U42 Preview 1: Minor Artifacts

[R1ncewind]

Disclaimer

Everything seen on the preview server, Lamannia, is not final and is subject to change or removal before live release.

Stolen Signet of ir'Wynarn Ring Minor Artifact
Minimum Level:29
Maximum Filigree Slots: 3

• Charisma +22
• Exceptional Alluring Skills Bonus +11
• Quality Potency +41
• Light Absorption +31%

[/LIST]

Could we get a version of this artifact with int on it? this could be a great artifact for undead wizards. if you can't then replace this one with an int version

[MistaMagic]

and here we go again:-

Nightmother's sceptre all 8 slots
4 x ottos + 2 dcs all spells
3 x eye of the beholder + 1 x eye/grave + 2 dcs all spells

add
Gauntlets of Iron Council
3 x grave (int+neg heal + prr)
should give + 1 int (NOPE), Neg heal amp (Don't know as don't use), + prr (working)

so now I should have a 4 piece grave set giving 10 universal spell power/ 2 will saves and 2 dcs to necro spells

What I actualy got is +9 spell power (NOT 10), NO +2 will saves and NO +2 necro dcs. So NONE of it worked as intended

[Necrodeadbabies]

The minor artifacts look interesting, and adding new ways to increase the use of filigrees is appealing. After reviewing the Preview:1 Loot I was wondering if it was intentional creating a conflict between some of the sets and the more obvious minor artifact choices that could go with those builds? Example: the Hruit's Influence set requires a combination of armor, gloves, and necklace. Reviewing the set bonus and the bonuses on the necklaces in the set, these appear to be geared toward Sorcs and Druid caster builds. The minor artifacts that most directly support those builds The Zarash'ak Ward and Sigil of Regalport are also on necklace so they could not be used with the set. The Gauntlets of the Iron Council, which might have been a good alternative choice supporting a secondary stat Con, also conflicts being in the gloves slot. The only remaining options in line with those builds would be the Stolen Signet of ir'Wynarn on ring slot, which with quality potency 41 isn't a bad choice for a Sorc, although less appealing for some than quality spell focus mastery. However, for caster Druids the only minor artifact that would support their primary casting stat is the Radiant Ring of Taer Valaestas, which looks like it was constructed for non-casters in mind. I wasn't sure if this was by design to create tough choices, or if it was incidental and might receive additional review. Thank you.

[jskinner937]

It sadly has that lack of cohesion on lam. I don't know what your goal was, but maybe this could be a "Frog Pendant". 22 WIS, Abjuration 9, Ins Abjuration 4, Neg Absorb.

Frog is transmutation.

[Tilomere]

Sigil of the Triumverate Ring Minor Artifact
Minimum Level:29
Maximum Filigree Slots: 3

• Dexterity +22
• Insightful Accuracy +17
• Quality Deadly +5
• Fire Absorption +53%

Insightful accuracy is already on 3 other different pieces of Sharn Loot (Stygian Cowl, Wildwood Wrists, Molten Adamantine Gauntlets) but insightful seeker is nowhere. Can we make this insightful seeker instead? Or Ins. Armor Pen?

[ThreadNecromancer]

Spell resistance is definitely far behind all the other the third attributes listed of all the different artifacts. I would suggest a change to quality potency to make it comparable

Spell resistance has to be brought up to significant values to give noticable effects. My monk has 106 SR and the amount of blue forcefields I see makes me smile. I think barbs can get it even higher. Reaching these levels outside monk/barb involves... Spell Resistance spell? Cannith crafting?

On that note, I'd like to see Insightful Spell Resistance added to some of the new items.

Are these raid only or available in standard quests?

Also if available in standard (I assume sharn only or at least legendary) quests are they rare drops like mythic bonuses? If so does the difficulty affect the chance for them to drop at all / rate of drop e.g. only on reaper?

I'm also wondering about mythic/reaper bonuses on these, and hoping they don't only drop in the raids (like that Covetous gem). Will the helms (or other gear slots) be able to get that sweet-sweet reaper ability bonus?

They actually each have 3 Augment Slots - Yellow, Green, and Blue.

Are we getting any new augments to take advantage of three-slot items? Been a long time since we had new augments. Someone posted a good idea about including the likes of a Sapphire of Healing Amplification, or a Ruby of Deception. New named augments would be cool too, or even crafted augments.

How about adding Emeralds, Ambers, and Amethysts that can only be slotted in Green, Orange, and Purple slots?

[janave]

How about adding Emeralds, Ambers, and Amethysts that can only be slotted in Green, Orange, and Purple slots?

Super idea, and I like the Frogger item as well with Transmutation DC loads.

[deconedi]

Key of Rhukaan Draal Necklace Minor Artifact
Minimum Level:29
Maximum Filigree Slots: 3
Intelligence +22
Insightful Accuracy +17
Wizardry +481
Cold Absorption +53%

Band of Diani ir'Wynarn Bracer Minor Artifact
Minimum Level:29
Maximum Filigree Slots: 3
Intelligence +22
Insightful Accuracy +17
Insightful Deadly +8
Sonic Absorption +53%

Sigil of Regalport Necklace Minor Artifact
Minimum Level:29
Maximum Filigree Slots: 3
Charisma +22
Quality Spell Focus Mastery+2
Spell Resistance+52
Acid Absorption +53%

Well... We already have two minor artifact with int +22 and insight accur, would it be possible to remove the insight accu from the key of Rhukaan and add quality spell focus mastery as in Sigil of Regal?

[Cookiegum]

The first thing that hits me is a lot of overlapping, there is no incentive to want more than one of them. I understand this is an early stage, maybe future iterations will change my mind.

[0ldschool]

ir'Kesslan's Shattered Lens Goggles Minor Artifact
Minimum Level:29
Maximum Filigree Slots: 3
Dexterity +22
Dodge +22%
Quality Potency +41
Negative Absorption +31%

This looks like a rogue/ranger item except for the last 2 lines. Not sure how this all fits together.
I'd prefer insightful accuracy or armor peircing....

Yes, this +1. I also like suggestion of Improved Deception.

[Cocomajobo]

The first thing that hits me is a lot of overlapping, there is no incentive to want more than one of them. I understand this is an early stage, maybe future iterations will change my mind.

You can only equip one minor artifact regardless of slot.

[Cookiegum]

You can only equip one minor artifact regardless of slot.

Hmm.. I got this part completely wrong then, my bad.

[Arriene]

Not sure how I feel about these. On the one hand, 3 filigree slots is nearly enough reason to equip an artifact, in and of itself. On the other hand, the pre-set bonuses on the items don't feel that special, or like a reason to make it a cornerstone of a gear layout. If anything, with the current stats, I'm more likely to plan out the rest of my gear then pick an artifact that fits the slots I have left. I'm not really sure what the best way to change this would be though. Giving each artifact a powerful unique effect not found (or rarely found) on other gear would be a really cool way of doing it, which would also reinforce their unique identities, but would, I imagine, be difficult to implement. The other option is to give artifacts the sort of base-line bonuses everyone wants, in every situation. This doesn't really do anything to make them unique, but could make them useful enough to gear around.
In either case, I'm really not a fan of the absorption effects common across these. Absorb is either really useful, or totally useless, to the degree it's something I'd want to swap into a gearset if I know I'll fight that element a lot - cold absorb to fight whisps, chaos absorb for Killing Time, things like that. It's not something I'd want equipped all the time, which is what these artifacts do. Negative absorb especially has limited use, with the availability of the deathward spell. Is there any chance of seeing these effects replaced with something more universally applicable?

[JOTMON]

You can only equip one minor artifact regardless of slot.

bleh.

[Noircere]

Suggestion:

ML18 heroic versions with ML21-23 stats and a single filigree slot.

I don't think we need even more gear at 18; many cannith crafting effects gain a number at 18, and so I and the other power gamers have crafted sets at 18. We really need more itemization in the ML 20 to 25 range. That said, making this available in heroic as a teaser would be kind of neat.

So they have augment slots on lamania?
What are we supposed to putbin there?

This is a real point. Augments are seriously outdated. Only red augments hold up against current power creep, and then only because they stack with everything. Colorless, Blue, and Yellow augments all compete with on-item stats, but clock in at tiny numbers.

What is the design intent for the augment system?

Currently we have two tiers of augments.

The "strong" augments are ones with unique (Ruby of Eternal Night) or rare (Master's Gift) effects, that mostly stack with gear, or conflict with so few pieces of gear that they may as well stack. You always want these. For red augments, you're forced to choose, and the choice isn't always the same. Red augments are in a very good place right now. I just looked through the list of red augments, and I can honestly say, I've used everything except the basic +typed damage ones. They're all valuable. For unique non-red augments, it's easy to get enough slots to slot them all, and so you do, and there's no choice or thought involved. This makes the first few augment slots valuable, but beyond that, more slots are less valuable. Ideally, the unique augments would all play like red augments: desirable, situational, and impossible to get enough slots to simply use them all.

How about adding Emeralds, Ambers, and Amethysts that can only be slotted in Green, Orange, and Purple slots?

This could be a good way to ensure that it's hard to just use every unique augment: put them only on rare slot types. Of course, Orange and Purple have serious problems under the current design too; with Red augments being in such a good place, it's really hard to make new Orange-only or Purple-only augments both fit into the system, but not add unnecessary power creep. To be desirable when you have the right slot, they would need to be better than enough Red augments to be worthy of consideration, but then you're forced to add a ton of power creep to all weapons with multiple "red" slots.

Orange and purple slots need a real role beyond simply being second and third red slots.

If I may make a suggestion: consider consolidating the augment system to make most augments only fit their exact color - I.E. red goes in red but not purple or orange - at the same time as moving all the unique highly-desirable augments onto specific colors.

Augments that I see as unique, or rarely-conflicted:
Good Luck, Max Dex Bonus, Arcane Spell Failure, Master's Gift, Spooky Int/Wis, Globe of True Imperial Blood, Crushing Wave Guard, Golem's Heart, Blind Ward, Fear Ward, Deathblock, Enhancement Spell Focus, Draconic Soul Gem, [all red augs].

The "weak" augments are ones that offer standard stats, but at tiny numbers. Items give 20+ to one attribute, the very-rare drop augment offers 7. Items offer 50+ sheltering, the ML28 augment offers 14. Items offer 80+ elemental resistance, the named augment offers 35. These sorts of augment lessen the penalty of not including a given stat into your equipment layout. Since +7 CON augments exist, you "only" lose 13-15 CON by not having a CON item, instead of the full 20. Around the time these augments were new, +8 attribute items were about as high as it went. In those days, having a stat on an item was only marginally better than having an augment slot. Today, power creep has eroded the value of augments relative to other mods by about 65%.

Is the intended design for "extra" augment slots to cover holes in itemization? What percentage of "regular" items is the correct amount for augments to provide?

Today, many stats' augments offer a mere 33% of a full item. Originally, this was 88%. Picking the correct ratio is critical to balancing the value of augment slots. If it were 100% of a full item, then any item with a "real" stat on it that has an augment form would actually be worse than simply having an augment slot, for lack of options. As power creep pushes it ever closer to 0%, the value of augment slots drops. I can see the team acknowledging this by offering ever more items with two or even three augment slots.

---

In summary:

The basic dichotomy of augments is a good design. Some augments and slot types being highly-desirable unique effects from which you're forced to choose a subset, and other augments and slot types filling holes in itemization is a good design. It plays well into the gear puzzle, and it makes different colors feel unique.

The system also has a few flaws.

• Orange and purple slots behave like red slots, because it's rarely a good choice to put anything other than a red gem into them.
• Non-red augments mostly have not kept pace with power creep, and this is compromising their role in covering for itemization gaps.
• Newer core stats like healing amplification do not have augments, and this is also compromising slots' role in covering for itemization gaps.

[janave]

If the power raise is inevitable on these items, would not artifact bonus to ability stats +4-5 instead of +22 make more sense?

Sigil of Regalport 's acid absorption does not seem to connect with the theme (unless im missing somethin obvious here), if the absorption is set in stone, it may make more sense to add water/fire theme.

That aside, I would rather see something more interesting than absorption, ~ is mostly a situational item swap effect.

[Saekee]

How about you guys do something wild and crazy and have the stat bonuses on the artifacts INFERIOR to other gear? Then we would weigh out whether or not the boost to set bonuses from their filigrees are worth equipping them.

Pretend that all packs are released at the same time, please

[DeltaBravo]

Disclaimer

Everything seen on the preview server, Lamannia, is not final and is subject to change or removal before live release.

Update 42 is going to feature a new designation for equipment items called a "Minor Artifact". The most basic explanation is: A piece of equipment with the "Minor Artifact" designation (displayed on it's tooltip) is an extra powerful item that goes into one of your normal equipment slots (Head, Neck, Wrists, etc.) and can have filigree slotted into it. Below are some specific details to help understand what is distinct about a Minor Artifact:

• Each Minor Artifact can only be equipped into a specific equipment slot, however, which slot that is differs from Minor Artifact to Minor Artifact.
• A character may only equip a single Minor Artifact regardless of slot.
• The power level of equipment effects on a Minor Artifact are higher than other equipment items at the same minimum level.
• Minor Artifacts can be placed in the Sentient Weapon ui.
• Each Minor Artifact begins with one Filigree Slot available. They do not need a Sentient Jewel nor can you slot a sentient jewel into one.
• Minor Artifacts can consume named items, just like a Sentient Weapon, to gain xp.
• Unlocking Filigree slots for a Minor Artifact costs half the XP that unlocking a Filigree slot in a Sentient Weapon costs.
• Each Minor Artifact has a different maximum Filigree Slots. This Maximum Filigree Slot total can not be adjusted by consuming a Sentient Spark. All of those available in Update 42, however, have 3 maximum Filigree Slots.
• A Minor Artifact can not be consumed by a Sentient Weapon or another Minor Artifact.
• Filigree slotted into your equipped Minor Artifact count towards the set bonuses of Filigree slotted into your equipped Sentient Weapon
• The same Filigree slotted into your equipped Minor Artifact AND your equipped Sentient Weapon will not stack with each other, though both will count towards their set bonus. (For instance, if you placed "Deadly Rain Dexterity" into both your equipped Minor Artifact and your equipped Sentient Weapon you would only gain +1 Dexterity BUT you would have the 2 piece set bonus from Deadly Rain active)

And that's, essentially the Minor Artifacts system. Players will choose one high powered item to be the cornerstone of their gearing layout and then will fill it out with filigree in order to expand their available filigree set bonus possibilities.

The full list of Minor Artifacts currently planned to be released with Update 42 is below:

The Zarash'ak Ward Neck Minor Artifact
Minimum Level:29
Maximum Filigree Slots: 3

• Wisdom +22
• Quality Spell Focus Mastery +2
• Armor Bonus +22
• Negative Absorption +31%

Stolen Signet of ir'Wynarn Ring Minor Artifact
Minimum Level:29
Maximum Filigree Slots: 3

• Charisma +22
• Exceptional Alluring Skills Bonus +11
• Quality Potency +41
• Light Absorption +31%

ir'Kesslan's Shattered Lens Goggles Minor Artifact
Minimum Level:29
Maximum Filigree Slots: 3

• Dexterity +22
• Dodge +22%
• Quality Potency +41
• Negative Absorption +31%

Radiant Ring of Taer Valaestas Ring Minor Artifact
Minimum Level:29
Maximum Filigree Slots: 3

• Wisdom +22
• Quality Accuracy +8
• Insightful Deadly +8
• Chaos Absorption +31%

Gauntlet of the Iron Council Gloves Minor Artifact
Minimum Level:29
Maximum Filigree Slots: 3

• Constitution +22
• Magical Sheltering +59
• Quality Potency +41
• Electricity Absorption +53%

Sigil of the Triumverate Ring Minor Artifact
Minimum Level:29
Maximum Filigree Slots: 3

• Dexterity +22
• Insightful Accuracy +17
• Quality Deadly +5
• Fire Absorption +53%

Brand of Kalok Shash Bracer Minor Artifact
Minimum Level:29
Maximum Filigree Slots: 3

• Strength +22
• Quality Accuracy +8
• Quality Deadly +5
• Fire Absorption +53%

Key of Rhukaan Draal Necklace Minor Artifact
Minimum Level:29
Maximum Filigree Slots: 3

• Intelligence +22
• Insightful Accuracy +17
• Wizardry +481
• Cold Absorption +53%

Band of Diani ir'Wynarn Bracer Minor Artifact
Minimum Level:29
Maximum Filigree Slots: 3

• Intelligence +22
• Insightful Accuracy +17
• Insightful Deadly +8
• Sonic Absorption +53%

Sigil of Regalport Necklace Minor Artifact
Minimum Level:29
Maximum Filigree Slots: 3

• Charisma +22
• Quality Spell Focus Mastery+2
• Spell Resistance+52
• Acid Absorption +53%

Minor Artifacts Known Issues

• Icons are not final
• XP required to unlock slots is very placeholder
• Minor Artifacts can currently be consumed by other Minor Artifacts or Sentient Weapons

Are there more of theese in the drawing board ? I see 3 neckies but only one pair of goggles. And no raid minor artifact ?? Wouldent that be a good idea ? I would have wished for theese items to have been a little more customble like the nearly finished items. I would have been much more usefull for everybody.. Perhaps even just with the choose between +21 stat ( you craft) and the +10 insightfull along with the 3 augemnt slots i think alot of people would have been happy with that. For none of my builds is theese items gonna be a win ecspect ofc from the filigree, would be nice if the item was actully going to be Unique.

[CeltEireson]

This is a real point. Augments are seriously outdated. Only red augments hold up against current power creep, and then only because they stack with everything. Colorless, Blue, and Yellow augments all compete with on-item stats, but clock in at tiny numbers.]

The yellow augments that give a bonus to spell DCs also stack if I remember.

[janave]

The yellow augments that give a bonus to spell DCs also stack if I remember.

They do, and hopefully remains that way .