U23 Crystal Cove Items Feedback Thread

[kmoustakas]

There is already a glove option for improved deception at that level. I'd rather see combat mastery 6 and a 2d4 version of spiked studded on the gloves.

Level 24 (Tier 3) Gloves: Strength +8, Epic Spike Studded (2d4 piercing damage), Glass Jaw Strike, Sneak Attack Bonus +5, Combat Mastery 6, Yellow Augment Slot

This would offer a little more slot consolidation and offer enough for some people to forgo Iron Mitts.

I see your epic spike studded and raise you stunning +12 instead of combat mastery 6. This is a monk item anyway!

[whereispowderedsilve]

Kookie/Cord/Varg/Sev/Steel/Vyvyanne please indicate you've seen & read this feedback!

Asking nicely, sincerely, politely it would be greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance! :P! ! !

[EllisDee37]

The only item worth something, as it has always been, it's the Spyglass Hunter with +3 Ins Int and the Green slot. And not even that much.

Agreed. A couple of my trappers are eyeing the trinket, but otherwise I see nothing worth equipping, much less farming up.

[cru121]

ratkiller
replace greater animal bane with Natural Bane VII
Why: broader focus. still bad.

dagger
replace Spell Lore with 4 elemental lores.
Why: Lores are hard to slot.

leathers
attack +6/7/8
Why: Why not?

cavalry plate
remove Greater False Life, add Elemental Energy (greensteel HP), 20 at T1, 15 at T2, 10 at T3.
Why: so that more people complain that medium armors suck.

[Aelonwy]

There is already a glove option for improved deception at that level. I'd rather see combat mastery 6 and a 2d4 version of spiked studded on the gloves.

Level 24 (Tier 3) Gloves: Strength +8, Epic Spike Studded (2d4 piercing damage), Glass Jaw Strike, Sneak Attack Bonus +5, Combat Mastery 6, Yellow Augment Slot

This would offer a little more slot consolidation and offer enough for some people to forgo Iron Mitts.

My thinking was its a piratey item and those guys fight dirty ie improved deception = Sucker punch but Combat mastery 6 or stunning 10-12 would be equally welcome on this item.

[Aelonwy]

Agreed. A couple of my trappers are eyeing the trinket, but otherwise I see nothing worth equipping, much less farming up.

And this^ right here is exactly why they hopefully will listen and do something with this feedback besides ignore it.

[eachna_gislin]

We decided to go with a new tier of Crystal Cove loot over the proposed augment plan. This was mainly due to the feedback we received from the community after we laid out the initial idea for the augments.

NoWorries. The issue was that we had been told that there wasn't enough time to turn out upgraded items for the June-July 2014 Cove and we'd get augments to make up for the lack of upgraded items, and those upgraded items would have to be pushed off to the future. IIRC, the specific excuse used was that it was really really hard to add upgrades/augment slots to higher-level Cove items, it was as much work as creating a fresh coded object from scratch. The augments were to proceed promised item upgrades, and they were basically thrown out as a consolation prize because staff didn't provide us with any upgraded items back during the June-July 2014 Cove, and to hold the community over until the items could be upgraded. They were not INSTEAD OF item upgrades. We were told we could expect both.

Players were unhappy that the devs weren't being allocated to upgrade the Cove items and we were being 'fobbed off' with augments, with no deadline for the items to be upgraded. That's not to say that we didn't want both the augments _and_ upgraded items. Only that the systematical lack of staff organization was frustrating to the player base.To be crystal clear: the consensus feedback was not that the community didn't want augments...it was that we didn't want to be told _all_ we'd get was augments and item upgrades being pushed into the future to be left in the perma-undone pile.

It's nice that you were able to allocate the staff members sooner than you expected to do something that should have been done before June. But, it doesn't change that we were told we could expect both augments and item upgrades, and blaming it on community feedback is not the professional way to handle this situation. It comes across as being told we're being spanked because we asked for it, rather than Turbine staff stepping up and taking responsibility for mishandling the whole situation.

[AtomicMew]

Remember how everyone was farming out dual cutlasses? It's sad to see how terrible these items have become due to power creep.

You'd need to add +50% or more on all the stats of these items to be competitive. Then maybe half of them would be worth using.

[btolson]

The Ornamental Dagger (nearly all levels) is still pretty terrible. These items were really ruined by automated value conversions made to it when the spellpower and spell lore systems were overhauled. It hails from an era when e.g. greater potency IV was a strict upgrade from greater combustion IV, unlike today where same-level potency effects are weaker than single-element effects. The L20 version of this item is the worst conversion, with its potency substantially worse than same-level loot-gen, and its spell lore vastly inferior to the indivudal lores on the L16 item.

I think these items should be stripped of potency and universal spell lore as these effects are rather terrible, and redesigned as strict upgrades from their lower level versions. For instance, low level daggers grant bonuses to multiple individual spell powers. The L16 dagger (the best version of this item, for sure) grants Fire Lore V, Ice Lore V, and Lightning Lore V.

The L20 (tier 3) version should have the same Fire Lore V, Ice Lore V, and Lightning Lore V. It should also have Combustion 84, Glaciation 84, and Magnetism 84. Each effect is slightly worse than on-level loot-gen, but is still strong enough to be desirable unlike the current set of potency and universal spell lore effects.

The L24 (tier 3) version should have Fire Lore VI, Ice Lore VI, and Lightning Lore VI. It should also have Combustion 108, Glaciation 108, and Magnetism 108.

[sgz]

The L20 (tier 3) version should have the same Fire Lore V, Ice Lore V, and Lightning Lore V. It should also have Combustion 84, Glaciation 84, and Magnetism 84. Each effect is slightly worse than on-level loot-gen, but is still strong enough to be desirable unlike the current set of potency and universal spell lore effects.

The L24 (tier 3) version should have Fire Lore VI, Ice Lore VI, and Lightning Lore VI. It should also have Combustion 108, Glaciation 108, and Magnetism 108.

Agree, this looks consistent with the progression (and probable intent) of the original pre-L20+ version.

I also agree that the L24 T3 Trinket appears to be the most generally useable at the moment.
They don't all have to be absolute BiS items; they just have to be comparable to other items that can be used in that slot at that particular level or have other effects that people choose/value over other items.

This is kind of how the Cannith challenge items started off. They weren't the absolute best items, but they were solid enough to use for a time and provided alternative effects that were decent or consolidated a number of stats in one item. Add the customization possibilities of augment slots at Tiers2/3 and it made some of the items even useable for a time past their level range(s).

[BDog77]

I'm a little underwhelmed with all of the level 24 gear. It is quite easy to come up with better gear off the top of my head, some of which have lower min level than most or all of the Cove stuff.

I have always loved Cove, I thought it was the best of the festivals. I cannot honestly justify any reason to grind any of the level 24 gear here. I'm not actually going to go through on an item by item basis, other people have already done that, and I think I would just be rehashing most of what they already said.

Couple of points that stick out for me, though.

First of all, the level 12 and 16 Cove weapons were never fixed when the new system of 1.0[W] for levels 1-10, 1.5[W] for levels 11-20, and 2.0[W] for epic weapons went in. They all got the 2.0 for epic levels, but NONE of the level 12 or 16 weapons got the 1.5[W], possibly because they do not have the traditional +whatever in the upper right hand corner. IIRC, the pass on weapons gave every +6(maybe?) the 1.5[W] modifier. I believe the Cove weapons were fixed by hand for the epic versions, please fix the level 12 and 16 weapons accordingly. Note, the level 16 cutlass LOOKS like it has the 1.5 modifier, but it only gains the extra .5[W] from the vorpal property, this weapon should actually be 2.0[W] due to the vorpal property.

Also, could we please fix the Cavalry Plate? Since we have received nothing but silence to the multiple requests (some verging on begging) to actually fix Mithril and Adamantine, I assume (as do most people, I would guess) that there will be no support for these materials anymore. Please either remove them from the game (not my preferred choice) or fix them. I understand that the feeling may be that Cavalry Plate is a nice medium armor in a game that has very few nice medium armors, but when I (and I'm sure a lot of other people) spent our time grinding to get and upgrade these items, we were doing so to get a heavy armor that allowed extra movement. Since this is no longer the case. these items have become, in many cases, useless. As somebody mentioned above, maybe we could get some sort of "upgrade" function to remove the Mithril property? That way, those that wanted a nice medium armor could have it, and those of us who wanted a heavy armor could have that. Please think about this, thanks.

Having to upgrade my Cavalry Plate would at least give a reason to go back into Cove the next time it is up. I afraid none of the level 24 items will do the trick.

[Douglas21]

Spyglass:
Level 20 (Tier 1) Trinket: Spot +15, Search +15, Use Magical Device +3, True Seeing, Exceptional Intelligence +1
Level 20 (Tier 2) Trinket: Spot +20, Search +20, Use Magical Device +3, True Seeing, Insightful Intelligence +2
Level 20 (Tier 3) Trinket: Spot +20, Search +20, Use Magical Device +3(enhancement bonus), True Seeing, Insightful Intelligence +2, Green Augment Slot

Level 24 (Tier 1) Trinket: Spot +20, Search +20, Use Magical Device +4, True Seeing, Insightful Intelligence +2
Level 24 (Tier 2) Trinket: Spot +20, Search +20, Use Magical Device +4, True Seeing, Insightful Intelligence +2, Open Lock +15
Level 24 (Tier 3) Trinket: Spot +20, Search +20, Use Magical Device +4(enhancement bonus), True Seeing, Open Lock +20, Insightful Intelligence +3, Green Augment Slot

The upgrade from 20 T3 to 24 T3 is +1 UMD, +20 Open Lock, +1 Insightful INT.

The addition of Open Lock just sort of comes out of nowhere and doesn't really make sense. This is a visual perception item, not a rogue skills item. If you want to make it a rogue skills item, it needs Disable Device. Give it Disable Device +20, and it would reasonably compete with the Manual of Stealthy Pilfering, without obsoleting it due to the lack of exceptional dex/int skills and good luck +3.

Keeping with the theme of visual perception, rather than rogue skills, I would suggest some amount of fortification bypass or dodge bypass, fluffed as helping you see the gaps in your target's defenses.

Other than that, this one is reasonably good.

Ring of the Buccaneer:
Level 20 (Tier 1) Ring: Dexterity +6, Swim +15, Underwater Action, Good Luck +1, Protection +5
Level 20 (Tier 2) Ring: Dexterity +7, Swim +15, Underwater Action, Good Luck +1, Protection +5
Level 20 (Tier 3) Ring: Dexterity +7, Swim +15, Underwater Action, Good Luck +2, Protection +5, Green Augment Slot

Level 24 (Tier 1) Ring: Dexterity +7, Swim +17, Underwater Action, Good Luck +1, Protection +6
Level 24 (Tier 2) Ring: Dexterity +8, Swim +17, Underwater Action, Good Luck +2, Protection +7
Level 24 (Tier 3) Ring: Dexterity +8, Swim +17, Underwater Action, Good Luck +2, Protection +7, Green Augment Slot

The upgrade from 20 T3 to 24 T3 is +1 Dex, +2 swim, +2 protection.

Swim and Underwater Action are convenience bonuses that are irrelevant to this items overall power. An ordinary randomly generated ring of dexterity +8 and protection +7 would, I believe, have min level exactly 24 without Masterful. The advantage this has over that random item is Good Luck +2 and a green augment, which is not nearly enough for a named item from a limited access special event. Give it Insightful Dexterity +3, and it might be reasonable.

Brawling Gloves:
Level 20 (Tier 1) Gloves: Strength +6, Spike Studded, Glass Jaw Strike, Sneak Attack Bonus +4
Level 20 (Tier 2) Gloves: Strength +7, Spike Studded, Glass Jaw Strike, Sneak Attack Bonus +4
Level 20 (Tier 3) Gloves: Strength +7, Spike Studded, Glass Jaw Strike, Sneak Attack Bonus +4, Yellow Augment Slot

Level 24 (Tier 1) Gloves: Strength +7, Spike Studded, Glass Jaw Strike, Sneak Attack Bonus +4
Level 24 (Tier 2) Gloves: Strength +8, Spike Studded, Glass Jaw Strike, Sneak Attack Bonus +4
Level 24 (Tier 3) Gloves: Strength +8, Spike Studded, Glass Jaw Strike, Sneak Attack Bonus +5, Yellow Augment Slot

The upgrade from 20 T3 to 24 T3 is +1 Strength, +1 Sneak Attack.

Compare to the Iron Mitts. The healing amp, vitality, and saves bonus are far more valuable than 1d4 damage and sneak attack that doesn't stack. Glass Jaw Strike is good, but it's not enough.

Keeping in line with the unarmed combat theme, these are primarily for monks, who do a lot of stunning. Give it Stunning +10.

Swashbuckler:
Level 20 (Tier 1) +5 Buckler: AC:7, DR:9, Parrying IV, Doublestrike 6%, Guardbreaking, Riposte
Level 20 (Tier 2) +6 Buckler: AC:8, DR:10, Parrying VIII, Doublestrike 6%, Guardbreaking, Riposte
Level 20 (Tier 3) +6 Buckler: AC:8, DR:10, Parrying VIII, Doublestrike 6%, Guardbreaking, Riposte, Insightful Dexterity +2, Blue Augment Slot

Level 24 (Tier 1) +6 Buckler: AC:8, DR:10, Riposte VIII (=Parrying IV), Doublestrike 7%, Guardbreaking, Riposte
Level 24 (Tier 2) +7 Buckler: AC:9?, DR:11?, Riposte X, Doublestrike 7%, Guardbreaking, Riposte, Insightful Dexterity +1
Level 24 (Tier 3) +7? Buckler: AC:9?, DR:11?, Riposte X, Doublestrike 7%, Guardbreaking, Riposte, Insightful Dexterity +2, Blue Augment Slot

The upgrade from level 20 T3 to 24 T3 is +1 to saves, +1 AC/DR, +1% doublestrike.

This is actually a reasonably respectable item, for a buckler, made vastly better by the introduction of Swashbuckler bards who can't use anything heavier. The improvement over level 20 is a bit small, though, and Insightful Dexterity +2 is available from colorless augments at this level. Bump it up to Insightful Dexterity +3.

Duelists Leathers
Level 20 (Tier 1) +6 Leather Armor: +13 AC, +18 Max Dex, Feat: Mobility, Superior Nimbleness, Balance +15, Attack Bonus +2, Dodge +6%
Level 20 (Tier 2) +6 Leather Armor: +13 AC, +18 Max Dex, Feat: Mobility, Epic Nimbleness, Balance +15, Attack Bonus +2, Dodge +6%
Level 20 (Tier 3) +6 Leather Armor: +13 AC, +18 Max Dex, Feat: Mobility, Epic Nimbleness, Balance +15, Attack Bonus +2, Dodge +8%, Blue Augment Slot

Level 24 (Tier 1) +6 Leather Armor: +14 AC, +26 Max Dex, Feat: Mobility, Epic Nimbleness, Balance +15, Attack Bonus +3, Dodge +8%
Level 24 (Tier 2) +7 Leather Armor: +15 AC, +26 Max Dex, Feat: Mobility, Epic Nimbleness, Balance +15, Attack Bonus +3, Dodge +8%
Level 24 (Tier 3) +7 Leather Armor: +15 AC, +26 Max Dex, Feat: Mobility, Epic Nimbleness, Balance +15, Attack Bonus +3, Dodge +10%, Blue Augment Slot

The upgrade from 20 T3 to 24 T3 is +2 AC, +8 MDB, +1 attack, +2% dodge. Not sure if the wiki is accurate re: MDB of Epic Nimbleness vs Superior Nimbleness. Someone might need to make the various levels to confirm this.

Bump the attack bonus up to something actually meaningful in post-MotU post-accuracy-items attack bonus calculations. Like, say, +10 to match the dodge. Do that, and this item will be respectable for its niche of non-Monk dodge toons.

And while you're at it, scale up the attack bonus on the lower level versions too.

Cavalry Plate
Level 20 (Tier 1) +6 Fullplate: +26 AC, Mithral, Demonic Shield, Greater False Life, DR 3/Chaotic, Resistance +5
Level 20 (Tier 2) +6 Fullplate: +26 AC, Mithral, Demonic Shield, Superior False Life, DR 3/Chaotic, Resistance +5
Level 20 (Tier 3) +6 Fullplate: +26 AC, Mithral, Demonic Shield, Superior False Life, DR 5/Chaotic, Resistance +5, Blue Augment Slot

Level 24 (Tier 1) +6 Fullplate: +30 AC, Mithral, Demonic Shield, Greater False Life, DR 13/Chaotic, Resistance +7
Level 24 (Tier 2) +7 Fullplate: +31 AC, Mithral, Demonic Shield, Superior False Life, DR 14/Chaotic, Resistance +7
Level 24 (Tier 3) +7 Fullplate: +31 AC, Mithral, Demonic Shield, Superior False Life, DR 14/Chaotic, Resistance +7, Blue Augment Slot

The upgrade from 20 T3 to 24 T3 is +5 AC, +9 DR, +2 resistance.

If Mithral is changed to give PRR/MRR as the non-Mithral category would (just the bonus, not the cap), this would be a decent item. To make it good, add 100% fortification.

Brigand's Cutlass
Level 20 (Tier 1) 2.50[1d6] +5 Scimitar: Anarchic Burst, Vorpal, Incite +15%, Intimidate +15
Level 20 (Tier 2) 2.50[1d6] +6 Scimitar: Anarchic Burst, Vorpal, Incite +20%, Intimidate +15
Level 20 (Tier 3) 2.50[1d6] +6 Scimitar: Anarchic Burst, Absolute Chaos, Vorpal, Incite +20%, Intimidate +15, Red Augment Slot

Level 24 (Tier 1) 3[1d6] +6 Scimitar: Anarchic Burst, Vorpal, Incite +20%, Intimidate +17
Level 24 (Tier 2) 3[1d6] +7 Scimitar: Anarchic Burst, Vorpal, Incite +30%, Intimidate +17
Level 24 (Tier 3) 3[1d6] +7 Scimitar: Anarchic Burst, Absolute Chaos, Vorpal, Incite +30%, Intimidate +17, Red Augment Slot

The upgrade from 20 T3 to 24 T3 is +0.5[W], +1 enhancement, +10% incite, +2 intim.

Any level 24 named weapon has to compete with tier 1 thunder forged, especially considering that tier 1 TF is completely unbound. This doesn't, even against lawful opponents. I suggest replacing Absolute Chaos with Supreme Chaos (3d6 vs non-chaotic) to start with, and give it a potent non-damage proc effect so you're not competing directly with TF damage. How about on-vorpal Irresistible Dance?

Cutthroats Smallblade
Level 20 (Tier 1) 2[1d6] +5 Shortsword 18-20/x2: Slicing, Bleed, Doublestrike 3%, Hide +15, Move Silently +15
Level 20 (Tier 2) 2[1d6] +6 Shortsword 18-20/x2: Slicing, Bleed, Doublestrike 6%, Hide +15, Move Silently +15
Level 20 (Tier 3) 2[1d6] +6 Shortsword 18-20/x2: Slicing, Bleed, Doublestrike 6%, Corrosive Salt, Hide +15, Move Silently +15, Red Augment Slot

Level 24 (Tier 1) 2.5[1d6] +6 Shortsword 18-20/x2: Slicing, Bleed, Doublestrike 6%, Hide +17, Move Silently +17
Level 24 (Tier 2) 2.5[1d6] +7 Shortsword 18-20/x2: Slicing, Bleed, Doublestrike 7%, Hide +17, Move Silently +17
Level 24 (Tier 3) 2.5[1d6] +7 Shortsword 18-20/x2: Slicing, Bleed, Doublestrike 7%, Corrosive Salt, Hide +17, Move Silently +17, Red Augment Slot

The upgrade from 20 T3 to 24 T3 is +0.5[W], +1 enhancement, +1% doublestrike, +2 hide/move silently.

Again, needs to compete with tier 1 TF. I'm not sure what to do with this one other than simply boosting the damage. Bonus assassinate DC, maybe?

Ornamental Dagger
Level 20 (Tier 1) Epic Dagger: Spellcasting Implement +15, Efficient Metamagic - Maximize II, Lesser Maximize, Concentration +15, Potency +48
Level 20 (Tier 2) Epic Dagger: Spellcasting Implement +15, Efficient Metamagic - Maximize II, Lesser Maximize, Concentration +15, Potency +48, Spell Lore III
Level 20 (Tier 3) Epic Dagger: Spellcasting Implement +15, Efficient Metamagic - Maximize II, Lesser Maximize, Concentration +15, Potency +52, Spell Lore III, Yellow Augment Slot

Level 24 (Tier 1) Epic Dagger: Spellcasting Implement +18, Efficient Metamagic - Maximize II, Lesser Maximize, Concentration +17, Potency +72, Spell Lore VII
Level 24 (Tier 2) Epic Dagger: Spellcasting Implement +18, Efficient Metamagic - Maximize II, Lesser Maximize, Concentration +17, Potency +72, Spell Lore VIII
Level 24 (Tier 3) Epic Dagger: Spellcasting Implement +18, Efficient Metamagic - Maximize II, Lesser Maximize, Concentration +17, Potency +76, Spell Lore VIII, Yellow Augment Slot

The upgrade from 20 T3 to 24 T3 is +1 enhancement, +2 concentration, +24 potency, +5% spell crit.

Once upon a time, this item's design and progression may have made sense. In its present state, it's a bizarre rambling mess that jumps from one bonus scheme to another at random, most of which are grossly underpowered compared even to random loot of the same level. The entire item at all levels needs to be overhauled, and this new level 24 version is no exception. Potency and spell lore are fallback bonuses, not primary bonuses. Give it level appropriate Combustion/Glaciation/Magnetism/Corrosion bonuses, and matching lore, and casters will flock to it.

Ratkiller
Level 20 (Tier 1) 2[1d10] +5 Maul: Stunning +8, Unbalancing, Staggering Blow, Greater Animal Bane
Level 20 (Tier 2) 2[1d10] +6 Maul: Stunning +10, Unbalancing, Staggering Blow, Greater Animal Bane
Level 20 (Tier 3) 2[1d10] +6 Maul: Stunning +10, Unbalancing, Staggering Blow, Earthgrab, Greater Animal Bane, Red Augment Slot

Level 24 (Tier 1) 2.5[1d10] +6 Maul: Stunning +12, Unbalancing, Staggering Blow, Greater Animal Bane
Level 24 (Tier 2) 2.5[1d10] +7 Maul: Stunning +12, Unbalancing, Staggering Blow, Greater Animal Bane
Level 24 (Tier 3) 2.5[1d10] +7 Maul: Stunning +12, Unbalancing, Staggering Blow, Earthgrab, Greater Animal Bane, Red Augment Slot

The upgrade from 20 T3 to 24 T3 is +0.5[W], +1 enhancement, +2 stun DC.

Does anyone actually make this item, at any level? Its concept is too far off from typical combat and typical builds to be anything but a weird situational swap item, and as that it's not worth the effort to farm. If you want to try to make it attractive, again level 24 has to compete with tier 1 TF.

[btolson]

I'd like to ask if there are any plans to add augment slots to the L4-L16 items. Back when cove loot first came out augments only appeared on epic items, but that is no longer the case. Adding augments to the sub-epic items can help shore up the power they've lost relative to loot-gen which is now more powerful with lower mls, and also increase demand for low-level augments (potentially driving store sales).

[bloodnose13]

new auguemnt types that were supposed to be in new cove update were a selling point for me to have look at this event again, since there is none i can just go back to ignoring events again.

devs, auguments are way to go, the more diffrent types of them exist, the more versatility we will be able to achieve in gearing up, and its the best thing that can be done.

[Oxarhamar]

new auguemnt types that were supposed to be in new cove update were a selling point for me to have look at this event again, since there is none i can just go back to ignoring events again.

devs, auguments are way to go, the more diffrent types of them exist, the more versatility we will be able to achieve in gearing up, and its the best thing that can be done.

agreed also more augment slots.

I know these Cove items have slots but, there are plenty of good items that have none or only one. Give us a way to add slots to items without them and we will be grind happy.

[Cleanincubus]

We decided to go with a new tier of Crystal Cove loot over the proposed augment plan. This was mainly due to the feedback we received from the community after we laid out the initial idea for the augments.

Why not both upgrades and augments?

Was this feedback a misunderstanding, where the general community asked for item upgrades, and that was mistakenly taken as we weren't interested in augment?

Was this feedback from the Players Council? If so, was it a case that they perhaps decided the specific augments they were shown weren't interesting enough?

[nayozz]

please add a colorless slot to level 20 tier 2 items

level 20 item no slot
level 20 tier 2 1 colorless slot
level 20 tier3 1 colorless 1 colored slot

level 24 item no slot
level 24 tier2 1 colored slot
level 24 tier3 1 colored slot 1bicolor slot (purple/green/orange)

[btolson]

The L24 Duelist's Leathers are not bad, but with a max dex bonus of 26 to start with (my swash on lam sees a max dex bonus of 31 on it) a lot of the item's potential goes to waste due to the dodge cap being only 25%.

I think this item really needs a dodge cap bonus of at least 2% or 3%, or else it constitutes no appreciable upgrade over the L20 version because you'll be hitting the dodge-cap either way.

[G_Lich]

I think this has best been summed up by a few in here - Cove loot USED to be GREAT, when cap was 20 - We had less options and less powerful characters to farm epics.

This is a different game, and an incremental upgrade to things that are already barely seeing the light of day (I have most of these things, I don't use them anymore considering alternatives) isn't attractive enough to run the event.

The heal bottle was something attractive to pull in old players, but we don't have anything much attractive to get out there. Still it will be good for the swashbucklers to get their swashbucklers, best buckler in game before and after u23.

Where is the NEW, FRESH, and EXCITING? Just seems a little stale.

[btolson]

I'm not sure if the Cutthroat's Smallblade has ever been used as anything other than an offhand for the doublestrike chance, as it was never especially strong even back when bleed damage worked on almost everything. I think if this item had Heartseeker starting from L8, it could become worthwhile as a primary weapon and remain thematically appropriate.