I guess I just wish I had the choice. If I could invest in advanced engineering without a prior investment in intellect, for example. I once did a pure fortitude and strength run, it was really effective combat-wise, but around day 23 I realized I really needed steel structures for horde night because demolishers were coming up soon, and my concrete towers wouldn't cut it. I went to all 5 traders in Navezgane twice (Between inventory respawns that week), yet none of them had a crucible, likely only because I hadn't invested in better barter up to level 3. I just think attributes are too limiting, it favors a co-op playstyle, but since I'm living with 1.5 megabits of internet out here in deep Nova Scotia country, I can't really do online co-op. I have to solo my worlds, and it feels like I'm too restricted in single-player. I mean yeah, if I have to I can just spend 40k Dukes on a fergit'n'it elixir and respecialize, but I have to do it twice; Once to make my crucible, another time to get my previous strength/fortitude build back. Otherwise it's just hoping for RNG to lend me a hand with every bookshelf looted, or every shop visited.
I just wish I could - like in previous alphas - choose from a complete list of perks, rather than being pidgeonholed into choosing only the perks that are listed under whatever attributes I chose to specialize in. Co-op is important and this system totally works where co-op is concerned, but the attribute method just greatly limits single-player playthroughs. I just wish I could have a good farm, good armor, and good horde base, on my own, without relying on RNG to either make or break a playthrough - it is particularly cumbersome when you do death = death runs as I do; If I don't find a crucible or a blueprint by a certain point, I am certain to die, which basically means my only way of guaranteeing my long-term survival is specializing in intellect first to acquire a crucible, then subsequently sinking 40k dukes into a respec once I've acquired it.
It's worth mentioning, I've cleared out every single crack-a-book in Navezgane, and every working stiff area. No crucible nor blueprint. I've had an entire playthrough jeopardized by RNG, that never used to happen before. Now I'm scared to log in and continue playing it, because death is death, and my best efforts were not enough to improve my chances of surviving - which is kind of crappy. Of course, maybe I would have found one - if I'd chosen to invest in Lucky Looter, which would have involved sinking... How many points into Perception, 4 points to get level 5 perception, and another 3 to get Lucky Looter level 3. It would have subtracted from my combat and utility effectiveness as a player, I have to choose between what I want and what I need. I don't like that. If there weren't attributes I wouldn't have to choose, I could just toss 3 points into Better Barter after a horde, because I usually net 3 skill points per blood moon anyway. Instead I need to sink an additional 4 points into intellect first before that even becomes an option. Just my opinion... I'm entitled to it, I find attributes aren't single-player friendly. I don't even use Junk Turrets or Stun Batons, it just feels really weird.
Maybe attributes could be changed, to be universally useful; Maybe every rank of intellect could provide 2% better bartering prices for example, every rank of Fortitude could provide +2% stamina regen, every rank of Agility could provide +2% sprint speed, etc. I just feel like whenever I sink points into any attribute other than my preferred attributes/builds, I'm wasting points. At least having some return would encourage me to sink points into other Attributes without feeling the need to respecialize afterward.
Trust me, it'll help.
