Game Update 64: Qeynos Rises Comes to Test

Game Update 64 “Qeynos Rises” has arrived on Test and Test Copy and the Notes for this update have been posted on the EQ2 forums. GU64 is expected to hang around on Test for about a month before going to the Live servers.

Among a number of other changes, GU64 sees Qeynos rebuilt as two zones. North and South Qeynos become the Capital District, Elddar Grove and Qeynos Harbor become the Provinces. Changes to Battlegrounds, PvP, and Fighters are all headlines, with the curious change that Plane of War has been opened to all.

“QEYNOS RISES”

The new Qeynos is rife with intrigue and conflict as the city and its Queen, Antonia Bayle, and the Circle of Ten, evolve and struggle to oversee the welfare of the goodly folk of Norrath. As it is in most places in Norrath, power can tip the scales. The new racial quests, which are available at all levels, provide an introduction, some history and a sense of place that are specific to your race while experiencing the Qeynosian struggles. The new class and storyline quests in the city, which are unlocked at level 20, 40, 60, and 80, bring you smack dab into the middle of the strife from your class brethren, all the way to the high court.

Storyline Quests

After reaching levels 20, 40, 60, and 80, players should seek out Murrar Shar in Qeynos Capitol District who will direct them to those needing assistance within the city.

Class Quests

Once you reach level 20, locate Standar Yorden at the Claymore Plaza in the Qeynos Capitol District who will get you started on your class specific quests.

Racial Quests

Located in Qeynos Capitol District:

• Erudite mentor Maareona Ludimintium
• Freeblood mentor Talas Farin
• Gnome mentor Trina Tinkerton
• Human mentor Patricia Benson
• Kerra mentor Lakosha Maera
• Ratonga mentor Tilla
• Located in Qeynos Province District:
• Barbarian mentor Gild Stonebreaker
• Dwarf mentor Mav Boilfist
• Fae mentor Guard Laelyth
• Froglok mentor Rupert Valorbound
• Halfling mentor Bungle Proudfoot Elddar Grove
• High Elf mentor Eireneith Alannia
• Wood Elf mentor Trelly Greenthorn

GENERAL

• If you stop mentoring during a duel you will now surrender that duel.

• Increased mount window limit to 100.

• You can now preview (ctrl + left click) equipped items.

POPULATION / ZONE PROGRESSION

General

• Guild based City Merchants in Qeynos, Kelethin, and New Halas no longer require specific city citizenship, only that you are Good Aligned.

Halas and Darklight Wood

• Newbie experiences in New Halas and Neriak have been updated to make them more rewarding and fun. Neriak’s Darklight Wood got a much-needed art overhaul which adds to the ambience of eeeeevil. New and better armor sets are available to level 20 and we will be recommending players opt for New Halas or Neriak upon entering the game their first time.

Plane of War x4 Raid

• Players may now enter The Plane of War x4 raid from The Fortress of Drunder without having to kill any of the demigods of war.

• Commander Goreslaughter and Corpsemaul – The crystals of death and destruction now have unique appearances and spawn close to the commanders, in 2 sets of 2.  There are only 3 diaku war riders per wave and they no longer knockback.

Skyshrine: Dracure Prime [challenge]

• Xerxis Mal’Fyrm has had overall encounter damage lowered. The priest only normalizes health if the difference between Xerxis and himself is more than 35% health.

• Hammilkor Barka the Undaunted spawns less whirlwind adds and has had overall encounter damage lowered.

Butcherblock

• Strongarm Fellhorn is now a male with the same appearance each time he spawns.

DUNGEON MAKER

• You will no longer get equipment damage and resurrection effects if you die in a Dungeon Maker dungeon when playing as your self.

• You can no longer mentor in Dungeon Maker dungeons.  If you enter a Dungeon Maker dungeon you will stop mentoring.

• You will no longer get the mentoring pop up window when going into battlegrounds or Dungeon Maker dungeons.

• Fixed a bug with heals that give a percent of max health when used in Dungeon Maker dungeons.

ABILITIES / ALTERNATE ADVANCEMENT

Focus Effects

• Focus Effects have been removed from items and are now associated with your character’s advancement.  Every nine levels you may chose a new Focus Effect from the “Character Development & Alternate Advancement” window (default hotkey L) under the “Focus Effects“ section.

Fighter

• Fighters now get Recklessness at level 20. This ability is an extremely offensive combat stance, increasing ability damage by a substantial amount while increasing incoming damage to the fighter.

Brawler

• Brawler’s Tenacity is no longer modified by potency.

• Enhance: Brawler’s Tenacity now extends the duration of Brawler’s Tenacity by 1.5 seconds per rank.

• Altruism now heals for 30% when triggered but can no longer have the heal modified except by direct means.

• Tag Team no longer is a hate swap. It now just applies dodge chance to the brawler and the target. If the brawler targets his or herself, he or she will also be healed for 50%. The brawler and target no longer need to be engaged in combat to cast Tag Team.

• Tag Team also makes the target and caster immune to Strikethrough while active.

Monk

• Crouching Tiger no longer makes the monk immune to Strikethrough.

• Mend’s heal can no longer be modified except by direct means.

• Tsunami now makes the monk immune to Strikethrough while active.

• Bob and Weave now makes the monk immune to Strikethrough while active.

• Black Widow Stance has been removed and replaced by Recklessness. Focus: Stances no longer modifies Black Widow Stance.

Bruiser

• Bodyguard no longer makes the bruiser immune to Strikethrough.

• Ignore Pain’s heal can no longer be modified except by direct means.

• Impenetrable Will now makes the bruiser immune to Strikethrough while active.

• Unyielding Resolve’s heal can no longer be modified except by direct means.

• Unyielding Resolve now makes the bruiser immune to Strikethrough while active.

• Bruising has been removed and replaced by Recklessness. Focus: Stances no longer modifies Bruising.

Warrior

• Unyielding Will’s heal can no longer be modified except by direct means. The value of the heal is now 100% at master quality.

• Dragoon’s Reflexes now makes the warrior immune to Strikethrough while active.

Berserker

• Vision of Madness’s heal can no longer be modified except by direct means. The value of the heal has been tripled.

• All versions of Blood Rage have been consolidated into one spell. The spell will be the rank of the highest ranked version of Blood Rage. For example, a berserker with Master Blood Rage III and all the rest at Expert will have a master version of the new ability.

• Blood Rage’s heal is now percentage based and can not be modified except by direct means.

• Enhance: Blood Rage now increases the value of Blood Rage’s heal by 2% of the base value per point.

• Blood Rage III is no longer a Grandmaster choice at level 54. It has been replaced with Chaos IV.

• Blood Rage VI is no longer a Grandmaster choice at level 85. It has been replaced with Destructive Rage VI.

• Perserverance’s heal is now percentage based and can no longer be modified except by direct means.

Guardian

• Block now makes the guardian immune to Strikethrough while active.

• Defensive Minded now makes the guardian immune to Strikethrough while active.

Crusader

• Legionnaire’s Mercy now increases the amount of heals the crusader receives rather than improving the size of their heals.

• Legionnaire’s Focus now increases Doublecast Chance rather than improving the size of their heals.

Paladin

• Stonewall now makes the paladin immune to Strikethrough while active.

• Faith Strike’s heal can no longer be modified except by direct means and is now percentage based above level 20.

• Enhance: Faith Strike is now 5% to the heal amount per rank.

• Holy Circle’s heal can no longer be modified except by direct means and is now percentage based above level 20.

• Arch Heal’s heal is now percentage based and can no longer be modified except by direct means.

• Divine Favor’s heal has been substantially increased and can no longer be modified except by direct means.

• Lay on Hands will increase the target’s maximum health and physical mitigation for a short duration. Its heal can no longer be modified except by direct means and is now percentage based.

• Holy Prayers is now 1.85% heal amount per rank.

• Prayer of Healing will increase the group’s maximum health for a short duration. Its heal can no longer be modified except by direct means and is now percentage based above level 20.

• Allied Prayers is now 2% heal amount per rank.

• Focus: Prayer of Healing is now 10% heal amount.

• Holy Aid will increase the target’s physical mitigation for a short duration. Its heal can no longer be modified by direct means and is now percentage based above level 20.

• Devout Prayers is now 2% heal amount per rank.

• Devout Sacrament will increase the caster’s maximum health for a short duration. Its heal is now percentage based and can no longer be modified except by direct means.

• Faithful Cry’s heal amount is now percentage based and can no longer be modified except by direct means.

• Marr’s Favor no longer increases heal amounts.

Shadowknight

• Shadowknight’s Furor now makes the shadowknight immune to Strikethrough while active.

• Devour Vitae’s heal is now percentage based and can no longer be modified except by direct means. The heal has been increased.

• Focus: Devour Vitae’s heal is now percentage based and can no longer be modified except by direct means. The heal has been increased.

• Grim Harbinger’s heal can no longer be modified except by direct means and is now percentage based above level 20.

• Leech Touch’s heal is now percentage based and has been drastically increased. It should not be modified by potency.

• Enhance: Shadow Coil’s heal is now percentage based and has been drastically increased. It should not be modified by potency.

• Focus: Caress Feedback’s heal is now percentage based and no longer has a variance.

• Hateful Respite’s heal is now percentage based, has been slightly increased and can no longer be modified except by direct means.

• Reaver’s heal can no longer be modified except by direct means. The base value has been increased from 2% to 4%.

• Unholy Blessing’s heal can no longer be modified except by direct means and is now percentage based above level 20. The heal has been increased.

• Enhance: Unholy Blessing is now 2% per rank.

• Siphon Strike’s heal can no longer be modified except by direct means and is now percentage based above level 20. The heal has been increased.

• Unholy Hunger’s heal can no longer be modified except by direct means and is now percentage based above level 20.

• Malevolent Protection’s heal can no longer be modified except by direct means and is now percentage based.

• Painbringer is now a minor lifetap over time. Its heal is percentage based above level 20 and cannot be modified except by direct means.

• Unholy Absorption now reduces incoming damage by 0.5% per rank.

Summoner

• Teamwork should no longer draw the summoner into combat.

PVP UPDATES

PvP Stats

• Separate PVP versions of stats have been removed.  You now derive your base effectiveness in PVP combat from your normal stats.

Toughness

• Now adds PVP critical mitigation and increases your chance to resist spells in PVP combat.

Lethality

• Lethality is a new stat available on PVP gear.  It increases your damage and healing output, wards, as well as makes your spells harder to resist in PVP combat.

Damage Reduction

• Normalized “flat” damage reduction effects now have reduced effectiveness in PVP combat.

Unified PvP Token

• Discord Tokens and Battleground Tokens have both been replaced by Havoc Marks.

• You cannot have more than 20,000 Havoc Marks at one time.  Any marks obtained over this cap will be destroyed.

OPEN WORLD PVP UPATES

Tokens

• Havoc Marks are now awarded on kill.  These are split evenly between those involved in a kill.

• Old PVP tokens have been automatically converted into Havoc Marks.

• Writs can still be done for additional rewards, but no longer award tokens.

Cities

• PVP is now enabled in Qeynos.

• The amount of guard coverage in Freeport and Qeynos has been increased on Nagafen.

Warfields

• Warfields now grant a large amount of Havoc Marks upon completion.

• The health of the warfield towers has been increased.

• Flying is now disabled if you are participating in a Warfield.

Infamy

• You are now worth an increasing amount of infamy, starting at zero.

• The longer you stay alive, the more you are worth.

• Players with higher titles are worth more infamy.

• Infamy is now awarded on every kill, regardless of if you have killed that person recently or not.

• The amount of infamy required to obtain the titles below Overseer has been reduced.

• The amount of infamy transferred upon a successful kill has been reduced.

PVP GEAR

• New, full sets of PVP gear are available for purchase in Champion’s Respite!

• PVP specific stats on old PVP gear has been replaced with normal versions of these stats.

PVP ABILTIES / ALTERNATE ADVANCEMENT

General

• The duration of control effects in PVP combat has been reduced.

Mage PVP Updates

Enchanter

• Mesmerizing Trance – now has a 20% chance to trigger in PVP combat.

• Psychic Trauma – now has an upper limit of 10 hits in PVP combat.

Illusionist

• Chromatic Shower – duration lowered in PVP combat. Overall damage remains the same.

Sorcerer

• Manashield – duration is now 12 seconds in PVP combat.

Wizard

• Rays of Disintegration – damage has been increased in PVP combat.

Summoner

• Pet summon spells are now a 5 second cast in PVP combat.

Conjuror

• Shattered Earth – duration lowered in PVP combat. Overall damage remains the same.

Priest PVP Updates

General

• Wrath – damage has been increased in PVP combat. Now reduces the incoming heals of target.

Shaman

• Group Ward cast times are now 3 seconds in PVP combat.

Mystic

• The slow effect on torpor is now 20% in PVP combat.

Cleric

• Group Reactive cast times are now 3 seconds in PVP combat.

• Divine Assistance prestige now increases trigger count of group reactive heals by 1 in PVP combat.

• Divine Assistance prestige now increases trigger count of reactive single target heals by 1 in PVP combat.

• Divine Guidance now has a max trigger count of 10 when cast in PVP combat.

Templar

• Divine Strike – Damage has been increased in PVP combat.

• Healing Fate – Now instant cast in PVP combat. Duration has been reduced.

• Divine Fate is now instant cast in PVP combat.

• Involuntary Gift – Now instant cast in PVP combat.

• Mark of Divinity – Casting time has been reduced to 1 second in PVP combat. Healing effect has been increased.

• Sanctuary – Effect radius has been increased to 25m in PVP combat. Duration has been reduced to 10-16s in PVP combat.

Druid

• Howling with the Pack – now lasts for 15 seconds in PVP combat.

• Serenity – now lasts for 10 seconds in PVP combat. The recast has been reduced to 3 minutes if cast in PVP combat.

Fury

• Pact of the Cheetah is once again usable in PVP combat.  Its speed has been reduced in PVP combat.

Warden

• Nature Walk – If in PVP combat, reduces slow effects on group members by 20%, and grants a 5% chance to resist root effects.

• Cyclone – now lasts for 3 seconds when cast in PVP combat.

• Regenerating Spores – now heals for less in PVP combat.

• Winds of Healing – over time effect now lasts for 3 seconds in PVP combat.

• Sylvan Bloom – over time effect now lasts for 3 seconds in PVP combat.

• Nature’s Embrace – over time effect now lasts for 5 seconds in PVP combat.

• Hierophantic Genesis – now lasts for 12 seconds in PVP combat.

Fighter PVP Updates

Crusaders

• Doom Judgement – no longer dispels in PVP combat. Will now reduce incoming heals of struck targets by 10% in PVP combat.

• Aura of the Crusader – now lasts for 15 seconds in PVP combat.

Paladin

• Amends – now applies a damage reduction proc to the target in PVP combat.

Guardian

• Recapture – now forces the target encounter to target the guardian in PVP combat.

• Shoulder the Burden – now applies a damage reduction proc to the target in PVP combat.

• Hold the Line – now has a small damage shield in PVP combat.

Brawler

• Hostility – now has a small damage effect in PVP combat.

Bruiser

• Wild Beating – now forces targets in AOE to clear their target in PVP combat.

• Knockout Combination no longer stuns in PVP combat.

Monk

• Dragon Rage – now has a small damage effect in PVP combat.

• Dragon’s Roar – the slow effect from this prestige ability is now 25% in PVP combat.

Scout PVP Updates

General

• Evasive Maneuvers – now forces your target to clear their target in PVP combat.

Predator

• Predator’s Final Trick – no longer grants PVP crit bonus.

• Fatal Combination damage in PVP combat has been reduced.

Assassin

• Intoxication – no longer blurs vision of target in PVP combat.

• Murderous Design – now grants an avoidance proc in PVP combat.

Ranger

• Primal Reflexes – now has a chance to grant extra avoidance when hit in PVP combat.

Brigand

• Befuddle – now grants a damage proc in PVP combat.

Swashbuckler

• Avoid Blame – now grants a damage proc in PVP combat.

• Swarthy Deception – now grants an avoidance proc in PVP combat.

Bard

• cadence of Destruction – no longer adds PVP potency.

• Dexterous Sonata – no longer adds PVP crit bonus.

Troubador

• Sonic Interference – interrupt chance is now 25% in PVP combat.

• Alin’s Serene Serenade – now grants a damage proc to the group in PVP combat.

• Abhorrent Verse – now grants an avoidance bonus to the group in PVP combat.

BATTLEGROUNDS

General

• Battlegrounds have been split into only two tiers now. The level 30 to 89 tier and the level 90+ tier. Players who are not max level for their tier will be “bolstered” in health to the highest level of that tier and the damage/healing of abilities increased as well.

• Clicking on the score window in a battleground will now open the leaderboard window.

• Battlegrounds now award Havoc Marks upon completion.

• You can earn additional Havoc Marks during the match by performing heroic deeds, such as performing a death blow or achieving a kill streak.

• All Battlegrounds now require less players to start a match.

• The Frozen Tundra battleground has been temporarily removed. It is getting revamped and will return once the revamp is complete.

Smuggler’s Den

• The Central Tower is now more valuable. The time required to cap this objective has been increased.

• The time required to cap all of the outer towers has been reduced.

• The point value of the North and South towers has been increased to match the East and West towers.

• Ground mounts are now usable in Smuggler’s Den.

Gears of Klakanon

• The amount of points rewarded for a player kill has been increased.

• The point value for killing the player with the ball has increased.

• The total score required for a victory has been increased.

• Invisible walls should now protect players from getting spawn camped.

Battlefield of Ganak

• Players carrying the flag will now have their movement speed reduced. They will also take increased damage from incoming attacks – this effect scales up the longer you hold the flag.

TRADESKILLS

• Upgrade essences for brawler combination stances have been changed into transmutable slag.

ITEMS

• Helm of Foamy Goodness can now be turned on and off reliably, and quickly.

• Circlet of Love can now be equipped by beastlords.

• Focus Effects have been removed from items.

• Many priest bucklers from Skyshrine now have block chance.

• Decorin Runed Cloak now has 2 white slots.

• Some of the neck slot items from Arcane Challenge had earring icons and names, this has been corrected.

QUESTS

General

• Quest Bauble Buttons should show up more reliably in a few off-shoot cases.

City of Freeport

• Listening in for Qeynos: The location for placing the listenomitron in the Freeport Registrar has been enlarged.

Frostfang Sea

• Whirling Ice Time: All of the arrow locations are above ground.

Shard of Love

• Repeatable quests “Rekindle the Love” and “No More Mucking Around” now give coin rewards to players level 90+.

MARKETPLACE

• The Marketplace will not be functional with this update due to updates that are in progress.