The Abyss Chronicles - aka Patch 2.0 Info

[Nougan]

Official info of this new content update is available. Looks like besides the new content, a lot of much requested improvements will be included. Pretty much every single improvement they mentioned is something I care about... Can't wait. Unfortunately, still no Set Items... Also I hope they test it more thoroughly this time and there won't be any major bugs. <I know, just wishful thinking...>

For those who love PVP, patch 2.1 seems to be what you've been waiting for. :-)

http://forums.hellgatelondon.com/showthread.php?t=95551

[Bede]

Thankis for the heads-up. Looks like more fun for all!

[KingOfPain]

New Shared Stash System:[indent]o The Shared Stash will now feature separate panes for each gameplay mode: Normal, Elite, Hardcore, and Hardcore Elite. Items currently in your Shared Stash will be placed in the correct pane.[/indent]

Cool, not a lot but slightly more space. Will help when we start Hardcore.

Major Rebalance of the Blademaster Class:

Much needed. Much ouchy without the buffed Surge.

Improved, Configurable Guild Controls:[indent]o Guilds will now have four titles they can assign to members. The titles can be renamed. There can only be one Guild Leader. Non-subscribers can only have the lowest title. The Guild Leader can configure what the middle two titles are allowed to do including invite new members, promote and demote existing members, kick members, and send all-guild e-mail. The lowest title is not allowed to invite, promote, demote, kick, or send guild e-mails.[/indent]

I like not having to log a specific toon on just to do invites, and I do trust all of us to have the judgement to invite new players we might come across. However, I would like it better if all new comers should ask for an invitation on the forum before we let him or her in the guild. This not a control/power thing. It is to ensure the new member at least know where our forum is, and hopefully become an active member.

Three New Skills for all Classes:

Provided that you have skill points left to put in it.

• Trinket Inventory Slots:[indent]o There will be two new Trinket inventory slots. The first trinkets will drop as cursed rings which can be cleaned up through the Transmogrifier. These cursed rings will mostly drop in the Abyss levels, but they can be found elsewhere too. These items are tradable and can be used by all players.[/indent]

WTH are they talking about?

Attribute Respec Vendor:[indent]o Bob, the Attribute Respec Vendor, will allow you to spend palladium to remove points one at a time from an Attribute and add them to your unassigned Attribute Points pool. The cost to remove each point goes up with character level.[/indent]

A small step in the right direction. I am waiting for FSS to stop diddling and take the leap. Give us free respec anytime in town. You can't be serious about PvP until you can freely respec!

Stack Splitting:

Should have been a no brainer right from the get go. Now, let see increased stack size.

• Gameplay Changes:[indent]o Character defenses against Secondary Damage Effects have been increased.[/indent]

Does Secondary Damage Effects = status effect or something completely different?

o Shield Overload has been removed from sword weapons.o Strength has a much more significant impact on melee skill damage

WTF, Are they going to give Templars a respec token?

New Chat Color Scheme

No, give me a new chat scheme instead.

Improved predictability and balance for the attribute feed system.

How about just lower attribute feed so we actaully have the attribute to use most items and still have points left to (semi) pump an attribute tree. The way it is now, for most of my toon, I have little say where to put attribute points except to put them up as my items require.

I am commenting as I read the update note. Sorry, ther's nothing to write home about.

KoP

[Nougan]

KoP is a tough one to please... But I agree with you, most of these improvements should've been standard feature from the get go. I'm just glad FSS finally listen to the complains and implement them, and with them I will enjoy this game even more.

Yup, the BM rebalance is much needed. Playing BM in elite now, especially solo, is such a pain, need to spend a lot of $ on health injectors... and still die more often than other supposedly glass canons classes like MM and Evoker.

I would agree with trying to ask prospective new guildies to request invitation from the guild forum first too. Or when someone is interested to join, ask them to post a self-intro in the Guild Invites thread right away, so others who are not online at that time would know who are the new members just by visiting the forum.

Yeah, ppl also pointed out in the FSS forum that many have no skill points left for the new skills. Maybe we will get a free respec/free skill points even?

Trinket: I think they are talking about new items which we can equip, rings/necklaces, etc in other RPGs. So there will be 2 slots like that, and the rest is the confusing part... I believe one of them apparently is for rings, and rings will be obtained from Cubing/cleansing Cursed Rings dropped mostly in the Abyss. However, it may also mean the 2 slots are generic for any type of trinkets, and 1 type of trinket is the Rings. Either way, more slots, more items, more buffs, more... good...

Yeah, I kinda think Secondary Damage Effects = status effect (phased/ignited, etc.). Nasty Rift Coils, I fear your kind NO MORE!

They are just removing the base Shield Overload effect on swords. You can still add mods which does that. But from the sound of it, the way they change how Str factor in dmg will give Templar a big dmg boost, which should make up for the missing Shield Overload.

Chat still need a lot of impr like giving us the ability to select exactly what channels to show on each tab... forget about tabs, just allow us to create separate chat windows (movable/resizeable), and we can decide what channels to be in each window... and save our setup for each character. Also allow us to create custom channels, one important use of it is we can always have a shared channel with the ULGG guys.

I'm also eager to see what Achievement Awards will we get. Finally get to spend those hard earned APs from killing thousands of zombies, and breaking tons of crates, or filling up my inventory... on something. Hopefully something either useful or at least fun.

[Nougan]

The new prelim 2.0 Patch Note is out... a lot of exciting changes.

http://forums.hellgatelondon.com/showthr...p?t=100789

And I know all of us... especially KoP will be happy to see the following:
"The maximum stack sizes for consumables, PRDs, analyzers, essences, and boss heads have been increased to 100."

Woohoo!

The effectiveness of the AoDeflection and AoVengence went down, although it may actually work better since the auras will refresh more often now (from 3 secs to 1 secs), which means it will check for projectiles to block every 1 secs instead of 3 secs. And with the new Skill scroll, Templars can have THREE auras at once, imagine AoDefl, AoVeng, and AoDef/AoResto, Guardians can be tank against both melee and range attacks now.

Aura Stability (Level 30): This skill passively allows the simultaneous use of up to three auras, as well as increases the effectiveness of the Guardian’s auras.


And for Engineer:
It is now possible to summon Engineer drones in town areas.!!!!!!!

[Ancient Crone]

And for Engineer:
It is now possible to summon Engineer drones in town areas.!!!!!!!

Um.... Does that mean they will be zipping about the Stations like pets???

And why not Summoner pets as well? It takes awhile to bring up elementals and a Witch Doctor or Carnagor.

[KingOfPain]

Many good changes while some has me worried.

All mod properties can now be found requiring any one out of the four Feed types, rather than usually just Willpower. This is to allow for better optimization and customization when spending Attribute Points.

This would be a good thing... If much much MORE mods are sold by the vendors AND if we have 4 times more storage space. What this also mean is that any mod has that much less usability. IE, this awesome +20 chance to proc mod is not good for your MM since it has a high str requirement. This is a crippling solution like cutting off your toes to avoid being biten by worms

Poison effects now prevent the afflicted character or monster from receiving any benefits from health regeneration and abilities that grant health regeneration; however, some abilities which grant health regeneration (such as health injectors) are no longer prevented from being used

I like this. This will take the pressure off tanks somewhat especially with the armor nerf. Many players who have not played a Guardian think that the tank should be invincible and put too much pressure on the tank. While some tanks think they should be invincible and die rather than showing thier weakness and retreat. (it is especially sad to see that happen in HC). Until this patch goes live, Guardians have their problems (no heal) when they are shock and/or poisoned.

Shield Overload abilities on monsters have been significantly toned down. Now, a monster can at most deal 100% extra damage to Shields, compared to 300%.

Finally, Shields is worth looking at.

Double Edged items, and cursed rings - A step in the right direction for us variant scum!

Mythic Items - I am worry about this. I just hope HGL don't go down the same road as they did in D2. As more uberlicious items are introduced only mean rebalancing monsters to suit, and therefore requiring more powerful items. It's a vicious cycle. This is what will widen the gap between the haves and havenots. It kills variety.

Shield Overload - I have recently notice some swords with very decent (70%+) shield overload as a bonus. Keep an eye out for swords with Subverting mod.

*off to read the skill rebalancing*

KoP