@ZOS: can we get a dev note on the Shadow Stone changes in HotR?

casparian

@ZOS_GinaBruno

Today's Horns of the Reach patch includes a nerf to the Shadow Stone's bonus to crit damage. Previous PTS builds of the HotR patch did not include this change, so players have not had an opportunity to test this change. Today's patch notes did not include an explanation for the change -- the dev notes on the Mundus Stone changes were the same as in previous PTS patch notes, pre-Shadow Stone. Could we get an explanation for this additional change?

I know that you don't have to provide explanations for every specific change in the notes, but this one is important. One aim of HotR has been to improve diversity among builds, allowing players to have effective builds without being forced into one specific meta. The change to the Shadow Stone undercuts this aim, at least in the case of stamina DPS. There is now no other choice but Warrior stone for all PVE stamina DPS builds -- it is far and above better than the other options -- whereas before, different classes were better off choosing different mundus stones.

I understand that certain combinations of high-crit sets and the Shadow stone were overperforming on the PTS, especially on magicka builds. But the high-crit sets' crit bonus was reduced in the final version of the patch -- surely this was enough to solve the problem, without wrecking stamina diversity.

Can we get an explanation for this change?

Beardimus

Probably because people moaned about it. In the same way Mothers S got nerfed as it was touted as BIS too much everywhere.

But I agree OP