With this issue, I have been doing a lot of thinking.
There are two BIG problems that we face.
1) Reducing the Slots
2) Combining the Augs
To address the first, we cannot simply reduce the slots on the item. This could destroy augs and/or cause instability issues. The way that I found to address this is to start handing out duplicate epics with less slots.
In this example, theoretical old paladin epic 4.0 is item ID 1000 and has three slots of type 7 and theoretical new paladin epic 5.0 is item 2000 and has two slots of type 14. I understand these slots are probably wrong/non-existent and the item IDs are wrong...but just run with me.
On the epic vendor, we add a small block to start handing out the new paladin epic instead of the old paladin epic. He will
STILL accept the old versions, but will start handing out new versions.
This helps to slowly phase out the epics in a natural fashion.
To address the second one, the new augs use a different slot to prevent particularly ingenious players from keeping old paladin 4.0 (with it's three slots) and using the new aug (effectively skyrocketing their DPS).
The old combines will be a weird one. If we simply disable them, then players needing two of the old aug to convert into the new aug are stuck. If we leave them active, some will never move to the new system.
One way that I can think of is to disable the old recipes, add recipes to combine old aug + mats for a second of current aug (i.e. Icestrike 3 and mats for Icestrike 3) into new aug. The problem with it though is that some get MUCH cheaper upgrades for being able to skip the requirement for the previous one.
One other option entirely is to start with T7 as the "-1 slot" tier. Change the slot type so players cannot use new augs on old weapons. Up the damage by the equivalent of what is being lost. As far as I am aware, dual wielding DPS classes get one NS and two IS. After change, they would get one NS and one improved IS.
- Warriors, druids, shaman types, and clerics would actually see a small DPS boost (as they use all Icestrikes), which is fine in my flawed opinion.
- The Knights would go from three augs to two augs, which means the new Firestrikes would be 1.5x their current (so their DPS is still roughly the same increase and won't skyrocket them).
- Ninjastrikes will stay the same as DPS classes get one NS slot anyway.
Either way, just thoughts.
-Hate
(p.s. - I know this is a bitter scatterbrained, will clean up when I get back from lunch)
