Has the Black Dragon Bolt bug been acknowledged?

[Dabima]

Referring to the mob version of the spell doing 2-3 times as much damage as it is supposed to be doing since Blightmaster was released

[J1NG]

I remember reading that it was slated for the next update to get fixed. So since Lam is soon (next week probably) then a week or two after, we can expect a fix in 2-4 weeks time, if not sooner. Assuming the fix makes it into the update/patch.

J1NG

[Bunker]

How's this for acknowledgement? Thank goodness I had that energy resistance.

(Combat): Mage's black dragon bolt hit you for a total of 1,881 points of acid damage after 61 were blocked by energy resistance.

[Seph1roth5]

I don't remember devs saying anything about BDB being unintended, was it in a stream or something? My understanding was that they knew it was going to be an issue when they revamped spells a few years ago:

https://forums.ddo.com/forums/showthread.php/501032

Saying "We’re upgrading the player versions of several damage spells, as outlined below. The Max Caster Level of these spells will remain unchanged, and Monsters will continue casting the existing versions of the spells (so that we don’t get a sudden spike in enemy caster damage)."

But then completely forgot about it every time spells get changed again. Happened with enervation dealing way overtuned damage to players and a slight upgrade for us. Their answer? Revert it to it's old form. Clearly it's possible to have monsters not get updated spells...

[LurkingVeteran]

I don't remember devs saying anything about BDB being unintended, was it in a stream or something? My understanding was that they knew it was going to be an issue when they revamped spells a few years ago:

https://forums.ddo.com/forums/showthread.php/501032

Saying "We’re upgrading the player versions of several damage spells, as outlined below. The Max Caster Level of these spells will remain unchanged, and Monsters will continue casting the existing versions of the spells (so that we don’t get a sudden spike in enemy caster damage)."

But then completely forgot about it every time spells get changed again. Happened with enervation dealing way overtuned damage to players and a slight upgrade for us. The answer? Revert it to it's old form. Clearly it's possible to have monsters not get updated spells...

This. Maybe it's intentional, maybe it's not, but the devs have never clear about what is WAI when it comes to mobs using upgraded player spells. It's a real problem if it keeps them from actually updating some player spells. Thinking about e.g. the force spells and disintegration etc. An update is extremely badly needed, but it's going to cause a lot of forum wrath if the mobs get it too since it's hard to defend against. Sometimes I wonder if the reason that so few arcane spells got updated damage is because SSG can't be bothered to figure out how it would impact NPC damage. There has to be some reason that they have left half of arcane spells obsolete for so long.

[Cordovan]

We will have to look into the damage of Black Dragon Bolt, those numbers do seem high.

[h46av8r]

I was getting lit up in Safety in Numbers - was wondering what the h-e-double hockey sticks was going on - then I remembered this thread! Thanks for posting!

[Buddha5440]

Oh no... There's actually something in the game that can kill me@?!@?!@!?.

Welcome to D&D.

A DM that is having a bad day can kill you much quicker..

Yes, it may be bugged and overpowered: but remember when a critical fail could cause you to cut off your own arm (or head)?

[Tilomere]

Welcome to D&D.

A DM that is having a bad day can kill you much quicker..

Yes, it may be bugged and overpowered: but remember when a critical fail could cause you to cut off your own arm (or head)?

Give the adventurers vorpal weapons at level 1, and then see how long they last before they kill themselves.

[Villefere]

I am much more concerned with player spells underperforming than overtuned mob spells.

[Buddha5440]

Give the adventurers vorpal weapons at level 1, and then see how long they last before they kill themselves.

Pretty sure I've come across a Vorpal ~ML 1 weapon in DDO.

[Buddha5440]

I am much more concerned with player spells underperforming than overtuned mob spells.

Agreed 100%

[mpetrarca]

Give the adventurers vorpal weapons at level 1, and then see how long they last before they kill themselves.

I have had a ML 1 Vorpal weapon for about 7 years now, this game is all about power creep.

[Soulfurnace]

I am much more concerned with player spells underperforming than overtuned mob spells.

All spells underperform if you die without save or counter due to overtuned mob spells.

1800 5 times will kill just about any player, and I've seen it hit much higher.

[Dragonrider321]

The difference is that mobs have 10 times the hit points as players. You simply can't have the same damage output from spells on both sides. The math doesn't work. This has always been acknowledged by the devs and damage output has always been scaled accordingly. It's not even controversial.

[Buddha5440]

The difference is that mobs have 10 times the hit points as players. You simply can't have the same damage output from spells on both sides. The math doesn't work. This has always been acknowledged by the devs and damage output has always been scaled accordingly. It's not even controversial.

Agreed (assuming I read you correctly). Mobs with 40k HP are just a failed attempt to make things more "challenging". Whereas a true DM would make things more challenging by simply making them more challenging...tougher puzzles, harder riddles REAL special attacks, resistances that you can't find out about on the Wiki, Etc., more quests that require party ROLES to be filled (rather than having EVERY roll to be filled by one toon)..

[Airmaiden]

It is working just fine!!

Why are people complaining about this spell and not:

Polar Ray
Horrid Wilting

Both these spell do massive damage........just let BDB be another spell to watch out for.

[Soulfurnace]

It is working just fine!!

Why are people complaining about this spell and not:

Polar Ray
Horrid Wilting

Good question!

Polar ray: Hits once, for less than 1 BDB tick.
Horrid Wilting: Hits once, for less than 1 BDB tick.

BDB hits multiple times.

Any other questions?

[Soulfurnace]

tougher puzzles

Wiki, plus when you know it once you know it forever.

harder riddles

Wiki, plus when you know it once you know it forever.

REAL special attacks

Raids sometimes have them. Adding them in usual quests would be pointless when enemies die instantly. Also isle of dread have some on some mobs.

resistances that you can't find out about on the Wiki, Etc.,

Yeah no, they just wind up on the wiki. What's SSG going to do, sue the wiki? lmao Also elemental resistance is bypassed by nukers. And melee would quickly learn "oh I need XXX damage type".
And then there's already champs, with immunities. And legendary wards, which.. well, you should know

more quests that require party ROLES to be filled (rather than having EVERY roll to be filled by one toon)..

How you gonna do that? What "roles" need filling? "You instantly die unless you have a shield" to force a tank, while swash, vanguard, nukers (while moaning about swapping an item), etc just continue on?
"If you don't hit this enemy with arcane, divine, melee and ranged from different characters he can't die"?

The idea of trying to force roles is hilarious.