Blizzard gain a flash of insight?

[LochnarITB]

The AH also should not exist. People say it just makes it easier for folks to trade but it does more than that. It trivializes much of the game, at least Normal to Hell. Feeling tested? Buy something off the AH. Don't worry about l2p, if you can play the AH game for items and gold you are good to go.

After today, I am even more convinced of this. I have been playing my wizard straight through, no farming, no AH. I am up to Diablo Hell diff. All along, I've been thinking I must really suck because I was actually feeling challenged all through the game. I kept noticing people talking of their damage and resists, etc. and that my numbers weren't close, but I was making do and progressing. Then I kind of brick walled against Hell Diablo. I decided my damage out was just not good enough so I gave in and went back to farm Hell IV some. Today, during maybe my third run through, a big 2 hander rare mace dropped. It boosted my damage at least 30-40% with that one piece. All of the sudden I was melting the packs. The only real problems were invulnerable minions and then it was just because I would get so annoyed trying to work around them that I would get sloppy and they would kill me before I took out their leader. I haven't tried Diablo yet with the new piece but I can see so much difference that I expect her to give daddy her yummies.

My point? Had I gone and bought a piece or three off the AH along the way, I would have taken the challenge away. I believe many folks are buying off the AH and losing the fun and challenge they could be having in the first three diffs. Then they hit Inferno, which Blizzards intention seems to have been making it just a hair short of impossible until god moded, and then they cry because it is too hard. If you've given up on the game, try experimenting. Start a new toon. Don't buy off the AH. Maybe even leave the twink gear in the stash. Play through figuring out how to beat down the baddies in your way while making do with what you have. You might just find there is a fun game there after all (as soon as they eliminate invulnerable minions ).

Anyway, that's this fat slob's rant for today. YMMV. Good gaming all.