Armor Up - Developer Diary #1

[4tonmantis]

Personally, I'm getting weary of regrinding and respeccing just to tread water due to knee-jerk over-reactions, so no fits planned to be pitched here, just that much closer to drifting off permanently.

The last time I played regularly was when E Gianthold was getting ready to released (I was in the group on test server) and have only recently ventured back into DDO. I returned to find not only a completely different game but I see that this game is getting ready to change drastically ..yet again.. and I'm not happy about that. I sincerely think I might be with you on this.

[Miightyy]

To address some concernes about the PRR/MRR caps for monks I have an idea. While in Mountain Stance increase the cap for PRR/MRR. Example: T1 Stance cap = Robe Cap, T2 stance = Light Armor cap, T3 stance = Med Armor Cap, T4 stance = Heavy armor cap. Or something like that. You gave us a Monk stance to tank in it should remain competitive. Should a monk in wind stance have a PRR/MRR of 305? Probably not but a earth monk should be able to hit high PRR/MRR.

+1! Got my vote on that!

[4tonmantis]

If all else is ignored on this.. please make sure Full Plate of the Defender (a heavy that counts as a Medium) isn't unintentionally nerfed because of the blanket Medium Armor PRR/MRR stats. Maybe this was mentioned somewhere.. maybe it wasn't, but again.. I have too many pieces of loot that are basically **** now because the game changed but they didn't.

EDIT: Obviously I am not just talking about Full Plate of the Defender..but any set that would normally have the qualities of one type of armor but is a category lighter as a unique trait. This also covers many Breastplates and other sets of armor.

[mkmcgw17]

Greetings,

To give insight to player about the changes involved with our Armor Up changes, Paladin buffs, and other balance changes we are writing a series of developer diaries to explain upcoming changes we have planned for the game.

In this first offering we will discuss some extensions to our basic systems so players can more easily understand how all of this works together. With this post players should become more familiar with the following:

~ Physical Resist Rating (or PRR), the new formula the increases its power, and the bonuses to PRR that heavier armors will grant.
~ Magical Resist Rating (or MRR), the new rating that will mitigate magical damage, and the bonuses to MRR that heavier armors will grant.
~ Melee Power, the new melee specific attribute similar to Spellpower, and how certain static effects will scale with this new attribute.
~ Ranged Power, the new missile specific attribute similar to Spellpower, and how it might affect future abilities.
~ Improvements to the mitigation of heavier armors.

NOTE: I realize some of this is math heavy designer speak, but we felt that the DDO players interested in these details would benefit from a post about how all of this fits into our greater balancing plan, and how it begins to put pieces into place for future balancing.

Here's my view. You just made the most powerful toon in the game twice as powerful with update 23 changes. I know of three Paladins that are now 100% immune to damage magical or physical. Why would u do that? All my melee remained unchanged by the update. I saw a slight increase in my two handed weapon damage but none in my two dual wield characters. The problem now is everyone already plays a Paladin or Paladin hybrid and insist on doing ee which my light armored toons sometimes have problems with. Add to this the wide spread use of the card cruncher exploit which I refused to use since to me its stealing from you. So now all the casters have infinite sp and I don't. I cant do epic anymore with groups. The paladin class is grossly overpowered. Your normal solution to this problem is to power up everyone else this doesn't work as Mr Gygax points out in the players handbook. Nerf the Paladin and if a few players quit as a result good. Secondly remove every potion and item created by the card cruncher on a set date so all the thieves who stole from you are ready for it. Fix the game its not worth playing right now. If you by mistake overpower any class that I play I will gladly accept a cut back. I purposefully nerf my own toons when u do. Thank You. A original dungeons and dragons player.

We are expanding some of our existing systems to give much needed tools to balance characters in both heroic and epic levels. To understand some of our upcomg changes, players will want to familiarize themselves with four attributes which extend the current system.


Physical Resist Rating
The attribute is used to mitigate physical damage of all types. The game already has Physical Resist Rating. We are changing the mitigation formula of this attribute, effectively buffing its power. The new formula:

100 / (100 + Rating)

This boost will help mitigate the damage of melee enemies in Epic Elite and will help players to build characters that can survive toe to toe with those enemies.


Magical Resist Rating
This new attribute is the magical equivalent of PRR. It can be increased by wearing armor, gearing up Sheltering effects, and picking certain enhancements. This rating works on most magical effects. It will not reduce force, bane and some other special effects. The mitigation this rating provides following a similar formula as PRR.

100 / (100 + Rating)



Melee Power
The new attribute is essentially the melee version of Spellpower. Melee Power will not only increase the damage of straight weapon damage, but certain static effects from enhancements will now scale up with Melee Power allowing them to be more useful in epic levels. Melee Power will be gained from certain enhancements and from some melee epic destinies. Our plan is to have future loot include Melee Power. This rating increases melee attacks by the following formula.

(100 + Rating) / 100

As we rebalance static effects found in enhancements we will make these scale with Melee Power so they increase as you gain power and new loot. As an example, several Paladin damage sources that were previously static will now scale with Melee Power.



Ranged Power
This new attribute is ranged version of Melee Power, or if you prefer the ranged equivalent to Spellpower. This rating increases missile attacks by the following formula.

(100 + Rating) / 100

This rating won't be used much in our first set of chancges but is a future tool for ranged builds.



With the description of these new attributes in mind, we next want to update you to upcoming changes to heavy armor and shields.

Buffing Heavy Armor
We've already talked about our plans for making heavier armors and shields more effective, and we want to update you with the latest design. Wearing armor will now provide bonus mitigation by increasing your Physical Resist Rating and Magical Resist Rating. We have updated values below.

Note that the values are changed from previously announced values. This is due to the fact that the Physical Resistance Rating formula has changed to offer more mitigation for each point. With the new PRR formula these new values offer similar mitigation to those previously announced.

Physical and Magical Resist Ratings offered by armor
Robes or Outfits: No PRR, no MRR
Light Armor: 10 PRR, 10 MRR if armor has enchantments. (This is in addtion to the current PRR bonus of 2 + (BAB / 2.0) )
Medium Armor: 20 PRR, 20 MRR if armor has enchantments. (This is in addtion to the current PRR bonus of 4 + (BAB / 1.5) )
Heavy Armor: 30 PRR, 30 MRR if armor has enchantments. (This is in addtion to the current PRR bonus of 6 + BAB )


Shields will give additional PRR and, if enchanted, MRR.

Physical and Magical Resist Ratings offered by sheilds
Buckler: None
Light Shield: 5 PRR, 5 MRR if shield has enchantments.
Heavy Shield: 10 PRR, 10 MRR if shield has enchantments.
Tower Shield: 15 PRR, 15 MRR if shield has enchantments.

In addition, characters who are proficient with shields can also use the larger shields for defense against magical attacks that would normally require a Reflex saving throw. Instead of (or in addition to) using your Reflex saving throw to mitigate the damage you can deflect the damage off your shield. This is represented by increasing your Physical and Magical Resist Ratings against those types of attacks when using a shield. Note that you gain this additional mitigation whether you make your Reflex saving throw or not.

Physical and Magical Resist Rating multiplier against magical attacks that normally allow a Reflex saving throw.
Buckler: 1.0 (no additional mitigation)
Light Shield: 1.0 (no additional mitigation)
Heavy Shield: 2.0
Tower Shield: 2.0

This means that characters with heavier armor and/or heavy or tower shields have an alternate mitigation against large area of effect attacks to help them compete in high level content with characters who use Evasion.


Resistance Rating Caps and Evasion
In addition, there are new or changed caps on certain scores based on the armor you are wearing.

Buckler: None
Light Shield: None
Heavy Shield: No Evasion feat
Tower Shield: No Evasion feat

Magical Resistance Rating Cap for armor

Robes or Outfit: 100
Light Armor: 200
Medium Armor: No cap
Heavy Armor: No cap

Note that we have designed this so characters cannot gain both Evasion and the shield bonus coupled with high levels of resistance rating. This is intentional, as a character with both would be too powerful.


Magical Resistance Rating and Loot
Magical Resistance Rating will appear on existing and future items with the Sheltering effect. All items with the Sheltering effect will give an amount of MRR equal to the PRR of that effect. Note that armor type will still limit the amount of MRR you can have. In the future items may offer additional sources of PRR and/or MRR in addition to sheltering effects.


How does all of this work in future balancing?


In the next Armor Up developer's diary we will talk about the following topics:
~ Melee Power and scaling static abilities in epic elite.
~ Updated changes to Paladin to help them be fun and competitive in Heroic and Epic Elite content.

Sev~

Here's my view. Sorry put it in the middle of your letter.

[barecm]

Here is the thing... if it were not for new gear to grind for, new expansion packs to pay for, new combat systems to adjust to, new builds to TR into, then I am afraid there would be nothing to accomplish in this game for me. So, that being said... let the changes keep coming so it at least holds my interest a little bit longer.

[elg582]

Here is the thing... if it were not for new gear to grind for, new expansion packs to pay for, new combat systems to adjust to, new builds to TR into, then I am afraid there would be nothing to accomplish in this game for me. So, that being said... let the changes keep coming so it at least holds my interest a little bit longer.

Changes are fine; yet more poorly-thought-out, game-wrecking changes are not.

The entire combat system is hosed; truly and completely broken. So now, they expand it.

This game could be fixed, but not by making the same mistakes over and over again.

[esojiul]

Good job on the paladin and heavy armor fighter . For monks and barbarians increase dodge over 40%-80% . Artificer able to use 100% metamagic for their rune arms and improved and give them more spells.
PRR cannot be use on traps. EE the monster has to do 70% more dmg.

Balance hp, how can a caster has the same hp than a barbarian or fighter on epic levels. It has to have the same proportion than heroic levels-

[esojiul]

Always read complains- these time i will apreciated ideas to improved the game:

My ideas a new expasion thta include:

Quests:

1) develops a system similar Foundry NWN. which is to develop adventures.
giving two options to acquire these adventures are free or buy with astral diamonds (Turbine gets a percentage). The desicion take it who develops the quests.

2) new world or city (theme): DARK SUN (example) give 3 f2p chains
3) And second line to start the game, 2 option to korthos: maybe in fauron were to can level from 1-10. Where new players can be impresed by the game. Korthos updated

Companions:
1) able to buy Companion (can be a hireling- you can from lv 1 to 28). To help you in the quests. Also able to improved them gear etc etc.

Art and graphics
1) Improved graphic engine like WWO
2) Improved or update (new games standard )the customize of the toons at the begging .

extra
1)classes -4 more minimal
2)races (not iconic): Gnome-shadar kai-bladeforge-moon elf-sun elf-mule-half dragon
3)Iconic for each race: Dwarf defender etc etc
4)More spells
5)Druid can take Earth and air form plus another animal
6)Monk and barbarian: dodge 40%-70% to balance with heavy armors
7) Artificer: able benefit 100% metamagic from it rune arm-to make them useful at ee
8) coliseum for PVP- everything can be use like fvs BB
9) balance hp- hp melee caster same as a melee in epics levels, it makes no sense. should maintain the same proportion as heroic.