Refusing to acknowledge game balance issues doesn’t magically make the game balanced.
This is a terrible mindset, it is good to acknowledge when people are taking unfair advantages and to speak up so those advantages can be obliterated.
Unless you take issue with poison in which case never speak about it again shhhhhh.
Not what this thread is about, but I’ll bite; a game with balanced options is better than a game with unbalanced options, assuming it doesn’t detract from anything else, but I’m not going to blame or insult the person that won for choosing a stronger setup.
Are they cheating? That is unfair, and should be punished, as they are not playing by the rules of the game. Have they been granted some boon that other players cannot acquire through normal in game means? Because that would be unfair as well. If there is any such unfair advantage in Arcane Odyssey, it should be removed.
truth nuke
if you lose to a guy using a 1k defense 200 size 100 power build YOU are definitely more skilled than they are.
that’s not to say that some builds arent just objectively better than others
same logic as a lvl 140 beating up a lvl 80- the lvl 80 isn’t “bad at the game” or hasn’t “made bad build choices” when he loses to the lvl 140- he loses to the lvl 140 because there’s a 70 lvl gap between them.
an attack speed build losing to an attack size build in open world PVP isn’t a matter of “poor build choices” but just “this build is objectively better in this situation than THAT build is”.
maybe the ATKspd user wins in a 1v1 duel, in which case THEY are the build carried ones because they have the objective advantage over an ATKsize user in an organized situation
the only way to really tell who’s actually good at the game is to pit them against each other using the same build or no build at all 
in the end the idea of an individual who is “build carried” sort of just falls apart in the long run since every build is so specialized these days.
just like how a fire type pokemon is weak against a water type pokemon, an atkspd build that is conventionally skilled is weaker against an atksize build depending on the situation
So, if I run around with no equipment at all and fight people, I am more skilled than everyone else, even if I lose?
A person is using a crutched build if their build as no downsides.
Sadly too many builds lack any sort of downsides and if you happen to use a build that isn’t considered half decent then your out of luck.
This explanation will probably only work on AO 
no, you’re only “more skilled” if you win
truth nuke
here in lies the issue.
the ‘stronger setups’ typically rely on specific magics (metal/magma lol), fighting styles (iron leg/sailor fist lol), weapons, and/or super specific synergies IE: Sailor lightning / Crystal Iron leg.
If you think that the solution is just to use the obnoxious meta build and if you aren’t doing that then its your own fault then:
1: This kills build variety since you’re basically going around telling people that they’re playing the game wrong since they aren’t using one of a tiny fraction of the game’s choices that are viable in the current meta.
2: Hecate essence. (no further explanation needed on this point)
Failing to acknowledge severe and obvious balance issues doesn’t magically make the game balanced.
We should not be able to make Munera island look like the Ruins of Charon at our level in 2 or 3 attacks, but we can.
I was in a war vs. Tole and as a fire conj, I absolutely cooked them
First was a 1v1 vs. an ash/sailor warlock, who ran and hp potted, probably used more potions too considering his damage/size/defense (some gel or power pot maybe?), but he ended up winning due to an ironleg berserker joining him and nuking me with 400+ damage
both were massive size and I never used a potion, almost won the 2v1 too
Then, the ironleg berserker ended up trying to 1v1 me after I got freed from execution, and when he got low, he hp packed two of his clanmates, getting him back to max hp
He then continued fighting, got somewhat low, and hp packed AGAIN (3 total)
when I was still at ~80% hp (he did NO DAMAGE LOL) only then did his other clanmate join in the fight and 2v1 me, finally killing me
They tried to hunt me again after freeing me from an execution, but even with 2 people immediately on me and agility being removed, they failed to keep track of me, getting juked so bad they ran towards the opposite side of sameria, letting me summon my brig and get away
how did these people get in the ‘superior’ clan bro they are SO ASS
I went on to 1v1 Denkaroz, who I know is actually a good player, but the server was so bad that the 1v1 ended up being bs… I’m talking getting hit by smash 3 seconds after getting out of the aoe, and selinos being undodgable
I know he has high size, but trust me when I say that the server’s ping died
strength in numbers ig
Those 2 are the most “someone to be ‘crutched’ by a build” people I’ve fought in this current patch that I can remember, they were so unable to get hits even with such high size that they HAD to 2v1 me
My personal take. Everyone needs builds and eventually gets good at one. Running the meta or whatever doesn’t make them build crutched automatically. It’s rather the question of whether they are proficient in their build
If they can decently consistently land hits with their build they aren’t really crutched on it
Uhhh TLDR it just depends on whether they are decent enough with just the base mechanics
Not that good at wording
Honestly, I think people who use insanity and/or sunken armors are build crutched.
i wouldn’t be able to pvp as effectively on zerker vs my main shadow mage build because i’m not used to zerker
ALSO WHY TF DO I RUN 107 SIZE 108 ATKSPD SHADOW MAGE
how low did you get them? 80%? 10%?
that doesn’t mean they’re build crutched that just means that you’re fighting through build disability 
people who suck and run a good build doesn’t automatically make them crutched by their build, as in most situations they’re still easy to beat. This also means that people who run sunken/insanity armors aren’t build crutched. If they lose to you, then they suck, but people are often really good at pvp (like you if what you’re saying is true) and run good builds. Just because they run such good builds doesn’t mean they’re crutched by them, as they still use skill and gamesense in their gameplay
Besides shadow mages. Fuck shadow mages.
what
there’s a difference between comically flopping fighting a full armored opponent while you don’t have armor (typical expected outcome/average) vs almost destroying them
