Patch message 6/16/2004

[kiztent]

Possibly talking about the (hideously ugly, over-rated, massively over-priced) Twinkblade.
Er, Windblade.

Well, the velium gemmed weapons are certainly uglier than the windblade, but the WMBS is still more DPS.

I guess the windblade is still overrated.

[Tudani]

Since nobody has posted the GoD smithed weapon changes yet....

Velium Gemmed Great Sword has 100 HP/MANA/END.
Velium Gemmed Morning Star has 80 HP/MANA/END.
Velium Gemmed Dagger has 80 HP/MANA/END.

All three weapons are now required level 60, recommended level 63.

I saw the raw materials to make 60 of these weapons (assuming you did the trade-in conversion and not the tradeskill conversion) for sale in the Bazaar yesterday, in addition to the half-dozen of each type of Velium Gemmed weapon normally for sale. Should be very interesting to see how this mudflates the server and destroys the value of most other high-end weapons completely, especially given that any raid guild doing Kod'Taz+ content will get the drops to make at least a half dozen more weapons PER NIGHT.

Delores Mulva
Lotus Cult
Quellious

Updated these, in the future please post all database updates in the database updates submission forum or in a thread started by a eqtc staff person that asks for the information. Burrying information in threads like this is a good way for us to miss it and have it not get updated in the database. Thanks!

[Dumpty]

Thank you very much. Speaking as one who has faction issues with the gnomes, trying to get to the warrens can be a bit of a pain sometimes. Makes my life a lot easier now.

Huh, what gnomes? If referring to running a character from PoK to warrens, you could always do it with any level 1 kos character w/o aggro. The new change just cataers to the newer somewhat more lazy (imo) post-pop click port crowd.

[Zeralenn]

I always just invised through ... never had a problem.

...Zera

[Delores Mulva]

Some weapons that will likely crash in value are the Acid Pocked Mithril Blade, the Horn of Hsagra, the Trueborn's Dagger of the Dark, Golden Wraps of the Compact, Long Sword of the Ykesha, Windblade, Staff of Flowing Water... you get the picture. Basically any weapon that does worse DPS (which, as far as I've seen, is all of them) that doesn't have a proc designed to do more than just be DPS.

Sorry about the post position, Tudani. I figured someone else would have posted it already there. My bad!

[Abazagaroth]

Well, the velium gemmed weapons are certainly uglier than the windblade, but the WMBS is still more DPS.

I guess the windblade is still overrated.

Windblade does more damage if you are tanking. Way back when it consistently parsed ~2dps or so higher due to losing less swings when casting (hybrid issue, didn't affect warriors) and doing more riposte damage. You also took less riposte damage and thus were a more efficient tank.

People that claimed WMBS was better than windblade either never tanked, never parsed, or keep their eyes shut and fingers in their ears to the truth so that they could pretend they didn't ever need to consider spending 2-3x as much plat on the other weapon.

[Rabdos]

OK, I admit I haven't played since the middle of 2002, until just a couple of weeks ago. But, why is a good thing to be able to port to plane of hate by yourself. Did they change it so it's not instant death on zone in? Perhaps followers of Innoruuk are non-KOS? Or is there just a small safe area?

[Beriberi]

They changed it so it's not instant death on zone in. The zone has been completely revamped; new geography and new mobs; both upgraded. While an improvement in my opinion (still my favorite zone) I admit that I miss the old plane of Hate break ins, where as a rogue I had my special place in the raid. Stressful as could be but fun at the same time.


Beriberi
Assassin
Prexus

[kiztent]

People that claimed WMBS was better than windblade either never tanked, never parsed, or keep their eyes shut and fingers in their ears to the truth so that they could pretend they didn't ever need to consider spending 2-3x as much plat on the other weapon.

I'd counter that people that blindly use the windblade are addicted to the big hits and don't want to admit they overpaid for an inferior weapon. I parsed both and while it's close, the WMBS had a small edge in DPS (and I am a hybred who tanks, thanks), which would be more noticable as I levelled more except I returned the windblade so I can't check.

Seriously, do you believe you cast enough to have a noticable impact on the number of swings you make in a fight?

[KyrosKrane]

On its face, the Velium Gemmed 2H weapons should have higher DPS than a WMBS. The Velium Gemmed are 34/28, while the WMBS is 31/28.

With the addition of 100hp, I now rank the Velium Gemmed 2H weapons as the best tradable 2H weapons for a knight, with the possible exception of Windblade for those who prefer a slower weapon with AC for whatever reason.

Prices on Veeshan for these weapons literally doubled after the patch, and there's a good chance they'll go for triple what they were before.

[Itek]

Um... was waiting for the other shoe(s) to drop on the PoHate self-port.

1) Any body know where/if there is a port OUT of PoHate. (The one in Fear is not so convenient, and I fear, no pun, the location of the way out of Hate.)

2) Fear you can walk into, Hate you can now walk into... Sky? (Was I the only one going "If you make an NPC-portal based on items given, why didn't you include BOTH item-required planar portals?" Perhaps they didn't BECAUSE the exit from Sky -is- so easy and the exit from Fear(/Hate?) are so hard. For the non-gate crowd that is... Why do I sense Velium Vapors and other gate-ish items being made in bulk?)

Revamped Hate could be a wonderful place, the exp isn't bad (it's indoors) and the gem/quest-turn-in drops can be quite nice. (It's about 1% AA exp each class armor turn in PLUS the "rare" gem. Didn't realize peridots were as rare as ... say... JACINTHS but there you are...) And, before people point fingers, as an enchanter I -can- gate out so it's more me looking out for my paladin/sk/warrior/rogue buddies by bringing this up.

Itek: Hey, let's run to Hate. Good gem drops.
Pally: We need a Wizard.
Itek: Not any more...
Pally: Ok, remind me where MY exit is...
Itek: ... Um...
Itek: /auc WTB gate potion

Now on to the "mudflation" debate.

Itek: /auc Price Check on Flowing Black Robe

Enough said?

Read: Stuff declines in value. Buy a helmet. (I -love- quoteing Dennis Leary.) If you really want to see prices drop just hold on to your hat when EQ2 goes live. Begin making your plans based on EQ2 existing. Funny things happen. Like "casual gamers" become more of a factor and "raiders" less of a factor. I saw something along those lines happen recently... What could it possibly have been...

Oh, and the Gunthak portal ... saves a little running so I'm in favor of it. (Enchanter, max Paineel faction, JBoots, LoY map, orienteering instructor, so I could make the run from the Paineel stone to Lighthouse in under 6 minutes including zoneing time. I'm in favor of making the game just a little less tedious for everyone.) But a couple more Luclin/Velious/Kunark portals could be nice. 2/1/3 for those eras and I hazard a guess that is somewhat less than one book per 5 zones. While Old Norrath has 13 stones. But that counts both stones in Odus even though they are the same zone. Downside of course, would be that the market for taxi's becomes precisely zero. (If they follow habit and just make "group gate" zones the book zones.)

[Sanna]

So many old-norrath books b/c you need one for the beginning cities. eru/paineel has two i assume b/c the gukta book is way the frigging heck in the middle of the zone, rather than just out of guard-aggro-range distance. (This is why, I think, that I never see too many frog bazaar merchants... it's near impossible to get a frog-alt-ho to the frigging book without aggroing something and dying : P )

Another velious book wouldn't hurt, but where would it go? (Cobalt Scar beach/port-ring would be my guess.) Which are Kunark books, Cabilis and OT and FV? Everything in Kunark aside from dungeon zones are not really more than 2 zl's away from those books. Luclin suuuure could use a book or two, altho the only really acceptable places i see to stick a book are also places serviced by ports, so... I guess that's why not. (Altho a book to Katta that lands you in TS near-but-not-too-near wouldn't hurt things too badly I suppose, and it would make the PoP-culture-babies *cough*me*cough* learn the city.) Other than that, it's just a long-arse run to wherever you need to go.

So yeah, books vie with ports a lot... either you crush a trickle-income-maker for a few classes but open up more zones, or, well, you leave things as is : P.

on the other hand... much love for gunthak book. I just hope it doesn't encroach upon my traditional Nadox piggy-charming grounds : P.

-- Sanna

[Silverfish]

I Know I'm Short...

...but I did make a notice of something disconcerting. I hunted down the portal stone to Gunthak because I wanted to familiarize myself with the route (I already know the run by heart, but wanted to see where I landed and such). I found the stone on the evil side, next to the Paineel stone, and bounced to the foredeck of the big boat in the Gulf. That's when I noticed something amiss. There was no pedestal. There was no book. I circled the ship, and ran down to the lighthouse, and nowhere did I see the return portal to New Tanaan. I simply gated home, but I found myself very glad I didn't take my shadow knight there instead.

So, am I just too short to see it? Where's the return book?

Silverfish

[Jaasper]

I want a Portal stone to Abysmal Sea, and I want a Tannan brew barrel really close to the book... Is this too much to ask for; I don't think so.

Yea, I know. Im a rogue and I would abuse this by shortcutting my run to LDoN camps.

[Itzena]

I'd counter that people that blindly use the windblade are addicted to the big hits and don't want to admit they overpaid for an inferior weapon. I parsed both and while it's close, the WMBS had a small edge in DPS (and I am a hybred who tanks, thanks), which would be more noticable as I levelled more except I returned the windblade so I can't check.

Also, the windblade is hideously ugly (unless you're a dwarf or barbarian, whom it actually suits) whereas the WMBS is stylish and refined.
IMO, of course.