LU15 on Test: Good news for soloers and small groups [Archive]

Gwide

10-14-2005, 08:44 PM

<DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE> <HR> LU15 + patch on test: - The health pool of heroic 3-up-arrow (^^^) NPCs has been reduced. - The experience awarded for defeating NPCs with one or more up arrows has been increased. When fighting heroic encounters, this should make it more rewarding to defeat smaller groups of tougher opponents (such as a single 3-up, two 2-ups, or three 3-ups) instead of large groups of weaker enemies. - The wasps guarding the entrance to the Drafling Tower in Rivervale have grown weaker, allowing easier access to the wonders that await within. <HR> </BLOCKQUOTE> Soloers and small groups got a boost this patch, but here doesn't seem the recognition that accompanies the negative changes. Those who like to solo, 2-box and small group should appreciate that there is tuning happening to address your concerns. One of my concerns with LU13 had to do with how encounters on the lower spectrum became more difficult due to combat changes + zone rebalancing. When they repopulated the zones, many ^^ mobs ended up becoming ^^^ mobs. Also, many grey mobs became green and agro. My impression post LU13 was that the total of these changes made the same content more difficult and in some cases frustrating. In places I could possibly eek out a victory over a green ^^ I was totally owned by the ^^^. Because there were so many changes in LU13, it was hard to tell what was the cause of this. It could be my armor or damage, the mob's damage or hitpoints, the relative con of the mob. In all honesty with many of the statements from the development staff, I was getting the impression that it was intended even when the mob was green to me, and in some cases non-agro before. Well, it appears that it may not be the case as the content is being tweaked on test. Even though it is not the change I would have suggested ( I would have suggested lowering mob damage on the con range), if they lowered hitpoints enough this could make it closer to what it was Pre-LU13. Maybe lowering damage on the con range would have made vv green mobs single swat gnats, so perhaps this adjustment is more appropriate. Anyway, I thought some kudo were deserved for listening and making adjustments. I'd love to hear from some soloers (and small groups) on test if it is significant enough to make a difference </DIV>

Ekuthh

10-14-2005, 10:48 PM

I'm not on test, but I heartily look forward to this change on Live. Now I was highly skeptical of the combat changes at first- but after relearning what works and what doesnt, rearranging things a bit here and there and adopting different strategies, I have to say that overall the changes weren't as bad as I feared they would be. On the whole, my pally plays about the same. I cant take on mobs that I used to be able to solo, but that's okay. (Although I do miss soloing reds for XP) The most annoying things to me, though is that ^^^ greens seem to be EVERYWHERE now. I can generally handle one, maybe two by myself, but if I get an add, I'm toast. Now keep in mind, I wear a full suit of legendary feysteel plate and keep everything else up to snuff. The single most annoying thing, IMHO is that I no longer can travel through Nek without being accosted by those stupid @#$&()*&(!!! bats! They swarm in packs, give little XP and are more irritating than deadly. So I, for one will ebrace making the Heroics a little more balanced. I mean, come on guys- a pally my level with my gear should be able to take out a ^^^ green without having to completely drain my manna bar and end up with 25% health. Overall, though, decent job on the changes. Now, can we get the Hundred Fold Blade quest fixed?