[PTS] Patch Notes 07/09/2025

[Florian90210]

Balance Changes

- Hastened Doom - Wounds debuff reduced from 120 to 100.

This is not fair because other tanks don't need harsh conditions to apply this debuff. Requiring critical hit for a tank is too much.
This tactic needs a bit of rework.

[Omegus]

To devs:

1. 250 Toughness buffs

with the new rules introduced with this patch there is now inconsistency between the Shaman and Rune Priests toughness buff. The Shaman's 250 toughness buff on Do Sumfin Useful is single target so needs a load of GCDs to get it spread, however the Rune Priest's 250 toughness buff on Master Rune of Stability is a group buff.

Shouldn't the RP's buff now be lower than the Shaman's one to reflect the RP's buff being a group buff and the Shaman's buff being single target? I know the aim with the changes to the Master Rune were to give order and destro access to a 240 (now 250) Toughness buff, but that value now breaks the new system.

The new standard buff and debuff values are 100 and 150 for AoE and ST. There are a couple abilities that had buffs and debuffs above the old standard values. For example Exit Wound or the Willpower gained from Brutal Smash. We wanted to keep these special buffs and debuffs roughly the same as before. This also goes for the Toughness buffs from both So Sumfin Useful and Master Rune of Stability.

Firstly, thank you for the replies

For the toughness buff, even though it's maintaining the higher value compared to the new standard 100/150, there is still the situation where a ST buff (Do Sumfin Useful) is granting the same bonus as an AOE buff (Master Rune of Stability). In the OP it says:

"AoE damage and healing abilities do less damage and less healing than their single target counterparts. We are applying the same principle to buffs and debuffs. Single target buffs and debuffs have been made slightly stronger and their AoE versions slightly weaker."

Which is why I was calling out that buff specifically. I understand the flavour of those buffs being stronger, just not the reason why they're both as strong as each other in this patch compared to being something like 250 for the strong ST buffs and 200 for the strong AoE/group buff.

To devs:

2. Kiss of Agony and any other procs with an ICD

Is the 0.25s ICD based on how long it's been since the attaching Witch Elf procced it, or how long it's been since the victim was last affected by Kiss of Agony? If it's the first one then I think that would mean that it would be impossible to proc Kiss of Agony on multiple targets at once. Based on that, should the debuff value be set to match the new standard single-target value rather than new new standard AoE value?

Same applies to any other affected proc with an ICD.

Kiss of Agony has an ICD per target, so it can apply in AoE form. Most procs that apply a debuff should work like that.

If it is now per target then changing it down to the AoE value makes sense. I only asked as prior to taking this extended break I was doing some testing and Ritual of Innervation (before the Zealot rework) would only proc once on an AoE attack rather than once per enemy hit (https://bugs.returnofreckoning.com/view.php?id=23182). This has also affected other abilities in the past such as Kiss of Death not proccing per target on On Your Knees. I've no idea if that's still a thing either as I'm completely out of the loop, just wanted to bring it up in case one thing was not working as expected.

To devs:

3. Single vs multi-resistance buffs

Any thoughts on making some of the single-resistance buff smore attractive by making them stronger than the triple-resist buffs? The differentiation already exists for debuffs where triple-resistance debuffs (Knight/Chosen auras) are weaker than single-resistance debuffs, but for buffs (especially AoE buffs) the bonuses are the same.

This was in the original design together with a distinction between buffs and debuffs. That resulted into three variables and it became kind of messy. So we dediced to go for the simpler option.

Makes sense for this initial pass, but perhaps something to consider in the future once this all settles as it's already in place for the debuffs and helps make the more niche abilities more attractive to use?

[borc1]

remove cd from mara/sw stance.. reward player skill just once instead of **** around pointlessly with buff values..

[Alubert]

I tested the changes on Chosen because it's my main character.
The changes are very cool, as is the whole new knight/chosen concept.
Unfortunately, Chosen is too powerful.
The last Relentless tic hits the construct for 1.6k and the shield (i.e., a very squishy character) for 2.4k.
This is a big exaggeration for tank damage.
Chosen also received spirit damage new dot and cd reduction on Rending Blade.
He has access to Daemonclaw.
Even though he has to abandon auras from mastery trees other than the damage tree.
I warn against this change. I believe that Relentless damage for each aura should be 10% instead of 50%, or the Daemonclaw tactic should be removed.
You can easily have SRT cap, TOU cap, and WOU cap on Chosen. Add to that the new changes, and we have guaranteed, justified complaints from the order.

[Shieldslam]

The changes I'm looking forward to:
-Shaman/AM receiving improvements to their class mechanics

-KOTBS/Chosen finally getting more flavor, they are by far the most boring class gameplay wise so more options is always a great addition.

-BO having reworked "You Wot" back, the class just doesn't feel the same without an ability like that. It fits, should stay and adds a lot of flavor.


The changes I'm worried about:
-Tanks all having the improved punt baseline. I understand it is to an extend annoying having to expend a tactic slot to get it but at the same time giving every tank (besides BG) a better punt is just going to make each one feel even more similar than they already do.

-I am VERY worried about Chosens possible dmg output with the changes, specifically 2h channel and spirit dots. The class already does quite a considerable amount of dmg for how tanky it is and adding onto that might just end up being too much.

-No changes, or rather nerfs, to def WE which is really upsetting. The spec has continued to dominate for a long time. I know 1v1 isn't a focus but having a class run around that is basically impossible to beat for unprepared (WB spec) people and still insanely strong for those who are prepared to fight it. Make the class what it is supposed to be, a stealth assassin. WH/WE should simply have a lot of burst but the counterplay would be surviving that to then turn it around, right now WH functions like that where as WE feels harder to kill than a tank while doing considerable dmg and has stealth/escape tools on top of that. I've noticed many orders these days don't even bother leaving anywhere alone simply due to having no chances against a def WE where as on destro players have a realistic chance (as long as they are geared) to beat a WH who opens up on them from stealth. The WH regen spec was oppressive and got ruined, for a good reason might I add, it's about time this def WE nonsense comes to an end as well.

-SM spirit debuff nerf is not something I agree with, at least not to that extend. Chosen/KOTBS reduce resistances with an aura at all times, no effort required. Every other tank has an armor debuff which obviously is far better than spirit res. SM has no armor debuff and while their spirit res debuff might seem high it's only a 21% increase in damage taken on very few abilities which usually don't have much impact anyway. From 378 to 240, somewhere between half of that would be fine if it even needs to be touched at all considering how rare spirit damage is (apart from SM abilities).

-No WL nerfs is also quite disappointing. The class is overperforming, very clearly, to a point where it's more or less the only viable melee dps option on Order. It's too simple to play, too much reward and honestly boring for both sides at this point.

I genuinely hope I'm wrong about the things I mentioned and there's no reason to be worried.