Blight Update 259/260 Discussion

[AmonGwareth]

The forthcoming Blight Update 259 has notes posted here: http://community.istaria.com/forum/s...Yet-on-Blight)

Use this thread to discuss items within the update.

NOTE: This update is now on Blight (as of Monday, May 19).

[Tzael]

First thoughts are that I like the changes to the Cherub's Song ability, but the name change seems unusual - I guess I'm used to the idea that clerics soothe our enemies by chanting the Cherub's Song, so it's not a big deal but I don't know, Cherub's Song sounds much cooler than Soothe

Edit: oh and very nice to see some player-contributed content introduced by way of the quest "Effigy of Merrasat"!

[Azath]

All good as far as i see!

One question:
What does Allowance of Power actually do?

[AmonGwareth]

Tzael: The ability is still called Cherub's Song, but the debuff that is applied is called Soothed. Seems more appropriate to me anyway cause "Cherub's Song" does not indicate what has occurred to the target, but Soothed does. The target has become Soothed as a result of the debuff.

Azath: Power boost

[Tzael]

Tzael: The ability is still called Cherub's Song, but the debuff that is applied is called Soothed.

*looks embarrassed* That'll teach me for not reading properly! Agreed that Soothe sounds like a good name for the debuff effect.

[awdz]

Oh how cool that Galem Thawn's submission is being used! :-)

On the vault upgrades for tokens: Are they stackable? And is there any limit to how many times you can buy the vault upgrade quest?

[AmonGwareth]

Oh how cool that Galem Thawn's submission is being used! :-)

On the vault upgrades for tokens: Are they stackable? And is there any limit to how many times you can buy the vault upgrade quest?

They increment just like regular vault purchases do. So, you purchase I, then II, then III, then IV, and then you have no additional expansions available to purchase.

[MarshDog]

New Tris Town Marshall quest from Steward Pratt " Picking on the Little Guy " Steward Pratt wants you to head to the beaches of New Tris Island and take card of his Agh'kuk Gatherer problems ,,
The Bolder text in the quest line says The Sand Pygmies are found on the beach north of Upper Bridgeview ( I do not think Upper Bridgeview is in New Tris)

[Cegaiel]

They increment just like regular vault purchases do. So, you purchase I, then II, then III, then IV, and then you have no additional expansions available to purchase.

Can they be bought before Vault X upgrade? I think I'm at IX atm, can't never afford to do the X. Just curious...

[Guaran]

Not sure the point of allowance of power, since it was replaced years ago by primal roar (we initially got it). Mighty Roar was replaced by determination. Does that mean mighty roar is coming back too?, or was allowance of power added to help make spells a more viable option for dragons? If so that's fine with me.

[hallucin8]

Just wondering if there's any scope to change the number of tokens required to buy the new (fantastic!) vault upgrades?
By my count, a single character would require 62 tokens to buy all 4 loyalty vault upgrades, at an average of 1 token per month of subscription, that's more than 5 years! After purchasing spiders and other pets, I'm way out of reach for this now (not complaining at all cause the spider is awesome even on my dragon), but I have 2 main characters (with a potential 3rd on the way) so I'd now need 124 tokens or 10.3 years worth of subs to buy all the upgrades.

At the moment, I can't see the returns being worth it after the 2nd upgrade. E.g. 20 tokens for an extra 40 items (and a tonne of bulk), or 62 tokens for an extra 80 items.... Some serious diminishing returns there I'll certainly never buy the higher upgrades simply because I cannot see I'll ever have enough tokens.

Of course, this might be the point of the much higher token costs, but I can't help but think a flat 8 (or 10 or 12 or whatever) tokens per upgrade might be better.

[MarshDog]

Hallucin8 As luck would have it not that kind of tokens but tokens of appreciation on for doing quest w/ town Marshall's

[Velea]

Token of Appreciation is not obtained by doing Town Marshall quests. The Town Marshall quests give Token of Gratitude.

The new "Loyalty Vaults" require Tokens of Loyalty.

[Guaran]

Tried the Allowance of power. My thoughts:

Doesn't stack with Promote Intellect.

Promote Intellect is a spell, +114 power, +114 focus, lasts 30 minutes.

Allowance of Power V (Ability) is +203 power for 45 seconds, recycles in 1:30.

I would suggest either 1, make them stack or 2, make the allowance of power effect last 30 minutes like Promote Intellect.

I do not think an ability should overwrite a spell...

[Lio]

Just wondering if there's any scope to change the number of tokens required to buy the new (fantastic!) vault upgrades?
By my count, a single character would require 62 tokens to buy all 4 loyalty vault upgrades, at an average of 1 token per month of subscription, that's more than 5 years! After purchasing spiders and other pets, I'm way out of reach for this now (not complaining at all cause the spider is awesome even on my dragon), but I have 2 main characters (with a potential 3rd on the way) so I'd now need 124 tokens or 10.3 years worth of subs to buy all the upgrades.

At the moment, I can't see the returns being worth it after the 2nd upgrade. E.g. 20 tokens for an extra 40 items (and a tonne of bulk), or 62 tokens for an extra 80 items.... Some serious diminishing returns there I'll certainly never buy the higher upgrades simply because I cannot see I'll ever have enough tokens.

Of course, this might be the point of the much higher token costs, but I can't help but think a flat 8 (or 10 or 12 or whatever) tokens per upgrade might be better.

Blight Update 259

I really agree with Hallucin8 here, while the 'Loyalty Vaults' are excellent upgrades in item/bulk terms and very much desirable, especially the item count increase .. the cost is way '''WAY''' too expensive ..

.. as Hal says, 5+ years to get the LV IV .. without any pets .. for just one toon .. is quite frankly just bad thinking...and that's being courteous !

Let's face it, you're going to get a pet first, so that's nearly 6 years, plus the gold for the 'Shareholder Vaults' in the first place, which seems even possibly reasonable now compared to Loyalty Tokens frankly.

I am still re-growing the arm and a leg it cost me to get to 'Shareholder X' .. on 'Lio', my Dragon is maxed on SH VI !..sure, I agree that is useful now though, before the upgrade however that was expensive and I wouldn't have upgraded the Dragon.

.. let alone the need for the 'Pet' situation 'ATTUNEMENT' to be reconsidered, so we can at least swap pets to one of our other toons [other accounts too] .. as the token system works already regarding allocation, though here would be just to our own accounts maybe, using passwords for ident etc..or whatever system thought best.

The Goliath Beetle obviously is a far better choice for our Dragons, when we bought the spider in delight, there was no mention or option for the flying beetle at that time !!! .. I can't believe that the token sink aspect would be harmed if we could re-allocate our spiders in particular, and pets in general, to other toons on our own accounts.

Frankly, 8 months cost of Tokens for a pet is JUST understandable, subject to the ability to allocate .. but with all due respect, the LV 1, 2, 3 and 4 Token Costs .. I'm sorry, but that really is a bad miscalculation and totally useless to even seasoned players, let alone the new player struggling to get their first pet, in firstly 'token sink' terms, and secondly 'incentive' terms.

It would be far better surely to make the Token Cost much less, so more players would actually use the upgrades, and therefore be a better way to get the 'Token Sink' aspect used more effectively.

My personal view is the cost for each upgrade should seriously be THREE Tokens only, maybe with a little gold cost as well .. thats STILL TWELVE months of play to get all four upgrades, plus the gold for the SH X, plus the first 8 tokens for one pet, let alone anymore pets for one bi-ped, one dragon etc.

May I strongly suggest this issue be re-thought and amended as soon as possible .. many thx.

[Tzael]

62 loyalty tokens for all 4 loyalty vault upgrades? Easy, 3 annual subscriptions and a couple of monthly subs on top. Besides, imo the top loyalty vault upgrade should only be available to the most loyal of players, i.e. those who have maintained subs uninterrupted over the years and those who have held multiple subscriptions. I've been absent for 4 years, I definitely shouldn't have a chance of getting the highest loyalty rewards any time soon.

Just to be clear, 5+ years for all 4 loyalty vault upgrades is utter nonsense when we all know full well that an annual subscription rewards 20 loyalty tokens.

[hallucin8]

I certainly don't want to cheapen them too much, but say 40, 10 for each one. And I've only ever had monthly subs.... But fair enough didn't realize annual tokens were almost twice for monthlys... Ouch missed out on a few

[Lio]

62 loyalty tokens for all 4 loyalty vault upgrades? Easy, 3 annual subscriptions and a couple of monthly subs on top. Besides, imo the top loyalty vault upgrade should only be available to the most loyal of players, i.e. those who have maintained subs uninterrupted over the years and those who have held multiple subscriptions. I've been absent for 4 years, I definitely shouldn't have a chance of getting the highest loyalty rewards any time soon.

Just to be clear, 5+ years for all 4 loyalty vault upgrades is utter nonsense when we all know full well that an annual subscription rewards 20 loyalty tokens.

Firstly, Bless you Tz old buddy .. to my knowledge, its still ONE Token per month per sub, not all can afford the Annual sub, ...therefore on THAT basis .. 8 months for a pet, 62 Tokens for all four upgrades is quite correct ../grin

Secondly, yes I do agree with you about this being only available to the most Loyal players, that is not the question, the point is should we [most loyal players] be able to use the system within our lifetimes and before dotage ..lol .. absence is not really an issue either in my view, when we are here, we pay, we get tokens, we buy whatever we are able for the time we have chosen to be here.

Thirdly, while some of us are totally insane and outrageously already pay multiple subs, and have done for the many long periods we have played this wonderful game, my points are in great part directed at those who may only be able to afford ONE, possibly TWO subs monthly. I do see where you are coming from on the 'most loyal' aspect, to me though it's a question of degree, not madness ..lol

Lastly, this should be a game to be enjoyed, challenges of course, incentives, hell yeah ..unattainable goals .. NO NO NO !!!! I repeat, its a balance, and as paying customers enjoying the fun, we should most certainly be able to attain most, if not all upgrades, within reasonable periods, even if only one sub etc.

I still feel, even after the pertinent aspects of your reply Tz, that this issue needs to be reworked before it goes Delta.

[Pharaxes]

For a 1-year-plotholder-sub I got 20 tokens. So it depends on the kind of sub you take

[Starcrystal]

just checked out the new stuff only complaint I have atm is the spawn rates of the Indestructible Fyakki>< it sucks, and looks like the other mobs in the eastern deadlands is affect as well im not sure about the other zones spawn rates but if this is going to be the new rate I'll have to stop my sub and find another game, it is bad enough there isn't much for a dragon to do to start with after reaching 100 in adv , nor im impressed with the new crystal class, as you can't even get the t6 drops from the Fyakki still on order shard they do drop on blight shard in that area. iv played for years and I see less and less ppl on and many more just quit, I understand you don't want dragons to be the one and only class but look at it this way dragons bring ppl into the game as its the only game iv ever seen with playable dragons for the time being and as they are a subscription class they bring in moneys even the new scales that you put in the game last year suck>< knowone even uses them as a t6/100lvl item it should be a lot better then then t5/80 gear but its not