Reduce level requirement on Diamond Augments

[Bolo_Grubb]

It does not make sense for a +6 ability augment to be Min Level 20, when you can find min level 11 gear with the same stat.

I suggest reducing the level requirement by 4.

+8 ability Min level 24
+7 ability Min level 20
+6 ability Min level 16
+5 ability Min level 12

etc

A similar change could be made with the skill augments. I believe that a reduction of 4 levels still gives the edge to random loot, but offers a bit more use of augments. Also it would allow for another level of augment at level 28

[Qhualor]

totally agree. its the biggest reason why I don't bother with them.

[FranOhmsford]

/Signed with Prejudice!

In fact I'd go even further and ask for Skill Augments to be far more common than they currently are too!

Even with the OP's suggestion stat augments will still be behind what is on random/named loot for much of the game and certainly at cap but Skill Augments unlike stat Augments are more likely to be used as swap ins when needed so being a bit behind won't matter so much.


Remove the +1 stat augments entirely and start with +2 at Lvl 1
Remove the +3 stat augments entirely and have +4 at Lvl 4
+5 at Lvl 8
+6 at Lvl 12
+7 at Lvl 16
+8 at Lvl 20
+9 at Lvl 24
+10 at Lvl 28

Skill Augments for ALL Skills:
+4 at Lvl 1
+6 at Lvl 4
+8 at Lvl 8
+10 at Lvl 12
+12 at Lvl 16
+14 at Lvl 20
+16 at Lvl 24
+18 at Lvl 28

[Enoach]

When comparing to that ML 11 item with +6 attribute on it, what other effects does it have?

Augments are in addition and for items that have multiple augment slots this can mean multiple enhancements that are above what the base item has.

[FranOhmsford]

When comparing to that ML 11 item with +6 attribute on it, what other effects does it have?

Augments are in addition and for items that have multiple augment slots this can mean multiple enhancements that are above what the base item has.

Not any more!

Remember that a major change with new Random Loot is that every prefix/suffix and special is supposed to be level appropriate!
Augments in general and especially the stat/skill augments certainly are NOT!

[Pehtis]

It does not make sense for a +6 ability augment to be Min Level 20, when you can find min level 11 gear with the same stat.

I suggest reducing the level requirement by 4.

+8 ability Min level 24
+7 ability Min level 20
+6 ability Min level 16
+5 ability Min level 12

etc

A similar change could be made with the skill augments. I believe that a reduction of 4 levels still gives the edge to random loot, but offers a bit more use of augments. Also it would allow for another level of augment at level 28

* Selfishly I agree. I would actually find a use for them at these earlier levels. I think I found a +7 trash item during heroic level (can't remember the level but was definitely pre 20) making stat augments kinda pointless now.

* Non selfish - DDO store augments could be tweaked to have much lower minimum level. Of course they would be BTC when bought. Result would give a small money boost to DDO.

[dunklezhan]

I don't use augments in heroic unless they happen to fall right in my lap whilst I already have an item with a slot on. I certainly don't pay extra for items with slots or go out of my way to get them. Named items with lots of slots on are near-valueless to me.

There are a few reasons for this:

1. Augment drop rate: is very low. Therefore I want to reuse my augments since I outlevel my gear so quickly. This requires TP or a lucky daily dice roll. Cash grab = not playing.

2. RNG squared. Too often you are getting a random augment in exchange for sometimes pretty rare collectibles. I already played the RNG game once because that's how collectibles work, I don't want to play it again. This is the exact same reason I didn't bother with the mimic hunt loot despite having a thoroughly good time fighting mimics.

3. Augment brokers: to get the augment I actually want I generally need to spend TP. Cash grab = not playing.

4. Relative power level: Augments were balanced against loot stats which are now 2 loot-gen systems old. They don't need to put more power on them necessarily, but they definitely should lower the ML. Not just on colourless augments either, I mean: an extra 1d6 extra weapon damage is level 16?! Against current loot? Really?!

I went out of my way to buy a ruby or two for proc AOE damage on my one epic character where I had items with a ML that was worth it. That's the only time I can say I really was bothered - but it was mostly because I knew I wouldn't be getting rid of the gear any time soon or ever have a reason to remove the augment. And I could buy exactly what I wanted from the AH (admittedly it cleaned me out in terms of Plat on that character but there we are).

[Ague]

OR... change them so they are typed as an Augment bonus so they stack with other enhancements bonuses and leave the amount and min level as is...

I really never understood why all augments aren't already typed as augment bonus since there are so many sources of enhancement and competence bonuses for things commonly found on augments already...

[JOTMON]

low level stat/skill augments are worthless especially now with randomgen vastly outperforming augments at all stages along with any old school stat/skill items.
I am seeing random scrap drops with +11 stat bonus at level 21.. level 25 GH named items only give +8..

Sure there is use for a few select augments , but all stat/skill augments suck for the levels they finally become useful.
Genrally the only useful augmetns are the ones that can be used at level 24+.. the rest are inferior (and generally pointless) for the level they are supposed to represent.

Items used to have a low % chance of dropping with an augment slot which was a nice bonus at the time..then..
they did a loot revamp that changed items and penalized them by increasing the base level requirement for the item for just having an augment slot by 1-3 levels.. just for having an augment slot..
no longer is it a bonus to find an item that has an augment slot since the augment slot now drives up the level of the item making it inferior for the level it represents.
This only becomes useful at endgame when the item hits level cap and cannot be pushed to a higher level.
They really screwed augment slots when they rewrote the code to have augment slots add to the base level of the items.

I am still amazed that what started as a great idea/system has turned to........

[JOTMON]

OR... change them so they are typed as an Augment bonus so they stack with other enhancements bonuses and leave the amount and min level as is...

I really never understood why all augments aren't already typed as augment bonus since there are so many sources of enhancement and competence bonuses for things commonly found on augments already...

This would make more sense.. revamp the entire augment system and make them all unique bonuses that stack with everything but other augment bonuses..
bring back value to the augments.. they are capable of making these changes..
they did it back around update 21 with some of the spell focus augments after players who bought the topazes from the ddostore voiced their displeasure at being screwed over.

[odheon]

It does not make sense for a +6 ability augment to be Min Level 20, when you can find min level 11 gear with the same stat.

I suggest reducing the level requirement by 4.

+8 ability Min level 24
+7 ability Min level 20
+6 ability Min level 16
+5 ability Min level 12

etc

A similar change could be made with the skill augments. I believe that a reduction of 4 levels still gives the edge to random loot, but offers a bit more use of augments. Also it would allow for another level of augment at level 28

totally agree

[Dandonk]

Hmm, could have a point here. They used to be fairly balanced as an off-main extra bonus to shore up lesser but not quite unimportant bonuses. But after the new loot system, they are much less attractive.