Changes with the February Update: Developer Updates

Discussion in 'News and Announcements' started by Prathun, Feb 5, 2014.

  1. Prathun Developer

    Greetings,

    After carefully considering your feedback and weighing our options, we plan to implement some modifications to our originally announced changes in the February Update.

    AA Grant for Gold Members

    Our current plan is to automatically grant AAs up to four expansions behind the current expansion, if the player opts to do so. Clicking a checkbox in the AA window will enable the granting option and any eligible AAs will be applied the next time the character zones or levels. The option can be disabled at any time if you no longer wish to receive granted AAs, though any AA received via auto-granting will be retained should you decide to later disable this functionality.

    Characters that wish to take advantage of the experience bonus for low-AA count will want to do so before enabling the auto-grant option, as any AA received via auto-granting will count against the bonus. At higher levels, the auto-granted AA could completely exhaust the bonus experience.

    Based upon player feedback to the initially proposed changes, Spell Casting Subtlety and Tradeskill Mastery AAs will NOT be automatically granted. These abilities can still be earned as normal, but because they are not beneficial under every circumstance we want to make sure you have the choice of whether you want to have them.


    Ability and Spell Changes

    Our original proposed changes to Shadow Knights involved the removal of lifetap procs from ripostes, which may have had the side effect of negatively impacting how well they could tank in non-swarming situations. Based on feedback from a number of Shadow Knights we have decided on the following changes instead:
    • Mortal Coil will have a reasonable hit limit applied. This limit should not affect normal game play usage, while reducing its effectiveness for swarm killing.
    • Abilities such as Lich Sting WILL continue to work on riposted attacks, but with a reasonable hit limit applied. This limit should not affect normal game play usage, while reducing its effectiveness for swarm killing.
    Another option that was frequently requested was the ability for players to halt all progress in their leveling if they so choose. As a result, the Glyph of Indeterminable Reward will have its level reduced to 51 and all the Alaran Knowledge requirements will be removed. Anyone who wants the ability to slow down their leveling can remove excess experience through use of this glyph.

    Finally, with the reduction in procs to the Headshot, Assassinate, and Decapitate abilities, we felt comfortable making these abilities more relevant to current EverQuest. As such, these abilities at their maximum AA will now work on mobs up to a player’s current level -1. For example, a level 100 Rogue with maxed out Assassinate will be able to assassinate level 99 mobs.

    We’d like to thank all the players who have contributed feedback so far, and hope that you continue to give feedback on our now updated plans.

    Regards,
    The EverQuest Team

    Edit: Here are some additional details that we have worked out

    Sollas, Retty, Imrahil and 9 others like this.
  2. Cevil's Remains Master

  3. Canik Augur

    FTW. Good choice.
    Trophywife likes this.
  4. Qalliel Lorekeeper

    This looks really good IMO and everyone should be happy
  5. Nein Lyves Lorekeeper

    Was the idea of allowing players to spend the granted AA's on their own on applicable AA's discussed?
  6. Moklianne Augur

    First time seeing this thread. Wow, why did the content dev rain mass destruction on all of these abilities, when it could have been handled by code devs on the zone level? A bit overboard, no? You just nerfed a ton of abilities that players have been used to using for years....

    Seriously, a lot of people are not going to be happy. And, not in the drama queen, nonsensical way that is prone to the boards.
  7. Piestro Augur

    It was discussed. That isn't the direction we decided to go in this case.
  8. Kolani Augur

    Holy crap, level 99 headshot? I'll even say that's a little too much. I'll be headshotting level 99 humanoids and not complaining but wow.
  9. tankemtill New Member

    i still dont agree to the limit on the lich sting but better then nothing i guess
  10. Coldmouth Elder

    Looking forward to it :)

    The only problem I have now is a disincentive to log on until these changes are live. I feel like id have a better leveling experience with those AAs we will soon have. Why play in the meantime?

    Rangers headshot -1 seems...dare I say... overpowered? I admittedly do not play a Ranger, but I am about to level one up to 51 in preparation, but that seems a bit overpowered does it not? The amount of time it takes me to kill some level 90+ mobs with my 4box army, Rangers will be a MUST.
    Gyurika Godofwar likes this.
  11. Piestro Augur

    The frequency will still be reduced, so there is movement both ways. This keeps the ability relevant and upgradable.
    Trophywife, Mayfaire, Zilla and 4 others like this.
  12. aniam Journeyman

    yeah sucks getting nerfed epic and aa at same time
  13. Thinn Lizzy New Member

    Haha soooo the Headshot , Decap and Assassinate are more Overpowered now ???? Neat
  14. Scribe of Fury New Member


    Multiple times, but it was never answered.

    I guess the opt-out feature is something; it's a step in the right direction at best. I'm okay with that, because I can still get AAs that I want before getting the auto-grant and getting all the useless AAs I would never bother to get in a million years.

    And if I so choose to make a new character, I won't have to grind out all those AAs, even if it means dealing with useless AAs.

    At least they did not entirely break Rangers and Rogues. And it seems they listened to Shadowknights, so good on them. I still don't like the idea of the "Heroic Characters," but I just won't ever be getting one--simple as that.

    This isn't really as terrible an outcome as everyone could have expected, but it's certainly not the best.
  15. Harabakc Augur

    We don't want to assassinate level 99 mobs with piss poor effectiveness.

    It is our solo tool, it is our option when we can't or don't want to group. You're gimping it and giving us a crappy alternative. Leave those abilities the way they are. If you want to give us a bone, create a new version that cannot be used with riposte and does work on the higher level mobs with the proc rate you're discussing.
    Gazoo/Phisbin likes this.
  16. Karthanon Augur

    First page. Is there any more outrage left?
  17. Kolani Augur

    Will the damage be scaled up though to make it more than a big nuke on a current content mob? For the average group, still...that big chunk of damage twice a minute is a pretty heavy dps boost to a group and ranger desirability.
    Gyurika Godofwar likes this.
  18. Iila Augur

    Hooray the better version of the SK nerf that allows them to continue group and raid roles without losing any tanking power.

    I like all these changes now.
    Cazmac, Zilla, mbev1976 and 4 others like this.
  19. Scribe of Fury New Member


    I doubt it, I'm sure there are limitations set to it. If they broke those classes, then in another couple of months they'll nerf them again to another public outcry.
  20. Piestro Augur

    We'll probably be pretty conservative with damage at the start. Letting it get out of control again is not our goal.
    Cazmac likes this.