Game Update 63: SKYSHRINE Launches April 17, 2012!

Ashlanne · 03-13-2012, 02:13 PM

The Destiny of Velious saga continues! Adventurers breach the barriers of the Withered Lands, seeking entrance to Skyshrine, the glorious, ancient dragon city!

The great citadel of Skyshrine has long housed the Claws of Veeshan behind its massive walls and arcane protections. Now, the unthinkable has happened -- Skyshrine is under siege! Battle and befriend dragons and their wurmkin in the forbidden city of Dracur. Explore the past to unravel the mysterious events that transformed the formidable draconic city into a battlefield full of daunting challenges, terrifying foes and unimaginable treasures!

Far below Skyshrine a different battle rages on. Once known as the Wakening Lands, a majestic valley touched by the Plane of Growth, today oddly overgrown and overrun by a sickly magic… and now known as the Withered Lands. This strange corruption has affected not only the land, but has touched and twisted many of the creatures that once thrived here, including the legendary caretakers of the forest. Now turned to a dark purpose, the caretakers cultivate the afflicted plants and animals. In the deepest regions of the creeping woods, chaotic storms drench the forest and singe the gnarled treetops, where an angry dragon flies menacingly overhead!

Save the forest from corruption, aid the armies of Norrath in reaching Skyshrine, explore the intrigues of dragonkind and save their embattled city!

Destiny of Velious Content Updates Include: *

Level cap raised to 92
Withered Lands outdoor zone with over 100 quests and solo, small group, and raid content
Play YOUR way in Skyshrine instances with solo, normal and challenge group modes
Experience endgame storyline events with Heroic Group and Raid instances

Earn prestige class talents to build the power of your character

All new tradeskill quests and items woven into the story arc

New Drake mount

Age of Discovery Additions:**

Poet’s Palace Dungeon Maker theme and items
New Dungeon Maker adventurers
Tradeskill apprentices with new recipes (one Elite!)
Elite mercenary

New warders to tame for Beastlords

*Requires Destiny of Velious expansion **Requires Age of Discovery expansion

Coming to a Test Server near you by Thursday, March 15, 2012!

Rainmare · 03-13-2012, 02:50 PM

no new heritage? darn it where is the NAture's Defender that SJ promised when Velious was first coming out? (I asked the question in one of the podcasts and he answered that it was going to be in game)

I have been looking forward to getting that sword back for at least a year now SMILEY

Geothe · 03-13-2012, 02:55 PM

Level cap to 92....

Just seems so odd and arbitrary.The goal to kind of, but not completely replace lvl 90 itemization?Or give the couple of extra levels to make HM drunder/PoW encounters a bit more do-able for the more general raid populace?

Tempted · 03-13-2012, 02:56 PM

Level 92? that just seems...odd

SOE-MOD-02 · 03-13-2012, 02:59 PM

This post has moved: /eq2/posts/preList.m?topic_id=49996...post_id=5730804 Trolling is not permitted.

Nrgy · 03-13-2012, 03:07 PM

Tempted wrote:

Level 92? that just seems...odd

that means ... 25 classes need to have 2 to 5 new spells/CA's created (or copied from 81-82) that are USEFULL. It also means that level cap incremants can be added in w/o full expansions, which is encouraging, but it certainly have effect on lv 90 grouping encounters. Whether that be positive or negative, I think it's too early to tell.

I will be very interested in hearing about those Prestige talents though.

Wirewhisker · 03-13-2012, 03:09 PM

Answering the myriad points of uncertainty about the PSS.1 deal will go a great deal farther than this GU to settle the folks down.

Yet, it's nice to see that the GU is finally on its way.

Still, level 92? Odd number. But Lord Nagafen will be Orange finally!

EQ_Irving · 03-13-2012, 03:17 PM

Level 92 is clearly aimed for end-game content. The current raid content is too difficult for most folks. Moving the cap to 92 makes the existing raid MOBs yellow epic instead of orange epic, which in a huge difference. It makes the raids that much more accessible to everyone.

Wanic · 03-13-2012, 03:18 PM

So will we see another level cap increase in GU 64 when that releases?

Do we have new spells for 91 + 92 etc?

Sethimothy · 03-13-2012, 03:20 PM

Wirewhisker@Antonia Bayle wrote:

Still, level 92? Odd number

Even, actually.

naladini · 03-13-2012, 03:21 PM

Aren't the 2's the level that new MC gear seems to be introduced? That, by itself makes it an interesting milestone. The good: its a nice incremental boost, without introducing the large grind fest folks gripe about with a 10 level boost. Probably a safe bet that future content pushes may help carry levels forward to a nice round number. The question: How well balanced will this be? In the scope of 10 levels of play, classes can be "reasonably balanced" with spells and abilities. However, its probably a safe bet you'll see some larger than normal griping from certain classes about what spells get upgraded at that 92nd level vs what would appear at 93,96, etc. Overall though, it seems like a really cool approach to try, and can keep more challenge with existing content than simply watching guilds grind 10 levels and then blow things away.

Bacci · 03-13-2012, 03:23 PM

I am glad to see content released soon.

So you plan to release this on the 15th on test and 2 days later it goes live, right?

This is not much time for testing and fixing!

I would rather like to see this 2 weeks on test minimum before it goes live.

CoLD MeTaL · 03-13-2012, 03:25 PM

Did we lose Piestro already? O.o

Barx · 03-13-2012, 03:26 PM

Bacci@Runnyeye wrote:

I am glad to see content released soon.
So you plan to release this on the 15th on test and 2 days later it goes live, right?
This is not much time for testing and fixing!
I would rather like to see this 2 weeks on test minimum before it goes live.

Check your months: it's going on test by March 15th and scheduled to go live April 17th.

Guess we're going over to the EQ1 tiny cap raises style now. So many unanswered questions though...

Banditman · 03-13-2012, 03:26 PM

L92 has nothing to do with current stuff being too hard. 2 levels will NOT change the current orange raid mobs to yellow.

What level 92 WILL do is change L100 raid mobs to orange. That's why L92 is going in.

It *also* allows them to do a gear reset to fix their RIDICULOUSLY broken itemization.

Erevis_Cale · 03-13-2012, 03:27 PM

someone beat me to it ~

Leovinus · 03-13-2012, 03:27 PM

Irving@Antonia Bayle wrote:

Level 92 is clearly aimed for end-game content. The current raid content is too difficult for most folks. Moving the cap to 92 makes the existing raid MOBs yellow epic instead of orange epic, which in a huge difference. It makes the raids that much more accessible to everyone.

No, it won't. Yellow is +1 to +4. Current top tier raid mobs will still be +6. It should still make those encounters more doable, but who knows if they're even going to be worth doing with the new stuff. Depends on how they expect progression to go and how the new stuff is balanced and itemized.

Bacci · 03-13-2012, 03:28 PM

Barx@Antonia Bayle wrote:

Bacci@Runnyeye wrote:
I am glad to see content released soon.
So you plan to release this on the 15th on test and 2 days later it goes live, right?
This is not much time for testing and fixing!
I would rather like to see this 2 weeks on test minimum before it goes live.
Check your months: it's going on test by March 15th and scheduled to go live April 17th.
Guess we're going over to the EQ1 tiny cap raises style now. So many unanswered questions though...

Oh lol. Thx for this. I overread it. Now i feel better SMILEY

Oadin · 03-13-2012, 03:28 PM

nice good to see new content being released

2 more levels interesting

hope get more info on features coming with skyshrine ..

Landiin · 03-13-2012, 03:34 PM

Pheep@Unrest wrote:

The bonus is for every L90 you have, up to ten of them. With going past 90 to 92, will that negate that bonus? Or will the bonus still be in place? I'd think the bonus would still be in place, however, I am not assuming.

If it goes like it has in the past, you'll now have to be level 92 to get the bonus. As the bonus if for every MAX level character you have up to 10 characters.

vexrm · 03-13-2012, 03:41 PM

CoLD MeTaL wrote:

Did we lose Piestro already? O.o

I scared him away. Poor guy.

Anyway, I feel like I'm at a basketball game but instead of Defense it's Details I'm chanting. Would love to hear about these new AA thingies that aren't AA. Would love to hear about the spell plan because I just looked at my 81 and 82 spells and only one of them is impressive or interesting. Would love to hear more about anything on that list.

Having said that I expect I'll have to go to test to see this. That's how it's been in the past.

Cyliena · 03-13-2012, 03:42 PM

Are crafting and guild levels also being increased to 92 or just adventuring? Any AA cap increases?

irish · 03-13-2012, 03:44 PM

Don't know if intended or not,but theres a different skyshrine pic if you click on the one in article.

Chronus1 · 03-13-2012, 03:45 PM

I am intrigued. I wonder where the raid content will be placed in terms of dicciulty and quality of drops. Making the gear better than or on par with hardmode drunder is required to make raid guilds do the raids but could see outcry if they are much easier. I really hope this has been thought of and planned ahead.

New stuff is good, just 2 levels means I could take the time in seb and be really quick about it. Will the previous stuff be fixed though or will this content replace it?

Xianthia · 03-13-2012, 03:49 PM

NVM just saw someone else posted about the date SMILEY

Heph · 03-13-2012, 03:55 PM

All this stuff seems, at best, odd.

And there is a lot of unanswered questions about PSS.1 deal...

Come on SoE, you can do alot better. Or at least you used to...

Siodenne · 03-13-2012, 04:03 PM

Time to get on test this week. I'm wondering what the elite mercenary does since I play odd hours and find myself soloing alot.

Calthine · 03-13-2012, 04:03 PM

Tempted wrote:

Level 92? that just seems...odd

Beat me to it. Different for this game, that's for sure.

Nrgy · 03-13-2012, 04:06 PM

Calthine wrote:

Tempted wrote:
Level 92? that just seems...odd
Beat me to it. Different for this game, that's for sure.

It's a guess, but what happens in the Trade Skill recipe world every x2 levels?? ie, 22, 32, 42, etc...

All new tradeskill quests and items woven into the story arc

Avacii · 03-13-2012, 04:07 PM

Will non-Beastlords be able to enjoy this new content with mythical weapons in their hands or will these continue to be privilege of Beastlords?

Will mages and healers be able to enjoy this new content in Drunder gear or will they continue to suffer a lower chance of a drop that fighters and scouts?

03-13-2012, 02:13 PM	#1
Ashlanne Community Relations Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 81	The Destiny of Velious saga continues! Adventurers breach the barriers of the Withered Lands, seeking entrance to Skyshrine, the glorious, ancient dragon city! The great citadel of Skyshrine has long housed the Claws of Veeshan behind its massive walls and arcane protections. Now, the unthinkable has happened -- Skyshrine is under siege! Battle and befriend dragons and their wurmkin in the forbidden city of Dracur. Explore the past to unravel the mysterious events that transformed the formidable draconic city into a battlefield full of daunting challenges, terrifying foes and unimaginable treasures! Far below Skyshrine a different battle rages on. Once known as the Wakening Lands, a majestic valley touched by the Plane of Growth, today oddly overgrown and overrun by a sickly magic… and now known as the Withered Lands. This strange corruption has affected not only the land, but has touched and twisted many of the creatures that once thrived here, including the legendary caretakers of the forest. Now turned to a dark purpose, the caretakers cultivate the afflicted plants and animals. In the deepest regions of the creeping woods, chaotic storms drench the forest and singe the gnarled treetops, where an angry dragon flies menacingly overhead! Save the forest from corruption, aid the armies of Norrath in reaching Skyshrine, explore the intrigues of dragonkind and save their embattled city! Destiny of Velious Content Updates Include: * Level cap raised to 92 Withered Lands outdoor zone with over 100 quests and solo, small group, and raid content Play YOUR way in Skyshrine instances with solo, normal and challenge group modes Experience endgame storyline events with Heroic Group and Raid instances Earn prestige class talents to build the power of your character All new tradeskill quests and items woven into the story arc New Drake mount Age of Discovery Additions:** Poet’s Palace Dungeon Maker theme and items New Dungeon Maker adventurers Tradeskill apprentices with new recipes (one Elite!) Elite mercenary New warders to tame for Beastlords Requires Destiny of Velious expansion *Requires Age of Discovery expansion Coming to a Test Server near you by Thursday, March 15, 2012! __________________

03-13-2012, 02:55 PM	#3
Geothe Loremaster Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 2,098	Level cap to 92.... Just seems so odd and arbitrary.The goal to kind of, but not completely replace lvl 90 itemization?Or give the couple of extra levels to make HM drunder/PoW encounters a bit more do-able for the more general raid populace? __________________ Smed: We aren't going to be allowing RMT in any way, shape or form on the non-exchange enabled EQ II servers. Period. End of statement. Smed: 5) This [LoN] is not some slippery slope towards selling items directly in EQ & EQ II. Lie #3: Station Cash. Enough Said.

03-13-2012, 02:59 PM	#5
SOE-MOD-02 Community Moderator Join Date: May 2011 Posts: 1,001	This post has moved: /eq2/posts/preList.m?topic_id=49996...post_id=5730804 Trolling is not permitted. __________________ \|\| Forum Guidelines \|\| Knowledge Base \|\| Tech Support \|\|

03-13-2012, 03:07 PM	#6
Nrgy Lord Join Date: Nov 2010 Posts: 1,338	Tempted wrote: Level 92? that just seems...odd that means ... 25 classes need to have 2 to 5 new spells/CA's created (or copied from 81-82) that are USEFULL. It also means that level cap incremants can be added in w/o full expansions, which is encouraging, but it certainly have effect on lv 90 grouping encounters. Whether that be positive or negative, I think it's too early to tell. I will be very interested in hearing about those Prestige talents though.

03-13-2012, 03:17 PM	#8
EQ_Irving Loremaster Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 137	Level 92 is clearly aimed for end-game content. The current raid content is too difficult for most folks. Moving the cap to 92 makes the existing raid MOBs yellow epic instead of orange epic, which in a huge difference. It makes the raids that much more accessible to everyone. __________________

03-13-2012, 02:50 PM	#2
Rainmare Server: Oasis Guild: Pillage Rank: Captain Loremaster Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 1,982	no new heritage? darn it where is the NAture's Defender that SJ promised when Velious was first coming out? (I asked the question in one of the podcasts and he answered that it was going to be in game) I have been looking forward to getting that sword back for at least a year now

03-13-2012, 02:56 PM	#4
Tempted Loremaster Join Date: Sep 2010 Posts: 64	Level 92? that just seems...odd

03-13-2012, 03:09 PM	#7
Wirewhisker Server: Antonia Bayle Guild: Collateral Damage Rank: Leader Loremaster Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 582	Answering the myriad points of uncertainty about the PSS.1 deal will go a great deal farther than this GU to settle the folks down. Yet, it's nice to see that the GU is finally on its way. Still, level 92? Odd number. But Lord Nagafen will be Orange finally!

03-13-2012, 03:18 PM	#9
Wanic Server: Runnyeye Guild: Slayer of dreams Rank: Second Seat Loremaster Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 64	So will we see another level cap increase in GU 64 when that releases? Do we have new spells for 91 + 92 etc? __________________

03-13-2012, 03:20 PM	#10
Sethimothy Loremaster Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 16	Wirewhisker@Antonia Bayle wrote: Still, level 92? Odd number Even, actually.

03-13-2012, 03:21 PM	#11
naladini Loremaster Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 71	Aren't the 2's the level that new MC gear seems to be introduced? That, by itself makes it an interesting milestone. The good: its a nice incremental boost, without introducing the large grind fest folks gripe about with a 10 level boost. Probably a safe bet that future content pushes may help carry levels forward to a nice round number. The question: How well balanced will this be? In the scope of 10 levels of play, classes can be "reasonably balanced" with spells and abilities. However, its probably a safe bet you'll see some larger than normal griping from certain classes about what spells get upgraded at that 92nd level vs what would appear at 93,96, etc. Overall though, it seems like a really cool approach to try, and can keep more challenge with existing content than simply watching guilds grind 10 levels and then blow things away. __________________ Naladini the Wanderer of Stormhammer Fan Faire Fun: 2010 - 2007 - 2006 - 2005

03-13-2012, 03:23 PM	#12
Bacci Server: Runnyeye Guild: Free Spirits Rank: Spiritkeeper Loremaster Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 141	I am glad to see content released soon. So you plan to release this on the 15th on test and 2 days later it goes live, right? This is not much time for testing and fixing! I would rather like to see this 2 weeks on test minimum before it goes live.

03-13-2012, 03:25 PM	#13
CoLD MeTaL Loremaster Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 3,217	Did we lose Piestro already? O.o __________________

03-13-2012, 03:26 PM	#14
Barx Server: Antonia Bayle Guild: Mayhem Rank: Officers Loremaster Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Manors of Mithaniel, New Halas Posts: 3,480	Bacci@Runnyeye wrote: I am glad to see content released soon. So you plan to release this on the 15th on test and 2 days later it goes live, right? This is not much time for testing and fixing! I would rather like to see this 2 weeks on test minimum before it goes live. Check your months: it's going on test by March 15th and scheduled to go live April 17th. Guess we're going over to the EQ1 tiny cap raises style now. So many unanswered questions though...

03-13-2012, 03:26 PM	#15
Banditman Loremaster Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 7,459	L92 has nothing to do with current stuff being too hard. 2 levels will NOT change the current orange raid mobs to yellow. What level 92 WILL do is change L100 raid mobs to orange. That's why L92 is going in. It also allows them to do a gear reset to fix their RIDICULOUSLY broken itemization. __________________

03-13-2012, 03:27 PM	#16
Erevis_Cale Loremaster Join Date: Jun 2010 Posts: 21	*someone beat me to it ~* __________________

03-13-2012, 03:27 PM	#17
Leovinus Loremaster Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 403	Irving@Antonia Bayle wrote: Level 92 is clearly aimed for end-game content. The current raid content is too difficult for most folks. Moving the cap to 92 makes the existing raid MOBs yellow epic instead of orange epic, which in a huge difference. It makes the raids that much more accessible to everyone. No, it won't. Yellow is +1 to +4. Current top tier raid mobs will still be +6. It should still make those encounters more doable, but who knows if they're even going to be worth doing with the new stuff. Depends on how they expect progression to go and how the new stuff is balanced and itemized.

03-13-2012, 03:28 PM	#18
Bacci Server: Runnyeye Guild: Free Spirits Rank: Spiritkeeper Loremaster Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 141	Barx@Antonia Bayle wrote: Bacci@Runnyeye wrote: I am glad to see content released soon. So you plan to release this on the 15th on test and 2 days later it goes live, right? This is not much time for testing and fixing! I would rather like to see this 2 weeks on test minimum before it goes live. Check your months: it's going on test by March 15th and scheduled to go live April 17th. Guess we're going over to the EQ1 tiny cap raises style now. So many unanswered questions though... Oh lol. Thx for this. I overread it. Now i feel better

03-13-2012, 03:28 PM	#19
Oadin Server: Splitpaw Guild: Handle It Rank: 18 slots of 80+stat gear Loremaster Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 23	nice good to see new content being released 2 more levels interesting hope get more info on features coming with skyshrine .. __________________ !!!!!! If Your Not Dying Your Not Trying !!!!!!

03-13-2012, 03:34 PM	#20
Landiin Loremaster Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 1,749	Pheep@Unrest wrote: The bonus is for every L90 you have, up to ten of them. With going past 90 to 92, will that negate that bonus? Or will the bonus still be in place? I'd think the bonus would still be in place, however, I am not assuming. If it goes like it has in the past, you'll now have to be level 92 to get the bonus. As the bonus if for every *MAX* level character you have up to 10 characters. __________________

03-13-2012, 03:41 PM	#21
vexrm Loremaster Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 284	CoLD MeTaL wrote: Did we lose Piestro already? O.o I scared him away. Poor guy. Anyway, I feel like I'm at a basketball game but instead of Defense it's Details I'm chanting. Would love to hear about these new AA thingies that aren't AA. Would love to hear about the spell plan because I just looked at my 81 and 82 spells and only one of them is impressive or interesting. Would love to hear more about anything on that list. Having said that I expect I'll have to go to test to see this. That's how it's been in the past. __________________ Well, CC is useful in dungeons. I'm amazed and eating my words.

03-13-2012, 03:42 PM	#22
Cyliena Server: Everfrost Guild: Crusaders of Neriak Rank: Colonel Fansite Staff Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 3,798	Are crafting and guild levels also being increased to 92 or just adventuring? Any AA cap increases?

03-13-2012, 03:44 PM	#23
irish Tester Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 414	Don't know if intended or not,but theres a different skyshrine pic if you click on the one in article.

03-13-2012, 03:45 PM	#24
Chronus1 Loremaster Join Date: Sep 2010 Posts: 253	I am intrigued. I wonder where the raid content will be placed in terms of dicciulty and quality of drops. Making the gear better than or on par with hardmode drunder is required to make raid guilds do the raids but could see outcry if they are much easier. I really hope this has been thought of and planned ahead. New stuff is good, just 2 levels means I could take the time in seb and be really quick about it. Will the previous stuff be fixed though or will this content replace it? __________________

03-13-2012, 03:49 PM	#25
Xianthia Loremaster Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 545	NVM just saw someone else posted about the date

03-13-2012, 03:55 PM	#26
Heph Loremaster Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 34	All this stuff seems, at best, odd. And there is a lot of unanswered questions about PSS.1 deal... Come on SoE, you can do alot better. Or at least you used to...

03-13-2012, 04:03 PM	#27
Siodenne Server: Blackburrow Guild: Monolith Rank: Member Loremaster Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: USA Posts: 58	Time to get on test this week. I'm wondering what the elite mercenary does since I play odd hours and find myself soloing alot. __________________

03-13-2012, 04:03 PM	#28
Calthine ZAM EQII Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 7,439	Tempted wrote: Level 92? that just seems...odd Beat me to it. Different for this game, that's for sure. __________________ Please visit my non-gaming Blog! or follow me on Twitter!

03-13-2012, 04:06 PM	#29
Nrgy Lord Join Date: Nov 2010 Posts: 1,338	Calthine wrote: Tempted wrote: Level 92? that just seems...odd Beat me to it. Different for this game, that's for sure. It's a guess, but what happens in the Trade Skill recipe world every x2 levels?? ie, 22, 32, 42, etc... All new tradeskill quests and items woven into the story arc

03-13-2012, 04:07 PM	#30
Avacii Server: Splitpaw Guild: Validus Rank: The Action Boys Loremaster Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 48	Will non-Beastlords be able to enjoy this new content with mythical weapons in their hands or will these continue to be privilege of Beastlords? Will mages and healers be able to enjoy this new content in Drunder gear or will they continue to suffer a lower chance of a drop that fighters and scouts?