Test Update 27A : EverQuest 2 General Discussions

*** Tradeskill Writs ***

- Artisans rejoice! New Tradeskill work orders have been added to the game.
- You can begin obtaining writs when you've reached the subclass level (20).
- Please see a local Work Order Foreman to get yours. Work orders, not cash money. Well, technically you do get rewarded for doing them, but yo...
- Rewards include faction, status, and coin. Exiles will not earn faction, however.
- NOTE to Testers: The timers, faction, status, and coin are not yet final.


*** Experience Changes ***

- While we feel that solo quests can be quite rewarding, we were not satisfied with the experience from solo combat alone, especially for those characters who prefer to target slightly lower creatures. Therefore, we have increased the experience earned in the following situations:
* Non-Heroic creature experience has been increased slightly.
* Experience for blue con creatures has been increased slightly.
* Experience for green con creatures has been increased significantly.
- In addition, we also wanted to increase the reward for defeating the nastier foes you meet during raids. Therefore, epic creature experience has been increased significantly.


*** The Hand of the Gods ***

- The influence of the gods continues to grow stronger on Norrath as the prophets of War and Tranquility call upon the faithful for assistance.
- Prove your mettle to the followers of War by speaking with Tychus Zeksworn in Zek, the Orcish Wastes.
- Show your penchant for peace by contacting Sensei Makoto Shoda in Zek, the Orcish Wastes.


*** Gameplay ***

- Mounts can now be toggled off by using the whistle or summoning object again while the mount is active.
- You can no longer set your public access level to friend or higher. Visitor is the new highest default setting. Note that this only applies to the default setting for your house--you can still set specific friends to be trustees to your heart's content.
- In order to prevent lost items and coin, you cannot zone while a consignment transaction is in progress.
- You will no longer get an error message if you change targets while harvesting.
- It should now take a bit longer to drown after you run out of breath.


*** Player-versus-Player ***

- When in passive mode, pets will no longer attack aggressors unless they are directly attacked themselves.


*** Quests ***

- In "Tombs of Night: A Search for Answers", the scout that spawns when Lureclaw and Gulp are killed will now run to the shore prior to dying so the rock sample doesn’t find its way into geometry.
- Residents of Beggar's Court who had completed the "Big Trouble..." quest and stopped talking to Durio Dexus should now be offered his next quest after speaking to him.


*** Items ***

- The distance that Tarton's Wheel will teleport its user has been shortened. This should make the teleport effect a bit more reliable for its wielders.
- The Sergeant's Scimitar should now work properly for those who can wield it.


*** Zones and Population ***

- Harla Dar's lockout timer should again work properly.
- The Seraph of the Stags will no longer attack the other creatures around it.
- Some monster damage types should more closely match their attacks (e.g. badgers pierce because they bite you).


*** Combat ***

- Maximum power pool increases bonuses have been adjusted to be more consistent throughout level progression. This will increase the amount of maximum power bonuses below level 60, and lower it above 60.
- Weaker tier spells will no longer be able to overwrite stronger tier spells.
- The double attack skill will no longer work with ranged weapons.
- The following spells can now be cast while feared:
* Bruiser: Indomitable Will
* Bruiser: Close Mind
* Defiler: Voice of the Ancestors
* Inquisitor: Fervent Focus
* Monk: Will of the Void
* Potion: Freedom of Action

Achievements:
- Rogue: Torporous Strike: Critical reduction changed to casting and recovery speed reduction.
- Predator: Placating Strike: Increased melee damage and hate reduction effectiveness.
- Predator: Toxic Expertise: Modified examine information to indicate it affects spell triggers and not combat arts.

Coercer changes:
- Empathic Link: Removed restriction from hate decrease so that it can affect fighters as well.

Paladin changes:
- Offensive stances now grant additional disruption skill.
- Wards will now stack with shadowknight reactive heals/damage shields.

Shadowknight changes:
- Infernal Blessing will now stack with paladin wards.
- Death March's triggered duration is now 10 seconds, automatically triggers when it is cast, had its DPS bonus reduced, and now reduces casting times.
- Offensive stances now grant additional disruption skill.

Warlock changes:
- Boon of the Dark: Can be cast on a raid member. If they are a fighter, this transfers a small amount of the warlock's hate toward the fighter.
- Stop Breath's debuff amount has been increased, and its power cost reduced.
- The Null Caress spell will no longer cause the target's UI to display the zone loading screen.

Wizard changes:
- Accord can be cast on a raid member. If they are a fighter, this transfers a small amount of the wizard's hate toward the fighter.