Maintaining raids attractive

[Feithlin]

Raids plays a big into making players group for a common achievement. I won't touch into epic, as those who have an epic version can still be attractive for some items. This proposition is only for heroic versions.

The raids would give a new loot called: a Stone, specific to the raid. If an epic version of the raid exists, this item would drop in addition to the usual stuff, following the same drop rate as heroic difficulties.

This would be an ingredient, that you could combine with other stones to produce some unique consumables. Because they are consumables, you would still have a reason to do the raid. It's also important that they give unique effects, to not suffer from concurrence (they could be imitated by Store Potions though), and that those effects would not affect power creep (i.e. no +X attributes, spell power, etc.).

Plane of the Night: Draconic Stone
Zawabi's Revenge: Demonic Stone
Titan Awakes: Mechanic Stone
Ascension Chamber: Undeath Stone
Reaver's Fate: Gigantic Stone
Hound of Xoriat: Madness Stone
Vision of Destruction: Devilish Stone

The drop rate would be:
Normal: 30% of getting one
Hard: 60% of getting one
Elite: 100% of getting one

Examples of recipes using Mechanic:
Mechanic + Devilish: Potion of Silver coating (Silver weapon spell, 5 min. duration)
Mechanic + Demonic: Potion of Cold iron coating (Cold iron weapon spell, 5 min. duration)
Mechanic + Madness: Potion of Byeshk coating (Byeshk weapon spell, 5 min. duration)
Mechanic + Draconic: Potion of Force weapon (Applies +1d6 Force, 5 min. duration)
Mechanic + Gigantic: Potion of Adamantine coating (Adam. weapon spell, 5 min. duration)
Mechanic + Undeath: Potion of Harm (like spell)

Examples of recipes using Draconic:
Draconic + Devilish: Potion of Fire coating (+1d6 Fire, 5 min.)
Draconic + Demonic: Potion of Cold weapon (+1d6 Cold, 5 min.)
Draconic + Madness: Potion of Acid weapon (+1d6 Acid, 5 min.)
Draconic + Gigantic: Potion of Shocking weapon (+1d6 Shock, 5 min.)
Draconic + Undeath: Potion of Unholy weapon (+1d6 Unholy, 5 min.)

Examples of recipes using Madness:
Madness + Devilish: Potion of Freedom of Movement (5 min.).
Madness + Demonic: Potion of Poison Immunity (5 min.).
Madness + Gigantic: Potion of Disease Immunity (5 min.).
Madness + Undeath: Potion of Restoration.

Using Devilish:
Devilish + Demonic: Potion of Dimension Door.
Devilish + Gigantic: Potion of Greater Heroism (like scroll).
Devilish + Undeath: Potion of Infravision (5 min.).

Using Gigantic:
Gigantic + Demonic: Potion of Wild Instincts (as scroll).
Gigantic + Undeath: Potion of Heal (like spell).

And the last:
Demonic + Undeath: Potion of Death Ward (20 min.).

[shadereaper33]

an interesting idea, however, I feel that your described abilities are too low in both power and duration for requiring items from multiple raids to be able to get the effects. Also, when new raids are released, this system will get significantly more complicated, as each raid will require n+1 new recipes, where n=number of raids prior to update. Again, not a bad idea, but it sounds like a lot of work for not a lot of reward. Personally, with the described effects, I wouldn't even bother looting them from the raid chests.

[Asmodeus451]

what about instead having unique consumables drop from each raid?

Deathward pots in Abbot

Metal-type DR enchants from LoB and tMA

^just some examples

[Feithlin]

an interesting idea, however, I feel that your described abilities are too low in both power and duration for requiring items from multiple raids to be able to get the effects. Also, when new raids are released, this system will get significantly more complicated, as each raid will require n+1 new recipes, where n=number of raids prior to update. Again, not a bad idea, but it sounds like a lot of work for not a lot of reward. Personally, with the described effects, I wouldn't even bother looting them from the raid chests.

Maybe they could be toned up a bit yes. I didn't want to start with something too big.
Note that I only included the raids that are not run much on heroic: Shroud and LoB are still very attractive. Recipes would only need to be added when a raid starts to become old and has few or no LFM.

[Feithlin]

what about instead having unique consumables drop from each raid?

Deathward pots in Abbot

Metal-type DR enchants from LoB and tMA

^just some examples

It would be more simple. Perhaps it would be better this way.
The idea of mixing them was extend the overall raid propositions, but maybe it would be a too small return for the time spent inside, like shadereaper33 said.
The 'best' potions should probably be found in Titan and Abbot, for the time they require, maybe even in stacks.

[countfitz]

Hour in quest timer duration minimum, more like 6 to be worth it. Maybe even more.

Nice idea.

Personally... I'd rather see the raids epicified.

[V_mad_jester_V]

Hour in quest timer duration minimum, more like 6 to be worth it. Maybe even more.

Nice idea.

Personally... I'd rather see the raids epicified.

echrono becomes a bore after a while, first fight, go to market, invis zerg to bank, beat breaks off boss, bring key to badly voice acted jerg off who tell you his master plan (i hate villain monologues) clear market, go to steam tunnels, beat breaks off boss, go to tent, listen to jerg off monologue again fail, beat breaks off voltron, ddoor done gah that makes my head hurt thinking of the rinse and repeat of that quest

[Lithic]

Easiest way to make raids attractive beyond thier time of endgame-ness is to turn them into 6man quests once they are 4-6 levels below the level cap. Tone down the damage and requirements (ex: wiz runs in VON5), and change them from raid to party. The timer could stay or go.

Its so much easier and faster to fill 6man groups than raids, especially for unpopular ones or those with only obsolete loot.