RIFT’s Public Test Shard (‘PTS’) was updated on the 29-30th October 2015, adjusting Tier 3 test packs and adding new ‘Dropped Items’ packs to Master Mode Dummy Foundry. Tier 1 store gear now costs Abyssal Crusader’s Marks and T3 armor models are now up on the PTS. Forgemaster’s Inferno appears as $20 Credit Pack Promo.
Patch versions are TEST-303-64-A-1052716 & TEST-303-65-A-1053059.
Summary:
- Tier 3 Gear-related Info. T3 test packs updated; T3 Upgrade Changes including free tank side-grade and 3 levels of raid-dropped gear; T3 armor models up.
- Tier 1 Store Gear Changes. Tier 1 store gear costs changed from Fragments of Horror to Abyssal Crusader’s Marks.
- Forgemaster’s Inferno Credit Promo. Forgemaster’s Inferno gained from new $20 Credit Pack Promo.
- Extra Life Welcome Window Message.
As always, everything below is subject to change prior to hitting Live and some things included below may never make it to Live release.
Tier 3 Gear-related Info
Tier 3 ‘test’ gear packs are now available at both Master Mode Dummy Foundry as well as Mr. Raidmare Tide (the giant caterpillar), who has temporarily spawned in the middle of Tempest Bay.
T3 Upgrade Changes
Tier 3 seems to introduce a new kind of upgrading system. DPS gear has a free side-grade to Tank gear, and raid-dropped armor has 2 upgrades.
(Note: This is on the PTS, so subject to change/might be placeholder/bugged/etc)
T3 DPS to Tank Conversion
First thing you’ll notice about the raid-dropped gear is that the base gear side-grades to tank gear for free. This seems to be what Vladd was talking about when he stated that “For T3, we have a different solution in mind” for tank loot drops when talking about loot changes made to T1/T2 raids for 3.4. [r]
It’s quite possible (but not confirmed) that we won’t be seeing any direct tank loot other than shields dropping from Tier 3. Instead, you can simply side-grade the DPS drops for free. (Raiding guilds might need to re-consider their loot rules if most gear can convert to tank).
Only items that cannot be side-graded to tank gear are those which a tank cannot or don’t use (like 2-handers for Cleric tanks). It’s unknown if trinkets can also be side-graded, as the test packs had old Tier 2 trinkets.
T3 Raid-dropped Armor Upgrades
There’s now two upgrades for most of the T3 raid-dropped armor. So there’s now 3 levels for raid-dropped armor:
- Base gear.
- Base gear’s stats + set bonus (similar to previous tiers).
- Better stats + set bonus.
The 3rd level for T3 raid-dropped armor will bring raid-dropped armor up to the same ‘stat level’ as the base, Epic T3 store-bought armor.
Note: Chests only have one upgrade that includes both better stats + set bonus. Also, Capes have two upgrades, but the final upgrade requires the Broken Cosmos (T3 relic upgrade component).
You can find some of the raid-dropped gear via the “Test Item Set Raid 3 – Dropped Items” packs from Master Mode Dummy Foundry or Mr. Raidmare Tide in Tempest Bay.
(Thanks to Sedvick for the info!)
Levels of Dream Orb Stats
As Sedvick mentioned on the PTS Sub-forums, there’s also three levels of dream orbs stats:
- 1st Level: Base raid-dropped gear.
- 2nd Level: Final upgrade for raid-dropped gear + Epic (base) Rift Store gear.
- 3rd Level: Relic gear.
T3 Raid-Dropped Gear Upgrade Costs
- Raid-dropped Armor requires 2x/5x/6x Abyssal Crusader’s Accelerators and 1x Tormenting Amender of the appropriate armor type (Tormenting Metal/Tormenting Textile) for each upgrade.
- Exceptions: Chest only requires one upgrade with 6x ACM + 1x Tormenting Amender.
- Cape requires 3x ACM + Nightmare Metal Amender for first upgrade, and Broken Cosmos + Nightmare Metal Amender for second upgrade.
- Raid-dropped Rings/Earrings/Neck only have one upgrade (besides the Tank side-grade). Costs 3x Abyssal Crusader’s Accelerators and 1x Dreaming Ornament Amender.
T3 Store Gear
The T3 store-bought gear contained within the “Test Item Set Raid 3 – Store Items” packs has been updated since the 28th and 29th Oct PTS updates. It now has sidegrades/upgrades.
Upgrade paths are similar to existing tiers.
Plenty of Abyssal Crusader’s Accelerators, Tormenting Metal/Textile Amenders and relic-tier Amenders required for Tier 3.
Other Tidbits
- Cleric Tier 3 Chest armor is the only Tier 3 armor up on the RIFT Store for all classes. Costs 26,000 Fragments of Darkness.
- The test packs contain stacks of relic amenders as well as special PTS-only ‘Max Blinding Planar Dream Orbs’ for DPS and Tanks.
- Relic weapon upgrades for T3 do not have procs yet.
Feedback
Got feedback about the Tier 3 gear? Maybe there’s some stat inconsistencies, upgrade cost issues or bugs you’ve found? Send a report in-game or check out the T3 Itemization Feedback Thread Boase started on the PTS Sub-forums here.
T3 Models
The Tier 3 armor models are now up on the PTS for viewing.
You can check them out in Wardrobe with “Show Uncollected” ticked, under the following search terms:
- “Ruin Forged” for Cleric set.
- “Enigmatic” for Rogue set.
- “Nightmare” for Warrior set.
- “Nexian” for Mage set.
Tier 1 Store Gear Changes
Tier 1 gear on the RIFT Store (PTS) has had their currency cost changed to Abyssal Crusader’s Marks.
Tier 1 Gear Currency Cost Change
Costs are now as follows:
(ACM = Abyssal Crusader Marks; FoH = Fragments of Horror).
T1 Armor
- Feet/Gloves/Belt now 10,950 Abyssal Crusader Marks vs 8,550 Fragments of Horror on Live.
- Helm/Shoulders now 14,100 ACM vs 13,000 FoH on Live.
- Chest/Legs now 16,450 ACM vs 16,500 FoH on Live.
T1 Weapons
- 2-handers now 53,250 ACM vs 50,000 FoH on Live.
- 1h/oh/shield/ranged now 26,600 ACM vs 25,000 FoH on Live.
T1 Accessories
- Necks now 16,450 ACM vs 16,500 FoH on Live.
Currency Conversion
[Update: 4th Nov – CM Ocho has posted information about the changes. Currency Conversion from FoH to ACM is at 2:1. Purchase gear with FoH now before the patch!] [r]
Your Fragments of Horror currency has not been converted on the PTS yet, so it’s unknown at this stage how much the conversion will be (or if there will even be one).
However, this currency change occurred during the Storm Legion expansion as well. Back then, conversions were at between 2-3x for Frozen Eclipse Stones to Empyreal Slayer’s Marks for gear costs, whilst the currency conversion for existing Frozen Eclipse Stones you held was at a 1:1 basis.
So far on the PTS, the Fragments of Horror to Abyssal Crusader’s Marks cost conversion is at a close to 1:1 basis. Will the conversion also be 1:1, or less? It’s also possible that the values for the currency adjustment on the RIFT Store are placeholder.
Hold Off Or Spend Now?
[Update: 4th Nov – CM Ocho has posted information about the changes. Currency Conversion from FoH to ACM is at 2:1. Purchase gear with FoH now before the patch!] [r]
Back during Storm Legion, it was clear that players who still needed Tier 1 gear were better off purchasing gear with their Tier 1 marks before the conversion. This time though, it’s harder to say whether you are better off spending your Fragments of Horror now or after the conversion if you still need Tier 1 gear.
If the new costs on the PTS are not placeholder and will remain as-is when the changes go Live, and if we assume a 1:1 conversion, then it doesn’t really matter all that much whether you hold off or spend your marks now. A few assumptions there, but that’s all we’ve got right now as Trion hasn’t posted any information about the conversion in an official capacity.
You might also want to take into account that you’ll need Abyssal Crusader’s Marks to purchase the Abyssal Crusader’s Accelerators required to upgrade Tier 3 gear. If you don’t need Tier 1 gear, the currency conversion (if there is one) will net you some extra ACMs.
Also, the Abyssal Crusader’s Marks’ weekly currency cap hasn’t changed on the PTS.
Forgemaster’s Inferno Credit Promo
The latest PTS Update has added a new $20 Credit Pack Promo that rewards the Forgemaster’s Inferno helm.
Given the “Time Remaining” displayed on the bonus, it likely won’t appear on Live until next week’s hotfix (Wednesday 7th Nov). It’ll most likely appear alongside the RIFT Store/Welcome Window feature image datamined previously, as per below:
The Forgemaster’s Inferno is currently previewable on Live. Simply go to Wardrobe, make sure “Show Uncollected” filter is checked and search for “Forgemaster’s Inferno” in the helm slot.
Extra Life Welcome Window Message
Trion has added an Extra Life Welcome Window message on the PTS. This will likely show up on Live in next week’s hotfix.
Extra Life is a 24hr gaming charity with funding going to the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals to provide help to millions of sick kids. You can learn more about the event and Trion’s participation here.
Be sure to prep up for the Tier 3 20-man raid “Mind of Madness”, launching with the first 5/9 bosses on Wednesday, 4th November 2015!
For past PTS Updates, click here. You can also find past datamining here.
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