Devs: Ward Token's Stoneskin is CL 7 on a Level 28 Item?

[Grizzt14]

The new Ward Token (see below) Stoneskin effect is cast at Level 7. While the slots and other enchantments are decent, the Stoneskin effect being cast at a level so low compared to the ML of the item feels very underpowered, even at a 15% proc chance. Is this WAI? If not, can the Devs look into improving the Stoneskin to a much higher CL or an "improved" Stoneskin of sorts?

[Ivan_Milic]

Bump it to at least cl20.

[Eth]

CL:7 makes kind of sense coupled with a 15% proc chance since that makes it pretty much permanent stoneskin.

They could have made it just static DR of course...

[jaegarnel]

Imo, this item would need a major overhaul to be remotely useful, not just a CL 20 stoneskin.
It's pretty easy now to get DR 10, so stoneskin does nothing for most epic characters, diehard is useless even with the improved incapacitation range, because being incapacitated means death in the next second anyway, protection +10 is just as useless since it's an AC boost.

We're left with an earthgrab guard and 2 slots, not enough to be worth using imo. That this item is loot from a lvl 30 raid, well it just says how disconnected the devs in charge of loot are from the reality of the game.

[rimble]

CL:7 makes kind of sense coupled with a 15% proc chance since that makes it pretty much permanent stoneskin.

They could have made it just static DR of course...

Yeah, I guess that's my initial reaction too. By the time you've taken 7 hits to wipe out the 70 points of Stoneskin you have, there's a high chance (calling all math lawyers) it will already be reapplied/refreshed...assuming it DOES refresh over itself. Still, at this level, it'd be nice to see things bumping up to 'Improved' versions more...Improved Stoneskin, DR/15, 150 charges.

Don't like the mystery Earthgrab Guard DC though. Gettin' real tired of that (if I recall, a Dev mentioned a 'new higher DC' on this one). I guess it shouldn't be too hard to test somewhere.

[redspecter23]

Yeah, I guess that's my initial reaction too. By the time you've taken 7 hits to wipe out the 70 points of Stoneskin you have, there's a high chance (calling all math lawyers) it will already be reapplied/refreshed...assuming it DOES refresh over itself. Still, at this level, it'd be nice to see things bumping up to 'Improved' versions more...Improved Stoneskin, DR/15, 150 charges.

Don't like the mystery Earthgrab Guard DC though. Gettin' real tired of that (if I recall, a Dev mentioned a 'new higher DC' on this one). I guess it shouldn't be too hard to test somewhere.

Wouldn't it be great if we didn't have to test it? They could have just put the DC right there in the description. Of course we would have to test it anyway to make sure they actually wrote the correct number. Sigh.

[FuzzyDuck81]

Considering how stoneskin works by only blocking the 1st 10 points of damage until its all used up, and how it's relatively easy to acquire permanant DR of that kind of level, i agree it could do with something a little more.. making it cast ablative armour instead could have more impact - less damage absorbtion overall, but being able to soak up a larger single chunk of damage that would effectively stack with actual DR would make it considerably better.

[JonD]

By the time you've taken 7 hits to wipe out the 70 points of Stoneskin you have, there's a high chance (calling all math lawyers) it will already be reapplied/refreshed

Approximately a 68% chance of it being reapplied before / just as it runs out.

[Avenging_Angel]

Wouldn't it be great if we didn't have to test it? They could have just put the DC right there in the description. Of course we would have to test it anyway to make sure they actually wrote the correct number. Sigh.

But what use is knowing the DC if you don't know the saving throw bonus of mobs?

[Ivan_Milic]

But what use is knowing the DC if you don't know the saving throw bonus of mobs?

Thats what spells are for.

[unbongwah]

It could be CL:100 and it still wouldn't matter as long as it's capped at DR 10. At the very least, it's long overdue for the devs to add Greater Stoneskin (DR 20) or something similar. [And yes, I know Gtr Stoneskin was only in the NWN games, not the core PnP rules.] Which still isn't great, but at least it's only half as useless as Stoneskin in epics - baby steps, folks, baby steps.

[Qhualor]

considering that its an "end game" item and that EE mobs hit you for more than the stoneskin will proc on you, the only thing nice about that ring is the earthgrab guard and that's pushing it since a save is 35 reflex. they need to stop putting protection on gear when AC is still pretty much useless. even with -40 hp in "end game", I don't remember the last time I was glad I had diehard and saved the day and when I die im at -100+. not impressed with this item at all and not something I would try to farm for.

[Violith]

juding from the dev's post on lam, I'd say its a bug

Thanks everyone for your feedback. I've got a few answers to some of the questions posted, here. More tomorrow if I can find the time.

• Shadow Phase mimics a Shadar-kai enhancement ability that makes you invisible and move through enemies (http://ddowiki.com/page/Shadar-kai#Core_abilities)
• We're going to make a higher level version of Stoneskin
• Ditto for Earthgrab
• We are planning on having an outfit version of the armor. We were worried about monks looking silly in their stances with robes. We'll split up the abilities posted for robes between the two.

[HungarianRhapsody]

CL:7 makes kind of sense coupled with a 15% proc chance since that makes it pretty much permanent stoneskin.

They could have made it just static DR of course...

If it had DR 10/-, it wouldn't have been overpowered for ML 28.

Level 7 stoneskin at level 28 is just silly.

[PermaBanned]

juding from the dev's post on lam, I'd say its a bug

Great, another "push the broken loot live & fix it later." I'm sure they'll vet right on that after they finish fixing the last loot fiasco...

Now, with my pessimism out of the way:

It could be CL:100 and it still wouldn't matter as long as it's capped at DR 10. At the very least, it's long overdue for the devs to add Greater Stoneskin (DR 20) or something similar. [And yes, I know Gtr Stoneskin was only in the NWN games, not the core PnP rules.] Which still isn't great, but at least it's only half as useless as Stoneskin in epics - baby steps, folks, baby steps.

While it's certainly lacking in terms of qualifying as a sought-after piece of endgame final gear; it also has definite "dofer" potential. DR isn't great, but it's better than nothing - and Stoneskin effectively acts like stacking DR. Also, if this item's proc is like the Stoneskin proc on the Cove Trinket (which I suspect as it is also CL7) it stacks with an actually cast Stoneskin spell, potentially granting (when pricing on someone with a cast Stoneskin) a stacking DR 20.

Like I said, not great for someone who lives in Epic Elite and is filling out a collection of "best in slot" end game kit gear; but for the non-Epic Eliters, or for those whe the loot gods have cursed and denied what they really want - this (at least potentially) has some value.

[Eth]

If it had DR 10/-, it wouldn't have been overpowered for ML 28.

Level 7 stoneskin at level 28 is just silly.

Yes. I'd even go further than DR10. DR10 was something that was really strong back before MotU came out.
DR30 sounds more about right for what we have now.