Feldon Game Update 63 “Skyshrine” rolls out to the live servers on April 17th, but parts of it are now available for testing on the Test and Test Copy servers. In addition to the new Velious zones and a level cap raise to level 92, some of the biggest news is the opening of a new “Prestige” AA tab.
From Xelgad on the EQ2 Forums:
Hey all, it’s time for some new character progression, and this time there’s no NDA! With that in mind, the majority of this stuff still needs tweaking, polishing and balancing before it’s ready for live servers, and some of it may be completely redesigned.
Here’s how it works:
- As you know, the level cap is increasing to 92 with this GU.
- Instead of gaining more Alternate Advancements, you’ll earn Prestige Points automatically as you level.
- You gain 5 Prestige Points per level, one at every 20%.
- You spend these points in the new Prestige Tree, which is similar to existing Alternate Advancement trees.
- For GU63, the tree will consist of two columns and five rows. As I write this, the fifth row is not ready for Test Server.
- The first two rows are unlinked, but the next three are linked vertically.
As you’re testing and giving feedback, consider that we do not intend this tree to provide nearly as much increase to character power as the Heroic Tree did. We want to hear if you think a Prestige Skill encourages unfun gameplay or just doesn’t seem to fit the class, but none of them are intended to make a huge increase to player power. Additionally, the test server currently allows unlimited respecs for standard Alternate Advancements, Beastlord Warders and the new Prestige Points.
Regarding format, the columns are intended to provide two distinct paths. Most classes are fairly straightforward – DPS vs. Healing, Area of Effect DPS vs. Single Target DPS, ect – but Rogues, Summoners, Bards, and Enchanters each have a column dedicated to what we’ve been calling “versatility,” which is intended to expand the role of the class slightly or provide a situational benefit that does not directly increase DPS. We expect those columns to be significantly less popular among min/max’ers, but obviously they need to be viable in other playstyles.
…There is a new forum category for “Game Update #63 Classes.” All feedback involving classes should be posted in the below forums once they are available:
Priests :http://forums.station.sony.com/eq2/…m?forum_id=2844
Fighters: http://forums.station.sony.com/eq2/…m?forum_id=2845
Scouts: http://forums.station.sony.com/eq2/…m?forum_id=2846
Mages: http://forums.station.sony.com/eq2/…m?forum_id=2847As always, your feedback is appreciated!
Prestige and Levels
It will be curious to see how quickly it takes level 90 characters to reach level 92. Based on past experience, this could take as little as an hour given the right XP potions, but maybe SOE has a trick up their sleeve that will make the going slower than usual.
| Prestige AAs | |
|---|---|
| Level | Prestige Points |
| 90 | 0 |
| 90.2 | 1 |
| 90.4 | 2 |
| 90.6 | 3 |
| 90.8 | 4 |
| 91 | 5 |
| 91.2 | 6 |
| 91.4 | 7 |
| 91.6 | 8 |
| 91.8 | 9 |
| 92 | 10 |
How Do I Test?
If you want to test out Game Update 63, it couldn’t be easier. Just click on the Version link in the upper left corner of the EQ2 Launchpad and change to “Public Test”. Once you make your selection, EQ2 will start downloading the entire 14GB of game data again. You can reduce this to approximately 2GB of download by copying your /music and /paks folders into your \EverQuest II\TestServer folder.
Should give Dirge’s a blue AOE and make Scream of Death a flanking ability.
Then I would be happy.
yea we dirges need a good aoe to match the troubys aoe that refrehses real fast
also wish they would take off the imunity on gravitas like they did to
jesters cap
Pfft, the troubies need upgrades to reach dirge awesomeness! (Full disclosure: I have an occasional-raiding troubie alt…)
“you gain pristage pints as you level”
I’m hoping my 3 level 90 toons already have them when this goes live without me having to jump through hoops to unlock them.
Yes, you will get them, as you level to 92.
Dirges do a lot more damage then a troubie of equal gear. That aoe they have doesn’t even really do much damage
@Starlakay: That post has absolutely NOTHING to do with this article.