U51 Early Preview: Epic Feats, Destiny Feats, and Legendary Feats Changes

[Cocomajobo]

Disclaimer

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

In this new framework we are moving some specific power out of the ED trees and into the into the Epic and Destiny feats to help reduce the power spike in the Destinies themselves while still retaining original player power. This also let us boost feats that are currently underperforming. Our other goal with this pass was to spread out power that is currently concentrated in the upper end of the game and bring it lower so that players can access it sooner. So, we've both added power to epic/destiny feats and made them available at lower levels.

We also wanted to make the Legendary "Scion of" Feats provide more of a competitive choice, which meant boosting the non-Fire feats considerably in the spellcasting department. Finally, we are removing the Epic Skill feats from the game, which will cut down on feat clutter considerably.

Changes in Teal

Epic Feats
Epic Power (autogranted feat)
+3 Melee Power, +3 Ranged Power, +6 Universal Spell Power and -1% to the Spell Point cost of all spells.
now also provides +1 spellcast level with all casting classes for every 2 times this feat is applied (for a total of +5 to all casting classes at level 30)

Destiny Feats:
ALL DESTINY FEATS NO LONGER CONTAIN SPHERE REQUIREMENTS

Epic Spellpower (all types)
Provides +20 Spellpower with the associated elemental type
Now also provides +10% spell critical damage with the appropriate elemental type

Epic Skill Focus (all skills)
Removed from the game!

Dire Charge
Dire Charge is no longer an Epic Feat; it can now be found in Legendary Dreadnought.

Mass Frog
Mass Frog is no longer an Epic Feat; it can now be found in Primal Avatar.

Destiny Feats with NO MIN LEVEL
Now have Min Level 22

Destiny Feats with Min Level 28
Now have Min Level 25

Destiny Feats with min Level 29
Now have Min Level 28

Legendary Feats
Scion of Earth

• +4 to the DCs of Conjuration and Transmutation spells, +2 to the DCs of other spells
• +20 PRR
• +10 Acid and Poison Spell Power, +30 Universal Spell Power, +20% Acid and Poison Spell Critical Damage
• Add 2d20 Acid damage to weapon and unarmed attacks (Scales with Spell Power)

Scion of Air

• +4 to the DCs of Evocation spells, +2 to the DCs of other spells
• +4% Dodge, +4 to Dodge Cap
• +10 Electric Spell Power, +30 Universal Spell Power, +20% Electric Spell Critical Damage
• Add 2d20 Electric damage to weapon and unarmed attacks (Scales with Spell Power)

Scion of Fire

• No longer grants +25% Spell Critical Damage with all spells
• +4 to the DCs of Evocation spells, +2 to the DCs of other spells
• +10 PRR, +10 MRR
• +10 Fire Spell Power, +30 Universal Spell Power, +20% Fire Spell Critical Damage
• Add 2d20 Fire damage to weapon and unarmed attacks (Scales with Spell Power)

Scion of Water

• No longer grants +200 Maximum Spell Points
• +4 to the DCs of Evocation spells, +2 to the DCs of other spells
• +20 MRR
• +10 Cold Spell Power, +30 Universal Spell Power, +20% Cold Spell Critical Damage
• Add 2d20 Cold damage to weapon and unarmed attacks (Scales with Spell Power)

Scion of Feywild

• +10 Sonic Spell Power, +30 Universal Spell Power, +20% Sonic Spell Critical Damage
• +4 to the DCs of Enchantment and Illusion spells, +2 to DCs of other spells
• Add 2d20 Sonic damage to weapon and unarmed attacks (Scales with Spell Power)
• +20 Healing Amp

Scion of Shadowfell

• +4 to the DCs of Necromancy spells, +2 to DCs of other spells
• +10 Negative Spell Power, +30 Universal Spell Power, +20% Negative Spell Critical Damage. (note that the Poison Spellpower moved to the Scion of Earth feat)
• +20 Negative Amp (assuming you take healing from Negative)
• Weapon and Unarmed attacks heal you for 1d6 Positive damage, or 1d6 Negative damage if you are Undead.

Scion of Mechanus

• +20 Repair & Rust Spell Power, +20 Universal Spell Power, +20% Repair and Rust Spell Critical Damage
• +20 Repair Amplification (assuming you take healing from Repair)
• +10% Fortification Bypass on weapon and unarmed attacks
• Gain: Master Reconstruction, shares cooldown with Communion of Scribing

Scion of Celestia

• +20 Positive, Light, & Alignment Spell Power, +20 Universal Spell Power
• +20% Positive, Light, and Alignment Spell Critical Damage
• +150 Maximum Hit Points
• +4 to Will Saves

As a reminder, there are no more Sphere requirements (because there are no more Spheres), and any character may choose any feat from the Destiny feat list assuming they meet the other prerequisites (if any). This is incredibly important because it means that even characters who are brand new to Epics can choose from the same pool of Feats that an established player can without needing to grind out Epic Destiny XP.

We think these changes in combination with the Epic/Destiny Feat Tie-Ins in the trees themselves will create a far more compelling level-up flow for Epic play, and allow players to explore new and exciting combinations and builds without worrying about Destiny XP requirements.

[arminius]

Dire Charge
Dire Charge is no longer an Epic Feat; it can now be found in Legendary Dreadnought.

This sounds like it will make use of Legendary Dreadnought pretty much obligatory for any melee. Unless Dire Charge becomes less uniquely powerful I guess, by either nerfing it or bringing up other mass CC abilities

EDIT: and they nerfed its dc by 5 and made it a tier 5 ability so you not only have to dip into Dreadnought to get it, you have to max it, to the exclusion of anything else

[LrdSlvrhnd]

What happens in these cases?

- I have a level 22 character I don't play very often. Assuming she's the same when this hits live, how do I get that first ED feat? I particularly remember my Undying Court FvS not having Undying Call for the longest time because it was changed from enhancement to feat after she was past L6, until I LR'd her after the FvS revamp. I really don't want this situation again.

- I have a level 27 character I don't play very often. Might make 28, might not (actually, I think I might be able to take it but I'm working towards filling Primal EDs for Doubleshot, maybe? IDK). I'm assuming that the (currently) L26 feat will just get shoved into proper place, but what about the L28 feat that's now L25? (See also above scenario.) Also, the L26 feat was Epic Disable Device because literally it was that or Toughness 'cause first life and artificer so forced into wrong sphere and yada yada. And honestly, I mighta taken Toughness. But assuming I took Epic DD, what happens?

- Similarly, I have a character who took Mass Frog; I know plenty of people who have taken Dire Charge. What happens to them?

- And just general "Well, you took lousy, substandard feats because you needed to take SOMETHING and you're first life and forced to start off from the entirely wrong sphere from what you WANT..."?

...basically what I'm asking is, are free +0 Lesser Hearts for epic characters going to be a thing?

[Vorachtin]

Ill give more feedback, only got through the core framework write up and I feel like my wife left me. Once I am done crying over how bad level gating ED is, enough so I can read more, I'll finish reading and do some testing.

[cmecu]

I like that you moved things like Mass frog to a destiny tree, and dire charge.. because to me, it seems like when you pick your destiny trees this is how your molding your character .. a person in LD is a warrior type dps build, and they should be able to charge.. it seemed weird that say a wizard who is specializing in magic casting trees, can all of a sudden do a melee charge into a group of monsters.. that seems odd. Just like a Warrior who happened ot have a high wisdom for whatever reason.. hes focused on melee stuff, but hey i can turn things into frogs... it seems odd. So these new changes of where your moving them, make a lot more sense.
I get that some people wont like it because it may have fit into their play style, but it seems more realistic this way.

[LightBear]

What about Scion of Arborea?
What about adding a Mastery of ... aimed at warlocks and that isn't granting +10 levels for 3 spells?
(I can't speak for others but personally I think the warlock options of having extra pact dice come in late/wronglevel and could use a boost of +5% universal crit chance when you have both feats.)
Specifically because Warlocks can be all over the place with their spell powers, adding a new Scion of The Universe (Yes that is a He-Man reference) could open up some, though most pacts all ready have this somewhat covered. Removing the +25% crit damage from scion of fire is hurting this class and they don't have any real alternatives.
And yes I do know warlocks can get the highest crit spell damage, but all they have is a cantrip and not the best of spellpowers (like less then half of that of other classes.)


All over the place for warlock spell powers:
Pact is a choice of its own
Light from Enlighted Spirit
And force that can be replaced

[MasterAO]

Has Scion of the Astral Plane and Scion of the Ethereal Plane feats been removed?

[Lynnabel]

Has Scion of the Astral Plane and Scion of the Ethereal Plane feats been removed?

No, they are just not changing and therefore weren't in the above list.

[Treston]

No, they are just not changing and therefore weren't in the above list.

Thank goodness. I was starting to wonder myself since both my 30 lvl's took the Ethereal Scion.

Overall this new concept sounds intriguing, though old diehards will have some trouble adjusting. I preferred the tree look for ED, but will have to get use to the enhancement style - which makes sense if going across destinies.

[Dandonk]

Can we please just not do this? Please? So many things ruined, new annoying micromanagement added.... just don't, please?

[Monkey_Archer]

This sounds like it will make use of Legendary Dreadnought pretty much obligatory for any melee. Unless Dire Charge becomes less uniquely powerful I guess, by either nerfing it or bringing up other mass CC abilities

EDIT: and they nerfed its dc by 5 and made it a tier 5 ability so you not only have to dip into Dreadnought to get it, you have to max it, to the exclusion of anything else

Good change IMO. Mandatory feats are boring.

[Rosze]

“now also provides +1 spellcast level with all casting classes for every 2 times this feat is applied (for a total of +5 to all casting classes at level 30)”

Does this also increase spells max caster lvl that was an issue for some casters where their spells are capped at lvl 15 even though their caster lvl is around 40.

[arminius]

Good change IMO. Mandatory feats are boring.

Yep, effectiveness is so blasé. Ineffectiveness is where all the cool kids hang out these days!

[Caarb]

Good change IMO. Mandatory feats are boring.

Mandatory feats should be made baseline if they make gameplay more fun. Playing melee without Dire Charge sucks so is one feat I would prefer to make baseline (or reduce mob damage so aoe CC isnt as mandatory as it is now)

[Anuulified]

This sounds like it will make use of Legendary Dreadnought pretty much obligatory for any melee. Unless Dire Charge becomes less uniquely powerful I guess, by either nerfing it or bringing up other mass CC abilities

EDIT: and they nerfed its dc by 5 and made it a tier 5 ability so you not only have to dip into Dreadnought to get it, you have to max it, to the exclusion of anything else

You missed this part too, "If an ability in a new Epic Destiny uses a DC, it follows this formula: 20 + (highest of int/wis/cha if a spell, highest of str/dex/con if a purely physical ability, highest of all ability scores if otherwise/both) + (spell school bonus if it's a spell, appropriate DC boost such as Sunder or Trip if not, includes things like Breath Weapon if it's a Breath Weapon, etc)"

Many people will lose a lot more then 5 DC with Dire Charge, because it is "purely physical". Another thumb in the eye nerf from SSG, because other melee stat playstyles should be punished. Stop letting us preview this, whatever you call it, and just make the changes already. Lord knows they will likely be broke to begin with on the live servers for the players to figure out.

[Carrow12]

Epic Spellpower (all types)
Provides +20 Spellpower with the associated elemental type
Now also provides +10% spell critical damage with the appropriate elemental type

[
While the spell crit chance is nice, +20 is still pretty weak for a epic feat.

[zooble]

Draconic + other caster trees
+30% Spell Crit Damage to all spells - Current
+0% - New

Scions
+25% Spell Crit Damage to all spells - Current Scion of Fire
+20% Spell Crit Damage to a single element - New Scions

Epic Spell Power
+0% - Current
+10% Spell Crit Damage to a single element - New

Total:

+55% Spell Crit Damage to all spells - Current
+30% Spell Crit Damage to a single element - New

Which equals:

-25% Spell Crit Damage to your primary element
-55% Spell Crit Damage to heals and secondary elements


Now on its own it's a straight nerf. Even more so considering there are dual-element abilities in Primal Avatar and loss of some spell crit chance. However, with the DC gains, it's like all Sorcs are being shoved into "Magister mode" where they lose almost all the Draconic Spell Crit Damage for a lot of extra DCs. Good? Bad? It's the new norm in 51.

[Stravix]

Draconic + other caster trees
+30% Spell Crit Damage to all spells - Current
+0% - New

Scions
+25% Spell Crit Damage to all spells - Current Scion of Fire
+20% Spell Crit Damage to a single element - New Scions

Epic Spell Power
+0% - Current
+10% Spell Crit Damage to a single element - New

Total:

+55% Spell Crit Damage to all spells - Current
+30% Spell Crit Damage to a single element - New

Which equals:

-25% Spell Crit Damage to your primary element
-55% Spell Crit Damage to heals and secondary elements


Now on its own it's a straight nerf. Even more so considering there are dual-element abilities in Primal Avatar and loss of some spell crit chance. However, with the DC gains, it's like all Sorcs are being shoved into "Magister mode" where they lose almost all the Draconic Spell Crit Damage for a lot of extra DCs. Good? Bad? It's the new norm in 51.

Without being able to see Draconic at all, how do you figure that all of these nerfs are happening?

[mr420247]

They said there removing all spell crit multipliers from eds epic feats so that is a huge nerf across the board

LGS might still work or get the hammer later on who knows but good luck trying to kill epic bosses with no ED abilities and hammered spells at 20

Of course that is 1 way to make warlock dps suck less in epics lol

If they do all that they should at least add Double cast for dps spells

[Cernunan]

Without being able to see Draconic at all, how do you figure that all of these nerfs are happening?

New EDs will give no spell critical chance.

Here