Update 75 Preview 3 - Dark Gift Shrine

[Solarpower]

It looks like the duration is going up but the stats in the tool tip are wrong. Its only suppose to increase the existing buff of 5 reflex and 20% incorp to 6 seconds from 2.

Well, I was looking at the description.
It works, then. But, the passive feat icon is NOT hexagon, just a normal "usable" feat's rectangle.

 

[Elminster]

Omg is the +15% dodge uncapped or no?

If not it might as well be +0% dodge.

 

[Torc]

Omg is the +15% dodge uncapped or no?

If not it might as well be +0% dodge.

Yes it should be uncapped

 

[Elminster]

Yes it should be uncapped

 

[rabidfox]

Still feels like a trap feat even with the 15% uncapped dodge; doing 15% less damage at the same time means it'd be a DPS's nightmare. And I'm guessing the proc chance is too low to be of interest for tank builds.

 

[Dogbreath68]

In almost 20 years of playing this game, never have I ever seen anyone who works for either Atari, or SSG reply this many times in 1 post. Kudos to you for the communication Torc, I am really impressed.

 

[Elminster]

Torc is the BOSS !

 

[Solarpower]

the upgrade is a passive feat so the border should be hexagon

And both of the Minion of the Eldritch feats using hexagon border while the base feat is active and should be square.

 

[Elminster]

And both of the Minion of the Eldritch feats using hexagon border while the base feat is active and should be square.

Where are the descriptions for what the dark powers all do?

 

[Torc]

Where are the descriptions for what the dark powers all do?

https://ddowiki.com/page/Dhampir_Dark_Bargainer

The heroic tier dark gifts are exactly the same as the ones picked by Dark Bargainer.

and the upgrades are listed in the first post of this thread

 

[ChickenMobile]

Torc - We need more Greater Offerings please

Here's what I found:

• Mist Walker
  • Mist Walker slows you every time it is used not just when the 'mists catch up'
  • Enhanced Mist Walker bonuses aren't applying. Still getting 20% Incorporeality & 5 reflex save. But it does last for 6 seconds!
  • Typo "incorpeal" in Enhanced Mist Walker text
• Living Shadow
  • Enhanced not getting 15% dodge cap (at least according to the character sheet)
• Web-Touched Wretch
  • The self slow (enhanced) debuff lasts 2-3 seconds, not 4.
• Echoing Soul
  • Enhanced gave an extra +1 to saves and +3 to skills?
• Minion of the Eldritch
  • Giving 10% Spell critical damage per 2 char levels instead of 1%. and -10% Spell critical per 2 char levels with Scorn
  • Didn't hit the negative effect of this ability once in a wilderness zone (used 7+ times). Maybe was just lucky?

On a Dark Bargainer it was possible to switch my class Dark Gift to an existing temporary Dark Gift with Fred but it didn't appear to double anything up (e.g. skill bonuses from Echoing Soul). Switching gifts to another at the shrine restored it back.

Where are the descriptions for what the dark powers all do?

I'm editing the wiki now with the enhanced ones. There are all here: https://ddowiki.com/page/Dark_Gifts

Edit: LOL Torc beat me to it

 

[Abramax]

You gain immunity to certain web effects.

no utility.
Can we have an immunity to slow effects ?

 

[Solarpower]

Enhanced Mist Walker bonuses aren't applying. Still getting 20% Incorporeality & 5 reflex save.

Already answered earlier in this thread, it's an error in the description.

 

[Aaumini]

Torc - We need more Greater Offerings please

Here's what I found:

• Mist Walker
  • Mist Walker slows you every time it is used not just when the 'mists catch up'
  • Enhanced Mist Walker bonuses aren't applying. Still getting 20% Incorporeality & 5 reflex save. But it does last for 6 seconds!
  • Typo "incorpeal" in Enhanced Mist Walker text
• Living Shadow
  • Enhanced not getting 15% dodge cap (at least according to the character sheet)
• Web-Touched Wretch
  • The self slow (enhanced) debuff lasts 2-3 seconds, not 4.
• Echoing Soul
  • Enhanced gave an extra +1 to saves and +3 to skills?
• Minion of the Eldritch
  • Giving 10% Spell critical damage per 2 char levels instead of 1%. and -10% Spell critical per 2 char levels with Scorn
  • Didn't hit the negative effect of this ability once in a wilderness zone (used 7+ times). Maybe was just lucky?

On a Dark Bargainer it was possible to switch my class Dark Gift to an existing temporary Dark Gift with Fred but it didn't appear to double anything up (e.g. skill bonuses from Echoing Soul). Switching gifts to another at the shrine restored it back.


I'm editing the wiki now with the enhanced ones. There are all here: https://ddowiki.com/page/Dark_Gifts

Edit: LOL Torc beat me to it

Having run a few dark bargainer lives using mist walker I can say that it slows you 90%+ of the time after the leap and on rare occasions you are “carried by the mists” or some such and are not slowed.

I think they reversed a bit somewhere.

 

[Zvdegor]

Living Shadow

Shadow Weakness becomes Shadow Defense. While it still reduces damage by 15% it also increases dodge by 15%

Can we have instead of 15% dodge a +3-5 MDB??? Or both? Capped toons got already maxed out their dodge capacity.

 

[Zvdegor]

I dont like the new bargain buff/debuff system. For me it feels like the purpose of the new feats (like patience, etc), new Dark Gift system which debuffs players for a useless (most of the cases) buff just a hidden "slow down players and reduce their dps numbers" to reduce server lag.
If SSG will develop the game in this direction I dont know what to think or say. I cant state an opinion in others name but I am sure there are many similar opinion on this topic and not I am the only one with this suspicion.
I am gonna just ignore these Gifts completely until this new system will add real value to my builds.

 

[Spyderwolf]

I dont like the new bargain buff/debuff system. For me it feels like the purpose of the new feats (like patience, etc), new Dark Gift system which debuffs players for a useless (most of the cases) buff just a hidden "slow down players and reduce their dps numbers" to reduce server lag.
If SSG will develop the game in this direction I dont know what to think or say. I cant state an opinion in others name but I am sure there are many similar opinion on this topic and not I am the only one with this suspicion.
I am gonna just ignore these Gifts completely until this new system will add real value to my builds.

I agree, most characters can ignore this mechanic. Most of these seem to be traps to make your character worse.

 

[Elminster]

Yeah didn’t read the downsides of some of these “gifts”.

 

[Wini]

I dont like the new bargain buff/debuff system. For me it feels like the purpose of the new feats (like patience, etc), new Dark Gift system which debuffs players for a useless (most of the cases) buff just a hidden "slow down players and reduce their dps numbers" to reduce server lag.
If SSG will develop the game in this direction I dont know what to think or say. I cant state an opinion in others name but I am sure there are many similar opinion on this topic and not I am the only one with this suspicion.
I am gonna just ignore these Gifts completely until this new system will add real value to my builds.

I ignored patience, so will ignore this shrine too, but I think this is ok: it's good to have more options for folks who enjoy them

 

[Zvdegor]

I ignored patience, so will ignore this shrine too, but I think this is ok: it's good to have more options for folks who enjoy them

I’ve been playing DDO for 15+ years, and I feel that this new mechanic goes against many of the things that have kept the game alive for nearly two decades.
This is not a real choice but a forced tradeoff. The new buff/debuff system is not a true player choice.
You can't opt out of the debuffs if you want to benefit from the system – it’s a forced trade, not an optional one.
This directly limits freedom and creativity in character building, which is one of DDO’s most unique strengths. Creativity is what made this game special and replayable. If you force players into narrow mechanical lanes, that soul fades.

Debuffs overpower buffs in many cases during fights, especially for melees.
Being blinded, slowed, exhausted, or dealing less damage in the middle of a red name or boss fight is not a challenge. It’s a death sentence, especially on melee builds. 3-6 seconds is a lot even in non bosses group fights.
These debuffs are not making the game harder in a fun way . They’re just frustrating and disruptive to any kind of tactical or fast-paced gameplay, especially on high reaper difficulties.
This isn’t balance. This is frustration especially if there is no save to avoid the effects , and with all due respect, no game developer should aim to frustrate their players.

This undermines players trust which is already not much towrds SSG.
Players expect content that adds fun, depth, and creativity, not hidden systems that feel like lag-reduction mechanisms in disguise.
If the goal is to slow down players to reduce server load, then this system should be clearly communicated as such. Otherwise, it sends the wrong message One that damages trust.

There are too few options, not enough depth. There are only seven Dark Gifts. That’s not enough for meaningful build customization, not even close.
For a system that is supposed to expand character progression, we need at least 15–20 gifts, covering a wide range of playstyles like tanks, casters, ranged, healers, CC builds, melees, hybrids, etc.
Right now, the options are too shallow, too similar, and don’t reflect the diverse community of builds DDO has fostered over the years.

This isn’t an isolated case. We’ve seen similar concerning trends:

• Myth Drannor loot – disappointing reward system
• New expansions – repetitive mechanics, lack of innovation
• Ignored player feedback – tons of community suggestions go unanswered

It seems like SSG is focused more on technical optimization than on actual gameplay experience.


Let us choose effects individually:
→ for example, pick 1 bonus + 1 side-effect from a list
Support Playstyle Freedom: Don’t punish players for building high DPS, mobility, or burst roles. Let us play how we want to play.

I'm not going to use the current version of this system, because I simply don't see any value in it – only risk.
And I know I'm not the only one.

DDO’s strength has always been its depth and flexibility – not artificial constraints disguised as content.