issue 27 [Beta] Patch Notes for May 28th, 2021

[Faultline]

Colour Key

• Most changes from the previous beta build are listed in green.
  • Green text will become white text in the next set of patch notes.
• Any changes or fixes that are only relevant to the beta builds (ie: fixes / tweaks to new features) are listed in blue.
  • Blue text will be deleted in the next set of patch notes as it is only relevant to highlight changes between beta builds, not changes from live.

Powers

•  Sorcery > Arcane Bolt / Arcane Power
  • Activating and deactivating toggles will no longer grant Arcane Power
  • Removed the "...crackle at your fingertips" combat log message, this was mainly for testing purposes
  • Removed the "ARCANE POWER" floating message
    • With the VFX and yellow ring around Arcane Bolt, the added floating message was overkill as it kept triggering if you didn't make use of the proc
•  Inherent > Walk
  • Movement speed cap adjusted from 3.15mph to 3.25mph (to match NPC walking speed)
  • Jumping speed cap increased to 14.32mph (the base jumping speed)

Miscellaneous

• Removed Arachnos ambushes from delivery missions to Mercy Island in the Temple of the Waters SF
• Removed Malta ambush from delivery missions to Mercy Island in Vernun von Grun's story arc.
• Removed Crey ambush from door mission to Mercy Island in Operative Grillo's story arc.
• Renamed the Shopkeeper badge to Proprietor (as Shop Keeper already exists as a day job badge)

• The minimum level to start the Lady Grey TF has been changed back to 45 as it was on live

  • The Weakened Hamidon can now spawn from level 45 to 54

  • Weakened Hamidon buds now spawn down to level 45

Arena

• You can no longer begin observing an arena match if you had any combat activity in the past 10 seconds
• Arena Observer / Gladiator modes will now automatically kill all pets on entry (certain pets could still be summoned when entering an arena match)

Pocket D

• DJ Zero has added some additional entrances to the club
  • An Atlas Park entrance has been added to the Hero-side lobby
  • Mercy Island and Nova Praetoria entrances have been added to the Villain-side lobby
• The minimap has been updated to reflect these changes (and also include the Tiki Lounge, Monkey Fight Club and Architect Entertainment areas)

 

Bug Fixes

• Firebase Zulu: Closed holes in the collision boundary of the zone
• The Chantry: Closed holes in the collision boundary of the zone
• Echo Plaza: Added a collision boundary around the zone to fix issues with teleportation powers
• Talos Island: A number of floating rocks and bushes have been brought back to the ground
  • The Paragon City Hall has issued its monthly statement reminding Gravity Control heroes that this isn't funny
• Cleaned up some unintended behaviour with the Fortunata Hypnosis proc

• Fixed the geometry of certain Goldbrickers NPCs that had a major hole in their neck

• Fixed the animation of Tech Generator objects inside missions using the tech base lair so it animates properly

• Fixed the Ally Revive script used in the Brickstown story arcs

• Fixed an issue with Cognitive and Spectral Interface Procs

  • This was a bug introduced last year when Interface DoT procs got fixed

  • It turned out that the procs were missing the tag needed to turn on the effect group

• Ambrosia and Essence of the Earth inspirations should now be usable even if the player is under Untouchable state

  • Henchmen in Untouchable state, if any, will still see no benefit from these inspirations
• EMP Arrow: Possibly fixed a bug that made procs use the unintended pseudopet formula instead of the original click formula
• Fixed a bug that would cause Orbital Lance (from War Walkers) to never fire.

 

[Faultline]

Brainstorm Only

Freebies Menu

• Updated to the latest version from @AboveTheChemist

Paladin Event

• Reverted the Paladin Event to the pre-Issue 24 version; you have to prevent the Paladin from being built by defeating waves of Clockwork.
  • The event runs the same as it did on Issue 23, with the only change being that the Clockwork ambush mobs are level-less in order to reward XP and drops.
  • This may or may not make it to Live based on player feedback.
  • Use this Focused Feedback thread to discuss and vote on this change.

PvP Powers Changes

These changes will not be going live in this patch - they are for testing only. Please provide your feedback if you would or would not like to see these changes go live!

• All travel power speed cap increases from Issue 27, Page 2 now also apply in PvP

• Modified the PvP diminishing return curves for travel speeds for testing purposes per a recommendation from Alouu

  • SpeedRunning set to 0.37, SpeedFlying set to 0.75, SpeedJumping set to 0.35

• Sorcery > Arcane Bolt / Arcane Power
  • Arcane Power can now trigger in PvP
  • Damage bonus in PvP is 50% of the base damage rather than 100%
• Fortunata Hypnosis (IO proc): PvP placate effect reduced from 5.336s to 4s
  • This puts it in line with the Presence pool's Pacify, which also does 8s PvE and 4s PvP

• Electrical Affinity:

  • PvP Only - Change to Rejuvenating Circuit and Faraday Cage

  • Increased the Main Target heal for Rejuvenating to do an extra 0.41 scale in PvP only. This makes the main target get the equivalent of a 1.96 scale heal (same as Heal Other from Empathy). The chain heal still works off of the 1.55 scale heal, so no change for the healing of secondary targets.

  • Increased the duration of PvP-only effects to 20s (up from 5s). This includes mez protection, mez resistance, kb protection and repel protection. The other effects (PvE and Both) still use 5s. This increase in duration is to allow PvPers to have more time outside of the faraday cage bubble before wearing off.

• Super Reflexes PvP tweaks

  Scrapper, Brutes, and Tankers: adjustments to Agile, Dodge, and Lucky
       - Lowered Activation Period from 2s to 0.5s (provides faster updates for scaling resistances)
       - Lowered duration of effects from 2.5s to 0.75s (in response to the faster activation rate)
       - Separated scaling resistance effects for PvE and PvP
            - PvE scaling resistance is unchanged
            - PvP scaling resistance begins at 75% HP instead of 60% HP. The rate of scaling resistance is unchanged (1% res for every 3% HP lost). This will make the 3 auto powers total 75% damage resistance at 0% Health (up from 60%).
            - PvP now includes Toxic scaling resistance (still no Psionic resistance)

  Stalker: adjustments to Agile and Dodge
       - Lowered Activation Period from 2s to 0.5s (provides faster updates for scaling resistances)
       - Lowered duration of effects from 2.5s to 0.75s (in response to the faster activation rate)
       - Separated scaling resistance effects for PvE and PvP
            - PvE scaling resistance is unchanged
            - PvP scaling resistance begins at 75% HP instead of 60% HP. The rate of scaling resistance is unchanged (1.25% res for every 3% HP lost). This will make the 2 auto powers total 62.5% damage resistance at 0% Health (up from 50%).
            - PvP now includes Toxic scaling resistance (still no Psionic resistance)

  Sentinel: adjustments to Agile, Dodge, and Enduring
       - Lowered Activation Period from 2s to 0.5s (provides faster updates for scaling resistances)
       - Lowered duration of effects from 2.5s to 0.75s (in response to the faster activation rate)
       - Separated scaling resistance effects for PvE and PvP
            - PvE scaling resistance is unchanged
            - PvP scaling resistance begins at 75% HP instead of 60% HP. The rate of scaling resistance is decreased (from 1.25% res per 3% HP to 1% res per 3% HP). This will make the 3 auto powers still total 75% damage resistance at 0% Health (unchanged), but the scaling resistance will kick in sooner.
            - PvP now includes Toxic scaling resistance (still no Psionic resistance)

  • Additional Super Reflexes changes to PvP (Brainstorm only)

    Added scaling elusivity to auto powers. Starting at 75% HP, the elusivity for that power's attack type (Melee, Ranged, or AoE) will increasing linearly, capping at 15% at 0% HP.

    For Stalkers and Sentinels, they do not have an auto AoE defense power (Lucky), so the AoE scaling elusivity was added to Evasion.

     

  • Changed Elusivity's duration for PvP defense to 0.75s (down from 2.25s). Hopefully this has no impact on FX.

• EMP Arrow tweaks for PvP (Brainstorm only)

  Increased the duration of all PvP effects to 20s (up from 0.65s). This will allow players to buff themselves inside the EMP field, then exit for up to 20s of protection.
  These effects only include the follow:
       - Resistance to Mez
       - Resistance to Teleport
       - Protection to Mez
       - Protection to Knock and Repel

[EmperorSteele]

23 minutes ago, Faultline said:

Weakened Hamidon buds now spawn down to level 45

 

But will they still randomly spawn up to 54, or will they never go higher than +4 to the leader? Rather, what's the intended behavior so I know what to look for 😃

[Faultline]

1 minute ago, EmperorSteele said:

 

But will they still randomly spawn up to 54, or will they never go higher than +4 to the leader? Rather, what's the intended behavior so I know what to look for 😃

 

All mobs in the TF should spawn based on the team leader's level and difficulty settings; a level 45 leader set to +1 should result in level 46 enemies, including Hamidon, its mitos and the resulting buds.

[Keen]

The SR (sans Elusivity) and Emp Arrow changes would be great in PvE too... just saying :)

[siolfir]

Honestly, not sure why it's 1.25% resistance per 3% health per power instead of 1.5% for Stalkers and Sentinels (which would at least give them the 3% total that the other ATs get). They already have a lower hit point pool to start with, so let's double-penalize them by having lower scaling resistance while they're losing their lower hit points, too?

Edited May 29, 2021 by siolfir
added reasoning for 1.5

[Gobbledygook]

17 minutes ago, Keen said:

The SR (sans Elusivity) and Emp Arrow changes would be great in PvE too... just saying 🙂

Agreed.

Make it so

[Bopper]

29 minutes ago, siolfir said:

Honestly, not sure why it's 1.25% resistance per 3% health per power instead of 1.5% for Stalkers and Sentinels (which would at least give them the 3% total that the other ATs get). They already have a lower hit point pool to start with, so let's double-penalize them by having lower scaling resistance while they're losing their lower hit points, too?

Sentinels have 3 sources of scaling resistances, so it is the only AT that can reach 75% resistance on Live. Increasing it to 1.5x would allow Sentinels to reach 90% at 0%HP. Well over their cap, but useful for resistance debuffs. 

 

In comparison to Brutes, Tankers, and Scrappers, that would allow Sentinels to reach the other AT's 60% resistance cap at 20% HP 

[alwayzeve3]

*Fortunata Hypnosis (IO proc): PvP placate effect reduced from 5.336s to 4s

 

This is possibly the most overpowered IO in the game. While this change is a step in the right direction, a two second duration would be more reasonable and make it less potent when it's being abused. Additionally, it would also line up with previous changes to IO mez durations like Devastation chance for hold. In all honestly, it should be removed from the game altogether.

[Starhammer]

10 hours ago, Faultline said:

Pocket D

 

• DJ Zero has added some additional entrances to the club
  • An Atlas Park entrance has been added to the Hero-side lobby
  • Mercy Island and Nova Praetoria entrances have been added to the Villain-side lobby

Using yet more trucks as PD portals feels a bit mundane. I'm sure they're a relatively easy answer, but something a little more interesting would be appreciated.

[Faultline]

23 minutes ago, Starhammer said:

Using yet more trucks as PD portals feels a bit mundane. I'm sure they're a relatively easy answer, but something a little more interesting would be appreciated.

 

Take it with @Jimmy, he likes the trucks and wants an interdimensional van network.

 

[JayboH]

11 hours ago, Faultline said:

Fixed an issue with Cognitive and Spectral Interface Procs

• This was a bug introduced last year when Interface DoT procs got fixed

• It turned out that the procs were missing the tag needed to turn on the effect group

Can you explain this a bit more?  Was the control parts missing?

 

At any rate, can Spectral's immobilization be set to 4 seconds to match Cognitive please?  They already have a much lower chance of firing off than other Interfaces as it is, why double-punish Spectral?

[arcane]

13 hours ago, Keen said:

The SR (sans Elusivity) and Emp Arrow changes would be great in PvE too... just saying 🙂

No thanks 🙂 two of the strongest sets in the game in PvE as is already.

[Faultline]

3 hours ago, JayboH said:

Can you explain this a bit more?  Was the control parts missing?

 

I have no idea. That's a question for @Captain Powerhouse or maybe @UberGuy or @Bopper know. I'm not a powers person.

[UberGuy]

3 hours ago, JayboH said:

Can you explain this a bit more?  Was the control parts missing?

 

Yep. The confuse and the immobilize were missing tags that set their chance to happen above zero.

[csr]

16 hours ago, Keen said:

The SR (sans Elusivity) and Emp Arrow changes would be great in PvE too... just saying 🙂

The faster tick rate for the passive Resists would be nice for PvE.

Edited May 29, 2021 by csr

[siolfir]

16 hours ago, Bopper said:

Sentinels have 3 sources of scaling resistances, so it is the only AT that can reach 75% resistance on Live. Increasing it to 1.5x would allow Sentinels to reach 90% at 0%HP. Well over their cap, but useful for resistance debuffs. 

 

In comparison to Brutes, Tankers, and Scrappers, that would allow Sentinels to reach the other AT's 60% resistance cap at 20% HP 

Okay, that's fair - I reversed the numbers in my head reading the patch notes on Sentinels, thinking it was going from 1% to 1.25% for PvP instead of the other way around, that's on me for not skimming over that section and skipping the summary since I thought I had seen the numbers under the Stalker listing - but that doesn't explain why Stalkers get the short end of the stick. That one really should be 1.5% for both PvE and PvP to match the same scaling resistances.

 

14 hours ago, alwayzeve3 said:

*Fortunata Hypnosis (IO proc): PvP placate effect reduced from 5.336s to 4s

 

This is possibly the most overpowered IO in the game. While this change is a step in the right direction, a two second duration would be more reasonable and make it less potent when it's being abused. Additionally, it would also line up with previous changes to IO mez durations like Devastation chance for hold. In all honestly, it should be removed from the game altogether.

Given that it's practically useless in PvE and apparently broken in PvP, I would tend to agree if it's a consensus from the PvP crowd. But something has to go in that spot.

[Mr. Vee]

20 hours ago, Faultline said:

 

• The minimum level to start the Lady Grey TF has been changed back to 45 as it was on live

 

Please rethink this part. I run LG a ton from 35-45 and it's a good alternative to yet another ITF. At 45 there's plenty added to the mix. Taking LG out makes 35-45 a worse slog for we TF types than 30-35 already was. There has to be a better way of dealing with the problem of people occasionally starting it with a lowbie star holder.

[Apparition]

25 minutes ago, Mr. Vee said:

Please rethink this part. I run LG a ton from 35-45 and it's a good alternative to yet another ITF. At 45 there's plenty added to the mix. Taking LG out makes 35-45 a worse slog for we TF types than 30-35 already was. There has to be a better way of dealing with the problem of people occasionally starting it with a lowbie star holder.

 

Between levels 35 to 45, in addition to the ITF you have the Admiral Sutter TF, Numina TF,  Mortimer Kal SF, Ice Mistral SF, Eden Trial, Abandoned Sewers Trial, four respec trials, Dr. Quaterfield TF, and Sara Moore TF.  That is twelve alternative TFs/SFs/trials to the ITF in that level range.

Edited May 29, 2021 by Apparition

[Mr. Vee]

i'm well aware of what's in the range (i hate 6 of the ones you mentioned btw and the red stuff in that range is tough to fill). the point is LG is a good one in that range now that won't be soon. Idk why you're so opposed to a solution that'd keep more people happy as opposed to just locking it down.

[DoctorDitko]

Nice that you added the new exits from the D. Could you make the interstitial area useful in some way? Maybe a nurse-style vendor?

 

Mainly, though, I wanted to say the Atlas Park exit "greeter" (?) warns you the zone may not be suitable for low-level heroes, and the Talos one is mute.

 

[Glacier Peak]

3 hours ago, Mr. Vee said:

 Idk why you're so opposed to a solution that'd keep more people happy as opposed to just locking it down.

It wasn't working as intended. 

[JayboH]

10 hours ago, UberGuy said:

 

Yep. The confuse and the immobilize were missing tags that set their chance to happen above zero.

Ah thanks Uber.  Your thoughts on the duration request?

[UberGuy]

Back when it worked previously I found Spectral's immobilize completely useless, even on characters who can stack it with other effects, so I would love to see it increased.

Edited May 30, 2021 by UberGuy

[Mr. Vee]

13 hours ago, Glacier Peak said:

It wasn't working as intended. 

I'm not saying don't fix it, I'm asking that it be fixed in a way that doesn't cut it back off for the 35-45 range. I would think the best solution would be to make it 35+ but the star holder must be 45+. There are already several things in the game where different conditions apply for star and joining. That wouldn't completely solve the problem as well as making hami scale completely would, as there might be occasional cases where the star disconnects and no one else is 50, but it'd be better and wouldn't be cutting off a leg to save a toe.