Changes to the Necromancer Epic 2.0 in the August 2020 Update

Discussion in 'News and Announcements' started by Aristo, Aug 11, 2020.

  1. Aristo Developer

    Well, here we are again.

    Back in 2004, when we released Omens of War, we also released 16 different epic weapons. Warriors got two activated effects to use on theirs. Everyone else's epics have a worn effect that gives you a bonus while you have it equipped, and an activated effect that you... activate.

    For 10 classes, the worn effect had an explicit upper limit on its effectiveness. For three more, the worn effect worked on a specific ability that was superseded later. Bards got a worn effect that was exceeded by class armor soon after.

    Necromancers got an effect that worked forever. If this effect was a child, it would be learning how to drive now. It turned the epic from a "nice to have" to a "must equip forever," and didn't allow players to move on as the game evolved.

    Initially there just wasn't a way to limit that effect by level, so we didn't. Eventually the code team made it happen. In the years since it's been possible, there were several occasions where we considered introducing a limit but didn't due to where Necromancers were as a class at the time.

    And that is what leads us to this announcement. In the August update, we're going to introduce an effect limiter on the Necromancer epic 1.5, 2.0, and 2.5 that starts to decay its effectiveness by 5% per level for spells above level 80.

    Originally the plan had been to start the decay at level 75 to match all of the other casters, priests, and hybrids. Some outliers still had effects that worked at full potency up until level 80, though, so that's where we started the decay for Necromancers as well. It means that most of the spells that will be focused less effectively by the Necromancer epic have the full benefit of the DoT consolidation project, and by the time the effect wears off completely necromancers will be in a much better spot damage-wise than they were with the epic before DoTs were consolidated.

    Here's what this means in gameplay:

    From levels 70 to 80, there's no change. In Omens of War and the six subsequent expansions, the epic 1.5/2.0/2.5 is just as powerful as it was before.

    Level 81 spells get 95% of the effectiveness of the epic, level 82 spells get 90% of the effectiveness, and so on. Level 90 spells will get half of the effectiveness of the epic, and no epic will affect a level 100 spell. This slow ramp means that there's no point where upgrading to a new spell will lower your effectiveness in combat.

    We understand that this isn't great news for you and it's upsetting to lose an effect that has been part of the class for so long. This isn't something we enjoy doing. It's also important for the long-term health of the game to allow old items to retire. We believe that by placing the cutoff where we did we've accomplished the following goals:
    1. The Necromancer epic retains its status as the longest-lasting worn effect. It just isn't infinite any more.
    2. It has a slow ramp-down in effectiveness that is more than matched by increasing spell damage.
    3. It is no longer a "requirement" for people playing the class to obtain 18 expansions after it was introduced.
  2. I-WANT-IT-NOW Augur

    Why can’t you take the same stance you guys took for the more effective focus of cleave? Stagnate the effect and just carry it forward in newer items. You are drastically altering the play of a class by flat out removing 18% critical rate. This drastically alters everything about the class in terms of solo, group and raid play. Even adps and it’s impact now are drastically being altered as a result of this change. Terribly thought out if you just think well I gave them bigger dots finally so I can take it away now and they are still ahead. 18% critical rate is an obscene amount of an effect to just remove at this point. That would be like changing how berserkers and warriors critical rate functions compared to everyone else 20 years after the fact and expecting it to just be ok.
    Emarra likes this.
  3. Nennius Curmudgeon

  4. Jhenna_BB Proudly Prestigious Pointed Purveyor of Pincusions

    I do hope the nerfing of the 2.0 will factor into any potential adjustments implemented to revamped Necromancer DoTs. Any adjustments shouldn't feel like receiving a castration. The "Best DoT Class" in EverQuest is again just that and should remain as such.
    Emarra and Deux like this.
  5. Cadira Augur

  6. kizant Augur

    It's a good decision and most people know it. Just ignore the 1 or 2 loud people complaining from all their forum accounts.
  7. Szilent Augur

    waitwhat? ain't no item in EQ with multiple activated effects
    svann likes this.
  8. Bobsmith Augur

  9. Jhenna_BB Proudly Prestigious Pointed Purveyor of Pincusions

    They sure didn't take long on that other post...lol

    The thread is being monitored, folks! :D
    Bobsmith likes this.
  10. dreamweaver Community Manager

  11. Kolani Augur

    Wait, we can talk about that now? When I was learning to play a necro (poorly), I was told my other necros to never mention outside of necro channels that the 2.5 invisible aug stacks with the base crit rate already on the epic.
  12. Corrick New Member

    Great, I just spent all weekend doing my 2.0 on my necro. Waste of time for a 110 Necro

    posted a screen shot but it didn't show. Completed 20.09.01 08/08/2020
  13. dreamweaver Community Manager


    In case you'd like to edit the post, you may need to host the image on imgur or a similar site.
    Andarriel likes this.
  14. Bigstomp Augur

    It applied an extra effect to the warrior clicking it vs the group.
  15. Antasirras New Member

    So... when you take away the crit chance, our spells have a greater chance of doing the same damage they used to do on a critical hit back before the revamp. Except now they cost 5x as much mana and don't stack with spells of the same line.

    Thanks.
  16. Beergoggles Elder

    Can we expect more ranks of critical affliction to make up for the loss of 18% crit rate? No matter the class critical damage accounts for more than just a significant part of their dps. Outright losing 18% crit rate seems a bit excessive without at least a portion of that crit rate being made up in another manner whether through aa or other means.
  17. Darkthrone New Member

    Is this in place now or is it upcomming? just to clarify.

    While it sucks, as someone who has played necros since launch, i am happy for this...IF they introduce a similar focus that can stack, or perhaps new epics!

    It will be nice to retire an item with poor stats that im sure all necros wish they could have upgraded years ago if it didnt affect dps.
  18. dreamweaver Community Manager


    It is in the upcoming patch.
    -----Cinexa----- and Darkthrone like this.
  19. Riou EQResource

    Probably is meaning the HP buff part that also has a Resist Spell Recourse (so it is 2 "effects" in 1 click basically)
  20. Darkthrone New Member

    Would be good to get some more ranks of critical affliction, or perhaps a new class AA to perhaps mitigate some of the loss, perhaps a 5-8% boost to mitigate the loss of the epic focus which we have had for almost 20 years now.