Why are creature type specific boons considered so great?
I don't get it either. None of them will ever be found on any of my characters.
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greywyndMember, NW M9 PlaytestPosts: 7,152Arc User
Well, on the one hand if "cultist" applies to any cult members, that's not so bad. There are so many cults that need culling.
I'm not looking for forgiveness, and I'm way past asking permission. Earth just lost her best defender, so we're here to fight. And if you want to stand in our way, we'll fight you too.
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adinosiiMember, NW M9 PlaytestPosts: 4,294Arc User
edited March 2019
What I don't really like about the boons is that that there are no meaningful playstyle-dependent choices any more.
Here are my current boons on Preview: The two top tiers will vary, depending on the class/role of characters, but the rest is probably going to be the same for everyone else...people will skip the creature-specific boons and focus on getting everything else to max. However, there are no hard choices to make any more ... do I take this or do I take that - it's the same for everyone, yet another symptom of the dumbing-down of the game.
I will probably spend the next few boons on the undead - at least they are useful in multiple areas, but really..... there is not a single "hard" choice left.
Hoping for improvements...
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lantern22Member, NW M9 PlaytestPosts: 1,111Arc User
What I don't really like about the boons is that that there are no meaningful playstyle-dependent choices any more.
Here are my current boons on Preview: The two top tiers will vary, depending on the class/role of characters, but the rest is probably going to be the same for everyone else...people will skip the creature-specific boons and focus on getting everything else to max. However, there are no hard choices to make any more ... do I take this or do I take that - it's the same for everyone, yet another symptom of the dumbing-down of the game.
I will probably spend the next few boons on the undead - at least they are useful in multiple areas, but really..... there is not a single "hard" choice left.
Yep, that pretty much looks almost exactly the same as mine on fighter. Not 100% the same (i.e. I don't need extra gold) but not far off it. Most of the choices are super straight forward. Might as well just get a button that auto fills the boons or remove them altogether.
No stat choices on character creation, very limited boon and power choices. Not far off from just choosing your class and then everything is pre determined - two standard at wills, 3 encounters and two dailies. Like a console platform game, except with slow clunky game play.
Maybe its just cause we are used to fast, free moving game play and have forgotten that playing a game should not actually be fun.
greywyndMember, NW M9 PlaytestPosts: 7,152Arc User
I didn't tap into any of the pots boons.
I'm not looking for forgiveness, and I'm way past asking permission. Earth just lost her best defender, so we're here to fight. And if you want to stand in our way, we'll fight you too.
There is one thing about the new boon set-up that hasn't been mentioned so far or at least I haven't seen it. Taken from the news post: "Boons are a big part of the Neverwinter fabric, and as the game gets older we want to ensure that this feature will continue to provide worthwhile options for players as they take on the challenges that come with each new module." This means that campaigns will always give you more boon points to spend. No matter if you still have to complete old ones or new campaigns coming with Mod17+. Complete campaigns = Get boon points.
But even now players that did complete all campaigns have to spend points on more or useless boons because there is nothing else to do with them. And it's going to get a lot worse in the future. How is this static, one window-type boon system supposed to work with new campaigns? (Or is Mod 16 the last expansion that gives boon points?) Sooner or later everybody is going to have the max. number of points which is the same number as boons to choose from. At that point I can't see any other solution than deleting this system and starting from scratch again. This is why I think that giving specific boons for each campaign is a lot better because of its flexible approach. You could still place them all into one window, it's not a matter in terms of layout and an easier overview. It also gives players motivation to get everything to 100% rather than completing only the easy zones to get the final points for their desired build, which doesn't need x% more gold, as an example.
To sum it up: The new boon system is looking good for this one Mod. But it's a faulty decision and will be broken because of its limitations for future content giving more and more boon points.
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ghoulz66Member, NW M9 PlaytestPosts: 3,748Arc User
Not to mention the master boons are all just pretty much the same thing. Heal someone chance to proc useless X, or attack something for chance for useless X.
Rest is just power, and w/e left that's useable. This is considerably less creative than what we already had.
I think they should dump the creatuer feats/boons. Let weapon enchantments do that job. For players who completed all the campaigns.. we need some choices. Right now everyone will select the same, cause there are not enough to choose from.
So looks like now the only way to get more powerful boons is to Run places i've ignored like AI and SKT...
I'm trying to be positive but it get harder with each post... I hope i'm wrong but from what i got it will be even more weird for new players... also hope we dont get a boon weekly haul to block our advance...
i was working on SKT on my main getting "Renome" for last boons and Voninblood for the last 2 but now i will wait for preview get updated...
Requiring that you do ALL campaigns to reach the highest level of power seems fair to me.
Sure is, but down side is a new player such as myself(just over a year on xbox) ends up spending so much time trying to get their character specced to be playable in EE/Sharandar let alone get started on overly difficult lvl70 campaigns like Cloak, and STK, that once we do finish them or buyout the campaign cuz we're tired of being in river district week after week with nothing to show for it, there's no more campaign speficic boons, not cool. The campaigns have got to be playable/completeable solo, I had to buy out Maze, Ice, SKT, and Cloak. Maze I couldn't get past the red fire dragon thing that yer supposed to need some sort of protect from fire to get past, and I've never seen anything that is protect from fire so that couldn't be finished. And the other 3 were not completeable solo(at least not in anything under 2yrs by my math(yes I'm exaggerating a little) that I just gave up so I could finally get onto Tomb of Annihilation(and I'm still not there).
I understand they need to generate income, and get new players, but there are plenty of people out there that only play a few hours at a time at most on the weekends(such as myself). I feel like I just get a character playable without being constantly respawned, and all of a sudden there's new BIS gear to lust for that I can't even think about getting cuz it's in a new campaign that is way more difficulter than it should be for lvl70.
Look at it, there's like 4 or 6 areas that open at lvl70. And sure as hell are not equal in difficulty. Is there gonna be more of this in mod 16? How about the future. If so, I need to remember that I will not spend one dime(beyond my Xbox sub, which I'm sure Cryptic gets a piece of) on my next free to play game.
If you are a new player this system is even better for you. You DON'T have to complete all of a long and idiotically time gated campaign to get boon points. All you have to do is do the easy bits (usually the first third) of all the various campaigns and you'll have as many if not more boon points than somebody who has fully maxed out on one or two campaigns.
BTW, in Maze engine - The Red Dragon, there is nothing you need to get extra. No protect from fire or whatever. You just run. Icewind is even easier. There are no bosses to fight, you just grind.
I think they should dump the creatuer feats/boons. Let weapon enchantments do that job. For players who completed all the campaigns.. we need some choices. Right now everyone will select the same, cause there are not enough to choose from.
Agreed. that last bit is going to be an issue. I know its early days but they really needed to give more boon options. Adding them later would just start another outcry of "I demand a respec cuz they changed the tables".
If you are a new player this system is even better for you. You DON'T have to complete all of a long and idiotically time gated campaign to get boon points. All you have to do is do the easy bits (usually the first third) of all the various campaigns and you'll have as many if not more boon points than somebody who has fully maxed out on one or two campaigns.
Good info, just adding some more detail.
Currently you get 70 boon points total from completing all 13 campaigns (including mod 16 undermountain). Four campaigns give 4 points (ElementalEvil, MazeEngine, Ravenloft, AcquisitionIncorporated), some give 5-6 points, three give 7 points (SKT; Tyranny, CA) and Chult/Omu gives 8 points. Note, that no boon points on none of the older campaigns are lost. Cryptic is not taking away boon points. This is some misinformation spread by people who obviously never checked the facts themselves on preview. Cryptic changed what you can do specifically with your boon points. Some consider it bad, some good. Some special boons are gone, but if you are interested in the more generic boons (stat increases to power, defense, hit points) you are actually better off with the new system.
In fact, in order to get the best boons (stat increases that affect all zones), you only need 40-50 boon points. Essentially on tier 1 to 4 the the best boons only require 9 points (you need one more, to be eligible for the next tier). At tier 5 there is a little more choice. With 40-50 boon points spent wisely you will be almost as strong as someone with 70 points.
BTW, in Maze engine - The Red Dragon, there is nothing you need to get extra. No protect from fire or whatever. You just run. Icewind is even easier. There are no bosses to fight, you just grind.
Tried just running, I get up to the dragon whole screen goes red and die instantly. I googled how to beat him and everything I read pointed to a protect from fire that I've never found.
You must run away from the dragon, back on the path you came. Best is you start running immediately after the cutscene ends. Then you must avoid some red zones that the dragon places into your path.
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plasticbatMember, NW M9 PlaytestPosts: 12,414Arc User
BTW, in Maze engine - The Red Dragon, there is nothing you need to get extra. No protect from fire or whatever. You just run. Icewind is even easier. There are no bosses to fight, you just grind.
Tried just running, I get up to the dragon whole screen goes red and die instantly. I googled how to beat him and everything I read pointed to a protect from fire that I've never found.
Beat that dragon? You can't beat that dragon and you are not supposed to beat that dragon. Are you using console? Is it a console issue? Because in PC, I don't find it hard for different characters I got through it. The achievement (or title) from that is called "Faster Than An Ancient Dragon" which is obtained by "Do not die while being chased by the Ancient Red Dragon in the Old Dragon's Lair." It is not about beating the dragon.
*** The game can read your mind. If you want it, you won't get it. If you don't expect to get it, you will. ***
Tried just running, I get up to the dragon whole screen goes red and die instantly. I googled how to beat him and everything I read pointed to a protect from fire that I've never found.
After the cut scene quickly turn left and start to run away from the dragon. Makos will put a spell on you that makes you run faster. Just follow the path dodging the dragon's attacks until you get to the next cut scene.
after a weekend on preview i have to tell that my fear to be forced to run STK and AI to get boons was a wrong impression, you can get all the usefull boons without those...
you may need one or 2 but that much i can deal with...
You must run away from the dragon, back on the path you came. Best is you start running immediately after the cutscene ends. Then you must avoid some red zones that the dragon places into your path.
Comments
Here are my current boons on Preview: The two top tiers will vary, depending on the class/role of characters, but the rest is probably going to be the same for everyone else...people will skip the creature-specific boons and focus on getting everything else to max.
However, there are no hard choices to make any more ... do I take this or do I take that - it's the same for everyone, yet another symptom of the dumbing-down of the game.
I will probably spend the next few boons on the undead - at least they are useful in multiple areas, but really..... there is not a single "hard" choice left.
No stat choices on character creation, very limited boon and power choices. Not far off from just choosing your class and then everything is pre determined - two standard at wills, 3 encounters and two dailies. Like a console platform game, except with slow clunky game play.
Maybe its just cause we are used to fast, free moving game play and have forgotten that playing a game should not actually be fun.
But even now players that did complete all campaigns have to spend points on more or useless boons because there is nothing else to do with them. And it's going to get a lot worse in the future. How is this static, one window-type boon system supposed to work with new campaigns? (Or is Mod 16 the last expansion that gives boon points?) Sooner or later everybody is going to have the max. number of points which is the same number as boons to choose from. At that point I can't see any other solution than deleting this system and starting from scratch again. This is why I think that giving specific boons for each campaign is a lot better because of its flexible approach. You could still place them all into one window, it's not a matter in terms of layout and an easier overview. It also gives players motivation to get everything to 100% rather than completing only the easy zones to get the final points for their desired build, which doesn't need x% more gold, as an example.
To sum it up: The new boon system is looking good for this one Mod. But it's a faulty decision and will be broken because of its limitations for future content giving more and more boon points.
Rest is just power, and w/e left that's useable. This is considerably less creative than what we already had.
BTW, in Maze engine - The Red Dragon, there is nothing you need to get extra. No protect from fire or whatever. You just run. Icewind is even easier. There are no bosses to fight, you just grind.
Currently you get 70 boon points total from completing all 13 campaigns (including mod 16 undermountain). Four campaigns give 4 points (ElementalEvil, MazeEngine, Ravenloft, AcquisitionIncorporated), some give 5-6 points, three give 7 points (SKT; Tyranny, CA) and Chult/Omu gives 8 points. Note, that no boon points on none of the older campaigns are lost. Cryptic is not taking away boon points. This is some misinformation spread by people who obviously never checked the facts themselves on preview. Cryptic changed what you can do specifically with your boon points. Some consider it bad, some good. Some special boons are gone, but if you are interested in the more generic boons (stat increases to power, defense, hit points) you are actually better off with the new system.
In fact, in order to get the best boons (stat increases that affect all zones), you only need 40-50 boon points. Essentially on tier 1 to 4 the the best boons only require 9 points (you need one more, to be eligible for the next tier). At tier 5 there is a little more choice. With 40-50 boon points spent wisely you will be almost as strong as someone with 70 points.
Tried just running, I get up to the dragon whole screen goes red and die instantly. I googled how to beat him and everything I read pointed to a protect from fire that I've never found.
You must run away from the dragon, back on the path you came. Best is you start running immediately after the cutscene ends. Then you must avoid some red zones that the dragon places into your path.
Are you using console? Is it a console issue? Because in PC, I don't find it hard for different characters I got through it.
The achievement (or title) from that is called "Faster Than An Ancient Dragon" which is obtained by "Do not die while being chased by the Ancient Red Dragon in the Old Dragon's Lair." It is not about beating the dragon.
you may need one or 2 but that much i can deal with...