Today's 0.11.0d Patch and the upcoming 0.11.1 Patch

Those helms look amazing. Can't wait.

Good stuff, GGG!

Although information on improving art is somewhat interesting, I tend to put much more attention to think crucial for may gameplay. You have to actually play to see new helmets, aren't you? ;)

So for me, crucial in this topic is not first post, is somewhat interesting but not so important, but this statement take may full attention.

"

Chris wrote:

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Sobeck wrote:

is this "equip covenant(bloodmagic)+cast aura+reequip normal chestplate" an exploit too?

We are not banning for this but we want to fix it.

So Chris, you created some game mechanism, in this case "static auras". Thousands of players use it every day and this is base for hundreds builds. Even putting on side that you should word this sentence "This is current game mechanism, we do not ban for using game mechanisms but for hacks and exploits", the question is, when you will be able to share more on this changes?

Are you going to introduce "dynamic auras" (as in Matua Tupuna bonuses)? Do you introduce any compensation for this change?

At the moment, my main character wears 7 auras to be able to run > 70 lvl maps. This is crucial for me, as I play self found and with drops as they are, running auras is needed to cover deficiences of my equipment. I was already hit hard by Inner Force nerf and if you plan further nerfs to auras, you sentence at least 3 of my 5 characters, including my main, for retirement.

In the end I would like also ask, if you are planning to add more auras in future? Do you have plans to add at least auras monsters use, like increased physical damage or reflect damage auras?

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tmaciak wrote:

Although information on improving art is somewhat interesting, I tend to put much more attention to think crucial for may gameplay. You have to actually play to see new helmets, aren't you? ;)

So for me, crucial in this topic is not first post, is somewhat interesting but not so important, but this statement take may full attention.

"

Chris wrote:

"

Sobeck wrote:

is this "equip covenant(bloodmagic)+cast aura+reequip normal chestplate" an exploit too?

We are not banning for this but we want to fix it.

So Chris, you created some game mechanism, in this case "static auras". Thousands of players use it every day and this is base for hundreds builds. Even putting on side that you should word this sentence "This is current game mechanism, we do not ban for using game mechanisms but for hacks and exploits", the question is, when you will be able to share more on this changes?

Are you going to introduce "dynamic auras" (as in Matua Tupuna bonuses)? Do you introduce any compensation for this change?

At the moment, my main character wears 7 auras to be able to run > 70 lvl maps. This is crucial for me, as I play self found and with drops as they are, running auras is needed to cover deficiences of my equipment. I was already hit hard by Inner Force nerf and if you plan further nerfs to auras, you sentence at least 3 of my 5 characters, including my main, for retirement.

In the end I would like also ask, if you are planning to add more auras in future? Do you have plans to add at least auras monsters use, like increased physical damage or reflect damage auras?

Well I don't understand.
If I equip a Simula and cast my auras on my Ranger, then take it off but mana reserved stays on health pool, is it a bug?
If I equip an Alpha Howl to be able to wear for auras on my CI Witch, then take it off but mana reserved does not increase, it'a bug too?

If both of them are bugs, then I should not be able to put a Reduced Mana and Blood Magic gems in my 4L boots, cast two auras and take RM and BM gems off to put a double Enduring Cry in their slots.

Chris, if that is what you are planning to do, then brace yourselves.

S#!tstorm is coming.


I will not even try to describe to what extent both of my characters will be screwed over with this. I do enjoy having a set of gear just for casting auras and find it a great way to smartly use game mechanics, not a bug. Many builds depend on gem and gear swaping, so FFS... Don't, just don't.

edit:

To sum up:

First of all, using Covenant, Simula, Alpha Howl and Blood Magic/Reduced Mana gems combo is not an exploit but a clever use of game mechanics. It also fits well into the fantasy theme:

Imagine a shaman-warrior who goes into the fray... He puts on the sacred fetish of his tribe, the head of the White Fang, a wolf beast, dons the sacred Robe of Blood, and prays to ancestors for granting him great blessings in return for his lifeforce... When the ritual is over, he takes off the tribe's fetishes as they are too valuable to ever leave the Temple of Spirits and puts on his armour.

Secondly, uniques like Covenant and Simula are good for nothing except for using that mechanic.

Thirdly, such a change will limit the freedom of making builds. Many life-based builds will be limited in using skills other than auras, as auras take so much of their game slots and will take more, if one won't be able to take out BM+RM or take off Simula/Covenant.

Last, but not least, many of chars will be nerfed. Hard. Life-based chars will be nerfed a lot more than CIs.

"

Hrishi wrote:

Not to mention the Covenant is a diamond unique and I'm sure the person who designed it did not intend for it to be useful for nothing but this.

Unfortunately, majority of current uniqes have such niche usage, that can be classified as unusable for majority of players (those are my raising "unique for 1 alchemy" pile). If you are planning to use Covenant in some of HC league, I only can to wish you good luck, but I don't expect long and fruitful career of your character.

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Hrishi wrote:

While I don't deny that the majority of the population might find the unique useless, do understand that every unique (other than a couple I suppose) has some form of use in some kind of niche build. After all, isn't that what most uniques are for?

In general, I agree but I also think that "mandatory drawback" is in some cases exaggerated and Coventant is good example - BM and reduced life...

But what I would like to read from Chris is not statement about usefulness of uniques (which in majority I treat as collectors items) but some comments on cryptic announcements of nerfing auras to the ground.

"

tmaciak wrote:

But what I would like to read from Chris is not statement about usefulness of uniques (which in majority I treat as collectors items) but some comments on cryptic announcements of nerfing auras to the ground.

LOL at calling fixing an exploit "nerfing auras to ground" thats just utterly hilarious.

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Torguemada wrote:

LOL at calling fixing an exploit "nerfing auras to ground" thats just utterly hilarious.

As I stated above, for me it is not exploit, but use of game mechanisms and it cost me a lot of time to learn them. Exploit it to use errors in game engine to gain something, like forcefully crash instance to receive rollback. Putting auras on blood using Covenant is just using of game mechanism as it is designed at the moment. I don't know if it was intended or not and I don't care, it just works.

If I will not be able to wear 7 auras (and I will not, if auras will be dynamically) I will have to return to 68-69 maps from 72-74. And honestly, I will quit then.

I hope only, that it is long term plans and I will be able to play as it is now to premiere of Witcher 3, because with this day I'll say bye, bye, to any aRPG for at least a year ;) And not because PoE is not a good game, but any aRPG can't be comparable to Witcher, especially if you are Pole who have read Sapkowski for last 25 years ;)

If Simula and Covenant will be "fixed" a lot of builds will lose survivability. It has to be compensated for. CI builds are already a bit stronger than life and this will only make the situation worse.