Question:
How will this impact boons?

I'm currently replaying the entirety of Acquisitions Incorporated on a weekly basis, plus a dozen repetitions of Basement Exploration to reach 175 acorns and get a boon. I've done this three times at the moment, and have two more weeks to go (because the first time was done to complete the campaign and reach 100%). That's a lot of drudgery to get a boon that I personally value quite a bit.

Am I wasting this time?

We have many more communications coming soon that will cover these kinds of details, but yes we have reworked Acquisitions Incorporated into an Adventure, as well as Maze Engine. That means no more weekly hauls or grinding repeatable missions, and you will get any missing boons when you complete the Adventure and claim its rewards.

Come on, this is not going to be easy.

I'd like to start my feedback by saying that I'm very happy to be able to test a new class after so many years of waiting, and that the things I'm going to talk about here aren't just words thrown around to complain.

Feedback 1
General Mechanics: The proposal behind the performance bar is interesting but not instinctive for Neverwinter's style of play, you can see that the people who worked on this idea had good intentions, but I'm afraid they don't play the game. This system works great in some kind of tab target game, but in action combat it works more as a brake on combat dynamics. The problem here is not in memorizing the note patterns of each song but in playing it, during my gameplay at level 20 I used manual mode a few times, but it's really disheartening, in an end game TOMM ZCM and VoS gameplay I see this being an even bigger problem. I spent all the leveling waiting for more slots for auto mode, but I was frustrated to realize that as a songblade I only have 1 single slot for 6 songs and as minstrel I only have 2 for 8 songs, at that point I realized how complicated all this would be. Don't get me wrong, I like a more complex gameplay, but the way this is being developed and it doesn't suit neverwinter's style it forces you to play in a specific way, and I honestly am tired of this plastered style of play.

Bug 1
About the bugs I think all the ones I noticed were mentioned before by our fellow gamers. Stuck movement (expected to be just a test), some effects that don't work well, time to switch from encounter mode to slow performance mode, etc.

Suggestion 1
I know that hardly anything like that would happen, I'll try anyway.

1- Eliminate this manual performance system, just leave it to play outside of combat for RPG. For combat let us use quick play with the Q, E, R, 1, 2, 3 slots. That would be much more comfortable for neverwinter's style of play.

2- On Songblade change your performance bar to 1000 like Minstrel. for both paragons divide the bar into 3 parts, (3 octaves). these 3 octaves can serve as an effect activation condition. Example: if played in the second octave Blaze Flamenco deals 10% more damage. or if played in the second octave Blaze Flamenco is converted to Tailwind Mambo. (We'll talk about these songs later on).

3- For better synergy with the class, and strengthening the visual identity, consider working with a horizontal performance bar. I suggest a place near the cast bar. NOTE: It would be interesting for all classes if we could resize and reposition our mechanic bars in the HUD reset menu.

4- With all these adjustments in mind we can work on the idea I had for the performance. Alright, now we have more slots in performance mode and how would that work in practice? Well, my suggestion is to add a Quick Time Event Performance system whenever a song is used. (Helps to avoid macros) It could be better thought of anywhere, however I imagined taking place in 2 possible places. 1st - above the quick play slots, together using the strings as a guide, or 2nd above the horizontal performance bar.

Performance Quick Time Event:
This system will create a random sequence of 6 buttons using as reference the Q, E, R, 1, 2, 3. With the help of some flag to press the sequence at the right time for each button and then execute it. the music, each button pressed would continue the melody of the chosen skill's music, it wouldn't have a specific note linked to a specific button, at least not in combat mode, this system would be a bit like a fishing system but more dynamic, it has to be something well thought out with flexible timer not to affect players who play with very high ms around the world. within that there is a point that can be discussed and maybe each person has a different opinion, I particularly find it unfair that in a sequence of 6 buttons you fail the skill by missing only 1 of them. That said, I would choose a system of proportions in the performance, something with loss proportional to the amount of wrong notes or with defined advance points, something like dividing the sequence into 2, and if you hit the first 3 notes of the first "strophe" , and miss a note of the second "stanza", the skill is nerfed at 50% and its cost too, or maybe just nerf 50% in the full cost effect to have a stronger negative point. this is the Performance Quick Time Event.
5- For the Songblade, add a performance regenerator activated on (hold tab or ctrl+tab), making it play a melody while this occurs. the Performance Quick Time Event can be implemented here as well giving a regeneration bonus on hitting the notes. 25% bonus if it hits the first stanza which is increased to 50% if it hits all 3 notes of the second stanza.
6- In Minstrel, transfer the Serenade effect to the Hold tab, make the bard play while channeling the Serenade and add % effect based on the time it played.

Feedback 2
Features and Feats Class: We need to get serious about this, it's not new that I'm talking bad about the Features and Feat Class system inside Neverwinter, and despite a few added hits to the bard, another part is totally stuck like what we currently have. in Class Features and Feat on the Live server. I don't know why developers like to lock gameplay so much by linking a Features and Feat Class to specific skills, maybe fear of not being able to balance the class or maybe simply lack of creativity.

Here are some targeted comments:

Minstrel
Features Class:
1- Soloist: I don't see any need to spend an option on this. If the focus is on helping to make solo content, just add conditioners to other class features. EX: takes a feature class like Sforzando and adds a conditioner that if you are not in party its effect is activated in double, very simple. OBS, this is for the other classes that have the same effect on their options.

2- Arpeggio Fortissimo: I really like the proposal of this features class, even linking it to a specific at will, I would like it more if it were “your at will that heal has magnitude reduced by 60% and the cost increased by 50% and increases area of ​​effect and etc... ” this would make it wider if in the future new healing will come, similar things could work in other classes.

3- Vamos Alla: why associate this with flamenco blaze? why can't it be, your songs that don't heal at least like that cover one more option with the warding carol, but i would particularly change it to: your songs apply the effect, and put a countdown, this can only be activated once every 15 seconds.

4- Play it Back: once again we are here, locked in the power of choice, I like the idea of ​​a features class that reduces cost and has a chance of an additional one, but why just for aurora fantasy? could be: your songs that heal, cost reduced by 10% and 20% chance of reactivation at the end of the effect. NOTE: currently says it reduces the cost of maintaining the aurora fantasy to 10, but the skill itself does not speak when we lose by default, a problem for clarity.

5- Starstruck: a perfect example of how a features class can be well thought out and with specific conditions without being locked, like Sforzando, Mystifying Strike, they are correct mechanics that don't put you handcuffs of choices, I'd like more of that.

Feats:
Here we have the same problems as class featues, which is even worse since feats are locked after being chosen, something I find quite problematic.
1- Crescendo / Diminuendo is a beautiful example of how things should be, both are good inversely proportional options, however I would still remove the specific at will for, its at will that heal, to make room for new at will in an update distant.

2- Art of War / Rhapsody at Arms: both do not make any sense to have in the paragon of a healer, they would make more sense if they were part of Songblade, the way Rhapsody at Arms was conceived is great and serves as an example of as the feats should be, however as the songblade doesn't accumulate song effects the end condition should be different, something like 1% for each song played, accumulates up to X times. Already Art of War despite a good idea of ​​how to modify skills is completely locked forcing you to use an at will and a specific find.

I'm not going to comment on all these effects because there are many, but you can understand my concern to repeat an idea that is already problematic and locks your gameplay currently in live, and is coming to the bard too, it's not just mistakes, but I said there were also some hits. I would like to see more of these hits and fewer of these mistakes, including for classes already in the game, I'm sure we all know the amount of class features and feats we have in our hands but they are useless, or you have 2 options to choose from where none either works for your build, or we have an option that is 10 times better than the other, don't repeat that in the bard.


In summary, my experience playing with the bard was much lower than when I played with the existing live classes, despite its innovative mechanics, its gameplay doesn't match with neverwinter, there are many things that can be done besides the suggestions I gave, a quick idea I had but I haven't elaborated on in more detail consists of special slots in performance mode, with Q, E, R being basic slots, 1 being a flat slot, 2 being a dissonant slot and 3 being a sharp slot. these slots would work similar to the spell mastery tab of the wizard. and songs would have additional effects based on the type of slot it was associated with.

Speaking of songs, change the Tailwind mambo and steel march, they are just different versions of the flamenco blaze do the same thing with different animation and area of ​​effect and change the damage bonus, despite all these modified elements the feeling is that they are the same song. these “differences” could be defined based on slot type eg using basic, flat, dissonant and sharp slots.

The songblade uses very little songs in combat, in fact with the encounter kit it has, it's not even necessary, I made a VoS with 3 dps bards, didn't use any songs and it did the most damage, about 3 times more damage than than the others. I think your main “weapon” should be your instrument and not your sword, just like Minstrel uses songs more to heal, I think it would be much better if Songblade used songs more to deal damage. Particularly I would remove all damage encounters I could and would just put utility encounters, buffs, performance regeneration, music replay, add effect to songs these things and leave the damage to deal with the songs, and the blade of your paragon wouldn't be lost, his sword strokes can be added at the end of each song or become a new song, Duet could very well be a song, make the bard's animation playing and end with the spin in the air, just thrown ideas for your reflection.

I would like to close by asking a question to players and developers. How was it defined that the bard would use a lute as an instrument? I can be mistaken, but I think that if it was going to public vote, most likely the harp or flute would have been voted more, well but this is already a particular taste of mine, I think it has more attractive instruments.

well, i hope you have contributed at least a nice note or two to improve our dear bard's melodies.

thank you all

The following feedback is for the Minstrel Paragon.

Bugs:

• When downed, and revived you are brought back with 100 performance, and not the amount you went down with. This is not how the other healers work, as they provide the same amount of mana (divinity, soulweave) as they had before going downed. I suspect this is due to the Bard having a cap of 100 Performance while downed, and then after being revived the performance is granted to the player before the increased cap to 1000 is granted by being the Minstrel Paragon is applied, therefore capping the performance to 100. Note that some people will respawn with 700 Performance if they take the feat Desperate Finale, as they will respawn with 100 performance meeting the criteria for this feat to work, meaning they wont see anything wrong here. A few mods ago a similar issue existed on the soulweaver warlock when they died they would respawn with 0 soulweave.
  
• Songs only affect people within the group / party. However in trials this is not the case, and everyone within the queue is affected.
  
• Phantasmal Concerto at-will does not proc weapon enchantments.
  
• Defenders Minuet cannot crit when played. However it can crit when used by the delayed play encounter.
  
• Aurora Finale, granted from Aurora Fantasia can sometimes become stuck in the tab mechanic, and will deny the ability of playing more songs until combat ends (not sure how this is caused).
  
• Play It back does not work. The reduced cost is not being applied, and I still lose 30 performance per tick regardless if the class feature is taken. Also Aurora Finale, does not proc a 2nd time when used with Play It Back, or the chance is much lower than the 20% stated.
  
• Starstruck does not work. When equipped, I gain the buff, however within testing on target dummys and a dungeon, this did not grant any healing when a party member met the criteria.
  
• Desperate Finale cooldown of 360s can be bypassed upon death.
  

Feedback:

• Songs do not stack with other bards songs. Meaning in a 2 bard trial group, only 1 heal will be applied when 2 are used.
  The HoTs (Heal over time) from Rejuvinating Carol should stack like healing word when used by 2 different clerics.
  However the damage buffs granted by Blaze Flamenco, Tailwind Mambo and Steel March, should not stack.
  
• Upon using first hit of the combo from the at-will Reprise, your character is locked into a 2 second animation where you cannot do anything, including move. This should not make your character unable to move. The second half of the animation can be bypassed if you jump the moment you initially cast it. The animation can also be cancelled entirely if you double tap tab or use Arpeggio.
  
• After playing a song, and you try and do another action you get the message
  [Combat (Self)]You must wait longer after playing a song
  This should be removed as it prevents you from being able to use any other powers, and I have been unable to heal people due to this delay. Other healers have a cooldown between casting the same skill, however you can use other powers during this period.
  I would like to see there be no delay between playing a song to using another power, and then putting a small 1-2 second cooldown on that song preventing it from being played again quickly, to make it in-line with the other healers.
  
• The encounter power Bassline feels very awkward to use, as it takes a long time to get maximum value from it, it takes a long time to cast fully, and if you just want a small burst you cannot tap it, otherwise it will cancel itself. This means you need to hold it for around 2 seconds before you know it will give you Performance without being cancelled. Because this skill is channeled it means you cannot do any other power, and makes you unable to heal. I would rather this skill be changed to have 20% of the maximum performance granted (40 from 200), change the channel duration to 20% (2 seconds from 10 seconds) and the cooldown to be reduced to 20% (4.8 seconds from 24 seconds). This should make the effective Performance granted the same, however make it easier to use.
  
  Another idea would be to change the functionality to grant 200 performance over 10 seconds with a shorter (2 seconds) channeling / cast speed, making it closer to how the other healers mana regeneration powers work.
  

Hello. Beta player here. I've got some general and specific comments.

"Our MMORPG has too much quality content" said no MMO dev team. Ever. Until this one.

Several years ago you killed a whole bunch of the dungeons. That went over like a lead balloon.
Remember Call to Arms? Those were fun. Gone.
Now you're carving out the heart of the game. I won't repeat what was said above, but the points are well-taken and valid. Please take a moment to re-read them.

I've always rolled with the game's changes, though I took a break when my beloved pally got nerfed into the ground and I still don't enjoy playing my cleric like I did when he was a DC and had the old set of powers. He's mostly a bank alt these days. While I may roll with these as well, they're a mistake. They gut the storyline, cut out some very enjoyable content, and seriously complicate some of the campaigns you're planning to keep.

"But our analytics show that players don't use these zones." Well, duh. Look, I have a lot of alts and I've run through the base campaign content many times. And I'm here to tell you that even if you don't run a lot of extra stuff, it's basically impossible to make it through the base campaign without out-leveling the content. And the rewards in those zones are so attuned to the levels they're designed for that there's no reason to go back to them once you're over-leveled unless a campaign like Tyranny of Dragons, Acquisitions Inc., or Maze Engine sends you there. But the answer isn't to delete the zones. Give us a reason to go to them. Scale them! Hell, you put in a LOT of effort and caused a lot of player angst tuning the combat system so that it would scale better. USE IT! Scale me down when I'm in Blacklake or Tower District! Then add some class-based or role-based quests, equipment, etc. in those zones so there's some reason to do them.

Note that I don't think the Mod 21 changes are ALL bad. While I think it's a bad idea in general to get rid of the dragons from the Tyranny of Dragons campaign, I will say that that campaign took FOREVER to complete, and streamlining it was a grand idea. I think you just swung the pendulum a bit too far, such that:
1. The TOD campaign no longer has the grand feel to it that it once did. Valindra and the Cult of the Dragon were a force to be reckoned with early on and they seemed to be everywhere. Now? Meh.
2. One of the best sources of TOD stronghold currency was the weekly Defeating Dragons quest that yielded a whopping 10 pages or Arcane Lore (or 20 if it was a 2x TOD/Legacy campaign week). Losing that really hurts for those of us fighting to level our strongholds. The daily common cause was another decent source of currency now lost.
3. The Dragon Bone weapons were pretty cool, and honestly for the last 6+ years I've been looking forward to farming a set for my Druid. Er, Bard, I guess. I don't suppose I'll be playing a Dragon Bone Lute anytime soon.

So I think the overarching idea of streamlining TOD was a good one, you just went a little crazy with it.

I've never seen Cryptic change course due to player input once you've made a controversial decision like this. At least not that I can remember. But boy, I think you really missed the mark on this one and I for one would rather see you push back mod 21 by months if necessary than gut the game this way.