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GAME UPDATE 29: November 14, 2006

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*** Echoes of Faydwer ***

- The EverQuest II team is proud to announce that Echoes of Faydwer has launched! 
- Adventure through the lush and magical continent of Faydwer.
- Play the enchanted, powerful, winged race that inhabits Faydwer – the Fae. Or choose to start in Kelethin as a Wood Elf, High Elf, Half Elf, Dwarf, or Gnome.
- Enhance your abilities by finding favor with your chosen deity!
- Customize your character with new Sub-Class specific Achievement Trees. 
- Artisans can enjoy two new secondary tradeskills.  Check out tinkering and transmuting!
- Show off your sense of style with new customizable cloaks and beautiful new armor sets.
- Ride the boats to new exotic locations and discover new heritage, signature, and collection quests. 
- Echoes of Faydwer is available in your local retail outlet or via digital download. It can now be purchased online at The Station Store: https://store.station.sony.com/ 

*** Headlines ***

- The maximum guild level has increased to 60, with new guild rewards and nobility titles. In addition, all guilds can choose various heraldry options for their cloaks once they reach the appropriate level.
- Starting at level 10, all characters who own the Kingdom of Sky or Echoes of Faydwer expansions can now earn and spend Achievement points. 
- Check out the new and improved character generation flow!
- Horses have improved animations across the board. And they have learned how to jump!
- All characters can now wear a second earring. Go, glitter!
- Crafters and consumers alike rejoice over the new secure commission system. 
- We've made many small tweaks to improve the quality of combat. Take a look at this post (http://eqiiforums.station.sony.com/eq2/board/message?board.id=testfeed&amp;message.id=66299) for more details.

*** Gameplay ***

- Guilds now receive 10% of the personal status gained by any member, regardless of the size of the guild.
- Looted items will prefer to go into bags rather than an empty, top level inventory slot. Bags still prefer to go into empty top level inventory slots.
- Harvestables will now first try to go into any special harvest bags that you have equipped.
- When you defeat an encounter that only has one member you will no longer get a separate message about encounter experience. But rest assured that the amount of experience you get in this situation has not changed. 
- Below is a simple listing of the many small tweaks we have made to improve the quality of combat. For more information on our motivations and goals, please see this post http://eqiiforums.station.sony.com/eq2/board/message?board.id=testfeed&amp;message.id=66299]

Damage Mitigation and Resistance
- Maximum mitigation/resistance numbers for your current level have been increased from [ Level * 80 ] to [ Level * 150 ].
- Damage mitigated now has diminishing returns, with the point at which the old system and new system meet set at 3675 armor/resist value or (52.5%) for level 70 players.
- The new mitigation cap for any type of damage is 75% which is reached at [Level * 150] armor or resist value.
- The mitigations / resistances for some item bonuses will appear to have dropped.  This was due to a rounding error in their display.  Their actual resistance / mitigation values have not changed in most cases.

Stat Caps
- All stat cap maximums have been increased from [ 7 * Level + 20 ] to [ 15 * level + 20 ]
- Stat benefits are now on a diminishing returns curve
- The maximum benefit that each stat provides, including power pool size, melee damage bonus, spell damage bonus, hit points, and defense has been increased
- Classes that use multiple stats for power pools have had their maximum power possible increased by up to +25% if they are high enough in both stats. This is meant to offset the difficulty of having to increase multiple stats

Avoidance Skill
- Skill caps have increased from [ 6 * Level ] to [ 6.5 * Level ]
- Base Parry chance has been lowered from 10% to 5%
- Base Deflection chance has lowered from 30% to 25%
- Increases to avoidance skills now have diminishing returns similar to the changes made for mitigation/resistance. Players experience more gains in avoidance when further away from the cap, and less gains as they reach closer to the cap

Avoidance in Combat
- Display:  The way avoidance is displayed has changed.  A value similar to mitigation is now used to show your overall avoidance.  A tool tip displays details for those who desire more information.
   - Parry Check:  (Base 5%, Chance increases with additional parry skill.)  The chance to parry an incoming attack is modified by level and offense skill of the mob you are fighting.  Note:  A base 20% of parries turn into ripostes.  (Modified by certain achievements)
   - Block Check:  (Shield Required).  The quality of the shield determines the block chance.  Block is only modified by mob level and is not a contested roll vs. mob skill.
   - Deflection Check:  (Monk / Bruiser only) Base 25%, Chance increases with additional Deflection skill.  The chance to deflect an incoming attack is modified by level offense skill of the mob you are fighting.  
   - Dodge Check:  (Everyone) Base chance is determined by type of armor worn.  Chance increases with additional Defense Skill and Agility.  The chance to dodge an incoming attack is modified by level and offense skill of the mob you are fighting.

Casting Skill
- Skill caps have increased from [ 6 * Level ] to [ 6.5 * Level ]
- Skills also use a diminishing returns curve similar to avoidance skills
- Actual hostile spell resistance modification has increased from -10% to -20% at maximum skill
- Beneficial spells that use casting skill, mostly affecting ministration and ordination, now have their power costs reduced with increased skill

Fizzling
- The entire Fizzle mechanic has been removed. 

Focus Skill
- Skill caps have increased from [ 6 * Level ] to [ 6.5 * Level ]
- Focus has a maximum 20% instead of 10% to prevent interrupts from taking damage
- Focus Skill also reduces the chance of spell based Interrupts, Stifle, and Stun Effects from interrupting a spell that is already casting
- When interrupted by damage a spell will attempt to auto-recast itself.  The spell will try this up to 3 times before stopping this action.  Using the escape key, ducking, or moving will cancel the current spell being cast as before.

Attack Skill
- Skill caps have increased from [ 6 * Level ] to [ 6.5 * Level ]

Haste and DPS Mods
- Haste and DPS are now shown as a modified score instead of a percentage.
- The Haste and DPS mods can be increased to a rating of 200
- Haste and DPS mods also use a diminishing returns curve to determine the amount of attack speed and DPS modification.  This is a 125% modification when reaching the 200 point capped value.
- The values for most DPS and Haste spells have been increased slightly.

Item Procs
- Item Procs have received a general increase in proc rate. As an average the prior mechanic would calculate the number to earn 1.0 procs per minute.  The new mechanic raises this value to an average of 1.8 procs per minute.  Given the speed of combat within EQ2 this should see more procs per fight on average for anything which had a lower than 9% chance to proc in the previous system. See this post (http://eqiiforums.station.sony.com/eq2/board/message?board.id=testfeed&amp;message.id=66299) for examples.   
- Items that proc from Physical Triggers:  The proc rate for triggers such as successful attack, melee attack, or ranged attack can now be calculated by taking the delay of the weapon and multiplying it by 3.
- Items that proc from Spell Triggers:  The proc rate for triggers such as hostile spell or beneficial spell can be calculated by taking the cast time of the spell plus the 0.5 second recovery time then multiplying it by 3.
- Items that proc from Combat Arts:  The proc rate for combat arts works similar to spells.  Most combat arts have a cast time of 0.5 seconds and a recovery time of 0.5 seconds and are treated as if you are using a 1 delay weapon.  Longer cast combat arts obey the rules in the same manner as spell triggering procs.
- Spells and Poisons:  Poisons remain unchanged in the rate at which they proc.  Spells which apply a proc to a character also remain unchanged in the new system.
- Reactive Procs:  Procs which take effect after a character has taken damage, been killed, cross below a threshold, or other 'reactive' triggers have not changed.  
- Haste and Casting Speed Enhancements:  The calculation for proc percentage uses the base value not the modified value.  In this way the percentage will stay the same for chance to proc per trigger even if casting and attacking faster.  It will raise the number of procs seen the higher the haste value.

Equipment Quality Levels
- The Mitigation / Resistance Values of Armor and Accessories bearing the Mastercrafted, Legendary, and Fabled quality tags have been lowered to conform to the new combat mechanics and philosophy of diminishing returns.
- The damage values of Weapons bearing the Mastercrafted, Legendary, and Fabled quality tags have been lowered to conform to the new combat mechanics and philosophy of diminishing returns.
- The mitigation and damage value gap between Mastercrafted, Legendary, and Fabled quality items has been narrowed.

Spell / Combat Art / Weapon Damage Bonuses
- The damage bonus received from higher statistics for spells, combat arts, and weapon damage will no longer drop off as you level up and your cap increases.

Spells:  
- Furies have a new Root spell line!
- Coercer Spell Lash and Haruspex lines should show the proper trigger counts now.
- The duration on wood elemental spell 'Vicious clubbering' has been reduced

Berserker: Juggernaut: Increased upgrades will reduce the penalty amount.
Shadowknight: Despoiling Mists: For each affected target, it adds to the Shadowknight's armor mitigation.
Monk: Thrust Kick: deals damage type based on weapon type.
Monk: Pouncing Leopard: deals damage type based on weapon type.
Monk: Face of the Mountain: Casting time reduced from 3 to 1 second.
Monk: Stone Stance: Casting time reduced from 3 to 1 second.
Bruiser: Heavy Scarring: Casting time reduced from 0 to 1 second.
Bruiser: Strapping Spirit: Reduced amount of mitigation bonus.
Bruiser: Shoulder Charge: deals damage type based on weapon type.
Bruiser: Rapid Swings: deals damage type based on weapon type.
Bruiser: Sonic Fists: deals damage type based on weapon type.

Ranger: Hawk Dive: Hawk reduces hate with the target it strikes, greatly reducing the amount of hate that gets dumped on the ranger when it expires.
Ranger: Hawk Dive: Duration is now 20 seconds and increases through upgrades.
Swashbuckler: Poke: Reduced parry skill reduction amount.
Brigand: Gouge: Reduced parry skill reduction amount.
Brigand: Beg for Mercy: Cannot target Fighters.
Brigand: Deceit: Fixed DPS increase to Haste increase as mentioned in the examine text.
Brigand: Amazing Reflexes: Changed ability so that AOE avoidance is a short duration percentage trigger from melee attacks.
Troubador: Quiron's Joyous Celebration: Increased health regeneration amount.

Cleric: Soothe: Reduced casting time to 1.5 seconds.
Templar: Involuntary Healer: Reduced casting time. The heal portion of the triggered effect now heals in an area near the ally that is struck.
Inquisitor: Heresy: Is now target encounter.
Defiler: Repulsion: Reduces attributes by a set amount instead of a percentage. Duration increased.
Defiler: Distill Soul: Is now a group buff that costs a small amount of the defiler's health every time it triggers. It grants group allies a chance to summon a Lore minor area effect healing item whenver they kill an enemy.

Wizard: Tongue Twist: Increased hate reduction amount.
Wizard: Accord: Slightly increased hate transfer percentage. Proc also increases caster's power.
Warlock: Boon of the Dark: Slightly increased hate transfer percentage. Proc also increases caster's power over time.
Warlock: Interference: Increased hate reduction amount.
Warlock: Curse of Darkness: Heroic and Epic targets have greater amounts of health and power reduction.
Warlock: Added area effect avoidance to nullmail's triggered effect.
Summoner: Call Servant: Reduced casting time to 1 second.
Conjurer: Splinter of Essence: spell will not attempt to cast on a player that already has a summoned essence.
Necromancer: Splintered Heart: spell will not attempt to cast on a player that already has a summoned heart.

Melee Defensive Stances
- Melee defensive stances have a new effect.  They now enhance the quality of armor you wear instead of adding a flat amount of physical mitigation to your character.  This bonus will get more pronounced with better armor.

Class Modifications
- Assassins, Rangers, Brigands, and Swashbucklers now gain some of their power pool from strength as well as agility.
- Troubadors and Dirges now have more benefit to their power pools from agility.
- All Fighter classes now share the same modifier to their auto attack damage.
- Shadowknights now gain their power pool benefit from Intelligence and Strength instead of Wisdom.

Falling Damage and Safefall Skill
- Falling damage is no longer taken as a percentage of your total health.
- Distance is now the only modifier in the amount of damage taken, falling velocity is no longer a variable.  
- Damage is calculated as (Distance Fallen * 125).  
- A safe distance fall is 13 meters or less (Just under the height of a griffon tower platform).
- A terminal fall is 80 meters.  Any fall from that height (without safefall skill or some magic) will deal 30,000 points of damage.
- Safe Fall Skill increases the safe distance fall by 1 meter for every 5 points of skill.  A skill of 250 would increase the distance a character could fall without taking damage from 13 meters to 63 meters ((250 / 5) + 13).
- Super jump abilities will now fall at the normal rate when jumping off very high places.

NPC Changes
- All NPC's have had the variance on their auto-attack damage narrowed.  A mob who had a base damage value of 100 could swing between 50 and 150 points in the damage they dealt.  Now that same mob would be swinging between 75 and 125 points.
- Gray, Green, and Blue mobs can now present a bit more of a threat than they could previously.
- High Yellow and Orange mobs are slightly less difficult than they were previously.
- The overall damage modifier on auto-attack for most epic mobs has been reduced to bring them in line with the new combat system modifications.
- Nearly all damage immunities on creatures have been removed.  Many still remain highly resistant to certain types of damage and spells but immunities should be quite rare.

*** Player vs. Player ***
 
- Additional PvP Titles before and after the rank of Master have been added.  
- In addition to status, experience, title adjustments, coin and loot from killing fellow players, good and evil aligned players can now loot faction based coin from the chests of their fallen player enemies.  These coins can be used to increase your faction based on the level of the target you have killed.
- It is now possible to gain PvP rewards if you are within 75m of your targets death.
- Melee Attack Damage, Ranged Attack Damage, Melee Combat Art Damage, Pet Melee Attack Damage has all been slightly reduced in PvP Combat. Spells have should now be slightly harder to resist.
- Brigand: The Debilitate, Rake and Dispatch line of spells have had their mitigation debuffs lowered in PvP combat.
- Level 70 PvP Item Sets can now be purchased from Privus Nocte (Evil) and Helena Flutterling (Good) in Lesser Faydark.
- Pets should no longer force you into combat.
- Healers who heal themselves while being attacked by another player will now go into combat.
- Evacuate type spells and abilities can no longer be used while in PvP combat.
- Casters should find it easier to land spells closer to the displayed pvp damage now.
- The Hidden Refuge is no longer a respawn point for Tenebrous Tangle on PvP servers.
- PvP rewards for Qeynos/Kelethin Citizens can now be purchased in Kelethin in addition to Qeynos.
- Gento Fizzledabbler is now available in Kelethin for all your Spell Transcription needs.
- The Butcherblock, Nektulos and Thundering Steppes docks now carry PvP immunity much like Kelethin for wary adventurers wishing to travel between Antonica and Faydwar.
- The valid target level ranges of many zones have been modified.  Refer to the following post for details:
   http://eqiiforums.station.sony.com/eq2/board/message?board.id=pvp&amp;message.id=107833
- Respawning from PvP deaths now provides players with unlimited immunity until they travel 20m from their respawn point.

*** Achievements ***

- Unhappy with your ability to Summon Lager? The merchants who sell achievement respecs also now sell character traits respecs. 

*** Items ***

- Rujarkian Clydesdales have been renamed Rujarkian Hillrunners to better fit their new appearances.
- The nightmare horse whistle should now spawn a horse with a default saddle.

*** Tradeskills ***

- You no longer need to have a tradeskill device targeted to start a recipe, as long as you are close to the appropriate device.
- You can now move while tradeskilling however moving too far away from your current device will cancel the item creation.
- Symbol of Pinzarn should now be spelled correctly in recipes.
- Imbued Ebony Wands now explain what damage type they will do.
- Imbued Moonstone Ring of Intelligence now has the proper name.
- Carpenter Reaction Arts Metallurgy, Geology, and Solder should now use % of mana instead of straight numbers.

*** User Interface ***

- We've made a number of improvements to hotkey bars and inventory icons. In addition to improving functionality, these changes also improve client performance. 
- When you link an expendable item to your hotkey bar it will now display the total number of charges you have of that item in your inventory.
- The chat window has undergone some appearance changes. Try it out!
- The dialog box that displays your current slayer quest progress now has a scroll bar.
- The skills information has been relocated to a tab within the persona window.
- When chatting on a global channel, the chat channel number will be auto-replaced with the channel names while you are typing. 
- Significant changes have been made to the majority of UI XML files. 
- The default hover time to pop up a tooltip has been increased from 0 seconds to 0.25 seconds.
- There is now a slider in the options window to control how fast tooltips appear over hotkey buttons. It defaults to 1 second.

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