Potential Future Change? Art Swapping vs. 4 Art Slots

Someone mentioned to me that the devs may be considering adding another artifact slot, but then also disabling artifact swapping. I couldn't find a thread on this (didn't look that hard tbh), so thought I'd start the discussion here. These are the main points I've thought of.

1. Simplifies the game, at least in a mechanical sense. Art swapping is becoming more and more common, but is still fairly complicated to perform optimally. Removing it should reduce the mechanical skill gap, making things easier to balance (with regards to skill requirement). Removing swapping also reduces the hardware gap, between PS 4/5 and crappy vs. high-end PCs.
2. Increased number of possible builds. There should be more possible builds with exactly 4 slots than there are currently, not just because there's an extra slot to play with, but because with art swapping, it's like people have all of their arts all at once. With swapping disabled they'd have to choose which 4 exactly they'd want.
3. Revenue stream. Not exactly for the players to discuss, but worth noting. There are arguments for spending on artifact XP to either increase/stay the same (to try new things out, or because all arts are currently useful so can be on different builds) or decrease (because now you can ignore the swap-only or niche arts).

Personally, I'd prefer the current setup of 3 slots with art swapping still possible. I typically lean toward keeping mechanics in the game, rather than removing them and simplifying. Some more complexity makes the game more interesting and engaging to play. In terms of the hardware gap, I don't think it's insurmountable, though inconvenient. It would be nice for everyone to have a level playing field, but at the end of the day this is just a game, and there is a certain amount of disposable income that you'd needto spend on it in order to actually play the game at a higher level.

Regarding the mechanical skill gap and balancing, people are still performing adequately with only 3 artifacts and not really swapping, and I don't believe that everything should be catered towards the average casual player. The hardest DPS check in recent memory is actually a TSWe feat, Proma's Anguish. Most people didn't artifact swap. In other typical runs, I believe there should be some invested effort and "sweatiness" involved to reach peak performance.

For point 2., this doesn't matter that much to me though I think it's an important point to bring up. I think stacking all the arts together in a "vertical" sense like with art swapping is kinda boring, while limiting to 4 slots and encouraging experimentation leads to "horizontal" progression which is more fun to interact with and try out. There is more exploration and testing than just putting everything together. At the same time, I could definitely see some artifacts just never be used. DKS and PStone are basically only used for swaps. On DPS I think there are far better options, among Quislet, Grim, Scrap, etc. On support roles they are nice, but don't actually help the support roles at all so would just be filling a slot. Controllers would probably stick with the 4 most important of their current 9 artifacts, and those extra 5 would never see use.

No comments on point 3.

Overall, I lean towards the current mechanisms of only 3 slots but with art swapping. Mostly because I don't favor removing entire mechanics from the game. Something should be done about inventory simulator Trolling though, so maybe some middle ground of a built-in swapping feature.

add a fourth slot that allows for passive only then stick a cool down on the fourth slot locking the artifact in place for 30 seconds to heavily restrict but not eliminate tac swapping.

/end

i feel like pet arts should have their own spot. then you would have three slots for your character. it just saddens me that they keep leaving supports out the pet updates. still don't understand why brick wasn't part of mercy. I get that it was a dps thing, but why do they refuse to acknowledge battle rolls. I never tanked this new dlc with a true tank spec. I'm rocking a few OP piece n a few DPS gear and only have 100 spec into dom while everything else is in might.. got source shard on brick and I'm often just a few thousand behind the last dps in pug groups, sometimes I pass him by 5-10k. the group doesn't wipe. I don't lose agro ( well besides when those few bosses come out) and I'm not weak. I'm a tank that easily pushes 100mil damage in a 30min run.

Art swapping is the stupidest looking thing people do in this game. its a waste of time for a boost that's not needed if you cant beat the content with out doing it and one of those people that say its impossible with out it then I'll just say here your a trash player. nothing is required.
can it increase your output? sure!
is it needed? absolutely not!

edit not directed at thread creator just players in general

this is what happens when the devs give their personal opinions on a subject or speculate, ppl run with it and say ITS HAPPENING!!! 100% CONFIRMED!!!!

it's sad really

https://forums.daybreakgames.com/dcuo/index.php?threads/artifact-slots-we-need-more.322084/

Page 2 "IF we're ever to do a 4th slot, I believe it'd be more along the lines of allowing only the passives work in that slot, all stats would be stripped"

Page 4 "Underperforming artifact review will happen regardless of 4th slot.

IF we were to a 4th slot it would be with a lot of caution - we'd address artifact swapping, make it so only passives worked in 4th slot - flat or percentage bonuses would not, and we have methods of adjusting overall game stats when we introduce a new slot to help address the basics of balance/power creep and would have to be very aware of potential overlaps of passives that could cause too many balance issues. All of that before we actually moved any further in making a 4th slot.

And then it'd sit on PC Test for a good while to for better testing, more eyes, etc. for adjustments or straight up removal if actual balance issues seem insurmountable, until a later time when they are.. surmountable."

i wouldnt listen to that person who told you that....like ever!

How about no to either?

Just give us a slot for each artifact on our toon and make them account shared so any toon can level them up. Then, strip the stats and all that nonsense so it’s just the bonuses. And end up fulfilling the original request of players of needed upgrades to the game. Will they all be used? Of course not. Who even uses pied pipers flute, or Omegahedron, Circe mask, starheart, rings of azar, grimbor’s chains, dead kings, orb of arion, quislet, etc. we still gotta level them up first and that would take a long time for many players.

Eh lot of those arts are used

If anything is going to happen, it’s most likely a long way off. They’ve got plenty to do already and this would be the time to put artifacts on their own ui tab. I’m fine with whatever they choose. Tac swapping is fine by me, I don’t enjoy it but I can do it. I just find it funny how many complain that the game is p2w but then want the devs to do things that makes players have to spend more to keep up.

For real. Aside from omegahedron, they all can work with the right group design. And some are the best tac swappers in the game. And then a few are fantastic artifacts all the time.

Agreed

People still actually use these. Just sayin'...

it's no wonder after that people are so bad in a raid to want to be so assisted by the artifacts the augments the allies...

It's not like you should just boost the lagging powers instead of asking for extra assistance from an artifact or asking to nerf a particular power... this game will never be good...

4th slot vs art swapping will not increase revenue. No idea where you got that. It would cut revenue. Players are leveling multiple arts just to swap in for multiple roles. Look at dps. You have scepter and philosophers as the 2 basic arts along with others like Gemini and soul cloaks. That’s 4 arts to swap along with 3 slotted arts. Compare that to 4 arts slotted in and that’s an obvious revenue decrease.

As for ease of use. Why does everyone want to make everything braindead easy? “I can’t do it so no one should” is a very selfish point of view. Similar to the “they beat me with x power and I don’t want to change my build so they should nerf that power”. If you don’t want to do it than don’t do it. I personally do not art swap, or any kind of swap cause I’m to lazy to do so. But because I don’t want something it means no one should be allowed to do it? That makes no sense.

I do love these threads about the topic tho. It will never be an agreed upon thing. Some will not want any changes and would like tac swapping removed. Others will want no changes whatsoever. Others, 4 slots and no swapping and then others with 4 and swaps. In the end, it’s the devs call on what can be balanced. And what makes sense financially. Players like myself already have 10+ 200 artis. If tac swapping goes away, so does our spending since we’d be able to feed artis into others that would otherwise be in our banks and never used.

But the flip side is the players trying to get their 3 up to even 120 rank now have to get a 4th or risk exclusion. And alts become even harder to maintain. My tank alt for instance, he doesn’t have 4 dps worthy artifacts. And he’s already near unkillable in tank role with 3 200s unless I mess up. Let me add a 4th to him and the content would have to become much much harder to present a challenge to me yet another player may be getting squashed cuz they only have 3 120s.

Again, I don’t care. I’m set either way. My opinion tho is that there shouldn’t be 4 and artifacts should get their own ui to change how tac swapping is done/ the amount that can be done. And the only reason I think that way is for the health and balance of the game. If, and it’s a big if, they add a 4th and allow tac swapping then I believe the community will have to be ok with some artifacts getting nerfed. EoG will be the 1st, that can’t stay as is and I’m one of those filthy people abusing it on all toons.

For me... it's just silly to me that in order to do optimal damage, I would have to spend a good portion of a raid looking at my inventory.

Who wants to look at that in the middle of raid? I'd have to guess that nobody actually likes doing it because it's about as tedious as it gets and that the only reason people "defend" it is because they want their slight edge that they have over other players.

Just open more slots so the people that spent all their money on them are happy and we can look at the boss we are fighting and play the game without feeling like we aren't doing enough.

"Hey Darkseid - gimme a min so I can swap artifacts, ok?"



I just don't see how either swapping arts OR getting a 4th slot is helping the game going forward.

More damage? Then the BOSSES will be harder with more HPs.....even in REGULAR content.

This isn't even talking about ELITE content.

You should see some players doing it in the new elite. They’re trying their best lol. Just dying constantly. There’s a lot going on and most is random so you’ll just hear “dang was in my inventory” while they’re waiting for a res. Some players are very good at it tho. Hardware helps for sure. Ps4 can definitely do it but it’s a lot slower and you have to use the “have faith” method.

Also, make sure you mark all artifacts as important. A few have accidentally deleted some 200s

I love when people try to use comic book login into the game. If that’s the case than everyone should be hybrid and be forced to use weapons since most comic book characters use some sort of “weapon/combat style”.

Well....this IS "DC Universe Online"....you know the MMO based off of COMIC BOOK characters?



I know personally THREE of my 4 in-game toons are based off of COMIC book characters.