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Thread: Update Notes 3.3.8 - 22nd of August

  1. #1

    Funcom Update Notes 3.3.8 - 22nd of August

    SPRINT MECHANIC CHANGES

    Update 3.3.8 introduces the new sprint mechanic. Sprinting in Age of Conan no longer uses Stamina but instead relies on a new resource called „Energy“. This resource represents your sprinting capacity and is measured in seconds. This new sprint resource is also drained when using the double tapping avoidance techniques. The main intention is that sprinting is again a tactical, and more importantly balanced, resource in combat. Any advantages from using sprint will be based solely on your skill and judgement as to when you decide to use your sprint resource.

    The most obvious implication is that stamina as a resource is now used exclusively for combos. Casters no longer have a stamina resource at all as the cost of spellweaving for casters has been reworked accordingly.
    This Sprinting ability can still be upgraded in the AA system. Some abilities, spells and feats have been redesigned to fit the changes, and the new shape and use of stamina.

    Also the way that Mounts work has been adapted to fit with the new system. Mounts now also use the new sprint system. However, the mount itself have a separate Energy pool and regeneration independent of the player. This means that the performance of a mount is much more consistent across classes. For additional adjustments related to Mounts please see the details mentioned in the Update Notes below.


    CLASSES

    Tempest of Set
    The main goal behind the Tempest of Set changes was to provide the class with several viable feat options, as well as making the themes of the endfeat-lines clearer.

    The Thunder tree is strongly oriented towards AoE damage and healing, the play style of a Tempest of Set specialized in Thunder should not be affected dramatically with these changes. However, several core feats supporting this play style were moved over from the Lightning tree and others tweaked, all with the goal of improving the gameplay experience by making the class more mobile and engaging.

    The Lightning tree is oriented towards a support dps-healer role and/or pvp play. This tree focuses more on range and burst damage with the Spark Storm effect as one of the core mechanics. The Spark Storm effect reduces the casting and channelling time of the ranged single target spell Lightning Sparks. The tree provides unique crowd control utilities like Cyclone of Set, Fangs of Set, Brain Spasms and Puppets of Set, furthermore it offers the Tempest and their allies new armor and spell penetration buffs like Force of Lightning and Lightning Storm Nimbus.

    General Tempest of Set Changes
    • Reduced cast time and tweaked damage of Lightning Strike. The cast time is now 2 seconds, the DPS of this spell will be the same.
    • Lightning Sparks is now an innate spell learned at level 15, and can now also be used while Storm Field is up. In addition, Lightning Sparks now makes the target more susceptible to elemental attacks (Elemental Wrack). However the featable Spark Storm effect can only be gained when Storm Field is not active.
    • Removed the innate spell Degradation of Set, as the Wrack effect was moved to the Lightning Sparks spell.
    • New Particle effects for Lightning Sparks.
    • Decreased the magic damage coefficient of Storm Field.
    • Tweaked the innate ‘Overcharge’ spell; the negative effect can now also be removed by casting Healing Lotus.
    • Charged Blast now innately inflicts splash damage on up to 2 additional targets.
    • The Storm Nimbus spell has been redesigned to increases the armor and spell penetration of all team members.
    • Cobra Stare and Constriction now innately have the health break percentage as the former Empowered Cobra Stare feat upgrade granted. The re use time of the spells is reduced to 40 seconds.
    • Changed the gain level of some spells to improve the gameplay experience of low level priests.
    • Clarified several feat and spell descriptions.


    Thunder Tree
    • Redesigned the ‘Storm Crown’ feat line. The second and third rank of ‘Storm Crown’ now also increase the amount of targets hit. ‘Storm Throne’ was reduced to two point feat, increasing the damage and targets of Storm Crown in addition to adding Elemental Torments on targets (50/100 %). ‘Storm Regalia’ was reduced to a single feat point, increasing the electrical damage done by all team members and granting their weapon attacks a chance of restoring the team's mana.
    • New feat in the Thunder tree ‘Serpent’s Twist’: Increases the tempest’s chance to resist most Snare effects.
    • ‘Faithful of Set’ was moved to the Thunder tree and redesigned to a 4-point feat, the extra feat point further increases the power of the effect. Added Call Lightning to the list of spells affecting Faithful of Set.
    • Redesigned the ‘Static Blood’ feat:: Grants a spell that, for a short time, turns the tempest's blood static. Converting part of the electrical damage inflicted by the priest into healing. In addition, anyone attacking the tempest is inflicted with retributive damage.
    • Tweaked the duration and reuse of time of Idol of Set to make it more mobile.
    • ‘Set's Life Spark’ is now a permanent buff that persists until used.
    • ‘Titanic Storm’ was moved to the Thunder tree and redesigned to purely increase the damage radius of Storm Field by 1 meter per rank.
    • New feat in the Thunder tree ‘'Thunder Storm': Augments the Call Lightning and Storm Crown spells by increasing the base spell damage bonus granted through the Thunderhead buff and the electrical combat rating bonus granted through the Storm Regalia team buff.
    • The Storm Blood Feat was redesigned and moved to level 40 in the Thunder tree. Grants a spell that, for a short time, converts all electrical damage inflicted on the tempest into healing. While in effect any active hostile self centered spell will stop running and cannot be recast until Storm Blood expires.
    • Triumphant Life of Set was moved to the Aura of Nebthu line (level 50) and changed to a spell which allows the tempest to choose whether or not Life of Set inflicts AoE damage. The magic damage coefficient of the spell was increased and the feat now also increases the spell critical chance.
    • ‘Set's Storm’ and ‘Set's Brutality’ were moved to the Thunder tree and merged into the new 5-point feat 'Set's Brutal Storm'.
    • Reduced the cast time of ‘Summon Aura of Nebthu’ to 1,5 seconds and the re use time of the spell to 90 seconds. The feat also passively increases the maximum number of targets affected by the Storm Field spell by 2.
    • The base health gain of Vital Shock was increased by 50%. The spell now also restores the energy of nearby friendly targets.
    • Staggering Voice has been redesigned from a root to a 6 second snare.
    • New feat in the Thunder tree Vitality of Set: Increases the critical chance of Vital Shock and the healing power of Vitalizing Jolt.
    • The former Thunder tree feats ‘Divide and Conquer’, ‘Shock and Awe’ and ‘Prison of Souls’ have been removed and replaced with other new feats.


    Lightning Tree
    • ‘Arcing Charged Blast’ now increases the splash damage and crit chance of Charged Blast.
    • New feat in the Lightning tree 'Set's Empowerment': Increases the tempest's Constitution and Hit Rating.
    • Rousing Shock was turned back into a spell that in addition to removing all Stun effects from the group provides a short period of Stun immunity.
    • Lightning Sparks was moved to the Lightning tree and redesigned to the new feat ‘Spark Storm’. Augments the now innate Lightning Sparks spell by increasing the damage it inflicts. In addition, your Charged Blast and Lightning Strike spells have a chance to apply the Spark Storm effect. Spark Storm reduces the casting time of Lightning Sparks by 2 seconds and causes the sparks to be fired every 0.5 seconds. This effect cannot be triggered while Storm Field is active.
    • New Particle effect for the Spark Storm effect.
    • New feat in the Lightning tree 'Set's Entrapment': Increases the duration of the tempest’s Cobra Stare (+Constriction) and Quicksand spells.
    • ‘Brutal Lightning’ and ‘Fury of the Storm’ in the Lightning Tree now also upgrade the crit chance and critical damage bonus of Lightning Sparks.
    • Reduced the feat points for ‘Ether Absorption’ to 3 (down from 5) to balance mana income.
    • Decreased the re use time of ‘Elemental Fury’ spell to 40 seconds.
    • New feat in the Lightning Tree ‘Spell - Force of Lightning’: Grants a spell that enables the tempest to infuse a friendly target with electrical energy for 10 seconds, improving the Armor and Spell penetration of the target's attacks. Allies near the target also receive a lesser penetration bonus.
    • The cast time on Column Lightning has been reduced to 2.5 seconds. Also decreased the re use time of the spell to 40 seconds.
    • Lightning Arc feats now also grant a 33/66/100% chance of gaining the Spark Storm effect when casting Charged Blast on a target that has Arc Lightning running. The dot effect now inflicts every 2.5 seconds (down from every 3 seconds).
    • ‘Lightning Cast’ was moved to Lightning tree and redesigned to a 2-point feat, the additional point decreases the re use time by 40 seconds.
    • ‘Improved Call Lightning’ was moved to the Lightning tree. The feat now also decreases the casting time of the spell.
    • New Lightning tree feat: ‘Jurisdiction of Set’ Augments the Charged Blast and Lightning Strike spells by increasing the range and the damage they inflict.
    • New Lightning tree feat: ‘Lightning Storm Nimbus’. Improves the Storm Nimbus spell by increasing the magnitude of the team's critical hits (critical bonus damage), in addition to increasing the armor and spell penetration effect.
    • Cyclone of Set is now a standalone 1-point end feat in the Lightning tree. Grants a spell that enables the tempest to summon an elemental cyclone. The cyclone continually shocks enemies with lightning damage and slows down their movement within a 5 meter radius. The cyclone also inflicts forceful lightning bolt damage to enemies within a 3 meter radius. Investing points in ‘Fury of the Storm’ increases the critical damage done by these lightning bolts. In addition, the lightning bolts have a chance to apply the Spark Storm effect. Spark Storm can only be triggered this way once every 15 seconds.
    • New Particle effect and model for the Cyclone of Set.
    • New Lightning tree feat: Fangs of Set': Grants a quick casting spell that numbs the enemy, severely reducing their chance to hit with physical attacks for 6 seconds. In addition, there is a significant chance of removing any snare immunity running on the target.
    • The ‘Brain Spasms’ spell has been improved, it will now grant a sprint reduction in addition to a spell damage increase for 15 seconds when recovering from a stun, silence or fear effect. The re use time of the spell was also reduced by 30 seconds (now 2 min 30 sec).
    • Improved the ‘Puppets of Set’ endfeat: The ground target stun now also affects the targets with the lingering Lightning Arc damage effect. This damage effect can be upgraded in the ‘Lightning Arc’ feat and be used as a new way of obtaining the Spark Storm effect.
    • The former Lightning tree feats ‘Grounding Charge’, ‘The Building Storm’ and ‘Empowered Wisdom’ have been removed and replaced with other new feats.


    AA
    • The Idol of Dark Rejuvenation totem now has a unique color.
    • Clarified the description of Leviathan's Call. Each melee attack against affected enemies has a chance to refresh the duration of all active Elemental, Physical and Spiritual ruins.
    • Forked Lightning now also grants a decrease in the casting time of Lightning Strike.
    • Increased the innate absorb amount of ‘Eyes of Set’, decreased the heal rating coefficient.

    Priests

    General Tree
    • New General tree feat: 'Rejuvenating Spirit': Increases the power of the priest's Emanation of Life, Renewal and Healing Lotus spells.
    • ‘Ether Flow’ was moved one step down in the General tree and redesigned to a 3-point feat.
    • The General tree feat ‘All-Encompassing Spirit’ has been de-linked from the feat ‘Guiding Spirit’. Also clarified the descriptions of these feats.
    • ‘Vindicator’ was moved one step down in the General tree.
    • The General tree feat 'Healing Spirit' has been redesigned to a 5-point feat increasing the power of the priest's self-heal component of the Wave of Life, Blood Flow and Life of Set spells.
    • ‘Shroud of the Gods’ was moved on step up in the General tree.
    • New General tree endfeat: ‘Spirit of Vitality’: Augments the Divine Vigor, Mark of Set and Spirit of the Bear spells by increasing the amount of life the priest’s team gain.
    • The former General tree feats 'Focus' and ‘Soothe the Soul’ have been removed and replaced with other new feats.

    Priest of Mitra
    • Reduced the mana cost of the Rebuke spell.


    AA
    • Tweaked the Wandering Disciple spell and decreased the re use time of the spell to 90 seconds. Consecrates a targeted area, targets within this area have a high chance of becoming more vulnerable to spiritual damage. In addition, a disciple is summoned under the priests's control for 30 seconds. The disciple provides a bonus heal rating to all priests and a bonus to the spell and weapon damage of all group members. Sacrificing foes in the area increases the damage bonus granted, but decreases the heal rating bonus.


    SKILLS
    • The Casting Concentration skill has been removed. Players will now automatically get the benefits instead of having to train this skill.
    • Removed the Endurance skill.
    • Characters now earn skill points as of level 2


    PvP
    • Players should now leave combat faster.


    GUI
    • Added keyboard behavior into the character selection list to allow the player to navigate between the characters with the arrow keys and login the currently selected character with the enter key.
    • Fixed issues regarding the character selection window and the Feat Planner window.


    RAIDS / GROUP ENCOUNTERS

    Chamber of Lost Dreams - The Entity
    • The Vivifier of Yag should no longer cast 2 Holy Radiance right after another.
    • The phase 1 minions should now spawn at regular intervals
    • Tweaks have been made that will improve the performance of physical damage.
    • A melee vulnerability debuff has been added to the Mental Projection.
    • The Hands of Corruption buff display stack number has been removed.


    Chambers of Lost Dreams – Mithrelle
    • Ice Storm's speed rotation and targeting has been fixed.


    The Threshold of Divinity
    • Significantly increased the damage on Artificer Xan-phon & Xan-phon the Master Artificer's Punishing Throw ability when targeting a player of the soldier archetype.


    GENERAL
    • Fixed an issue where mail attachments could not be received
    • Archfiend Gore and Arch Lector Zaal in Temple of Erlik now drop 1 additional Simple Relic IV receptacle each.
    • Fixed an issue where certain purchased feats did not appear highlighted on the feat tree
    • Updated descriptions on class abilities to include their association with energy
    • Removed "Taunt" and "subtlety" skill from items
    • Updated the GUI to display targeted player's stamina
    • Saddur has gotten his fat fingers on an Acheronian Gate Key which he will drop when killed. The key can also still be obtained from its old location.


    MOUNTS
    As part of the larger Sprinting-revamp we decided to also re-examine how we handle Mounts in our game, also taking into consideration possible future additions and changes. Our first step towards achieving that goal has been to normalize a lot of the differences that have, up until now, existed between the various available Mounts.

    This is perhaps best explained by saying that we now have five different "categories" of mounts, and that the only difference which exists within one category is the visual model of the mount.

    In other words, all Mounts within one category, regardless of their visual model, will move at the same speed (including the same sprint-resource regeneration rate), have the same buff (including knockback-resistance) and, all things considered, function exactly as any other Mount from the same category.

    The 5 categories are:

    Basic Mounts
    This category becomes available at level 20 and currently consists of various Camels

    Siege Mounts
    This category becomes available at level 40 and consists of the various Rhinos and Mammoths. While they require no skill to function as Mounts their special attacks are still tied to the "Rhino Riding Training" and "Mammoth Riding Training" manuals.

    Level 40 Mounts
    This category becomes available at level 40 through obtaining the skill "Basic Riding" and consists of all regular Horses

    Level 80 Mounts
    This category becomes available at level 80 through obtaining the skill "Advanced Riding" and consists of the various Swift Horses and Armored Horses.

    Exotic Mounts
    This category becomes available at level 80 through obtaining the skill "Exotic Creature Handling" (NOTE: more on this skill below) and consists of the various Tigers, Wolves and Hyrkanian Horses

    In addition to clearly defining these Mount-categories and taking steps towards eliminating any differences within each category we've also renamed the "Art of Eastern Riding" skill to "Exotic Creature Handling". This will not affect any users who have previously obtained the skill; they will still be able to use their Mounts just as they were before the update, but we felt that it was a necessary change which enables us to add more creatures to the "Exotic Mounts" category in the future.
    <table><tr><td><a href="http://www.funcom.com"><img src="/images/avatars/funcom/transparent_logo_official_3.png" alt="Funcom" border="0"></a></td><td style="color:#343434"><span style="font-size: 10pt">Oliver 'Tarib' Kunz</span><br><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Senior Community Manager </span><br><br>
    <span style="font-size: 7pt"><a href="http://ageofconan.com">Age of Conan Website</a> | <a href="announcement.php?f=8">Social Guidelines</a> | <a href="http://www.ageofconan.com/support">Customer Support</a> | <a href="http://ageofconan.com/gameplay">Gameplay Overview</a> | <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Age-of-Conan/60198038350">Age of Conan on Facebook</a>| <a href="http://twitter.com/funcom_conan">Age of Conan on Twitter</a></span></td></tr></table>

  2. #2

    Funcom

    General – Skills System

    We are in the process of phasing out the skill system. The majority of the skills had little impact and usefulness or was simply needed to remove a penalty.
    All skills related to the rest ability was removed. The Rest ability will now simply return a percentage of the characters resource and now also includes Energy.
    • The Taunt and Subtlety skill was removed. The effect of these skills are now innate. Note that the effect gained from these skills were fairly minor. In the big picture it doesnt add up to anything of significance.
    • The Casting Concentration skill is gone as well. This skill was mainly there to remove a penalty that is now removed.
    • Endurance is removed due to the new sprint system.
    <table><tr><td><a href="http://www.funcom.com"><img src="/images/avatars/funcom/transparent_logo_official_3.png" alt="Funcom" border="0"></a></td><td style="color:#343434"><span style="font-size: 10pt">Oliver 'Tarib' Kunz</span><br><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Senior Community Manager </span><br><br>
    <span style="font-size: 7pt"><a href="http://ageofconan.com">Age of Conan Website</a> | <a href="announcement.php?f=8">Social Guidelines</a> | <a href="http://www.ageofconan.com/support">Customer Support</a> | <a href="http://ageofconan.com/gameplay">Gameplay Overview</a> | <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Age-of-Conan/60198038350">Age of Conan on Facebook</a>| <a href="http://twitter.com/funcom_conan">Age of Conan on Twitter</a></span></td></tr></table>

  3. #3

    Funcom

    New Sprint Mechanic

    Introduction

    This patch introduces a number of major changes to the way that sprinting works. Chiefly, Stamina is no longer the primary resource used to determine the length of time that a character may sprint. Instead we have implemented a new resource, Energy, that will serve this purpose. Every character will start with an Energy pool, and a rate of regeneration for this resource. Currently there are a small number of ways which these resources can be modified, limited to the Alternate Advancement trees.

    Two new UI elements have also been introduced as a result of these changes. Each character now also has an Energy bar that will indicate their current level of Energy, and there is also an indicator icon for the character’s current target that will indicate the approximate level of Energy.

    In general usage the Energy bar will be hidden, only appearing once the Energy pool is no longer full. Once the character starts sprinting the bar will appear and drain as the character continues sprinting. Once sprinting has stopped there is a one second delay before regeneration starts, at which point Regeneration will continue until either the pool has been refilled or the character starts sprinting again. This Regeneration is not affected by your combat state.

    Many abilities have also been modified to interact with this new system, details of which can be found below.


    General
    • All characters now have two new stats related to the Energy system, their Energy pool and Natural Energy Regeneration. The Energy pool is measured in total seconds available to sprint from full to empty, and Natural Energy Regeneration is noted as the time from when Regeneration starts until the pool has been completely filled
    • A new ability has been introduced, “Dash”, which allows characters to convert their primary resource (Stamina for combo using classes, and mana for spell caster classes) into Energy every thirty seconds
    • The rest ability has been reworked, it now recovers health, mana, and stamina much more quickly independent of the skills that previously affected it. It now also recovers Energy at a very fast rate.


    AA
    • Invigoration has been changed for all archetypes. It now increases the user’s Energy pool as well as their Energy Regeneration rate
    • Quick steps has been reworked. This perk now greatly increases the user’s Energy Regeneration rate


    Bear Shaman
    • The Hinder Movement combo will now drain an enemy’s Energy
    • The Balance of Nature feat will now cause the Blood Flow spell to restore Energy to the Bear Shaman’s team along with Stamina and Mana


    Priest of Mitra
    • Blistering radiance will now allow the Radiance spell to prevent an enemy from regenerating Energy
    • The Light of Mitra spell will now cause team members to regain energy as well as stamina and mana when the priest casts Emanation of Life or Wave of Life
    • The Guardian Spirit spell will now also provide Energy along with Mana and Stamina if the heal effect is not triggered


    Tempest of Set
    • The Vital Shock spell will now also provide Energy as well as Health, Mana, and Stamina to members of the Tempest’s team who are near the target of the spell


    Guardian
    • The Disable combo will now drain an enemy’s Energy
    • The Plexus Strike combo will now prevent an enemy from regenerating Energy
    • The Plexus strike ability will now also restore Energy to the Guardian along with Stamina
    • Morale Boost will now also restore Energy to the Guardian’s team members along with Stamina
    • The Battle Cry ability will now provide Energy to the Guardian’s team along with Stamina


    Conqueror
    • The Skirmish Banner will now provide Energy, along with Stamina and Mana, to the Conqueror’s team when planted
    • Improved Defiance will now cause the Defiance ability to restore Energy to the Conqueror’s team when used


    Herald of Xotli
    • The Body and Spirit Wrack combo will now drain an enemy’s Energy
    • The Demonic Fortitude spell now also restores Energy to the caster as well as Stamina


    Necromancer
    • The Ice Shackle spell will now prevent an enemy from regenerating Energy
    • The Undead Minion: Harvester will now provide Energy to the Necromancers team along with Stamina and Mana


    Rogue: General
    • Second Wind now also restores energy to the rogue along with stamina when used


    Assassin
    • Impede Essence will now allow the Impede Life combo to prevent an enemy from regenerating Energy
    • Bewilder will now allow the Blindside combo to prevent an enemy from regenerating Energy


    Ranger
    • Exhausting traps will now allow a Rangers traps to prevent an enemy from regenerating Energy
    • Advantage: Recuperation will now provide Energy as well as Stamina to the Ranger’s team when used


    Barbarian
    • Endless Fury will now also provide the Barbarian using the Savage Fury ability with Energy
    <table><tr><td><a href="http://www.funcom.com"><img src="/images/avatars/funcom/transparent_logo_official_3.png" alt="Funcom" border="0"></a></td><td style="color:#343434"><span style="font-size: 10pt">Oliver 'Tarib' Kunz</span><br><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Senior Community Manager </span><br><br>
    <span style="font-size: 7pt"><a href="http://ageofconan.com">Age of Conan Website</a> | <a href="announcement.php?f=8">Social Guidelines</a> | <a href="http://www.ageofconan.com/support">Customer Support</a> | <a href="http://ageofconan.com/gameplay">Gameplay Overview</a> | <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Age-of-Conan/60198038350">Age of Conan on Facebook</a>| <a href="http://twitter.com/funcom_conan">Age of Conan on Twitter</a></span></td></tr></table>

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