U55 Preview 2: Itemization

[Lokeal_The_Flame]

I would really like to be able to make a cloak with Legendary Demonic Curse and insightful repair spellpower on it, would much appreciate it if you could add a few more options for effects or at least dragged cannith crafting into the equation somehow.

[Amastris]

• Yeah its almost as bad as Autumn Feywild set not having Fort on it. at least I can craft fort onto something. having armor, helm and cloak as the ONLY items for a set really kills a lot of other sets from sharn, RL, Sharn Docks, the new-ish legendary upgradable sets like Elders focus etc. is that the intent? to replace these sets? if so then yeaaaaah not gonna happen for me I'll stick with what i know works for my build.
• if it is, as it has been stated, meant to succeed LGS then why is it limited to just armor cloak and helm? At least with LGS you can do most of the slots except rings and trinket iirc. there is versatility in the LGS design that is just lacking here.
• The lack of spell lore is a non starter for me. there is no way to make a comparable item to my Staff of summer Solstice because I lose the fire and light spell lore. as a crit based warlock that just isnt a thing i would give up. Period. theres no way to make up the spell lore lost from Hallowed Trail in my flamecleansed set either. I wear both the Elder's set and Flamecleansed sets the helm breaks the elders focus set and armor and cloak break flamecleansed set. i can craft some items that are a slight power creep but its not an exact copy of stats to the exact item. even with the other set bonuses it doesn't make up for what's lost.
• Another thing that i saw that doesnt make sense, at least to me, is some of the non dino bone item armors had 2 set bonuses on them. im not seeing how you can have 2 set bonuses on an armor when the only other items that are (at least currently) designated to be set items are helm and cloak. I didnt see any way to make a dual set bonus augment.so its like you either have one set or the other set which makes having 2 set bonuses on armor a moot point.
• I am a raider that has a permanent raiding group so i personally dont have any qualms about having an ingredient drop in a raid. its just the same as threads of fate, you need threads of fate to make certain items or to reroll that FU^&*#@ gem of many facets that rolls Kundarak delving set 5 out of 12 times but never rolls an elder's focus. You need threads for raid filigrees too. However i do see the gripe that many players are bringing up about having an ingredient(s) tied to something that for them makes it unattainable. its just going to make the gap between raiders and non raiders even bigger. I think there is a solution to this. one option might be to be able to trade in more commonly dropped mats for the, i believe it was Black Pearls, at some ridiculous trade in ratio like 25:1 or some other arbitrary ratio. it could be set up in a similar way as the cannith challenge ingredient swaps to suggest a starting point for this idea.

[mikarddo]

At first glance I was very positive with the perceived options and flexibility. But delving deeper into the details its simply too restrictive.

Please,
- Add a 4th slot to the set so we can pick 3 out of 4. I would suggest belt. It is simply too restrictive having to use those exact 3 slots which collide with Magewright, Red Dragonscale Armor and to a degree Elders sets (and many more). Having the new stuff not mesh with the better old stuff makes it much less likely that the new stuff will be used.
- Add LGS Salt effect. With most of the other effects present it seems odd to leave out Salt.
- Add Spell Lore.
- Add Quality Spell Focus Mastery.
- Add the ability to craft entire accessory items with the "LGS style" augments outside the set. LGS had many more slots to craft on, so this new systaem seems like a downgrade without that.

I raid often so it wont effect me much that the important things in itemization of the expansion require raiding - but - its an awful design. Sure, raids need to add something special which is good, but locking pretty much the entire core of the itemization behind raids if far too much.

Further, shipping the expansion without the raid when the raid is required to use the new loot effectively pretty much means the new loot wont see much if any use till the raid actually ships.

Filigrees - are there no new filigress? That would be a sad surprise.

I think the ideas are great and show promise but the implementation is too restrictive and certain key components are missing.

[Carpone]

I'm not seeing a benefit to casters using Attuned (raid) weapons over non-raid weapons. Casters should receive a similar benefit to melee/ranged increased damage dice for using raid-acquired weapons. Otherwise there’s no point in acquiring raid weapons for casters. The bonus needs to be relevant to the three caster archetypes: nukers, DC casters and healers. Suggestion: Exceptional Spell Pen and Exceptional Implement bonus.

Fang augment options for DC casters and healers are lacking. Neither healers nor DC casters care about the “chance of damage” type of effects that are available. Suggestions: Add Exceptional Magic Efficiency or Exceptional Efficient Metamagic options.

[DeltaBravo]

How come the outfit only have one set bonus while all the other armours have 2 ?

[Carpone]

While the 3pc Dread Stalker set bonus offers a great consolidation of artifact bonuses for both melee and ranged, the armor and helm slots are non-starters for characters already geared out with best in slot items.

The armor conflicts with Red Dragon Armor. Dripping with Magma is just too good to replace with Profane 2d6 Sneak Attack.

The helm conflicts with Aspect of the Wild Hunt, specifically the Insightful Doublestrike. Let's look at the limited Insightful Doublestrike options:
* Pendant of the Warrior's Focus (necklace). Conflicts with Raptor Teeth Necklace, which every melee is going to use since it's best in slot.
* Sojourner's Cowl (helm). Same issue as the Aspect.
* Hammerfist (gloves). Conflicts with Tinkerer's Gloves, one of the few sources for Insightful Seeker and Quality Seeker. Tinkerer Gloves are just too good of a consolidation item, especially with the Dex crafting options.
* Lore-Fueled Packbanner / Vambrace of the Summer Court (bracer). Conflicts with Devilscale Bracers and the Suulo 2pc set bonuses, losing the 30 PRR/MRR bonus.

Likewise, the Dread helm conflicts with Helm of the Final Watcher's Insightful Doubleshot, and Quality Deadly. Again, there are limited Insightful Doubleshot options:
* Thornlord (weapon). Conflicts with the superior Dread weapon crafting system.

Yep, that's it. Just two sources of Insightful Doubleshot in the game. I won't belabor replacing Quality Deadly on the helm, since Band of Insightful Commands provides it as well as Insightful Accuracy for the higher AC mobs in Dread.

TLDR: Replacing Red Dragon Armor and Insightful Doubleshot/Doublestrike helm items for an effective +1 Seeker, +1 Deadly and Profane 2d6 Sneak Attack from Dread crafting is a DPS and defense reduction for both melee and ranged.

[Carpone]

Non-bone crafted armor (Manaweave, Robe of the Locus, etc):

Who is pining for Quality Dodge? Characters already hit the Dodge Cap ceiling.

Insightful Spell Resistance, why? Spell Resistance has been a gearing trap since it was revamped years ago and various non-gear sources no longer stack. Monster spells that really matter in higher difficulties, like Horrid Wilting or Vengeance circles, don't have an SR check.

Insightful Fortification isn't worth gearing for. I play a non-tank with 244% Fortification, and still get crit regularly.

Combined those effects make the armor underwhelming.

[WiseFreelancer]

Some thoughts:

-Dread Isle Curse set really needs another ring. To get to 5 is quite challenging, and if you want to drop any other slot for a non-set item, you end up with two spellpower rings. Very few builds need two, and many don't want one [even the devotion one is unappealing for builds with heals without healing lore]. Another ring with any general benefits would greatly improve chances of using this set.

-The artefacts are okay but glad to hear they are being looked at again. Moving to ring slot and swapping in the Dread Isle set bonus instead of the set slot might be a start? Otherwise I wondered if they could have a fifth augment type unique to them with a range of minor artefact-style defensive bonuses, like psychic ward, curse immunity, elemental absorb, etc?

-The named buckler is very nice, pleased to see it

-Ancestor's Walker set bonus is almost good. The bonus to tactics DCs is novel, but the lack of synergies between tactics and spell DCs means you are really getting two decent effects for 3 slots. Other sets with artefact bonuses to attributes are more generous - Magewright gives performance and concentration too for example, for only 2 items. Could use a small boost like artefact bonuses to skills or saves or hit points? Something both melee and casters can use to fit the flexible theme of the existing DC bonuses.

-I love Dino crafting. Weapons are very solid. Armour options are nice, and exceptional spellpower and lore are good additions to round them out. Accessories could use a couple of extra effects - regular spell lores, insightful attributes and quality attributes (Horn slot) would be the ones I'd want to see most. You can make good dedicated items (like spell crit damage), but not so good at filling certain tetris holes

[songswrath]

set bonuses are nice, but gear themselves are filled with worthless adds . quality dodge ?? replace with dodge cap now we talking.if this was to be the next step after slavers/lgs crafting both are way better done. every set should have more options for slots not just the 3 you need for a set. or better every slot have a blank where you can pick what set you want that gear to represent. options are what make builds great not being forced into every thing being the same devs please start playing the game you build for. it shows greatly you don't. and streamers are not the player base far from it the more you listen to them the wrost the game has gotten over the years. you want real input from player base log in look up guild leaders and talk to them. most player dont even come to forums' guild leaders will know what build ppl play what works and what doesn't.
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[mikarddo]

From a caster point of view.

3 piece sets.
I am having a hard time seeing how those can improve on the following setup:
- Red Dragon Armor (armor)
- Elder Set + Desert Burning Sand Set (trinket, helm and belt)
- Magewright (Goggles and Cloak)
- Clouded Dreams (ring)
with the new 3 piece sets (Armor, Cloak and Helm).
It would have to be the set with 3 DC / 3 stats obviously losing Dripping with Magma but not really gaining anything except for the 1 extra filigree slot.

5 piece set.
Getting a craftable Dino slot is nice but the other effects simply dont synergise. Please make items with Spell Power + Ins Spell Power + Spell Lore from the same element rather than the ones made now for a start. I really cant see myself finding 5 items for a set after getting the actually needed effects elsewhere. The items are simply not focused enough nor are there enough different items. Also add effects like exceptional spell lore, exceptional spell power, Quality Spell Focus Mastery and Magical Efficiency. In short, add focused items rather than items that are all over the place.

It is, ofcourse, early days, but for now I am not seeing myself using any of the new sets which is kinda sad.

[mikarddo]

In order to be construtive rather than only complain. For the 5 piece set I would like to suggest the following items to make the system more appealing to casters. All with a Dino slot and two regular augment slots.

Ring: <Element Spell power>, <Element Spell Lore>, <Insightful Element Spell Lore>. One for each element.
Boots: Insightful Sheltering, Quality Con, Profane Lifeforce
Gloves: Insightful Spell Focus Mastery, Insightful Potency, Insightful Wis/Int/Cha (3 different gloves. One for each caster stat)
Bracers: Exceptional Spell Power, Exceptional Spell Focus, Insightful Con

These I would love to use. Thats assuming both Profane and Sacred Spell Focus come as augments as someone else mentioned.

[donblas]

Is the crafting system here worth using for someone who does not raid? Or can I just dump the materials like I do for Greensteel?

Without the set bonus (raid only) does the crafting system provide items that are significantly better than those available from all the other crafting methods or from random drops in other content? Or can I just ignore this whole thing?

I've already bought the expansion, so it's not going to affect my purchasing decisions.

[Firebreed]

Droprate of mats is low in my opinion.

[Carpone]

Thank you for adding Doublestrike and Doubleshot augments. The Doublestrike aug is a welcome change so I no longer have to be locked into Epic Spectre Boots on an Assassin build. The Doubleshot aug permits Epic Purifying Quiver to be used all the time now (instead of the Dynamistic Quiver), a nice QOL change for the bludgeon DR bypass.

Likewise, thanks for adding the +6 Spell Focus augments for each spell school. Building around Spell Focus Mastery items or specific items with +6 school DC can be a bit tedious with gear tetris, so this is most welcomed.

Also loving the 225 Unconscious Range augment. It helps mitigate there are no HP gains with legendary levels like there were with epic levels.

[mikarddo]

Thank you for adding Doublestrike and Doubleshot augments. The Doublestrike aug is a welcome change so I no longer have to be locked into Epic Spectre Boots on an Assassin build. The Doubleshot aug permits Epic Purifying Quiver to be used all the time now (instead of the Dynamistic Quiver), a nice QOL change for the bludgeon DR bypass.

Likewise, thanks for adding the +6 Spell Focus augments for each spell school. Building around Spell Focus Mastery items or specific items with +6 school DC can be a bit tedious with gear tetris, so this is most welcomed.

Also loving the 225 Unconscious Range augment. It helps mitigate there are no HP gains with legendary levels like there were with epic levels.

Aye, those are good ideas. We still need more ways go get Insightful Spell Focus Mastery though.

[Zeklijan]

People don't raid when I can play. There's just not enough people to make it happen.

If you guys push forward with this decision on raid gear, I can safely say that I will only be able to ever engage with the crafting system once I can literally solo it. If it's one of those raids that require multiple players (Like VoN5/6) then that becomes never. I've only just started making LGS gear for this exact reason. For me that's the difference between purchasing it now at full price or waiting for a 50 or 75% discount.

[mikarddo]

For the epic armors the effects are not very good.
Con - is ok but nothing special
Ins Fort - is semi-ok but not good. A semi-niche effect
Q Dodge - is a niche effect as most build are dodge capped.
Ins Spell Resist - is a very nice effect that does practically nothing for most builds.

Please reconsider. Core gear like these armors should have core effects that most builds actually want not niche effects.

[J1NG]

Two parts from preliminary testing relating to items:

1. The Quality Dodge Bonus. This may or may not be useful depending on how the "Accurate" buff comes out later on (and whether there's a Dodge change coming as well), but since we don't know how exactly this buff is supposed to work on enemies attacking those with Dodge (since it currently ignores ALL Dodge), it leaves the question of whether the Quality Dodge is worthwhile enough or not. So depending on the outcome of that buff, this could be very useful, or rather bland.

2. The Curse Effect from the Bone crafting is... Proc'ing on "nearly" EVERYTHING. Casters need to be careful of buffs, etc, which can trigger the Curse and subsequently, a Palemaster can actually end up killing themselves as the Curse Effect (appears) to stack up on itself dealing ever increasing untyped damage. I even had an instance where after releasing and respawning back in the Hall of Heroes, for some reason the Lesser Death Aura was lingering on respawn for a moment and kept re-triggering the Curse after reviving, killing them again straight after (even though the Lesser Death Aura no longer is running). So... Yeah. Needs an extra look through I think. Or possibly Lesser Death Aura. Will do more testing later. But it's Cinematics day for me so that'll have to wait for confirmation testing later.

J1NG

[DeltaBravo]

I really love the new augments. "More of that please"
Also very happy that the scaleing of new items is not silly high, thats great.
I also like that the new items are crafable..

However its way, way to limited.. Could we please stop that Armour set bonus nonsense and get back to Slavelords crafting. where it was not so limited. There is so little new in theese items and those things that are, like new set bonuses and some revamp of LGS, are hardly gonna be worth it for most people. compared to what they allready have. and in best case people are getting like a tiny tiny update in some of the stats. The reason why slavelords crafting have been one (if not the best) crafting in the game, is becourse of the options for item slots you get.- This is very very much missed in this expansion.

My suggestion is:
Make more items where you can craft stuff on with the set bonus..
Add old set bonus augements aswell. Go back and look at the old set bonuses from ravenloft/sharn and so on.. and make set augments that fit in thosse dionosaur item sets. So you can get one of the new items. but dont have to do a complete new gear tetris.- (without even winning anything)
Make items fit in more then one slot like the slavelords items.
More perfected upgrades of the older Minor artifacts.
Filigrees ? ( any new ones =?)
Sentient Jewels ? (no new ones? )
Options to add augement slots to items. that only have one slot. (This would give a huge benefit to sort out gear tetris. And would be a very very awesome raid loot item.
Items for quiver slots.

And if you are affarid of people are getting to powerfull, Dont worry we are allready doing all the end stuff on R10 without even swaeting.

[Redgob]

New(?) bug: the changes to the way augments are displayed (augment slot type?) caused several items to stop showing their examination window completely. That includes all lgs augments, lgs extractors, sentient gems, sentient sparks etc. Probably they weren't updated to the new system properly.