Neverwinter Dev Blog: Regeneration and Life Steal Changes

akromatik · March 2015

Greetings adventurers!

As with any expansion in Neverwinter, there are going to be some class balancing changes. In Elemental Evil, however, the stats Life Steal and Regeneration are undergoing a major optimization. With such a transformation on the horizon, we decided to have a chat with the Neverwinter development team and get a better insight into these changes.

For more information check out this blog:
http://www.arcgames.com/en/games/neverwinter/news/detail/9109743-neverwinter-dev-blog%3A-regeneration-and-life-steal-changes

elcymerian · March 2015

I thought the explanation behind the changes were funny and probably honest, despite my own personal opinions about "balance" and survivability.

Well done. It made me smile.

xoltah · March 2015

I must say I'm not happy with these changes for the simple fact that I play a lot of the *squishy* classes which have little or no defence capability at all and regeneration/life-steal was the only way to build in some acceptable survivability to these classes. Unless I'm missing something really fundamental in the changes as described, I'm certain the changes will render these squishy classes virtually unplayable in PvE and most definitely in PvP where the tanky/heavy armour classes already over dominate.

A free respect is all well and good but fails to address the time, effort and expense involved in the gear already acquired to specifically make use of the regen and life steal stats AS THEY WORKED in the past. Will you be compensating players for that? I doubt it.

yuccapalm · March 2015

Stupid changes. No constant heal in PvP sucks and a gamble for Heal in PvP is skill-less. Revert changes for reg in PvP and make lifesteal not work in PvP at all that would be better...

hustin1 · March 2015

To me the acid test is my lone archer-build HR, who has no CC ability, out doing dailies. I've said it before and I'll say it again: these changes should only take place in dungeons and skirmishes, where there have to be groups. In their zeal to make paladins and clerics relevant in group content, the devs are IMHO going to make it extremely hard on many builds when we're out doing solo content (which is the vast majority of the time). Combined with the damage numbers we're seeing from critters on preview, I predict a cacophony of complaints once enough players reach level 70.

So far I haven't seen any satisfactory explanation from the devs or designers as to how the archer-build HR is supposed to do dailies without it turning into a frustrating cycle of "you have been defeated!" - Alt-2 - use injury kit ad nauseam.

I sincerely hope the devs are cognizant of these concerns of certain builds, because I don't want to see this turn into a movie I've seen before. Once upon a time, there was an MMO company that touted their "vision". Whenever players complained that something was taking way too long to accomplish, was too frustrating, was too unforgiving, was flat-out NOT FUN, the reply was always the same: it's WAI, this is our vision for the game. Vision, vision, vision. That's all we heard -- until a competitor showed up. Then the game didn't lose players, it hemorrhaged them. Eventually those with the vision relented on some of the hugely frustrating aspects of the game, but far too late: the damage had been done.

Devs, please listen to your players. There is no shortage whatsoever of voices on the preview forums practically shouting that the result will be unreasonably difficult.

rescout1 · March 2015

yuccapalm wrote: »

Stupid changes. No constant heal in PvP sucks and a gamble for Heal in PvP is skill-less. Revert changes for reg in PvP and make lifesteal not work in PvP at all that would be better...

I agree with yuccapalm. These changes will screw up the pvp, where the team who takes a DC will win always!
Repeating opinion: On PVP make REGENERATION work in combat !
Don't kill the game.

rayrdan · March 2015

Every gear giving regen is really bin materials.
Wow 2 percent more healing with 1000 regen woooow

adisonmak · March 2015

I'm glad there's finally a changes for this mentioned subject. It is also imo one of the reasons that makes/caused some of the classes get put into stasis chamber in every mmo I've played. This changes might brings back most if not at least some balance of class demands.

However, it would be best for this subject to affect/triggered only when players in party, dungeons or skirmish since due to the it-is-still-a-zerg-fest nature, some classes might struggle to survive when solo on some open field map (combined with the coming/future mods) Maybe make it as instances/dungeon debuff or something if it is complicated to apply individually... either way would work.

For the subject to further work as intended design, the instance matching really need some fixing if this one yet to be done already. Having two healers or two tanks in either one side of the party while the other have one or none at all (especially in pvp) will tip the scale to one side which is not good.

freshour · March 2015

The article lost me when it said Warlocks will "still stay" relevant in PVP. That just goes to show how little these people actually play the game lol. Obviously healing was OP in PVE... it is PVE!!!!!!!!!!! regen is awesome in PVE, in PVP it was pretty balanced. Lifesteal was the one stat that was much more weighted on the heavy DPS classes.

I'm sure this "total rework" in one mod won't be rushed and planned accordingly. I just hope it doesn't take my GF out of the game, as currently in end game pvp our only role is to clear TR's 2v1, while the DC/CW's battle it t othe death at mid. BUT - with TR's not regenerating any HP, it will make the back cap very interesting.

It's funny, PVP is going to be so different it is silly. But at least it is a change. The old maps were getting so boring after over a year of the same thing haha, so this is one way to change things up.

I just hope you get the changes in, and they stay that way. you will have a lot of people gearing up in a few weeks, and I'd hate for them ALL to have to switch their gear after the completely switch it.

Edit: - I only say that last part, because I am having to level up a full set of darks for offense and defense slots as all offensive slots are effectively worthless, and you ruined my Tenebrous... again... I was literally the only GF that used them haha, but thanks. They were so mega OP dev's... Anyway.. just make up your mind and keep it that way so I can figure out how to make the dying breed of Guardian Fighter's find SOME way to make it in non pug match.

Thank you
Best of luck.

Dom - Guardian Fighter... the amazing

Unknown · March 2015

This content has been removed.

elcymerian · March 2015

I also find it funny most of the complaints/worries about the effects in pvp and not the core game. Makes me curious about the main reason behind the changes, pvp "balance" or pve balance.

ghoulz66 · March 2015

Love how they addressed the Fawn by simply saying it's primary regen power will be useless in combat with candy coating.

zvieris · March 2015

Once again the devs lied to us. Said that the LS and regen changes are a subject to change depending on the feedback. And yet we once again see zero ****s given about player feedback. Considering that most if not all the feedback from preview testers were negative.

rayrdan · March 2015

elcymerian wrote: »

I also find it funny most of the complaints/worries about the effects in pvp and not the core game. Makes me curious about the main reason behind the changes, pvp "balance" or pve balance.

there wasnt any problem in pvp with lifesteal and regen.
for once its 100% pve related

edit: the change to regen is baaad and the change to lifesteal will bring nothing since im more than able to reach 50% if i really want to build around it.

zildan7905 · March 2015

elcymerian wrote: »

I also find it funny most of the complaints/worries about the effects in pvp and not the core game. Makes me curious about the main reason behind the changes, pvp "balance" or pve balance.

I have a Protector Guardian Fighter that is more Defense/Deflect than Power and Armorpen(RI). Thus, I do very little damage but can take anything on in this game for a fight that would take all day. You can call that synergy with the other DPS since I buff them with KV and ITF (into the frey) and the only thing my Supremecy of Steel (the flying sword thingie) really actually does is lower enemy defense, further debuffing them along with intercepting half their damage. The only time 'life steal' is remotely relevant is during 'Fighter's Recovery' dayly. Other than that, I just don't do enough damage to make LS any good on my tank. I have always wondered if ones own 'Incoming Healing Bonus', does lifesteal count as incoming healing or is that for to give the DC a job?

As for Regen, that's slow as heck and needs an uptick. Or, at least more gear or some enchants that have the stat. It's good that regen will play nicer with employing clerics, they need relevance and synergy too. Is it to make bad DC's that dont have very powerful healing ability to beef them up some? I like the idea of that, as a tank. As far as Paladin's ability to self heal, well, well just see about the synergistic Devoted Clerics...

gomok72 · March 2015

rayrdan wrote: »

there wasnt any problem in pvp with lifesteal and regen.
for once its 100% pve related

edit: the change to regen is baaad and the change to lifesteal will bring nothing since im more than able to reach 50% if i really want to build around it.

Groups usually ran with healing DC and off SW healing still won't have a problem with this, LS dependent solo players and face tanking PvP Rogues will feel this change more so in the survivability department than any other classes in the game .

dhynna · March 2015

Well as far as my TR is concerned, I personally don't find any problem with this current changes. Out of fight regen remains the same. In fight regen was negligible to be honest. 100-200 per tick, at max 300-500. In a fight of 10-15 secs that hardly changes much as during those few secs hell load of damage is done. Lifesteal on players isn't reliable either. As a TR i hardly fight head on to require sustainance. However i like the current idea that if one Lashing Blade procs lifesteal even if it is 1% for me, that is supposed to heal me for 100% life steal severity. Now how much is that severity? full damage? then on a lucky day i would be full healing myself one a single hit o.O

Mages should worry the least about lifesteal in PvM as their aoe should proc it more than often and actually would work better than now as it's 100% of lifesteal severity. Even GWF and TR has much attack speed to proc it often (Duelist flurry my hopes are on you).

GF's should actually appreciate the increased healing done to them as the new sets will send their Hp off the charts.

also people i see tend to neglect the fact that there will be (as far seen in the preview) critical and armopen resistance. so i don't think TR will 1 shot everyone anymore as that one shot is always crit. add damage resistance to it and 100k hp, i doubt we will hear much QQing over the pvp. But hey that's my take on the changes. Feel free to post yours as well. #flameshieldon

joshr1113 · March 2015

Scourge Warlock already sucks in PvP, now it will be worthless. Life steal is the only way we can survive just a little. Thanks for destroying the class.

freshour · March 2015

joshr1113 - You do realize that all the streaming we saw of the guy playing an SW was him standing 50 feet away from a dragon free casting on it right? They have no clue how the game realllllllly works. OBVIOUSLY we are the fools for not being able to 100% free cast on our SW's.

On another note, I doubt it will work as they intend, but that is not always a bad thing. Chances are they will screw it up and it will be better than current lifesteal, so who knows?

cryshal · March 2015

This is exactly my concern:

hustin1 wrote: »

To me the acid test is my lone archer-build HR, who has no CC ability, out doing dailies. I've said it before and I'll say it again: these changes should only take place in dungeons and skirmishes, where there have to be groups. In their zeal to make paladins and clerics relevant in group content, the devs are IMHO going to make it extremely hard on many builds when we're out doing solo content (which is the vast majority of the time). Combined with the damage numbers we're seeing from critters on preview, I predict a cacophony of complaints once enough players reach level 70.

So far I haven't seen any satisfactory explanation from the devs or designers as to how the archer-build HR is supposed to do dailies without it turning into a frustrating cycle of "you have been defeated!" - Alt-2 - use injury kit ad nauseam.

I sincerely hope the devs are cognizant of these concerns of certain builds, because I don't want to see this turn into a movie I've seen before. Once upon a time, there was an MMO company that touted their "vision". Whenever players complained that something was taking way too long to accomplish, was too frustrating, was too unforgiving, was flat-out NOT FUN, the reply was always the same: it's WAI, this is our vision for the game. Vision, vision, vision. That's all we heard -- until a competitor showed up. Then the game didn't lose players, it hemorrhaged them. Eventually those with the vision relented on some of the hugely frustrating aspects of the game, but far too late: the damage had been done.

Devs, please listen to your players. There is no shortage whatsoever of voices on the preview forums practically shouting that the result will be unreasonably difficult.

rescout1 · March 2015

DEVS please, i just wanna know why all artifacts (paladin, vanguard, white dragon heart) give 4000 hitpoints and the artifact of Great Weapon Fighter dont ??? current on module 5 it is the better for hitpoints giving 1800. why nerf ??

* Please balance this, put 4000 hitpoints.

joshr1113 · March 2015

freshour-when I can't even hit a tr in PvP once. Something is wrong. Unless I have a team behind me, all you have to do is make sure I cannot hit you and I lose. The SW in the stream most likely had an insane gs. I have yet to come across one SW who can 1v1 a TR, CW, HR, sometimes GF if they are a certain paragon path. In PvE we are a lot better because we can actually hit stuff. We are one of the worst classes in PvP. I just want to be able to come out alive half of the time.

electricbob · April 2015

I have 1 character. It is a lvl 60 Scourge Warlock (temptation path) and all of my gear and Powers are built around the Lifesteal stat. I don't PVP at all. I mostly solo. I've put a couple hundred hours into the character and spent probably $50+ in real money buying mounts and companions. Keeping my companions alive via the temptation path's life steal ally-benefit effect is the only way my character survives in the game and meaningfully contributes when I'm part of a dungeon party. It sounds like the net effect of this change will be to make my character substantially weaker, and die more often, in the only part of the game I actually regularly play.

I'm not going to start over with another class. I wouldn't trust the developers not to do the same thing to the next character I built. If this change screws up my character, I'll just stop playing, and you won't get any more of my money. If life steal is a problem in PVP, change it for PVP. Leave it alone for the rest of the game.

kennp · April 2015

electricbob wrote: »

I have 1 character. It is a lvl 60 Scourge Warlock (temptation path) and all of my gear and Powers are built around the Lifesteal stat. I don't PVP at all. I mostly solo. I've put a couple hundred hours into the character and spent probably $50+ in real money buying mounts and companions. Keeping my companions alive via the temptation path's life steal ally-benefit effect is the only way my character survives in the game and meaningfully contributes when I'm part of a dungeon party. It sounds like the net effect of this change will be to make my character substantially weaker, and die more often, in the only part of the game I actually regularly play.

I'm not going to start over with another class. I wouldn't trust the developers not to do the same thing to the next character I built. If this change screws up my character, I'll just stop playing, and you won't get any more of my money. If life steal is a problem in PVP, change it for PVP. Leave it alone for the rest of the game.

Well said... I really think this is a half-assed decision. BOO to the devs.

mstrssihr · April 2015

Dev Blog says : "Using the Fawn of Shiallia as an example, instead of providing a constant heal over time via her Regeneration buff, she will instead make all healing spells (including her own) cast on you far more potent."

Her only healing spell would then be the Spring of Life correct? This change would make is so that the only in-combat effect you would get [from her own heals] would be that her Spring of Life is more potent. Am I understanding that correctly?

caldannach · April 2015

So i am looking at coming back to the game after a few months absence. I am concerned at these changes as my HR stacked both of these stats. I was a melee ranger, for PVE simply because i found it most fun.

Are they going to change stats on some of the artifacts and gear? If not, then while i see why they are making the changes and i largely agree with them, it doesn't take away from the fact that a lot of people had no choice but to spec their characters using those stats because Cryptic made their game work that way.

I cant believe how much AD i have spent on some of this gear to build my character a certain way may all be wasted. Why should all the long term players who did the same as me be punished because Cryptic can't make their minds up how to make a game work? I find it deeply frustrating.

darkangelzeref · April 2015

O.O wow life steal stat is useless have a chance to steal the old life steal was better u can survive with it even if it was a small amount

nielsgoriginal · April 2015

Just shows, these defs have a GOD complex, lets pretend to ask the community, but no, we're going our own way, dam the torpedos and negative tweets... pricks

nielsgoriginal · April 2015

caldannach wrote: »

So i am looking at coming back to the game after a few months absence. I am concerned at these changes as my HR stacked both of these stats. I was a melee ranger, for PVE simply because i found it most fun.

Are they going to change stats on some of the artifacts and gear? If not, then while i see why they are making the changes and i largely agree with them, it doesn't take away from the fact that a lot of people had no choice but to spec their characters using those stats because Cryptic made their game work that way.

I cant believe how much AD i have spent on some of this gear to build my character a certain way may all be wasted. Why should all the long term players who did the same as me be punished because Cryptic can't make their minds up how to make a game work? I find it deeply frustrating.

Agree completely.

wylonus · April 2015

Devs, it not that hard to bring it back on, for better survivablity, regen and lifesteal are very small amount, it is dumb to have it turn off while in combat, doesnt make sense.

i really hate seeing groups of mobs drinking potions while we are getting chewed up when trying to heal ourselves.
what you did on those was 100% very dead wrong, wrong and wrong all the way!

translucentwolf · April 2015

wylonus wrote: »

Devs, it not that hard to bring it back on, for better survivablity, regen and lifesteal are very small amount, it is dumb to have it turn off while in combat, doesnt make sense.

i really hate seeing groups of mobs drinking potions while we are getting chewed up when trying to heal ourselves.
what you did on those was 100% very dead wrong, wrong and wrong all the way!

That's amusing. You too can drink potions. Drink 'em, like the mobs do.

Seriously.

Neverwinter Dev Blog: Regeneration and Life Steal Changes

Comments