U38 Preview 2: Loot

[Silverleafeon]

Or you could at least do like slavers gear and put enhancement & quality stat bonuses on the same item, instead of spreading them out into three different items...

[Thar]

No medium/light armor for druids? they don't get heavy armor proficiency and need light for wolf evasion.

[Silverleafeon]

We have +20 enhancement ability stats from the Ravenloft raids, making these helmets useless.
The extras that are not stats are pretty much fluff.

If you want to impress us, choose one of the following for the new helmets:

Insightful Stat ~ good
Insightful & Quality same Stat ~ better
Insightful & Quality & Alchemical same stat ~ best

then add a blue slot and whatever fluff you think is appropriate.


Definitely getting tired of the Devs spreading stat bonuses unto to several items...

[edrein]

No medium/light armor for druids? they don't get heavy armor proficiency and need light for wolf evasion.

Bear tree provides heavy armor proficiency. Though I do agree that medium and light armor is needed as well.

[Silverleafeon]

These helmets would become much more desirable if you replace the enhancement stat bonus with an insightful stat bonus.

Many of us have already farmed out our +19 enhancement stat item, and are working towards a +20 raid stat item that totally eclipses your helmets.

Some of these potential insightful stat bonuses don't exist in the game anywhere at all, and this is your chance to provide them.

Of course adding alchemical, profane, house, primal, or holy stat bonuses to these items as well could be nice.

[Silverleafeon]

Take comfort in knowing that all four of those item qualities will be found again someday on shiny new items in future updates.

If we actually hated Assassins, there are much easier ways we could show it than simply "not giving this one specific build a new best-in-a lot item every update while other builds have gone years without one". But we don't hate Assassins. They're just not getting a specific, exclusive item this update, which is pretty normal. Noted for the future.

You can start by replacing the enhancement stat bonus on the int helmet with insightful, creating a +1 overall DC boost to all int based toons compared to current Cannith crafting maximume potential.
Maybe a +2 holy stat bonus as well?
Or Quality?
Or Alchemical?
Any one of those would create more Assassin DC power along with helping the upcoming Arcane pass...
Etc, etc, etc...

[Silverleafeon]

Inserts img of parade of pink elephants, heefalumps, and woozles all wondering why the Devs are giving us helmets with -1 stat compared to our beloved Ravenloft raids?!?

[Gabrael]

I don't get the fuss, +19 for a non raid item (helmets) vs +20 for a RAID items.
are people expecting new quest and gear to always up-up previous gear? sometimes ya just want more diverse options and alternatives, especially one ya don;t need to raid for.

[ThomasHunter]

Hey Steel and team!

Can't wait for the update - pumped as always!

I thought that I remember you (the team) talking about prospectively adding throwing daggers to support the Vistani tree. I was a bit taken aback that there was no level 14 dagger in this set as well as a potential legendary dagger (both throwing).

The reason I brought this up is because I had just recently looked at the wiki for named throwing daggers and there aren't many choices (even less than I had thought!). Shoot, even one that we have doesn't work correctly right now.

Thanks for listening,
Taleisin

[Silverleafeon]

I don't get the fuss, +19 for a non raid item (helmets) vs +20 for a RAID items.
are people expecting new quest and gear to always up-up previous gear?

No.

Raid gear should always be superior to noraid gear.
High grind gear should always be superior to low grind gear.

I am not expecting +20 enhancement stat out of a quest duneon, and would object if it appeared.

What I do object is that Ravenloft brought us a multiple version of +19 enhancement items for every single stat along with the possibility of +20 enhancement stat items, yet half the insightful stat ability stats are not supported.

What I do object is that the Devs seem to want to offer more and more types of bonuses but are unwilling to combine two or more bonuses of the same stat on the same item.

sometimes ya just want more diverse options and alternatives, especially one ya don;t need to raid for.

I can understand and definately respect your point of view.
Its a matter of perspective.

Given that Insightful Stat is up to a potential of +9, Quality is up to a potential of +4, Profane is up to a potential of +2, these add up to +15 stat bonus which is hard to ignore.

So, the Devs can seek to cover all the basics or seek to add diversity, hopefully given enough time, both will be dealt with.

Its a bit sad that Warlocks have better Insightful Stats than Fighters, imho...

[draven1]

Take comfort in knowing that all four of those item qualities will be found again someday on shiny new items in future updates.

If we actually hated Assassins, there are much easier ways we could show it than simply "not giving this one specific build a new best-in-a lot item every update while other builds have gone years without one". But we don't hate Assassins. They're just not getting a specific, exclusive item this update, which is pretty normal. Noted for the future.

So, why did casters have new best-in-a lot item for almost every update?
Nightmother scepter, sorcery slaver set, int or cha or wis stat items that didn't share same slot..

+spell DC from reaper tree, +spell DC from augment slot, +spell DC from legendary feats that don't reduce toon's potential too much because casters have multiple spells, but, assassins have just 1 skill that use assassination DC.

10~15+ DC differences are too much to overcome.
It makes for one could handle every situation too easy, for the another, almost every attempt would fail.
Because 10~15 DC differences mean 50~75% success rate differences.

And landing a spell is far easier than landing assassinate, and far safer because you can use spells from a distance, even more with enlarge.
And casters have multiple spells, so you can just circulate spells within specific time, but, you need to wait for 12 sec to land a single assassinate. You made it worse by adding SLA instakill spells that doesn't share cooldown for certain classes.

Mass instakill spells like mass frog, implosion that works on construct, undead, ooze, etc...

Reapers have tremor sense, and mobs shares aggro immediately.

So.. you don't hate assassins, do you?

[Silverleafeon]

Of course behind the scenes might look a little different...

...for example, if the augment system is finally finished and suddenly:

~~ +x insightful ability
~~ +y quality ability
~~ possible +z profane ability

augments become available in amounts competitive (such as current values minus 1 per min level)

then everything goes upside down, and suddenly augment slots on named items are really popular again!

[Silverleafeon]

and if the really good augments were loot only, that would be interesting

...perhaps the best augments could be raid loot?

[Silverleafeon]

Side by Side comparision:

Unbreakable Stormreach Guardian's Helm Helm

• Constitution +7/+19
• Vitality +24/+67
• Fortitude +8/+16
• Fortification +90%/+202%
• Blue Augment Slot

Overall, the new helm is a bit more versatile, but the doge is very handy.
For a melee the double strike will be infinitely more valuable.

Ravenloft seems to edge out the new helm here?



Side by Side comparison:

Drow Sage's Mantle Helm

• Wisdom +7/+19
• True Seeing
• Healing Amplification +29/+80
• Will Saves +6/+16
• Purple Augment Slot

For a Divine, insightful evocation focus is a big deal, the fort is nice but possibly redundant, and the PRR is welcome.
For a Divine Spellcaster, true seeing is castable, the healing amp is helpful in upper reaper, and will saves increase their best saving throws.

Ravenloft again seems to edge out the new helm for a divine spellcaster.

A monk will likely prefer the Healing Amplification hem, but might prefer the raid quality Fleetfoot Necklace.


Multi-class and pure builds that cast spells might prefer



which is the current "best in slot" item (or a close 2nd to anything else out there).

[Silverleafeon]

Question:

Will these new legendary helms drop with the ultra-rare "+2 to all stats" feature that some of the earlier helms have?

[Silverleafeon]

It seems that I have overlooked this Insightful Intelligence item:




which leaves only two neglected insightful stats ~ Str & Wis ?

the ravenloft quality int item is pretty good too (listed below in comparisions)






Two more side by side comparisons:

Mantle of Madness Helm

• Intelligence +7/+19
• Shatter +8/+22
• Wizardry +145/+412
• Exceptional Astute Skills +4/+10
• Purple Augment Slot

Obviously, Int + Quality Int tumps Int only.

Ravenloft edges out new helms.

Compliance Helm

• Charisma +7/+19
• Potency +57/+145
• Exceptional Alluring Skills +4/+10
• Spellsight +15/+22
• Purple Augment Slot

[/INDENT]


Ok, Charisma gloves are granting +4 Quality Charisma, +8 Evocation Focus which is ideal for a Warlock or Sorcerer.
Yes, a Bard might prefer the potency and extra alluring skills, but Greater Shout is an evocation stun spell, and quality Charisma would help with disco ball.


There is also a Bard type cha item to consider:



Ravenloft again seems to edge out the new helms in Charisma.



Now, I realize that Expansion gear > Normal Pack gear, so this might be normal for the new helms to be edged out by Ravenloft.
But if this were the case, perhaps another focus?

[Silverleafeon]

Two more side by side comparisons:




Head

Mighty Stormreach Guardian's Helm Helm

• Strength +7/+19
• Deadly +6/+16
• Stunning +8/+22
• Seeker +7/+19
• Blue Augment Slot

This one is close.
The insightful Con probably edges out deady + seeker, especially if one has a ring slot still open for



which almost as much deadly (14 vs 16) along with 8 melee power

Ravenloft seems to edge out the new Str helm.



on to Dexterity....

Helm of the Vulkoorim Helm

• Dexterity +6/+19
• Dodge +6/+19%
• Reflex Saves +8/+16
• Armor Piercing +7/+31
• Purple Augment Slot

Dodge vs Insightful Dodge, Armor Piercing vs Doubleshot, Distant Diversion vs Ref Saves + Augment Slot (which I assume will become blue).

This seems a tie to me.

Both are very nice.

[Silverleafeon]

So, the new helms ect.. ~ melee & ranged look better than a spellcaster, with assassin rogues looking worst of all?

Coming off an expansion, the next set is likely to seem smaller and less dramatic anyway.

[burbongoth]

id like to check out the u38 preview but cant find the link for the files to dl the server for lamannia.

[xCataluna]

id like to check out the u38 preview but cant find the link for the files to dl the server for lamannia.

Lammania is currently closed, as the preview is over.
If you want the link for the future, its here.