PvE and Dungeons Roadmap: October Update

[SuperStar]

Would be fantastic if you can help out the pvp sc team.

This is a pvp game after all or should ve a pvp game…

[ekalime]

When the main replay loops are in desperate attention (sc/rvr) instead of dumping countless hours into T1 dungeons that new players barely even get into, or roleplay cities with no replayability.
Sure T3 dungeon gear set should last longer so more of an argument for players might actually do that, instead of getting their wards from a T3 PQ boost for the ward unlock.

The problem with the T1 dungeon is not the dungeon, it's the gear rewards. If the set was lvl 10-11 tons of ppl would run it and it would be a great addition to T1. But the gear is lower lvl than the RvR set which you get basically for free, so what's the point in running it?

The T1 Dungegon Protector Set is level 10 with 59 stat points (and includes the helm which other T1 sets do not have).
The T1 RvR sets Decimator/Braggart are level 11 with 62 stat points.

[gersy]

pve moment

thanks for the live event schedule though, easily the best part of these notes. glad saga and hexensnacht are returning.

[gisborne]

When the main replay loops are in desperate attention (sc/rvr) instead of dumping countless hours into T1 dungeons that new players barely even get into, or roleplay cities with no replayability.
Sure T3 dungeon gear set should last longer so more of an argument for players might actually do that, instead of getting their wards from a T3 PQ boost for the ward unlock.

The problem with the T1 dungeon is not the dungeon, it's the gear rewards. If the set was lvl 10-11 tons of ppl would run it and it would be a great addition to T1. But the gear is lower lvl than the RvR set which you get basically for free, so what's the point in running it?

The T1 Dungegon Protector Set is level 10 with 59 stat points (and includes the helm which other T1 sets do not have).
The T1 RvR sets Decimator/Braggart are level 11 with 62 stat points.

I meant the equip level. And you confirmed that they are lower lvl than the T1 RvR set which is easy to obtain. Sure, there's a helm, but it's a 3-piece set and you get a helm from T1 lairs anyway.

I forgot to mention that the dungeon requires lvl 9 to get the quests, so by then you are already wearing the T1 RvR set.

[ekalime]

The problem with the T1 dungeon is not the dungeon, it's the gear rewards. If the set was lvl 10-11 tons of ppl would run it and it would be a great addition to T1. But the gear is lower lvl than the RvR set which you get basically for free, so what's the point in running it?

The T1 Dungegon Protector Set is level 10 with 59 stat points (and includes the helm which other T1 sets do not have).
The T1 RvR sets Decimator/Braggart are level 11 with 62 stat points.

I meant the equip level. And you confirmed that they are lower lvl than the T1 RvR set which is easy to obtain. Sure, there's a helm, but it's a 3-piece set and you get a helm from T1 lairs anyway.

I forgot to mention that the dungeon requires lvl 9 to get the quests, so by then you are already wearing the T1 RvR set.

Decimator/Braggart Chest is minimum rank 8; boots/gloves are minimum rank 7.
Protector Chest is minimum rank 8; boots/helm are minimum rank 7.

Quests for Protector gear are minimum rank 2. You can enter the dungeon on a level 2 character and test it.

All PvE sets are an item level lower than PvP.

Maybe some people want to save crests. Maybe they want different set bonuses. There are reasons to run it. If you don't want to run it that is your choice.

[gisborne]

Maybe some people want to save crests. Maybe they want different set bonuses. There are reasons to run it. If you don't want to run it that is your choice.

You can try and justify it all you want, but by all appearances from my experience in T1 no one runs it. I shared why I believe that to be the case. I assume that devs care about people using the content they develop, but who knows.

I tested it with a lvl 6 character and you are correct, I can pick up the quests and enter the instance. The mobs are lvl 10 though, so doing it at lvl 6-7 might be hard. Perhaps I thought it was lvl 9 because of the patch notes (viewtopic.php?t=54527):

"A brand new Tier 1 Dungeon has been permanently added to the game! Dragonback Pass is a new dungeon for players Level 9-11, and features three new bosses that are each aimed at teaching new players key game mechanics, both for PvE and also the game's PvP modes."

[Rubius]

Round 2 of replies! Picking up where we left off...

Thanks for the heads up! Always appreciated with communication and transparency.

One question though, for some clarification.
What is the LOTD goal? Will it be to get rid of the current RvR gamemode and then go back to the Live-like PQ map?

No plans to remove the weekly RvR battles in LOTD. The current idea is to keep the weekly battle and then open it for the PvE version the other 99% of the time when it would normally be closed. There's still some work to be done to ensure we can build this properly (what if you exit a Tomb/TOVL while the fight is going on? etc), but that's the goal.

This is great news.

I hope that LOD will regain its former glory and that you will restore this zone to its former, only correct small-scale character.
This zergfest that is currently taking place is terrible.
It is definitely the worst content in the game.
Thank you for your enormous contribution to the best MMO .

Appreciate the support! As mentioned above, it'll likely be a mix: the current large-scale fights still happen once a week, but the other 99% of the time the zone becomes a hybrid PvE + Open RvR map where fights of any size can occur.

I'm glad Gunbad will get some of its mechanics back, it's a pretty boring run nowadays. It should however retain its "entry-level T4 PvE dungeon feel" without being overly difficult as some of the fights used to be on its first relaunch.

Also as far as Bastion will be concerned (and its heavy aggro swap mechanics), I would like to see something being worked on. Currently (and for quite a while now), the aggro metrics seems to be broken.

Anyway, thanks for your work PvE team, can't wait to see LoTD also back in its former glory!

I agree, and think Gunbad will be in a good spot soon. Now that we've established some of the hardest mechanics we want players to do in Lost Vale, it makes it easy to work backwards and slowly introduce easier pieces of those mechanics in earlier Dungeons. So for new players, they're gradually learning the mechanics that will someday get layered as they progress towards LV.

For Bastion, I believe that's a general aggro change in the code. They changed it a year or two ago so that you'll need to pull slightly more than the total aggro of a boss if it has already swapped targets once before. I believe this was done to help reduce lord ping-ponging in RvR Keeps / Forts, but agree it would be nice if Dungeons could avoid that part of the code entirely so add-ons like Aggrometer are always accurate.

As always, great work by the PVE team.

Is the itemization a pve team, balance team or possibly a shared responsibility? Alot of fundamental mechanics have changed without sets beeing redesigned. I hope for something more than just a stat normalization of existing sets.

Good question! Right now it's a bit shared, with one of our staff members who really loves excel sheets taking on the majority of it with others helping him. When building the new Darkpromise sets, they also worked closely with the balance team to share ideas on set bonuses, so in many cases, it's collaborative.

[Bozao]

Good job. We hope they remember to fix the SC queue system when they announce PvP, which is awful. Always Pre vs Pug...