New mask / pendant not worth using now.

Smoot 2018-09-13 11:26 #0

after the nerf to 35 EP, will anyone actually be using this now? i thought it was ok before with 50, definitely not for the most high end / maxed out suits, but a viable alternative if you could find jewels with enough properties to make up for using the relatively weak mask (by property weight). 2 non-EP jewels could probably make up for that loss of weight to the armor slot. but only 1 jewel like this really doesnt make it worthwhile.

CovenantX 2018-09-13 22:15 #1

The gargoyle version is the only 'useful' version now.... 100% due to the lack of variety in equipment gargoyles have access to.

the mask was barely competitive with the Scholar's Halo & Captain John's Hat, when it had 50% EP...

Now, it's even much less so, the EP was the only thing that made the mask worth using in the first place, 10 HPI? sure, it's good... but very easy to make that up elsewhere, and every suit that uses a halo or captain john's hat already has it.

way for the devs to make grind-heavy content basically rewardless.

all we really get of any value from this is blessed bandaids.... I guess 'collector's get a "Of the Cult" items to collect... *golf clap*

we need more reasons to 'Play' UO, not more reasons to quit playing.

Priorities need straightened out on many fronts.

Mervyn 2018-09-14 03:07 #2

Can’t the devs do anything without being accused of making the game a “grind”

No matter what new content they introduce, people call it a grind. What do you want them to do? Just have the arties appear in your backpack on login like a holiday gift?

Pawain 2018-09-14 05:14 #3

Mervyn said:

Can’t the devs do anything without being accused of making the game a “grind”

No matter what new content they introduce, people call it a grind. What do you want them to do? Just have the arties appear in your backpack on login like a holiday gift?

Sounds good to me. Killing stuff is fun. Dying is not fun.

If you dont want the gifts drop them on the ground and use Armor from a blacksmith if you want a more challenging game. You do not have to alter other playstyles to make the game harder for yourself.

But the thread is about nerfing the mask.

What is your input on the topic?

DJAd 2018-09-14 08:36 #4

Mervyn said:

Just have the arties appear in your backpack on login like a holiday gift?

Yeah of course.

CovenantX 2018-09-14 17:41 #5

Mervyn said:

Can’t the devs do anything without being accused of making the game a “grind”

No matter what new content they introduce, people call it a grind. What do you want them to do? Just have the arties appear in your backpack on login like a holiday gift?

No one's suggesting to get a reward without completing the content.

Simply suggesting the reward(s) be useful, so that there's a reason to do the content to begin with.

CovenantX 2018-09-16 17:53 #6

@Kyronix ; @Bleak ; @Mesanna

Any specific reason the mask was dropped to 35% EP from 50%?

Now the item just doesn't compete with some of the most commonly used helmets people already have. it has basically become deco for collectors at this point.

I suggest changing it back to 50%, or adding another jewelry/weapon-only property to the mask in order to have it more balanced with other existing items occupying the same slot.

50% EP is the only thing property-wise that made it useful really, everything else is so easily made up with the other 5 armor slots (HPI, Mana, LMC, Resistances).

No one's going to switch from a Halo, Captain John's Hat, Mark of Travesty and many other artifacts to use the new mask. It's weaker than most head-slot artifact in terms of it's 'usability' & synergy with most other artifacts as well.

Bilbo 2018-09-16 18:09 #7

CovenantX said:

@ Kyronix @ Bleak @ Mesanna

Any specific reason the mask was dropped to 35% EP from 50%?

Now the item just doesn't compete with some of the most commonly used helmets people already have.   it has basically become deco for collectors at this point.

I suggest changing it back to 50%, or adding another jewelry/weapon-only property to the mask in order to have it more balanced with other existing items occupying the same slot.

50% EP is the only thing property-wise that made it useful really, everything else is so easily made up with the other 5 armor slots (HPI, Mana, LMC, Resistances).

No one's going to switch from a Halo, Captain John's Hat, Mark of Travesty and many other artifacts to use the new mask. It's weaker than most head-slot artifact in terms of it's 'usability' & synergy with most other artifacts as well.

https://forum.uo.com/discussion/comment/12328/#Comment_12328
Based on feedback, it was deemed a single item which provided "cap" level EP required a balancing pass, thusly the EP property was reduced.

Uriah_Heep 2018-09-16 18:24 #8

Mervyn said:

Can’t the devs do anything without being accused of making the game a “grind”

No matter what new content they introduce, people call it a grind. What do you want them to do? Just have the arties appear in your backpack on login like a holiday gift?

With doom, we didn't have to 'grind' out special mats for weapons to use.
We did have a bit of a grind with Kotl.
No grind at all with Skittles, it was like doom-log in for your hour or so a day and enjoy the halloween content.

Now with KHaldun, we gonna have to mine, LJ, cook, God only knows what else, and then craft books and weapons to participate. Was hoping to just buy a spellbook with last years points, but no, we can't continue that tradition...everyone is gonna grind!!

Uriah_Heep 2018-09-16 18:25 #9

Mervyn, everything they introduce has to be 'keyed" nowadays. That's my issue, and what I consider a grind. I don't expect to login and just have it all in my pack one day, but I would like to spend my time with the content, and not trying to earn the right just to do the content.

Tim 2018-09-16 18:50 #10

Game

You do it for enjoyment
you do it to interact and have fun with other people

Job

You do it for rewards

UO is a game

You might be different but I only do content I find fun regardless of the loot available. For me the worst thing the developers can do is power creep. If they keep introducing new more powerful item all the time then the next content has to be powered up to reflect the new normal. To do that content I then have to grind the last one even if I don't want to just to keep up.

NO new items should be entered into the game more powerful the what is already available just different.

CovenantX 2018-09-16 19:24 #11

Bilbo said:

https://forum.uo.com/discussion/comment/12328/#Comment_12328
Based on feedback, it was deemed a single item which provided "cap" level EP required a balancing pass, thusly the EP property was reduced.

Thanks, I missed that post somehow.

Perhaps they should look at Cuffs of the Arch-mage (doom craftable) for reaching the "SDI CAP" with a single property with the added bonus of +15 Resisting spells skill (another jewerly-only property) on the Arm slot... If the devs actually played UO to anywhere near the extent most players do, or have, they'd know these things

Literally every helmet that people actually use, has multiple properties Only found on jewelry or weapons... This mask only has one (EP) and all the other properties are very easily made up with the remaining 5 armor slots available.

Even at 50% EP the mask was still not quite as good as the Scholar's Halo, but a viable option.

It still wouldn't replace any of the "skill bonus" helmets though, due to them being used with more specific templates.

The charge of Meteor Swarm could be used as a secondary option to reveal people (secondary because of the cast-time) the damage is too low at 80.0 eval (all charges/hit-spells function as if casted with 80.0 eval-int) so it's not worth using for anything else.

EP doesn't matter for pvm, it has no luck so non-pvpers won't be using it for the most part either.

Sliss 2018-09-16 19:31 #12

Tim said:

Game
You do it for enjoyment
you do it to interact and have fun with other people
Job
You do it for rewards
UO is a game

Your definitions are a bit wobbly. Tons of games are something you do for rewards. You don't see a lot of roulette games for fun, do you? Lot's of sports are "hard work and sacrifice" for reward.
And by your definition, if rewards were removed from UO, it would still work as a game. Nope, 90% (and I am being generous here) would leave.

Lobster 2018-09-17 20:38 #13

The mask needs the 50% EP back. It's still not too late, I really hope devs reconsider this.

The mask was nerfed because of "balance" concerns.
I think we're talking about balance between PvP templates and also balance between Artifact choices for head armor slot.

1) PvP templates
EP benefits ALL templates, not specific ones. It even helps and allows PvPers to make more various templates because 50% EP on head slot will allow no EP jewels with skill bonuses to be used on BOTH bracelet and ring slot. With only 35% EP, you probably still need EP on one jewel.
It also makes no EP jewels more useful and valuable.

2) Artifact choices for head slot
Other Artifact choices for head slot will still be as viable and useful as they are now since they all have their own unique and powerful mods.
You can get FC1, SSI, HCI, SDI from town buffs, but not EP. This is one more reason why 50% EP wouldn't hurt balance, it will add one more good choice for head slot and will help variety in suit and template building. The more choices you have, the less likely balance issues would happen because we all have different tastes and preferences.

I heard Khal Ankur is very angry now since his mask was nerfed... I fear his anger will grow stronger and will make UO servers unstable when the new publish goes live worldwide...
It's still not too late, give the 50% EP back to his mask.

Smoot 2018-09-18 05:40 #14

even 25 ep with one more useful mod would be better than 35ep. it still wouldnt be great, but would be competitive with common legendaries, while still allowing a bit more choices for 1 jewel at least.

Gandalf 2018-09-18 18:56 #15

I am ok with 25EP.
50 was overpowered.

CovenantX 2018-09-18 20:17 #16

yea, the EP nerf would be fine if there was something else that couldn't be made-up for with the other 5 armor slots with ease. maybe like 15 Hci or 15 DCI, something.. otheriwse 50% EP was the only thing that made it competitive with other items people are actually using already...

Personally, even with it at 50% EP, I still wouldn't replace a Halo or Captain John's Hat with it, but it was at least competitive with them for the most part. Oddly enough, both the Halo & Captain John's Hat have 2 + jewelry-only properties.

at 50% EP the mask had 1194 item weight, down to 1134 (current) at 35% EP 1 jewel property.

the Scholar's Halo is 1208 item weight with 2 jewel properties (Fc1 & 15% SDI)

If the mask isn't returned to normal, it just means fewer people would farm the content for it.

It would be nice to have new content with meaningful reward(s) added to UO again sometime though.

Cazador 2018-09-19 13:50 #17

25ep 3fcr sounds about right. 50ep would rarely if ever be used as a head slot. Never mind the 35

New mask / pendant not worth using now.

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