COMBINED
- A Settings button has been added to the Login Screen.
- A fix has been implemented for power trays getting reset when powers are granted after character selection.
- This issue previously caused some players to have their power bars erased when the Holiday Powers were granted during the Winter Event.
- The Character selection screen text should no longer change colors based on the last character logged in.
- Tabs in the clue window should no longer be hidden under the description text.
- A bug where recipes and powers would overlap in the trade UI has been fixed.
Dark Astoria Zone Update
Dark Astoria is the decayed, urban epitaph to the dark god Mot. Largely unbeknownst to the original founders of this doomed city, a terrible being was entombed here in ages past. The death of the city has been steady, inexorable and irreversible. In recent years, Dark Astoria has been a dangerous place, but now that the last strands of Mot's bindings begin to erode, the city exerts its mysterious pull, drawing the doomed to its streets to struggle or serve.
At long last, Mot has finally been freed and his minions flock to Dark Astoria in greater numbers than ever to revel in his power and witness as he devours all life on Primal Earth.
- Dark Astoria has been repopulated with Incarnate-level enemies from the Banished Pantheon, Tsoo, Talons of Vengeance, Circle of Thorns, and the new Knives of Vengeance, ranging in level from 50 to 54.
- The Banished Pantheon, Tsoo and Talons of Vengeance also feature new members to be fought at these level ranges. Lower levels are unchanged, except as noted below in the section for Villain Group Adjustments.
- All-new Incarnate story arcs, repeatable missions, and an Incarnate trial are available for level 50 Incarnate characters
- Earn new, Incarnate level badges for defeating the main villain groups.
- Malta, Arachnos, 5th Column, Paragon Police and Knives of Artemis will also appear at Incarnate levels in missions only.
- New zone art: Moth Cemetery has been completely revamped from its original appearance and layout, the warwalls have taken a distinctly menacing hue and the fog has been lifted.
- New portal connects to Peregrine Island and Grandville to give access to both Heroes and Villains.
Dark Astoria Missions
Dark Astoria Story Arcs
Heroes
The Dark Astoria arc begins when *Captain Nolan* of the PPD contacts heroes who have unlocked their Alpha Incarnate slot regarding an odd series of cases that have been occurring in Peregrine Island. He believes they may be linked to the events of Dark Astoria.
Villains
Villains who have unlocked their Alpha Incarnate slot will receive a *threatening Arachnos message* from a deranged member of the organization. This man's madness may either be an intricate plot from Arachnos or an indication of something far more powerful that seeks to exact justice upon villains.
Repeatable Missions
Dark Astoria Repeatable Missions feature rewards befitting an Incarnate player, including Incarnate Experience and Thread Components.
Ephram Sha of the Midnight Squad has tasks befitting Incarnate-level Heroes in Dark Astoria. Help him push back the forces of Mot!
The Circle of Thorns has an interest in the dark magics swirling around Dark Astoria. They have sent Maharaj, a powerful Soul Mage, to help Incarnate-level Villains sow chaos in the ranks of their foes.
Mid-level Storyarcs
Steel Canyon
The 5th Column have mounted a counteroffensive against the Council, with Steel Canyon as the battlefield. Laura Lockhart, professional deprogrammer and 5th Column propaganda expert, is recruiting heroes to help investigate this recent surge of violence.
The Steel Canyon Asian Art Museum's Grand Opening is underway, and the main exhibit has a hidden connection with the Tsoo... but with a death warrant out on your head, that may be the least of your concerns!
Cap au Diable
A mysterious man named Baron Zukor has arrived in Cap au Diable, and has put out a call to the Destined Ones... to turn to heroism? Infiltrate his strange cult of villains-turned-heroes and turn Zukor's game against him!
The Luddites have been blathering on about the evils of technology for ages, but a new prophecy has given you some inspiration. Brother Hammond is convinced that you are the Chosen One... and who are you to argue, when a free army of followers has just fallen into your lap?
Drowning In Blood Trial
Storyline
In the aftermath of Galaxy City, all eyes have turned to Bloody Bay. For the past twenty years the small island has been the home of the Shivan, ever since the Shivan Comet almost collided with Earth. In recent days, though, all communication with the island has mysteriously stopped. Travelling alongside either Longbow or Arachnos reinforcements, venture back to the island to uncover the events that transpired and search for insight into the Shivan.
Synopsis
The event takes place in an instanced version of Bloody Bay. Players will venture through the streets and wilderness of the island, facing Freakshow, Circle of Thorns and Shivans. The event is available via the turnstile and accommodates 4 to 8 players, level 15+.
Adamastor Zone Event
Adamastor has broken free of Dark Astoria, lying in wait beyond its walls until his summoning rituals are completed by cultists of the Banished Pantheon. Prevent this Giant Monster from going on a rampage in Talos Island and Sharkhead Isle by finding the Ritual of Summoning and using it to summon and defeat the creature.
- New Zone Events have been added in Talos Island (at the former doorway to Dark Astoria) and in Sharkhead Isle (in the sunken portion of Potters Field).
- Players may acquire the Ritual of Summoning as a random recipe drop from any Boss level or higher Banished Pantheon enemy, at any level the Banished Pantheon can be battled. It can then be converted into the Ritual of Summoning power at any Invention Worktable for 500 Influence.
- Using the Ritual of Summoning in the zone event area will bring forth Adamastor, allowing heroes and villains alike to defeat him and earn the "Keeper of Secrets" badge.
- The Ritual of Summoning recipe is tradeable, mailable and auctionable.
Super Packs
General
- Super Packs are obtained either by purchasing them directly in the Paragon Market or by selecting them in the Paragon Rewards Program as a repeatable reward.
- Super Packs are claimed as Character Items in the user's e-mail.
- Super Packs can be automatically opened when claimed from your Character Items panel.
- If you choose not to automatically open Super Packs when claimed from your Character Items, they will be added to your Salvage window under the Special tab.
- Awarded items will appear as Character Items or will automatically be applied to an account where applicable.
- Each Super Pack will contain 5 cards. These cards belong to one of 4 rarities: Common, Uncommon, Rare and Very Rare
- Items range from inspirations and other consumables to costume pieces and archetype origin enhancements.
- Obtained costume pieces can be viewed in the collection window.
- Players can view other players' collections just as they can view their badges.
Opening Super Packs
- If you have disabled the “Open Salvage” prompt, Super Packs will always open when claimed.
- If the “Open Salvage” prompt is enabled, you will be prompted with “Do you wish to open this salvage?” when you claim a super pack, allowing you to click “No” and open it later if you desire.
- Heroes & Villains Super Pack salvage can be opened by right clicking on the item from the salvage window.
- Once a Super Pack is opened a window will pop up with 5 face down Super Pack cards.
- Players can flip the cards one at a time or set a default radio button which will automatically flip the cards when the salvage is opened.
- The Super Pack interface takes 5 to 10 seconds to reveal all 5 cards when set to auto reveal.
- If you claim multiple packs in rapid succession, you won’t see all the cards flip but the results will be listed in your chat.
Tradable Super Pack Items
- The rare version of Archetype Origin Enhancements can be traded or sold in the Auction Houses.
- The very rare Superior ATOs cannot be traded or sold in the Auction Houses
New Mapset - Granite Caves
A new mapset has been created for missions, the Granite Caves. They are a larger version of the previous caves and are used throughout the new Dark Astoria story arcs.
Incarnate Trial - Dilemma Diabolique
After dealing with Mot throughout the course of the Dark Astoria story arcs, there is one thread left unresolved: what was Diabolique's purpose in coming to Dark Astoria? It isn't long before the Incarnates learn that she has come to claim Mot's power for herself, in an effort to become Death Incarnate. This stage is set for this new trial with a special introductory story arc, with the story continuing to unfold in the trial itself. Battle against the Banished Pantheon and Diabolique's Demons as you cross between the worlds of the living and the dead try to stop Diabolique from completing her plans to become Death Incarnate!
Synopsis
This event is level 54+3, requires 8 to 16 players and takes place in and around the former Moth Cemetery, where Mot has emerged from below the ground. Diabolique has set up a defensive barrier to the central plateau, which must be breached in order to recover the sources of power Diabolique is using for her ritual to become Death Incarnate. After the effort to recover all of the power sources ends, Diabolique will send forth her new "pet", the Sentinel of Mot, to deal with the invaders. When the monstrous creature is dealt with, it is simply a matter of descending into Mot himself and confronting Diabolique... though it quickly becomes clear that she has one more trick up her sleeve.
Rewards
Dilemma Diabolique will award both Physical and Psychic Incarnate XP. Additionally, on completion it will award 2 Empyrean Merits. During the 20 hour cooldown,Dilemma Diabolique awards 1 Empyrean Merit for each completion.
Some of the Unique Powers
- Voracious Maw: The Sentinel of Mot will call upon the giant god's many mouths, which will burst from the ground and tear at the flesh of all those caught within their frenzied attack.
- Impale: The Sentinel of Mot will collect death energy around a single target. This crystalline energy then erupts in a burst of shrapnel which harms the main target and all those around them who lingered too long within the field of energy.
- Variable Powers: Depending on the sources of power left unrecovered in the plateau stage, the Sentinel and Diabolique will acquire different sets of combat bonuses. Additionally, the Sentinel will gain unique proc attacks. Six of these are Targeted AoEs, causing either Fear, Hold, Damage Pulse, EndDrain, Weaken or Damage Reduction. One is a PBAoE around the Sentinel, which damages those caught in the field while simultaneously healing the Sentinel.
- Might of the Dead: Whenever a player is defeated during the final battle with Diabolique, or when one of her sources of power is recovered, she will gain an increase in power. This increase is made clear by the distinct energy and sound of "leveling up", and for each level, Diabolique acquires greater defense, resistance, regeneration and chance to hit.
- Lifegiving Essence: Throughout the final battle against Diabolique, Lifegiving Essences will spawn throughout the battle chamber. These amalgamations of pure life energy move quickly around the room, but cannot avoid Diabolique. Every 30s, she will consume all remaining Lifegiving Essences, recovering 10% of her maximum health for each one consumed. However, the Incarnates can also use these Essences to their advantage: each one defeated not only deprives Diabolique of a opportunity to heal, but also raises defeated allies and places a heal over time effect on the living.
Incarnate Rewards Without Trials
VIP Players who are level 50 can receive Incarnate Rewards outside of the trials by taking part in Dark Astoria's zone and mission content. The rewards available include:
- Defeating enemies within Dark Astoria and its missions will award both Physical and Psychic Incarnate XP. Additionally, defeated enemies have a chance to drop Incarnate Threads.
- Enemies in this zone and its missions range from level 50 to 54, with higher level enemies providing more XP and greater chance for Thread drops.
- Repeatable Missions within Dark Astoria will award their choice of Incarnate Threads, Reward Merits and Super Inspirations. There is no lockout on these choices, so every completion can be used to earn threads.
- Story Arcs within Dark Astoria will award players with their choice of one randomly chosen Incarnate Component pool, one randomly chosen Incarnate Merit, Incarnate Threads, Reward Merits or Super Inspirations.
- There is a chance to earn a Common, Uncommon, Rare or Very Rare Component with the Incarnate Component selection.
- There is a chance to earn an Astral or an Empyrean Merit with the Incarnate Merit selection.
- The story arcs use a similar lockout mechanism to that used in Signature Story Arcs, except with a 20-hour lockout for the reward choices, rather than 1 week.
- Incarnate Shards will not drop in Dark Astoria or its missions.
- Additionally, sub-level 50 VIPs should feel free to join their Incarnate friends in Dark Astoria. These players gain regular XP up to level 50, at which point they will automatically begin to earn Incarnate Rewards and accumulate Incarnate XP for as long as they remain in Dark Astoria.
Villain Group Adjustments
Some changes have been made to the main villain groups which will appear in Dark Astoria. These changes occur in lower level ranges, outside of Dark Astoria:
Banished Pantheon
High level Portal Corp Banished Pantheon missions in the 40-54 range have been altered to use variants of the new Banished Pantheon critters (though not at the same strength as those found in Dark Astoria). This change also affects the list of level 40-54 Banished Pantheon critters accessible through Mission Architect.
Talons of Vengeance
Lightning and Shadow Oracles were underpowered compared to their Fire and Ice counterparts. Their powers have been adjusted upward slightly to compensate, though the Fire and Ice Oracles also experienced some reduction in power.
Ice Oracles will now properly apply the -JumpHeight effect from their powers.
Supergroup Bases
- Base Detail recipes have been added for "Hacked Telepad" (Tech) and "Magicked Telepad" (Arcane) with the same salvage costs as the Basic Telepad but an increased prestige cost.
- These new Telepads look and work exactly the same as Basic Telepads but support up to 6 Teleportation Aux Beacon connections - meaning one pad can link up to 6 zones.
POWERS
General
- Powers which change the entire appearance of a character such as Granite Armor or White Dwarf should now preview the appearance change in the Powers Customization UI.
- Vengeance can now be used on any defeated player in the user's league, rather than in the user's team. The effects of Vengeance continue to only affect the team of the user.
- Mystic Fortune and Secondary Mutation now have new unique power icons.
New Power Set
Darkness Control - This new set is a primary power set choice for Controllers and Dominators. Darkness Control allows you to dominate your enemies with the power of darkness of shadow and instill fear into their hearts. This power set is free for VIP subscribers and available in the Paragon Market for premium players.
Powerset Proliferation
Two power sets have been proliferated to pair nicely with Darkness Control:
Darkness Affinity - This is a secondary power set choice for Controllers. Darkness Affinity is a port of Dark Miasma, but has had a few changes made to it. Petrifying Gaze and Fearsome Stare have been removed and replaced with Fade and Soul Absorption. Fade is a powerful team defense buff with a short duration and Soul Absorption is a power that grants nearby allies a regeneration and recovery buff for each nearby defeated enemy. This power set is free for VIP subscribers and available in the Paragon Market for premium players.
Dark Assault - This is a secondary power set choice for Dominators. Dark Assault is a combination of Dark Blast, Dark Melee and Dark Armor powers. It introduces a new power called Gather Shadows. This power grants the user a damage and secondary effect buff. This power set is free for VIP subscribers and available in the Paragon Market for premium players.
Controllers
Controllers now deal Containment damage to uncontrollable Archvillains in Incarnate Trials.
Gravity Control
- Dimension Shift has been re-designed. It is now a location-targeted Toggle instead of an enemy-targeted attack. It creates a zone of folded space for up to 20 seconds, phasing and immobilizing all foes in the area of effect for the duration. De-toggling the power quickly ends the effect, allowing the foes to be attacked once more.
- Wormhole's effect radius has been increased from 15 feet to 20 feet.
- Wormhole no longer causes targets to attack the user.
- Singularity's cast time for Crush has been reduced from 3.1 seconds to 1.33 seconds.
- Singularity's cast time for Gravity Distortion has been reduced from 3.2 seconds to 1.83 seconds.
- Increased the damage of Singularity's Lift by 63%.
- Added a bonus mechanic to player versions of Lift and Propel. These powers now deal a small amount of additional damage, called "Impact!", to targets recently held by any player's Gravity Distortion power.
- Reduced the cast time of Propel from 3.5 seconds down to 2.07 seconds.
- Quickened the projectile speed of Propel.
Controller
Increased the damage of Lift by 63%.
Ice Control
Jack Frost's power choice AI has been improved. He should now use all of his powers as they come off recharge, with much less idle time.
Kinetic Melee
Kinetic Melee/Body Blow: Fixed a bug that caused this power to incorrectly cost slightly too little endurance. Its endurance cost has been adjusted from 5.82 to 6.03.
Kinetic Melee/Quick Strike: Corrected a typo in this power's short help. It now correctly states that this power has a 25% chance to knock down.
Fiery Aura/Fiery Embrace
- Tanker/Fiery Melee/Scorch: Fixed a bug in Scorch that caused it to deal very slightly too much damage while Fiery Embrace is active.
- Tanker/Fiery Melee/Combustion: Fixed a bug in Combustion that caused it to deal very slightly too much damage while Fiery Embrace is active.
- Tanker/Martial Arts/Eagles Claw: Fixed a bug in this power that caused it to deal significantly too little damage while Fiery Embrace is active.
- Tanker/Titan Weapons/Crushing Blow: Fixed a bug that caused this power to cause too little damage while Fiery Embrace is active.
- Scrapper/Claws/Focus: Fixed a bug that would cause Fiery Embrace to cause too much damage.
- Scrapper/Dark Melee/Siphon Life: Fixed a bug that would cause Fiery Embrace to cause too much damage.
- Scrapper/Dark Melee/Dark Consumption: Fixed a bug that would cause Fiery Embrace to cause too much damage.
- Scrapper/Martial Arts/Eagle's Claw: Fixed a bug that would cause Fiery Embrace to cause too little damage.
Dark Miasma
Defender
Dark Servant will now play the appropriate casting effects.
Corruptor
Petrifying Gaze should now play the appropriate continuing effects on the target
Shadowfall should now play the appropriate continuing effects on affected teammates.
Mastermind
Petrifying Gaze should now play the appropriate continuing effects on the target
Shadowfall should now play the appropriate continuing effects on affected teammates.
Stalker
- All Stalker APP attack powers now have a chance to critically hit, based on the number of players in the stalker's group. All single-target attacks in Stalker APPs now have a 100% chance to crit while Hidden. All AoE attacks in Stalker APPs now have a 50% chance to crit while Hidden. These values match the critical strike chances of Patron power pools and Stalker primary powerset attacks.
- Assassin Strike (All versions): This power now functions differently while not Hidden (or have just used Placate). When attacking a foe when Hidden, it will behave normally dealing tremendous damage with a chance to demoralize nearby foes, but it can be interrupted. However, when the power is used while you're not Hidden it will deal Superior damage and is uninterruptible! Assassin Strike while not Hidden has a base 0% chance to crit.
- Assassin's Focus: All damaging powers found in the Stalker's primary power set, other than Assassin Strike, have a chance to grant the user a stack of the Assassin's Focus buff. Powers with longer recharge times have a much higher chance to grant a stack of Assassin's Focus than those with fast recharge times. This buff will increase Assassin's Strike's chance to critically hit (for +100% damage) while not hidden by 33.3%. Assassin's Focus stacks up to 3 times. Using Assassin's Strike outside of hide will remove all stacks of Assassins's Focus.
- Stalker Buffed Max HP modifier has been increased from 1 to 1.3. This results in Stalker's potential Buffed Max HP increasing from 1606 to 2088 at level 50. This will allow powers like Dull Pain and Frostworks as well as +Max HP set bonuses to have a greater potential effect.
- The above changes have been made to remove some unnecessary archetype penalties (low buffed max HP) as well as to allow Stalkers to deal more competitive single target burst damage.
- Darkness Mastery now properly accepts To-Hit Debuff Enhancement sets.
Blaster
- Devices/Gun Drone - When summoned in midair, Gun Drone should now fly to the user's location, rather than dropping to the ground and then flying up.
- Dark Blast - Aim now uses the Darkness-themed effects.
Tanker
Titan Weapons/Defensive Sweep: Fixed a bug that prevented this power from applying Bruising to its primary target while the user has Momentum.
Warshade
Sunless Mire no longer says it accepts To-Hit Debuff Enhancement Sets as it should not.
PvP Powers
Scrapper/Kinetic Melee
- This powerset was unintentionally receiving the Tanker damage bonus in PVP. This has been corrected, and all of the powers should now be doing their proper damage.
- Fixed an issue where Concentrated Strike would deal double its intended damage in PvP.
Controller/Mind Control
Total Domination, Terrify, and Mass Confusion have had their PvP duration properly set to 4 seconds.
Dominator/Earth Assault
Seismic Smash and Fissure have had their PvP durations properly set to 4 seconds.
Dominator/Earth Control
Fossilize's duration in PvP has been reduced to its intended duration of 4 seconds.
Incarnate Powers
- Interface procs now all respect combat mods due to level differences or level shifts.
- Fixed Incarnate Destiny Incandescence power so that it is fully customizable with bright and dark palettes
- Incandescence Destiny powers can now teleport leaguemates who have been defeated, as well as leaguemates who are still alive.
- All offensive Lore pet powers now properly receive the benefits of Alpha slot bonuses.
Pets
The Mini SnowBeast companion pet should no longer be targetable.
Enhancements
Hamidon, Synthetic Hamidon, Titan and Hydra Enhancements will no longer incorrectly enhance attributes other than those specified by the enhancement.
TASKS
Team-Up Teleporter
- Players can now enter and remain in the Team-Up Teleporter queue while completing instanced missions or traveling to Supergroup bases. Accepting a TUT invitation on a mission will cause mid-way progress on that mission to be abandoned. Players returning from a TUT event map will return to the last non-instance map they traveled to.
- Players can now queue up for all regular Task Forces, Strike Forces, and Trials via the Team-Up Teleporter. Players can queue for any TF, SF or trial they can begin based upon level range, alignment, and any additional requirements such as the Alpha Slot Unlock or completion of a pre-requisite task. Rogues and Vigilantes can queue for content for either city regardless of current location.
- The TUT will assemble teams from the queue between the minimum and maximum players for the event and teleport accepting members to the Contact which starts the TF, SF, or Trial. Once players are teleported to that location and assembled into the team, the TUT is no longer involved in the process. The leader of the newly formed team can invite more players or talk to the Contact to start the content at their discretion.
- Features such as Join In Progress, Event Locking, and Vote Kick do not apply to these events. They are features specific to TUT-mediated events such as Death From Below and the Incarnate Trials.
- The Team Up Teleporter window now also displays an indicator for the current Weekly Strike Targets. The event will be highlighted and its tooltip will indicate the WST bonus.
- Challenge Trials such as Death From Below and Incarnate Trials should no longer modify their spawns based upon the lead player's difficulty settings.
General
Rescue and escort encounters should no longer remain captive when the only living captors are untargetable pets and objects like Caltrops or Posion Gas Arrow.
Signature Story Arc 2
Fixed an issue where players could get stuck on the first wormhole portal in the third mission.
Apex Task Force
Fixed an issue with mini-map icons appearing in the first mission of the Apex TF.
Tin Mage Task Force
Removed the incorrect mini map markers from the first mission map.
Roy Cooling
Fixed an issue in mission 1 where Louie Dogger could be talked to multiple times.
Unity Plague Arc
Ms. Liberty will now properly reference going to Blue Steel instead of Back Alley Brawler.
Ghost Widow's Patron Arc
Fixed an issue where high level fortunata minions would spawn in the mission "Replace Crystals".
Alignment Missions
In the vigilante tip mission, "Infiltrate the Rally" the objective to talk to the Rally Guest Speaker now displays properly.
Mission Architect
When creating a character in Mission Architect, the character rotation arrows in the Body screen are now positioned below the character.
Critters
Many 5th Column Lieutenants and bosses below level 30 were attacking too often with their shotguns. Their attack rate has been reduced.