Cryptic has destroyed the Dungeons & Dragons IP

[neuronfly]

It boggles my mind when I think about this that Cryptic had such an awesome IP in their hands yet they couldn't do anything good with it. Dungeons & Dragons is such an awesome IP. Many people played D&D since 1970. Awesome games came out from this IP like Baldur's Gate 1 and 2, Icewind Dale 1 and 2, Neverwinter Nights 1 and 2, Planescape Torment. But Cryptic is the first company that turned this awesome IP into an utter flop. They could have made an awesome mmorpg with subscription based or buy2play business model that could have been good like FFXIV and WoW. But they didn't. They decided to turn this awesome IP into a horrible free2play with horrible microtransactions.

I have played many D&D games and all of them are good, some are awesome. But Neverwinter is the worst and horrible D&D game I have ever played. I am NOT talking about mod 16. I am talking about the game since mod 0. This game spits on the D&D IP and Cryptic has made a mockery of all the awesome D&D games that came before it. This game and this company makes me sick.

I am done. And 1 last thing I will say is Wizards of the Coast should take away the D&D license from Cryptic because they don't deserve it.

[NavFamG]

This AGAIN! While Mod 16 seems to have screwed things up for all the high level characters, it hasn't done anything to those of us at the lower to mid levels that quest on level or just a bit over.

And I'd LOVE to see your link concerning WotC saying Neverwinter isn't an offical D&D game anymore. Because if it WASN'T they'd pull the license.

[neuronfly]

Oh look.. a newbie has posted on the thread that has no idea what he is talking about. You probably don't have a single max level character I'm sure of that. Get a character to level 80 first and then come here and judge others.

[Wolverine]

Well, i'm playing the game for nearly 5 years now, and i've 15x level 80 characters, each class at least once, IL from 15.000 to nearly 20k without being in any fancy guild which would add another 2k to it, a few characters with Alabaster weapons, equipment IL is around 940/950, enchantments range from rank 8 to 12 and some with rank 14 ones from events and the Aquisition Incorporated campaign, mounts are mostly epic, insignias are mostly rare with a few epic, companions from white to a few orange ones.

I own all major DLCs, all Class Packs, most epic ZEN shop mounts, and still have a good year on my ViP clock. I spend around 30$ on the game in those 5 years, and got the ZEN for most of my purchases from exchanging AD - over 25k ZEN banked, waiting for the next 40-50% discount sale.

I neither work for Cryptic or Perfect World, i'm just a regular player.

Undermountain has changed the game, some changes are good, some changes are bad and you've of course some changes that are plain ugly. The last patches did correct a few of the bad and ulgy changes, but also brought some new bugs along too, which isn't that surprising, since that's happening for as long as i can remember.

To the classes...
- Paladin feels weaker now in mod. 16, and i haven't found a setting that i really enjoy playing.
- Warlock is ok, but the healing path could use some improvements.
- Fighter is ok, i'm a bit surprised how much damage i can do with it now.
- Wizard is ok, and actually fun to play.
- Cleric is a work in progress, playing through the Undermountain campaign atm., have to wait and see how this one will handle Master Expeditions.

Anyway, the game has changed, that's for sure, but it's far from being "destroyed". The release date for Undermountain on console is in a week now, and i'm also sure that we'll get another large patch for PC either on the release date or before that will fix more of the bad and ugly changes.

In the end, it's just Cryptic bussiness as usual, coming up with big changes in a new module and breaking a lot of stuff, then start repairing most of the created issues before the next module comes up - rinse and repeat.

[d3athstroke]

Originally posted by NavFamG:

This AGAIN! While Mod 16 seems to have screwed things up for all the high level characters, it hasn't done anything to those of us at the lower to mid levels that quest on level or just a bit over.

And I'd LOVE to see your link concerning WotC saying Neverwinter isn't an offical D&D game anymore. Because if it WASN'T they'd pull the license.

Endgame or early game does not have to do anything with mod 16. Gameplay is pure ♥♥♥♥ in general have fun with 15 second cooldowns and no feats.

[Bleis01]

I'm a Cleric, I am at level 80, I being told to play the undermontain campaign that the change they made who turn my Cleric character weak like a level ... 0 was going to get better, so I did, but then I reach a boss who keep immobilized me with torn, bees and suck off my life away, I can't do anything at all, my character is so weak, even at level 80th and all the potion of healing and so are really useless, I die and die and die, and my frustration build up again, before this mega change I was able to do solo gaming; Before the mega suc** change I was able to do solo campaign at our Guild, now I die easy if i am solo, all the fun for me is gone away, I though the mod17 was going to be release in June, it's why I return, they did some patch but since not even the undermontain campaign seam to be helping me, this game as lost all my interested, I am a solo player, I have difficulty to party since I have problem to fallow those text and play at the same time, people get frustrated at me because I don't read there messages they send me, and as you probably notice by now English is not my main language, I'm a french Canadian, and the french player are mostly from France, time zone and cultural difference make this imposible to me, so I try to play in English but I can't understand everything well, I beign help alots by the member of my Guild, thanks to their patience with me, but instead of get people mad at me because of the language barrier I try to play mostly solo, but now it become impossible to do so, my character suc** so much now with this stupid change, and I am not ready to spend all the time I put again to created a new character, who will probably not do better from what I read so far from people complaining, I guess Cryptic don't realy care at all to loose people who beign playing their game for years and month now, I think they probably have in mind that there will be always new one to replace the old one, but they also forget that the old players complain can make much harm to their games as well if they don't care about it, and to think I was considering to buy stuff to make my character better, I am glad the change happen just before, since now I wont put one pennies at this, but still i try to keep some hope? I will try the mod17 release and see if they fix anything for real this time, otherwise this game is death for me, I will simply stop play the game for good, the market is full of games anyway, it just suck to think I spend so much hours to end up this way, the ball is on their side now, let's see if they really care about their players or not..

[Must4Die]

The game is fine, i came back to play in this mod after 4 or 5 years and the game was way harder before than now (like getting hit kill from skeleton archers in dungeons), if the game was too easy it would be boring... The only problem i see are some really bad feats a few classes have now, the downscaling system is perfect, this make the game more fun to new players and anyone else who really want to play, not a DPS race doing hit kill in everything and making tanks and healers useless

[Bleis01]

sorry but you think it was easy for me to reach the level 80+ and I din't rush my butt and play many many hours to get to a point I am able to kill some monster by my own? I don't expect my character to regress in a game when I finally reach a point to kill some type of monster , you think it wasn't long to me to reach level 80+ and I din't die oh so many times, The Cleric is not the ideal fighter, but I din't wanted to easy but still able to do things and to play solo, for me it was already hard with some type of monsters but now it became mostly impossible to do solo, even with the easy monster with the level I have reach, they are now became too hard for me to kill by my self,no one like to regress, I feel like I regress to the level 10 instead of be 80+ I am, to play with others as a party it's not always possible to me due to many reason; example time zone, people who aren't interested help me in the mission I am since they are busy with others in more exiting mission for their own character and level etc. So tell me, do you prevail people just to party to do make some advancement in this game now? If so the Clerics and healers and other Character became the weakest link? then erase those character instead if you don't wish those Character anymore, that's it. I am just piss that I regress after all the time and effort I put into this Character, and I am not the only one, if you enjoy the game fine for you, let's hope that after you have spend many many hours you don't have this nice regression too, then you will understand why people get fed-up with this MOD16.

[Must4Die]

in this mod i leveled a DC lv 70, a GWF lv 70 both of those with mod 4/5 gear, and made a new cw wich is sitting now at 20k item level, everything farmed since mod 16 launch, no real money spent... leveling from 70 to 80 took me 30 mins, yes, 30 mins doing stronghold missions while upscaling was active there wich made me get 999% bonus exp, even without it you get at least 1 free level for doing each mission (random queue, dungeon of the same level etc)

DC have a healer and a DPS paragon, you can have both of them using 1 loadout for each, if your problem is the equipment, buy cheap rares in the auction house, at least 700 item level costing 100 AD each, get equipment for your companion from undermountain campaign and buy bonding runestones for him, if your build sucks look for info in forums or even at youtube for mod 16 builds

[NavFamG]

Originally posted by neuronfly:

Oh look.. a newbie has posted on the thread that has no idea what he is talking about. You probably don't have a single max level character I'm sure of that. Get a character to level 80 first and then come here and judge others.

Yea I probably am a newbie, even though I did the Beta for the game. Didn't really see much in it so never gave it serious thought and only started a new character back at the beginning of this year. And you're right I don't have any lvl 80's, just a level 43 or so. Which is why I can say that Mod 16 didn't hurt the low to mid range players if they quest on level or just a little over. In fact I'd say the shift away from easy mode made it a better game for those not maxed out.

You're right and I said it in my OP, Mod 16 screwed the max level players, but not the rest of us.

[Lord Doober De La Goober MXI]

oh its it time for another one of your doomsaying posts? oh joy of joys...

fun fact: WotC have BEEN disapproving Neverwinter as a "real" D&D game WAAAAAAAAY before mod 16 (and honestly who the hell wouldn't?) From the get go this has been nonthing more than a mmo with an D&D theme blanket on it.

but as long as PW keeps paying them for using the license WoTC are probably going to keep supporting them

[Bullrath]

Unfortunately the changes that have been made will probably stay till the game no longer exits anymore, haveing spent decent amount of time in this game about 6000hrs, All i can say is that yes MOD 16 is basicaly neverwinter 2 too bad we dont have the option to play the vanilla version with new mod 16 content, But i suppose this was done because they want an easier game to manage,But to look on the Bright side Atleast Doom Eternal is comeing this November so im pumped for that also i will have the collectors DOOM SLAYERS Helmet to hide my tears while playing neverwinter 2 :) good luck fellow gamer bois.

[Wolverine]

@Bleis01
i guess you're writing about Arcturia in the Undermountain campaign, i had my troubles fighting her the first time too, you have to move a lot to avoid her ground attacks, it also helps to have a solid healer companion active, so that she will target it and give you some time to either heal up or attack her in the meantime.

You could also try using potions/buff food or the Invocation Blessings to boost your stats, and either have a few level 80 healing potions or a Stone of Health ready as well.

It might also help to check mounts for insignia bonuses like:
Oppressor's Reprieve
Barbarian's Revelry/Delight
Knight's Rebuke
that will give you some extra heals.

Fighting against her with my Paladin was a nightmare, it was a bit better with my Warlock the second time, and she was dead within seconds with my Fighter in round three and my Wizard in round 4. Have to wait and see how it goes with my Cleric...

[Adinos]

Originally posted by neuronfly:

This game is completely done for. No reason to play anymore. Everything that was good in this game has been destroyed by mod 16. Even Wizards of the Coast (the owner of Dungeons & Dragons) has recently said that they don't recognize Neverwinter as an official D&D game anymore. What a shame. The game had a good run with loyal customers but the foolishness of the devs at cryptic ruined everything.

"Don't recognize" ? They do promote NWO - see https://dnd.wizards.com/products/digital-games/console-pcmac/neverwinter

And no, mod 16 did not "ruin everything" - the game is still perfectly playable ... maybe not as fun or rewarding as it was, but good enough until something better comes along.

[Adinos]

Originally posted by Logan:

- Cleric is a work in progress, playing through the Undermountain campaign atm., have to wait and see how this one will handle Master Expeditions.

A well-geared cleric has no issues whatsoever in ME ... well, with one or two crystals .. .I haven't done a solo run with three crystals. Clerics are harder to play than some of the other classes, because of divinity management issues, but they can do fairly decent damage.

[Adinos]

Originally posted by Bleis01:

I'm a Cleric, I am at level 80...I die and die and die,

Well, I see two possibilities.

Either you are undergeared, or you are doing something wrong. I have a L80 Cleric too, and I have no issues whatsoever with the solo content - if anything, I feel it is a bit too easy. If I die it is because of an accident (like being thrown over a ledge) or because of my own carelessness/clumsiness - not because the game is hard. I will even claim that I have found healing stones and potions almost unnecessary.

So... here are a few points to consider:

• Your stats. If they are too low, you will have issues. You want your Armor Penetration, Accuracy and Defense to be over 60K, After that, get your Critical Chance, Awareness and Deflection to optimal levels, After than, it's all about Power and Hot points. You don't need 200K Power, but something like 140K is a reasonable goal.
  
• Companions. Companions make a major difference in your stats and survival - but you need good ones - not all companions are equal.
  
• Gear and bonuses - many items that used to be good, like Negation, Dread and Feytouched Enchantments are now basically useless....it's not all about stats and IL.

If you gear and stats are OK, the problem must be with your playstyle - most likely your power rotation...if that's the case, tell us what your rotation is, and we can probably suggest improvements.