Some Map Items are generated with hidden implicit modifiers ("HiddenImplicit Maps")

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poorFishwife wrote:

Normally, Map Items are generated with no implicit modifiers. Attempting to use a Blessed Orb on these Map Items produces the message: 'Target has no mods to modify.' This message is expected since there are no implicit mods on the item.

But some item generation sources can create Map Items which have an implicit modifier that does not display to the user. We'll call these "HiddenImplicit Maps". Attempting to use a Blessed Orb on a HiddenImplicit Map produces the following message: 'Could not reroll target's implicit Mod values.'

Here is a comparison on Archnemesis SC. Top: normal T11 Lair Map; Bottom: HiddenImplicit T11 Lair Map:

Spoiler

There seem to be multiple different generation sources which can create HiddenImplicit Maps. For example, here is a HiddenImplicit Map on Standard which is an original variant Legacy Map Series Shore Map: https://i.imgur.com/Vq75Oer.png

One sufficient generation source for HiddenImplicit Maps in 3.17 is Kirac's vendor inventory, albeit with low probability. (Small sample frequency: 4 HiddenImplicit Maps in 200 trials.)

To reproduce:
1. Activate a White Kirac Mission to reroll Kirac's vendor inventory.
2. Purchase all Map Items from Kirac.
3. Repeat Steps 1 & 2 many times.
4. Identify all Map Items received from Kirac.
5. "Test" each Map Item by attempting to use a Blessed Orb on it. If a Map Item with no implicit produces the message 'Could not reroll target's implicit Mod values', then it is a HiddenImplicit Map.


Expected behaviour:
Although this seems highly likely to be a bug, as players we cannot state with certainty what the expected behaviour should be. There are other Items in the game with intentional hidden modifiers that have substantive gameplay impact; for example: certain Armours and Shields have hidden Movement Speed penalties; Tabula Rasa and Skin of the Lords have hidden mods which dictate their Socket and Defence behaviours; Fairgraves' Tricorne has secret effects; and many others.

A GGG designer will need to confirm if this is simply a bug, or (less likely) that this is actually an unusual-but-expected behaviour which intentionally conceals information from players.



Feel free to contact me if you need more info. We've studied the properties of HiddenImplicit Maps and identified other potential causes in past Leagues.