UPDATE 58 PREVIEW 1 - Blightcaster Druid

[Maldrick]

This is by far my favorite archetype you all have dreamed up so far. I am genuinely so, so excited to play it!

My only concern about it for end game is there aren't really sets as far as I can find that combine poison and acid which seems to limit the gearing on this kind of character. Fix that, and this might be one of my favorite classes to ever grace ddo!

Finally, I'll be able to roleplay the plague from my favorite horror game! xD

[Cadic]

A few bugs I noticed so far:

Cure Serious and Cure Critical were available as a level 4 and 5 spell respectively.

Thorn Bloom misses...ALOT. If you quicken it, it always misses. Even without quicken on, I was not hitting any enemies over 75% of the time. It was stupid how often I would be standing in the middle of a pack and no damage at all.

The thorn strike and splinterbolt spells seemed to miss a decent amount of time as well. I couldn't find rhyme or reason on why they weren't doing damage sometimes.

Blighted Breath seemed to work in any form. Honestly I kinda liked it as there aren't really good poison or acid spells for a few levels in there.

Thorn Bloom SLA description is wrong. It is just the text from Thorn Strike.

Another couple bugs I believe:
Contagion: Blinding Sickness does not seem to spread to other enemies with the Out Break talent. (Shouldn't that be Outbreak btw? Not two words)
No plant growth in the spell list that I can tell.

[Tyrande]

This is by far my favorite archetype you all have dreamed up so far. I am genuinely so, so excited to play it!

My only concern about it for end game is there aren't really sets as far as I can find that combine poison and acid which seems to limit the gearing on this kind of character. Fix that, and this might be one of my favorite classes to ever grace ddo!

Finally, I'll be able to roleplay the plague from my favorite horror game! xD

No, there are sets: (note that one is exceptional and the other artifact and legendary; so they should all stack)

Mountain skin set from Killing Time raid reads:

2 Pieces Equipped:

+30 Exceptional bonus to Acid Spell Power
+6% Exception bonus to Acid Spell Lore
When struck, you will occasionally have the Stoneskin spell cast on you.

Legendary Elder's Knowledge (Items) * 2 Pieces Equipped:

+6% Artifact bonus to Spell Critical Chance
15% Legendary bonus to Spell Critical Damage

Chained Elements (Items) (from LLOB & LMA)

2 Pieces Equipped:

+10% Artifact bonus to Fire, Cold, Acid, Electric Spell Crit Damage
+50 Artifact bonus to Fire, Cold, Acid, and Electric Spell Power


and let's not forget Blight Staff: (from Legendary Vision of Destruction)

Quarterstaff
Accepts Sentience
Simple Weapon Proficiency

Minimum Level: 29
Bound to Character on Acquire
Base Damage: 65.63
Damage: 5[1d6+6]+15
Damage Types: Bludgeon, Magic
Critical Roll: 20/x2
Attack Mod: STR
Damage Mod: STR
Enchantments:

Spellcasting Implement +29: Passive: +29 Implement bonus to Universal Spell Power.
+15 Enhancement Bonus: Weapons and Shields: +15 Enhancement Bonus Attack and Damage rolls. Armor and Shields: +15 enhancement bonus to Armor Class.
Blighted Lore +22%: Passive: Your Acid, Negative, Poison, and Evil spells gain a +22% Equipment bonus to their chance to Critical Hit.
Power of the Blight +148: Passive: +148 Equipment bonus to Acid, Negative, Poison, and Evil Spell Power.
Spell Focus Mastery +5: Passive: +5 Equipment bonus to DC of all spells.
Spell Penetration +9: Passive: +9 Equipment bonus to penetrate Spell Resistance.
Inflict Blight: his weapon is infested with the unholy and blighted power of the earth. Rarely, this power will come to the surface, attempting to melt enemies struck with Acid, Negative, Poison, or Evil spells by dealing significant Acid damage over time.
Legendary Earthgrab Guard: This item stores the implacable strength of the earth deep within. When the wearer of this item is successfully attacked in melee, this power occasionally comes to the surface, calling on the earth to erupt from the ground and hold an enemy in place.

[Cadic]

Quick suggestion:
I would suggest you change the Acid Rain SLA to Acid Blast. The acid version of this class doesn't have a great "Master of xxxxxx" epic feat to take otherwise. Neither Acid Spray or Melf's Acid Arrow is really worth taking Master of Earth for.

[Cadic]

Another bug:
Items that give bonuses for Wild Shape are not working with the minor forms at least. I don't have the new forms yet to test that, but take the "Lore-Fueled Packbanner", it is supposed to give bonuses based on your wilderness lore. I did verify I have 13 instances of Wilderness Lore atm.

Immunity stripping doesn't seem to be working in the T5 as well btw. Just did Into the Mists and the wisps remained immune to the acid the entire time.

[Ultinoob]

No, there are sets: (note that one is exceptional and the other artifact and legendary; so they should all stack)

Mountain skin set from Killing Time raid reads:

2 Pieces Equipped:

+30 Exceptional bonus to Acid Spell Power
+6% Exception bonus to Acid Spell Lore
When struck, you will occasionally have the Stoneskin spell cast on you.

[..]

This is not exceptional bonus. I know the wiki says so and i believe it once was, but i just checked the runes for killing time and it is artifact. so they don't stack. however this frees up some slots.

[BananaHat]

Flavor suggestion: The plague wolf should have an inherent Disease Guard (as per the item ability) or perhaps cause a random disease on vorpal hits. Not super powerful but it would be fun. Similar to zombie form in Palemaster having a hidden effect that causes Int damage on vorpals because they are eating your brain.

[Cadic]

A couple more bugs:
The thorn spells will not hit the Phantom Archers in Oath of Vengeance. I'm not sure if this happens elsewhere, but its 100% here. Could not land a single one. I showed spell crits in the log, but no damage so the spell should have been landing.

Black Dragon Bolt is very inconsistent in it's damage. Sometimes it does 2 ticks, sometimes it does 3 ticks.

[Zeklijan]

Tell the devs then to address Warlocks.

I very much agree that warlocks should have an immunity strip in their kit, just like Blight Druid does.

[Shedrakzo]

No Wolf Companion

I am a bit concerned about this for the utility loss. While the druid wolf isn't amazing (though it is by far the best animal companion in the game currently), it has its purposes and losing the wolf is a hit to the utility of any druid.

Is this a matter of not wanting to make a model for the wolf to be a plague wolf or something? Is there any chance we can discuss giving the wolf back? Especially since the Archetype is shipping with both Season's Herald and Nature's Warrior, the two trees with the pet buffs. Perhaps replace the wolf with a twig blight or something thematic?

[Maldrick]

and let's not forget Blight Staff: (from Legendary Vision of Destruction)

I was not aware of the Blight Staff, thank you

[Tyrande]

This is not exceptional bonus. I know the wiki says so and i believe it once was, but i just checked the runes for killing time and it is artifact. so they don't stack. however this frees up some slots.

hmmm.... I look it up for the runes and its artifact not exceptional. Such a bummer and I had high hopes... /sigh.

When was this nerfed? I never had an acid caster so I thought it was still there.

[Tyrande]

I very much agree that warlocks should have an immunity strip in their kit, just like Blight Druid does.

/agree

I played two warlocks previously, and currently still have one fire warlock.

I was hoping for stripping, because there are a-lot of fire immunity mobs... and I mean all devils, all fire elementals, all fire <xxx> and warlock DPS IMHO now is not optimal and way behind other casters IMHO, even with this update 58.

I know DI destiny and ruin/ greater ruin make up some and cold warlocks made up some, but what about other warlocks?


Abyss warlock by itself should not exist...

[Zuldar]

aslo make abilities to spawn oozes . I always thought this was a cool game mechanic . for example whenever hive form strikes with a spell there is a small chance to spawn a black pudding or ooze

thank you for adding blight druid i have been suggesting it for a long time.

Since they're revamping contagion why not make the slimy doom version summon an ooze when it's target dies (limited to 1 at a time like others summons) with a CR equal to the targets CR? That would be a way more interesting revamp than just a bit of damage.

[Maldrick]

Okay, I have a rough gear sketch for this thing.

To all the people who created this archetype, THANK YOU! I have not been this excited about the game in long time.

Just one question though. Is anyone aware of a helmet that resembles a plague doctor mask, and if not, can we please have one?

[Tyrande]

Okay, I have a rough gear sketch for this thing.

To all the people who created this archetype, THANK YOU! I have not been this excited about the game in long time.

Just one question though. Is anyone aware of a helmet that resembles a plague doctor mask, and if not, can we please have one?

You mean sometime like this from Darkest Dungeon plague doctor:


I do not believe we have something like this in DDO. The closest one we got is the Undying Gaze.

[Scrag]

Tell the devs then to address Warlocks.

-> Acolyte of the Skin <-

This is coming in 58. No idea what it is but it sounds exciting.

I wonder what would happened if you did all three new archetypes in one char! Hah!

[Maldrick]

You mean sometime like this from Darkest Dungeon plague doctor:


I do not believe we have something like this in DDO. The closest one we got is the Undying Gaze.

This is indeed what I mean.

Devs, pls bring the creepy bird helms to complete my joy!

[Atremus]

Level 7 Druid Spell: Elemental Toughness needs to be updated to work with Hive Forms or removed from the spell list

Edit:

Targeting on Thorn Bloom needs to be refined into a burst radius. Right now the thorns do not hit all enemies when surrounded.

BUG: In Hive Master Form I only have 25% Concealment instead of the listed 50% while under the effects of SHIFTER RAGE [Wisdom Version]

[Gratch]

As a thematic update would it be possible to make Lore of the Great Plagues a multi-selector:

Lore of the Great Plagues:

Avoidance: You gain a +1/2/3 saving throw bonus against poison and disease.
Acceptance: When targeted by any opponent's poison or disease effect - gain 1 imbue dice and 5/10/15% movement increase for 20s.

Rank 3 for both: Gain 5 Poison and Negative Spell Power.

Just something along the lines of "you fool... you dare to disease or poison a Blightcaster!"

Also I don't think I've ever specifically selected gear, feat, or enhancement to gain saves vs. poison, disease.