U56 Preview 3 Release Notes

[VinoeWhines]

Are they going to look at adjusting the Epic Destiny Trees in any of these updates in groups or one by one, to fix the things that were not able to get fixed on release?

[Karthunk]

Sonic blast is now properly single target (note: it will still continue to hit breakables in an AOE)

Properly? For real guys, can you not do this? This is going to make lvling a bard absolutely dreadful.

[Evendor]

Any plans to fix greater shout so it can actually be saved against? (For both players and mobs).

[Arkat]

QuantumFX, which TR cache bug are you referencing? We do have a thread specific for bank testing for this Lamannia 3 build. I would ask that any feedback be posted there after testing.

Thanks!

Hi Welcome to the DDO Forums!

[Question2005]

Sonic blast is now properly single target (note: it will still continue to hit breakables in an AOE)

I strongly advise the devs to do some indepth testing on how this affects low level casters before making any changes like this. The main reason why arcane casters are able to level effectively at low levels is due to sonic blast having an AOE, without any effective AOE spells, they simply do not have the SP to clear low level quests effectively.

A simple solution would be to nerf the damage to 1d6+1 and give it a max caster level of 5, but keep the standard AOE.

Acid spray and burning hands should also be given standard conal AOE (same as cone of cold for example). This would give arcane casters 3 decent AOE spells for low level quests. Their AOE is currently too small to be effective.

Shocking grasp also needs to be buffed, shocking bolt has more range, more damage and a higher max caster level, effectively rendering it obsolete.

Once again, please test big gameplay changes like this before making it go live, removing the AOE from sonic blast would make it extremely hard for arcane casters to clear low level quests on elite/r1, especially if they do not have access to stat tomes.

Another problem with nerfing sonic blast is that there are very limited options for AOE in level 2 spells. There are no lightning, sonic or acid AOE spells in level 2, so any casters specializing in those will be stuck using level 1 spells for a long time, and being unable to scale their damage properly runs the risk of running out of SP when trying to solo quests. Players currently use sonic blast because there are no decent alternatives before they can access level 3 and level 4 spells.

Seriously, just try soloing a few harbor quests on r1 without AOE sonic blast, you will realise quickly why this is a bad idea.

[LittleLexi]

Yuck! Don't like the Sonic Blast change at all.

I would gladly give up some(or most) of its damage, for it to remain an AOE daze.

[cmckronos]

Disclaimer

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

[*]Sonic blast is now properly single target (note: it will still continue to hit breakables in an AOE)

Not that you will listen but no, this is an absolutely terrible change to something that has been there for a very long time. Getting any damage out of a low level bard is bad enough as it is but removing the AoE stun effect is just terrible and makes having the epic boosts to the spell pointless. This is a significant nerf and QoL loss. IMO, This will reduce bards, especially playing solo, to cannon fodder melee in low levels...

[voxson5]

Hi Welcome

Subtle

[SWCarter]

The Sonic Blast change is a massive nerf to a fundamental spell that bards need. This will most likely eliminate the spell from rotation for anything other than breakables.

It feels very disingenuous that such a change is slipped into Preview 3 during the final moments before launch. This requires more discussion and testing, and possibly even the inclusion of 1 or more new sonic spells to open up alternative options.

[Wdh]

Not a fan of the sonic blast changes, sonic blast wasn't overpowered as the damage wasn't massive but it made up for it by hitting other things. Sonic blast made bards usuable in lower levels, but not overpowered. The favored soul changes really just hurt their chance of doing any damage at all in epics. And the assimar lay on hands are the only thing melees even have in the game anymore. Maybe do better for melees before cutting the hands back.

[VinoeWhines]

Ya was looking forward to getting around to use Sonic Blast.
I feel for those if it does get blown out in the next patch.
I went through the same ridiculous Tsunami nerf to the Shadow Dancer Tree, it's a crumbled chasm of what it use to be.

Dev's really need to look at the carnage they create when they Yoga Fire! things in ddo


If you catch me in game, I'm the one hobbling along, with a broken leg and arm waving the cane around against mobs after they crippled Shadow Dancer Tree.

[LeoLionxxx]

• Sonic blast is now properly single target (note: it will still continue to hit breakables in an AOE)

Please no, that is a very fun spell to cast (not just for breakables).

I want to suggest there be an enhancement that upgrades it to be an AOE,

but honestly I'd just much prefer the damage be scaled back as needed to keep it as an AOE spell.

[Arjen]

Properly? For real guys, can you not do this? This is going to make lvling a bard absolutely dreadful.

How in the world is this making low level casters more enjoyable? Who is this change serving?

[Karthunk]

How in the world is this making low level casters more enjoyable? Who is this change serving?

I have no idea. This is such a blind side change that I am still sitting here baffled.

[eumate]

Sonic blast will be a huge nerf, please don't do it, bards are now pretty usable, this change will be a really hit for any non stormsinger bard. Bards aren't overpowered atm, pls don't nerf them.

[Caarb]

The spell was overpowered, so this is understandable. Plus it now matches the actual description of the spell. Will make leveling a bard a bit slower early on.

Even if I agreed that Sonic blast is too strong there is a number of ways it could have been nerfed. The devs chose the one that hurts gameplay the most which will result in making low levels more of chore than they need to be. Not having aoe feels really bad when levelling especially with modern dungeon design. They should be adding more aoe options (for melee as well) rather than taking away existing ones.

[Arkantios]

Sonic blast is now properly single target (note: it will still continue to hit breakables in an AOE)

Agree with most of the opinions here on the board. I'm really not sure what the intent of this change is - especially since it actually gives bards a fighting chance while going through the leveling process. This random and snuck in change is terrible. Reduce the damage if you're looking for balance, but keep the aoe.

[jackatthekilns]

I realize that you (the Devs) have a reason for making the change to Sonic Blast. I hope you are seeing from the posts here that it is not being received very well. I have been playing a stormsinger on Lam for the last few hours and the change does in fact feel very bad. I think it would help us, the players, to know as fully as possible what the end goal of this change is so that our feedback is as relevant as possible.

IN the absence of that information, please understand that this change feels very very bad. I was so excited to play Stormsinger and this change pulls the rug out of that. If sonic blast needs to be changed, this should not be the change. Please find a better way to fix this or leave it alone. Please. You put these changes on Lamania and you say you want us to give feedback. My feedback is that this is too much. If you are thinking "We'll do this now and tweak in the future" figure out what you want to tweak and wait until you can make the full change. Bard is one of the most fun classes to play and this will undercut that fun significantly.

[Blastyswa]

Sonic blast is now properly single target (note: it will still continue to hit breakables in an AOE)

"People weren't hyped enough about our fancy new stormsinger thing, so we're severely nerfing a 17 year old spell and calling it a bug fix to gut base caster bard, that way you have to play stormsinger if you want to have usable damage spells"

Eww

[Zretch]

Sonic blast is now properly single target (note: it will still continue to hit breakables in an AOE)

Are you just now figuring out that this spell is AoE? This escaped your notice before? How could you possibly not know before now? Is this only being done because your new shiny stormsinger is overtuned? How about you give a long, hard look at the damage add in the cores of that tree before you go nerfing a spell that multiple classes use that don't have the advantages of grossly overpowered + damage in their cores.