Milaga

From the official forum:
http://forums.station.sony.com/eq2/p...opic_id=366605
ACHIEVEMENTS

• The Class Tree of Achievements received a full review of their bonuses. Many of the less popular achievements had their benefits increased to better compete with the more popular achievements of each class.
• Removed most weapon requirements from the second set of achievements of all Class achievement trees, with the exception to shield and ranged weapon requirements. They all share the same reuse time as well. Many of these abilities were slightly improved.

Crusader

• Strength 5 - Avenging Invigoration: Also improves recovery speed by 10%.
• Agility 2 - Joust: Increased range to 15, teleports you to your target to attack.
• Agility 3 - Trample: Increased area autoattack base chance to 5% per rank.
• Agility 4 - Higher Ground: Increased base defense skill bonus.
• Agility 5 - Lance: Also removed weapon requirement. Increased damage over time effect from horseback. Lance cannot be riposted. Reuse time speeded from 60s to 45s.
• Stamina 5 - Divine Aura: Stoneskin effect now takes into consideration mitigation before determining final damage. Improved reuse speed from 15 minutes to 10 minutes.
• Wisdom 4 - Aura of Leadership: Also increases the maximum amount of regeneration possible by the group by an additional 2% per rank.
• Wisdom 5 - Fearless Morale: No longer affects casting/reuse times, but all other bonuses are improved by 2%.
• Intelligence 2 - Legionnaire's Smite: Reuse speed slowed to 30s like other achievement attacks to account for the removal of the symbol requirement.
• Intelligence 4 - Legionnaire's Mercy: Also increases spell resistance. Reduced healing critical chance to 6% per rank.
• Intelligence 5 - Reflect: Also removed symbol requirement.

My first thoughts:

The STR line was left basically untouched. The reductions to hate transfers will make STR4 Idolic Axe all the more valuable. Unfortunately the STR2 Swiftaxe gave the most worthwhile attack speed increase and since it's reuse timer is shared with the rest of the second tier AAs a choice will have to be made between getting the benefit from Swiftaxe and using things like Hammer Ground or Smite. The 1/20th of a second recovery time reduction in STR4 is pretty laughable, especially considering we don't use our CAs all that much.

The AGI line got a large boost on paper, but I don't think all the changes have truly made it to test. The AGI2 attack did lose it's weapon requirement and the horse component. But this means it's going to do about half the damage it used to on horseback. The 15m jump to target could be useful for jousting raid targets, so I suppose this is aptly named. AGI3 Trample is now a 5% chance per rank. No benefit for a horse. A 448 in AGI now gets you a 40% hurricane. This is pretty competitive to the you get with a 448 in STR. AGI4 doesn't seem to be changed on test, or the bonus to defense is so small I don't notice it with only one rank.

The STA line. They *finally* fixed Divine Aura. I assume, anyways, since I haven't tested it. This is finally viable in raids, but I still feel they need to lower the casting time to no more than a second. I'd take that over the 5 minute recast reduction anyday. The 22% melee crit 40% barrage you get from a 448 AGI/STA build is looking mighty fine. STA2 Hammer Ground recast timer was halved, but shares timers with the other 2nd tier attacks. Pretty sure the PVPers are gonna like this one. We've got enough to keep an opponent stunned 20 out of every 60 seconds.

The WIS line is largely untouched. Even with the reductino to a 30 second recast time on WIS2 Combat Leadership this ability needs a boost. This still looks like the worst line for us.

The removal of the symbol from the INT line requirement may seem like a good thing, but the sharing of timers means that I don't see using my smite over Swiftaxe or Hammer Ground. INT 4 Legionnaire's Mercy has a decent resist component to it now. It's hard to tell since my test SK isn't 70 but it looks like about 70 to all resists per rank. The removal of the symbol requirement from the last ability in the INT line pulls it out of the useless pile.

I'm most eager to test AGI/STA/INT to see how the 40% barrage fares and to see if Joust is as fun as it sounds. Otherwise it looks like STR/STA/INT is still the way to go, but STR/AGI/INT might be good for those who don't have a good crit-friendly weapon. With the resists and the ability to reflect while still holding a shield might mean the STA/INT spec is a good tanking build. That might just be the way I end up.

Jikko

I'm itching to try out the new-and-improved Trample myself, especially against avatars.

I'm rather conflicted as to what to give up for it, though. I'm currently STR/INT spec'd, so basically if I want to gain Trample I'm going to either need to lose STR5 or drop STR entirely and go with an AGI/STA/INT build for the crits.

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Wozamil

I've always used the Trample line. I have loved it and encouraged people to try it. Granted, i'm a pally, but I think the crusader tree works well for both our classes. I've been and will continue to be specced at 4/4/8 agi/sta/int.

What I didn't know, and appears to be answered is if the 40% trample was from horse or not. My fear was it was going to be 40% on a horse, and 20% off a horse, but are you telling me that it's just a straight 40% now regardless of being on a horse?

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Dekeon

Im thinking with a dirge in group the sta agi int lines might be quite nice. If they droped the must be facing requirement for the AGI 3 line I would almost be excited. Will have to see how things turn out in the end.

Currently I don't see us being any more useful raids after this chance.

Seems to me currently they wanted to lower overall dps and this is there feeble attempt to nerf dps by agro control and lowering dps.

If they allowed us to dual wield after LU37 that might change everything, but that is beyond doubtfull.

I currently consider it one more nerf pushing me out of this game.

Mr. Negative signing out.

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Azzaroth

to the post from Milaga:

I would like to ask some things you mention a bit further since since my Toon on the Test server is only 29. And i can just guess by reading the descriptions.


The STR line was left basically untouched. The reductions to hate transfers will make STR4 Idolic Axe all the more valuable. Unfortunately the STR2 Swiftaxe gave the most worthwhile attack speed increase and since it's reuse timer is shared with the rest of the second tier.

Can anyone confirm that they removed the Axe Requirement from STR2 Swiftaxe ? The discription still says needs Axe or Greataxe

The AGI line got a large boost on paper, but I don't think all the changes have truly made it to test. The AGI2 attack did lose it's weapon requirement and the horse component. But this means it's going to do about half the damage it used to on horseback. The 15m jump to target could be useful for jousting raid targets, so I suppose this is aptly named. AGI3 Trample is now a 5% chance per rank. No benefit for a horse. A 448 in AGI now gets you a 40% hurricane. This is pretty competitive to the you get with a 448 in STR. AGI4 doesn't seem to be changed on test, or the bonus to defense is so small I don't notice it with only one rank.

Are you sure that there is no benefit if youre mounted on a horse, last time i tried AGI Line i was surprised that the bonuses did only apply if youre really on a horse. Carpet or Hovering Device did not grant the bonus. Did anybody know the exact angle for the multi-attacks in front ?


The STA line. They *finally* fixed Divine Aura. I assume, anyways, since I haven't tested it. This is finally viable in raids, but I still feel they need to lower the casting time to no more than a second. I'd take that over the 5 minute recast reduction anyday. The 22% melee crit 40% barrage you get from a 448 AGI/STA build is looking mighty fine. STA2 Hammer Ground recast timer was halved, but shares timers with the other 2nd tier attacks. Pretty sure the PVPers are gonna like this one. We've got enough to keep an opponent stunned 20 out of every 60 seconds.

Is recast of Hammer Ground really fixed ? Description still says 1 minute

The WIS line is largely untouched. Even with the reductino to a 30 second recast time on WIS2 Combat Leadership this ability needs a boost. This still looks like the worst line for us.

The removal of the symbol from the INT line requirement may seem like a good thing, but the sharing of timers means that I don't see using my smite over Swiftaxe or Hammer Ground. INT 4 Legionnaire's Mercy has a decent resist component to it now. It's hard to tell since my test SK isn't 70 but it looks like about 70 to all resists per rank. The removal of the symbol requirement from the last ability in the INT line pulls it out of the useless pile.

I'm most eager to test AGI/STA/INT to see how the 40% barrage fares and to see if Joust is as fun as it sounds. Otherwise it looks like STR/STA/INT is still the way to go, but STR/AGI/INT might be good for those who don't have a good crit-friendly weapon. With the resists and the ability to reflect while still holding a shield might mean the STA/INT spec is a good tanking build. That might just be the way I end up.

Joust sound like Fun, would be interesting to know in wich position it will port you to the Mob. could be very intressting if it is possible if you can just port back to the Mob from midair if you got kicked and are fast enough to be not oor from the 15m.

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drychnath

Combat leadership looks like fun now that you don't have to use some gay sword. Before this change, you'd end up with a sword in your hand that was a far lesser item , if you wanted to give your group that extra hit (They haven't released many good swords compared to all the axes, hammers and clubs).

It doesn't do anything for our own damage, but it gives a good spread to the whole group.

Whether I'd use it over swiftaxe? haste is nice, but there gets a point as a crusader, with our casting times being what they are, that there can be such a thing as too much haste.

Whether I'd use it over hammer ground? how many mobs am I fighting at the time? Are the mobs I'm fighting immune to stun? Judgement call.

Whether I'd use it over lego's smite? Yes, definitely. More total damage for the raid. A single target is a single target, and on one targer, CL is
much bigger than legos... in fact, legos might now be the most useless of all the abilities, unless they're going to give the damage a big boost.

Whether I'd use it over joust? No Idea. ... Since they've removed the "mounted" requirements I'd finally be interested in trying joust if it produced some damage. The percentages on trample are low, and that frustrates me.

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EQ2: Avenger Drychnath Malcherion -AB
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Beldin

I wondered if this would be done. Personally i like it, since i like to use Hammer before Tap on large groups, but Tap recast
is on 38 second or so for me while Hammer still was on 60 sec.

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Milaga

The sharing of recast timers and removal of weapon requirements was done for all AA trees. The exceptions are shields and bows, but neither apply with our AAs. The descriptions for some of the AAs are still wrong, but we can count on that. So swiftaxe won't need an axe and the recast for hammer ground will be 30 seconds.

Elamshinae

On swiftaxe you'll actually notice it is now called Swift Attack, and has had the flavor text chagned to no longer mention an Axe. The fact that it still listed under the specifics of the ability is obviously a bug.

Pimak

so, whats the better build for an offtank/dps sk?

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