Disclaimer: The following is my own opinion and I'm not interested in trying to convert people to my way of thinking. If you are a current NW player and have a different opinion that's fine. The world would be a boring place if we all agreed on everything. Also my comments are relevant solely to PvE. I don't do PvP.
First some background:
My main toon is a DC (the cleric class for any non-NW readers out there) and has been since the official launch date so I've stuck through thick and thin daily with this game for a long time. I've played both as a Divine Oracle (more solo-ish oriented) and Anointed Champion (more group oriented). And I've played all 3 Feat trees. My favorite Feat tree has been the dps tree but I found something to enjoy in all 3 versions (Virtuous/Faithful/Righteous).
I have 3 artifacts at epic level in various stages on the way to legendary. All epic armor sets and epic artifact equipment. This was my past gear until Mod 6. Now I run keeping only the artifact weapon and the artifacts. Everything else is blue level 70 gear with level 8 radiant enchants socketed (all of them close to leveling up to rank 9) and a soulforged I'm close to getting to greater soulforged status though I'm currently not using the soulforged because I need the hp the blue gear gives. My DC is based around a crit build so I've always tried to keep my crit chance and crit severity numbers up. That means I typically run with a Greater Vorpal (on the way to Perfect) and assorted companions to boost my crit stats (also a black dragon ioun stone at epic level).
The crit build helps not only my crit dps but also allows for crit healing as well. I tend to play a more hybrid dps cleric than most dps clerics in that Healing Word never leaves my bar. In parties I use it in 60-70 dungeons and skirmishes to give in-combat constant, fast HoTs to everyone. I always liked it even prior to Mod 6 because I like seeing the PUGs I ran with "topped-off" in hits point. Since Mod 6 dropped and they took away all the other group's in-combat regen options I feel it is even more helpful (Healing Word also tics faster than any other in-combat HoT heal available in my experience.)
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Mod 6 observations:
I waited until Level 70 before posting because I wanted to give the game a chance. The difficulty levels with this new mod are off-the-scale. It's not unusual for larger common enemies to one-shot players constantly. Even the smaller common mobs can take hits out of a level 70 player down to 1/4th health in 2 hits (sometimes in only 1). Don't get me started with bosses or Heroic Encounters.
Now as a DC in some sense I'm luckier than other classes. I can self-heal and regen is always available in combat or out of it if I'm willing to slot Healing Word. DCs also get 3 long-range dodges. And while you are dodging you are immune to mob's or bosses damage. I take advantage of that dodge immunity constantly.
My problem is that casual play has gotten so difficult the game is no longer fun for me. This is a first.
I understand the reasoning behind the difficulty increase. The devs are trying to "future-proof" the game to account for increasing levels of player power over the coming years. This isn't a bad thing but I wonder if the road getting there for many players like me has become so unfun and punishing these players are packing it in and moving on to other games. I know I'm seriously considering moving on to some other MMO. If Wildstar goes F2P I might look into that. Skyforge also looks interesting.
There are actually disputes between factions on the official NW boards between those who are upset at how unfun the game has become for Mod 6 - lots of grind in addition to off-the-scale difficulty increase for level cap toons and those whom are afraid this means devs will nerf the new difficulty which they absolutely love. Truthfully I don't think the devs ever will nerf the difficulty. It would make the point of "future-proofing" for challenging gameplay moot. In short I'm increasingly coming to the conclusion that the game's future loyal playerbase will be those whom like the thrill of constantly being on the edge of being one-shotted. Sort of like players on this board who bemoan the fact there are no more MMOs who impose perma-death on a toon if you die. The thrill of "real consequences" to playing is gone they say. I do get why these folks say that - it's just that I'm not one of them.
Oh...and one other thing. GF class is pretty much dead. Not saying this as an opinion but rather just saying that the population base of GFs has fallen so low that since Mod 6 dropped I can count less than 10 times I've run a PUG and seen a GF in the group. Never - to my surprise I admit - have I seen a player base so quickly abandon a class en masse. It's like someone flipped a switch and suddenly *poof* no more GFs. They must be on the NW endangered species list from what I can tell. My BF's main was a GF but since Mod 6 dropped he got so disgusted with the changes to lifesteal he quit the game completely. He wasn't about to spend more money to level up a Paladin he said. He said he regretted spending money on the game (especially on leveling up his Lifedrinker enchant) only to see his class's role being done better by the Paladin.