U55 Preview 3: The Level Cap Increase

[Steelstar]

(Changes new to this preview are in blue.)

Hi, folks! This post is all about U55's Level Cap increase. This should cover the things you need to know about our plans and how they all fit together in the long term.
So, the big one first: With the release of Isle of Dread, we are officially raising the Level Cap from Level 30 to Level 32.

Legendary Experience
After you take your 10th Epic Level, you will begin earning progress towards your Legendary Levels by earning Legendary experience. You earn Legendary XP from any Dungeon, Landscape, or Raid that is of Legendary difficulty (meaning that its Base CR is 30 or higher). All dungeons that are currently Legendary will remain so after the Level Cap increase happens. This means that players looking for Legendary XP can earn it from over 100 quests, including the Isle of Dread! Once you have enough Legendary experience to level up, you may speak to the Fatespinner to take a Legendary level.

Legendary Levels
Each Legendary Level will grant you Legendary Power, a new feat that grants you +6 Melee, Ranged, and Universal Spell Power. Every 2 Legendary Levels will grant you +1 Caster Level and Max Caster Level with all spells. Legendary Levels have a BaB progression of 0.

Legendary Levels are broken up into ranks like Epic Levels are. Each Legendary Level corresponds to 4 Destiny Points. This means that at the new Level Cap of level 32, you will have 8 more Destiny Points to spend in your Epic Destinies (4 from the ranks of level 30, 4 from the ranks of Level 31).

You will continue to earn regular Feats as your Level increases at the same rate as you did before. This means that you will earn a new Feat at levels 33, 36, and 39. We will continue to make new Epic Feats as your Level increases.

You will continue to earn Destiny Feats as your Level increases at the same rate as you did before. This means that you will earn a new Destiny Feat at levels 31, 34, 37, and 40. We will continue to make new Destiny Feats as your level increases. This means that with this first round of Level Cap increases, you will train 1 new Destiny Feat at level 31.

You will continue to earn Ability Score increases at the same rate as you did before. This means you'll choose an Ability Score to increase at levels 32, 36, and 40.

New Destiny Feats
Here are the new (minimum level 31+) Destiny feats that will be available with Update 55 (these are joining the existing pool of options, so you can still choose from the currently available options if you'd prefer to):

• Weapon Specialty Feats:
  
  • These four feats grant bonuses that resemble the Greater version of their heroic feat line. Each feat requires having the Greater version of one of the other three weapon style combat lines, essentially allowing those who have taken feats in one fighting style to gain the effects of the full 3-feat-chain of a different fighting style.
    
    • Single Weapon Specialty: While Single Weapon Fighting (fighting with a single one-handed weapon, and wielding only an orb, rune arm, or nothing in your offhand) you gain a +30% Combat Style bonus to attack speed, +6 Combat Style bonus to Melee Power, and +50% more of your appropriate ability score to your damage. For Bastard Sword and Dwarven Waraxe, this adds to their existing 10% bonus.If you have bonuses to ability score modifier to damage from both Single Weapon Fighting and Two Handed Fighting feats (including this one), and are in a situation where both would apply, only the highest of the two applies. This does not work in Animal Form. This does not count as a Combat Fighting Style feat.
    • Two Weapon Specialty: Reduces the penalty for fighting with two weapons. You gain +80% offhand strike chance. This does not work in Animal Form. This does not count as a Combat Fighting Style feat.
      
      • (Note: This is meant to match the Heroic Feat Line, but does not yet do so in this build. It will be adjusted to do so before Live release.)
      
      
    • Two Handed Specialty: While Two-Handed Fighting: +140% Strikethrough Chance. You also gain a +6 Combat Style bonus to Melee Power while Two-Handed Fighting. For the purpose of this feat, you are considered to be Two-Handed Fighting while using a Two-Handed Melee Weapon (not including Handwraps). You are also considered to be Two-Handed Fighting while wielding a Bastard Sword or Dwarven Waraxe in your main hand and a Shield, Orb, Rune Arm, or Nothing in your off-hand. You are not considered to be Two-Handed Fighting while in Druid Animal Forms. In addition, While using a Two Handed Weapon, you now apply 75% more of your appropriate ability score modifier to damage (This adds to their existing 50% base bonus). When using a Bastard Sword or Dwarven Waraxe in your main hand and a Shield, Orb, Rune Arm, or Nothing in your off-hand you now apply +50% more of your appropriate ability score to your damage. (This adds to the existing 10% bonus for wielding a Hand-and-a-Half weapon. If you have bonuses to ability score modifier to damage from both Single Weapon Fighting and Two Handed Fighting feats (including this one), and are in a situation where both would apply, only the highest of the two applies). Neither bonus applies in Animal Form. This does not count as a Combat Fighting Style feat.
      
      • (Note: This is meant to match the Heroic Feat Line, but does not yet do so in this build. It will be adjusted to do so before Live release.)
      
      
    • Shield Mastery Specialty: While wielding a shield, you gain +10% Doublestrike and a +9 Combat Style bonus to Melee Power. You gain +10 Physical Resistance Rating while using a buckler or small shield. If you are using a large shield, this bonus increases to +15. If you are using a tower shield, this bonus increases to +20. This does not work in Animal Form. This does not count as a Combat Fighting Style feat.
  
  
• Spell Specialty Feats:
  
  • These require the Epic Spell Focus feat from a school other than the one you're picking here, essentially allowing you to improve your potency with a secondary school. These are also antirequisites of the base spell focus feats - so you can't double up on a school you already have a spell focus for.
    
    • Spell Specialty: Abjuration: You gain a secondary spell focus: +3 to the DC of your Abjuration spells.
    • Spell Specialty: Conjuration: You gain a secondary spell focus: +3 to the DC of your Conjuration spells.
    • Spell Specialty: Enchantment: You gain a secondary spell focus: +3 to the DC of your Enchantment spells.
    • Spell Specialty: Evocation: You gain a secondary spell focus: +3 to the DC of your Evocation spells.
    • Spell Specialty: Illusion: You gain a secondary spell focus: +3 to the DC of your Illusion spells.
    • Spell Specialty: Necromancy: You gain a secondary spell focus: +3 to the DC of your Necromancy spells.
    • Spell Specialty: Transmutation: You gain a secondary spell focus: +3 to the DC of your Transmutation spells.
  
  
• Elemental Form Specialty: Your elemental forms grant you mastery over the other three elements as well. Excluding the element of your current form, you gain the following bonuses to air, earth, fire, and water as long as you are in a Sorcerer's Elemental Apotheosis or Druid Elemental Wild Shape form: +3 Caster Levels with those elements, +3 to Max Caster Level with those elements, +20 to Spell Power of those elements, +2% Spell Critical Chance with those elements.
• Wild Force: While in Druid Wild Shape, you gain some of the aspects of the form you aren't in. While in wolf or winter wolf form, you gain bear form's +10% exceptional bonus to maximum hit points. While in bear or dire bear form, you gain wolf form's +10% movement speed.
  
  • (Note: The wolf bonus here should be "10% exceptional bonus to Armor Class", this will be fixed before release.)
  
  
• Legendary Toughness: (Prereq: 21 CON) +100 maximum hit points. This can be taken multiple times.
• Legendary Aim: While using a Ranged Weapon, +10 to Attack, +5% Dodge Bypass.
• Enhanced Elemental Dice: +1 damage die with Arcane Archer's Elemental Arrows, Vile Chemist's Poisoned Coating, Eldritch Knight's Spellsword, and Inquisitive's Law on Your Side

Epic Destinies
In addition to earning more points for your Epic Destinies, the Epic Destinies will be modified to include their 4th core ability with the release of the level cap increase. These 4th core abilities each have a Minimum Level of 32.

Here are the 4th core abilities for the existing 12 Epic Destinies:

• Draconic: Draconic Heritage II: -5% spell point cost on all spells. Your Draconic Heritage's Eschew Materials is improved: You no longer need special material components for your spells.
• Fatesinger: Hear my Voice Friend: Greatest Shout, Great Shout, Shout, and Echoes of Discord spells now target allies inside their cones and heal them for 20% of the damage potential of the spell.
• Magus of the Eclipse: Nightwind: +7 spell penetration. Enemies who take damage inside your Cold or Light Zone have a 5% chance to be frozen for 10 seconds with no saving throw.
• Divine Crusader: Sunder Evil: Using Sunder or Improved Sunder deals 1d6 light damage per character level and applies a Divine Sundering effect. The light damage scales with 200% of the higher of your Melee and Ranged Power. Divine Sundering: -10% AC, -25% fortification, -3 saving throws. Lasts 12 seconds.
• Exalted Angel: Multiselector:
  
  • Heavenly Wrath: When you use Angelic Charge or Leap of Faith, enemies you fly through take 1d6+3 light damage per caster level and 1d6+3 fire damage per caster level. This damage scales with Spell Power.
  • Heavenly Blessing: When you finish an Angelic Charge or Leap of Faith, you and allies near you take 1d6+2 plus 1 per caster level Positive Healing. This healing scales with Spell Power.
    
    • (Lamannia Note: We fixed the bug from Preview 2 where it wasn't taking your Character Level as Caster Level.)
  
  
• Unyielding Sentinel: Last Hope: When you drop below 20% health you gain +50 Melee Power and Physical and Magical Resistance Rating for 8 seconds and you apply the heal spell yourself as the divine spell, four times over the duration of the effect. This can only occur once every 5 minutes, or if you have the Guardian Angel feat once every 3 minutes.
• Grandmaster of Flowers: Master of Philosophy: Multiselector:
  
  • Enlightening Philosophy: +3% dodge bypass, +10 Magical Resistance Rating cap. Your Stunning Blow and Stunning Fist feats are now considered Light builder attacks.
  • Forbidden Philosophy: +3% dodge bypass, +10 Magical Resistance Rating cap. Your Stunning Blow and Stunning Fist feats are now considered Dark builder attacks.
  • Aberrant Philosophy: +3% dodge bypass, +10 Magical Resistance Rating cap. Your Stunning Blow and Stunning Fist feats are now considered Void builder attacks.
  
  
• Legendary Dreadnought: Unstoppable: When you activate an action boost, you have a 50% chance to gain the Unstoppable effect for 20 seconds. Unstoppable: You take 25% less damage from all sources, gain a +20 Action Boost bonus to Fortitude Saving Throws, a +10% Action Boost bonus to Uncapped Dodge, and are immune to knockdown.
• Shadowdancer: Cut to the Soul: +3% dodge bypass, +3% fortification bypass, +3% damage versus the helpless. When you cast the spell Trap the Soul, it automatically applies 3 stacks of the Darkness debuff even if the enemy survives the spell. Darkness debuff: You are vulnerable to Sneak Attacks. -3 Spell Resistance, -3 PRR and -3 MRR per stack. Lasts 12 seconds, stacks drop 1 at a time. Max 3 stacks.
• Fury of the Wild: Be the Whirlwind: Using any of the feats Trip, Improved Trip, or Whirlwind Attack causes a whirlwind of force to burst from you striking nearby enemies for 1d10 bludgeon damage per character level. Scales with 200% Melee Power. Improved Trip also causes all affected enemies to be tripped unless they succeed at a balance check (DC equal to Improved Trip).
• Primal Avatar: Regrowth: When your spell points drop below 5% of max you immediate restore 500 spell points and gain nature's resurgence which increases your spell critical multiplier by 5% for the duration of the quest. This can only occur once during the quest.
• Shiradi Champion: Fey Countenance: +2 to saving throws vs. spells. Whenever you activate Pin or Beguiling Charm, enemies near you become fascinated for 12 seconds with no saving throw. Their saving throws vs. spells are also reduced by 2 for 12 seconds, even if the fascinate ends.

Note that all of these cores grant Melee/Ranged/Spell Power/DCs and other stuff that their trees designate, even if it's not listed. If you're worried that for some reason core 4 won't include the tree's per-core bonuses, don't be, they will. This type of transcription is liable to miss those kinds of aspects but it'll be included in the real deal, we promise.

Reincarnation
There is no Legendary Reincarnation as a part of this level cap increase.

You may Epic Reincarnate (or any kind of reincarnation, actually) even while you are in Legendary (just like how you can technically TR without ETRing while in Epics right now).

We are going to save your Legendary XP total on your character through Epic, True, or Racial Reincarnation. This means that once you take level 30 on subsequent lives, you'll have the XP needed to level directly to whatever Legendary level you were before. This means that if you leave the level cap via, say, an ETR, you'll just need to get back to 30 in order to be able to get back to 32, with no further XP needed.

We are also considering doing this for Epic experience down the line. It would mean that Reincarnating mid-Epic life would let you get back to where you were in Epics without retreading old ground. Of course, an ETR would still burn that XP (since it wants to send you back to 20) but it'd make bailing mid-Epics much more forgiving since you're no longer wasting XP.


Itemization
Items will continue to follow the Cannith Crafting curve. New augments, requiring Minimum Level 32 and using Level 32 scaling, will debut with the Isle of Dread. Cannith Crafting will be expanded, allowing for the crafting of Level 31 and 32 items using Level 31 and 32 power levels.

Isle of Dread will contain named items at Minimum Level 31, as well as a robust crafting system to further refine your Legendary gearsets. Since things are following the CC curve, it's expected that items at Level 31 will be better than items at Level 30 or 29 - as their Minimum Level increases, so does the power level of the item.


Misc Odds and Ends
This is a collection of miscellaneous clarifications that we expect to come up during feedback:

We are not going to add strict enforcement of grouping level range for these new Levels. This means that you won't see a powerleveling penalty if you group with an Epic character as a Legendary one, and vice versa.

Yes, you may use any existing and remaining level 31 and 32 Cannith Crafting shards for the returning 31 and 32 CC recipes.

As a part of this pass, all items that are level 29 and below that are currently named "Legendary" will be renamed to "Epic" and will be given the appropriate purple border. Legendary will now be a term specifically reserved for items with a minimum level of 30 or higher.

Epic Tomes of Learning will continue to function until level 30, but will not continue functioning once you take level 30 and become Legendary. This means that if you're doing Legendary quests for Epic experience you will still be able to use your Epic Tome of Learning as you did before. These Tomes use your character level to determine eligibility, not quest level, so as long as you're gaining Epic XP you'll retain its benefit.

Most things in the game that say they scale with your Epic level will be refactored to include your Legendary level as well. This includes feats such as the Epic Pact Dice Destiny feat, which will now max at 7d4 pact dice at level 32.

The level requirements for Iconic and Epic Reincarnation are not being touched by this change and will remain at level 30.


Bringing It All Together
Here's what you'll be getting at each level:

Level 31: 4 more Destiny Points, 1 new Destiny feat
Level 32: 4 more Destiny Points, +1 Ability Score of your choice, Epic Destiny 4th core unlock

And to earn this new stuff, you'll be able to play any of the current Legendary content or go right to Isle of Dread.


Known Issues:

• As stated above, the values of Two Weapon and Two Handed Specialty are meant to match the Heroic feat lines, but do not yet. This will be corrected before release.
• As stated above, Wild Force's wolf bonus should be "10% exceptional bonus to Armor Class", this will be fixed before release.

[Carpone]

Legendary Dreadnought: Unstoppable: When you activate an action boost, you have a 50% chance to gain the Unstoppable effect for 20 seconds.

So half the time it does nothing. Don't you see how that feels bad to a player? We'd rather have a reduced effect that goes off 100% of the time.

[Steelstar]

So half the time it does nothing. Don't you see how that feels bad to a player? We'd rather have a reduced effect that goes off 100% of the time.

For your consideration:

• Legendary Dreadnought: Unstoppable: When you activate an action boost, you gain the Unstoppable effect for 20 seconds. Unstoppable: You take 5% less damage from all sources, gain a +5 Action Boost bonus to Fortitude Saving Throws, and a +3% Action Boost bonus to Uncapped Dodge.

(Not intended as a "we're shifting plans to it", just "up for hearing some thoughts about it").

[Axcarth]

For your consideration:

• Legendary Dreadnought: Unstoppable: When you activate an action boost, you gain the Unstoppable effect for 20 seconds. Unstoppable: You take 5% less damage from all sources, gain a +5 Action Boost bonus to Fortitude Saving Throws, and a +3% Action Boost bonus to Uncapped Dodge.

(Not intended as a "we're shifting plans to it", just "up for hearing some thoughts about it").

Since we are throwing numbers... Id suggest 10% less damage from all sources ,+5 Action Boost bonus to Uncapped Dodge AND inmunity to knockdown. These are all defensive buffs on an offensive Tree, so it must worth the Core 4 position.

[apocaladle]

For your consideration:

• Legendary Dreadnought: Unstoppable: When you activate an action boost, you gain the Unstoppable effect for 20 seconds. Unstoppable: You take 5% less damage from all sources, gain a +5 Action Boost bonus to Fortitude Saving Throws, and a +3% Action Boost bonus to Uncapped Dodge.

(Not intended as a "we're shifting plans to it", just "up for hearing some thoughts about it").

What about also triggering a harper trinket effect on action boost use to make you... well... Unstoppable.

[Arkat]

For your consideration:

• Legendary Dreadnought: Unstoppable: When you activate an action boost, you gain the Unstoppable effect for 20 seconds. Unstoppable: You take 5% less damage from all sources, gain a +5 Action Boost bonus to Fortitude Saving Throws, and a +3% Action Boost bonus to Uncapped Dodge.

(Not intended as a "we're shifting plans to it", just "up for hearing some thoughts about it").

Just halve the numbers it gives now but make it work 100% of the time Unstoppable is up.

That seems to be the obvious compromise solution.

[Steelstar]

Since we are throwing numbers... Id suggest 10% less damage from all sources ,+5 Action Boost bonus to Uncapped Dodge AND inmunity to knockdown. These are all defensive buffs on an offensive Tree, so it must worth the Core 4 position.

No, sorry. We won't be giving Uncapped Dodge AND less damage from all sources if this occurs 100% of the time on Action Boost use.

[ahpook]

For your consideration:

• Legendary Dreadnought: Unstoppable: When you activate an action boost, you gain the Unstoppable effect for 20 seconds. Unstoppable: You take 5% less damage from all sources, gain a +5 Action Boost bonus to Fortitude Saving Throws, and a +3% Action Boost bonus to Uncapped Dodge.

(Not intended as a "we're shifting plans to it", just "up for hearing some thoughts about it").

Numbers seem a little low to shift from 50/50 to 100% proc. I would have expected something closer to 40% effectiveness not less than 25% (20%/25%/30% and loss of immunity to knockdown).

I still like any form better than the ShadowDancer Core 4. What does it take to get similar "willing to hear thoughts" about the shadow dancer core 4???

[Axcarth]

No, sorry. We won't be giving Uncapped Dodge AND less damage from all sources if this occurs 100% of the time on Action Boost use.

Sure, it seems reasonable. If the case, Id rather get less damage from all sources fully boosted than a tiny portion of each. This is more alike a Legedary Dreadnought than uncapped dodge, which, imho, should go reinforce another ED tree Core4.

Btw, tyvm for these instance! ^^

[elvesunited]

For your consideration:

• Legendary Dreadnought: Unstoppable: When you activate an action boost, you gain the Unstoppable effect for 20 seconds. Unstoppable: You take 5% less damage from all sources, gain a +5 Action Boost bonus to Fortitude Saving Throws, and a +3% Action Boost bonus to Uncapped Dodge.

(Not intended as a "we're shifting plans to it", just "up for hearing some thoughts about it").

I'd counter with:

20 seconds after using an action boost

10% less damage.

or

5% less damage
Knock down immunity

Drop the dodge increase. I suspect most legendary dreadnoughts wear armor so the dodge that ignores the dodge cap doesn't amount to that much. And drop the fortitude increase.

[SocratesBastardSon]

Any chance you would consider showering some of that sweet Enhanced Elemental Dice love on KotC?

[J1NG]

Drop the dodge increase. I suspect most legendary dreadnoughts wear armor so the dodge that ignores the dodge cap doesn't amount to that much.

I'd counter with: "Accurate" buff. (Well, when it works properly that is)

That "low" dodge amount you think your armored LD has, is going to end up nearly at zero now instead. So I'd REALLY recommend having some Dodge (Temporary; uncapped) available.

J1NG

[TFerguson]

No, sorry. We won't be giving Uncapped Dodge AND less damage from all sources if this occurs 100% of the time on Action Boost use.

Why? Have you played a melee DPS at cap? That's far from over powered in your current game.

[Ganak]

For your consideration:

• Legendary Dreadnought: Unstoppable: When you activate an action boost, you gain the Unstoppable effect for 20 seconds. Unstoppable: You take 5% less damage from all sources, gain a +5 Action Boost bonus to Fortitude Saving Throws, and a +3% Action Boost bonus to Uncapped Dodge.

(Not intended as a "we're shifting plans to it", just "up for hearing some thoughts about it").

Funny I was already thinking about 'x less damage' as a vehicle to address the survivability imbalances of melee (particularly those that have no self healing like pure fighters).


How as the 5% number determined? Why not 7%?

Really like the idea!

[Assassination]

Why? Have you played a melee DPS at cap? That's far from over powered in your current game.

Melee's need a little help. It wouldn't be overpowered if you stuck to your original 50% numbers and made it 100%. We are still getting one shot and have

very low damage mitigation. We used to have a straight up 25% damage mitigation in this tree... I know that didn't go off with each boost, but the game will be getting harder, and the scales

of fairness between Melee's/Ranged/Caster have gone out the window. Please do something to help out melee's. This is your chance. Like the direction of the change. Am a bit concerned that I don't really feel like

these extra 2 levels are going to have much impact. Like, why are we doing this if we are not getting something cool. Thanks.

[Nickodeamous]

[*]Two Weapon Specialty: Reduces the penalty for fighting with two weapons. You gain +80% offhand strike chance. This does not work in Animal Form. This does not count as a Combat Fighting Style feat.[*]Grandmaster of Flowers: Master of Philosophy: Multiselector:

• Enlightening Philosophy: +3% dodge bypass, +10 Magical Resistance Rating cap. Your Stunning Blow and Stunning Fist feats are now considered Light builder attacks.
• Forbidden Philosophy: +3% dodge bypass, +10 Magical Resistance Rating cap. Your Stunning Blow and Stunning Fist feats are now considered Dark builder attacks.
• Aberrant Philosophy: +3% dodge bypass, +10 Magical Resistance Rating cap. Your Stunning Blow and Stunning Fist feats are now considered Void builder attacks.

Fury of the Wild: Be the Whirlwind: Using any of the feats Trip, Improved Trip, or Whirlwind Attack causes a whirlwind of force to burst from you striking nearby enemies for 1d10 bludgeon damage per character level. Scales with 200% Melee Power. Improved Trip also causes all affected enemies to be tripped unless they succeed at a balance check (DC equal to Improved Trip).

Two-Weapon Specialty
What if you already play 2 weapon and your offhand hit is at 100% already? Cant we throw in 10 melee power to this one? Its kinda useless in some cases.

Monk builder are nice if the work and dont interrupt if you interact with something or do another move. Is this now fixed? Or is this a prelude to a monk pass...where it will work.

Be the Whirlwind: I tested this last time and it didnt seem to "proc" on a different line. Is it blended into the bludgeon damage? I use bludgeon weapons and I didnt notice any increase in DPS. I wqould guess it should be its own proc. Does anybody know the answer?


Thanks!
Nico

[Ganak]

[*]Fury of the Wild: Be the Whirlwind: Using any of the feats Trip, Improved Trip, or Whirlwind Attack causes a whirlwind of force to burst from you striking nearby enemies for 1d10 bludgeon damage per character level. Scales with 200% Melee Power. Improved Trip also causes all affected enemies to be tripped unless they succeed at a balance check (DC equal to Improved Trip).

To benefit from this ability in FoTW, you have to actively employ the Trip ability.

To employ the trip ability, you have to be heavily invested in the strength ability score.

This shuts out builds that are not STR/Trip invested.

Whirlwind is a mostly throwaway feat with some value for monks as I understand it.


Would love to understand the thought process and if I am missing the mark in my thinking.

[R1ncewind]

To benefit from this ability in FoTW, you have to actively employ the Trip ability.

To employ the trip ability, you have to be heavily invested in the strength ability score.

This shuts out builds that are not STR/Trip invested.

Whirlwind is a mostly throwaway feat with some value for monks as I understand it.


Would love to understand the thought process and if I am missing the mark in my thinking.

Would it be posible to add somewhere in the tree that you can now use dex/int/str whatever is higher for trip dc?

[Rull]

For your consideration:

• Legendary Dreadnought: Unstoppable: When you activate an action boost, you gain the Unstoppable effect for 20 seconds. Unstoppable: You take 5% less damage from all sources, gain a +5 Action Boost bonus to Fortitude Saving Throws, and a +3% Action Boost bonus to Uncapped Dodge.

(Not intended as a "we're shifting plans to it", just "up for hearing some thoughts about it").

Unstoppable: When you activate an action boost, you take 8% less damage from all sources and are immune to knockdown for 20 seconds.

Keep it concise.

Dodge isn't flavorful for being unstoppable anyway.
https://www.google.com/search?q=dreadnought have you SEEN the most iconic thing called dreadnought? Does that look like it's going to dodge anything? But it sure looks unstoppable, and not taking much damage.

[Khimberlhyte]

I'm not a top tier player, but I've run a few healers in r10 pugs and LH pug raids. Both of the Exalted Angel options seem very weak to me and are not even remotely relevant to my playstyle, or that of other healers I've watched. Apart from jumping across chasms, or rushing to catch up with a zerg group, I rarely use wings.

I could see a small usage case for the damage option (Heavenly Wrath) in easier content such as legendary elite or reaper casual. But in high reaper, if I get close enough to mobs or melee for either of those Tier 4 abilities to be useful, I risk getting killed with one shot and becoming a soulstone. I don't have time to waste on a cooldown for flitting about on wings when I have to be cycling mass healing, spot healing, beacons, and more. With the wonky targeting for healing in DDO, there is an additional time cost to reposition my character to face the party after using leap of faith as well.

When I look at the extra healing that a bard will get with their fourth core in Fatesinger, the EA core is nowhere near being in the same ball park. Same with Draconic, Magus, or Primal (edit - to clarify, EA is also far from being in same ballpark as Draconic, Magus, etc). I would still likely have to take the fourth core in EA for the DCs, spellpower and stuff, but it's a serious disappointment compared to every other fourth core. For all of the rest, I can look and see how they fit into the playstyle and add meaningful power. I can't see ever benefiting from the EA fourth core - it's just too niche of an ability for me.