable MMO tried this model. It's pretty absurd. If you have a sub, there should either a very low or zero failure rate.

Imagine getting to max level and using most of your source marks on breaking through your first artifact to 60 and this happens. What's the chances you would continue playing? Because, ngl, my friend (whose presence is why I'm here as well) is pretty close to quitting after having it happen.

Great, if your friend is paying for sub, use a fate token to buy a seal of completion. Bam, %100 chance of success. I think you get 3 or so a month, so spend wisely. Good thing you brought up the sub!

If you spend the time to farm the catalysis and nth, I don't understand why can't the game just let you upgrade? Anyway, on the tokens -- yes, you get 3 a month, therefore it will take 10 months to unlock 3 artifacts. Yikes. Forget having enough to play both Support and DPS (and being able to optimize boss vs AOE options). That would take literally years, while also not being able to get some of the other cool cosmetic options you should be able to get with your membership tokens. It would be different if you got 10 per token, but this is pretty ridiculous.

In the meantime, I think it would probably be faster to recreate his character than to re-farm the lost source marks. So lowering the catalyst costs if they insist on having failure as an option would help too.