PTS Patch Notes v2.4.2

dimensional · May 2016

The blocking passive change in the champion tree is one of the most idiotic,ill-thought moves I've seen in recent history. PLEASE revert this, this was unnecessary, uncalled for and no one wants this.

Taleof2Cities · May 2016

Enodoc wrote: »

ZOS_GinaBruno wrote: »

Crafting & Economy
Enchanting
Potency runes can once again be obtained from runestones!
Each harvestable runestone is guaranteed to contain an Essence and an Aspect rune, and one third of the runestones you find will also contain a Potency rune.

Half the time, when you find a Potency rune it will be scaled to your combat level, and the other half of the time it will be scaled to your rank in the Potency Improvement passive.

So now it's no longer possible to get low-level potency runes from harvesting? That will be very bad for crafter players who create glyphs for lower-level friends or guild mates. The level of harvested Potency runes should depend on the zone level, not player level (except in battle-levelled zones, obviously).

I saw this, too ... is it possible "in battle-leveled zones" was simply missed from being added to this patch note?

hedna123b14_ESO · May 2016

Valrien wrote: »

You guys had a chance with sorcs and you guys dropped the ball again. Passive changes for Stam Sorc, and nothing for Magicka players? Not even an instant damage spam for example? Nice. Fantastic job, ZOS.

But sorcs are op;)

sebban · May 2016

ZOS_GinaBruno wrote: »

FIXES & IMPROVEMENTS, BASE GAME PATCH
Weapon
One Hand and Shield
Fortress: Increased the block cost reduction from this passive ability to 18/36% at Ranks I/II from 15/30%.

Ok, so you take some block cost reduction that you removed from Heavy armor and add it to 1H/S. This still doesn't make Heavy Armor any better than it was. You just moved the bonus? Why not let it stay in Heavy Armor then?

If you are going to add back the reduced block cost elsewhere, why not just let it be in heavy armor?

ZOS_GinaBruno wrote: »

Champion System
The Steed
Block Expertise:
Renamed this Champion ability to Shadow Ward.

This Champion ability has been switched with the Elusive ability from The Shadow constellation.

The Shadow
Elusive:
Renamed this Champion ability to Ironclad.

This Champion ability has been switched with the Block Expertise ability from The Steed constellation.

I fail to see how this is an improvement in any way. The Steed is all about using a shield and blocking, why move reduced block cost away from it? Reduced block cost makes sense to be in this tree.

The Shadow is a tree with REALLY bad bonuses overall, like REALLY, REALLY, OMG WHY IS THIS TREE SO BAD, bad. They have nothing to do with using a shield and blocking. Why move reduced block cost here? Is it because you want tanks to spend less in the Tower and Lover tree, so tanks will have less resources anyway after you add reduced block cost to 1H/S?

I just can't see WHY you did this, other than to make life harder for tanks. I just can't see any other explanation as to why you keep making these bad changes for tanks.

It's no wonder everyone thinks ZOS hates tanks. It's because of things like this.

Oompuh · May 2016

Now i gotta put 75 points in.. spell resist or something.. to get my Shield Expert instead of reduced cost of blocking. And take points out of reduce stamina cost to get reduced block cost? I dont even know, we'll see what happens come launch.

We get some block cost back with fortress which i like but i think Shield Expert needs to stay with Block Expertise, whatever tree you want to put it in

MrTarkanian48 · May 2016

Caff32 wrote: »

ZOS_GinaBruno wrote: »

Champion System
The Steed
Block Expertise:
Renamed this Champion ability to Shadow Ward.

This Champion ability has been switched with the Elusive ability from The Shadow constellation.

The Shadow
Elusive:
Renamed this Champion ability to Ironclad.

This Champion ability has been switched with the Block Expertise ability from The Steed constellation.

Why do you hate tanks? You already can't restore stamina when blocking. Now tanks must choose between reducing block cost and increased stamina regen/reduced stamina ability costs?!? This change makes absolutely zero sense.

+1 on this. The changes to Sturdy and Fortress Passive are great.

BUT please do not make this change. Leave Block Cost Reduction under the Steed. Tanks can't afford to invest heavily in the Shadow Tree, and lose CP in the Tower and Lover.

cosmic_niklas_93b16_ESO · May 2016

hedna123b14_ESO wrote: »

Valrien wrote: »

You guys had a chance with sorcs and you guys dropped the ball again. Passive changes for Stam Sorc, and nothing for Magicka players? Not even an instant damage spam for example? Nice. Fantastic job, ZOS.

But sorcs are op;)

In what, being the worst class in the entire game with both stamina and magicka? xD

TroggyTrog · May 2016

Am I missing something? Why have several people commented that Block Cost Reduction got nerfed?

One Hand Block Cost Reduction got buffed, not nerfed. It WAS 15/30%. NOW, it's 18/36%. So, that's 36% cost reduction now.

Again, did I miss something?

Silver Leash got fixed...now time for me to do some more testing!

TheHsN · May 2016

What the hell Magicka did to you all your family ZOS.... In this DLC are you going to give us something or you want us to beDONE with this game...everyy time i open the PATCH NOTES it pushes me to QUIT...

GIVE US SOMETHING TOOOOOOOOOOO

Preyfar · May 2016

MrTarkanian48 wrote: »

+1 on this. The changes to Sturdy and Fortress Passive are great.

BUT please do not make this change. Leave Block Cost Reduction under the Steed. Tanks can't afford to invest heavily in the Shadow Tree, and lose CP in the Tower and Lover.

This forces tanks to choose between Stam Regen and Stam Cost Reduction, both of which are pretty critical to most tanks. The only way I could even remotely accept this is if ZOS reverted their earlier change to stop regen when blocking, and gave tanks like a 25% regen when blocking. That'd balance it out (maybe).

Teridaxus · May 2016

TroggyTrog wrote: »

Am I missing something? Why have several people commented that Block Cost Reduction got nerfed?

One Hand Block Cost Reduction got buffed, not nerfed. It WAS 15/30%. NOW, it's 18/36%. So, that's 36% cost reduction now.

Again, did I miss something?

Silver Leash got fixed...now time for me to do some more testing!

Check the changes in the cp trees.

CyrusArya · May 2016

Ravage Stamina and Ravage Magicka poisons are only increasing costs by 30%, instead of the intended 60% cost increase.

In several cases, applying two different poisons to your target will result in the first poison being overwritten by the second poison. This is not intended, and all different poison types will be able to coexist on the same target in a future patch.

Poisons should NOT stack if potions do not. If you can only have 1 potion buff active at a time then why are multiple poison debuffs allowed? Doesn't make sense. Poisons were way too powerful even before you drop this revelation that they are functioning at half their intended potency. I fear these changes will further buff zergs and cripple solo/small scale PvP.

code65536 · May 2016

Surge: This ability and its morphs now restore a flat value of health whenever you deal a Critical Strike. It will now also proc on any Critical Strike instead of only direct damage Critical Strikes, but can only restore health once every second.

This is a HORRIBLE change.

On the PTS right now, I'm looking at a tooltip value of 1980 for Power Surge and 3000 for Critical Surge.

This value does NOT scale with max magicka or with spell damage.

Sorc heals were already unreliable, subject to the whims of RNG. But at least we got nice bursts of heals to make up for that if we land a crit frag. A 1980 heal with a 1s cooldown that still requires a critical strike is just bloody ridiculous. I was fine with the shorter ward duration, but couple that with this change, you have truly nerfed sorc defenses into the ground.

(The requirement that it requires a crit is just insult to injury at this point, considering how much lower the value is and the new 1s cooldown. With all builds having easy access to shields, good luck self-healing in Cyrodiil! But sorcs still have their ward--oh wait.)

mrdavis1118ub17_ESO · May 2016

Not impressed with a single thing in this incremental. See no reason to test anything until after the next one.

Alcast · May 2016

Bfish22090 wrote: »

@Alcast can you purify poisons?

not sure, havent had a chance to test it yet.

GriM_728 · May 2016

SorataArisugawa wrote: »

ZOS_GinaBruno wrote: »

[...]

Sorcerer
Dark Magic
Dark Exchange: Increased the amount of health restored from this ability and its morphs by 100%.

Storm Calling
Disintegrate:
Renamed this passive ability to Implosion.

This passive ability now also grants all Physical Damage you deal a chance to instantly pulverize low health enemies, dealing additional Physical Damage to them.

Updated this passive’s tooltip to indicate what the health threshold is for it to trigger.

Energized: This passive ability now also increases your Physical Damage done in addition to the Shock Damage done.

Hurricane (Lightning Form morph): This morph now also grants the Minor Expedition buff at all times while it is active.

Surge: This ability and its morphs now restore a flat value of health whenever you deal a Critical Strike. It will now also proc on any Critical Strike instead of only direct damage Critical Strikes, but can only restore health once every second.

We don't get any bonus on the surge heal depending on the DMG???... The value of the heal better be good...

More healt from Dark Exchange wont solve the problem, just for your insight...

Those changes are meh at best. Still would like to see the crystal blast as a procable stam morph and deadric tomb as a stam morph.

notimetocare · May 2016

Woeler wrote: »

ZOS_GinaBruno wrote: »

FIXES & IMPROVEMENTS, BASE GAME PATCH

Champion System
The Steed
Block Expertise:
Renamed this Champion ability to Shadow Ward.

This Champion ability has been switched with the Elusive ability from The Shadow constellation.

The Shadow
Elusive:
Renamed this Champion ability to Ironclad.

This Champion ability has been switched with the Block Expertise ability from The Steed constellation.

What the actual ***? And if you have to make this completely unnecessary change, at least move shield expert with it. This change really falls under the "If it ain't broken, lets break it!" mentality.

OR they intend to make tanks choose to focus more on being tanks?

Dalsinthus · May 2016

code65536 wrote: »

Surge: This ability and its morphs now restore a flat value of health whenever you deal a Critical Strike. It will now also proc on any Critical Strike instead of only direct damage Critical Strikes, but can only restore health once every second.

This is a HORRIBLE change.

On the PTS right now, I'm looking at a tooltip value of 1980 for Power Surge and 3000 for Critical Surge.

This value does NOT scale with max magicka or with spell damage.

Sorc heals were already unreliable, subject to the whims of RNG. But at least we got nice bursts of heals to make up for that if we land a crit frag. A 1980 heal with a 1s cooldown that still requires a critical strike is just bloody ridiculous. I was fine with the shorter ward duration, but couple that with this change, you have truly nerfed sorc defenses into the ground.

Ugh. That is a big nerf on top of the nerf to shields. I better step it up on VMA now (and praying to RNGesus) as it looks like things are going to get difficult in mid-June.

agabahmeatshieldb14_ESO · May 2016

ZOS_GinaBruno wrote: »

Sorcerer
Surge: This ability and its morphs now restore a flat value of health whenever you deal a Critical Strike. It will now also proc on any Critical Strike instead of only direct damage Critical Strikes, but can only restore health once every second.

[/list]

The double-tap nerf here is what concerns me. I can see how the self-healing from Surge and its morphs needed to be reigned in. I don't necessarily agree, but I understand. This seems to me to be too severe a reaction, though.

My solution would be either remove the cooldown, so we can get the flat heal value as often as we can land a critical, OR return the heal as a percentage value of damage done, but keep the cooldown.

Combined with the change to shield duration, this double change seems like overkill. I know people have complained about Sorcerers being powerful, but this pushes them a little too far in the other direction.

ZOS_GinaBruno wrote: »

Weapon
One Hand and Shield
Fortress: Increased the block cost reduction from this passive ability to 18/36% at Ranks I/II from 15/30%.

This is a change in the right direction for Tanking, no doubt, especially combined with the buff to Sturdy. However, it doesn't do anything to address the issues tanks had with Heavy Armor's lack of utility, which was a primary concern--now we're buffing One-handed and Shield to make up for Heavy Armor's weaknesses. That seems... odd.

ZOS_GinaBruno wrote: »

Champion System
The Steed
Block Expertise:
Renamed this Champion ability to Shadow Ward.

This Champion ability has been switched with the Elusive ability from The Shadow constellation.

The Shadow
Elusive:
Renamed this Champion ability to Ironclad.

This Champion ability has been switched with the Block Expertise ability from The Steed constellation.

What I have to say here has already been said many, many times in this thread. This is a real head-scratcher. Who asked for this change? Why was it needed? Any explanation would be appreciated.

The Shadow is an under-used tree because its passive are lackluster and the stars within it give pretty mediocre returns based on points invested. The solution to that is a redesign of the tree, not just to shunt a useful passive from another tree over to the Shadow.

Adenoma · May 2016

I'm a big fan of the changes to the Fortress passive, but I'd like to raise a couple of points:

1.) Fortress passive increase in block reduction cost pigeonholes those who want to be tanky into using 1h&s - this is now taken away from individuals who might want a block cost reduction while running something like 2h or dw, but still getting it via the use of 5 pieces of heavy armor. I don't quite understand this decision making because it seems very much against the spirit of the Elder Scrolls franchise - it's always been about giving more options, rather than less.

2.) The champions points changes really aren't great. I won't reiterate what others have said better.

3.) The reasoning behind not giving a DK execute seems a bit hypocritical. By no means am I asking for something similar to radiant destruction, endless fury, impale, or executioner, I'm just reiterating a common thread of complaints - it'd even be cool to have it be DOT-based to keep the DOT theme of the DK class.

We've heard that you do not want to homogenize the classes by adding a DK execute, making them all relatively similar. Why doesn't that logic apply to the PTS shield changes? Now everyone has a hardened ward accessible via annulment morphs. You've taken that exclusivity from Sorcerers and generalized it. You've also standardized shield duration such that shields pretty much behave the same regardless of the class that employs them. To me, that reduces the unique feel of each class. You've even given shields to stamina builds that behave just the same as magicka shields - now standardizing something across class AND build direction.

4.) I know that the DK thread is pretty much full of this request (as was the TG PTS thread), but there needs to be a change to Dragons Blood so it's viable in PvP. Currently, the battle spirit-affected version affords a pretty ineffective heal and really pushes players towards using a restoration staff to maintain survivability. I feel like I keep returning to this point, but Dragons Blood in its current state reduces build diversity.

5.) The sturdy trait changes and removal of bracing limit tank build diversity. I like that you at least made it a bit more valuable with the 1% increase, but for those that are dedicated PvE tanks, it really does force them to use that trait for resource management and limits them from making use of traits like infused, divines, etc. It is unfair that they are limited in player choice while more DPS-oriented characters have a lot of options (divines, impen, infused) for both PvE and PvP.

6.) This isn't really brought up and is more of a personal thing, but can we bring back infinite distance rapids for group members? It's super convenient and I don't really feel like it ever gave me a gameplay advantage. It just meant I spent a little less time riding my slow pony to meet up with friends.

TroggyTrog · May 2016

mzapkeneb18_ESO wrote: »

Check the changes in the cp trees.

Yeah, that part definitely doesn't make sense. Especially since Steed has the Shield Expert passive for 75 pts spent, and Shadow doesn't really have anything to do with blocking or tankiness. Shadow is more about elusiveness and stealth. Is it a nerf? Well, considering there are currently only 167 CPs able to be spent, in the short term, yes. In the long term, when there are more CPs allowed to be spent, no. But, the bigger problem with this change is it doesn't make logical sense. Why would they take a blocking cost perk and move it to a tree that has nothing to do with blocking? Most players that want that 75 pt Shield Expert passive will spend points in Block Expertise/Block Cost Reduction, because it synergizes and makes a lot of sense. But, it doesn't make sense having that moved to the Shadow tree.

All I can say is, you've been ZENIMAXED!

nikolaj.lemcheb16_ESO · May 2016

Surge changes was a nerf instead of a help for stam sorcs.

The block expertice / elusive changes are just completely stupid. I know I should be more polite but there is no way to describe other than utterly stupid.

Elusive is such a bad ability that NO ONE WILL EVER F... put points into it!!!! And now you nerf tanks even more doing it.

Kattemynte · May 2016

CyrusArya wrote: »

Ritual of Retribution (Cleansing Ritual morph): This morph now also increases the amount of healing done to you and your allies by 20%; the damage done to enemies has been increased to match this value.

Please clarify if this means the HoT/DoT is buffed by 20% or total healing done. If it's the latter, ill start the thread right now about how Templar needs to be nerfed.

I understand from the notes that the HoT is being increased by 20% and since the DoT is based off the HoT it is going to be increased by 20% as well.

Now you can go off and cry nerf to Templars but really, the damage (and heal) really isn't getting that much stronger. On live my magicka Templar's tooltip for purifying shows healing every 2 seconds a 904 heal (with better magplars I guess it is closer to 1200). So 1200*1.2= 1440 health and 1440 damage done every 2 seconds. That is only a DPS and HPS increase of 140....soooo ground breaking.

Magplars are (usually, except for jabbers) using ranged skills and this skill places this underneath you. In PvP I bet more often than not Extended Ritual will be used for the removal of 5 debuffs especially with poisons coming out. RoR is more of a PvE skill that is most beneficial to magplar tanks (and jabbers).

Paulington · May 2016

The Surge "flat value" is 1980 for me, really, is that it? That's 1,980 HPS maximum (990 in PvP) which is approximately useless.

So, instead of actually using a bit of skill with this skill, timing our crits and being able to either have a slow trickle of heals or an awesome BoL-style burst heal with Overload, we now just toggle this skill and forget about it? Just why? Not only are Sorcerer shields reduced in duration we also have our class heal made borderline ineffectual.

This skill didn't really need a change from the magicka side of things, that's for sure.

code65536 · May 2016

notimetocare wrote: »

Woeler wrote: »

ZOS_GinaBruno wrote: »

FIXES & IMPROVEMENTS, BASE GAME PATCH

Champion System
The Steed
Block Expertise:
Renamed this Champion ability to Shadow Ward.

This Champion ability has been switched with the Elusive ability from The Shadow constellation.

The Shadow
Elusive:
Renamed this Champion ability to Ironclad.

This Champion ability has been switched with the Block Expertise ability from The Steed constellation.

What the actual ***? And if you have to make this completely unnecessary change, at least move shield expert with it. This change really falls under the "If it ain't broken, lets break it!" mentality.

OR they intend to make tanks choose to focus more on being tanks?

Have you ever tried tanking? Have you seen the magicka cost of chains and range taunting? Have you seen the stamina cost of low-slashing and piercing? Tanking in PvE is a resource game, and we we have relatively small resources pools to begin with since we need health and we need both magicka and stamina pools. Reallocating green points into block hurts our utility costs. Those green points are useful for everyone, not just for DPS.

SturgeHammer · May 2016

Implosion sounds sweet and so does the new Energized, can't wait to try these out tonight.

potirondb16_ESO · May 2016

It would really be nice if they could always launch a post in the forum of what can be expected or what is currently being looked at ! I will not complain about other class (will try to), but it would be nice if you could say what is still being looked at, can we expect more sorc stuff, can we expect some change Inside the fighter guild tree !

I mean honnest the 27% cost reduction from expert hunter is just ridiculous ! Maybe adapt it so that dawnbreaker don't feel like a best in slot ultimate and give expert hunter Something more relevant ! (this skill is just wasted as far as any consideration comes into play, and don't tell me that will be of any use in DB), also please try to give each class a Stam ultimate so that you they don't lookup at Dawnbreaker as their only option ! (I mean Sorc and Templar don't yet have a class stam ultimate !) Might put less pressure on Dawnbreaker and give you guys more option !

Also, an other really good question, how this constant heal is going to work in pvp ? 100% and no 50% heal reduction for magsorc since we don't use domage overtime ?

Also @Wrobel you really need to consider the toggle issue on sorc, we have way too many toggle requirement to deal with when we work our way toward high-end pve. The real issue being bound armor and how it connect to our build. I mean it's an ability you want to slot at all time because of the obvious magika bonus but it's also an ability which has no other advantage, I mean minor protection !! come on !

The synergie Inside this tree really need to be look at, personnally if bound armor is Something that should be on any build it would probably be the tank build not the dps build. (simply because it's an armor) so maybe design it that way, like 4% to each stats or 10% to health and minor protection to phys and spell, and the one that is already there for stamina build). And then build Something around pet for magika build if you want us to go this way. Maybe add 8% max magika for having a pet ability slotted. This way we already get a nice bonus for using pet which may lead us to use this wierd shield we have now.

Don't make pet for Tank, I'm not even sure Tank can summon pet ! (jk)

Magdalina · May 2016

....can we at least get some insight on what exactly was the reasoning for moving the reduce block cost passive around?o_O
Because right now to me it just looks like "people are complaining about blocking...must do something about blocking...Idk...oh why don't we just move this block related passive somewhere away from the block related tree?! Yes, this is clearly going to solve all the issues!^_^" kind of change.

Can't even begin to fathom the reasons o.O

Edit: lawl @ Surge changes. That skill is already super unreliable for selfheal, that change all but removes the heal from it. Generally lawl @ sorc changes. Whatever though, all the more reason to let this game go when DB goes live.

Glantir · May 2016

ZOS_GinaBruno wrote: »

[*]Surge: This ability and its morphs now restore a flat value of health whenever you deal a Critical Strike. It will now also proc on any Critical Strike instead of only direct damage Critical Strikes, but can only restore health once every second.

First you add a cd, all are complaining, you reduce it, it was still to long, you reduce it again to 100 ms (0,1sec) and now a fix heal and again 1 sec cd? If you hate sorceres pls delete the class and give us a free class change.....

potirondb16_ESO · May 2016

CyrusArya wrote: »

Ravage Stamina and Ravage Magicka poisons are only increasing costs by 30%, instead of the intended 60% cost increase.

In several cases, applying two different poisons to your target will result in the first poison being overwritten by the second poison. This is not intended, and all different poison types will be able to coexist on the same target in a future patch.

Poisons should NOT stack if potions do not. If you can only have 1 potion buff active at a time then why are multiple poison debuffs allowed? Doesn't make sense. Poisons were way too powerful even before you drop this revelation that they are functioning at half their intended potency. I fear these changes will further buff zergs and cripple solo/small scale PvP.

Actually poison should not even be there in pvp at all ! and even enchant is going to lead to a major issue with build like shieldbreaker that would become evil !