Last Epoch Marketplace

Last Epoch is a rich and engaging action role-playing game (ARPG) developed by Eleventh Hour Games and released in February 2024 on the Steam platform. It has captivated players with its intricate mechanics, deep lore, and engaging gameplay, and is considered to be one of the main competitors to the Path of Exile and Diablo series. Here's a more detailed look at various aspects of the game:

Setting and Storyline

• Last Epoch transports players to the world of Eterra, a land filled with ancient mysteries, conflicting factions, and timeless struggles.
• The game's narrative revolves around time travel, allowing players to witness and influence different eras and outcomes within the game's universe.
• Players embark on quests and missions, uncovering the world's secrets and their character's place within it.

Gameplay Mechanics

• Character Classes: Last Epoch features several unique character classes, each with its own abilities, strengths, and weaknesses. Players can choose and customize their class to suit their preferred playstyle.
• Skill System: The game boasts a deep and flexible skill system, enabling players to tailor their abilities and develop powerful skill combinations.
• Time Travel: A distinctive feature of Last Epoch is its time-travel mechanic, allowing players to visit different epochs and experience how their actions can alter the present and future.
• Combat: Engaging and strategic combat is at the heart of the game. Players must adeptly use their skills, gear, and positioning to overcome foes.

Progression and Customization

• Gear and Loot: As with many ARPGs, acquiring and optimizing gear is vital. Last Epoch offers a plethora of loot, including weapons, armor, and accessories, each with varying stats and potential synergies.
• Crafting: The crafting system in Last Epoch allows players to modify and enhance their equipment, adding another layer of depth to character customization.
• Character Progression: Beyond gaining levels and improving stats, players can evolve their characters through skill advancements, gear optimization, and strategic decision-making.

Multiplayer and Community Aspects

• While the campaign and single-player experience appeal to a lot of players, Last Epoch offers a very exciting multiplayer mode, allowing players to fight the toughest enemies together, join Guilds and Factions, trade Items, and earn Resonance by playing together, allowing players to exchange items directly

Development and Support

• Last Epoch is developed by Eleventh Hour Games, which actively updates the game, incorporating community feedback to improve and expand the experience.
• Regular updates and patches provide new content, balancing changes, and quality-of-life improvements.

Reception and Legacy

• Since its release, Last Epoch has received positive feedback for its depth, complex systems, and engaging gameplay, positioning it as a notable title within the ARPG genre.

Last Epoch Item Factions

Like in all Loot-driven Action RPGs, trading is a core aspect of each player's experience. Last Epoch has a very unusual approach to the subject, as obviously there are those, who will prefer to play the actual game rather than the market. To offer benefits to all types of players, the game introduced Item Factions, that change your gameplay and Loot significantly. 

After reaching Chapter 9 of the campaign, all online players are bound to choose allegiance to one of the two available Item Factions - the Merchant's Guild and Circle of Fortune. The first of the two offers its members the ability to trade items directly and through the in-game Bazaar and is what presumable what most players seek in ARPG games. The second faction, Circle of Fortune increases the loot rarity and offers its members ways to get more valuable gear via Prophecies obtained from the Observatory. It is important to understand that loot obtained from either of the factions, will be inaccessible to those who have chosen to join the other one. Members of each faction, earn Favor from killing monsters and completing quests, increasing their experience and Rank with their faction, and unlocking additional features. While switching factions is an option, Ranks and experience are lost. Such a system was designed to prevent a smooth and easy transition between the factions and the potential exploitation of the entire system. 

Last Epoch Trading

As previously mentioned, trading is primarily available to the members of the Merchant's Guild. Those players, gain access to direct trading and the use of in-game Bazaar to Buy and Sell their items. It is currently only possible to trade using Gold, as item-for-item trades are not allowed. Furthermore, whether players meet in the game to trade directly, or use the Bazaar, each transaction also requires Fervor, and buying items costs significantly more Fervor than selling them - generally reducing the chances of new players gaining unfair advantage solely via trading. Access to features like direct trading, Bazaar, and eventually the possibility to trade even the most expensive equipment, is done by reaching higher ranks within the Merchant's Guild. The ability to trade Legendary Items is earned on Rank 10 for example. It is worth noting that trading an item once makes it bound to the Merchant's Guild and no member of the Circle of Fortune will be ever able to use it. 

On top of the traditional means of exchanging items available to Merchant's Guild members, it is also possible to Gift items. Gifting is available to members of the same party, with items being Giftable if they were looted when playing together. All party members earn Resonance towards each other, allowing items to be Gifted even if the player wasn't available in the area when it dropped. Gifting is available even to Circle of Fortune members, encouraging party play even further.