Test Update 10/10/17 - Patch Notes and Discussions

Discussion in 'Test Update Notes and Bug Roundup' started by EQ Dev, Oct 9, 2017.

  1. nantalbus Elder

    Magician - Consolidated Frenzied Burnout to be ranks of Companion's Fury. Reduced the number of counters on Virulent Talon and increased the amount of damage done by Virulent Talon Strike Necromancer - Consolidated Frenzy of the Dead to be ranks of Companion's Fury.

    for these 2 things. is this going be like the pet fort line where the passive stuff is still passive and still active frenzied burnout for mages and frenzy of the dead for necros. or are frenzied burnout and frenzy of the dead going become passive abilities.
  2. YellowBelly Augur



    I agree 100% with this post.
    doomcasters likes this.
  3. Gnomeland Augur


    It could be to make it easier on the side of the players, but it could also be to make it easier on the side of the developers. Anyone who's worked in a software company before knows that it's very important to refactor systems, in order to reduce complexity, and in order to reduce dependency on the one or two people on the team that understands that complexity. One of the principles of software management is that, in a well designed system, anyone should be able to take over the development and maintenance of the system with minimal training.

    Imagine that you are a developer asked to take over Everquest. Would you rather take over an Everquest that has a hundred different abilities for each class, all of which could potentially combine with each other to multiply effects, or would you rather take over an Everquest that has a dozen different abilities for each class, most of which are independent? The answer is obviously the second.

    What this says about the future of Everquest, I cannot say; but I will say that I completely understand the need to control the complexity of the system.
    IblisTheMage likes this.
  4. fransisco Augur

    There is no option to use it on a tanking pet or not.
    It is a passive ability - which means this effectively ends all pet tanking.
  5. Ibadan Kun'Tirel Augur

    " The mitigation from Fortify Companion is always on (given your pet has the buff); it does not wait until after your pet hits 40% to trigger. Companion's Blessing is what triggers after your pet reaches 40%."

    Thanks Sancus, it doesn't read like that in notes, so I appreciate the clarity. (Notes say extra mitigation and healing trigger at 40%)
  6. nantalbus Elder

    is it acting as a passive on test? the way it worded on here seem to be you hit it and it puts a buff on the pet that triggers at 20%
  7. Zunar Augur

    Correct. It's a buff. You simply choose to use it, or don't.
    menown and Sancus like this.
  8. YellowBelly Augur



    So it makes it easier for the developers but the players lose their ability to fine tune their character. I don't like where this is going.
    doomcasters likes this.
  9. Sancus Augur

    Frenzied Burnout is still an activated AA, and the passive portions of the other AA lines are still passive.

    I agree it's confusing. I believe the part referring to "extra mitigation" refers to the melee absorption Companion's Blessing provides.

    I would probably test things before declaring "this effectively ends all pet tanking." You have to activate the buff, which will then trigger DA if your pet drops below 20%. You can choose not to use it. Even if it was passive you could buff block the DA, although blocking/unblocking would obviously be a hassle. Regardless, the hyperbole is unwarranted.
    Gyurika Godofwar, Sheex and menown like this.
  10. fransisco Augur

    Ya, I miss read it. I thought it was passive. Hurray for reading comprehension!

    All in all, I like the changes.
    There has been so much bloat in class AA/abilities over the years.
    Yes, it can be fun to micro-manage every little thing, but switching to a new class takes serious research/reading on when/what to use, what doesn't work ect. We need some simplification here.
  11. segap Augur


    But the opposite is also true. For those of us that have learned multiple classes and play them regularly, each of these consolidations is a nightmare. It's not just having to figure out what changed on one class you play, but on all of them. I've had to start taking screen shots of my UIs before every patch so I can figure out what buttons that turn in to blank ones used to do. I also have to check every macro on every character. Merge player config files across 6 different computers and about 50 installations of EQ (each character has its own install since keybindngs are global per install rather than per character -- there's a ripe candidate for a qol improvement). It's a giant hassle with absolutely no benefit to me.

    And many of these consolidations make zero sense. They combine barely related things together, reducing situational tools. It really is just dumbing down the game. The only purpose I can really see is they're afraid of losing TLP players as time goes on and the game leaves the simplistic nature of older EQ. Simple by itself is not necessarily a bad thing. Problem is, past developers chose to go the more complex route. Over time, the game was designed around the complexity. Had they gone a different route, the game would have evolved with that in mind and we'd likely have different abilities, class balance and content designed around such a game. Trying to re-engineer the game from it's middle age years removes flavor from it's later years. The current game is built on that foundation of complexity.
  12. Xinny Lorekeeper

    Sancus,

    No.. please read more carefully:

    The mitigation part is also what Fortify Companion does in case you were unaware. Both effects are going to trigger only when your pet falls below 40% according to that description.

    Xinbann


    #1 Magician in Everquest
    #1 expert authority on Magicians in Everquest
  13. Sancus Augur

    Lol I hope you're trolling. If not:

    First, the note is actually written correctly. "Serves" and "its" are both singular and refer to the Companion's Blessing buff. Fortify Companion and Companion's Blessing would require the verb "serve" and the pronoun "their." As such, the note does actually refer to only Companion's Blessing.

    Secondly, Companion's Blessing has a mitigation component (to further support that the note refers to Companion's Blessing):

    [48719/12770] Companion's Blessing XXIV (Azia)
    Classes: SHD/254 SHM/254 NEC/254 MAG/254 ENC/254 BST/254
    Skill: Melee
    Target: Pet
    Range: 250'
    Resist: Beneficial, Blockable: Yes
    Focusable: No
    Casting: 0s
    Duration: 18s (3 ticks), Extendable: No, Dispelable: Yes
    5: Increase Current HP by 8000 per tick
    6: Absorb Melee Damage: 25%, Total: 10000
    7: Cast: Companion's Blessing XXIV (Beza) on Fade

    Thirdly, you can clearly see in the spell file that it is only Companion's Blessing that's coded to fire below 40%:

    Here is the new activated AA. It casts two buffs on the pet at the time it is cast:

    [49860/49814] Fortify Companion XLVII
    Classes: SHD/254 SHM/254 NEC/254 MAG/254 ENC/254 BST/254
    Skill: Melee
    Target: Pet
    Range: 250'
    Resist: Beneficial, Blockable: Yes
    Focusable: No
    Casting: 1.5s
    1: Cast: Companion's Fortification XVIII
    2: Cast: Companion's Blessing XXIV

    The first buff has no specification to trigger below 40%; it is identical to the Fortify Companion currently existing on live:

    [48710/12776] Companion's Fortification XVIII
    Classes: SHD/254 SHM/254 NEC/254 MAG/254 ENC/254 BST/254
    Skill: Melee
    Target: Pet
    Range: 250'
    Resist: Beneficial, Blockable: Yes
    Focusable: No
    Casting: 0s
    Duration: 10m (100 ticks), Extendable: No, Dispelable: Yes
    1: Decrease Offhand Damage Shield Taken by 60%
    2: Increase Chance to Avoid Melee by 60%
    4: Absorb Spell Damage: 25%, Total: 215000
    5: Absorb Melee Damage: 25%, Total: 215000
    7: Increase AC by 75

    The second buff does:

    [49886/12770] Companion's Blessing XXIV
    Classes: SHD/254 SHM/254 NEC/254 MAG/254 ENC/254 BST/254
    Skill: Melee
    Target: Pet
    Range: 250'
    Resist: Beneficial, Blockable: Yes
    Focusable: No
    Casting: 0s
    Duration: 10m (100 ticks), Extendable: No, Dispelable: Yes
    1: Cast: Companion's Blessing XXIV (Azia) once if HP Below 40 Percent

    Here you can see only Companion's Blessing is coded to cast the buff only below 40% HP.

    Fourthly, if you really, really don't believe me, I tested it for you. I went out to fight A grove guardian in Frontier Mountains with an EM 24 earth pet. The first time, with only burnout, DI 1 was 3203. The second time was with Companion's Fortification; DI1 was 2403. 3203 - TRUNC(0.25 * 3203) = 2403. I promise my pet never got anywhere near 40% health, and yet it was benefitting from the 25% melee damage mitigation.

    Seems odd EverQuest's #1 Magician didn't bother to go out and test this at all...
    Skewert, fransisco, Brohg and 3 others like this.
  14. Xinny Lorekeeper

    Sancus,


    Did I test? Nope and I'm not going to. The #1 Magician can not be bothered with such things. I have minions to do that sort of thing for me. By the way, thank you for testing. I'll trust, but verify when It goes live.

    The write up is still bad. I understand that "serves" and "its" is singular, but it seems to indicate a reference to the new ability "Companions Fortification" as a whole. It could even be read like this:

    Multiple - Consolidated Companion's Agility, Blessing, Durability, Sturdiness, and Fortify Companion into a single ability, Companion's Fortification. The ability retains the passive benefits of all the consolidated lines. Activating the ability now serves as a preemptive buff that will trigger its healing and mitigation effects if your pet drops below 40% health.

    Where as you take out the specific reference to Fort / Blessing. This is why it is confusing.

    "I never try test anything, I just do it. Wanna try test me?" -Rob Zombie Xinbann
  15. Zhaunil_AB Augur

    This is yet another move by you guys!
    Month after month, more of this, is that your plan?

    Even if it is "in addition", so 210 + 315 for a total "cap" of 525 before the cut takes effect...
    There are those of us that are already way over cap - your refunds notwithstanding - and still hven't done all achievements yet.
    What are those guys supposed to do?
    Skip raiding with their guild so they do not waste achievement AAs?
    What brain-dead being thought this one up, and why?

    You better get some better weed to smoke!
    Get off Crystal Meth, it fries your brain!
  16. Spellfire Augur

    I would prefer having pet DA as a separate ability.
  17. Riou EQResource

    Buy a glyph of fireworks?
  18. segap Augur



    I'd expect that when the next expansion comes out you earn the exp and AA for that expansion with that expansion rather than banking it ahead of time. A buffer is needed so you don't have to micromanage your purchases while earning AA. It should not be a way to beat the next expansion before it is even live. I think they're being quite generous with the over the cap limit as it is.

    If you want to use the AA from achievements, do the achievements before you're capped. If they're raid achievements that are done late in the expansion cycle, they can at least help fund a night's worth of glyphs.
    Skewert and fransisco like this.
  19. Katsus New Member

    This happens on zone, not just log out.
    Also, cap needs to be bumped, was MAX AA on SK, after 'rebuying', lost over 800 AAs getting down to 315, Shamman Max AA, lost 180.
    We shouldn't loose AA's ever from an AA refund if we have no where to spend them.
    Gyurika Godofwar likes this.
  20. svann Augur

    People dont spend their excess aa's on glyphs of destruction?