Patch 1.5.5b Notes

Bryan Patch Notes

Bug fixes and misc changes:

  • Rings shouldn’t be able to roll Shield Generator Retrofit anymore. This skill was disabled as its effect was merged into Medpak Retrofit a few patches ago.
  • EMP Blast was moved down by a row in the skill tree to take the conventional lvl10 skill position. This change is only cosmetic, and has no impact on gameplay at all.
  • Fixed a discrepancy where Nicor was referred to as “The Nicor”. It is now referred to as “Nicor”, in line with the other Stonehenge bosses.
  • Rick Sullivan and Nichols now correctly display their inspection texts.
  • Moon Blades of all grades now correctly state that their attack speed is higher than “very fast”. This attack rate was named “extremely fast”. 
  • All items with a splash and field radius penalty now correctly display this affix in red.
    • This affix is now named “Limited”. It does not currently roll naturally on Double-Edged items, and may only appear on specific Uniques.

 

Quest related changes: 

  • You will be able to choose only one reward of the repeatable Wanted quest chains around London.
  • Broker’s first quest, “Deinde”, now requires the completion of the new quest “The Call” to become available, along with “Triage” as it did before.
    • “The Call” belongs to a new quest chain that begins with “Mad Skills” in Holborn Station, and leads directly to the Broker.
  • Broker’s final quest, “Exinde”, will now be immediately available after completing “Invicem”, the one before. 
    • “Exinde” will now require only 1 Shiny drop from a Named Lost One, “Salgrum”, in Liverpool Approach.
  • Dotter’s “Bad Doggy” quest now requires the completion of Beasley’s “Mopping Up” quest to become available.
  • Gil’s “The Narrow Way” and Joanne’s “Gig for Old Cap” quests will now be the last on their respective quest chain.
    • These changes intend to improve quest routing, by not having the player revisit these areas after reaching Temple Station.

 

Skill description changes:

  • All skills now display their subgroups (Boost, Buff, Curse) in their skill descriptions.
    • This includes the universal skill, Sprint.
  • Skills that are affected by the player’s minion stats and are not clearly defined as minions now state this interaction in their descriptions. These skills are:
    • Wall of Bone
    • Spectral Serpents
    • Tempest (newly added)
    • Swarm (newly added)
  • Skills that scale with the player’s maximum hp value now state this interaction in their descriptions. These skills are:
    • Surge of Restoration
    • Aura of Renewal
    • Afterlife
    • Drain Life
    • Brom’s Curse
  • Skills that scale with the player’s maximum power value now state this interaction in their descriptions. These skills are:
    • Drain Power
    • Aura of Power
  • All Aura skills now define their base range of 10m in their description.
  • Multishot now states the damage penalty reduction per level in its skill description from lv1 onward.
    • Multishot now correctly defines Strike skills as “Precision Strike”.
  • Nanobots and Bomber Bot now state that they are affected by the Engineer’s shield penetration value in their skill descriptions.
  • Sword Master’s skill description now aligns more closely with the phrasing of the others.  

 

Monster changes:

  • Imp Snipers of all kinds will attack more aggressively.
  • Teleporting monsters got their maximum travelling distance reduced to 25m (from 40m).

 

Level changes:

  • Portal duration for Dawn of the Dead has been reduced to 5 minutes. 
    • This has been done to prevent an emerging trend of certain groups excluding players from parties who can’t complete the level multiple times per talisman use. 

 

New content:

  • A new survivor has found his way to Holborn Station. The Baker seems very willing to help you, and he and his acquaintances throughout London will guide you and explain key mechanics. This questline will lead you all the way to St. Paul’s, and it’s our very first long-form plotline.
    • Each quest of this questline will require that you complete the previous one, and some will also require station-specific quests that unlock their respective areas.
    • Access to Broker’s quests will require that you follow this questline – which will lead you directly to him. Finishing this questline also requires that you complete all of Broker’s quests. He somehow seems to be involved in this…
    • This questline will provide one of the most requested rewards for midgame players; a unique, untradeable Skill Retrainer. This step occurs just before St. Paul’s Station.
    • Other rewards will include new, unique items of varying item grades. These are all tradeable, as knowledge is to be shared. 
      • Each quest of this questline directs you to the next in line, including talk-style quests that reveal their whereabouts.So new players will be properly directed to Oxford Circus Station, and be given clearer directions toward St. Paul’s Station. 
  • Four new survivors have found their way to Stonehenge. Three of them will greet you with one introductory quest, and then offer daily quests related to the area. Specifically, these are the following:
    • Tour Guide Sangan will show you around Stonehenge. Both of her quests will send you to the Wilds, and her daily quest will award a lv30 Legendary Dreadmask, Spiked Guard, or NavShell.
    • Ken is a troubled Hunter who needs your help. Both of his quests will send you to the Foreboding Wilds, and his daily quest will award a lv30 Legendary Dire Cowl, Tower Helm, or Blast Helm.
    • Athanasios is a Hunter who needs no help, but will further explain how Stonehenge works. His first quest will send you to Wake Hallow, and his 4-part daily quest chain will have you farm the minor bosses’ heads in the bosses’ caverns, with each step awarding you with an additional head. 
  • Four more survivors have set up camp in Stonehenge. Their quests will send you to a new, scaling, party-oriented dungeon that pays homage to hellgateaus. This dungeon’s drops are split into 2 tiers, based on what item levels may drop within the map; tier 1 items between item lv20-39, and tier 2 items from item lv40 and up. Each tier includes 5 new items per faction – with the exception of tier 2 Cabalist items, of which 4 are new. You may find these items in the “new items” section below.
    Specifically, these survivors’ quests are the following:

    • Explorer will send you to recover his old notes, across both his initial and daily quests. For both, he will award you with 10 essences of your choice.
    • Coder will send you after a familiar demon in his primal form. Both his initial and daily quests will award you a random lv30 weapon.
    • Modder will send you after a modified demon who can tank a few hits. Both his initial and daily quests will award you a random lv30 armor piece.
    • Tester will send you against an elusive enemy who prefers to quit than be fired. His initial quest will let you choose among skill tokens for Templar Restoration, Shield Throw, EMP Blast, Drone Aggressive Mode, Dark Form, and Wall of Bone. His daily quest will let you choose among skill tokens for Crusader’s Wrath, Aura Stability, Flashcrasher Grenade, Spider Mines, Dark Lord, and Spectral Serpents.
      • This dungeon’s items are NOT exclusively Unique, and include Rare, Double-Edged, and Legendary-grade items. So bear this in mind and adjust your Piecemakers accordingly. 

 

General item changes:

  • Eel Launcher missiles now last for 2.5 seconds instead of 5.
  • Eruptor missiles can now hit enemies.
  • Hestia’s Vision got a new 15-20% chance to trigger Exploding Spikes on hit.
  • Affixes that add points in Sniper and Master Sniper will now only appear and be augmentable on 2-handed sniper rifles.This is to account for Sniper no longer being usable with non-sniper weapons, making such affixes useless for them.
    • Rupert’s Rifle’s +3 Sniper affix was replaced with +3 Elemental Beacon.
  • The Rate of Fire of Gau’s Equalizer was reduced to 60. Its Critical Damage Bonus was reduced to 0 from 50.
  • The Rate of Fire of all Templar Nova guns was reverted to 30.
  • The Rate of Fire of all Templar Grenade Launchers, Firefield Casters, and Flamecasters was reverted to 60.
    • This excludes the Unique Fisher’s Fiery Cast.
  • Vigilantes, including the Unique version, can now fire 2 additional bullets per shot, each with a 30% chance.
  • M51, XM55, XM57, XM63 and XM66 rifles can now fire 2 additional bullets per shot, each with a 15% chance.
  • Zart’s Considered Opinion will no longer drop globally.

 

New items:

 

Armor set and sword changes:

  • Swords of normal and slower attack speeds got an inherent +Group Attack skillgroup damage property, depending on their attack speeds. Specifically:
    • Very slow swords got +30% Group Attack damage.
    • Slow swords got +20% Group Attack damage.
    • Normal swords got +10% Group Attack damage.
      • This includes all Named and Unique swords, but excludes Wart’s Peg Leg.
  • The Invoker armor set got reworked, and all Invoker pieces of item levels 1-44 can now spawn with one of the following:
    • All evasion affix (2-9, depends on item level).
    • A randomly picked caste damage (10-15%).
    • A randomly picked elemental damage (5-9%).
    • Naturalism or Spiritualism skillgroup damage (15-23%).
      • The possibility of inherent power regeneration affixes was removed.
  • The Conjurer armor set can now randomly roll new inherent bonuses:
    • Weapon range and Firing Accuracy can appear on all armor pieces.
    • Mind Power skillgroup cooldown reduction can appear on all armor pieces.
    • Demon Command cost reduction can appear on Arms, Belts, and Helmets.
  • The Caster armor set got reworked, and all Caster armor pieces can now spawn with one of the following:
    • Increased power regeneration (10 + (item level / 2)).
    • Inherent cooldown reduction, which was increased by 1% per piece for a total cooldown reduction of 49% at max level.
    • Inherent power cost reduction, which was increased for a total cost reduction of 49% at max level.
  • The Rifleman armor set got inherent Critical Chance values.
  • The Military armor set can now randomly roll new inherent bonuses:
    • Random sfx attack strength or increased damage vs a random caste can appear on all armor pieces.
    • Movement speed can appear on Belts and Leg armor.
  • The Order armor set can now randomly roll new inherent bonuses:
    • Group Attack modifiers can appear on all armor pieces with different values.
    • Prayer Damage modifiers can appear on Arms, Belts, and Leg armor.
    • Prayer Cooldown modifiers can appear on all armor pieces.
    • Weapon range and Firing Accuracy can appear on Arms, Helms, Shoulders and Torso armor.
    • Missile Speed and Weapon Accuracy can appear on Belts, Leg armor and Boots.

 

Engineer changes:

  • The Drone’s AI got tweaked to attack more aggressively and more consistently.

 

Blademaster changes:

  • Templar Restoration and Crusader Wrath were removed from the “Group Attack” skillgroup.
  • Crosscutter, Sword Typhoon, and Path of Righteousness were added to the “Group Attack” skillgroup.
    • There are currently no new affixes for the “Group Attack” skillgroup that may drop normally or be augmented onto gear, outside of the inherent sword and Order armor properties noted above. Unique items may also have this property.
  • Onslaught now grants Critical Chance and Critical Damage to Charge and Path of Righteousness, in addition to its original bonus.
  • Templar Restoration may now be used while the player is under the effects of shock.

 

Guardian changes:

  • Shield Turn and Stampede were added to the “Group Attack” skillgroup.
  • Shield Wall’s effect was reverted to its original form.
  • The cooldowns of Prayer of Retribution and Prayer of Smiting were increased by 100%.

 

Evoker changes:

  • The skill damage calculations of all spells that deal damage were refactored to enhance the effect of skillgroup affixes on them. There should be no discernible difference in performance when not using such affixes.
  • All of the skills in the Nature tab, with the exception of Wall of Bone, were added to a new “Naturalism” skillgroup.
  • Venomous Spirit, Swarm, Spectral Bolt, Spectral Lash, and Spectral Serpents were added to a new “Spiritualism” skillgroup.
  • Afterlife was added to the “Mind Power” skillgroup, in line with the Summoners’ version of the skill.
  • Blink was added to the “Mind Power” skillgroup.
    • This also affects the Summoner version of this skill.
  • Venom Armor was added to the “Mind Power” skillgroup.
    • This also affects the Summoner version of this skill.
  • Tempest’s initial damage was reduced by 50%. However, Tempest is now affected by the player’s minion damage value.
  • Swarm now deals damage on impact before its field component begins to deal damage. In addition, it is now affected by the player’s +minion damage value.
    • This also affects the Summoner version of this skill.
  • To better facilitate the new skillgroups, the following affixes that increase skillgroup damage were added for all focus items, with a level range of 1-100:
    • Naturalism: Gravedigger’s (Common, 20-24%), Stormcaller’s (Rare, 30-34%), Pyromancer’s (Legendary, 40-50%), Naturalist’s (Mythic, 80-100%)
    • Spiritualism: Reincarnator’s (Common, 20-24%), Harbinger’s (Rare, 30-34%), Channeler’s (Legendary, 40-50%), Spiritualist’s (Mythic, 80-100%)
    • In turn, the following affixes that increase skillgroup damage were added for all relics, with a level range of 1-100:
    • Naturalism: Arcing (Common, 8-12%), Gravebound (Rare, 14-18%), Infernal (Legendary, 20-24%), Naturalist’s (Mythic, 40-50%)
    • Spiritualism: Eldritch (Common, 8-12%), Chthonic (Rare, 14-18%), Otherworldly (Legendary, 20-24%), Spiritualist’s (Mythic, 40-50%)
  • Finally, the following Mythic-grade affixes that increase skillgroup damage were added for all Cabalist armor pieces, with a level range of 1-100:
    • Naturalism: Naturalist’s (20-30%)
    • Spiritualism: Spiritualist’s (20-30%)

 

Summoner changes:

  • The “Minion” skillgroup was renamed to “Demon” for clarity. In turn, the “Minion Commands” skillgroup was renamed to “Demon Commands”, and Demon skill descriptions now refer to Demons simply as “Demons”.
  • Meat Shield was moved 2 columns to the right. This change is only cosmetic. 
  • Summon Reaper was added to the “Demon” and “Mind Power” skillgroups.
  • Venomous Spirit and Swarm were added to the “Spiritualism” skillgroup, in line with the Evoker versions of these skills.
  • Dark Offering was added to the “Naturalism” skillgroup.
  • The Reaper has gained the following affixes:
    • Backlash
    • Thorns (fire)
    • Fire field on death
    • Knockback immunity
  • Summoning Circle now also grants all Demons passive hp regeneration per skill level.
  • Spellstorm will no longer have its cooldown reduced per skill level.
  • The cooldowns of Spellstorm and Spectral Strike were increased to 20 seconds. In turn, their shared cooldown was reduced to 10 seconds.
  • A new passive skill, “Attunement”, has been added to the Demons tab, replacing Enrage. Unlocked at player lv5, this skill grants Willpower and increased damage to Demons per skill level.
    • “Skillful”, “Proficient”, and “Masterful” (+1, +2, and +3) affixes for Attunement have been added to the game, and may appear on any Summoner focus items and Cabalist guns.
    • Attunement (skill level 1) is now a prerequisite for Blood Link. In turn, Blood Link has become a lv10 skill, and Summoning Circle a lv20 skill. 
    • Summoning Circle (skill level 2) is now a prerequisite for Summon Reaper. 
    • The Blood Link skill level requirement to unlock Summoning Circle has been reduced from 3 to 2.
  • 4 new passive skills were added to the Elementals tab, each corresponding to one non-Fire Elemental. Along with the revamped Master of the Flame skill, the 5 “Master of” skills, and their effects, are now the following:
    • Master of the Flame (lv5): +splash radius for Fires, +damage for all Elementals.
    • Master of the Arcane (lv15): +armor penetration for Spectral, +sfx strengths for all Elementals.
    • Master of Gaia (lv20): +hp regeneration for Forces, +hp for all Elementals.
    • Master of Lightning (lv25): +attack rate for Storms, +shield penetration for all Elementals.
    • Master of Venom (lv30): +sfx strengths for Toxics, +sfx defenses for all Elementals.
      • Each of these “Master of” skills requires 2 points in its corresponding Elemental to unlock.
      • All “Master of” skills, along with Elemental Nova and Master of the Elements, were added to a new “Elemental Mastery” skillgroup.
      • “Skillful”, “Proficient”, and “Masterful” (+1, +2, and +3) affixes for all “Master of” skills have been added to the game, and may appear on any Summoner focus items and Cabalist guns.
  • Fire Elementals now deal splash damage instead of direct.
  • To account for the new Elemental skills’ bonuses and overall class balance, the Elementals’ base stats have been decreased as follows:
    • The attack of all Elementals has been reduced by 33%.
    • The hp of all Elementals has been reduced by 20%.
    • The sfx attack strengths of Fire, Spectral, Force, and Storm Elementals have been reduced by 25%.
    • The poison attack strength of Toxic Elementals has been reduced by 33%.

The icons for the 5 new Summoner skills were all made by Korosukuma, to whom we owe our heartfelt thanks. 

One thought to “Patch 1.5.5b Notes”

  1. Damn, I was hoping for some more Hunter weapon reworks/buffs/tweaks, but new content is always welcome, and the rest of the changes look great!

Comments are closed.