THEY BE STEALIN' MAH WS!!!

The new MDPS sets have been revised... the only thing i liked about them went away.. the WS 4 piece bonus on the offensive set.

the rest of it looks sweet though, but the one and only thing i thought was nice, was removed.

It was kind of obvious from the start that the WS bonus wouldn't stay, simply for the fact that the set is the same for all MDPS, and that would mean that WE and WH would be getting a useless 4 piece bonus. and that pisses me off.

Why the hell do we all get the same set? We surely don't play the same way, so why do we have to "dress up" with the same stats?

Ok, so, it's the easy way out. It kind of reminds me when Blizzard decided that they were gonna have some classes specific to each of the factions in WoW (you know, like Shamans were Horde only and Paladins were Alliance only) and when things got messy cuz of balance and whining, they took the easy way out and simply decided that both sides were gonna have exactly the same classes (so, the only thing that differs are the racial skills).

I HATE THAT SHIT!

one of the things i like about Mythic is the ability to differentiate everything. DAOC had fucking 44 classes. they were all different. they were split up between 3 factions (Midgard only had 14 Hibernia and Albion had 15) Ok so some are similar, in the way that a magus and an engineer are similar. But for the majority of it all, they were different.

Same thing with WAR. 24 classes. 12 each side. and for the majority of it all, they are different.

Obviously this brings balance issues and all that crap, but Mythic never stood down and never took the easy way out regarding that (at least in my book) by making the exact same classes on both sides of the game.

I can imagine the in-house talk between the Concept Guy and the Balance Guy over at Mythic.

Concept Guy - Hey, let's make new SOV sets

Balance Guy - wtf? you crazy? no way. too much stuff to take into consideration

Concept Guy - Oh, don't worry. we only need to make 8. two for each archetype.

Balance Guy - that's awesome! i can balance 8 sets with my eyes closed.

Concept Guy - and since everyone is gonna have one DPS set, you really just need to think hard about 3 or 4 of them :P nice ain't it?

Balance Guy - awww. i love you concept guy. you're the greatest

Concept Guy - i know i know :) you're pretty awesome to.

(I bet Concept Guy plays a Bright Wizard)

anyway, i lost my focus (and my 4 piece bonus WS) so i'm gonna leave it at this.

cheers all

Playing Games With the Faces

At the gates of Altdorf a lone pair of guards stood watch. Forever vigilant in a state of suspended animation until our party drew close enough that they immediately took a defensive stance." "Who goes there?" One of them asked.

"Err, nobody much, really, just your average party going to the city for some shopping and training and all that."

"Yes?" asked the second one, "And what's with the dead tank behind you?

"Oh that? No, that's just battle fatigue. He's just tired that's all. Say hello." Parsley nudged Sage just enough so he wouldn't fall over again.
"Aeo."
"What was that?" The first guard drew his weapon closer to him.
"Err, that's his name. Aeo. You know tanks, never really inventive when it comes to their own names." Mary did her best to look angelic and... good.
"And that Dwarf there looks a bit pale. You alright there, fellow?"
"Zog off!"
"What?" The second guard held his weapon with his good hand.
"I meants, By Grumble's sideburns I ain't pale I'm drunk! Hardeeharhar!"
"They're not buying it," said Rose.
"No, they don't seem to be. Oh well." Parsley stomped the ground. "Run for it! When the stagger ends we'll be far enough for them to reset!"
"What about Sage?" Mary and Rose struggled to move him to no avail.
"Sod him. You can res him from the inside. Or we can summon him. We'll figure something out, move!"
"Bye bye pointy ears!"
The stagger ended just in time for the guards to see them fade into the distance. They then noticed the shiny armor standing still before them.
"Aeo..."

Choppa Build Delays

i know i promissed a choppa build.. and i know i'm late

the reason for that is the fact that come 1.3.6 one of my core abilities is gonna get changed, and i wanna check it out first and see how much it will affect my game. (that and i don't wanna share a build that might become useless in a week or two)

anyway, as a consolation prize... have a pic of Betty :D

the anatomy of a last name

Yesterday i found out that "Waffles" is restricted as a second name in WAR...

To be honest, up until that moment i wasn't even aware that there were restricted second names. i thought only first names were.

Anyway, another one of my characters has food for his second name now. Epikk Waffle joins the "food family" of Camomila Mascarpone, Ahrimana Cantilope, and Freakish Melons

new SOV gear for MDPS

As you all know, Mythic has been tossing out the stats for the new sovereign sets.

Up until now, every archetype has been given two sets. a set that matches the archetype and a set for DPS. (exceptions are the RDPS who get one for DPS and one for survivability)

Now, i don't wanna sound like a prick here, even though i will, but even though i think that each person is entitled to play his class however they want to (bright wizard as MDPS? sure. zealot as RDPS? no problem.. just don't try to roll a healer choppa plizzz) i always thought that it would be a good idea to have the Sovereign sets reflect the archetype of each class.

i mean... you wanna be one of the Everchosen's zealots? then ffs heal more. you wanna be is favorite choppa? then don't hide in the backlines and chop more!!!!

But apparently that's just me.

I've been discussing the new SOV sets extensively these last few days with Sara and she always tells me "then post about it" but i wanted to wait for the mdps sets to be revealed, just in case there was something there that would make me say "ohhhh! now i get it". But unfortunately i still don't get it.MDPS got the "one set DPS and one set survivability" treatment.

What i'm wondering is how's this gonna roll out. i mean, as things are today, we already see in some scenarios tanks out-dpsing MDPS (and i have nothing against it. i actually respect each and every chosen that deals more damage than a pure DPS class) and, taking the risk of sounding too obvious now, part of that is because of the survivability factor.
Simple math. if you're alive during 98% of the time, you're gonna deal more damage than if you were alive only 80% of the time.

Now let's take a sample DPS chosen (I'm gonna call him Ranark The Kryg just so he has a name) and give him a two hander. if he's specced correctly and he knows what the hell he's doing, he can bash some serious head and spill some soaky red blood. Kryg there, even though he's thinking "shit, i'm thin as paper without my shield" is tougher than nails compared to a choppa (let's call the choppa Betty, just for context).

Even if you raise Betty's survivability, i'm betting that Kryg is still tougher.

And this is my main point... you raise a choppa's survivability but it's still gonna die more than a chosen (for obvious reasons.. and that's how it's supposed to be) but since the chosen has a SOV DPS set, he's gonna deal more damage than the choppa most of the time because of the "up-time" they have.

Same thing worries me about DOKs. Give Melael (my sample DOK for this ramble) a SOV DPS set, spec the guy in sacrifice, and look at him go!!!

what Melael The DOK doesn't have in toughness/wounds/armor, he compensates by healing himself through the dark powers of the bloody hand god. (Again, i have tons of respect for most DOK's out there. don't get me wrong)

Again, i think everyone is entitled to play their classes however they want to. it actually pisses me off when people yell at DPS zealots for not doing their jobs (healing, according to the guys) and i laugh my ass out when that same zealot out-dpses the guy that was bitching about it :P

but my bottom line is... i rolled a choppa cuz i wanted to DPS... apparently i chose wrong.

let's hope everything works out in the end :P

cheers

Epikk's cheat-sheet of character names

Ranark The Kryg - based on Ranark and Krueg, both former chosens of The End

Melael The Dok- based on Meelmael the Disciple of Khaine formerly from NOX (we miss you dude)

Betty - evil guy from Kung Pow

Gogo

Isego Isegooo, me wuvs da name. <3

As for what everyone's raving about (no, I don't need to tell you what) I'm left to wonder: Why stop at Sovereign? I mean, few healing healers ever actually wear Conqueror or Invader, although us Zealots are more likely to do so with the new system. But it kills me that I have to continuously try to do a long god-awful LV run just for a pair of boots that would boost my healing crit by 8%.

I'm not the biggest fan of PvE but I've been doing lots of it lately. Just for those boots, mostly. And my other healers need at least Sentinel. I've tried to focus on my RR for a while but even so, Warlord isn't much better than Darkpromise. Please, please. Help me. Give us something like PvE tokens, or an invisible loot drop percentage boost or something. I've done at least 10 runs just hoping for those boots. At 2 hours a run at least I've invested more than 20 hours in LV. And I hate LV. I didn't before, mind you, it was a good change of pace. Now I hate it. And it is possible that, no matter how many times I run it, those boots will never drop.

Anyways. I like the good news for .6. I honestly miss large and small scale fighting. Any kind of fighting really. Like epic sieges where you had 50 tanks dying at the gates trying to keep the enemy out. You know what I've never seen though? People using those altars in keeps. I mean, I must have collected like 40k skulls already and never did anything with them.

Oh oh. A good idea. Well, possibly... For good RvR weapons you have scenarios. For RvR gear you have city sieges. What we're lacking is good jewelry and/or pocket items. Let's have that in keeps. There really isnt good jewelry for casters or healers outside of LotD. Most of them are very tanking oriented.

Hmmm? HMMMM??

No, I haven't been drinking.

His Bow Tie Is Really a Camera

"I say," said Parsley from within his new vestments, "these Warrior Priest robes are quite spiffy. Good thing they didn't have a Knight with them. Would hate to run around with a bird atop my head."
Rose eyed him maliciously. "I don't much like this hat but at least it doesn't have feathers."
"Feathers?"
"Feathers make me itchy."

At this point Mary came from behind the bushes sporting the robes of the Archmage she had just slain.
"Mary," Parsley asked, "Why is there blood dripping from your sleeves?"
"I got a little carried away."

"Hmmm Kmmmt mmmmmv!" The group turned their collective attention to the static Swordmaster armor behind them.

"Sage seems to be having some difficulties adjusting to his new role," observed Rose.

"I'll get him moving when need be. Or I can just kill him and you can keep resing him up ahead. Or we can summon him. Who cares! And where's the gobbo," asked Parsley looking around. It was then that Thyme jumped from behind the bushes wielding his new firearm.

"DAKKA DAKKA DAKKA! Teeheehee!"
"I think those mushrooms haven't worn off yet," sighed Rose.
"Tom, please behave once we get to the gates or I shall have to smite you with my new hammer."

Behind them Sage fell to the ground with a sound thump. Much groaning issued from within the shiny suit of armor. Parsley sighed.

"Ok lets get going. Mary, go clean that blood off, Rose help Sage up. Tom, put that turret away before you put an eye out."
"Look, I have a gun too," said Rose as she held the glistening and impossibly long pistol against the rays of the sun. "Fancy that."
"Oooh, gief it to me! I luvz guns now!"
"I'm starting to think this wasn't the best of plans," Parsley confided to Mary.
"It'll be fine," she replied. "Just have the goblin stay quiet and make Sage seem somewhat alive."