TDS...

[Zorthaz]

What can you expect when you hit 101+ ?  Right now mercs take a big hit when you hit 101.  If you depend on mercs, you may want to stay in CotF zones.  If you are trying to grind out EXP for levels, the old daily tasks have finally lost their luster.  The 85 task was less then 1% exp.  For the 90 and alternate tasks you get right at 2% for each task even at 102.  Running everyone's favorite Dead Hills HA with LotD running will net you 10-12%.  Right now I only have a few hours a night, so I am running two HAs (Scouting Ahead, and Into the Hills) with LotD and potions.  My goal is to get the new pet, then slow down the exp grind and get some AA.

Hopefully with a few levels under our belts my casual fellowship will be able to finally finish some of the really tough hero tasks from RoF/CotF.

-Z-

[Illiyana]

I haven't got TDS yet (waiting until payday tomorrow), but I read the merc nerf was not really a nerf but an adjustment between mitigation and avoidance.


https://forums.station.sony.com/eq/index.php?threads/merc-nurf.214786/#post-3141714

The 101 to 105 mercs had their tanking abilities adjusted to be have a more even spread of avoidance vs mitigation, so as to more closely approximate player tanking ratios. IE, their AC went down a bunch, but their avoidance was majorly increased.

Previous to the change, most mercs had their AC so high, that it had essentially minimized their chances of getting hit for any of the higher values on the damage table. Which meant that adding AC with buffs, gear,etc did basically nothing. Now that the spread is more even, AC bonuses will matter much more than they did before.

And yes, we accounted for strikethrough in the changes.

As always, open to feedback on the changes.
-Ryan

[Zorthaz]

The spells are just copies of the old ones with slightly increased values.  One thing I did notice is they did change the levels when you receive the spell.  The most notable was our mana regen spell which we now get at 103, where as before we would have gotten it at 104.

The group gear in the first 2 tiers is a very minor (if any) upgrade over CotF t2 group gear.

-Z-

[Khauruk]

Beastlords appear to have made out pretty well this expansion, at least by glancing at spells/AAs...we'll see what happens when some get geared up.  Sadly my ranger main got shafted.

As for mercs, I'll wait to see some actual parses posted of pre- and post-101 dps taken before I call it not-a-nerf.

[Zorthaz]

I dinged 103 last night and only had the new pet spell with me.  I used my new pet and my 103 Warrior merc in a test on Roon.  I was boxing my 102 Bard with a 102 Cleric merc.  Previously, Roon would flatten a merc tank in about 30 seconds with a single merc cleric on reactive.  I thought I would really be testing out the new pet versus Roon after the tank merc wilted, but this was not the case.  I am happy to report the tank merc held up just fine with a single cleric merc on reactive.  The merc tank's health dropped below 50% a couple of times but only for a few seconds.

Earlier in the evening I got a named mob in the Disrupting the Ritual HA in Dead Hills.  At the time I was still level 102 as was the tank merc.  Once again the tank merc held up just fine with a single cleric merc on reactive.

Back before the pet nerf, when I was confronted with a CotF named, I would have to swap out the tank merc for a second cleric merc and use the pet to tank the named.

I guess I will have to admit the merc changes are positive ones.
Enjoy!
-Z-

[Zorthaz]

Summary from the Roon fight:
Roon in 113s, 8455k @74821dps
Zorthaz 4073k @56576dps (48.18%)
Fourforty 1752k @16072dps (20.72%) (Bard)
Kukshul 1261k @11260dps (14.92%) (Tank Merc)
Zorthaz`s warder 1180k @15527dps (13.96%)
Zorthaz`s pet 116k @1905dps (1.37%)
Fourforty`s pet 72k @802dps (0.85%)

Merc Tanking Details:
Tanking summary for: Kukshul
Total damage: 864092
Avg hit: 7025
Swings: 201
Defended: 44 (21.9%)
Hit: 123 (61.2%)
Missed: 34 (16.9%)
Accuracy: 78.3%
Dodged: 13 (7.6%)
Parried: 21 (10.4%)
Blocked: 0 (0%)
Riposted: 10 (5.6%)
Absorbed: 0 (0%)


Index,Time,Type,Defense,Damage,Healed,Spell
1731899651,0,Hit,Riposte,0,0,None
1731899799,0,Hit,Hit,7891,0,None
1731899866,0,Hit,Miss,0,0,None
1731899942,0,Hit,Parry,0,0,None
1731900017,0,Bash,Hit,3433,0,None
1731900090,2,Hit,Hit,4285,0,None
1731900593,2,Hit,Hit,20487,0,None
1731900667,2,Hit,Hit,11107,0,None
1731900741,2,Hit,Hit,11960,0,None
1731901615,3,Hit,Hit,6844,0,None
1731902701,4,None,None,0,0,Fortitude Disc
1731902768,4,Hit,Miss,0,0,None
1731902843,4,Hit,Dodge,0,0,None
1731902910,4,Hit,Miss,0,0,None
1731904471,6,Hit,Dodge,0,0,None
1731904538,6,Hit,Miss,0,0,None
1731904605,6,Hit,Miss,0,0,None
1731904672,6,Hit,Miss,0,0,None
1731906458,8,Hit,Miss,0,0,None
1731906525,8,Hit,Miss,0,0,None
1731906592,8,Hit,Miss,0,0,None
1731906659,8,Hit,Miss,0,0,None
1731907683,8,Bash,Miss,0,0,None
1731907911,9,Hit,Miss,0,0,None
1731908440,10,Hit,Miss,0,0,None
1731908515,10,Hit,Dodge,0,0,None
1731908582,10,Hit,Miss,0,0,None
1731910007,11,Hit,Miss,0,0,None
1731910160,11,Hit,Riposte,0,0,None
1731910227,11,Hit,Miss,0,0,None
1731910294,11,Hit,Miss,0,0,None
1731911958,13,Hit,Miss,0,0,None
1731912025,13,Hit,Miss,0,0,None
1731912092,13,Hit,Miss,0,0,None
1731914123,15,Hit,Miss,0,0,None
1731914190,15,Hit,Miss,0,0,None
1731914265,15,Hit,Dodge,0,0,None
1731918386,17,Hit,Riposte,0,0,None
1731918562,17,Hit,Hit,3943,0,None
1731918738,17,Hit,Hit,3943,0,None
1731920852,19,Bash,Hit,3159,0,None
1731922027,20,Hit,Hit,14406,0,None
1731922094,20,Hit,Miss,0,0,None
1731923199,20,None,None,0,0,Kaficus' Spite II
1731923670,20,Hit,Hit,10254,0,None
1731925915,22,Hit,Parry,0,0,None
1731926168,22,Hit,Hit,10254,0,None
1731926420,22,Hit,Hit,4285,0,None
1731928369,24,Hit,Hit,19635,0,None
1731929062,25,Hit,Hit,4285,0,None
1731929138,25,Hit,Parry,0,0,None
1731929314,25,Hit,Hit,9401,0,None
1731931470,27,Hit,Hit,18782,0,None
1731931774,27,Hit,Parry,0,0,None
1731931950,27,Hit,Hit,9401,0,None
1731932126,27,Hit,Hit,4285,0,None
1731932202,27,Hit,Parry,0,0,None
1731934285,29,Hit,Hit,5991,0,None
1731934462,29,Hit,Hit,17929,0,None
1731934999,30,Bash,Riposte,0,0,None
1731935423,30,None,None,0,0,Final Stand Disc
1731937789,32,Hit,Hit,8225,0,None
1731937965,32,Hit,Hit,9967,0,None
1731938041,32,Hit,Parry,0,0,None
1731941312,34,Hit,Hit,3868,0,None
1731941379,34,Hit,Miss,0,0,None
1731941556,34,Hit,Hit,10838,0,None
1731945936,36,Hit,Miss,0,0,None
1731946067,36,Hit,Hit,3868,0,None
1731946142,36,Hit,Dodge,0,0,None
1731946273,36,Hit,Hit,3868,0,None
1731947005,37,Hit,Hit,12145,0,None
1731947288,37,Hit,Hit,3868,0,None
1731951001,39,Hit,Miss,0,0,None
1731951208,39,Hit,Hit,3559,0,None
1731951408,39,Hit,Hit,4361,0,None
1731954371,41,Kick,Hit,3159,0,None
1731955772,41,Hit,Hit,3559,0,None
1731957688,42,Hit,Parry,0,0,None
1731957755,42,Hit,Miss,0,0,None
1731957830,42,Hit,Dodge,0,0,None
1731957961,42,Hit,Hit,5563,0,None
1731962312,43,Hit,Hit,3699,0,None
1731965937,44,Hit,Riposte,0,0,None
1731966068,44,Hit,Hit,9096,0,None
1731966200,44,Hit,Hit,12145,0,None
1731966331,44,Hit,Hit,3868,0,None
1731969484,45,Hit,Parry,0,0,None
1731974221,46,Hit,Hit,3868,0,None
1731974297,46,Hit,Parry,0,0,None
1731974473,46,Hit,Hit,7789,0,None
1731974549,46,Hit,Parry,0,0,None
1731983611,48,Hit,Hit,5175,0,None
1731983787,48,Hit,Hit,8225,0,None
1731986281,49,Hit,Parry,0,0,None
1731988503,50,Hit,Hit,6482,0,None
1731990963,51,Hit,Hit,12145,0,None
1731991038,51,Hit,Dodge,0,0,None
1731991114,51,Hit,Parry,0,0,None
1731991181,51,Hit,Miss,0,0,None
1731992544,51,Bash,Hit,3433,0,None
1731999729,53,Hit,Hit,6482,0,None
1732000141,53,Hit,Hit,3868,0,None
1732000317,53,Hit,Hit,3868,0,None
1732011925,56,Hit,Hit,10373,0,None
1732012101,56,Hit,Hit,3960,0,None
1732012278,56,Hit,Hit,10160,0,None
1732012454,56,Hit,Hit,3868,0,None
1732024058,58,Hit,Parry,0,0,None
1732024234,58,Hit,Hit,9096,0,None
1732025929,58,Hit,Hit,7353,0,None
1732035829,60,Hit,Hit,3868,0,None
1732036082,60,Hit,Hit,12145,0,None
1732036235,60,Hit,Riposte,0,0,None
1732037543,61,Hit,Dodge,0,0,None
1732042107,61,Hit,Hit,6046,0,None
1732045395,62,Bash,Dodge,0,0,None
1732050560,63,Hit,Hit,6918,0,None
1732050636,63,Hit,Parry,0,0,None
1732050962,63,Hit,Hit,7789,0,None
1732051330,63,Hit,Hit,12145,0,None
1732056684,64,Hit,Hit,7789,0,None
1732069967,65,Hit,Hit,3868,0,None
1732070219,65,Hit,Hit,7353,0,None
1732070396,65,Hit,Hit,12145,0,None
1732070471,65,Hit,Dodge,0,0,None
1732075555,66,Hit,Parry,0,0,None
1732084476,68,Hit,Hit,3868,0,None
1732084652,68,Hit,Hit,3868,0,None
1732102875,70,Hit,Parry,0,0,None
1732103051,70,Hit,Hit,9096,0,None
1732103118,70,Hit,Miss,0,0,None
1732103194,70,Hit,Parry,0,0,None
1732107470,71,Hit,Hit,3868,0,None
1732119654,72,Hit,Hit,5563,0,None
1732119846,72,Hit,Hit,8369,0,None
1732119965,72,Hit,Hit,10125,0,None
1732120083,72,Hit,Hit,3868,0,None
1732120201,72,Hit,Hit,6482,0,None
1732121340,73,Bash,Hit,3433,0,None
1732132751,74,Hit,Hit,12145,0,None
1732138863,75,Hit,Hit,3868,0,None
1732138981,75,Hit,Hit,3868,0,None
1732139099,75,Hit,Hit,3868,0,None
1732153733,77,Hit,Hit,6918,0,None
1732153851,77,Hit,Hit,9096,0,None
1732153970,77,Hit,Hit,10838,0,None
1732154046,77,Hit,Parry,0,0,None
1732170108,80,Hit,Dodge,0,0,None
1732170226,80,Hit,Hit,3868,0,None
1732170420,80,Hit,Hit,3868,0,None
1732170539,80,Hit,Hit,11274,0,None
1732183680,81,None,None,0,0,Kaficus' Spite II
1732187910,82,Hit,Riposte,0,0,None
1732188104,82,Hit,Hit,9096,0,None
1732188222,82,Hit,Hit,6046,0,None
1732188340,82,Hit,Hit,3868,0,None
1732196945,83,Kick,Hit,3433,0,None
1732206018,85,Hit,Miss,0,0,None
1732206136,85,Hit,Hit,5611,0,None
1732206254,85,Hit,Hit,3868,0,None
1732224074,87,Hit,Hit,8225,0,None
1732224192,87,Hit,Hit,8660,0,None
1732234728,89,Hit,Miss,0,0,None
1732240374,89,Hit,Miss,0,0,None
1732240492,89,Hit,Hit,9571,0,None
1732240610,89,Hit,Hit,3559,0,None
1732240728,89,Hit,Hit,3559,0,None
1732248695,91,Hit,Miss,0,0,None
1732253551,91,None,None,0,0,Kaficus' Spite II
1732254454,92,Hit,Miss,0,0,None
1732254572,92,Hit,Hit,7316,0,None
1732254690,92,Hit,Hit,8225,0,None
1732269278,94,Kick,Hit,3433,0,None
1732269354,94,Hit,Parry,0,0,None
1732269472,94,Hit,Hit,3868,0,None
1732269590,94,Hit,Hit,3868,0,None
1732282647,96,Hit,Hit,3868,0,None
1732282766,96,Hit,Hit,10403,0,None
1732282884,96,Hit,Hit,3868,0,None
1732293970,99,Hit,Hit,9967,0,None
1732294045,99,Hit,Dodge,0,0,None
1732294120,99,Hit,Dodge,0,0,None
1732294238,99,Hit,Hit,8660,0,None
1732302712,101,None,None,0,0,Kaficus' Spite II
1732303051,101,Hit,Hit,12145,0,None
1732304758,101,Hit,Hit,6918,0,None
1732304876,101,Hit,Hit,9532,0,None
1732304995,101,Hit,Hit,10403,0,None
1732305148,101,Hit,Riposte,0,0,None
1732316786,104,Hit,Hit,7166,0,None
1732316980,104,Hit,Hit,3559,0,None
1732317098,104,Hit,Hit,3559,0,None
1732317251,104,Hit,Riposte,0,0,None
1732317369,104,Hit,Hit,3559,0,None
1732322763,105,Bash,Riposte,0,0,None
1732329301,106,Hit,Hit,6109,0,None
1732329377,106,Hit,Parry,0,0,None
1732329495,106,Hit,Hit,6918,0,None
1732329613,106,Hit,Hit,3868,0,None
1732335218,107,None,None,0,0,Kaficus' Spite II
1732338737,108,Hit,Hit,10838,0,None
1732338813,108,Hit,Parry,0,0,None
1732338931,108,Hit,Hit,3868,0,None
1732348743,110,Hit,Hit,3868,0,None
1732348861,110,Hit,Hit,3868,0,None
1732348979,110,Hit,Hit,3868,0,None
1732352626,111,Hit,Hit,9096,0,None

[Khauruk]

Nice, thanks for the info!

[Zorthaz]

DOT...  did they ramp up our DOT dmg?   DOTs use to do 1300 - 1500 per tick, but now at 105 they do 2800 - 3100 ish dmg per tick.  I guess if they double the HP on mobs they can afford to double the dmg done by our DOTs.

Not that I plan to use them on a daily basis...
-Z-

[Zorthaz]

If you are looking to upgrade your pet focus.  There is an easy mob in Tempest Temple that drops an EM16 earring.  The name of the mob is Strangacul.  There are 3 PHs at the bottom of the path as you are heading to the dock for the boat to Brother Island called an enraged rocksnapper.  The stats are a minor upgrade to the EM15 earring that drops in Neriak 4th Gate.

-Z-