about update 25

[lysallana]

Future plans and Update 25

So what kind of cool things led to the detour away from Anauroch? One of them will be coming in Update 25. Since The Haunted Halls of Eveningstar was received so well, we’ve decided to adapt another classic pen-and-paper module to DDO. Rather than blabbing on, I’ll skip right to the awesome part and give you five simple words:

The Temple of Elemental Evil.

like, can we go to Hammlet? or Nulb? will we go to greyhawk via lolth or meet up with her priest, Lareth? will we finally fight a balor in the fire node? will the elemental nodes be there? will we fight Iuz? or Zuggtmoy? will fragarach be there? PLS OH LAWD let fragarach be there we need moar awesome bastard swords

[bsquishwizzy]

I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that ToEE has been adapted to Forgotten Realms.

I'd love Greyhawk as part of DDO but I don't think it's going to happen.

[Krelar]

Some of your questions were already answered later in the thread you quoted.

~ The Temple of Elemental Evil, as a classic dungeon set in another world, with be accessed magically and directly. The epic version will be level 30, and the heroic version will start at level 7 as the original was level 1-8.

~ We won't be creating the villages as part of the Temple of Elemental Evil. Yes, it makes us sad as well. Our estimates of the time it would take to run that pre-content was very low, and the development time estimates were so high we didn't feel that the additional play experience would be worth pushing the update out by months.

Instead players will get right to the heart of the adventure.

~ The Temple is very large, and we want players to have a reason to explore it even on subsequent runs. We want to find a fun system to reward exploring the temple rather than just running the most efficient path to finish the quests, and plan on having some rewarding optional objectives that randomly spawn and give out good XP and treasure.

Sev~

[Sisma]

OMG!
Good news, good news indeed!

[Uska]

I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that ToEE has been adapted to Forgotten Realms.

I'd love Greyhawk as part of DDO but I don't think it's going to happen.

No ToEE is going to be off on its own no village or anything

[Uska]

like, can we go to Hammlet? or Nulb? will we go to greyhawk via lolth or meet up with her priest, Lareth? will we finally fight a balor in the fire node? will the elemental nodes be there? will we fight Iuz? or Zuggtmoy? will fragarach be there? PLS OH LAWD let fragarach be there we need moar awesome bastard swords

Sadly no Hommlet or Nulb

[barecm]

The full implementation of Ranged Power that was promised seems to have fallen way off.... not even being mentioned anymore. Not surprised but still not happy about it.

[lysallana]

Sadly no Hommlet or Nulb

may we have fragarach? turbine pls

[Uska]

may we have fragarach? turbine pls

? umm what

[IronClan]

The full implementation of Ranged Power that was promised seems to have fallen way off.... not even being mentioned anymore. Not surprised but still not happy about it.

They are between a rock and a hard place, Ranged is already an effective, end game EE viable play style. Furyshot Monkchers and Shuricannon builds already deal out massive damage via extreme proc rates of affixes, while they take little incoming damage due to kiting.

Meanwhile the melee focused players managed to get 120% MP halved... leaving the Dev's no room to give ranged power more than token increases or increases with some sorts of balance restrictions (like limited application of RP for example not applying it to Manyshot or 10kS) or some way to reduce the kiting advantage... Which will be viewed as nerfs.

I'm not surprised they are quiet about it, I suspect some of them are wishing it never got addressed in the first place.

How happy are you guys going to be with 10 or 15 RP? token amounts that leave the balance mostly where it currently is?

[walkin_dude]

? umm what

Fragarach the answerer is a fabled sword in Celtic myth. Manannan mac Lir had it first, though it may have be fashioned by someone else originally. It was passed down to Lugh, and then to Cu'chulainn. The weapon has also made appearances in numerous novels and games, including AD&D's Temple of Elemental Evil. IIRC, the idea was even expanded in AD&D so that there was a similar sword for each of the nine alignments. Sadly, the powers of Fragarach in D&D aren't as cool as they are in Celtic myth. Manannan's sword could cleave through any armor, shield, or even wall, auto-killed if it punctured you, and if it was held to a person's neck, that person couldn't tell a lie.

I suspect that Fragarach was at least part of the inspiration for a series of books I remember from years ago by Fred Saberhagen, the Books of Lost Swords. There were eight of those, and they were all very different. I don't think I ever finished reading those. I should do that sometime.

[lysallana]

? umm what

"FRAGARACH"

GP Sale Value: 90,000 XP Value: 18,000
(plus scabbard: 35,000 hp)

This hefty broadsword bears a mighty enchantment. It was originally fashioned for a demigod of elsewhen, and eventually passed into the World of Greyhawk setting. It served well for a short time, all too soon falling into the hands of the minions of Chaotic Evil. It has been in their grasp for a decade or more, resting in hiding in the Temple of Elemental Evil, guarded by the worst of elemental grues. Fragarach means "The Answerer."

The sword is of Chaotic Good alignment. Any Lawful creature trying to grasp it takes 1-6 points of damage and falls senseless for 1-10 rounds. A Neutral creature holding it takes only 1-3 points and swoons for 1-4 rounds. In evil hands, Fragarach has no "to hit" bonus whatsoever; in Chaotic Neutral hands, it will strike but one opponent per round. The sword functions perfectly only for a Chaotic Good user. In such hands, its +4 bonus always operates, and will strike as many opponents unerringly as have struck at its possessor. Fragarach always hits all such targets, the +4 pertaining to additional damage only. Note, however, that The Answerer always strikes last in a melee round. Against evil opponents, the bonus doubles (to +8) whenever a natural 20 is rolled for "to hit" determination.

The sword has a hilt of silver and gold wire, most cunningly wrought. Its guard and pommel are set with perfect emeralds (corundum) - 7 gems, total value 65,000 gp. Its scabbard is likewise trimmed with precious metal and decorated with many gems of green and golden hue, worth another 35,000 gp.

[FuzzyDuck81]

Fragarach is a fun sword in the various literature... but if we're going for named swords like that though can we also get Memory, Sorrow & Thorn please?

[dunklezhan]

"FRAGARACH"

GP Sale Value: 90,000 XP Value: 18,000
(plus scabbard: 35,000 hp)

This hefty broadsword bears a mighty enchantment. It was originally fashioned for a demigod of elsewhen, and eventually passed into the World of Greyhawk setting. It served well for a short time, all too soon falling into the hands of the minions of Chaotic Evil. It has been in their grasp for a decade or more, resting in hiding in the Temple of Elemental Evil, guarded by the worst of elemental grues. Fragarach means "The Answerer."

The sword is of Chaotic Good alignment. Any Lawful creature trying to grasp it takes 1-6 points of damage and falls senseless for 1-10 rounds. A Neutral creature holding it takes only 1-3 points and swoons for 1-4 rounds. In evil hands, Fragarach has no "to hit" bonus whatsoever; in Chaotic Neutral hands, it will strike but one opponent per round. The sword functions perfectly only for a Chaotic Good user. In such hands, its +4 bonus always operates, and will strike as many opponents unerringly as have struck at its possessor. Fragarach always hits all such targets, the +4 pertaining to additional damage only. Note, however, that The Answerer always strikes last in a melee round. Against evil opponents, the bonus doubles (to +8) whenever a natural 20 is rolled for "to hit" determination.

The sword has a hilt of silver and gold wire, most cunningly wrought. Its guard and pommel are set with perfect emeralds (corundum) - 7 gems, total value 65,000 gp. Its scabbard is likewise trimmed with precious metal and decorated with many gems of green and golden hue, worth another 35,000 gp.

Sounds like it has a fairly straightforward guard effect to me (that this is not normally found on weapons I suspect is what would make it unique). Other than that it sounds like a +[whatever] Chaotic Good alignment restricted (UMD[whatever]) flametouched Anarchic sword with a decent guard. The stuff that negatively affects other alignments is (imperfectly) simulated by the anarchic effect and alignment restrictions.

Cool... but I'm not sure its awesome.

[Seikojin]

Any items you want in ToEE, post in the forum for it. https://www.ddo.com/forums/showthrea...mental-of-Evil

[HAL]

Anything they introduce will not have the wow factor of the items in P&P. They will only end up a disappointing shadow of what the players really want. Kindof like Elminster.

[lysallana]

Sounds like it has a fairly straightforward guard effect to me (that this is not normally found on weapons I suspect is what would make it unique). Other than that it sounds like a +[whatever] Chaotic Good alignment restricted (UMD[whatever]) flametouched Anarchic sword with a decent guard. The stuff that negatively affects other alignments is (imperfectly) simulated by the anarchic effect and alignment restrictions.

Cool... but I'm not sure its awesome.

basically whenever you get hit, if the target was in melee range you got a free attack of opportunity that never missed. Che magazine did say chaotic good alignment, however Gary Gygax said it was a typo and the sword was lawful good, as it belonged to the paladin lord Prince Thrommel. Fragarach is impotant to Temple of Elemental Evil, imo, because 10 years before it was set there was a battle called the Battle of Emridy Meddows. In this battle the forces of the temple faced against the forces of greyhawk and lost. During this battle the Demoness Lady of Fungi, the ruler of abyssal plane 222, Zuggtmoy, was stricken down by Prince Thrommel wielding Fragarach. She didn't die, but became trapped deep inside the temple. There were other similar swords that were different alignments, such as scather. I forgot to mention these things D:

[dunklezhan]

basically whenever you get hit, if the target was in melee range you got a free attack of opportunity that never missed. Che magazine did say chaotic good alignment, however Gary Gygax said it was a typo and the sword was lawful good, as it belonged to the paladin lord Prince Thrommel. Fragarach is impotant to Temple of Elemental Evil, imo, because 10 years before it was set there was a battle called the Battle of Emridy Meddows. In this battle the forces of the temple faced against the forces of greyhawk and lost. During this battle the Demoness Lady of Fungi, the ruler of abyssal plane 222, Zuggtmoy, was stricken down by Prince Thrommel wielding Fragarach. She didn't die, but became trapped deep inside the temple. There were other similar swords that were different alignments, such as scather. I forgot to mention these things D:

Listen I'm all for backstory, read my post history, I really am. I appreciate the extra info, I find it fascinating. But the reality of DDO players today is that they're really only interested in the mechanics when it come to loot. What I'm getting at is if they introduce the same named loot... it absolutely will not work the same way as it did in pnp. Or, most likely, even close to it.

[barecm]

They are between a rock and a hard place, Ranged is already an effective, end game EE viable play style. Furyshot Monkchers and Shuricannon builds already deal out massive damage via extreme proc rates of affixes, while they take little incoming damage due to kiting.

Meanwhile the melee focused players managed to get 120% MP halved... leaving the Dev's no room to give ranged power more than token increases or increases with some sorts of balance restrictions (like limited application of RP for example not applying it to Manyshot or 10kS) or some way to reduce the kiting advantage... Which will be viewed as nerfs.

I'm not surprised they are quiet about it, I suspect some of them are wishing it never got addressed in the first place.

How happy are you guys going to be with 10 or 15 RP? token amounts that leave the balance mostly where it currently is?

I am not advocating making monchers and shuricannons better, just giving you a reason to go beyond 6 levels of ranger. Just like they boosted holy sword for paladin, there needs to be a lvl 4 spell for rangers that gives a nice boost to ranged dps. They also need to fix Shiradi to be a Primal Destiny and not a 4th Aracane Destiny.

[kumagnificent]

Anything they introduce will not have the wow factor of the items in P&P. They will only end up a disappointing shadow of what the players really want. Kindof like Elminster.

This is so true ^_^.

The first time I saw Elminster, I was like... "Oh. He can cast Sunbolt. It killed that big bug instantly. He talks too much. Raistlin would've been way cooler. A visit to Krynn during the defense of Solace would be an awesome module." Then I continue to daydream if DDO came up with a few Krynn visits it should have to be the attack on Solace, the battle of the High Clerist's tower, the assault on the flying citadel over Palanthas, and (raid) the cleansing of Qualinost of Cyan Bloodbane. It would be alongside the storyline of the original trilogy.

After my daydream, Elminster was still talking. So I went to make a sandwich.