1.88f

[Keitan]

Some archery changes and more.

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Dark Age of Camelot
Test Version 1.88f Release Notes
Archery Adjustments
March 15, 2007

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NEW THINGS AND BUG FIXES

- Graphics for the kiln in Ludlow have been updated for catacombs and newer clients.

- The block rate for PvP combat has been capped at 75%.

- The block rate for PvE combat remains unchanged.

- The block rate for Engage remains unchanged.


CLASS CHANGES AND FIXES

Archers

- All archery shot types now have a unique icon.

- New sounds have been added for Archery draw, release and hit.

- The Strength buff from Archery now has a more generic Strength buff icon and spell effect, rather than the Hibernian tree effect and icon.

- The damage selection buffs in the Archery line now have icons appropriate to the damage type they provide. These buffs now have a 1 second recast time, and will no longer affect melee combat.

- Archery no longer has a minimum range requirement.

- Archers now receive the Mastery of Concentration Realm Ability.

- Crit shot will now bypass Bladeturn, but not break it; as well as bypassing Brittle Guards, Intercept, Guard and Block.

- Ranges have been normalized and increased across the board for archery shots.

- Volley has not been fully implemented with this version, but will be included in a future version in this patch cycle.

- Block rates for Archery are now normalized across the realms. This corrects an issue which caused Archery shots to be blocked significantly more then intended.

- Weaponskill values will now display for Rangers and Hunters.

- Guard, Phase Shift, Brittle Guards and Intercept now work against Archery.


DARKNESS RISING WORLD NOTES

Quests - Albion

- My Mother's Lute - This Albion Royal Expedition Task will now reward experience as well as coin.


Item Notes

- The Perfectly Balanced version of the Minstrel Dextera Blade will now debuff Slash Resistance instead of Thrust.


LABYRINTH WORLD NOTES

Quests - Hibernia

- Unraveling: Crush the Alliance - The quest will no longer display the message 'This is not the proper time to drop the Korazh Insignia' in addition to the correct message when players use the Korazh Insignia in the proper area.

 

[noaim]

And there we have the minstrel love, Gamah can finally sleep well again.

 

[Rhana]

I see that finaly the blocking vs. arrows is fixed... been broken for.. 5 years? Allways been in the benefitting side of that, but allways been thinking that it should be fixed, rediculess as it was.

 

[eble@work]

woohoo heres MOC3 and LT bow!

Eble

 

[Digi]

Sound to me they fix Archers by makeing them caster that can hide have better armour and more hp but i have to wait and see but the agian dont think i can wait a year.

 

[eble@work]

Yeah they fixed the whole archery problems by making us casters!

now all casting speed/range/damage are casters/archery so I guess all my artifacts are screwed now, unless they re-work those.

seems archery will be dex based (for weapon speed)same as casters so with +10% and 434 dex how fast will I fire

so imagine fire from stealth crit shot bypasses bladeturn hits for anything from (no idea as damage isn't confirmed yet) but so a modest 700-800 damage.

caster turns and starts attacking, I hit MOC3 and just fire a couple of shots, I really cant see how a caster can survive that, even just on a HP basis I'm running round with 2500hp buf'd as a luri, casters would have what at most 1800?

Oh well always wanted a high level caster, its just not how I expected to get one.

Eble

 

[RS|Phil]

Insane changes.

 

[Ballard]

seems archery will be dex based (for weapon speed)same as casters so with +10% and 434 dex how fast will I fire

unless I have missed something, where in the patch notes does it say archery draw and shoot times will be affected by dex?

 

[eble@work]

unless I have missed something, where in the patch notes does it say archery draw and shoot times will be affected by dex?

here we go mate

1.88d archer love

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Dark Age of Camelot
Test Version 1.88d Release Notes
Archery and Stealth Changes
March 8, 2007

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NEW THINGS AND BUG FIXES

- Monsters, pets and Non-Player Characters (NPCs) will now halt their pursuit when a character stealths.

- Maulers will no longer lose Tireless when using a Realm Respec.

- (Pendragon only) In an effort to facilitate testing, we have added an NPC to each of the realm's capital cities which will grant the following: Experience, Realm Points, Bounty Points, and coin. This will allow players to create new characters or update existing characters as needed to test new additions to the game in a more effective and timely manner. Enjoy!
Note: These NPCs are located in the capital cities inside the primary entrance and can be identified by their <Testers Union> title.



CLASS AND SKILL CHANGES

Archery (Hunters, Rangers and Scouts)

This patch will implement functionality for the new Archery system. The mechanics of the system will be mostly in place, but delves of these attacks are still being tweaked.

- Archers have had their unique bow lines replaced with a new line, called "Archery".

- The Archery line contains 12 types of shots and several self buffs. The names of these abilities are still placeholders at this time, and will be updated in a later version in this patch cycle.

- The Pathfinding skill for Rangers has been merged into Archery, and all of the buffs from that line are now found in the Archery line (available to all Archer classes).

- Self buffs in Beastcraft have been replaced with the self buffs in the Archery Spec.

- New archery abilities are now available under the spells tab, under the Archery list.

- Archery damage and draw time are now affected by the Dexterity skill.

- Archery shots now have a minimum range of 200 units, except for the point blank shot.

- Archery shots now have different Endurance costs depending upon the shot.

- Archery shot types are as follows:

Standard Shot: Average range, draw time and damage.

Long Shot: Longer range, average draw time and slightly lower damage.

Power Shot: Shorter range, long draw time not affected by Dexterity; higher damage.

Point Blank Shot: Very short range, long draw time and high damage.

Critical Shot: Must be fired from stealth, very high damage, average range and average draw time.

Rapid Fire: Average range, short draw time and low damage.

Fire Shot: Heat damage, long draw time and shorter range.

Cold Shot: Cold damage, long draw time and shorter range.

Poison Shot: Body damage Direct Damage/Damage Over Time, long draw time and shorter range.

Acid Shot: Matter damage Direct Damage/Damage Over Time, long draw time and Shorter range.

Volley: Ground Targeted Arrow Volley will hit 3 times; damage increases with spec, as well as the number of enemies hit.

Siege Shot: Does damage to objects such as Keep Doors and Siege equipment.


Current known issues:

- Shield block, Bladeturn, Brittle Guards and Ablatives are not yet implemented.

- Icons are currently placeholders, and arrow effects are not yet implemented.

- Sounds are not yet implemented.

- Certain shots are not yet functioning when used against other players.

- The ability to choose damage types is not yet implemented.

- Realm Abilities are not finalized.



CAMELOT CLASSIC WORLD NOTES

Quests - Midgard

- Blodfelag Inquiry - The item reward 'Protector's Pendant of Fortitude' will now reflect the proper Matter Resistance Bonus of 2%.


Item Notes

- The item 'Recruit's Axe' will now properly display as a one-handed axe when equipped and in combat.



DARKNESS RISING WORLD NOTES

Item Notes - Albion

- The spells on the Champion Weapons available to Minstrels have been changed to be more appropriate for the Minstrel's role in combat.

Minstrel Dextera Blade:

/use1 - Regeneration of Kings
/use2 - Perfectly Balanced or King's Precision

Minstrel Dextera Edge:

/use1 - Regeneration of Kings
/use2 - Perfectly Balanced or King's Precision

Upsilon Harp:

/use1 - Replenishment
/use2 - King's Precision or King's Shield
__________________

 

[Rhana]

Hmm.. this changes will unbalance archers out on the other side of "balanced", from beeing totaly gimps (the time when you as a caster where abel to interupt them) to rather balanced (as I think they where on classic, might not be so balanced on ToA, I dont know)... To this Owerpowered. As someone said, there is no way caster can even be close to compet with this. I know, casters is main targets for archers, but say a situation where the caster gets the drop.. Its very far from sertain that he can pull it off, even then. 2 things as I can come up with now can help the caster: q-cast NS and ruuuuuuuun or a high spec LT+MoC (insta Dex debuff can help aswell)

 

[Azathrim]

The new fotm group setup:

Cleric
Cleric
Paladin
Sorc
Scout
Scout
Armsman
Merc

 

[rampant]

naff changes making archers into casters - this is not a fix but a COMPLETE rewrite of the way in which they work.

who remembers magic missiles from D&D - that is what an archer is now ...

 

[old.Whoodoo]

Some archery changes and more.

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Dark Age of Camelot
Test Version 1.88feckit Release Notes
Archery Adjustments
March 15, 2007

===================================


NEW THINGS AND BUG FIXES

- All bow classes have now been replaced. Scouts will now be called "Wizziewannabes", Hunters "Ishouldarolledarunie" and Rangers "Imconfusedandneedtherapy".

- Anyone who did not roll Kobold in Midgard has been granted a "Gender respec". This allows you to trade in your characters gender for a new Hamaphrodite one. This change also applies to Albion and Hibernia respectively.

- Bows have been replaced with staves to add to the realism of your characters new abilities. Also armour has been replaced with cloth.

- All procs have been removed from all bows in the game, along with anything else useful. To compensate any archer who usually carries 3 or more bows, we will allow you to trade in your bows for coin in the major cities, look out for new NPCs called "Rodney Trotter" in midgard, "Del Boi" in Camelot and "Oscar the grouch" in Tir Na Nog.

- Hunters will receive at 50 beastcraft a new pet ability called SatNav. This new system will help hunters and all pet classes move around the realm, especially around bridges. Unlike lower specs, this pet has an increased chance of actually going straight to its target, and hitting it, negating the standard run round the whole zone and back again. Note this new ability has a 50% chance of working, and a 20% chance of following the correct path.

- Arrows have been replaced with sparklers, we were bored and couldnt find anything else to put in their placeholders.

Cant think why every hunter is rolling a valk, scouts reavers and rangers bainshees...any ideas?

 

[Tesla Monkor]

Archers won't replace casters in groups. Casters still have higher delves, lower cast speed, access to MoM and resist-piercing.

But it's good news that 2-3 archers can now instantly drop a body-guarded, brittled, bladeturned caster with critshot. (Unless DI is running of course..)

 

[Oldleaf]

The new fotm group setup:

Cleric
Cleric
Paladin
Sorc
Scout
Scout
Armsman
Merc

You forget to add the Mauler.

 

[old.Whoodoo]

Archers won't replace casters in groups. Casters still have higher delves, lower cast speed, access to MoM and resist-piercing.

You cant see snippers getting access to jacinas? Or the existing bow procs being replaced with resist pierce? The way this is going snippers will not replace them, but become something extreemly similar. Already we have been given the caster RAs, surely it follows with the changes so far that we will end up being more or less a caster in studded armour.

 

[Tesla Monkor]

I can see it happening, but I don't think it will. Mythic has been very reluctant to add existing artifacts to classes. And adding that particular one to archers constitutes a 10% damage boost.

It would certainly be interesting to see if we can get outfits that incorporate 10% resist pierce for more damage. In any case, the patch is slowly shaping up from a massive nerf to 'Mwaaa... that -might- be nice'.

Not being able to land several critshots in a row is something I don't particularly like, though. Also, it isn't clear how PBT and castable BT behave when confronted with Critshot now. The -not moving- part of Critshot being removed is nice.

As it is no, I can shoot straight through (and pop) PBT and CBT, with a 100% success rate, doing 75% of my regular damage on normal shots. That seems to have gone the way of the dodo with the new patch, instead we get Critshots that shoot through all defensive layers, but remove none. I realise neither are perfect, but still, I can't shake the nagging feeling that this one is not necessarily better.

 

[old.Whoodoo]

I can see it happening, but I don't think it will. Mythic has been very reluctant to add existing artifacts to classes. And adding that particular one to archers constitutes a 10% damage boost.

The thing is, like all hunters I know we carry 5+ bows for damage variance:

Fools for speed, bleed and seige
Galvornes for the DOT
Remorseless for the snare
Champ for the debuff
Basalt for the proc

Just to name a few, some of which we have paid good money for, or PvEd our heads off for. Now all those abilities are going, a lot of red mists will be seen if we dont get something back to replace the weapon procs, thats a lot of wasted cash time and effort.

I see the critshot forums already going spare over these changes, way too much too fast IMO, and making us second rate casters is annoying, I rolled a hunter to be one, after 5 years doing a 360 on me is bad, the taking away every toy I own will make baby jesus kill a whole herd of kittens!

 

[Tesla Monkor]

I couldn't agree more with you.

 

[Azathrim]

Stop whining whoodoo. Sure, they use some of the same beind the works code for how the archery system works. But, that doesn't make archers casters.

You still have a bow, you still shoot arrows and you still wear studded. You now just have an easier time shooting, easier template making and a whole lot of new types of shots to play with. Hell, those shots are even made so Mythic relatively easily can change its damage and thus keep archers balanced in the future - instead of leaving them the lowest ranged dps class in the game for 5+ years because it was all hardcoded.

 

[Manisch Depressiv]

This is getting stupid. Please give all classes stealth now or remove it from Archers.

Critshot 9 out of best stealth in game + MoC3 + IP3, how is this supposed to work?

Seems like they are dumbing the game down slowly and they call it streamlining to make it more attractive for new players.

 

[Kami]

I don't really see the huge problem with the changes at the moment, they are still in testing after all. What does confused me is why it's so horrible that an archer can shoot for a bit more, almost on par with a caster and suddenly it's the end of the world. Most casters have some form of either CC, nearsight or stun which could quite easily stop a scout in their tracks.

God forbid casters actually have to change how they deal with archers!

PS I mostly play casters.

 

[Moaning Myrtle]

I really like the fact that Dex is now the relevant stat for both damage and draw time. This means Qui can be completely removed from templates resulting in far better resists or +Skill.

I am unsure of the other changes and won't comment until they go live and have a chance to try them out myself.

 

[Malcolm]

it's a pity they can't (or won't) implement a method where you can choose between auto or player initiated release of arrow.

 

[Manisch Depressiv]

I don't really see the huge problem with the changes at the moment, they are still in testing after all. What does confused me is why it's so horrible that an archer can shoot for a bit more, almost on par with a caster and suddenly it's the end of the world. Most casters have some form of either CC, nearsight or stun which could quite easily stop a scout in their tracks.

God forbid casters actually have to change how they deal with archers!

PS I mostly play casters.

The difference is stealth and the ability to hide while RAs are inactive. Castes have worse absorb, less HPs, usualy worse range on spells than the bow shots have atm.

You can Purge the negative effects and MoC away.

It's also not about just a Scout, it's already hard for a non MoC caster vs stealther as your QC will get walked through or if you got range the archers buddy will start poping arrows into you the second after you wasted QC.

I don't have a problem with attacks out of stealth, but Critshot 9 for like 1000 and a crit to it for 500 followed by MoC is just plain stupid.

 

[Kami]

Yup, there's plenty of other slash commands so I don't see why they can't make it an option for those that are use to it. They did a similar thing then they introduced spell queuing after all.

 

[Kami]

The difference is stealth and the ability to hide while RAs are inactive. Castes have worse absorb, less HPs, usualy worse range on spells than the bow shots have atm.

You can Purge the negative effects and MoC away.

It's also not about just a Scout, it's already hard for a non MoC caster vs stealther as your QC will get walked through or if you got range the archers buddy will start poping arrows into you the second after you wasted QC.

I don't have a problem with attacks out of stealth, but Critshot 9 for like 1000 and a crit to it for 500 followed by MoC is just plain stupid.

You seem to have forgotten that casters are meant to be archers prey, not the other way around and it's been largely the other way around for a very long time.

Yes casters should stand a chance against archers, but it should be weighed in the archers favour. A caster running about without CC, MOC or lifetap really should be killed by an archer that gets the drop on him. Yes an archer can purge effects but that's the case at the moment anyway and always has been.

 

[old.Whoodoo]

Stop whining whoodoo. Sure, they use some of the same beind the works code for how the archery system works. But, that doesn't make archers casters.

You still have a bow, you still shoot arrows and you still wear studded. You now just have an easier time shooting, easier template making and a whole lot of new types of shots to play with. Hell, those shots are even made so Mythic relatively easily can change its damage and thus keep archers balanced in the future - instead of leaving them the lowest ranged dps class in the game for 5+ years because it was all hardcoded.

Discussing my classes scrap is hardly whine, for 5 years all we ever asked for was a decent damage table for archery rather than the randomness we have had for so long. 5 years spent perfecting our playstyle now seems to be wasted, good job I have casters and I know how to play them.

Yes we have a bow, but now its more like a stave, I am sure we will prolly see +50 Archery Focus on my fools bow before long. Yes we have studded, so?

Even from what you say about the hardcoding of archery damage, this is to make tweaks for Mythic easier and less about making the class better.

Most of the spell damage being introduced are already available as a proc, the difference is a proc has a % chance to hit, now at 50 bow its more or less garenteed, then watch the caster whine as they get 1 shotted, DOTed and die.

The ideas are sound, but its way too much and way too silly IMO, this isnt the result of player feedback, its the result of a data input clerk being the only person left coding archery while the others all go play WAR in the other room.

 

[Ballard]

here we go mate

cheers! hard to keep track of all the changes after quiting

 

[Davejohnson]

this patch is like ages away, but i can see the possibility of having a bodyguard ranger in a hib group with som/wh, moc, heat/cold shots and heat/cold legendary bows. not optimal or anything, but probably not that gimped either..