Changes with the February Update: Developer Updates

This topic has drifted so far into left field that I think people have not only beaten the dead horse. they got a necro to come in to res it so that they can keep on beating the poor thing.

I like the idea that was posted of reducing exp on light blue mobs. In fact I really would love to see the exp on all mobs reduced. It would be nice if they went back to the original levels... If you want a harder game then you should have been there with the original exp caps on mobs. That was tough.

Well, I've played off and on for years, so I read what is going on. I can really only comment on the AAs.

I am glad to read it is an OPTION to take them and is not forced. And I for one will NOT be taking the option.

Call me crazy, but I like to pick and choose what I want. And doesn't the Defiant gear make alot of those stat raising AAs obsolete? (I might be misinterpreting something though)

For those that do leave from this (and I don't blame you. I left with LU13 in EQ2 because of the horrible, drastic changes) I do hope you come back, and if not, find a game you enjoy. WildStar looks good and so does ESO!

There will be a period where your stats will be capped. At 100 you will start to be uncapped again..

Im a long time Ranger who started on TT, and am now on the Rathe server. Ive been playing EQ for about 12 yrs and the Ranger was my first char. I dont like the changes being proposed for the ranger at this time.

Tieing the mobs level to the rangers -1 seems to powerful to me, with the likely result being that at some point in the near future it will be decided that it is too powerful and rangers will get nerfed once again( it has happened before many times).

On the flip side, nerfing the proc rate is a bigger nerf than most non-rangers think. We are already limited to humanoid only. Nerfing the proc rate will make it about as useful as Trueshot is, which isnt much.

What I propose and hope you consider is, make the mobs lvl no higher than the rangers level -6, maybe -8. That will allow HS to stay current and reasonably useful without being overpowered.

I dont know what the actual proc rate is on HS, but lets assume its on average 1 proc every 12 shots. Change it to 1 proc every 16-20 shots. This would reduce the rate of HS without making it useless, and would be more in line with the changes being made to the other classes.

Earlier than that. My level 100 shaman will benefit from the stat aa to the tune of roughly 1000 raw hp and mana.

So is patch going live this week or not? I see some issues on test but people are claiming it is going live still.

I think I understand why you are making these changes to the classes. I can see how it would be difficult to balance this change.

With that said I think it is out of balance that the Ranger Headshot AA , and the Rogue Assassinate AA are limited to "Humanoid" NPC's, while Decapitation is not. The mobs that are classified as "Humanoid" are not consistant thoughout the game, and the one's that are classified as such, do not exist in many locations. Example: Giants are not humanoid, but some Goo's are. This makes using these skills in a group where the "Humanoids" do not exist, impossible. A Berserker does not have this restriction, so the skill they have is useful in all situations, but the Rogue and Ranger one's are not. I do not see a logical reason for the restriction now that the Skills are being changed, and the mechanics of the skill usage is different. Please entertain changing Headshot and Assassinate so they apply to all classes of NPC's as Decapitate is.

Again, I know the difficulty in balancing this; however, this seems to be a very easy and balancing change to the proposed modifications, IMO.

It's bad enough that they never took the time to fix the HA doughnut hole issue, and without fixing that, are nerfing the class once again. The least they could have done was removed the "humanoid only" restriction; then the ability would be somewhat relevant and/or useful. As it stands, it's useless in most any practical application.

I can already tell that Rangers, SKs, and Mages are not going to be the first choice of Heroic Characters that new and returning players are going to flock to. No one wants to buy a broken toy... or even one that's been downgraded from last year's model.

Some giants are though.

But its not like these were the only reasons to play the class? Rangers and SK's and Mages should not be delegated to 1 ability.... or 1 tactic. They have much to offer and to say that they suck now becuase they fixed them is sad. You do not refuse to buy a 2014 model Porche because the 2013 is no longer availiable and it had 10horsepower more. The car still has tons of featuers that still work and even if its missing something that the older one had does not make it a horrible car. Same goes for the classes. They got fixed.. the abilities needed to be fixed, now that they are the classes are not somehow unplayable.. and I doubt Ill see a reduction in the classes being played.

Uh obviously you aren't a car person, I'm pretty sure little things like that CAN make them not buy a car. I would not at all count on not seeing a reduction either. SK Main since 99 here, so fantastic that an ability we have had since leech curse discipline (Kunark I think?) got put in getting reduced horrendously. I have lost about all desire to play over it, why continue knowing they could make me even weaker on a whim out of nowhere because someone else whined about it.

Welcome to the world of the Warrior...... actually though, does this really make your class unplayable? And if you are afraid they may change something else... well they have changed things for the better and worse for 15 years now. you should be use to it. No class has been perfect from creation, abilities come and go depending on unseen problems that might come up. If players find a way to use an ability that was not expected to be used like then you will see it be changed. Its how the game evolves, dont be afraid your class will become worthless somehow, it may change and grow over time.

I forgot to comment on the Proc Rate for the Ranger Headshot AA specifically.

It is stated in the original "Changes with the February Update" that Head Shot "will have its chance to proc reduced. The intended chance to proc should average out to about 2 procs per minute."

Does this mean that the reduction in the proc rate for headshot will result in and average of approximately 2 actual procs per minute, and that the chance to proc Headshot is actually more than 2 times per minute on average, but will fail quite often, based on your math?

I read this to mean that the chance to proc headshot is higher than an average of 2 shots per minute, will fail often, but will result in an actual proc of 2 times per minute on average.

I am stating this a few ways purposefully for clarification.

If the above understanding is correct on my part, then potentially, Headshot could not proc at all in a 1 minute period. If this is true, and based on the mana usage of other abilities (such as hail of Arrows, and Vinelash Cascade, etc) and their chance to fail, be resisted, or break, Headshot needs to be procing more often than proposed to be balanced, IMO.

Look at making Headshot proc more often!

PS: This may be true for Rogues too, but not sure on that.

Again, I understand balancing can be difficult, and that is why player input is required. It is wonderful that you guys and gals actually listen!

PS again: I noticed in the 2/14 Update notes on the test Server that the proc rate average assumption is based on having Raid Gear. "Reduced the proc rate to approximately 2 per minute for a raid geared player." That means that the proc rate for a non-raid geared player is even less than stated above.


Thanks in advance!

Never be scared of changes to your class. Voicing your concern is valid, but try to see it from all sides of the argument. Try looking at it from other class perspectives and from those who have been fighting for years to have those abilities changed. They gave good enough reasons to finnally get the change so soemthing was being missused. Maybe you were not, but someone was doing something that they should not be. It could even have been a hack that no one but a few knew about... they will not tell us because that is against the rules.

Well, you cannot compare this class reduction of abilities to cars. You will not pay this year model's price for last year's model, knowing last year's model has less (no matter how small it is), will you? So going forward, these classes have their abilities reduced, but it cost the same to play them as playing others ($15 a month, $40 per new expansion, etc.), why you would want that?

Would be interesting to see what class people choose when they have to pay extra to get.

Playable has nothing at all to do with it, it is the principle of the thing. They nerfed an ability that has defined SKs for a very long time, even more so 10 years ago with the advent of 1.5/2.0. Meaning absolutely nothing is safe. We got about nothing with CoTF, which is about par for the course of being an SK, but then this? It is an even worse injustice than what they did to necromancers. Why continue with a game if all you have to look forward to is getting weaker? They have always gunned for SHD/NEC in particular, but this one is the last straw for me. The nerf was partial, so now they can justify further not doing anything for us as they almost always have since we got Innoruuk's Blessing.

I guess I dont feel so bad being a warrior... I remember really devastating "fixes" and how we were ignored for countless expansions and somehow I just dont see why its a huge issue. It wasnt class defining. Its not like the removed HT.... which actually defined the class or removed your pet...or removed your ability to tank or use 1hs and shields or 2hs weapons those also define your class. 1 line of spells do not make your class, you have countless other abilites at your dispossal. I would not quit because of some possible future change. If that was the case why play any game as any game can change at any time. If you really like your character you can still play him, if you relied on that 1 spell or ability so much then maybe try some others. You might find you like them even more.

I just dont understand why anyone would invest so much time into a class and play them and somehow be offended by a change that doesnt even affect the class in ways that makes them different completly from what they were. I could understand if they made you a range only character with no spells. That would be nothing like what you played and you would be justified in anger. I just cant see these changes as being so horrible... I only see the benefit they have.

Feel your pain and frustration. If it makes you feel better, I do not like the idea of playing through it either. I cancelled my accounts and am moving on. I have not logged in since the 6th of Feb and have cut down my forum checks to once a day.

It gets easier and easier not to think anything EQ the longer that you go so, if you are moving on too, the sooner that you start, the sooner you will get over EQ.

Ryneis

No it doesn't break the class. By far, in my opinion, this changes SKs more than any other class as their abilities that were nerfed are used in regular play more than most. That's my opinion though.

Headshot is basically useless as it is something that rarely anyone will use now. Before it may have been abused, but I don't know any Rangers that will sit back and use their bow unless they have to because Archery isn't that great. Without removing the limitations on targets (along with rogues) and without it being used in melee other than a few abilities, it's less useful than killing blow.

If you don't think there will be a reduction in the classes being played you will likely be shocked near to death. A lot of people only played Rangers, Berserkers, Mages, and SKs to Headshot/Decap/Swarming. They either played them to level faster or they did it to power level others. This is evidenced by the large amounts of people I see running around with names like Beams, Decaps, Headshotter, etc. Will it kill any desire to play the classes? No. Most people who play the classes play them because they like them, but there will be a drop in popularity for sure.

The Porsche analogy is a bit silly. This is one of the most popular features of these classes and with that changing, those who flocked for that purpose alone will likely stop playing it or quit playing. It will work out well for those who play the classes and don't care for the one aspect though and the devs and jealous players can stop using them as cheap excuses to keep the classes in check all the time.

That is because you have a very limited understanding of what is changing it seems. The changes to some classes benefit nothing, they were brought about by jealous people crying until they got their way and a few people abusing things.