Update 38 Systems Preview

[Gratch]

Something that's been bothering me here. Where's the Warpriest changes? They didn't make it with domains, despite a few discussions on the PC forums. Now granted I'm no longer on the PC to see anything else, but is there going to be any news or smaller changes (Such as making Divine Might a divine bonus so it stacks) in the meanwhile?

I'm kind of curious if Warpriest got set on the backburner while you all chip away at a third FVS tree. Which is kind of disappointing as both Clerics and FVS could use the Warpriest/War Soul changes now before we get to this melee pass you're talking about.

The divine enhancement pass (and 3rd FVS tree) are on the books as the next enhancement system to update after druid/arty. It was originally before, but the class changes they made sort of disrupted where they were originally going. I'm too lazy to find that dev post but they are next. Probably with the WhitePlume content release in Q3?

[Tilomere]

So with the reduced MP in henshin, it seems to more or less preculde any staff wielding monk multiclass build that isn't taking 18 or 20 levels of monk in terms of build viability. The loss of build diversity (for staves in particular) is concerning as it is a nice feature that few mmo's can boast of. Was there a reason you did not wish to retain the prior core MP values but make them specific to staves, with reduced values for non staff weapons?

I would guess their testing involves more levels than just cap. Things like 6 fighter/6 monk maintaining 70 melee power from enhancements, with a SoS, at level 12, with crit range/multiplier and fire stance multiplier. Or things like 6 monk/6 rogue maintaining 40 melee power from enhancements, with an elemental bloom, with crit range, fire stance multiplier, crit multiplier, attack speed, and double strike.

Maybe they wanted to balance those against a 12 ravager barbarian able to maintain 0 melee power from enhancements, with only crit range, 0 multiplier, 0 fire stance multiplier, 0 attack speed, and 0 double strike. The ~0 that is ravager is pretty awful in heroics.

Maybe they want to tweak the overall game once both are closer together?

[edrein]

Something I thought of in passing; why doesn't the Sentient Filigree on-hit weapon procs scale with melee/ranged power? When the system was first proposed and I suggested the damage effects, I sort of hastily agreed to the damage die progression because frankly I was willing to take anything I could get. But now that I've actually had time to farm out some Filigree's and slot a set on my sentient weapon I find the damage is atrocious, especially when sitting at level 30. Is there any chance this can scale with melee power? Even 50% would be an improvement, though I think 100-150% would round it out nicely.

[Zietlearner]

Hello everyone!

We have just opened up Lamannia with the first preview of U38!

Here's a few relevant links to some relevant places:

Release Notes
Artificer Feedback Subforum
Druid Feedback Subforum

So why are you toning down the melee power in the henshin mystic tree? Melee builds already struggle enough to stay alive from not being 1 Shot in high end reaper so why take away our damage when we need it to be viable. Now i will be losing out on some dps that could have kept me alive before getting 1 hit or 2 hit. tisk tisk just making more players focus range builds over creating a better diversity that is already tilted towards the range play style.

[Zietlearner]

I would guess their testing involves more levels than just cap. Things like 6 fighter/6 monk maintaining 70 melee power from enhancements, with a SoS, at level 12, with crit range/multiplier and fire stance multiplier. Or things like 6 monk/6 rogue maintaining 40 melee power from enhancements, with an elemental bloom, with crit range, fire stance multiplier, crit multiplier, attack speed, and double strike.

Maybe they wanted to balance those against a 12 ravager barbarian able to maintain 0 melee power from enhancements, with only crit range, 0 multiplier, 0 fire stance multiplier, 0 attack speed, and 0 double strike. The ~0 that is ravager is pretty awful in heroics.

Maybe they want to tweak the overall game once both are closer together?

I could see your break down here to be understanding but ddo is more Epic gaming than heroic lvling when it comes to loot and difficulty. So it does stop the diversity of any multiclass characters later in their epic lvls. Yes they can be seen as strong heroicly but no one stays at lvl 12 vs staying at lvl 30 where that huge impact in melee power reduction is affecting the most.

[Zietlearner]

Are you saying that stick builds are better than people are claiming, and the changes simply keep the same power curve in relation to handwraps builds? For example:

Current power levels -
Handwraps Monks>>>Stick Monks>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Most Other DPS>>>THF Builds

New power levels -
Handwraps Monks>=Most Other DPS>>>Stick Monks>=THF Builds

If you keep the Henshin MP for Qstaffs only, then when you make adjustments to THF in general later on to bring them up to par, Henshin stick builds will get pushed too far ahead?

I think what is being said here is the multiclass fighter THF builds using henshin mystic tree for their extra MP is being focused to bring them down to a fair playing field to regular wrap builds or pure barb/other melee builds that are using the monk fighter multiclass build. In my opinion the diversity is there and one of the best dps builds ive seen melee wise is a pure lvl 20 fighter using THF feats. DDO has always targeted melee builds and this is just another way for them to do so furthering the gap between range and melee diversity where range again get another step.

[Lokeal_The_Flame]

Not sure if this is the proper place to make the suggestion, but given the bleed through with the systems changes in general. Might I make a suggestion for new Legendary feats?

Scion of Shavarath:

• You gain +2 Healing Hands charges if you are an Aasimar.
• Add 2d20 Evil damage to weapon and unarmed attacks (Scales with Spell Power)
• Gain; Blade Barrier SLA.

Scion of Irian:

• You gain +2 Healing Hands charges if you are an Aasimar.
• Add 1d20 Light damage to weapon and unarmed attacks (Scales with Spell Power)
• Melee, ranged, and offensive spell damage have a chance to proc a burst of blinding light. (Similar to Brazen Brilliance on Echo of The Sunsword.)

Scion of Lamannia:

• You gain +1W when in a wildshape form.
• Druid Mantle spells are doubled in effect.
• Melee, ranged, and offensive spell damage deal 1d10 random elemental damage and have a chance to proc an AoE burst of random elemental damage. (Scales with the appropriate Spell Power)

Additionally a level 24 Master feat for Shapeshifting would be nice as well.

Master of Wildshapes:

• You gain +1W when in a wildshape form.
• If you are in a bear form; gain the effects of +20 PRR and MRR, +10 natural armor, and +15 melee power.
• If you are in a wolf form; gain the effects of +2 sneak attack die, +10 reflex saves, and improved deception effect on attacks.

Personally, I want a form of vampirism that scales with repair amplification...... Scion Of Shadowfell does not........ nor does any other form of vampirism scale with such....

[SquidMaster]

Epic Destinies

The Melee Power in the Cores of each Epic Destiny have been adjusted to give an overall boost to melee in Epics:
Fatesinger: +10 Melee Power per Core.
Grandmaster of Flowers: +10 Melee Power per Core
Shadowdancer: +10 Melee Power per Core
Fury of the Wild: +6 Melee Power per Core
Primal Avatar: +10 Melee Power per Core
Divine Crusader: +3 Melee Power per Core
Unyelding Sentinel: +5 Melee Power per Core
Legendary Dreadnaught: unchanged

In what world does it make any sense for the bard tree to have a higher melee power boost than the barbarian?

And where is the ranged power????