Why not? It goes against how they’ve structured the game previously and is a heavier burden on casual players, which is the target demographic for living world story. Casual players should not be forced to complete expensive collections, particularly cosmetic collections (which is what the weapons collections in No Quarter are), to achieve story mastery since they’re likely lacking in mass amounts of funds to begin with and are also more likely to need to spend that gold on actual gameplay upgrades like ascended armor or high tier mounts which actually have function. Ah yes. The “casual players” card. Exactly why must the episodes mastery achievement be completed? Why can it gradually be worked on? This is an MMO; not a single player game so there will be long term content. Why must things be constrained to how things have been done before? Imagine if we applied that reasoning to everything. Imagine the progress.... er, lack of progress we’d make. That’s your opinion. By the way, the story masteries are still very accessible to “casual players”. The episode mastery achievements don’t have to be completed. You personally decided that it has to be. The mastery achievements don’t have to be completed right away (within a few weeks). You’ve personally decided that they must. You’re assigning your own personal preference on how something should be. This is also just all your opinion. Trying to discredit another player's opinion by saying "this is all just your opinions and preferences" while not acknowledging that you thinking this system is fine is also "just your opinion" is disingenuous. The mastery achievements don’t have to be completed. That’s pretty much a fact as no content is locked behind them. It’s a personal preference as to whether someone decides to do them or not which I have said as much already. All things done in game are, as you say, personal preference though. That doesn’t negate arguments for/or against certain game designs.