Asherons Call: A huge Tusker sized NANA of Q & A (Bunch #2)

Question: KungFuTzu - So what do you think about the random access to Aphus Lassel? I don't think I like it at all, though I might reserve my judgment for a while on this. My first impression is that it sucks, though. I could understand why they did this (to try and keep it from turning into BSD cubed in terms of player popularity), but I think it's more an irritation than anything else.
Answer: Orion-Turbine - Try going to 0.7S I think that is what he meant. And there won't be a shrine there, but there will be a portal to a dungeon where you can find a shrine. Oh and bring friends.

Question: LewinTD - Saelgauloi, Before the patch it was grey. The same grey you get by applying white dyes to covenant armor. After the patch it is now deep black. What's the deal here? My suit doesn't match now and I'm going to have to find a lot of expensive black dyes to fix it up. And why doesn't this get noted in the dev notes?
Answer: Orion-Turbine - As Dellnak said, this was a bug it was supposed to be black all along. Omission from from dev notes was an oversight on my part I must have missed it before I went away.

Question: Zarne - Tusker holding bug. Not only can you jump up on the statues and snipe down...you can also jump over them and land behind them and get stuck (i am now). Can you hotfix to make these transparent?
Answer: Orion-Turbine - Nope. That is not something that we would hot fix for. You should be able to @lifestone if you are behind a head. In the future I would say don't do that.

Question: pantheis - Any Devs want to comment on new Impious Staff? According to CoD, there is a new look to the Impious staff. However, when I logged on my mage and pulled out his Impious staff, it still has the old look. If I remember correctly, this quest was a one time only thing per character, like the SoCS.
Answer: Orion-Turbine - So have you done the quest again? Maybe a little differently...

Question: Mokai - About Monkey Island and what doesnt make sense. What's the point of making a new island for everybody if it's only easely accessible for high levels?
Answer: Orion-Turbine - No it's three dungeons. No random portals, but there are random statues. They appear, as of now the only place that they have been found is on the OP, but there are other places. As I've stated now in at least three posts, there are permanent, level graded, ways to get to the Island.

Question: NappaFiresun - Why is the Major Prismatic Stone a one time only quest?
Answer: Orion-Turbine - Because you only need one ever.

Question: BMW_HG - Are they new monkies shield hollow? And if so why? That makes no sense to me.
Answer: Orion-Turbine - They are indeed Shield Hollow there is also more to them then just that but I'll let time alert you to what other things that they do. The only Shield Hollow Tuskers are: Rampager, Assailers, Devastators and Annihilators.

The reasons:

[li]1) Melee Defense needed some love, and though these guys all pack a major wallop they can, at high ends, be evaded.
[li]2) Sheer strength. You are talking about a massive beast pounding on your shield, insome instances 2-3 times stronger than you could possible be. A simple piece of metal will not pose much of a threat to something that has a fist as large as the shield you use.
[li]3) More of a challenge. Period.

Question: Annoyed6 - Orion, just a small question. If you don't think that this game is a competition, and if you think that 126 is the same for everyone, why not 'lock' the game at the 126th level.
Answer: Orion-Turbine - The game does cap at 126. True you earn experience beyond that point to increase your statistics to an upper level, but once you hit 126 there are no more levels to gain. You have reached the apex of your career, you are the top. Now sure there are those out there that are flat achievers that will remain the type of player that considers it a race to be the best and greatest over others. To you I say the same thing I say to everyone else. Play the game you want. Play it at your pace, but don't let the actions of others dishearten you. Of course I can say this until I am blue in the face, and shades of blue are starting, but in the end you can never please all of the people all of the time.

Dev Post Orion-Turbine - Impious Staff. In looking over the data after making my statement yesterday, I've found a bug that will make it impossible to get the new looking staff if you have done the quest before. Glad someone made me go check, I'll make sure this is fixed for December. Those of you that have done the quest before and still have the original will be able to get the upgrade.

Question: -Faile-Bashere- - I really do feel that this has happened... (a mock post about several l33t dewds arguing about high level content)
Answer: Orion-Turbine - Umm...not really. We all agreed that the time was now to add some high level areas. For the past few years we have added a high level area for players first Aerlinthe then the Caul and now Aphus Lassel. But the goal was to also make the the area of Aphus Lassel into a place where all levels could go to have some fun. One part of your parody was close and that was where you mentioned the large gap between levels in tuskers. Those were filled in, more because in order to accomodate each level spread we needed to have a wider range of monsters.

Question: Beefus_of_Leafcull - My Mage has a Buffed 350 Melee Def and gets hit by everything. ok... maybe the bunnys around towns he can evade... But when my archer w/ a 300 buffed melee w/ a +15% bow (= 345 effective melee) can evade mobs 4 out of 5 times... my mage gets hit 5 out of 5 times. Why did I spend the 350mil xp into Melee Def? I'm penalized just because I hold a wand? ...it's just so wrong.
Answer: Orion-Turbine - Actually the real difference is in the modifier from Defender...

Question: Tinestram - When I go to the Tusker Quarters, how will I know a quest tusk from a normal tusk?
Answer: Orion-Turbine - Though the names are the same the descriptions are very different. If you read the descriptions on each of the tusks you'll know which is which.

Question: Televangelist - Rumor mill says that Snowreap (PK only) server is being released next patch. Devs, lay to rest pls?
Answer: Orion-Turbine - I'll put it to rest "again", from what I know there is nothing planned to open a new PK server for AC in the month of December.

Question: sonohito - Would it be possible to base the %'s off a fixed variable other than 8 million? I'm not overly concerned with the exp from the tusk...i mean i was doing 10-11 million an hour in a 2 person fellow in the plated dungeon, but it would be nice to get a benefit more in line with those in the 120 range.
Answer: Orion-Turbine - The rewards at 126 are going to remain the same. You still receive a chunk of experience that is for all intents and purposes free. Other than the time that it takes you to run to the town, or pop a gem to return to the town. The rewards are not meant to aleviate the steady ladder at 126 rather they were created to alleviate the relatively slow level grind in the upper levels.