Were Profiles the Right Way To Go?

The trouble is mapping the buttons so that you can switch on the fly, and every single button does something right now.

I'm not a huge fan of the restricted power hotkeys and the profile system overall

While I like the idea of switching classes and have access to a wide variety of skills passive's especially, having to be limited with 3 active skills killed it.

I like the idea of having access to all the powers and being able to mix and match for my preferred characters. I've been avoiding NG+ and just rerolling, because I don't REALLY mind starting at a low level, and prefer the progression.... Also to avoid the legendary NG+ bugs. So I've wound up with my favorite skills and some good passives.

And I actually enjoyed the flexibility that was offered with the system we got.

That being said, what I loathe about it is that it pretty much nixes my chance of ever getting a vanguard interrupt in a cut scene. Alas.

I'm sure there's a way around it, pushing down the left analog will prompt the 4 profiles to show then the player can select as they please. Does pushing the left analog currently do anything while in combat? I can't remember. Regardless, I feel like they can implement this in later patches. I think the combat experience will be a lot more pleasant because of it.

I actually have a tendency to forget about the profiles system.  I think I've only actually used it once or twice.

Sure. I never said the profile system was a good idea lol.

I replay the game because I enjoy the game's story, characters, gameplay, etc... I do not need a "new class" to compel me to replay.

I really enjoy both the Profiles and the classless system. I'd be very disappointed if they backslid to the old, restrictive class structure. My original character is now Level-110 (3/4 through NG+), and I'm still tinkering with new builds and Profiles. At this high level and Insanity difficulty, I've actually found switching Favorites mid-battle quite useful. It's a tactic I've learned to embrace, and I'll definitely continue better using it in future playthroughs.

MEA's combat has more depth than the OT had. I think many people are judging this system without having played enough to fully appreciate it, and without having graduated beyond "Normal" difficulty. Profiles are much better than classes, both from a gameplay and story-telling standpoint. The Favorites system, tied specifically to Ryder and SAM, is a great tool in the toolbox. I wish more would give it a real chance via significant use. The game is long, and many haven't even finished a single playthrough. Trying to properly critique the game's features with so narrow a perspective is premature, in my opinion.

I tried to touch on that, but I was trying to keep the post short as I often ramble. I would love a full set of the Helius defender gear that gives +damage to all powers, but I don't think that will happen. (the helm you get from finishing the main story)

And which AR/SR/Shotgun can you carry and not hit a negative power recharge speed? Do you pick up most of the passives in all 3 trees?

I hate it for a simple reasons. Firstly they gutted the combat abilities massively and secondly i hate the 3 slot limit. Hell i would love the system if i just had more slots and that restriction due to the so called freedom of choice of skills is what kills it for me.

So overall atm not a fan, if they add more slots that will definitely change my opinion but as it stands i hate it.

My replays aren't really motivated by different classes (unless they have storyline ramifications) so meh. I liked it. Or I liked the mobility and I'm needlessly conflating the two.

I am wondering if/how this will effect DATevinter. The mobility is prooobably the highest praised element of Andromeda's combat but could it work in a controllable squad? Also, being mage generally results in a pretty different experience lore-wise, would they remove that replayability in favor of a system like MEA? Usually that'd upset me but it IS in Tevinter, if ever magic should play a central role it would be then so I'm kinda ambivalent.

I don't think this is something they'd patch. It's a conscious, defining choice by the developers to define gameplay. It's also too intrinsic to gameplay to just "patch away", I think. They may note the mixed reception and restore the power wheel and/or broader active-skill arrays in a future game, though. P

Eliminating the power wheel and limiting the array has been controversial since we first heard of it last year. I'm curious to see what they choose to do, next time. (I'm really hoping there's a next time.)