Here's Your Grab Bag

RJCox

Q: What classes are getting respecs in 1.83?

A: We are giving forced respecs to Paladins, Wizards, Valkries, Valewalkers, Druids, Clerics and Healers.

I know we all hate forced respecs, but right now there's no other way to give you freebies without erasing any respecs you happen to be hoarding. We're working on a solution to that, but for now, it's either forced respecs or no respecs, and the thought of no respecs chills me.

Q: I was just wondering, my guild isn't receiving any merit points. From what I read, we are supposed to be (the guild's name is XXX). I know since I created it with my alt that we will get reduced merit points. I have one character that I have leveled from 1-22 in the guild, and still no merit points! Please please please either fix this or let me know what is going on. Thanks.

A: First things first - THANK YOU for telling me your guild name. Guild-related questions and problems sent to me in feedback need to include that information.

Second, you should know that simply creating the character with your alt does not have to mean reduced merit points. YOU will be contributing fewer points on your alt, as opposed to a main character, but the other players in the guild will contribute full points using their main characters. Also, remember that to the computer, your "main" is the character with the highest level on your account. If your main is 48, and you take an alt to 50, the computer will start treating your alt as your main.

However, assuming you're talking about a true "alt," one lower in level than your main character, here's the answer from the Content Queen:

"Your alternate character will not earn merit points for your guild until he reaches level 45. As a reminder, here is the relevant information we originally posted when the merit system went live:

Rewards for the primary character of each area of achievement:

- Levels 2-50: You get a certain number of guild merit points per level.

(Value: These scale from 6 at level 2 to 253 at level 50.)

Rewards for all secondary characters of each area of achievement:

- Levels 45-50: You get the same 45-50 reward as a primary guilded character, but no reward below 45."

Q: Hi, I wonder whether you are aware that both infiltrators and nightshades get the same benefits when they get the killing blow on someone and these benefits are not what was described in the patch notes.

Specifically quoting from the patch notes:

"- Upon gaining a deathblow on an RvR opponent, the Infiltrator will have increased stealth detection by 25% for the next 60 seconds.

- Upon gaining a deathblow on an RvR opponent, the Nightshade will be 25% harder to detect in stealth for the next 60 seconds."

Instead of that, currently in the game, both infiltrators and nightshades get stealth lore equivalent to the one used with the artifact "ring of dances"

Is this intended? Thanks.

A: I got a little worried when I saw this and similar letters in the mailbag this week, and sent it on to the class design people. One of the great guys in PQ (The Red Headed Stepchild) retested the material to be sure it was working properly and sent the following clarification:

"Nightshades and Infiltrators are both receiving different spells that work according to what the patch notes describe. Both of these spells happen to have effects that are similar to stealth lore, which is why the player might be confused.

"Stealth Lore: Target has a greater chance of uncovering stealthed opponents. If the target has the Stealth skill, their ability to use stealth is greater as well."

Q: Hiyas, I have a question about items with ToA bonuses that give bonuses versus certain types of foes. Everyone I've talked to says that such bonuses are PvE-only, yet if you look at the sample item (below), one such bonus says "melee damage 5% - vs. Player Races", and that implies that that bonus works in RvR. So what types of item bonuses work in RvR and which don't?

Example: Arcanite Kinetic Scythe:
Crush 7%
Thrust 7%
Scythe 3
Level Requirement: 50
melee damage 5%
- vs. Player Races
style damage 5%
- vs. Player Races
strength cap bonus 10
Proc: 95 pt DD energy
Secondary proc: 95 DD matter

A: The Big Wheel of design told me "Anything that's vs. player races or vs. all works in RvR against other players. Otherwise it works only against those specified in the delve of the weapon."

So, the scythe you mention in your example does indeed provide a bonus in RVR. Go get 'em.

Q: I am an enchanter, and 1.83C makes me angry. Specifically, the "arms" group of spells being changed to a group cast buff.

A: The change was certainly NOT meant to remove utility, sayeth the producer. As Missy put it on one of the message boards, referring to the dev team: "They were just trying to make it easier so that Enchanters wouldn't have to cast the damage add separately to everyone in their group. They overlooked the fact that Enchanters wouldn't be able to cast DA outside of the group as a result. This will be fixed before the patch goes live."

Q: I played the trifecta game and won three 100 gold rent tokens but I only have a cottage so I cannot use them unless I can break them down and I cannot do that to them and I cannot sell them or give them to another player so what can I do with this win?

A: I can tell you were very excited. From the Content Queen: "Players are able to turn the 100 gold rent token back in to the house bounty merchant. The merchant will make change for the players and hand back five 20 gold rent tokens.

"Basically, you can find an NPC in any of the housing markets that will sell rent tokens for bounty points. These NPCs can also give you change for a 100 gold rent token if you hand them the 100 gold rent token. They will give you five 20 gold rent tokens in return."

Q: My character in Albion would like to propose to a lovely lady, and I was wondering - are there any diamond rings in the game?

A: We have a "diamond encrusted ring" in Caer Sidi dropping from cadaverous blackguards and the Skeletal Sacristan. How much do you love her?

There are rings with lesser stones I've seen in my travels on various low (< 30) level creatures throughout the game. There are so many items in the game at this point, though, that it's nearly impossible to look up an item and the monster that drops it without knowing the exact name.

***

So, a long time ago (like, 2003 long ago: http://www.camelotherald.com/more/906.shtml) I did a little list of anecdotes called "The Family That Slays Together, Stays Together." A reporter from a really enormous newspaper is interested in doing something similar, although on a much grander scale. Does your family play together? Do you use Camelot to stay in touch with far flung relatives and loved ones? Did you fall in love with a noble paladin? Will you tell that story to a print reporter? Email me your name, email address, and a contact phone number (if possible - I know some of you guys overseas don't have phone numbers at the moment), and I'll pass on your information. Please use the subject line "FAMILY." Hey, and if you were featured in my original post, drop me a line and let me know how you're doing.

The team lead reports are posted - they say 2005, though, because the reports were first submitted in December of 2005. We actually finished them in March, but had to polish the text for public consumption. "Three months!" you might say in shock. Well, when you're working with a spreadsheet with hundreds of separate items, and you're having meetings once a week, and most items need to be discussed more than once… three months is a new record. Please bear in mind that the reports are in NO WAY the only means by which the team leads communicate with us. I think the poor wizard TL spent seven hours talking to ME this month, let alone the designers and implementers and his TL coordinator. The classes featured in 1.84 will find their TLs working with us very closely, using the reports as a starting point.

We're bound for New Jersey on April 22! (http://roundtable.darkageofcamelot.com/April_06_wayne.php) RSVP, my dear ones, so we'll know how much in the way of nacho dip to supply. In attendance will be Missy, Herald Princess, and Walt, the Moderately Evil Overlord. I do recommend arriving when the doors open. We are sending fewer T-shirts to each event than in years past (mainly an attempt to be sure that the twelve year old boys attending the event in November aren't going home with something sized 3X), so the early bird gets the souvenir.

We've got one more Pendragon test version scheduled before we take 1.83 live. I'll have the exact launch date for you after that version.

Y'all have a great weekend, I'm headed for slushie land.