Why do Oroborous threads have a 60% Merit Penalty?

Hi:

I been thinking about doing Oro threads as a means to gain merits when the server is basically dead. But then I realized that threads at level 50 are considerably longer than Positron, much tougher to do, and the merits they get is frankly questionable.

It is my understanding, that merits are awarded at a rate of 1 merit per 5 minute of play. A metric I had been against from the get go, for it punished all the attributes of good teamwork. But the Synapse did say, that the merit rate can be adjusted based on how challenging the source of merits is, such as lots of EBs/AVs, tough situations to overcome, etc.

When I do an Oroborous thread, it automatically becomes a TF, thus limiting my ability to recruit new players into the team, acquire inspirations, and what not; just as a regular TF. The only observable difference is that I can do the thread alone.

I believe a 60% reduction of merit earning for an Oro arc, to be ghastly unfair, but perhaps there is another reason that drives this 60% penalty or perhaps someone can break down how the 60% penalty is determined?

Hugs

Stormy

Task forces, Trials, Story arcs (which is what flashbcaks are) all have a different target rate.

Just because it puts you in TF mode doesn't make it a TF. They are still story arcs, and follow those conventions.

Story arcs have a different set of rules for merits than TFs do.

Probably because it is easier to run a story arc than it is to assemble a TF. TFs give more merits because they require you to assemble a team of people that are all willing to spend 3-4 hours on something. A story arc, on the other hand, you can just log in and play, whenever you feel like it.

Also, story arcs played in Ouroboros have no merit penalty attached to them. If you find a short arc that rewards 5 merits, you can run it over and over without losing any merits. If you do that with a TF on the same character, you will gradually cut down your merits to almost nothing, because it cuts it in half each time you do it within a certain time span (18 hours I believe)

That's the biggest reason why I do the Ouro stuff for merits... I can go as easy or hard as I want, can do it all alone (no fills), go -1 if I want, etc. Arcs are significantly easier and convenient for merit earning provided you're not in a rush.