Druid Monk rebuilds

[theCountofMonteCristo]

Given that the whole point of Druid/Monk is the Monk AC bonus, this update really changes that dynamic. Will current Druid/Monks be given a rebuild? They really should, IMO.

[Irongron]

There are some big changes still in development, and given their scale we've already decided to offer universal automatic (No dm help necessary) rebuilds for everyone when that time comes. This will allow players to make amends not just for those changes, or this, but a lot of what has happened in the previous year or two.

I'll likely leave the rebuild option there for a couple of weeks, to ensure everyone gets the chance, but it's not ready yet. I would strongly advise everyone not to approach DMs for relevels or rebuilds until that comes.

[Peppermint]

... oh, no...

[Eo Vew]

Any chance of getting line of sight of what changes are coming and when? I've been excitedly playing my druid for a week, knowing a change was coming but not one that would can my whole build idea.

I'm worried to start a new character again given it may get nerfed midstream again.

Sadly it doesn't just impact me as I have friends I play with.

We already had one friend new to the game altogether that lost heart when his monk got change just getting into epics.

[Gobbo Champion Inc]

Sooner you can let us know what’s likely to be effected and how the better. I am not inclined to play my current character or start a new one until there is some clearer idea offered on what’s being changed and what’s not. Rebuild will not help if fixing the build to portray the intended concept mechanically would mean starting with different lvl 1 feat, class or stats.

[Peppermint]

I likewise don't understand the point of keeping this under wraps. If we're getting rebuilds regardless, what's the point? Not sharing now just makes it more difficult going forward and creates needless player anxiety.

Is the concern that the update might be unpopular? If so, wouldn't giving players a chance to prepare for it help quell backlash?

[Echohawk]

I likewise don't understand the point of keeping this under wraps. If we're getting rebuilds regardless, what's the point? Not sharing now just makes it more difficult going forward and creates needless player anxiety.

Is the concern that the update might be unpopular? If so, wouldn't giving players a chance to prepare for it help quell backlash?

Considering the amount of salt with each update, I think they're trying to slow the pain rather than do it all in one go. But I'm sure the update isn't ready and it'll get rolled out when it is. And while it sucks not knowing, it's the difference between not knowing any change is coming, or knowing 'something' is coming.

[Queen Titania]

It probably can be discussed more when it's ready. Until then, locking.

[Irongron]

Well I'd actually turned off my machine and gone to bed, but made the mistake of checking my phone, and for fear of my silence being taken the wrong way, have decided to post.

On Arelith we do a great deal to allow players some real agency in development. Our suggestion box policy, recently changed to ensure every single one gets answered has yielded some excellent updates, with one even going in today.

I understand that there is a vocal group of players who feel that we should go one step further, and post ongoing updates about everything that is currently in development, so as to give players a full say in what is or isn't approved, to essentially share full development of Arelith. This isn't the policy, and isn't about to be.

I'm not saying it would be bad, and is someone wants to launch a server where development is done in that way, then best of luck to them, but it is not going to be Arelith. As I've often said, our staff, including myself, are volunteers, we build the server we would like to see, and hope others wish to share that with us, but an essential part of that philosophy is the freedom to follow our own vision, and to work at a pace, and in an environment that most motivates us. A great many of our players are really supportive of what we do, but there are others who take a borderline abusive tone with developers if an update doesn't meet with their approval. Personally I don't want to experience that in real time, and I doubt many of the staff do either.

As I say, I think we really do an exceptional job of giving players agency, one only needs to scroll back over our update posts to see how many of our developers have taken the time to action the ideas that players themselves have presented, but it is never going to be a 100% of our work.

As for the coming update, well, as with all big changes, there will be those that like some of it, those that like none, with most player likely sitting somewhere between the two. It covers a range of things, including new classes, spell and feat changes, skills, and world additions. Any notes I posted now would be incomplete, as the work itself is incomplete, and some aspects of it would undoubtledly result in fierce debates as to their worthiness, despite those changes not being finalised.

Reading the post about how uncertain it makes players though, does resonate, which is why we're aiming to get as much done as possible that could sigficiantly affect characters in one go. With HAKs we never made a secret that this was coming, but following on from commotion over the monk change (something I already took full blame for not having happened sooner, and attempted to explain why) and the hopefully temporary removal of -losexp, I think we can probably all agree that now is hardly an auspicous time for any actual sea-change, nevertheless I'm not going to halt development because of it.

In summary then, we are not going to start posting update notes in advance; it's very rarely been the case with Arelith in the past, and isn't going to become policy now. I know that for many the uncertainty isn't fun, and well I don't exactly go wild with joy when reading through the heated debates that follow such changes.

Still, I guess I can manage a teaser. One of the classes is not altogether unlike this: https://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/Expert_-_ ... .5e_Class)