News/20071126

Developpers talk about Rage Re-adjustment

For this Weekend Wrapup we'd like to address concerns over a change with the Rage ability that will be appearing on the Public Test Server soon (this change is not currently on PTS). We brought this up with Lead Designer for Tabula Rasa, Paul Sage. Here's what he had to say:

When Rage went out, it went out with a large bug. If you look at the tooltip for the ability, it lists out a different buff than what is actually given out. Right now, the real damage bonus amount is 105% with the first pump alone. That was too much. As a team, we know what the “nerf bat” is, and we are very reluctant to swing it. However, what is currently active is a bug, and so we have to fix that bug. We understand that fixing it will greatly impact the way the game is played for many of our players. In order to mitigate some of the initial shock, we changed Rage in many good ways.

It is a fast cast ability now. We added resistances to the ability at higher pumps.

The details look like this: * Rage 1: 30% damage self buff * Rage 2: 30% damage buff w/squad members * Rage 3: 40% damage self buff – 10% resist bonuses * Rage 4: 40% damage buff w/squad members * Rage 5: 50% damage buff w/squad members – 10% resist bonuses

We have made some other changes to Soldiers such as increasing their Chaingun damage output slightly and Launchers slightly. We have also fixed another problem where item rarity was not affecting damage bonuses on the items. Now green weapons will do more damage than their white counterparts of the same level. Blues will do more than greens. We are sorry for releasing Rage in a state that was broken, but we also want players to realize we will carefully change things in the game when it is necessary to do so.

We are also adding a full respec with this update. For those people who feel Rage won’t be their ideal choice for pumps, you will be able to change the build of your character. This isn’t a clone credit, but an actual respec.

Paul Sage Lead Designer