Based on Team Lead, tester, and general player feedback, we have created a special "Strike Team" which will operate for the next few months to address key issues that concern our players. These issues are wide ranging and run the gamut from the major to the minor, and having a small and focused team will allow us to focus better on the issues that concern the player community.
Please be aware that there will be many items in addition to the items on this list that the Strike Team will address. And, all of the items being addressed by the Strike Team are in addition to other features we've announced that are still in the works - features such as the PvP Server, Player Housing, Spellcrafting, and the other features that we've announced would be coming in the future.
Respeccing
Mythic has always believed that the player community and its feedback. We have heard the requests for allowing characters to be respecced due to evolution of the game since its release, as well as to be more lenient of training mistakes made by players when leveling characters. We took a long time on deciding to do this, but we wanted to be absolutely sure that it is the right thing to do, as well as be sure of the right way to do it - and it is and so we are. So, partial "respeccing" will be implemented for all players. This means that you can remove points spent in a specialization and "re-spend" them - which allows you to correct any specialization mistakes you've made, or to slightly alter your character's skills.
The way we're implementing the respec for initial testing is to let players convert one of their specializations twice in their career: at 25th level and 40th level. This means they can pick one specialization, have it be reverted down to 0 trains, and be given back the specialization points they trained in it. These spec points can then be used to train in any other specialization, or combination of specializations (or indeed the same one) as they wish.
When implemented, existing characters 25-39 will be given one respec, and then another when they reach 40th level. Characters 40th-50th will be given two respecs. All characters under level 25 will get one respec at level 25 and one at level 40.
Spells
As many of our spellcasting players keep us quite well informed, there are some spell specializations in the game which are not quite as full-featured or useful as others, which means that few players take the time to specialize in them - the Shaman Cave Magic specialization is a good example of this. Over the next few weeks The Strike Team will flesh out these spec lines with new spells and make them more compelling. Stay tuned for release notes and future announcements that will list the casters are receiving attention.
Combat Styles
There are some combat styles which are utilized far less than they should because they are based on events which almost never happen - for example they can be used only after you or your enemy fumbles. Since fumbling is very rare, we'll be converting those to a more useful event. Also, we'll give all styles a once-over and assess them for overall effectiveness.
Bug Fixes
There are a few annoying bugs that have been hanging around for far too long, and the Strike Team is going to take care of them. These include spell messages printing that you are being affected, when it is really your target that is affected, pets acting weird in certain situations, high level healing spells in many situations are not much more effective than the lower level versions, etc. Check out future release notes for details on these bug fixes.
Ambient Sounds
In order to combat the "empty" sound in the game when you are not involved in combat, we're taking steps to add many new ambient sounds and make them tie more directly into the landscape.
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