Official: Empath Spectacular November (ESN) Master List

[Fallen]

This thread will be used to keep a running list of all ESN changes in the order which they are released. GM Q&A and other relevant information will be posted here as well. Separate posts will still be made for each release, and will be linked here where appropriate.

Date of Release|Release Summary|Link to Full Release Article
November 15th | Empaths will no longer fall down when transferring leg wounds. | Link (http://forum.gsplayers.com/showthread.php?112566-Official-Empath-Leg-Wound-Healing-Update)
November 16th | The amount of experience awarded from abdomen, chest, back, and neck wounds has been increased. Also, Empaths level 1 to 10 get a buff to EXP starting at a 2.0 multiplier at level 1 and decreasing by 0.1 every level until level 11. | Link (http://forum.gsplayers.com/showthread.php?112576-Official-Empath-Spectacular-November-(ESN)-Release-More-Healing-Experience)
November 17th | TRANSFER has been updated to no longer give experience immediately upon transferring a wound, resulting in a net increase in EXP for healing multiple wounds. | Link (http://forum.gsplayers.com/showthread.php?112586-Official-ESN-Transfer-Effect)
November 18th | Empath's patients will be awarded 20% percent of Empath Healing EXP as Long Term Experience up to a maximum of 250 LTE per day. |Link (http://forum.gsplayers.com/showthread.php?112599-Official-ESN-Rewards-for-patients!)
November 20th | The messaging for transferring wounds was updated. In addition, custom messaging options for TRANSFER have been added. |Link (http://forum.gsplayers.com/showthread.php?112618-Official-ESN-Messaging-Updates)
November 21st | Empaths may now transfer scars from other adventurers should they have 50 or more ranks of Mental Lore, Transference. | Link (http://forum.gsplayers.com/showthread.php?112624-Official-ESN-Transfer-Scars&p=1993769#post1993769)
November 22nd|The spell Cry for Help has been replaced with Rapid Healing (1116), a 1 minute spell with a 30 minute cooldown which lowers healing RT, provides a chance to heal underlying scars, and gives a chance to heal rank 2/3 wounds completely. | Link (http://forum.gsplayers.com/showthread.php?112638-Official-ESN-Rapid-Healing-(1116)!)
November 27th|Empaths can IMPRINT their patients with a portion of their presence to allow them to aid them from afar.|Link (http://forum.gsplayers.com/showthread.php?112696-Official-ESN-Imprint!)
November 28th|New spell Solance (1140) can be used to IMPRINT a player in the same realm as an auto-success and no spirit cost.|Link (http://forum.gsplayers.com/showthread.php?112708-Official-ESN-Solance-(1140)!)
November 29th|Free Fixskill for all Empaths awarded Wednesday, December 6th.|Link (http://forum.gsplayers.com/showthread.php?112717-ESN-Fixskill!)

[Fallen]

Required "Rempathic Rlinking"?

Requiring linking before healing is NOT going to be a part of this "R"eview. It was explored, but ultimately decided against. http://forum.gsplayers.com/images/smilies/smile.png


While a boost to EXP doesn't hurt, if the goal is to encourage people that want to be town healers, this isn't going to make a dent in it...

It's only day 2 of ESN! There are more things to come, and this is not the only one meant to encourage people that want to be town healers. Whether or not the entire review is successful at that will take a while to determine, but I'm hopeful!


Pleasantly surprised about linking - I thought that was coming.

Full honesty here, I was actually REALLY excited about the idea I had which did require linking, but was convinced that it wasn't the right path to go down. I think there's a lot of potential behind linking, but requiring it for everyone wasn't the right way to go about it.


Now wondering if you decided to go after the most useless spell in any spell list: Cry for Help.

Wait and see!

~ Konacon

.

[Gelston]

November 15th - Empaths won't fall down when transferring leg wounds anymore. - http://forum.gsplayers.com/showthread.php?112566-Official-Empath-Leg-Wound-Healing-Update


wtf? Why? That was flavor. Stupid.

[audioserf]

Why am I filled with a sense of foreboding that Boneshatter or Wither is going to end up worse behind this review...

[Orthin]

wtf? Why? That was flavor. Stupid.

While true it also makes sense that a master healer would heal themselves in a way that couldn't cause more injury but I am more for that creating a forced sit position because one without legs should not be standing.

[Orthin]

Why am I filled with a sense of foreboding that Boneshatter or Wither is going to end up worse behind this review...

In other news 1130 has been changed to cry for help and 1130 has been removed

[audioserf]

In other news 1130 has been changed to cry for help and 1130 has been removed

Legit had no idea cry for help was a spell until just now

[Gelston]

While true it also makes sense that a master healer would heal themselves in a way that couldn't cause more injury but I am more for that creating a forced sit position because one without legs should not be standing.

Then have that message for them base on spell levels. Not removing it all together. Watching empaths fall to the ground screaming was what made getting a limb removed worth it.

[khorpulent]

Why am I filled with a sense of foreboding that Boneshatter or Wither is going to end up worse behind this review...

Fuck, I know. They already nerfed Bone Shatter a few years back, so I'd be surprised if they messed with it more. But I do worry about Wither. I'm afraid somebody noticed how much empaths were wrecking everything in the Arena -- that was the beginning of the end for wizards.

I just hope they don't mess up 1117. It's barely been a year and a half since they fixed it.

One change I would like to see, though, is to be able to activate 1150 while still in RT.

[audioserf]

Wither takes a lot of lore to make truly insane but so did OG Immolation. Although - they based the nerfed Immo on current Wither, so maybe Wither's ok from their perspective.

[Orthin]

Then have that message for them base on spell levels. Not removing it all together. Watching empaths fall to the ground screaming was what made getting a limb removed worth it.

Agreed in the RP aspect of that. I always wondered why that was personalized but not other wounds. Like I would personally cry in agony if I suddenly had a gaping hole in my chest etc

[audioserf]

Official: ESN: Rewards for patients!

On the fourth day of ESN, empaths gained the ability to share some of their learning with their patients through the bond temporarily shared between them by the act of healing. When empaths are awarded their experience from healing, the patient will also be awarded 20% percent of that amount as Long Term Experience up to a maximum of 250 LTE per day. For those curious, the goal of this update is to encourage players to seek out healers over the alternatives when possible.

Questions, concerns, joy, anger? Feel free to share!

Enjoy!

~ Konacon

This message was originally posted in Empaths, Developer's Corner - Empaths. To discuss the above, follow the link below.

http://forums.play.net/forums/19/232/2595/view/441

[Orthin]

Official: ESN: Rewards for patients!

On the fourth day of ESN, empaths gained the ability to share some of their learning with their patients through the bond temporarily shared between them by the act of healing. When empaths are awarded their experience from healing, the patient will also be awarded 20% percent of that amount as Long Term Experience up to a maximum of 250 LTE per day. For those curious, the goal of this update is to encourage players to seek out healers over the alternatives when possible.

Questions, concerns, joy, anger? Feel free to share!

Enjoy!

~ Konacon

This message was originally posted in Empaths, Developer's Corner - Empaths. To discuss the above, follow the link below.

http://forums.play.net/forums/19/232/2595/view/441


Amazing change. Useherbs will see a slight decline!

[audioserf]

The longer between ESN updates the stronger my feelings of Nerf Dread become...

[Gelston]

The longer between ESN updates the stronger my feelings of Nerf Dread become...

They are stripping combat spells from Empaths and giving everyone access to standard empath healing abilities.

[audioserf]

I better get like 40 pieces of fluff to wear as compensation then.

[Gelston]

I better get like 40 pieces of fluff to wear as compensation then.

Fluff is all you'll beable to wear, as another improvement is the new ability to wear only one functional item.

[Fallen]

That being said, I'd like to know where these updates to empaths are heading. Are we supposed to now become town healers? Are we going to have to split our training paths, yet again, in order to remain, at best mediocre? Will we be able to be effective hunters, either by weapon or spell, or are we doomed to be relegated to sitting in some godforsaken spot in some town and heal ourselves into mind-numbing oblivion?

These changes are the results of a Healing Review. The goal is make improve the overall healing experience (not character experience) and to better differentiate healing vs. hunting empaths. It was carefully designed to result in almost no mechanical downtweak. So empaths can continue to heal or hunt today as well they did before the changes. However, for healing empaths who choose to diversify their training, they're gaining a few new options. After it's all said and done, players should be able to see a difference between a healing and hunting empath. The former will heal their own wounds faster, be able to transfer scars, <insert other unreleased changes so far!>, etc, while the latter will use combat spells more effectively.


It seems to me we're rapidly creating one dimensional cookie-cutter characters, there's just a few more shapes than before.

I'm not sure if you're intending this to be good or bad, but it's stating we're making non-cookie-cutter characters possible (since they have "more shapes than before"), which is exactly the point. By introducing more skills to train in at high rank thresholds, it ensures no empath can train everything to the maximum level. It forces you to pick and choose which benefits you want. That is the very design goal of lores and something almost every caster has to deal with. Before lores, there were hardly any differences in characters of the same profession.

Gamemaster Estild
.

[audioserf]

Official: ESN: Rapid Healing (1116)!

On the seventh day of ESN, empaths one and all gathered together to say goodbye to a beloved friend, Cry For Help... To make way for a new friend, Rapid Healing!

Rapid Healing lasts for 60 seconds, and has a 30 minute cooldown. While the spell is up:
- The base RT of all healing spells is halved from 10/20/30/40 to 5/10/15/20. Note that this is done before empath ranks or transformation lore are taken into account, which would mean that a level 100 empath with no ranks in transformation lore would have no healing RT while under the effects of this spell.
- Chance to heal an underlying scar when healing a minor wound (Through cast or 1125) is increased by 25%, even if you normally have no chance to heal the underlying scar due to not enough blessings lore.

Mental Lore, Transformation provides a chance to heal a rank 2 or 3 wound fully with the same chance as Spiritual Lore, Blessings normally has to heal an underlying scar.
- Example: An empath with 54 ranks of ML:Transformation and 0 ranks of SL:Blessings healing a rank 2 limb wound would have a 22% chance to heal that wound down to a rank 0, and if that happened, a separate 25% chance to also remove the underlying scar.

Questions, thoughts, concerns? Let me know!

PS: Due to holidays, this is going to be the last day of ESN until Monday... Which is terrible because I am super excited about the next release!

~ Konacon

This message was originally posted in Empaths, Developer's Corner - Empaths. To discuss the above, follow the link below.

http://forums.play.net/forums/19/232/2595/view/508

[Gelston]

Cry for help was really just a gimmick anyways.

[audioserf]

Yeah Cry for Help was the most useless spell since Spell Store (RIP). This is a good change

[khorpulent]

These changes are the results of a Healing Review. The goal is make improve the overall healing experience (not character experience) and to better differentiate healing vs. hunting empaths. It was carefully designed to result in almost no mechanical downtweak.

"ALMOST NO DOWNTWEAK" = INCOMING NERF!

Ready the pitchforks!

[khorpulent]

Also, the new 1116 is pretty intriguing. Makes me think about dropping my transformation lore so that I can bump my mental lore up to 100 telepathy ranks without needing to get that additional 900k experiene. I doubt I could stand the RT, though.

Still...the average capped empath heals so quickly that I'm not entirely sure I understand the point of becoming even better at healing.

[audioserf]

These changes are the results of a Healing Review. The goal is make improve the overall healing experience (not character experience) and to better differentiate healing vs. hunting empaths. It was carefully designed to result in almost no mechanical downtweak.

"ALMOST NO DOWNTWEAK" = INCOMING NERF!

Ready the pitchforks!

I took that as this whole ESN review is Healing specific and I began to give less of a shit about it. No combat buffs, but no combat nerfs either.

[Taernath]

They said they're not doing the hard RT link thing, but has there been any word on the proposed healing queue where once you heal someone, you have to heal X number of players before you can get xp from the first person again? I'm still waiting for the other shoe to drop.

[audioserf]

That's already in place for F2P and I've never heard of any plan for that to change, certainly not to be implemented on everyone at large.

[Gelston]

They said they're not doing the hard RT link thing, but has there been any word on the proposed healing queue where once you heal someone, you have to heal X number of players before you can get xp from the first person again? I'm still waiting for the other shoe to drop.

How old is that second quote?

[Taernath]

How old is that second quote?

What quote?

[Gelston]

What quote?
132 sorcerer

[Taernath]

132 sorcerer

circa 2001

[Gelston]

circa 2001

Oh. I was hoping it was recent. I guess it not forcing capitalization and a period should have been a sign.

[Taernath]

Oh. I was hoping it was recent. I guess it not forcing capitalization and a period should have been a sign.

Or the 132 sorcerer.

[Gelston]

Or the 132 sorcerer.

Nah, I was hoping it was someone recent that didn't realize everything was capped at 100 and his 132 sorcerer is now like 80.

[audioserf]

Official: ESN: Imprint!

On the eighth day of ESN, empaths learned how to IMPRINT their patients with a portion of their presence to allow them to aid them from afar... Empaths can attempt to IMPRINT anyone that isn't an empath once per hour, and using it on a player that you have a healing effect shared with will automatically end the effect.

So what does it do? I'll get to the list of rules in a second, but the effect it grants is: When a player is imprinted, the empath can TRANSFER wounds or scars (no blood) off of them from anywhere in the same realm (Mental Lore, Transference unlocks adjacent realm at 35 ranks, near-adjacent at 70 ranks, and far realm at 105 ranks). Note that this will not work in areas where magic doesn't work or areas that the player couldn't be magically located. It will also not worked if the player has been in combat of some sort in the last 20 seconds (Note: This will be called "in combat" or "out of combat" for the rest of this post).

More information:
-- Transferring a wound through an imprint costs 10/15/20 stamina per wound rank. If the empath goes into negative stamina while doing this, they will suffer serious physical injuries.
-- Imprinting costs 2 spirit if it is successful or if it is used on a player that an empath doesn't have the healing effect on. A failure with the healing effect has no cost.
-- A successful imprint lasts for 30 minutes + (3 seconds per skill bonus in Spiritual Lore, Blessings) and has 3 charges plus extra depending on the success of a healing skill check roll.
-- A player can only be imprinted by one empath at any time. They have the option to remove an imprint via "IMPRINT STOP".
-- An empath can have up to (1 + (Mental Lore Transference Ranks / 40)) players imprinted at any time. They can also remove imprints via "IMPRINT STOP".
-- When a player comes out of combat with notable injuries, an empath that they are imprinted by will be notified that they need assistance.
-- Empaths can use "IMPRINT CHECK" to see the health status of all of their imprintees at any time as long as they can be transferred from.
-- Players can use "IMPRINT CALL" when they are injured to notify the last 20 empaths that have imprinted or attempted to imprint them that they need assistance.

The roll for attempting to IMPRINT another player is affected by the following areas of training:
- Spell Research up to 1x in EACH circle. Overtraining in the empath spell circle does NOT help. Optimal training for imprinting on a level 100 character would be 101/101/101.
- Lores (Mental Lore: Transformation, Mental Lore: Transference, Spiritual Lore: Blessings)
- Physical Fitness and First Aid.

I'm sure people have LOTS of questions, so feel free to ask!

~ Konacon

This message was originally posted in Empaths, Developer's Corner - Empaths. To discuss the above, follow the link below.

http://forums.play.net/forums/19/232/2595/view/520

[Gelston]

Pretty awesome for MAing.

[Taernath]

Pretty awesome for MAing.

I was going to say, this is a major buff for pocket healers. I'm surprised they did this.

[Gelston]

I was going to say, this is a major buff for pocket healers. I'm surprised they did this.

Looks like they are trying to make it viable to be a non-hunting healer again, since you can imprint with multiple people. With imprinting they can sit their happy ass in TSC.

[audioserf]

Official: ESN: Solace (1140)!

On the ninth day of ESN, empaths gained access to a new spell... Solace (1140)!

Solace can be used to IMPRINT a player in the same realm as an auto-success and no spirit cost. It grants 3 + (Mental Lore, Trensference Bonus / 50) charges and lasts the standard imprint duration. Mental Lore, Transference also increases the range of Solace to adjacent realm at 35 ranks, near-adjacent at 70 ranks, and far at 105 ranks. Finally, for 30 seconds after the casting of Solace, the empath can transfer from that player regardless of whether they are "in combat" or not.

Solace has a 60 minute cooldown which can be reduced by 12 seconds for every rank of Spiritual Lore, Blessings.

Let me know what you think!

~ Konacon

This message was originally posted in Empaths, Developer's Corner - Empaths. To discuss the above, follow the link below.

http://forums.play.net/forums/19/232/2595/view/561

[audioserf]

ESN: Fixskill!

For the final day of ESN, all of the empaths will be granted a FIXSKILL on Wednesday, December 6th. This FIXSKILL will follow the normal policy of not stacking with existing, unused FIXSKILLS and must be used before the next Festival of Oleani (May 20th).

Thanks for joining us for the adventure everybody! Hope you enjoyed it!

~ Konacon

This message was originally posted in Empaths, Developer's Corner - Empaths. To discuss the above, follow the link below.

http://forums.play.net/forums/19/232/2595/view/586

[Lulfas]

What does the line "You get the feeling that your mind will need to rest soon." mean when you're healing someone now? I didn't get it on the first 2 or 3 wounds, but then the last couple did it. I wasn't at must rest on the uber exp bar.

[Orthin]

What does the line "You get the feeling that your mind will need to rest soon." mean when you're healing someone now? I didn't get it on the first 2 or 3 wounds, but then the last couple did it. I wasn't at must rest on the uber exp bar.

It means after the 15 sec lag before exp hits that you will be fried.

[Lulfas]

It means after the 15 sec lag before exp hits that you will be fried.

I can't seem to find a reference to this change, do you have a link? Not doubting you in the slightest, just want to see it.

[Imperarx]

I can't seem to find a reference to this change, do you have a link? Not doubting you in the slightest, just want to see it.

Check out the quoted post here http://forum.gsplayers.com/showthread.php?112586-Official-ESN-Transfer-Effect&p=1993180#post1993180

[SpiffyJr]

Am I really forgetful or is not being able to heal with a rank 3 wound new?

[audioserf]

Am I really forgetful or is not being able to heal with a rank 3 wound new?

You should be able to cast any 1100s spell no matter what your wound status.

[SpiffyJr]

Sorry, I meant I'm not able to transfer wounds from someone when I have a rank 3 in that location already. I'm not sure if that's new or if I somehow didn't notice for 50 levels.

[audioserf]

Yeah, that's not new. You can't stack wounds on top of rank 3's.

[Fallen]

Does anyone know if Empaths receive experience if they heal dead Empaths? A few people were saying they do not. That would have made for a nice update to help out healers.

[audioserf]

99% sure the answer is no. Empaths never learn from healing empaths, dead or alive.

[Gelston]

Does anyone know if Empaths receive experience if they heal dead Empaths? A few people were saying they do not. That would have made for a nice update to help out healers.

Empaths don't award shit, regardless of state. The raised empath usually takes all the wounds back when they get up, if able.

[Fallen]

> Also there is a typo and I giggled. I've already BUG'd it but see if you can find it:

Thanks for the report. Fixed!

> That being said, would you all consider allowing us to imprint with 1140 with someone in the room? Currently it says they're in the room so no need for Solace. It seems silly to have to walk to the next room, cast solace, and then come back to have the 100% success rate.

Done and done.

> 1. IMPRINT is frequently imprinting the same person up to the max I'm able to imprint. e.g., If I IMPRINT bob with my 50 ranks of transference all 3 slots show I'm imprinting bob and I can not imprint anyone new until I IMPRINT STOP bob.

Fixed!

> 2. I can't IMPRINT STOP someone who logs off which is really annoying. It takes up my slot until the duration runs out.

This is a more complicated problem to solve, but I'll see what I can do.

> Is there any way a post-script could be added to the ESN which would allow Empaths to gain experience when healing their fellow deceased comrades? I understand the need not to allow experience when transferring wounds back and forth as "clean ups", but healing the dead should (IMO) result in experience gain.

This is an interesting idea, and I'll bring it up with the team. I wouldn't get my hopes up though.

~ Konacon