Augment Changes

[danzig138]

So you stopped producing guild slots for some reason (not a good one either). Fine. You replaced them with Augment Crystal slots. Fine. And the Augment slot idea isn't bad, but it's not great. It needs a couple of changes.

1. On some existing named gear, you replaced inherent powers with slotted versions of the powers. THAT IS A TERRIBLE IDEA. The augment slots should always - always - be a bonus on top of the existing powers.

2. Augment crystal availability is a bit of a joke. You can either pay stupid high in epic tokens. I'm sorry, I mean Tokens of the Twelve, wait for the one you need to drop, buy it for stupidly high prices on the AH, or purchase it from the DDO store. You need to either up the drop rate of low and mid-level augments, or make them purchasable from a vendor, perhaps as a 150 Favor reward for some House (favor rewards need some revision anyway).

3. Utility of the Augments blows chunks. Sorry, but it does. For the minimum levels involved, the augments are not worth it barring a couple of effects. So IMO, there are two changes you need to make:

a. Change the bonus type to Augment. That way people don't get screwed slotting spell point crystals and the like because you haven't bothered to update the text on existing items.

b. Shift most of the effects down one tier of minimum level. ML 20 for a +6 stat crystal? I don't think so. If you shift most of the effects down one tier, you'll greatly increase the utility of this system.

[Davelfus]

while we are at it... false life, resistance and protection back to yellow too?

also i think the elemental dmg at the red slots is kinda... lame

oh and don't forget that they NEED to go into some bag...

[donfilibuster]

About #1, are we sure it does replace inherent powers? afaik it didn't or wasn't supposed to.
There was that dev saying that the affected items were mostly junk no one used, and were just added the slots.

For the rarity, the old epic slots weren't exactly free to purchase, you needed collect the shards which some people got easier than others (including people without the challenges).
The confusion i find is with the guild slots, because they were indeed available at a vendor.
Won't have a replacement to the large guild hp and sp bonus under the new system.

[kittikatgurl]

In terms of availibility of augments, you can also buy them from gianthold. The level 20 and 24 ones are pretty expensive, but I've found that the drop rates are pretty reasonable for most of those anyway. A few like fortification aren't there, but 75 points for a heavy fort augment isn't a lot of grinding, much easier than grinding epic tokens.

The low level ones are really inexpensive, particularly as the heroic quests drop more relics than they used to and most players that have been around for a while have a lot of those stored away.

[gphysalis]

1. On some existing named gear, you replaced inherent powers with slotted versions of the powers.

2. buy it for stupidly high prices on the AH

a. Change the bonus type to Augment.

b. Shift most of the effects down one tier of minimum level.

1. I think that this is a good method: it gives items more flexibility, without forcing players to grind out augment crystals to have a fully slotted item.

2. The crystals are new, and will go down in price on the auction house very soon. If you want them cheap, just wait 2 more weeks, and buy them off the ah to your heart's content.

3. I agree with both of your points, that the augment crystals should give stacking bonuses like the guild augments did, and that most things are too high tier.
(Both of these changes should not be applied to the same augment crystal though)

[CaptainSpacePony]

1. On some existing named gear, you replaced inherent powers with slotted versions of the powers. THAT IS A TERRIBLE IDEA. The augment slots should always - always - be a bonus on top of the existing powers.

2. Augment crystal availability is a bit of a joke. You can either pay stupid high in epic tokens. I'm sorry, I mean Tokens of the Twelve, wait for the one you need to drop, buy it for stupidly high prices on the AH, or purchase it from the DDO store. You need to either up the drop rate of low and mid-level augments, or make them purchasable from a vendor, perhaps as a 150 Favor reward for some House (favor rewards need some revision anyway).

3. Utility of the Augments blows chunks. Sorry, but it does. For the minimum levels involved, the augments are not worth it barring a couple of effects. So IMO, there are two changes you need to make:

a. Change the bonus type to Augment. That way people don't get screwed slotting spell point crystals and the like because you haven't bothered to update the text on existing items.

b. Shift most of the effects down one tier of minimum level. ML 20 for a +6 stat crystal? I don't think so. If you shift most of the effects down one tier, you'll greatly increase the utility of this system.

1. I disagree. I think the way it was implemented was brilliant! Most of the preslotted items are slotted with the old abilities. I appreciate the option of putting something else there if I want to. The new system did not need to be strictly a "buff old gear" retrofit.

2. I have no strong opinion yet. So far I seem to be pulling a decent amount of augments from chests and it "feels" like they won't be in short supply very long. They have only been recently introduced into the world and will take a while to permeate the worlds. Would also like to see them on end reward lists. I do like the idea of favor-unlocked vendors being a source of supply.

3. I agree--half of the time. The resists, stat bonuses, and a few others are indeed fairly lame (disclaimer I am a lvl 100+ cannith crafter). The utility stuff looks more interesting to me though. Also while things like 30% striding having a ML of 20 may at 1st seem off-putting, remember the augment slots are EXTRA stuff. I can now use my Epic rock boots to cover my striding. At lvl 11 or so it reasonable to expect if I want 30% striding I have to use a dedicated item for that effect.

[Rian]

I really wish they didn't exclude sonic damage for the red augments

Perhaps adding more named augments in general could be cool too.

The levels at which some of the augments are set for are kinda silly though imo.

[decease]

several things i wish turbine do:

1. add exceptional fortification like guild slot do. say 5%, 10%, 15%, 25%, 40% for yellow slot level 4, 8, 12, 20, 24

2. add a shop for week, lowbie augment gem, and sale them for 50, 200, 500 plat each(level 1, 4, 8)

3. boost low level augment gem. damage should start from 1d2 to 1d20(epic level 24), colorless stats should start from +2 to +8 at level 24

4. add more functional gem to yellow slot, like freeze ice, healing amplification, stone guard...etc

[Lloirin]

A couple good points here.

"2. Augment crystal availability is a bit of a joke. You can either pay stupid high in epic tokens. I'm sorry, I mean Tokens of the Twelve, wait for the one you need to drop, buy it for stupidly high prices on the AH, or purchase it from the DDO store. You need to either up the drop rate of low and mid-level augments, or make them purchasable from a vendor, perhaps as a 150 Favor reward for some House (favor rewards need some revision anyway)."
+6 stat diamonds can be purchased for 20 tokens or 6ea restored gianthold relics.
I would LOVE to be able to exchange 6ea relics for 20 tokens. These prices are NOT balanced.

"3b. Shift most of the effects down one tier of minimum level. ML 20 for a +6 stat crystal? I don't think so. If you shift most of the effects down one tier, you'll greatly increase the utility of this system."
People are using +6 stat items at 11. And you're saying, lvl 20 before that's OK for a slot? No.
Drop the ML one tier, add higher-tier effects, and ****, add some better effects. All I seem to ever use is stat diamonds, resist, and false life. I guess the spell focus is OK... ish?

BAGS. FOR THE GODS' SAKES, AUGMENT BAGS.

Overall, I looked forward to this system... until I actually saw its implementation. Oh well.

[Flavilandile]

not addressing all the points as most are quite relevant. A lot of people are finding the new augment system quite meh... when not utterly ****.... but they acknowledge that it is a good idea... it's just the implementation that is bad.

Regarding the stat bonus
a plain stat bonus item follow the following rules :

ML 1 : +1
ML 3 : +2
ML 5 : +3
ML 7 : +4
ML 9 : +5
ML11 : +6
( note : that it changed a few month ago and was lowered by two levels...there's still ML 13 +6 items around )

Now this is what we have for the Augments :
ML 2 : +1
ML 4 : +2
ML 8 : +3
ML12 : +4
ML16 : +5
ML20 : +6

And the Augment does not stack with an item. So it's one exclusive or the other.
While the Augment values would be great if they stacked. As they are they are not worth the effort.

So for the Stat Augment I suggest that they get changed so that they can stack with plain items.
and the spread is changed to the following :

ML 5 : +2
ML15 : +3
ML25 : +4

( which allow for max value ( item + augment ) of +10 )

Or even better create a second category, one with the stacking stat and one without the stacking stat.
That way you can have :

Stacking
ML 5 : +2
ML15 : +3
ML25 : +4

Non Stacking : ( as the old stat item range was )

ML 3 : +1
ML 5 : +2
ML 7 : +3
ML 9 : +4
ML11 : +5
ML13 : +6

It has been stated that Toughness Augment would be a named... somewhere near Necropolis... I just hope it won't have a ******** drop rate like Yellow Dopant had.

And yes Bags are a requirement... And please stop putting things in the Ingredient Bag, create new bags when you add new things.

[FlameDiablo]

The new system is good for some reasons and bad for others, but i don't wanna discuss this.

The HORRIBLE thing is that yu PARTIALLY removed guild slots: what does mean that it exist but cannot drop? What about new players or that one that was unlucky and stil didin't found items they needed?
Pls remove or restore guild slots, this hybrid solution is TERRIBLE

[Dasthug]

Yellow slots definitely need some love. I'd like to see Healing amp and Doublestrike added there. It would turn yellow from the redheaded stepchild augment to fairly competitive with blue. As it is, yellow slots offer melee almost nothing, in many cases you are better off putting a +1 exceptional stat colorless gem in there.

Red slots are also a little underwhelming for high level melee as well. If you don't need a DR breaker, all you have is a pretty modest (and boring) damage increase. Consider this: The actual damage increase of GS effects like lightning strike and disintegration range from about 5-9 damage per swing when you average the damage against proc rate. That's technically no better than a 1-10 damage gem, but it's more FUN. I know Id rather have a Disintegration red gem in my weapon than a 1-10 acid damage gem, even if the effective damage of the two is comparable.