Stat-Based Passives

In this devblog we'll be discussing a project that's been important to us for a number of years, which is due to be included in an update this year: the overhaul of stat (characteristics) thresholds.

/!\ This change will not be featured in the next update (1.58); it will be in a later one.

Unlike most devblogs, this one is being posted far in advance of the change to be implemented. Here we're going to present all the changes we're planning, as we would do in any devblog, but the main goal is to gather your feedback as early as possible, respond to your concerns as best we can, and of course, make any necessary changes to our proposed changes before rolling them out on the game servers.

Start keeping in mind that when the changes are rolled out on game servers, there will be a way for you to redistribute your stats. Now you may peacefully read on.
 

Introduction and Status Report

For starters, we'll explain what we mean by "passive" in the context of stats, and we'll give their current status.

In DOFUS Touch, each passive has a set of stats that determine its potential in combat. Some of these stats can be modified (Vitality, Strength, and so on), while others are determined by external factors like equipment (resistances, pushback damage, etc.).

When we refer to passives here, we're talking about stats that can't be directly modified by the player, but which are nevertheless based on modifiable stats, such as Dodge gained through an increase in Agility.

Below is a list of the current "passive" stats, along with the modifiable stat each one is associated with.

• Combat experience: although not strictly a characteristic/stat, combat XP is nevertheless affected by the amount of points put into Wisdom.
• Parry and reduction (AP and MP): this determines the chance of dealing or parrying an AP or MP reduction. For the sake of simplicity, we will only mention AP in this devblog, to avoid being redundant, as they work the same way. These stats are affected by Wisdom. 10 points of Wisdom are equivalent to 1 point of Reduction or Parry.
• Pods: the total weight a character is able to carry. It is affected by Strength. 1 point spent in Strength is equal to 5 Pods.
• Healing: while healing is not directly or visibly (in the characteristics interface) affected by its corresponding stat, the stat is indeed used in the final calculation of healing performed. Healing is affected by Intelligence.
• Prospecting: this stat increases the chance of getting resources and items from mobs. Besides a base 100 Prospecting, there is an additional amount based on how many points are put into Chance. 10 points in Chance provide 1 Prospecting.
• Dodge: determines an entity's ability to get away from an adjacent entity. Increasing the entity's Agility will boost its Dodge. 10 Agility points will grant 1 Dodge point.
• Lock: as opposed to Dodge, the Lock stat determines the ability to hold an adjacent entity that wants to get away. This value is also modified by Agility. 10 Agility points will grant 1 Lock point. For a summoned entity, 20 points in Agility is equal to 1 in Lock.
• Critical Hit (CH): this influences the rate at which spells do higher damage than normal and triggers additional effects on weapons or spells. CH rate is partly increased by Agility. The current system uses fractions, and the boost provided by Agility is not linear. The maximum CH rate is a 50/50 chance.
• Neutral damage: like healing, this type isn't directly modified by a characteristic, but Strength is the one that determines the amount of damage that can be dealt with a weapon or spell in the neutral element.

Issues

We feel that this system, albeit appealing, has various problems; here are a few of the ones prompting us to update these passive stats:

• Bonuses are unequally distributed; some stats provide quite a few bonuses, while others only affect one.
• Some passives are useful in combat, and others are only so out of combat.
• Some bonuses are of interest to everyone and shouldn't be attached to specific stats. This is true for experience earned and for prospecting.
• Putting points into certain stats to get bonuses like XP or prospecting tends to negatively affect the experience and the fun of the game, because it means sacrificing points that would otherwise go toward stats that boost Vitality or damage. The most telling example is of course the "Wisdom mule": a character whose sole purpose is to get as much XP as possible without doing anything in combat. They affect the experience of other players as well as their own, by leveling too fast and not exploring the game. And they are frequently the same people you'll later see at the bank begging for kamas to buy equipment, which they could've crafted or been able to afford themself by playing normally.

What Is Being Changed

So we wanted to change what these passives are like and how they're distributed, while taking the opportunity to update certain stat-related systems. We'll start by addressing two key points that will be involved in the changes to be described later on.
 

Changing the Critical Hit System

There have been limitations to the way critical hit rate is calculated, which is why we decided to go with, as some have experienced in DOFUS, a percentage-based system. This is intended to:

• Offer a system that's clearer and easier to use
• Lead to an overall increase in critical hit rates, or make it possible to intentionally limit them
• Make it possible to go beyond the 50% chance to crit, thereby allowing characters to specialize in this stat
• Allow for builds focusing on critical hit rate to be more varied and viable, without necessarily maximizing their potential

Adjustment of Base Critical Hit Rates

The base critical hit rate is the probability that a spell (or weapon) will deal a critical hit, not taking into account any bonuses from equipment or spells.

All base critical hit rates on spells and weapons are being adjusted. There is a correlation between the old and new rates, with some degree of consistency: the higher the critical hit rate was before, the higher the new one will be. To calculate the new base critical rate using the old one, this formula is applied:

• New rate = 55 – 1/(old rate)

So, a previous rate of 1/50 (2%) would become:

• 55 – 1/(1/50) = a new rate of 5%

Below is a table showing the correlation between a few old and new base critical rates:

These base rates are being increased overall in order to make critical hits more accessible to builds that are not focused on critical hits, and to reduce the dependency of critical-centric builds on critical hit bonuses from equipment.
 

Changing the Critical Hit Bonus Effect

The effect of the critical hit bonus on spells and equipment will be modified: a +1 to Critical Hit will now give an extra 1% chance to crit (land a critical hit). For example, if a spell has a base 5% chance to crit, a +10 CH bonus will give this same spell a 15% chance to crit. (That's base 5 + 10 bonus.)

However, there won't be a notable difference with equipment: a bonus of +X to CH will be a X% bonus to CH rate.

This additive formula will allow for a system of diminishing returns instead of increasing returns; the initial critical hit bonuses given to a character have proportionally more impact than the last bonuses added.
 

Removing the Maximum Critical Hit Chance

Previously it was impossible to have higher than a 50% chance of dealing a critical hit. After this update, it will be possible for the critical hit chance to exceed 50%, and even go up to a 100% chance, as long as the cumulative CH bonuses from equipment and spells allow it.

However, it won't be possible to bring someone's critical hit chance below 1% if the spell or weapon can deal a critical hit.

NB: The effect that minimizes random effects (as with the Sram's Jinx spell) is not subject to this restriction; it still prevents an entity from dealing critical hits.

This change will allow for much more variety among builds that are specialized for critical hit rate; so you'll be able to shift to builds with a stronger focus on CH.
 

Changing Resistances (%)

There are currently two types of resistance:

• Fixed resistances: these grossly reduce damage received and can be gained in unlimited amounts.
• % resistances reduce a percentage of damage received. These are currently limited to a max of 50% per stat (for example, it is possible to gain 60% air resistance from equipment, but the actual value will be 50%).

We'd like to reduce the cap on % resistances from 50 to 35%. While resistances are useful for absorbing some damage, these stats tend to draw out combat pretty excessively. Also, they drastically limit the variety of so-called optimized equipment, mainly at higher levels, at which point maximizing resistances is practically required.

We think that lowering this cap will add significant variety to gameplay and the selection of equipment, but without putting PvM players at a disadvantage, as classes will have generally gained more power and survival capacity over the course of these updates.

As for the few sets that have granted over 35% resistance in an element with the full set equipped, they will be updated to no longer exceed this threshold.
 

New Passives

We're going to start by describing the passive bonuses from primary characteristics, and then we'll move on to characteristics that are no longer passively affected.

Our goal is to simplify and clarify the connections between primary characteristics and passive bonuses as much as possible; so we decided to limit passive bonuses to 1 per characteristic, thus establishing a clear connection. There is an exception for Wisdom, which isn't associated with damage.

• Strength:
  • Increases Earth spell and weapon damage
  • Increases Neutral damage. The ratio of Strength to Neutral damage remains unchanged.
• Intelligence:
  • Increases Fire spell and weapon damage
  • Increases healing. The ratio of Intelligence to healing remains unchanged.
• Agility:
  • Increases Air spell and weapon damage
  • Increases Dodge. The ratio of Agility to Dodge has been standardized between players and summons. It will now take 20 Agility to gain 1 Dodge.
• Chance:
  • Increases Water spell and weapon damage
  • Increases Lock. The ratio of Chance to Lock has been standardized between players and summons.It will now take 20 Chance to gain 1 Lock.
• Wisdom:
  • Regarding Wisdom, we have two proposals that each come with pros and cons; so we wanted to present them and get your feedback and preferences.
  • Proposal 1:
    • Increases Initiative. Initiative is still determined by the sum of other stats, but Wisdom now affects it as well. 1 point in Wisdom provides 2 points in Initiative.
    • Increases critical hit rate. Putting 50 points into Wisdom will boost CH chance by 1%.
    • The stat thresholds for Wisdom will now use the standard pattern (1 point grants 1 Wisdom up to 100; 2 points equal 1 Wisdom up to 200, etc.).
  • Proposal 2:
    • Increases Initiative. Initiative is no longer affected by additional points in other primary stats; it is now only based on Wisdom. 1 Wisdom grants 5 Initiative.
    • The stat thresholds for Wisdom will now use the standard pattern (1 point grants 1 Wisdom up to 100; 2 points equal 1 Wisdom up to 200, etc.).

Regarding Lock and Dodge:

Lock or Dodge gained from stats will be reduced in order to make this stat more valuable when granted by equipment. This will also help to harmonize values between elements, so as to preserve element-based specialization without making it necessary to choose an element in a particular area of gameplay. For example: You'll maximize your chance to dodge by using gear with Agility and Dodge, but using Fire gear that grants Dodge will still be completely viable.

Regarding Wisdom:

We decided to remove Parry and Reduction from Wisdom stat because we wanted it to become an offensive stat with broad appeal.

We initially considered focusing it entirely on Reduction and Parry, but it would have then become a niche stat, and therefore not useful for too many players. We were then tempted to add CH to it, but it seemed like this would be restrictive for a player wanting to equip non-CH gear to maximize their Parry and Reduction.

So we decided to keep CH and add Initiative as a low-ratio passive to round things out, or only keep Initiative in the second proposal.

Regarding Parry and AP/MP Reduction:

As explained in the note on Wisdom, these stats will no longer be passively boosted by spending points in Wisdom. We'd like focusing on a reduction path or the optimization to resist it to be done by choosing equipment and trophies first, to encourage research and variety. Also, we think the new limits on % resistances will make it possible to seek out new stats on items, exotic or overmaged, which could include Parry and Reduction.

For bonuses not mentioned above, the following changes will be applied:

• Combat experience: instead of being reinforced by the Wisdom stat as is now the case, it will increase based on the player's level, using the following formula: final XP (not including other bonuses) = base XP x (player's level x 2) / 100 + base XP. For a character at level 200, for example, experience gained from combat will be the same after the update as the amount earned by a level 200 with 400 Wisdom. As before, other bonuses will still be applied, like XP weekends, the Bonus Pack or Elite Bonus Pack, etc.
• Prospecting: this too will now be determined by the player's level. Therefore, a low-level character will have less of a chance than a level-200 character to get resources from the same monster, as drop rates are already designed to be simpler at lower levels. A character's starting Prospecting will remain 100. The prospecting bonus formula will be as follows: base PP + rounding (player's level / 2.25) + PP from equipment. It's important to bear in mind that prospecting in itself won't change and will remain useful. Only the calculation used to determine its total value is changing. That means equipment with Prospecting will still be useful for increasing the odds of getting loot.
• Pods: will now increase as the player levels up instead of via Strength. However, professions will continue to provide added bonuses. This will be the new formula for calculating maximum pods: pods = 1000 + (player level – 1) x 10 + profession bonus. So, at level 200 the minimum number of pods will be 2990. Equipment will also be able to increase the character's pods, as is already the case.

These changes being made to all characteristics will involve even more changes to various in-game items, of which you'll find an incomplete list below. If anything seems to be missing, be sure to let us know so we cover everything.

• Turquoise Dofus: as with all equipment that grants CH, the Turquoise Dofus will be modified so that its bonus will be a % boost. No other changes will be made, and this one will be retroactive. So if your Turquoise Dofus has +20 CH, it will boost your CH rate by 20%; +11 will grant 11%, and so on; simple as that!
• Cawwot Dofus: its bonus will be adjusted, either to grant an experience bonus, or by increasing its value so that it grants Initiative and CH, in a proportion that's useful but still adapted to low-level players.

• Pets and petsmounts with a Wisdom bonus: the bonuses from these pets cannot be changed to other effects. However, the max bonus you can earn with these pets will be increased to make them more competitive, and the number of souls to eat will be reduced for soul-eaters.
• Wisdom Dragoturkeys: unlike with pets, the bonuses from Dragoturkeys can be swapped out for a different bonus. The following Dragoturkeys will be worked:
  • Almond and Golden Dragoturkey
  • Golden Dragoturkey
  • Golden and Ebony Dragoturkey
  • Golden and Emerald Dragoturkey
  • Golden and Indigo Dragoturkey
  • Golden and Ivory Dragoturkey
  • Golden and Orchid Dragoturkey
  • Golden and Crimson Dragoturkey
  • Golden and Ginger Dragoturkey
  • Golden and Turquoise Dragoturkey
  • Plum and Golden Dragoturkey
• Shigekax and other consumables that give Wisdom: the effect will be replaced with a direct bonus to experience gained. For example, a +15% bonus to experience gained while the candy's effect is active.
• Wisdom trophies from Progressopacks: the effect will be replaced with a direct bonus to experience gained.
• Smithmagic Runes: nothing has been decided with regard to changes and their scale, but we're going to look at the following runes and consider potential changes to their weight:
  • Pods
  • Initiative
  • AP/MP Parry
  • AP/MP Reduc.
  • Wisdom
  • Critical Hits
  • Prospecting

FAQ

I'm losing AP Parry, but mobs aren't; isn't that unfair?

Monsters, like players, have stats, and Wisdom is one of those. In the same way players will, monsters will have their passive bonuses from various stats modified by all the changes mentioned above.

I have Prospecting gear; is it useless now?

Not at all! Although Chance no longer increases Prospecting, Prospecting itself will still be useful; it's just the portion gained from the Chance stat on equipment that will disappear. It will be less effective but largely compensated by the bonus tied to the player's level.

All my stats have changed; will there be a way to recover our points?

Yes! When the update is released, you'll have the option to respend your stat points. We'll share details in due time.

So is my gear that gives 50% resistance in each element useless now?

No set on its own currently gives more than 35% resistance in an element, as for medium to very high level sets. So, a given set definitely won't become unusable by offering too much resistance. That said, it will indeed be necessary to adjust certain combinations to adapt to the new limits, which will make it possible to find new stats and optimizations other than through resistances.

So my bonus pack won't help me with XP or drops anymore?

Not to worry; BPs and EBPs will not be affected. They'll still give huge advantages for leveling up.

Strength only boosts Neutral damage; isn't that kinda lame?

To us, not having any loss tied to smithmaging a weapon is a bonus, which is already very powerful and makes Strength competitive enough compared to others. Especially with the separation of Lock and Dodge into two characteristics with thresholds at 20 to 1 instead of 10 to 1.

It takes twice as much Dodge as Lock to get away without losing anything. Shouldn't Agility give more Dodge than Chance gives Lock?

The current system already uses the same formula for bonus Dodge and bonus Lock. So that gap already exists in the game, and by increasing the number of primary characteristics to end up with 1 Dodge or Lock, the gap will actually be reduced. Further efforts will be refocused mainly on equipment bonuses, trophies, and pets.