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Release Notes: Update 14: Menace of the Underdark Expansion
Welcome to the Update 14, Menace of the Underdark Expansion Release Notes for Dungeons & Dragons Online! These release notes were posted on Monday, June 25th, 2012.
News & Notes
The shadow of Lolth has cast darkness over the kingdom of Cormyr where heroes struggle to stem the unrelenting tide of the Drow forces. The hopes of the Realms lie with champions from Eberron, whose world has become entangled in Lolth's schemes, bringing them to Faerûn where they will make the final stand against the Queen of the Demonweb!
Of Special Note
Forgotten Realms Campaign
Players can now journey into the Forgotten Realms! Note that in this strange new land, familiar objects may appear differently than you're accustomed to!
The "Campaign System" can now be found in Forgotten Realms content in addition to Korthos Island, to help Eberron immigrants arriving in Forgotten Realms learn where the basics are (particularly in cases where features they know and recognize in Eberron might look slightly different in Faerûn).
Forgotten Realms mailboxes appear as carrier pigeon message boxes. The mail map icon remains the same.
Rest and resurrection shrines of Faerûn bear the symbols of Forgotten Realms deities.
The Rest Shrine bears the moon symbol of Selûne
The Resurrection Shrine bears the sun symbol of Amaunator
New Free Quest
Venture Beyond the Rift between worlds as you aid the Gatekeepers of Eberron and take the first steps into another realm in this continuation of the Spinner of Shadows storyline!
Level Cap Increase: Epic Levels
Players can now advance into Epic levels! You may now level your character to level 25.
Character levels 1 - 19 are now known as "Heroic" levels. All levels 20+ are considered "Epic" levels.
A character that reaches Heroic level 20 will automatically begin to accumulate Epic Experience, progressing through Epic character levels 21 through 25.
Epic Experience required to level is identical for all characters, regardless of number of True Reincarnations. If a character's Heroic level drops below 20 (for example, through True Reincarnation), Epic advancement and all benefits related to it are suppressed. When the character reaches Heroic level 20 again, they will be returned.
Epic Advancement provides a variety of benefits:
Characters gain +10 hitpoints at levels 21 - 25.
Characters gain a +1 bonus to all their skills at levels 21 - 25.
Characters gain an ability score increase at level 24.
Character saves increase by +1 at 22nd & 24th level.
Base Attack Bonus (BAB) increase by +1 at levels 21, 23, and 25
Characters may select a new feat at levels 21 & 24. They may select a feat from the existing Heroic feat list, or from the new Epic feats available for Epic level characters.
New Expansion
The Menace of the Underdark Expansion is now available! Featuring a multitude of epic adventures, unprecedented new wilderness areas with challenging objectives, a host of dungeons and more!
Explore deep into the King’s Forest and defend the village of Eveningstar from Lolth’s Drow legions!
Venture down into the Underdark and confront Lolth’s elite followers in the Drow city of Schindylryn!
Journey to Lolth’s home plane and battle demon hordes as you attempt to stop Lolth's scheme!
15 new adventures and 3 Adventure Areas that span the King's Forest, Underdark, and Demonweb.
To purchase this expansion, visit our purchase page by clicking here. Multiple purchase packages available!
Introducing Epic Destinies!
Take your character customization to the next level with our new Epic Destinies system! Included with purchase of the Menace of the Underdark Expansion, this Epic level enhancement system brings all new abilities, attacks, and opportunities for glory!
Epic Destinies allow you to obtain new special buffs, boosts, and attacks as you level up in them.
The shortcut to open your Epic Destinies UI is Ctrl-E
Upon reaching level 20, any XP you earn will count towards your character level and your Epic Destinies simultaneously! You may continue to advance to character level 25, while earning XP towards an Epic Destiny at the same time. After reaching character level cap, you may continue to advance Epic Destiny XP, and to level up additional Epic Destinies!
You may only advance the XP of an Epic Destiny so long as you are level 20 or higher.
Only one Epic Destiny may be active at one time, but you may change between the Epic Destiny of your choice by speaking with a Fatespinner! The Fatespinner can be located in the town of Eveningstar and in the Marketplace of Stormreach. Speak with the Fatespinner at any time to switch which Destiny you are currently earning XP towards and utilizing. You may speak with a Fatespinner as often as you want to switch active Destinies. Fatespinners are located in the town of Eveningstar and in the Stormreach Marketplace.
If you have 6 or more levels in a class, your first Epic Destiny can be selected from one closely associated with that class's sphere of influence:
Arcane (Artificers, Bards, Sorcerers, Wizards) may select from:
Draconic Incarnation
Fatesinger
Magister
Divine (Clerics, Favored Souls, Paladins) may select from:
Exalted Angel
Unyielding Sentinel
Martial (Fighters, Monks, Rogues) may select from:
Legendary Dreadnought
Grandmaster of Flowers
Shadowdancer
Primal (Barbarians, Druids, Rangers) may select from:
Fury of the Wild
Shiradi Champion
Players may continue to advance in further Epic Destinies that neighbor their sphere of influence. Use the map view to visualize how near or far other Destinies are to your current one!
You may pay platinum to the Fatespinner to respec an Epic Destiny at any time, though subsequent respecs increase in cost (this cost increase resets after 3 days). You may also purchase a respec in the DDO Store using a Loom of Destiny.
As you progress in Epic character levels, you will earn Action Points that can be spent in the Epic Destiny system to acquire Twists of Fate! Players may select particular aspects of one of their Epic Destinies to retain, regardless of which Epic Destiny they have active!
It is possible to advance every type of Destiny over time, regardless of your starting class. By using Twists of Fate, you may retain your favorite parts of multiple Destinies!
To purchase the Menace of the Underdark expansion, visit our purchase page by clicking here. Multiple purchase packages available!
Introducing The Druid
Challenge the Drow of the Underdark as a Druid from the wilds of Eberron! Starting with Menace of the Underdark, DDO’s first shape-shifting class, the Druid, is available as a premium playable class -- and free to all VIPs! Proficient with staves, daggers, clubs, sickles, and more; the Druid is a powerful caster who is able to fill a variety of party roles.
Take the Druidic oath and get closer to nature - Druids must avoid metal armors & shields in order to retain their nature-influenced powers.
Harness animal instincts to transform yourself into one of the Druidic wildshape forms!
Wolf
Bear
Fire Elemental
Water Elemental
Winter Wolf
Dire Bear
Each wild shape has its own specialized set of spells to cast!
Important Information Regarding Druids:
Newly created Druids may not utilize Veteran Status.
You may not convert a high level character into a Druid using +1, +3, or +5 Reincarnations. You may use Lesser / Greater Reincarnation to respec your Druid, as well as True Reincarnation.
Druids are not eligible to receive the benefits of the Stone of Shared Experience; it is not possible to take Druid levels after utilizing a Stone of Experience.
Eveningstar Challenges
Five new Challenges are now available in DDO! Visit the town of Eveningstar and Eveningstar Cavern to check out these new Challenges! Available with purchase of the Menace of the Underdark Expansion, or free for being a VIP!
Help the Dryads to defend their grove from the evil Drow invaders
Fight beside War Wizards and Purple Dragonknights as you work to reclaim a ruined keep
Prove your worth to the denizens of the Underdark in their brutal arena
A new Daily Challenge Token vendor has been added to the town of Eveningstar!
Other Challenge Changes
Daily Challenge tokens have been streamlined. You now receive Universal tokens from the Daily Challenge NPCs in Eberron and Forgotten Realms. These tokens are valid for 1 use on any Challenge in DDO, regardless of Campaign setting or Challenge variant.
The quantity of daily tokens has been adjusted to account for the fact that they are now universal tokens.
When a star objective is achieved, a party wide message occurs rather than only notifying the person who got the star.
Kobold requisitions now only work in their intended challenge. No more Kobolds wandering about the Cannith Enclave.
Completing objectives inside a Challenge will no longer incorrectly grant immediate XP.
Questing
The questing panel has been redesigned to provide more clear guidance regarding your questing options.
Non-epic quests are now known as "Heroic" level quests. If a quest has Epic levels available, you can click the "Epic" tab to access them.
Epic quests now offer a range of difficulties, accessible by selecting the "Epic" tab in the Quest Panel.
You can now additionally access party-forming tools from inside the questing panel. Players may now allow their party to be an "open" party where other players may join/leave at will without needing to apply to join the party first. These "public" parties can even be set to have no specified leader.
Public parties are called out in the LFM, and can also be disabled from displaying.
Any Public parties will display the current amount of time the quest has been active by the existing party members to provide better guidance of how far along the quest may be.
Feedback notifying you of your current bravery streaks & eligibility has been improved.
There is now a column in the Adventure Compendium that displays the number of active LFMs for each quest. This column is sortable.
There is a new drop-down menu on the Create Party Panel that allows you to specify a max party size for your group. Once your group hits this size, the LFM is automatically delisted.
Classes
Monk
Specific quest items can now be equipped without causing monks to become uncentered.
Some DDO Store purchased Rod items now do not uncenter monks when held.
Rangers
Rangers are no longer prevented from casting while affected by a Quell's Intercession.
Entangle, Animal Growth, Magic Fang, and Pass Without Trace have been added to the Ranger spell list.
Rangers now receive Precise Shot for free at level 4.
Wizard
Pale Masters in undead form no longer need to breathe.
Warforged Pale Masters are now immune to rust damage, from sources like Rust Monsters or deconstruct.
Crafting
Green Steel Altars are now 50% more forgiving when you change your mind and 98.7% less mysterious!
Green Steel Altars now use barter-style crafting, with searchable and publicly listed recipes.
Green Steel weapons, equipment, and shards can be deconstructed to gain back approximately half of the ingredients required to make an item of the same tier.
Deconstruction of Green Steel requires Yellow Dopant, a rare drop from the Shroud end chest. Higher difficulty levels provide more chests and better chance to get Yellow Dopant.
Deconstructing a cleaned Greensteel item using Yellow Dopant returns an Essence of Cleansing.
Deconstructing a dual-shard allows you the choice of extra ingredients. For cleansed items with a dual shard, it is possible to instead select an Essence of Cleansing.
Incredible Potential can be restored to Tower of Despair Rings, wiping the ring clean so you can imbue it with different effects. This use of Yellow Dopant does not return any ingredients.
Various changes have been made to the potential of Cannith Crafting shards, so the shards now match the potential of effects on randomly-generated loot. Note that some effects that previously only existed in the Cannith Crafting system may now appear on randomly generated treasure!
"Flexible" shards have been added to crafting recipes! These shards have loosened equipment slot restrictions when compared to their counterpart recipes and as such allow you to put effects on many more equipment slots than were previously available, though at a higher minimum level and greater ingredient costs. For example, a Dexterity +4 shard can only go on gloves, rings, and boots. A flexible Dexterity +4 shard allows you to apply the effect to any equipment slot except weapons and shields. These new recipes go from level 101 to 150 on the Crafting Device for Bound Shards and go from level 151 to 200 on the Crafting Device for Unbound Shards.
Creature Companions
Creature Companion Cosmetic items now work with all Companions.
Corrected descriptions on several Companions and their associated tricks.
Combat
Armor Class curves have been adjusted and rebalanced to better scale with high level and Epic level content, and to be more meaningful at lower levels:
The amount of Armor Class provided by various items, character abilities, spells, etc has been updated to be in line with these changes. Monsters also received adjustments to their armor classes to be in line with the changes.
Dodge has been modified to provide a % based mitigation instead of single points of Armor Class.
Many feats and items will now give dodge as a percentage.
The word “dodge” will appear over head when a character has successfully mitigated damage using dodge.
This new dodge percentage bonus is capped by the max armor class bonus on your armor. This cap only applies to passive bonuses, and temporary buffs may break your cap on a case by case basis.
There are now six types of armor:
Leather (Light Armor)
Chainmail (Light Armor)
Scalemail (Medium Armor)
Breastplate (Medium Armor)
Half Plate (Heavy Armor)
Full Plate (Heavy Armor
Armor values have been adjusted to better balance out each type of armor. Armor and max dex bonus values are higher on higher level equipment. These appear in random treasure. Existing named items of this type have been retroactively upgraded. That includes ones you already own.
A new form of damage mitigation has been added to the game: Physical Resistance. It provides a % resistance against blunt, slash, and piecing damages, but is granted through multiple sources (items, feats, enhancements) and stacks with itself. Character sheets will now show the Physical Resistance Rating of the player in the same area as other types of resistances.
Character sheets now include a new tool tip under the armor class section called “defense chance at level”. This is the chance of a monster missing you at your given level calculated off your current AC. This calculation ONLY uses armor class.
Other Combat Feat & Enhancement Changes
Changes have been made to the following Feats & Enhancements:
Completionist
Prerequisites: Past Life: Artificer, Past Life: Barbarian, Past Life: Bard, Past Life: Cleric, Past Life: Druid, Past Life: Favored Soul, Past Life: Fighter, Past Life: Monk, Past Life: Paladin, Past Life: Ranger, Past Life: Rogue, Past Life: Sorcerer, Past Life: Wizard
You win DDO! You've leveled to 20 in every class, and for your effort you can take this feat to get a +2 bonus to all skills and ability scores. When more classes are added, this feat will deactivate and you will need to gain those past lives before this benefit reactivates.
Precise Shot
Your missile attacks may pass through other characters and monsters to strike their target. This feat also grants you the Offensive Ranged Stance 'Archer's Focus', which lets you deal progressively more damage with ranged attacks while standing still.
Archer’s Focus
Offensive Ranged Stance: If you have been stationary for 5 seconds, you gain Archer's Focus: While attacking opponents with a ranged weapon, you gain a +5% competence bonus to missile damage every 5 seconds, to a maximum of +25%. Moving or using the Manyshot ability removes this effect, and your focus ends if you do not attack an opponent with a ranged weapon for 5 seconds.
Cleave
Tactical Melee Cleave: Activate this ability to attack one or more enemies in an arc in front of you. This attack deals +1[W] damage.
5 second cooldown.
Great Cleave
Tactical Melee Cleave: Activate this ability to attack one or more enemies in a wide arc in front of you. This attack deals +2[W] damage.
5 second cooldown.
Whirlwind Attack
Tactical Melee Cleave: Activate this ability to attack all enemies in a 360 degree arc around you. This attack deals +4[W] damage.
5 second cooldown.
Two Weapon Defense
Grants you a +1 bonus to your AC and 5 physical resistance when you wield two weapons. (This bonus does not apply when fighting unarmed/with handwraps.)
Combat Expertise
Defensive Combat Stance: While using Combat Expertise mode, you suffer -5 to your attack rolls but gain +10% feat bonus to Armor Class. Spells have three times their normal cooldown when this mode is active. Combat Expertise dispels and wards against all Rage effects.
Defensive Fighting
Defensive Combat Stance: While using Defensive Fighting mode, you gain a 5% bonus to AC and a -5% penalty to-hit. Casting a spell ends this mode.
Precision
Offensive Combat Stance: While using Precision mode, you gain +5% to hit and reduces the target's fortification against your attacks by 25%.
Resilience
Defensive Combat Stance: While using Resilience mode, you gain a +4 bonus to all saves. Spells have three times their normal cooldown when this mode is active.
Power Critical
Provides a +2 bonus to confirm critical hits and a +2 bonus to critical hit damage (before multipliers are applied).
Dodge
Grants you a 3% Dodge bonus.
Uncanny Dodge
Activate this ability to gain a temporary 25% Dodge bonus and a +4 reflex save bonus. This feat also grants you a 1% passive bonus to Dodge at levels 4, 6, 8, 12, 16, and 20.
No longer has a times-per-rest restriction, instead has a 180 second cooldown.
Improved Uncanny Dodge
Activate this barbarian ability to gain a temporary 25% Dodge bonus and +6 reflex save bonus. This feat also grants you a 1% passive bonus to Dodge at levels 4, 6, 8, 12, 16, and 20.
No longer has a times-per-rest restriction, instead has a 120 second cooldown.
Mobility
Increases the maximum dexterity bonus permitted by armor and tower shields by 2, and adds a +4 bonus to Armor Class while tumbling. You will also gain a 2% Dodge bonus.
Spring Attack
You suffer no penalty to your attack roll when moving and attacking. You will also gain a 2% Dodge bonus.
Flurry of Blows
While centered (unarmored, unencumbered, and either unarmed or wielding monk weapons such as the kama, quarterstaff, or shuriken), you get an increase to your attack bonus, and a 2% dodge bonus at monk levels 1, 2, and 4 for a total of 6%. The attack bonus increase starts at 1 (at level 1) and increases by 1 for every four additional monk levels. Some rare items are enchanted as 'Ki Weapons' and can be used with your monk abilities, and certain feats or enhancements can further expand the list of weapons available to your monk.
Light Armor Proficiency
You are proficient with light armor, and do not suffer armor penalties to your attack rolls when wearing light armor. You also gain 2 + 1/2 of your base attack bonus in physical resistance when wearing light armor.
Medium Armor Proficiency
You are proficient with medium armor, and do not suffer armor penalties to your attack rolls when wearing medium armor. You also gain 4 + 2/3rds of your base attack bonus in physical resistance when wearing medium armor.
Heavy Armor Proficiency
You are proficient with heavy armor, and do not suffer armor penalties to your attack rolls when wearing heavy armor. You also gain 6 + your base attack bonus in physical resistance when wearing heavy armor.
Shield Mastery
You are skilled with the use of a shield, and your physical resistance is increased by 3 when using a buckler or small shield, 5 when using a large shield, or 10 when using a tower shield. You gain 3% double strike while using a shield.
Improved Shield Mastery
You are exceptionally skilled with the use of a shield, and your physical resistance is increased by 5 when using a buckler or small shield, 10 when using a large shield, or 15 when using a tower shield. ** Your double strike chance while using a shield is increased by 8%.
Inspire Heroics
Activate this bard ability to grant an ally a +4 morale bonus to his or her saves, and a +4% dodge. Requires 18 trained ranks (not total mod) of the Perform skill to use.
Mithral Body
Docents you equip provide armor equivalent to Chainmail. This is treated as metallic light armor. You have a 15% arcane spell failure chance, -1 armor check penalty to certain skills, and a +5 maximum dexterity bonus.
Adamantine Body
Docents you equip provide armor equivalent to Full Plate. This is treated as metallic heavy armor. You have damage reduction 2/adamantine, a 35% arcane spell failure chance, -5 armor check penalty to certain skills, and a +1 maximum dexterity bonus.
Lesser Mountain Stance
The unyielding mountain stance focuses on endurance and defense. Lesser Mountain Stance grants +2 Constitution, a 5% boost to AC, 3 physical resistance, and a +25% Insight bonus to melee threat generation, at the cost of -2 Dexterity and -10% movement speed. While in Lesser Mountain Stance, you gain 'Get Hit Effect: Gain 1 ki.'
Mountain Stance
The unyielding mountain stance focuses on endurance and defense. Mountain Stance grants +2 Constitution, a 10% boost to AC, 8 physical resistance, and a +40% Insight bonus to melee threat generation, at the cost of -2 Dexterity and -10% movement speed. While in Mountain Stance, you gain 'Get Hit Effect: Gain 1 ki.'
Greater Mountain Stance
The unyielding mountain focuses on endurance and defense. Greater Mountain Stance grants +3 Constitution, a 15% boost to AC, 12 physical resistance, a +55% Insight bonus to melee threat generation, and the critical multiplier of all weapons you use is increased by 1 on rolls of a natural 19 or 20, at the cost of -2 Dexterity and -10% movement speed. While in Greater Mountain Stance, you gain 'Get Hit Effect: Gain 1 ki.'
Ultimate Mountain Stance
The unyielding mountain focuses on endurance and defense. Ultimate Mountain Stance grants +4 Constitution, a 20% boost to AC, 15 physical resistance, a +70% Insight bonus to melee threat generation, and the critical multiplier of all weapons you use is increased by 1 on rolls of a natural 19 or 20, at the cost of -2 Dexterity and -10% movement speed. While in Ultimate Mountain Stance, you gain 'Get Hit Effect: Gain 1 ki.'
Lesser Ocean Stance
The eternal ocean focuses on redirection and the supernatural. Lesser Ocean Stance grants +2 Wisdom, +1% dodge, and +2 to all Saving Throws at a cost of -2 Strength.
Ocean Stance
The eternal ocean focuses on redirection and the supernatural. Lesser Ocean Stance grants +2 Wisdom, +2% dodge, and +3 to all Saving Throws at a cost of -2 Strength.
Greater Ocean Stance
The eternal ocean focuses on redirection and the supernatural. Lesser Ocean Stance grants +3 Wisdom, +2%, +4 to all Saving Throws, and your passive ki generation when centered is increased by 1, at a cost of -2 Strength.
(Class) Armor Class Boost I
Activate this ability to receive a +5 Action Boost bonus to Armor Class for 20 seconds.
(Class) Armor Class Boost II
Activate this ability to receive a +10 Action Boost bonus to Armor Class for 20 seconds.
(Class) Armor Class Boost III
Activate this ability to receive a +15 Action Boost bonus to Armor Class for 20 seconds.
(Class) Armor Class Boost IV
Activate this ability to receive a +20 Action Boost bonus to Armor Class for 20 seconds.
Supreme Cleave
Tactical Melee Cleave: Expend 10 hit points to activate this ability to attack one or more enemies in an arc in front of you. This attack deals +2[W] damage.
3 second cooldown.
Defender of Siberys I
Protecting the weak from the depredations of the strong, you become a paragon of defense. This prestige enhancement grants you 2 additional Turn attempts, additional armor class when blocking with a shield, increases the maximum dexterity bonus allowed by tower shields by 1, and grants the ability to enter a defensive stance or to create a Magic Circle Against Evil effect. When using a shield, you generate 25% additional threat from all sources and gain 10 physical resistance. You may possess only one prestige enhancement line at a time for each class.
Defensive Stance:
You may expend a Paladin armor boost to become a bastion of defense, gaining a +2 Sacred bonus to Strength and Constitution, +10% maximum hit points, a +1 Sacred bonus on all saves, 10 physical resistance, a 25% Sacred bonus to threat generated with your melee attacks, and a 10% bonus to Armor Class from armor and shields. While in this stance you move 10% slower.
Defender of Siberys II
Protecting the weak from the depredations of the strong, you continue your training as a paragon of defense. This prestige enhancement grants you an additional Lay on Hands use per rest, and further increases the maximum dexterity bonus allowed by tower shields and heavy armor by an additional 1. When using a shield, you now generate 50% additional threat from all sources and gain 15 physical resistance. You also gain the ability to enter an improved defensive stance or to produce a Mass Shield of Faith effect.
Improved Defensive Stance:
You may expend a Paladin armor boost to become a bastion of defense, gaining a +4 Sacred bonus to Strength and Constitution, +15% maximum hit points, a +2 Sacred bonus on all saves, 15 physical resistance, a 50% Sacred bonus to threat generated with your melee attacks, and a 20% bonus to Armor Class from armor and shields. While in this stance, you move 10% slower.
Defender of Siberys III
Protecting the weak from the depredations of the strong, you continue your training as a paragon of defense. This prestige enhancement increases the strength of all of your defensive auras, and further increases the maximum dexterity bonus allowed by tower shields and medium or heavy armor by an additional 1. When using a shield, you now generate 75% additional threat from all sources and gain 20 physical resistance. You also gain the ability to enter a superior defensive stance or to defy your enemies in a glorious stand against evil.
Superior Defensive Stance
You may expend a Paladin armor boost to become a bastion of defense, gaining a +6 Sacred bonus to Strength and Constitution, +20% maximum hit points, a +3 Sacred bonus on all saves, 20 physical resistance, a 75% Sacred bonus to threat generated with your melee attacks and a 40% bonus to Armor Class from armor and shields. While in this stance, you move 10% slower.
Stalwart Defender I
While the flesh may be weak, you place your trust in the strength of steel. This prestige enhancement increases your armor class by 1, grants +2 to your intimidate skill, increases your maximum dexterity bonus allowed by shields, and grants additional armor class and damage reduction when blocking with a shield. In addition, when you have a one handed melee weapon and shield equipped, you possess 10 physical resistance and your melee threat generation is increased by 25%. Also, you may expend a use of Fighter action boost to enter a defensive stance. You may possess only one prestige enhancement line at a time for each class.
Defensive Stance
You may expend a Fighter armor boost to become a bastion of defense, gaining a +2 Competence bonus to Strength and Constitution, +10% maximum hit points, a +1 Competence bonus on all saves, 10 physical resistance, and a 10% bonus to Armor Class from armor and shields. You also gain a 25% Competence bonus to threat generated with your melee attacks. While in this stance, you move 10% slower.
Stalwart Defender II
Your defensive mastery continues to grow. In addition to the bonuses of Stalwart Defender I, this prestige enhancement increases your armor class by 1, grants +2 to your intimidate skill, increases your maximum dexterity bonus allowed by heavy armor and shields, and grants additional armor class and damage reduction when blocking with a shield. In addition, when you have a one handed melee weapon and shield equipped, your physical resistance is upgraded from 10 to 20, and you now generate 50% additional threat with melee attacks. You may expend a use of Fighter action boost to enter a defensive stance.
Improved Defensive Stance
You may expend a Fighter armor boost to become a bastion of defense, gaining a +4 Competence bonus to Strength and Constitution, +15% maximum hit points, a +2 Competence bonus on all saves, 15 physical resistance, and a 20% bonus to Armor Class from armor and shields. You also gain a 50% Competence bonus to threat generated with your melee attacks. While in this stance, you move 10% slower.
Stalwart Defender III
Your defensive mastery is complete. In addition to the bonuses of Stalwart Defender I and II, this prestige enhancement increases your armor class by 1, grants +2 to your intimidate skill, increases your maximum dexterity bonus allowed by medium or heavy armor and shields, and grants additional armor class and damage reduction when blocking with a shield. In addition, when you have a one handed melee weapon and shield equipped, your physical resistance is upgraded from 15 to 20, and you now generate 75% additional threat with melee attacks. You may expend a use of Fighter action boost to to enter a defensive stance.
Superior Defensive Stance
You may expend a Fighter armor boost to become a bastion of defense, gaining a +6 Competence bonus to Strength and Constitution, +20% maximum hit points, a +3 Competence bonus on all saves, 20 physical resistance, and a 40% bonus to Armor Class from armor and shields. You also gain a 75% Competence bonus to threat generated with your melee attacks. While in this stance, you move 10% slower.
Kensei II
Your focus and training improve, granting an additional +1 bonus to Bluff, Concentration, Diplomacy, and Intimidate skills, Combat Feat DC's, and Reflex saves against magical effects, and 1 additional Action Boost per rest. If you possess a Ki bar, you gain 1 additional Ki on criticals and when meditating. You also gain the ability to expend a Fighter attack boost to focus your energy and spirit into a surge of power.
Power Surge
You may expend a Fighter attack boost to focus your energy and spirit, gaining a +8 Psionic bonus to strength for a short period of time. If you possess the ability to generate Ki, you generate an additional 2 Ki on successful attacks during your surge.
Other Combat Changes
Fixed some debuffs improperly interrupting the charging of Runearms.
Corrected an issue where creatures or characters appeared to "slide" while doing some combat animations.
Weapon sets can now be equipped while underwater.
DDO Store
Various fixes to description errors in Hireling contracts
Events
Crystal Cove will now show the right objective amount of 100, not 150.
Text descriptions for the Pirate's Cunning & Stalwart Trinkets have been updated to reflect the amounts they were actually giving.
The tooltip for Pirate's Port now reads correctly.
Kobold Gems no longer take damage.
It is no longer possible to teleport party members above the Bogwater Tavern slide.
Enhancements
Several enhancements that impact combat bonuses were updated with the new Combat changes. Please see the Combat section of these release notes for further details.
Blood Rage properly gives +4 Strength and Constitution during the third stage of rage.
Guilds
Instructions for disbanding your Guild are now clearer.
Fixed a blocked doorway on the Windspyre Sparrow airship.
Hirelings & Class Pets
Hirelings with the spot skill should now properly alert players to traps they see.
Martial Epic Hirelings may now be purchased in the DDO Store
More hirelings have been added to the game to support high level and epic content.
Iron Defenders modules have been converted to "collars". All class pets (artificer dogs, druid wolves, etc), now use "collars" to obtain extra gear-based abilities. Note that currently, only Iron Defenders are capable of utilizing breath weapon collars. All existing modules have been renamed "collars".
The amount of hit points class pets receive has been adjusted to be more appropriate for their level throughout gameplay.
Fixed a Hireling text error in which Nimeth Celibel listed Holy Smite incorrectly as Mass Aid.
Maloren the hireling has yet again been retrained to cast healing spells.
Benefits UI for pets now displays tooltips properly.
Fixed an issue where some hirelings would go brain dead and try to freeze up the quest instance. Bad hirelings, bad!
Hirelings and pets willl now drop quest items and soulstones in their inventory when dismissed
All invisible Iron Defenders have been rounded up by the pound.
Items
Spell Power
The spell damage amplification system (including bonuses from items and enhancements) now uses a Spell Power rating to determine how much damage you deal with spells. In most cases, each point of Spell Power increases the base damage of your spell by 1%. (For example, casting a spell with 100 Spell Power will result in double damage.) Unlike the old damage amplification effects, Spell Power is not restricted by spell level, and bonuses to Spell Power of different types stack, following standard D&D stacking rules. (An Enhancement bonus and an Alchemical bonus will stack, but only the greater of two Enhancement bonuses will apply.) The bonus damage from Spell Power is not multiplied by metamagics such as Empower Spell or Maximize Spell. Items and enhancements that granted damage amplification to specific damage types will now provide a bonus to Spell Power with spells of that damage type. (For example, an old Combustion V item that used to grant +20% damage to level V or lower Fire spells will now grant a +48 Equipment bonus to Spell Power when casting any Fire spell.) Potency effects grant Spell Power with any spell, as expected, but generally have lower values than specific effects. Sources of Spell Power include:
Feats:
Metamagics such as Empower Spell and Maximize Spell add 75 or 150 Spellpower while active.
Enhancements:
Enhancements such as Flame Manipulation or Pale Master now grant Spell Power to the appropriate spells equal to twice their old percentage values.
Items:
Items with old permanent damage amplification effects now grant an Equipment bonus to Spell Power.
Any weapon that has a Spell Power bonus also grants an Implement bonus equal to 3 times the enchantment bonus of the weapon. A +5 weapon will therefore grant a +15 Implement bonus to Spell Power with all spells. Any effect that increases the enchantment bonus of the weapon (such as an Artificer’s Enchant Weapon) will also increase the Implement bonus.
Any item with old temporary damage amplification effects now grant an Alchemical bonus to Spell Power when used (an Inferno item will now stack with a Combustion item).
The Xachosian Eardweller now grants a +25 Psionic bonus to Spell Power with all spells (it now stacks with all other effects instead of temporarily replacing them).
Other Item Changes
When using a Stone of Experience on another player you must now be partied with that player or it will have no effect.
Roderic's Wand will now apply Augment Summoning buffs to hirelings as well as summoned and charmed monsters.
The Bracelet of Friends and Greater Bracelet of Friends will not work across the two worlds (Xendrik and Forgotten Realms).
Ingredients and Collectibles are now weightless.
Docents can no longer generate with race restrictions, because that would be silly.
Random treasure can now generate up to level 25.
The power of generated treasure at low levels has been increased to more closely match the level of the chest it comes from.
Many new prefix and suffix mutations can now appear. Go forth and discover them!
New rare mutations can appear. These rare mutations can include multiple effects on one prefix or suffix. Go forth and discover them too!
Equipment Icon Borders have been changed:
Randomly generated items now have dark green borders on their icons.
Some rarer random items with more powerful abilities will have a teal border.
Event and Challenge item rewards have a blue border (unless that item is level 20 or higher)
Named items have a blue border.
Raid items have an orange border.
Epic named items have a purple border.
Epic raid items have a red border.
Newly purchased DDO Store Spirit Cakes will now resurrect all nearby hirelings within a radius of the one who consumes the cake.
Corrected the description of Smiting on several named weapons.
Fiery Detonation, Freezing Gale, Acid Torrent, and Electrifying Blast have had their descriptions updated to appropriately reflect their higher saving throws. They have also had their area of effect reduced to a more appropriate size, as they were unintentionally set very large.
The Icy Raiments no longer use the description of the Enlightened Vestments.
The upgrade recipes for Toven's Hammer no longer refer to it as "Tobin's Hammer".
Greater Halfling Bane now properly deals bonus damage.
Items that grant Fire Shield have had their descriptions updated to denote that Hot and Cold cancel each other out.
The Templar's Bastion and Epic Templar's Bastion are now made of Mithral.
Items acquired from scarab turn-ins in the Necropolis have had their minimum levels adjusted downwards.
Rahl's Might has been returned to its original size.
Ring of Troll's Regeneration now gives +2 natural armor instead of normal armor.
Potions of Healing and Rods of Healing from the DDO Store now have proper minlevel usage restrictions.
Sap should proc for 30 seconds if the player can get a sneak attack viable hit in
Docents with minimum guild levels can now be equipped by Artificer pets.
Typo corrected in Dusk Heart's description.
Corrected the spelling of house Deneith on a dragonshard fragment.
Typo and grammar fixes to the Archivist's Set.
Eldritch Runes that grant skill bonuses have been updated to better describe which groups of skills they impact.
Once Belashyrra's Scepter is exchanged as quest reward, it changes its name to "Belashyrra's Cleansed Scepter."
Fixed a bug where it was possible for multiple of the same Ioun stones to drop simultaneously in Dreaming Dark end reward lists.
Corrected spelling errors in the Xoriat Insanity Sword's description… it's not THAT crazy.
Mail & Auctions
Players can now buyout on the Auction house while having the maximum number of bids.
Monsters
Several new and exciting monsters have arrived in the DDO ecosystem, particularly in Forgotten Realms content.
Disembodied eyeballs have met their match - blind effects now kill them!
All lions/panthers/cats will do less tripping
Updated the Water Elemental's Freezing Spray debuff icon to match the new Freezing Spray spell.
Mudmen can now actually throw mudballs instead of vaguely mudball-like rocks.
Drow warriors with scimitars now correctly deal Slash damage.
Forgotten Realms Drow look different than Eberron Drow. Complete with mohawks!
Glowing red eyes have been added to Drow in the Forgotten Realms.
Xoriat gargoyles are immune to Flesh to Stone.
Mesmerized enemies from spells such as fascinate and hypnotize will no longer teleport
The valid hit area for Greater Thaarak hounds has been adjusted to be more in line with the body size and shape of the monster.
Shaverath devils now hate half-elves and half-orcs along with all other player races.
Toven should be a lot more "with it" these days.
Nauseated enemies should no longer teleport.
Fixed a bug causing undead enemies to always fail their saves against healing spells. Undead enemies where always taking full damage from spells such as heal, now they will correctly try to make their save.
Quests & Adventures
Epic Difficulty
Epic Normal favor is the same as Epic before the update. Epic Hard now gives +1 favor and Epic Elite gives +2 favor compared to Epic Normal. Epic Casual gives half Epic Normal favor.
Players who have completed Epic quests prior to MoTU should be flagged as having completed Epic Elite in the Adventure Compendium, which gives the same favor as old Epic mode. The player should still receive a first time quest bonus for completing Epic Elite the first time, however.
All quests that offer Epic difficulty options are now accessible via a new tab in the quest panel called "Epic".
All quests that offer Epic content now feature it in multiple difficulties!
Party scaling now applies to Epic difficulties (with hard and elite receiving little or no scaling)
Epic Dungeon Tokens are natives of the world of Eberron, and will not appear in the chests of Forgotten Realms.
Necropolis
Tomb of the Tormented: Fixed an issue where rats wouldn't go to eat their food.
The Ruins of Gianthold
The dragons fought in Gianthold Tor will now reward more dragonscales on higher difficulties.
The artisans in Gianthold who craft Dragonscale Armor have refined their craft. New versions of the Blue, Black, and White Dragonscale items are now available here.
Dragonscale Armors from Gianthold have been increased in power to be more appropriate to their rarity and prestiege. Although their minimum level to equip remains at 14, they now may be useful for characters up to level 20.
Three Barrel Cove
Avast! The denizens of Three-Barrel Cove now be holdin unique treasure fer intrepid level 4 - 6 land lubbers to find. Track ye down eighteen new items in both the adventure area and from quest rewards.
General Questing Changes
Traps on casual difficulty will no longer behave as if "hard" difficulty had been selected.
In the quest journal for Attack on Stormreach, the player is now directed to find Yorrick Amanatu specifically in Lordsmarch Palace (instead of just ""Plaza"").
Removed a stuck spot in Sins of Attrition
An unbreakable jug in Whisperdoom's Lair can now be broken. Smash!
Hirelings no longer get stuck in some parts of the Butcher's Path.
Iron defenders have been removed from Schemes of the Enemy.
Fixed an issue where Epic fragments were not dropping in Offering of Blood
Debuffs no longer persist after leaving the Litany of the Dead.
Corrected a display bug with Crateos's death animation in the Snitch.
An unbreakable jug in Whisperdoom's Lair can now be broken. Smash!
Remodeled a door so monsters and players will not get stuck so much in Lordsmarch Plaza
Fixed a glitchy ladder in the Caverns of Shaagh
The Shiny Shilling - now with less stuck spots!
Removed a stuck spot in Stealer of Souls. Except the poor poor dragon souls... they're stuck there unless someone can rescue them!
Dackle now functions as a ranged combatant.
In the Forgotten Realms, every third completion of a quest chain will provide a reward list with a 50% chance for each item that could have normally appeared in that list to appear. Completions which are not the third or a subsequent multiple of three have a 25% chance for those items to appear.
Newly obtained Rings of Elemental Essence from the Phiarlan Carnival quest series now have Corrosion.
Finishing out of "Servants of the Overlord" and "Spinner of Shadows" now takes you to the correct location.
Reincarnation
As of Update 14, all existing and new characters may speak with Kruz to perform a lesser reincarnation character respec for free, without using a Heart of Wood, one time. You may perform this free respec at any time of your choosing, and each of your characters may speak with Kruz one time to do so.
Several Spells will no longer disappear upon reincarnation.
Extra Pre-purchase items are no longer being re-granted upon reincarnation.
Reincarnating Wizards and Artificers are now allowed to pick spells while levelling up regardless of past class history.
Characters may perform a True Reincarnation so long as they are level 20 or higher.
Skills, Feats, & Abilities
Poison & Diseases
Changes have been made to the way that Poisons and Diseases behave in the game to be more inline with D&D rules:
All Poisons and Diseases are now classified as either natural, magical, or supernatural.
Diseases
Paladins are immune to natural, magical, and supernatural diseases through the granted feat "Divine Health"
Purity of Body grants immunity to all natural diseases, but not magical or supernatural ones.
Disease wards grant immunity to natural diseases, and an Enhancement bonus to saving throws against magical diseases. Additionally Disease Ward prevents the wearer from failing saving throws on a roll of a natural 1 (this renders the wearer immune to ability score damage from magical diseases with a DC of less than 7 + their Fortitude save).
Poisons
Monks with Diamond Body gain a +10 bonus to saving throws against magical poisons, and do not fail saving throws against them on a roll of a natural 1 (this renders you immune to ability score damage from magical poisons with a DC of less than 11 + your Fortitude save). You have Poison Resistance: 10 against poisons that deal hit point damage.
Proof against Poison grants immunity to natural diseases, and an Enhancement bonus to saving throws against magical diseases. Additionally Disease Ward prevents the wearer from failing saving throws on a roll of a natural 1 (this renders the wearer immune to ability score damage from magical diseases with a DC of less than 7 + their Fortitude save). Additionally you gain Poison Resistance 10 against poisons that deal hit point damage.
Races & Creatures
Warforged are naturally immune to sleep, energy drain, nausea, sickness, exhaustion, and paralysis effects except those which physically hold them in place. You are immune to ability score damage from natural poisons and natural diseases, but are vulnerable to those that specifically affect wood or metal. You gain a +10 Racial bonus to saving throws against magical poisons and magical diseases, and do not fail saving throws against them on a roll of a natural 1 (this renders you immune to ability score damage from magical poisons and magical diseases with a DC of less than 11 + your Fortitude save). You have Poison Resistance: 10 against poisons that deal hit point damage. If you transform into a different type of creature, you will lose these benefits until you return to your Warforged form.
Bonuses from multiple racial/class type resistances stack, so a Warforged Monk 11/Druid 9 would end up immune to natural poisons and diseases (including ones that specifically affect wood and metal, since those are covered by the Monk and Druid feats), would have Poison Resistance: 30, and would have a +20 bonus to saves against magical poisons and diseases (rendering them immune to ability score damage from magical poisons and diseases with a DC of 21 + Fortitude save or less). As expected, those that cease being living constructs through a transformation effect will lose these traits, gaining traits appropriate to their new creature type. (Warforged Monks will retain these constructs traits even if they acquire Perfect Self.)
Other Changes:
The Neutralize Poison spell will grant immunity to all natural and magical poisons for 3 seconds per caster level. The Extend metamagic will apply to this aftereffect.
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