Vanguard Build 1792 Patch Notes 3/28/2007

Announcement: All Servers – Teleportation bug will be corrected at 5AM PST on 3/29/07 during the daily restart (EU Servers included.)

Greetings!

We’re currently aware of a bug that is causing players to fall to their deaths while using NPC teleporters between cities and outposts this will be fixed during the daily restarts on 3/29/07. We understand that issues such as these can be frustrating and thank you all for your patience!

At this time we advise players to avoid using teleporters when possible until after the daily restarts

Thank you!
- The Vanguard Team

NOTE: This patch is noticeably larger than previous updates because we are adding new art assets to the game. Look for more news about this coming soon!

NEW: Ever wondered what kinds of things the developers of Vanguard have in store for the game? Wonder no more! With the new In the Works webpage, we will be giving a quick glimpse of the projects we’re currently working on. The page will show both short term and long term goals, as well as provide a top 10 bug list. You can find the page here.

GAMEPLAY NOTES
- Fix for DoTs not working in PvP
- Experience rates for killing NPCs have had a significant increase.  The experience changes start as a small amount at low levels and scale up to a large amount in the early twenties. From then on the increase remains fixed.  This increase should be very noticeable for players 15+.  This change is in response to actual player leveling times not meeting our original target times within many different subsets of the player population.  This increase will bring us much closer to our goal without exceeding it.
- The cost to repair items with high rarities has been reduced.
- Amplifying abilities are now capped at 10 times original strength.
- Amplifying abilities no longer works for all abilities in the ability line. Diminishing returns still applies to everything in the ability line.
- If an ability is taken to full amplification strength it will now experience an extended refresh time.
- Lull type abilities now state that they have a chance to aggro on resist rather than leaving that information to be a surprise.
- All lull type abilities now have the same chance to be resisted.
- Player Housing: All existing housing permissions have been wiped to support new permission functionality.
- Player Housing: The information you receive from inspecting a plot, building, and construction site has changed. All information is now included in one UI window with tabs for each section. All players will now be able to get basic information about what they are inspecting even if they are not the owner of the plot or building.
- Player Housing: Permissions are now set for a plot instead of for a building. You can now specify various permissions for plots through check boxes. Mouse over the check boxes in the Create Permission window to get an over view of what the permission allows.
- Player Housing: Players can now give guild access via guild ranks to their plots and buildings.
- Player Housing: The permission system will continue to expand as more features are added to player housing.
- Player Housing: You now have the ability to recall to your house. Check your ability book under the general section for the new ability.
- Player Housing: You can now preview the required construction materials for a building type by clicking the "Building Details" button on the construction tab.
- Player Housing: Plot prices will now update dynamically. You upkeep price will no longer be locked in when the plot in purchased.
- Player Housing: Coin for upkeep is no longer entered as copper. A coin bar is now present with the proper denominations.

ADVENTURING NOTES
- Bard – Fox Overtakes Hare has had its damage increased, now roots the target for 6 seconds, has had its refresh timer dropped to 20 seconds and will crit much more often.
- Cleric – Anathema VII has been removed because it was a copy of Doom I.
- Cleric – Turn Undead now has the correct display numbers and floating text.
- Blood Mage – Conduct, the Conducive Symbiote granted ability no longer requires a symbiote to use.
- Blood Mage – Plated Symbiote now states how much damage it will return when you are attacked.
- Blood Mage – Conducive Symbiote and Quickening Symbiote can only be cast on a single target one time every 5 minutes.
- Blood Mage – Blood Feast is now a toggled ability. It has also been changed to work as an aura. This makes it go away when you die and work for multiple BMGs in one group.
- Blood Mage – Symbiotes are now soulbound
- Blood Mage – All symbiotes now state that there can only be one on a target at a time.
- Disciple – Fixed a display bug with Leech’s Grasp. It now displays the correct amount of endurance drained.
- Dread Knight – Fell Aura (dreadful countenance rank 3) no longer pulses on and off while it is applied
- Dread Knight – Dread Tide (dreadful countenance rank 5) now applies itself to the opponent as intended.
- Dread Knight – Slay now deals damage, roots your opponent, is usable at 20% target health, costs 30 endurance and crits 50% of the time instead of directly killing your opponent. Also has a 20 second refresh.
- Dread Knight – Slay now opens chains when it crits.
- Necromancer - Necromancer abomination no longer requires that all the grafts be reequipped after relogging. Additionally, if you log out with your minion still summoned, you will no longer have to recast it when you log back in.
- Necromancer - Monstrous Sundering Fist now correctly grants Sundering Fist IX. This increases the damage of the fist.
- Paladin – Vanquish is now more likely to critical.
- Ranger – Form of Precision no longer jumps to level 4 when you are supposed to be at level 3.
- Ranger – Moved Intercept I to level 12 and Speed of the Wolf to level 12
- Ranger – Fleetblade now costs 15 END, down from 22 END.
- Rogue – Knee Break now gives feedback when its used.
- Rogue – Ravage now actually exploits Mesmerized or Lethargic.
- Rogue – Shroud of Shadows is now usable only in stealth.
- Rogue – Fatal Stroke will now open attack chains on critical.
- Warrior – Shield Wall now increases block chance by 80% for 15 seconds and has a 10 minute refresh timer.
- Warrior – Commands can now be used out of combat
- Warrior – Smash has had its refresh time lowered to 8 seconds.
- Warrior – Riposte has had its refresh removed.
- Warrior – Riposte has had its damage increased
- Warrior – Blade’s Bite now costs the intended 10 endurance.
- Warrior – Offensive Stance now increases damage by 20%, accuracy by 10% and reduces mitigation by 10% (down from 20%)
- Warrior – Adjusted the level progression of Stinging Cut.  Levels are now 14, 22, 30, 38, 46
- Warrior – Stinging Cut V has been added to trainers.
- Warrior - Adjusted the level progression of Blade’s Bite.  Levels are now 30, 38, 46
- Warrior – Blade’s Bite III has been added to trainers.
- Warrior – Both Stinging Cut and Blade’s Bite now add an initial chunk of hate and some hate over time.  The hate is now applied over 15 seconds, instead of 30.
- Warrior – Commands have changed.  Single target commands and group commands no longer share a common refresh timer.  You can perform a single target command followed immediately by a group command with no delay.  All group commands continue to share a common refresh timer.  All single target commands continue to share a common refresh timer.
- Warrior – Group commands now have a refresh timer of 30 seconds, down from 45.
- Warrior – Strike Now has a refresh timer of 45 seconds, down from 60
- Warrior – Commands no longer incur global refresh
- Warrior – Defensive type commands now last for 8 seconds instead of 6.
- Warrior – Killing Blow has had its damage greatly increased, its endurance cost drastically reduced and it can now open chains on crits…which should happen often.
- Warrior – Increased the hate reduction on Withdraw and made it consistent across all upgrades.
- Warrior – Removed the mitigation penalty from enrage.
- Warrior – Battle cries are no longer tied to the same refresh timers.  Each can be performed individually.
- Warrior – Shout of Fury IV is now available at level 36 and Shout of Fury V is available at level 48.
- Warrior – Shout of Fury now lasts for a flat 12 seconds across all levels
- Warrior – Roar of Rage has a slightly different level progression to make for a more smooth progression of hate.  The new levels are: 22, 32, 42, 50
- Warrior – Roar of Rage IV is now available on trainers at level 50

CRAFTING NOTES
- Abandoning a work order will now remove all work order items related to that work order
- Kojani ship and house quests now require Kojani faction.
- A very high level quest concerning crafting catalysts has been added in Ahgram.
- Fixed description of second tier furnace failure as it had the description of a different attached to it.
- Adjusted the stats on cloaks with Melee Evasion.
- Diplomacy deconstruction quests have been added. They are available to tailors and weaponsmiths.
- Fisher’s Pen no longer gives a double-dose of Thestran Watch faction for a successful work order hand in. You should only get 10 Thestran Watch faction now.
- You will now see crafting and assembly recipes in the trainer list even if you do not meet the faction or flag requirements.
- Splitting a stack of crafted items will no longer cause the maker’s mark to be lost on the new stack. You will also now be able to restack the items.
- Corrected a travel journal entry for the Understanding Nyi quest.
- Fixed some pieces of crafting gear that were set to the wrong rarity level.
- Rotten Material should no longer have an invisible AP penalty
- Gwartak Clan Shortsword should now raise shortsword skill instead of longsword skill
- Current furniture recipes are now available on outpost trainers as well.
- An addition has been made to crafting advisors that should now let you see the tutorial restart option if you are still level 1 or 2 in crafting and still did not see the restart option. This should solve all issues relating to players unable to continue the crafting training.
- Work Orders - Fixed issue with tier 5 work order tables that was causing cash items rewards to be replaced with the infamous “Ghostbuster” item.

DIPLOMACY NOTES
- All Diplomacy Chest items are now enabled for deconstruction.
- All Diplomacy Shoulder items are now enabled for deconstruction.
- All Diplomacy Waist items are now enabled for deconstruction.
- All Diplomacy Leg items are now enabled for deconstruction.
- All Diplomacy Foot items are now enabled for deconstruction.
- All Diplomacy Hand items are now enabled for deconstruction.
- All Diplomacy Held items are now enabled for deconstruction.
- Tursh Academics now give appropriate rewards for Incite parleys.
- Thestra tier 3 Diplomacy waist items now correctly equip to the waist slot and are no longer masquerading as shoulder items.
- Thestra tier 3 Diplomacy ring items now correctly display ring icons
- Writs are now available with the Royal Petitioners of Bordinar’s Cleft for diplomats of at least 150 skill and 500 prestige faction with the city of Bordinar’s Cleft. Look in the Chamber of Petition to find them cycling among the other dignitaries.
- Writs are now available with the Capuchehaies of Ahgram for diplomats of at least 150 skill and 500 prestige faction with the city of Ahgram. Look in the Ahgram Audience Chamber to find them cycling among the other dignitaries.
- Writs are now available with the Speakers of Ca’ial Brael for diplomats of at least 150 skill and 500 prestige faction with the city of Ca’ial Brael. Look in the Antechamber of the Sun to find them cycling among the other dignitaries.
- Tursh Academics now give appropriate rewards for Incite parleys.
- Thestra tier 3 Diplomacy waist items now correctly equip to the waist slot and are no longer masquerading as shoulder items.
- Thestra tier 3 Diplomacy ring items now correctly display ring icons.
- Tier 3 shoulder items are now available on Plots informants. Trade in your tier 3 rumor and evidence of plots to receive them.
- All Tier 3 Ring items now offer at least 2 different types of Presence. Items that offered 2 Presence types now offer 4. Items that offered 3 Presence types now offer 4. Some values have been adjusted upward as well.
- Diplomats with 1000 Prestige faction in one of the nine major cities on Telon can now trade in this faction for a unique title. Seek out the various rulers/administrators of the nine cities (King Mithdor, King Baran, Warden Iona, Magistrate Jadedragon, etc.) and speak with them to earn this title.
- A mysterious Prestige Altar has appeared on all three continents. Those who carry titles of great prestige can approach them, hoping for even greater title of honor and a gift of experience.
- Tier 2 Horse Quest available for diplomats on Qalia of at least 200 skill. See Haftan the Black in the main square of Ahgram. You must have completed the Tier 1 Horse Quest and have a young courier horse on your person to accept the quest. Haftan will supply one at no cost if you don’t have one. Side quests along the way will provide opportunities to acquire tack, horseshoes, and courier saddlebags as well.
- Tier 2 Horse Quest available for diplomats on Thestra of at least 200 skill. See Svena Remniol in the court of King Targonor in New Targonor. You must have completed the Tier 1 Horse Quest and have a young courier horse on your person to accept the quest. Svena will supply one at no cost if you don’t have one. Side quests along the way will provide opportunities to acquire tack, horseshoes, and courier saddlebags as well.
- Tier 2 Horse Quest available for diplomats on Kojan of at least 200 skill. See Poet Kan Ya in Tanvu to begin the quest. You must have completed the Tier 1 Horse Quest and have a young courier horse on your person to accept the quest. Kan Ya will supply one at no cost if you don’t have one. Side quests along the way will provide opportunities to acquire tack, horseshoes, and courier saddlebags as well.
- “It’s My Party” is now available in the Black Orchid Forum with Duchess Perthia Hilthorn for diplomats of at least 326 skill who have 250 or more faction with House Hilthorn.

WORLD POPULATION NOTES
- Beranid Downs - Overland population in the Beranid Hills, Fields of Despair and Plains of Anguish has been thinned out.
- Celestine Ward - The rare candle drop rate from NPCs deep within Vol Tuniel and Thelaseen has been increased.
- Jathred’s Twist – The back of Vault of the Hidden has received a named NPC and itemization pass.
- Jathred’s Twist - Morr the Mighty, Sharram and Zahn at the Minotaur camps in Jathred’s Twist should now drop the correct loot.
- NPC - Tishra the Blood Priest – Fixed a bug where the unattackable version could get aggro on players and attack them.
- Nusibe Necropolis – The Cleric/Paladin quests, Blessings of Vol Anari, have been fixed. NOTE: Players currently on the quest will need to abandon the quest. Also, players will need to delete the Mysterious Crystal and/or Crystal of Holy Blessings, and obtain a new one by re-entering the dungeon from the entrance.
- Nusibe Necropolis – Esprit Sparkles has been revamped. NOTE: Any Shaman currently on this quest will have to abandon it and start it again from the Dire Spirit.
- Nusibe Necropolis – Necromancers should keep an eye out for a quest-starting orb.
- Nusibe Necropolis – The Wrath and Spirit of Nusibe will now show face again, whereas before they never spawned.
- Nusibe Necropolis – Caress of the Dead no longer hits Clerics and Paladins. No really. This time it’s true!
- Nusibe Necropolis – The Sentinel of Nusibe will no longer assist other minions in the area.
- Quest – The Purification of Graystone – A two-handed maul option has been added to the rewards for this quest.
- Quest – The Purification of Graystone - Players who have selected the one-handed mace, the two-handed axe, or the martial staff will be able to permanently trade in their selections for the two-handed maul.
- Quest – Penetrating The Core – The components will no longer drop if you have the dagger made.
- Quest – The Purification of Graystone - The quest to exchange the one-handed mace for the two-handed maul will also allow players to exchange the mace for any of the other melee weapons.
- Quests – Weapon rewards for the quest The Purification of Graystone have been adjusted.
- Quests - A martial staff and a focus item are now available as rewards for the quest The Purification of Graystone. Any players who have already completed the quest and selected either the martial sword or the staff will be able to exchange them at the Spirit of Valor for their respective alternatives.
- Quests - Kill count updates for the quests offered by the Spirits of Vengeance will no longer occur at many times their intended rate.
- Rahz Inkur - Fixed a typo in a popup text alert
- Rahz Inkur – It should no longer be possible to accidentally activate beacons while not on a seal thereby causing them to vanish.
- Rahz Inkur – Certain NPCs within Rahz Inkur will now drop vials at an increased rate.
- Rahz Inkur – The number of beacons needed in order to activate a seal has been reduced to 15.
- Rahz Inkur – Vials, dusts, and powders can no longer be sold to vendors.  
- Rahz Inkur – The helm stats for the main questline have been adjusted.
- Rahz Inkur – 5 shimmering zull portal shards are now required in order for them to be activated at a seal.
- River Valley - Flowers in the river valley can now be looted without the item requirement. Drop rates and spawn rates have also been increased.
- Thelaseen – Ancient elven chests now have a chance to drop candles in place of a chance to drop armor pieces.

Items
- Cloaks, both crafting and adventuring alike, have seen an appearance pass to increase the variety of tints and models available.
- Level 41+ Adventuring Armor has seen a preliminary appearance pass; this should result in many new models and tints.  A future pass may be needed to consolidate tints from individual areas and dungeons.
- Low level Qalian Bows have had their appearances fixed/updated.
- Some mid-level Thestran crossbows were found to be hiding about 50 meters away from their owners.   The crossbows have been confiscated and replaced with more timid models until such a time that they decide to play nice.
- Some Graystone and Beranid Downs items have had their restriction flags updated; this will result in the Heroic items becoming Soulbound and the rest becoming non-Soulbound if they were previously

GUI NOTES
- Crafting steps will now show a progress bar for each individual action family below it so that you may more easily gauge individual progress and the effects of complications.
- Crafting action families will no longer sometimes stop refreshing or not appear as disabled correctly when they are complete.
- Added item compare to the UI, which activates by pressing Shift while examining an item. Alternatively, you can enable the new "Always Show Item Compare" setting for 24-hour pants comparison coverage.
- You will now see faction and flag requirements you do not meet listed in the crafting recipe description on recipe trainers.
- Items on merchants and in the loot window will now show as fully charged
- The stack number and charges of items being randomed for will now be visible.
- Escrow merchants will now correctly show stack and charge counts on items.
- Item examine tooltips should now show charges for all charged items, not just those that activate an ability.
- Items in the merchant window will now show charges.
- Trivial work orders will no longer be displayed as downright impossible

CODING NOTES
- When the "Tooltips Require Alt" setting is enabled, hotkeyed items will no longer show their item examine info unless you are holding Alt.
- Fix for some instances of NPCs showing a small amount of health after dying.
- Responsiveness should be improved when targeting something with many buffs/debuffs. This was particularly noticeable when targeting another player in PVP.
- Fixed a bug that caused stacks of loot to be converted to a single item when auto-looted after a random roll. This was most obvious when randoming for harvesting loot.
- Updated our version of OpenAL to a much newer version. This should now properly enumerate your sound devices and allow you to choose your native device (such as an X-Fi sound card) instead of just using the generic hardware or software devices (which are still available). Remember that you will need to completely quit out of the game and restart it after changing your sound device (found in the Audio tab of our Settings window) for the game to start using that new device. We recommend that you make sure you have the latest drivers for your sound card before selecting a device other than "Generic Hardware" or "Generic Software" and that you switch back to your previous sound device if you experience sound problems with the new device. You may want to compare sound quality and frame rate with each device to determine the best choice for you. If for some reason the game will not run after you have selected a new sound device, you can edit your VGClient.ini (found in your Vanguardbin directory) and change the line that starts with "OpenALDeviceName=" to read "OpenALDeviceName=Generic Software" then save that file and try Vanguard again.
- Added new command, "/unlockcorpse", which unlocks the NPC corpse to the anyone in the world. You must be the corpse owner to use this command.
- Added new command, "/unlockcorpsetoplayer", which unlocks the NPC corpse to a specific player. If no first name is supplied, the defensive target is used.
- Added new command, “/decaytime”, which shows you the time left before an NPC corpse decays.

ART NOTES
- PC/NPC names are now opaque again.


~The Vanguard Team