Update 2 Monster Play
By: Jared Pruett
Greetings, brave warriors of the Ettenmoors! Based on forum feedback and player trends we have implemented several changes that should stoke the fires of war.
The Free Peoples
For some time now, players have wanted better incentives for participating in PvMP. The general consensus was that the available rewards were not worth the time investment required to attain them. We agreed and have created a new suite of PvMP armours that are comparable to the Book 3 instance rewards, but with skill mods that are more PvMP-centric.
Insignias
With this update we are introducing a new type of runic, Insignias, that are only available in the Ettenmoors. Insignias are non-slot specific runics that enable players to utilize the PvMP armour skill mods at a much lower probability chance. It is important to note that the probabilities on the armour and insignias stack, enabling players to maximize their application chances by equipping both.
Example: A Burglar slots an insignia in his weapon that grants him a 10% chance for “Subtle Stab” to apply a healing debuff. He then slots the same insignia into his class item, increasing his application chance to 20%. Finally, he equips four pieces of the PvMP armour, granting an additional 30%, raising his total application chance to 50%.
Burglar
Studded Thagallthrek Armour
- 2-Set Bonus:
- 4-Set Bonus:
- +2 Stealth
- 30% chance for “Subtle Stab” to apply a -50% Incoming Healing debuff for 10s.
- 6-Set Bonus:
- “Hide in Plain Sight” now removes all Poison, Disease, Fear, and Wound effects on use.
Runic
- Insignia of Subtlety:
- 10% chance for “Subtle Stab” to apply a -50% Incoming Healing debuff for 10s.
Captain
Reinforced Kappwin Armour
- 2-Set Bonus:
- 4-Set Bonus:
- +10% “Make Haste” duration
- 6-Set Bonus:
- 30% chance for “Battle-shout” to apply Fear for 10s.
Runic
- Insignia of Commanding Presence:
- 10% chance for “Battle-shout” to apply a 10s Fear.
Champion
Reinforced Threkkappi Armour
- 2-Set Bonus:
- 4-Set Bonus:
- -25% True Heroics Cooldown
- 6-Set Bonus:
- 30% chance “Brutal Strikes” will remove the Fervour cost of your next “Ferocious Strikes”
Runic
- Insignia of Onslaught:
- 10% chance for “Brutal Strikes” to remove Fervour cost of your next “Ferocious Strikes”
Guardian
Reinforced Hlifworth Armour
- 2-Set Bonus:
- 4-Set Bonus:
- -10% Stagger Movement Speed Debuff
- 6-Set Bonus:
- 40% chance “To the King” will initiate a Parry Response.
Runic
- Insignia of Sovereignty:
- 15% chance “To The King” will initiate a Parry Response
Hunter
Studded Hlifherór Armour
- 2-Set Bonus:
- 4-Set Bonus:
- 6-Set Bonus:
- 30% chance “Low Cut” removes all slows and roots.
Runic
- Insignia of the Nimble Huntsman:
- 15% chance “Low Cut” removes all slows and roots
Lore-master
Padded Feldskyn Armour
- 2-Set Bonus:
- 4-Set Bonus:
- 20% chance “Lightning-storm” will apply Daze for 10s.
- 6-Set Bonus:
- Coordination: Whenever your pet lands a critical hit, your next skill induction is reduced to 0. This effect cannot trigger more than once every 10s.
Runic
- Insignia of the Tempest:
- 15% chance “Lightning-storm” will apply a Daze for 10s
Minstrel
Padded Anganskáld Armour
- 2-Set Bonus:
- 4-Set Bonus:
- “Song of Soothing” applies a 15% Incoming Healing debuff for 15s, to all targets in a 10m radius.
- 6-Set Bonus:
- “Still As Death” removes all Poison, Disease, Fear, and Wound effects and grants a boost to in-combat morale and power regeneration.
Runic
- Insignia of Soothing:
- +10% “Song of Soothing” Incoming Healing debuff
Rune-keeper
Padded Cobalt Armour
- 2-Set Bonus:
- +10% Glory gains
- 4-Set Bonus:
- +3 “Essence of Winter” max targets
- 6-Set Bonus:
- 20% chance “Ceaseless Argument” applies a 20% Movement Speed debuff for 10s.
Runic
- Insignia of the Tirade:
- 10% chance “Ceaseless Argument” applies a 20% Movement Speed debuff for 10s
Warden
Frór's Studded Armour
- 2-Set Bonus:
- +10% Glory gains
- 4-Set Bonus:
- +10s “Careful Step” duration
- 6-Set Bonus:
- 50% chance “Boar’s Rush” applies a 5s Daze on hit.
Runic
- Insignia of the Boar:
- 25% chance “Boar’s Rush” applies a 5s Daze on hit
Monsters of Angmar
Our primary goals for this update were to smooth out the initial Creep experience by creating a tutorial and reducing ramp-up time. Additionally, based on Forum feedback, each class will see revisions in the form new skills or traits, revisions to existing skills, and/or alterations to the rank requirements of some of their advancement options.
Tutorial:
We felt the initial Monster Play experience was a bit overwhelming for new players. To alleviate this we have created a tutorial that gates all other quests. The tutorial introduces players to the basics of being a Creep and provides them with enough destiny and money to purchase and slot their first trait or corruption. It’s important to note that the destiny awarded for completing the tutorial is only given for the first completion. Subsequent completions will only grant money.
We didn’t want the tutorial to be a hindrance to our more experienced players, so we kept it brief, focusing on the core mechanics of Creep advancement. Players seeking additional information can now speak with their Monster Play Trainer to learn about more complex PvMP mechanics.
Gramsfoot Revisions:
Gramsfoot is also getting some revisions with this update, in the form of reorganization and polish.
- To facilitate the new tutorial quest we have created a racial camp, similar to the Stalker and Weaver camps, for the Orcs/Uruks. The new Orc/Uruk camp is located behind the War Tent.
- Each racial camp now has a Trainer, Corruptor, Racial Trader, Corruptions Trader, and a tutorial quest giver.
- Since trainers and corruptors are now found in the racial camps, the front of Gramsfoot has been reorganized into a vendor/barter hub.
- Quests have been more evenly dispersed amongst the NPCs near the totem.
- New banners have been added to the War Tent that change states based on control of the contested areas (Lugazag, Tirith Rhaw, Tol Ascarnen, Grimwood Lumber Camp, Isendeep Mines).
- Animations have been added to many of the NPCs.
Class Updates:
When Creeps were first implemented we needed them to be viable combatants for Freeps level 40+. To accomplish this, we gave Creeps a significant ramp-up phase to keep them on par with the Freeps. As the game progressed and the level cap increased the focus in the Ettenmoors has shifted to a zone for level-capped PvMP. This caused the ramp-up phase to become a hindrance for new Creep players due to low survivability. With the Book 3 update, we have significantly reduced this ramp-up time by granting new Creeps their basic Passive traits and Rank 0 skills upon creation.
In addition to reducing the ramp-up time, each class has received some updates:
Black Arrow
Skill Unlock Changes:
- “No You Don’t”
- “Moving Target”
- “Gash”
Skill Revisions:
- “Flaming Arrow”
- Cooldown has been increased from 5s to 20s
- The original 5s cooldown made this skill far more potent than we intended and trivialized other Black Arrow skills. Increasing the cooldown enables “Flaming Arrow” to remain a potent single target skill when worked into a rotation.
New Skills/Traits:
- “Advanced Skill: Snare”
- The Black Arrow can drop a snare in-combat that puts a -40% Movement Speed debuff on up to 3 targets for 10s.
- Trait is available at Rank 6
Defiler
Skill Unlock Changes:
- “Plague Gourd”
- “Fell Sacrifice”
Skill Revisions:
- “Plague of Flies”
- In addition to the Ranged Hit Chance debuff it now drains a small amount of power from its targets and returns that to the Defiler.
- We agreed with the Forum feedback that this skill was conceptually cool, but was not worth including in the skill rotation due to its casting time, delayed spawn, and very specific use. By adding a power drain this skill can now be used in any situation.
- Auto-attack
- Changed this to a ranged attack.
- We felt this was more appropriate for the gourd throwing healer of Angmar.
New Skills/Traits:
- “Enhanced Skill: Efflorescence”
- Increases the range of “Efflorescence” from 10m to 20m and reduces the Power Cost by 15%.
- Trait is available at Rank 6
Reaver
Skill Unlock Changes:
- “Charge”
- “Blinding Dust”
- “Glory in Victory”
New Skills/Traits:
- “Advanced Skill: Blade Toss”
- The Reaver hurls his weapons at his foe doing significant damage but leaving the Reaver disarmed for 5s. This skill does an additional 25% damage when attacking from behind.
- Trait is available at Rank 7
Stalker
Skill Unlock Changes:
- “Pounce”
- “Savage Fangs”
- “Enhanced Skill: Sense Prey”
- Available at Rank 10 instead of 15.
Skill Revisions:
- “Rallying Howl”
- Induction has been removed to make this more useful in combat situations.
Warleader
Skill Unlock Changes:
Skill Revisions:
- “Fracture”
- This skill will now interrupt enemy inductions.
- “Brawler Stance”
- Reduces the cooldown of Melee skills by 25%.
New Skills/Traits:
- “Lead the Charge!”
- Enables “Banner of Terror” and “Banner of Horror” to be used in-combat, but reduces their cooldowns and durations by 50%.
- Trait is available at Rank 5
Weaver
Skill Unlock Changes:
- “Hatchling”
- “Entangling Webs”
- “Lie in Wait”
Skill Revisions
- “Hatchling”
- This skill now summons a single-fully controllable hatchling pet. “Hatchling” cannot be used in-combat and the pet has the following skills:
- Auto-attack has a chance to apply a Poison Debuff or Poison DoT.
- “Lethargic Poison”
- This skill does low damage, but increases the target’s inductions by 10%.
- If the target is currently under the effects of “Venomous Haze”, the effect is consumed causing the target to suffer an additional 5% damage for the next 30s.
- “Mandible Strike”
- High damage melee strike.
- “Devour”
- The hatchling offers itself to the Weaver for sustenance, healing the Weaver for 50% of the hatchlings maximum health.
- This skill can only be used in combat.
- “Lie In Wait”
- Now applies the Ambush effect upon ending the channeling state. Ambush increases the Weavers Melee, Ranged, and Tactical Critical Rating for 10s.
New Skills/Traits:
- “Strong Brood”
- Increases your hatchling’s health, attack speed, critical chances, defences, and gives it access to improved skills.
- “Improved Lethargic Poison”
- “Improved Mandible Strike”
- On critical hit, this skill causes the target to be disarmed for 3s.
- “Improved Devour”
- Increases the amount of health returned to the Weaver.
