Editing AC2:Announcements - 2003/08 - Resurrection

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== Teaser ==
{{AC2 Article
 |  Link = http://ac2.turbine.com/index.php?page_id=73
 | Title = August Episode: "Resurrection"
 |  Text = 
The infestation grows and spreads... An ancient crypt is revealed... The way is nearly opened...
<br><br>
For months, the Archons have struggled to amass vast power and arcane knowledge. Now they will take the last steps on the path that they hope will destroy their sleeping master, Geraine, and establish a new Kingdom under their command. All will be welcome in this new Kingdom...as long as they accept the Archons' benevolent rule.
<br><br>
Elsewhere, a threat that mortals haven't faced in hundreds of years continues to spread... 
&nbsp;
}}

== Rollout Article ==
{{AC2 Article
 |  Link = http://ac2.turbine.com/index.php?page_id=72
 | Title = August Guide: "Resurrection"
 |  Text = 
posted on 31-Aug-2003


The infestation grows and spreads... An ancient crypt is revealed... The way is nearly opened...

For months, the Archons have struggled to amass vast power and arcane knowledge. Now they will take the last steps on the path that they hope will destroy their sleeping master, Geraine, and establish a new Kingdom under their command. All will be welcome in this new Kingdom...as long as they accept the Archons' benevolent rule.

Elsewhere, a threat that mortals haven't faced in hundreds of years continues to spread...
 
SKILL CHANGES

We've made only a few changes to skills in our August episode.  All characters will have an optional skill reset that they can use at any time during the August episode, due to the upcoming world consolidation, which should be happening sometime before the September episode.  This August skill reset would overwrite any unused skill resets from July, so each character will only have one optional skill reset in August. In addition to this optional skill reset, two character classes will be reset when they are first logged in. The classes receiving a forced skill reset are:

* Any character that has trained Nurture, the introductory Lugian Sage skill.
* Any character that has trained Burgeoning Will, found in the Lugian Melee tree.

The skill resets in August still work as they have in previous months—reset characters will be able to use the "/skills reset" command repeatedly for one hour after logging in or using the command to correct any mistakes made in distributing experience and skill credits. Please note that at this time we are not planning any optional or forced skill resets at all for September.

The specific changes made to skills in August follow. If a skill is not mentioned in the list below, its functionality was not changed.
 

Human Magic

* Inner Calm - This skill now restores 200 to 600 Vigor, costs 160 Vigor to cast, has a 40-meter range, and has a 7-second reset timer. It can be used on both the caster and other characters.

Human Enchanter

* Bladeskin - We've fixed a bug that was causing this skill's effect to be overwritten by Encase and Shield Wall.

 

Lugian Melee

* Wellspring - This skill has been moved down the tree and can now be bought by characters at level 8. In addition, it now restores 200-600 Vigor, costs 160 Vigor to cast, and has a 40 meter range and a 7-second reset timer. It can be used on both the caster and other characters. Note that the wind-up animation for Wellspring now matches the speed of the Vigor heal skills found in the Human and Tumerok skill trees.

* Burgeoning Will - This skill has been moved in the skill tree. It now sits where Wellspring used to sit in the Lugian Melee tree.

 

Lugian Sage

Lugian Sage Revised Tree

* Nurture - Nurture now restores 4 to 400 health to the target, costs 220 Vigor to use, and has a 2-second reset timer.

* Bolster Metabolism - This is a new skill that gives the Sage a Vigor regeneration buff. When not in combat, it increases the Sage's Vigor regeneration by 150% to 300%. While in combat, it causes the Sage to regenerate Vigor at 10% of his unbuffed peaceful rate. The skill effect lasts 10 to 30 minutes.

* Heartrend - This is a 40-meter line-of-sight attack that does 12 to 260 points of damage. It has a 5-second reset timer and costs 230 Vigor to use.

* Restore Will - This skill gives others 200 to 600 Vigor, costs 280 Vigor to cast, and has a 4-second reset timer. Note that this skill can only be used on others, Sages cannot use it on themselves.

* Cure Wounds - This is a targeted heal that gives the target 60 to 600 health. It costs 340 Vigor, has a 4-second reset timer, and can be used on targets 40 meters away.

* Bolster Will - This skill restores 100 to 450 Vigor to everyone in the fellowship, but does not restore Vigor to the Sage. This skill costs 300 Vigor to cast and has a 10-second reset timer.

* Cure Disease - This new skill removes all disease effects from everyone in the fellowship who is within 20 meters of the Sage. It also grants a 10 to 80 second immunity to future disease effects. The skill costs 400 Vigor to cast, has a 7-second reset timer and costs 3 skill credits to purchase.

* Saving Graces - This skill will give 300 to 800 points of health to everyone in the fellowship. It costs 400 Vigor to use, has a 30-second reset timer and costs 3 skill credits to purchase.

* Recurrent Ministrations - This skill costs 2 skill credits to purchase.

* Hypnosis - This skill costs 3 skill credits to purchase.

* Insight - This new skill grants 100 to 400 Vigor to the Sage. It cannot be used on other targets. It costs 1 Vigor point, and has a 60-second reset timer.

* Fester - This skill reduces the target's in-combat health regeneration by 10% to 30%. In addition, it disables out-of-combat health regeneration by 50% to 100% for 30 to 75 seconds. The skill costs 280 Vigor to use and has a 7-second reset timer. It can be used on targets 40 meters away.

Tumerok Magic

* Revitalize - This skill now restores 200 to 600 Vigor, costs 160 Vigor to cast, and has a 40-meter range and a 7-second reset timer. It can be used on both the caster and other characters.


Vigor Cost Reduction

* The Vigor cost of a number of skills has changed—in all cases but one, these costs have been reduced. The list of new costs compared to old costs follows:
* Human Enchanter
* Skill Name*  	Old Vigor Cost	New Vigor Cost
* Blood Loather	400	130
* Confuse	340	130
* Mesmerize	460	300
* Tangle Foot	400	250
* Tattercoat	400	180

* Human Sorcerer
* Skill Name*  	Old Vigor Cost	New Vigor Cost
* Ataxia	340	230
* Decrepitude	200	170
* Gossamer Flesh	400	260
* Palsy	400	210
* Still Water	280	240
* Vacuum	400	250

* Human Bounty Hunter 
* Skill Name*  	Old Vigor Cost	New Vigor Cost
* Anemia	280	180
* Feign Death	340	200
* Nettle	340	80
* Puncture	230	170
* Ruse	230	170

* Human Defender 
* Skill Name*  	Old Vigor Cost	New Vigor Cost
* Expulse	200	110
* Mighty Blow	455	450
* Righteous Fury	260	200

* Human Alchemist
* Skill Name*  	Old Vigor Cost	New Vigor Cost
* Concussion Grenade	230	150
* Dizzying Fumes	200	150
* Everlasting Fire	260	200
* Explosive Concoction	200	170
* Extinguish Blaze	280	200
* Festering Wounds	170	150
* Furor	200	140
* Oxidize	280	180
* Stink Bomb	340	240
* Thin Air	220	190

* Human Ranger
* Skill Name*  	Old Vigor Cost	New Vigor Cost
* Assassin's Kiss	200	110
* Rabies	400	200
* Toughen Hide	460	200

* Lugian Elementalist 
* Skill Name*  	Old Vigor Cost	New Vigor Cost
* Elemental Reconstr	340	300
* Enrage Elemental	460	300

* Lugian Juggernaut
* Skill Name*  	Old Vigor Cost	New Vigor Cost
* Blinding Serum	400	200
* Cataclysm	230	180
* Cripple	260	140
* Decapitate	260	230
* Shatter	200	150
* Tectonic Shift	200	150

* Lugian Raider
* Skill Name*  	Old Vigor Cost	New Vigor Cost
* Fulminating Throw	290	280
* Localized Destruction	260	170
* Sidearm	170	140

* Tumerok Feral Intendant 
* Skill Name*  	Old Vigor Cost	New Vigor Cost
* Rampage	170	110
* Sanguine Orders	260	160
* Soft Underbelly	100	230 (increase)
* Tenderize	260	160

* Tumerok Zealot
* Skill Name*  	Old Vigor Cost	New Vigor Cost
* Blur	200	110
* Icy Grasp	200	170
* Onslaught	140	110
* Shred Hope	140	80

* Tumerok Clawbearer
* Skill Name*  	Old Vigor Cost	New Vigor Cost
* Addle Wits	350	190
* Claw Storm	200	170
* Hail Storm	350	210
* Headshot	340	210

* Tumerok Hivekeeper
* Skill Name*  	Old Vigor Cost	New Vigor Cost
* Barbed Stingers	340	300
* Buzzing Cloud	460	250
* Creeping Horde	340	130
* Impregnate	520	400
* Protect the Queen	400	240

  

MONSTER CHANGES

We have made the three Monster changes we previously announced for this episode. The most significant change relates to the attack and defense skills of all monsters. Players should see the following changes when they attack monsters in August:

* Monsters level 13-26 should be easier to hit and evade.
* Monsters level 33-38 should be slightly easier to hit and evade.
* Monsters level 45-52 should be harder to hit and evade.
* Monsters level 53+ should be easier to hit and evade.

Other changes we've made to monsters in August are:

* All monster attacks have had their damage reduced by 12%.
* We've reduced the wander radius of all monsters from 80 meters to 25 meters. This should reduce the chance of a monster wandering into a fight it has no business being in.
* We've reduced the number of Fetich Spawns and Hunter Shreths appearing in the Naderu area of Omishan.
* We've reduced the average number of generators in the Ariaki, Nepeth, and Gevoth areas of the game world from 8 to 6 generators per landblock. (A landblock is a square 160 meters on each side.)
* We've removed the Armoredillos' armor buff skill, since they now have increased armor due to our monster armor changes in June.
* Armoredillos will now only use their bite and spin animation for normal attacks. Their slower tail attack animation has been reserved for special attacks.
* We've given all Armoredillos a new "Tail Swipe" skill. This skill does normal damage to all targets within 2 meters of the Armoredillo. In addition, Linvak Massif Armoredillos have another new skill, "Tail Smash." In addition to doing damage to all targets within 2 meters of the Armoredillo, this skill applies a 3- to 10-second stun to all affected targets.
* A few of the Gigurath's special attack skills were not working correctly and have been fixed. Since these revised skills now make the Gigurath a more deadly opponent, the frequency at which it chooses to use those skills has been reduced.
* Lesser Bloodstones, Bloodstones, and Greater Bloodstones have been given solo monster stats.
* Group Bloodstones will no longer be appearing in solo hunting grounds on Linvak Massif. Note that Solo Bloodstones may still occasionally show up in group hunting grounds.
* While all Gurog skills still damage the target, the knock-back effect applied by some of them has been removed. Other monsters with knock-back attacks, such as the Monouga and Warath, still have those effects.

 COMBAT AND PETS

* The effects applied by items and skills that reduce a skill's Vigor cost cannot reduce it more than 50% of the normal skill cost.
* The AOE attacks used by some managed pets will no longer hurt members of the master's fellowship in free-for-all and conflict areas. Managed pets are those that follow their master around and respond to most pet commands. Unmanaged or detached pets, such as Turrets and Ranger traps, will not be affected by this change.
* Pets can no longer open any doors, locked or otherwise.
* Lugian Tactician Walls and all Lugian Elementalist summoned stationary pets can no longer be knocked back.

 
TREASURE SYSTEM CHANGES

We have a series of new weapon and jewelry effects for the August episode. The list of these effects and what they do is found below:

New Weapon Effects
Name	Description	Effects
Keen-Edge 	Weapon's damage variance is reduced. 	The minimum damage of standard weapons is 25% of their maximum damage. This effect tightens that damage variance by 2% to 5%.
Sharpened Edge 	Weapon's damage variance is greatly reduced. 	The weapon's damage variance is tightened by 6% to 9%.
Burning Edge  	Weapon's damage variance is reduced. There is a 10% chance the target will catch on fire for 60 seconds.  	The weapon's damage variance is tightened by 2% to 5%. The Fire damage over time effect can do 1 to 4 points of damage per second for 60 seconds.

Stasis  	Target cannot naturally regenerate health or vigor during combat for 60 seconds.  	With each hit, this weapon has a 10% chance of applying the effect to the target.


New Jewelry Effects
Name	Description	Effects
Life Spout  	During combat, your health is slowly regenerated at the expense of vigor.  	The character's combat health regeneration rate is increased by 7%, while their Vigor combat regeneration is reduced by 3%. This does not stack with skills.
Essence Spout  	During combat, your vigor is slowly regenerated at the expense of health.  	The character's combat Vigor regeneration rate is increased by 7%, while their health combat regeneration is reduced by 3%. This does not stack with skills.
Major Life Spout  	During combat, your health is slowly regenerated without the expense of vigor.  	The character's combat health regeneration is increased by 6%. This does not stack with skills.
Major Essence Spout  	During combat, your vigor is slowly regenerated without the expense of health.  	The character's combat Vigor regeneration is increased by 6%. This does not stack with skills.
Scales  	Your skin is covered in scales, increasing your natural armor.  	The character's natural armor is increased by 6 to 10 points.

  

Other Changes

* All newly created and existing Sorcerer armor will require that the character has Quickening trained instead of Turnblade trained.

TWEAKS AND FIXES

* For the month of August, we are removing the Kingdom switching fee and the two-week timer between changing Kingdoms. Players will be able to change their Kingdom for free, and there will be a 24-hour reset timer between changing Kingdoms. The previous fee and timer will be reinstituted at some point in the future, either in our September or October episodes.
* We've fixed a bug that prevented items dropped on the ground from being cleaned up by the server. Previously, items dropped were cleaned up and deleted only when a land block unloaded (i.e. there were no players in the area).
* The light cast by the "Light of Alb'arel" quest ring now disappears when the ring is unequipped.
* We've slightly reduced the number of monsters in the Yokketh Bell Tower dungeon, and reduced the perception radius of those monsters slightly as well. In addition, the "Keeper of Lost Souls" boss has been tweaked not to use his special attack skills as often.
* We've removed a portal restriction from a portal found in the "Salvation in Artefon" quest. This will allow players to complete the quest more than once.
* We've thinned the monster spawns in the Artefon Catacombs dungeon and around the Ulkas Mines.
* The Gurog Confessor is once again dropping the key needed to complete the Winterhollows Vault.
* The character selection screen in the game client has been modified to list more than 8 characters.
}}

[[Category:AC2]]
[[Category:AC2 Patch Announcements]]