Prestige Talents

[Xelgad]

<p><p><p>Hey all, it's time for some new character progression, and this time there's no NDA! With that in mind, the majority of this stuff still needs tweaking, polishing and balancing before it's ready for live servers, and some of it may be completely redesigned. </p><p>Here's how it works:</p><p><ul><li> As you know, the level cap is increasing to 92 with this GU.</li><li>Instead of gaining more Alternate Advancments, you'll earn Prestige Points automatically as you level.</li><li>You gain 5 Prestige Points per level, one at every 20%.</li><li>You spend these points in the new Prestige Tree, which is similar to existing Alternate Advancement trees.</li><li>For GU63, the tree will consist of two columns and five rows.  As I write this, the fifth row is not ready for Test Server.</li><li>The first two rows are unlinked, but the next three are linked vertically.</li></ul></p><p>As you're testing and giving feedback, consider that we do not intend this tree to provide nearly as much increase to character power as the Heroic Tree did.  We want to hear if you think a Prestige Skill encourages unfun gameplay or just doesn't seem to fit the class, but none of them are intended to make a huge increase to player power.  Additionally, the test server currently allows unlimited respecs for standard Alternate Advancements, Beastlord Warders and the new Prestige Points.</p><p>Regarding format, the columns are intended to provide two distinct paths.  Most classes are fairly straightforward - DPS vs. Healing, Area of Effect DPS vs. Single Target DPS, ect -  but Rogues, Summoners, Bards, and Enchanters each have a column dedicated to what we've been calling "versatility," which is intended to expand the role of the class slightly or provide a situational benefit that does not directly increase DPS.  We expect those columns to be significantly less popular among min/max'ers, but obviously they need to be viable in other playstyles.</p><p>Shortly, you'll notice below the "In Testing Feedback" forum that there is a new forum category for "Game Update #63 Classes." All feedback involving classes should be posted in the below forums once they are available:</p><p>Priests :<a href="http://forums.station.sony.com/eq2/forums/show.m?forum_id=2844 " target="_blank">http://forums.station.sony.com/eq2/...m?forum_id=2844</a>Fighters: <a href="http://forums.station.sony.com/eq2/forums/show.m?forum_id=2845" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://forums.station.sony.com/eq2/...m?forum_id=2845</a>Scouts: <a href="http://forums.station.sony.com/eq2/forums/show.m?forum_id=2846" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://forums.station.sony.com/eq2/...m?forum_id=2846</a>Mages: <a href="http://forums.station.sony.com/eq2/forums/show.m?forum_id=2847" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://forums.station.sony.com/eq2/...m?forum_id=2847</a></p><p>As always, your feedback is appreciated!</p></p></p>

[Xelgad]

<p><p>I'm very impressed with the quality feedback we've gotten on these already, and it's going to make improving them much easier.  Thanks!</p><p>So far, we've been busy with row 5, which you guys should see on test next week.  Instead of a traditional endline like many of you are expecting, Row 5 will grant a bonus from stacking a certain stat.  For example, a melee priest DPS line might give a potency bonus from stacking multi-attack.  We plan to expand the tree in the future so at that time, row 5 will likely become more of a starting point than an endline.</p><p>Lastly, I wanted to reiterate that we do not intend this tree, in its Game Update #63 state, to be as much as a power increase as the Heroic tree.  Generally speaking, you can expect us to adjust the talents that are most powerful now before we're ready for live.</p></p>