Horizons: Blight Update and Live Server Maintenance - July 6, 2004

According to a note on the horizons.istaria.com site, the live server maintenance this morning did not include any updates. However, the test server, blight, got a ton of updates. Included among the bug updates is the beginning of a new event.

BLIGHT UPDATE

Additions
Community
" Owners of a public consigner can list 100 items on it.
" Support for trade permissions on privately owned NPCs.

Formulae
" Added Expert Dragon Scale Pack Formula so that dragons may now craft their Tier 5 backpacks.

Bug Fixes

Adventure
" Changed Bane of Chaos I, II, and III abilities are now unable to be removed.
" The Hangover augmentation will no longer pop up the script windows 'Headache' or 'Retch'. Instead it now will cause all actions by players to take 20% longer to do.
" Improved Theft of Life IV will do proper damage now
" Ethereal Leech II and above have increasing damage
" Flame Disciples now get Chain Attack II at 12, III at 22, and IV at 32
" When hurt outside of combat such as damage over time effects or area effect, health regeneration will properly begin
" Superior Resurrect will properly remove a death point from the target.
" Fixed a cause of more than one special attack's effects being used in a single attack. This was caused when using a special attack on a target that then moved out of range right before the attack completed, thus compounding its bonus with the next attack (special or otherwise).

Community
" Fixed issue that sometimes caused a silo to refuse a new item when the previous contents were moved directly to another silo.
" Fixed issue that sometimes caused items moved between silos not to appear until silo is re-browsed.
" When a consigner is deactivated, all items currently listed are returned to the seller rather than destroyed.

Crafting
" Fixed newly-created techniqued items to properly count as a single item in other containers. (Prior fix for this was for pre-existing items during login.)
" Custom names are erased when an item is traded.
" Socketed items inherit the requirements of installed crystals.

" Tier 2 and 3 techs may now be applied to the spell Barrage V.
" Tier 2 and 3 techs may now be applied to the spell Gust V.
" Essence Hide Armor should now properly take techniques.

" Beginner and Journeyman Milk Fabricator Formulas should now properly show up under the Gadget formula filter.
" Beginner and Journeyman Essence Lantern Formulas should now properly show up under the Gadget formula filter.
" Beginner Aughundell Textile Wear Formulas should now properly show up under the Armor formula filter.
" Beginner Aughundell Textile Wear Formulas should now properly show up under the Armor formula filter.
" Beginner Commoner Wear Formulas should now properly show up under the Armor formula filter.
" Beginner Dark Forest Wear Formulas should now properly show up under the Armor formula filter.
" Beginner Mahagra Mountain Wear Formulas should now properly show up under the Armor formula filter.
" Beginner New Rachival Work Wear Formulas should now properly show up under the Armor formula filter.
" Beginner Tazoon Common Wear Formulas should now properly show up under the Armor formula filter.

" Journeyman Feladan Fashion Wear Formulas should now properly show up under the Armor formula filter.
" Journeyman Kion Dress Wear Formulas should now properly show up under the Armor formula filter.
" Journeyman Kirasanct Weave Wear Formulas should now properly show up under the Armor formula filter.
" Corrected an error in the Mithril Back Scale Formula, it should now properly make BACK scales, instead of chest scales.

" The Expert Hide Satchel Formula should now show up under Expert sort, and not Journeyman sort.
" The Expert Leather Backpack Formula should now show up under Expert sort, and not Journeyman sort.
" Expert Padded Sleeves now use the skill tailoring, and require between 12 and 24 fabric spools.
" Expert Health Chest Scale should now require 880 minimum skill to use marble bricks, not 860.
" All Expert Spell Formulas should now have the appropriate constraints attached to them.
" Expert Spell Formula: Unrelenting Winds should now properly display Shining Orb ingredients.
" Expert Spell Formula: Gift of Armor should now properly display Shining Orb ingredients.
" Expert Spell Formula: Gift of Dexterity should now properly display Shining Orb ingredients.
" Expert Spell Formula: Ice hammer should now properly display Shining Orb ingredients.

Quests and Tasks
" Fixed a typo in the Mason Task: Craft 15 Slate Bricks quest, the NPC will now ask for 15 slate bricks instead of 15 sandstone bricks.
" Jewelers between the levels of 70 and 79 should now receive tasks from their trainer.

World Issues
" Fixed Issue with Rope Bridges located at 26816, 22268 and 21878, 20891

Changes

Abilities
" Parry, Block, and Dodge abilities' descriptions properly state that they only work against the currently engaged opponent.
" Quake Attack has a range of 8 meters

Adventure
Important Changes to Dragon Combat
" The spells and abilities Root, Binding Crystals, Glaze, Patch of Bramble, Ice Shackles, and Staple now prevent movement in flight.

Dragons will be unable to take off during combat. This means if you are flying and are attacked, if you land (you won't be forced down unless a spell/ability that causes such is cast upon you), you will not be able to take off again until you are not involved in combat. This uses the same system that determines whether you are resting or not (regenerating health).

Dragon flight is a method of transportation. It is not intended to be a combative advantage, nor a method of controlling monster targeting or aggressiveness. We have determined the above change is the only way to be sure it cannot be abused for those purposes. Any alterations to how monsters react to a dragon taking off would still leave loopholes that can be exploited.

Racial Abilities
" Dwarven Toughness will now defend only against non-spell damage.
" Elven Leadership now allows all group members a 15% bonus to hit and to hit for maximum damage for 30s, usable every 300s.
" Fiendish Channeling now reflects all incoming magic damage back to its caster for 30s, usable each 300s.
" Giant Daze is now an area effect melee attack that slows enemy's actions by 35% and reduces their chance to block, dodge and parry for 30s, usable every 300s.
" Gnomian Prowess is now an active ability that is usable each 300s. When activated it will reduce the delay of all actions by 50% for 30s.
" Human Magical now increases any spell's chance to hit by 35% for 30s, usable each 300s.

Tecniques
" Technique Velocity can no longer be added to boots.

Event Updates
The fierce sandstorm that has been occupying the desert just south of Tazoon has finally dissipated. The howling winds, and devastating Dust Elementals have burnt out their energy and no longer remain, but the desert is still bustling with new activity. The sandstorm has stirred up many of the native scarabs. These small beetles are now roaming the dunes, looking for a suitable place to lay their eggs before they return to their nest deep within the dunes.
The activity in the desert isn't limited to just the beetles though. The Healer tower has received word of a recently uncovered town of human statues. Rumors are flying of an ancient myth where an entire town was cursed to stone. The members of the Healer tower have dispatched representatives to investigate the rumors.
To the southeast, with a suddenness not expected, the Blight surrounding Feladan has considerably receded. Despite the mysterious circumstances, the Elves have been singing their praises to the Ethereal Substantiators that were built recently. They claim that the Ethereal Substantiators have fulfilled their job, and have removed them so their unsightly presence do not mar the peaceful serenity of the Feladan Woods. With the Blight finally gone, an Elven Shrine, and portal has been erected allowing easy access to their fair city through the racial portals. The Elves also claim that while most of the Felandan Woods were cured, one part still remains tainted. This area surrounds the once active Blight Portal, and Elven Guards have been set up to keep an eye on it. Istarians are advised to stay clear of this area, the Elves do not wish to accidentally re-open a conduit to the Realm of Blight, and lose their homeland again.
While the good news is flowing in from Feladan, grave news has come in from the far eastern horizon. Scouts have reported a large regiment of meatblights moving in from eastern continent, and setting up camp just outside of the great wall known as 'The Wedge'. Upon receiving the descriptions of the regiment, the Empire of Istaria recognized them as 'The Crimson Scourge', one of the first Withered Aegis factions to cross over from the Realm of Blight, and into the Realm of the Prime. The Empire fears that if these monsters have been dispatched from beyond the eastern wedge, that their masters may be following shortly.