Any whispers about MOD18?

looney · November 2019

As we all know MOD17 has been pretty blank in terms of content. We got a Trial that only a small portion of people can finish and Starduck which is basically a Master Expedition. Yes, we got more gear for ourselves and companions which is nice but this MOD still feels a bit blank to me. What are some ideas that MOD18 would bring to us, any rumours or thoughts what you would like to see? As for a campaign what i most liked was Ravenloft, i still do it just for fun. I would really like for a new and exciting campaign and a 5 man dungeon. Also, would be cool to see a new selection of hard to obtain mounts.

mentinmindmaker · November 2019

The rumors say the upcoming Hell event is a preamble to the new mod. That starts on Nov 21st. In that case we'll get the new mod probably no earlier than Dec 1st.

It however is unusually late, see the list of previous NW mods here:
https://neverwinter.gamepedia.com/Module

New mods usually spend at least 4 weeks on Test server to catch the worst bugs, so if Cryptic is going to serve us a new mod before end of year they'll need to announce it within a few weeks. Mod announcement usually happens the week they drop it on Test.

Winter festival starts on Dec 12th, and they likely would want to be done with launching a new mod before that.

NW really needs a big mod with mass level 80 unscaled content now. Lets hope the delay means a big full mod coming, and is not a reason for worry.

majorcharvenak · November 2019

mentinmindmaker said:
The rumors say the upcoming Hell event is a preamble to the new mod. That starts on Nov 21st. In that case we'll get the new mod probably no earlier than Dec 1st.

It however is unusually late, see the list of previous NW mods here:
https://neverwinter.gamepedia.com/Module

New mods usually spend at least 4 weeks on Test server to catch the worst bugs, so if Cryptic is going to serve us a new mod before end of year they'll need to announce it within a few weeks. Mod announcement usually happens the week they drop it on Test.

Winter festival starts on Dec 12th, and they likely would want to be done with launching a new mod before that.

NW really needs a big mod with mass level 80 unscaled content now. Lets hope the delay means a big full mod coming, and is not a reason for worry.

We can only hope. Personally, there would have to be some significant and interesting changes to pull me back in to full time/all-the-time NW gaming. If it's as lackluster as it is right now with mod 17, then log in to invoke (at best).

putzboy78 · November 2019

on the last twitch session they indicated early access testing (the testing reserved for the theorycrafters and the fanboys of youtube) has started. Typically there is a month of early access testing then a month of preview wide testing. Obviously that doesn't fit the timeline of release by the end of the year and its always been rumored they have to do 3 mods a year. So who knows, if it does come out after thanksgiving it will be a train wreck because cryptic is MIA the last 6 weeks of the year, there will be no one to support the bugs.

I'm sure it will be a huge mod though. Since mod 17 was empty and they reduced the level of effort on dealing with balancing issues when they nuked the feat trees and removed buffs/debuffs from the game. That should at least give them bandwidth to put out more content and perhaps test is more thoroughly. Look at how bug free the last two tales of old and the current contest of liars has been.

mentinmindmaker · November 2019

putzboy78 said:

I'm sure it will be a huge mod though. Since mod 17 was empty and they reduced the level of effort on dealing with balancing issues when they nuked the feat trees and removed buffs/debuffs from the game. That should at least give them bandwidth to put out more content and perhaps test is more thoroughly.

Unless the Cryptic management decided they needed all hands on the MtG upcoming game, and unless the income on NW has fallen so far that it no longer can support a dev team.

putzboy78 said:

Look at how bug free the last two tales of old and the current contest of liars has been.

I am not sure if this is meant ironically or not

hustin1 · November 2019

They're definitely playing mod 18 close to the vest. I can only hope that it's something major, because the player count situation has become dire.

sandukutupu · November 2019

Module 18 might not be announced until after New Years. Even then, if they announce it next week, there is normally 6 to 8 more weeks of debugging on Preview. In that case, you are looking at the earliest release in early to mid January. I am not eager for an early release, as you can see what happens when the skeleton crew gets a module finished early, from the evidence of the current module. The first module of 2019 was end of April, so if there is anything to this so-called "3 module contract" rumor, they would have April as the fiscal year deadline.

I too still hang out a lot in Barovia but this is mostly for my love of the undead.

Module 15 was just as much of disappointment "to me" as module 17. Module 16 would have been a lot better without the scaling, nerfing, and reshaping of the game mechanic system. I am more curious about the Hell Pit event as nothing more than a blurb has been added to the calendar. I hope the team takes as much time as they need on module 18, there is no need to rush and ruin it.

mentinmindmaker · November 2019

sandukutupu said:
I hope the team takes as much time as they need on module 18, there is no need to rush and ruin it.

I basically agree with you. However. I have a nagging feeling/fear that there will be no mod 18. There are lots of reasons why that could be the case and NW being put in mothballs. And if that happens, you bet they will not announce it, as that will trigger a mass exodus that far exceeds mod 16.

We are basically overdue for the mod 18 announcement now.

An official statement from Cryptic that mod 18 is on the way would be a good thing at this point.

wilbur626 · November 2019

> @mentinmindmaker said:
> (Quote)
> I basically agree with you. However. I have a nagging feeling/fear that there will be no mod 18. There are lots of reasons why that could be the case and NW being put in mothballs. And if that happens, you bet they will not announce it, as that will trigger a mass exodus that far exceeds mod 16.
>
> We are basically overdue for the mod 18 announcement now.
>
> An official statement from Cryptic that mod 18 is on the way would be a good thing at this point.

It has been confirmed many times, noworries 🙃

exgardian · November 2019

All I want is a new MW rank, with craftable BiS stuff, and anyhting that surpass the Demon's Lord Immortality set.

sandukutupu · November 2019

mentinmindmaker said:

sandukutupu said:
I hope the team takes as much time as they need on module 18, there is no need to rush and ruin it.
I basically agree with you. However. I have a nagging feeling/fear that there will be no mod 18. There are lots of reasons why that could be the case and NW being put in mothballs. And if that happens, you bet they will not announce it, as that will trigger a mass exodus that far exceeds mod 16.

We are basically overdue for the mod 18 announcement now.

An official statement from Cryptic that mod 18 is on the way would be a good thing at this point.

Maybe it is the optimist in me, but I thought any delay is the result of them putting more manpower into the MtG MMO. I get conflicting information about Cryptic Studios infrastructure such as; number of employees somewhere between 100 to 400? Let's guess about 200. If the smallest portion is working on Champions Online, the next smallest would be Star Trek and Neverwinter, with the majority (more than 50%) working on the new MtG MMO. How would you divide your labor force? I think if 200 is accurate, then there might be somewhere around 30 people working on Neverwinter.

thefiresidecat · November 2019

they got rid of their leak in the alpha testing pool I think. not sure that worked out well for them because the leaks always got people excited. the rumors that the people have already been chosen and it is in gear have been around for a few weeks though. I'm sure there will be a mod 18.

wilbur626 · November 2019

> @thefiresidecat said:
> they got rid of their leak in the alpha testing pool I think. not sure that worked out well for them because the leaks always got people excited. the rumors that the people have already been chosen and it is in gear have been around for a few weeks though. I'm sure there will be a mod 18.

The leaks are still there, you just have to know where to look 🤭

hustin1 · November 2019

Per one of the dev streams, there's a dungeon in it. And they said they won't nerf ToMM, they want to keep it endgame (personally I couldn't give a snot about ToMM and I stopped caring about the dungeons in this game a while ago). They've got early access up and running for the new dungeon, so presumably it's in at least a fairly complete state. My gut says an official module announcement will come by the end of the month.

@nitocris83 it's probably a good thing you didn't pick me for early access as in all honesty I wouldn't be able to give you the kind of feedback you want (dungeon mechanics, dungeon difficulty, etc.). For me the important aspects of a dungeon have to do with replayability: are they interesting, can they vary from one run to another, do they inspire exploration, do they make sense. Put another way, do they have anything to offer to players who are *not* chest-thumpers, who play for story and lore, who play because of memories of pen-and-paper D&D, or who play because of memories of heroic fantasy in fiction. Static dungeons that are simply one-dimensional runs to a chest at the end have little appeal to me, and as I'm not in the PvP arms race ridiculous difficulty levels and commensurate uber rewards are simply reasons for me to pass over a dungeon. Now if you want feedback on story, lore, replayability, and bringing a sense of wonder to the game, I'm your redcap.

jules · November 2019

wilbur626 said:
> @thefiresidecat said:

> they got rid of their leak in the alpha testing pool I think. not sure that worked out well for them because the leaks always got people excited. the rumors that the people have already been chosen and it is in gear have been around for a few weeks though. I'm sure there will be a mod 18.

The leaks are still there, you just have to know where to look 🤭

Thing is, a lot of ppl that spread leaks have left the game

At this point, I will try hellpit, and I will try M18, but it really has to be a big mod that keeps me interested for more than the first 2 weeks until everybody has figured out their HAMSTER again.
If all the promises about "will stay BIS for a while" are false again I will stop caring. Honestly. I'm all for another MW, but if its a new M15 with BIS for 1 Mod, I will slam my forgehammer on my fingers to stop me from entering the workshop.

mordekai · November 2019

Considering WoTC are currently pushing the "Descent into Avernus" mod, which is set in Hell, and the new Hell Pit event is probably linked to that, then a new Hell campaign is not a ridiculous theory.

Whatever else it has, I hope it has some new Guild and crafting toys, cos I don't think the crafting system will survive another 6 to 8 months of inattention.

The Hell Pit looks very interesting. And with a free Legendary Mount, it's certainly worth a look.
The fact that it's solo means that certain people who aren't optimised BiS won't have to rely on ineffectual PUGs or pity to get a chance at doing it.

Having not seen any of the upcoming event's models and effects it's hard to know whether it will be existing Devil models or new stuff.
IF it's new stuff then a Mod 18 linked to the Avernus WoTC Mod would look likely. It would be pretty cool for Neverwinter to have a run in with Asmodeus.
It's been a long long time since I did any tabletop stuff related to the Nine Hells, and TSR never really went there in the olden days. They often used the Abyss and Demons, (Lolth, Orcus, Demogorgon et al) but there was very little to do with Devils.
It's odd that Ed Greenwood, the guy who invented the Forgotten Realms, was also the guy who was writing top notch Hell based magazine articles for D&D back in the early 80s, but they never properly merged in-game.
Plus I would love to see a decent rendition of the Rakshasa, which was always one of my favourites.

If it IS Avernus, I'd hazard a guess that we might be going toe to toe with Tiamat again, since I assume that's where she gets sent back to when we win the Trial... but Asmodeus... that would be really cool.

It would also be really nice for Warlocks to have a bit of a chance to shine...

pitshade · November 2019

The Big Bad for Avernus is Zariel, not Asmodeus who only appears in the backstory.

sandukutupu · November 2019

pitshade said:
The Big Bad for Avernus is Zariel, not Asmodeus who only appears in the backstory.

If module 18 is anything remotely related to Avernus, then expect another paragraph added to the on going biography of the Ironcrowns. Also you will see Aero and Vhex taking a more public spotlight in my role-playing, so you have all been warned...

Also assuming the content is decent, I will plan another contest around it.

hustin1 · November 2019

I have no idea what the new books say about Avernus, but this is what I have from 1e:

Avernus is the topmost layer of the Nine Hells, often referred to in devilish circles as "the front parlor." Its sky is dark red and starless. It is a rocky wasteland; the few plants are stunted and twisted. The atmosphere of Avernus is filled with flammable vapor gathered into innumerable glowing spheres that radiate a dim light. There is a 1 in 6 chance per turn that a glowing region bursts into a fireball (as the spell) for 2-7 d6s of damage. (This is reduced to a 1 in 12 chance per turn if the traveler refrains from using open flame--torches, candles, etc.) Many of the devils within this layer are out of favor deeper in the Hells, but not in so much trouble that they must flee to Gehenna or Hades. Some of the great rocky crags of this layer are actually secret shelters for greater devils who are astrally projecting. The watchdog of the Hells' front parlor is Tiamat.
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In Avernus there are portals to the topmost layers of Acheron, Gehenna, and to the outer rings of the plane of Concordant Opposition. These free-standing portals are identical--huge hoops of reddish light. Tiamat is well aware of the permanent portals near her realms. She has them guarded by encampments of abishai or laced with traps.
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Tiamat has a cavernous lair in Avernus, the uppermost layer. Her lair is filled with abishai and all manner of evil dragons and their spirits. These she sends to lay low those who challenge or displease her.

On other pantheons and the Hells:

The organized realms of the devils are vast, but the layers of the Hells are infinite in size. They are home to other powers besides those of devilkind. The true relationship between lawful evil Powers and the devils is unknown for neither side is volunteering any information. In those planes in which devils are unknown, the lawful evil Powers mention devils only as very useful servants. As Takhisis in the world of Krynn, Tiamat has never let her followers know that there are other arch-devils or that there is a Nine Hells at all. The reverse is true as well--worlds that know of Asmodeus and not Druaga or Set will not find out about Druaga or Set if Asmodeus has anything to say about it.
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Kurtulmak of the Kobolds lives in the caverns of the first layer of the Hells. He is careful to stay out of the way of more powerful beings. While not a threat to the safety of the Hells, various arch-dukes curry his favor as one more ally in the continual power struggle between factions. Kurtulmak smiles graciously, takes any and all aid, and proceeds to rob the arch-devils blind while maintaining his front as an ally against other Powers. Kurtulmak rarely admits to his followers that his Nine Hells have any other major inhabitants. When forced to admit his true situation in the Hells, he admonishes his followers to heed his example when dealing with forces beyond their control.

Oh, and according to the book, the river Styx also flows through the top layers of each of the seven lower planes, which would include Avernus.

pitshade · November 2019

Tiamat is still in Hell but a long time ago it was changed that she is imprisoned there rather than ruling it. IIRC first edition had her as LE but later versions changed that to CE as she was the embodiment of Chaos in
Babylonian myth. She is confined to the plane but not powerless inside of it.

rickcase276 · November 2019

That's the question with Tiamat being there. The wiki, for D&D, says that Takhisis has a palace in Avernus, but is she still just considered an aspect of Tiamat on Krynn or are they separate entities now?

sandukutupu · November 2019

rickcase276 said:
That's the question with Tiamat being there. The wiki, for D&D, says that Takhisis has a palace in Avernus, but is she still just considered an aspect of Tiamat on Krynn or are they separate entities now?

This is the sort of thing that happens when you have multiple authors on a large project. Star Trek neckbeards (no offense I married one) will argue about real world science and how the science of the Trek universe changes their science so very often. I stick to the metaphysical universe of fantasy magic, because it cannot be explained by science. But we do have some philosophical plot holes to jump. Another good example of what you just stated, would be, the return of Minsc and Boo. The question was lightly glossed over in Elemental Evil by Drizzt Do'Urden but never properly answered.

Lore said:
Orburt Lewel ordered the construction of a 9 foot tall bronze statue and pedestal in the Wide in honor of Minsc and Boo. Roughly 70 years later, the statue was hit by a magic surge caused by the wild mage Delina, aimed at an attacking gargoyle. Almost a century after his demise, Minsc and Boo return... or did they?

This scene was from one of the IDW comics 2014, by Jim Zub.

The question tossed around by fans, Is this the original Minsc and Boo come back from the afterlife or a type bronze golem brought to life? If it is a golem, it has been made flesh and truly believes itself to be the human ranger and his pet hamster Boo. Does it even matter? Maybe not, but the author (Jim Zub) desired to use the popular dead historic figure in his comic and simply applied, "Magic Duh!" and poof! Instant resurrection of Minsc, no questions asked, except for those pesky philosophical life after death questions.

Also I noticed you asked about "Takhisis" and not Zariel, Takhisis is 2nd Edition D&D and gone to Dragonlance Universe.

Any whispers about MOD18?

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