With the solving of the Druid epic 1.5 by Poitez of Bertox there has been an issue brought up by many of the current holders regarding the percieved usefulness of the epic effect Nature's Blight.

The effect, which is listed on Lucy as:

1: Spell Damage(5)
2: Limit: Max Level(70)
3: Limit: Effect(Hitpoints allowed)
4: Limit: Instant spells only
5: Limit: Spell Type(Detrimental only)
6: Limit: Target(AE PC v1 excluded)
7: Limit: Target(PB AE excluded)
8: Limit: Target(Targeted AE excluded)
9: Limit: Target(Uber Giants excluded)
10: Limit: Target(Uber Dragons excluded)
11: Limit: Combat Skills Not Allowed
Resist Adjust -40
Resist: Magic

Does not appear to be doing anything at all.

Poitez posed her concerns on the SoE boards and Kytherea - Community Representative for Soe - mentioned that she has already sent the perceived problem with Nature's Blight to Dev and to Testing. [she has] not heard yet if it is indeed working properly or not though at this time.

Read more on the SoE boards:
http://eqforums.station.sony.com/eq/board/message?board.id=druidbalance&message.id=2650#M2650

If any Dev comes back and says it's working as intended I will laugh in their face. There is absolutely 0 added damage while Blight is in effect.

Thay should have give us soemthing usefull a Unresitable Debuff that lower Fire/Cold/Magic Resists by 100-120... with a 60-90sec recast time

Maybe a group effect that When click it gives the group a Blessing effect that increses Healing and Dmg spells for a 60-120sec

But to me a +5dmg increas isnt all that much not realy an "Epic" efect

Yep. I unequiped all my nuke focus items, debuffed the mob, and hit epic clicker. Nuked 3x and hit for base damage each time. They really need to fix this. I don't know what (5) is but if it's 5% I'm probably destroying my epic, 30-50% would be reasonable.

If it indeed going to be a piddling 5% (whenever they get it fixed), a 10 minute refresh timer is totally unacceptable; and I find it even more unacceptable that mobs have a chance to resist, in which case the benefit is completely wasted until the next reset.

This should simply be an "improved damage" focus effect that stacks with any other worn ID focus, or the 10 minute refresh should be removed *and* the effect should be unresistable. I mean really... how imbalancing could an extra 75-100 damage be on mobs at this level? You get more damage output from two tics of the old epic dot.

~Firemynd

The effect is supposed to act for everyone nuking the mob, 5% more nuke damage for every wiz and mage in the raid is not negligable.

However, nothing is sure yet, since it doesn't work ;p

I was guessing that the epic effect would remove the ability for some mobs to mitigate spell damage like the Ikaavs in MPG and Ruined City (where my spells were landing for exactly 50% of base damage every time). I'm sure there are more mobs I havn't fought that do this as well, especially raid encounters.

But if it's a debuff that allows everyone's DD spells to land for 5% extra damage, that would be nice too. Like Kludain said, this is very useful in raids. It's like upgrading everyones DD focus. For example, the difference from the "Fury of E'ci" to the "Wrath of E'ci" focus effects is 5%. Everyone with a "Fury of..." effect would be nuking for "Wrath of..." numbers. And so on for all focus effects. What's the highest now? 45%? Extra 5% would but those with 45% spell damage to 50%! Nice I say.

Nice I say.


You gotta be kidding rofl

Nature's Blight

Date Change
10-13 12:03 Changed Resistadj from -40 to -50
09-23 11:30 Changed Spelltype from Beneficial to Detrimental
09-23 11:30 Changed Slot 1 from "Spell Damage(5)" to "Increase Incoming Spell Damage by 5%"
09-14 10:08 Initial Entry

oh yeah great change today

Ironically, the epic that only requires "small groups" to obtain is best used on raids. I'm not opposed to some help for druids on raids, far from it. But balance through itemization never ever works. And compared to some of the other epics out there, like say, the other two priest epics, this effect is just sad.

I don't understand the point of adding -10 to our resists. I don't think they've fully looked at the effect, so why change it at all? I'm told by the druid in our guild with his epic that he hits for the same with or without his epic. And, -10 to the resist mod isn't enough to make us have significantly less resists.

Why not make it near unresistable, since most epics are buffs (fully unresistable) or hugely adjusted (-200 MR to SK epic effect).

And why do Clerics, Shaman, and Paladins get healing effects when we get nuking effects?

Im gonna say my piece. This epic effect sucks. It has little or no use for the everyday grouping druid. Maybe raiding yes, but if your raiding you might ahve something better than epic 1.5 already. change the effect or fix it.

i still have major problems witht this because people say its useful on raids :bs: (i love these little guys) has anyone tried casting this on a mob that actuly has hp and takes ure raid a little bit to kill oh wait that nowadays would be the main raid target oh wiat that guys going to be over 70 and oh oh oh hes also gona resist a mesaly neg 50 check give me a break can we just have the clerics or shammys abillity pritty please with suger on top

First of all its hard to tell how much an effect is worth to you if it doesn't work. ;) I would also hope that you're not casting this without the mob being properly debuffed. Malo + Tash + the resist check on this = a -145 resist check. Throw in a bard with HoS and its -160. While the other priests get something more group oriented, this may turn out to be something very usefull. Its too hard to pass judgement on a broken effect. I mean personally, I would rather have something in line with what they get, but our effect intrigues me. Its nice to see new abilities and effects given out.

Has anyone tried this on a mob that casts spells? Unless there's something changing it in the background... it might be that the 5% is being applied to any spells mobs cast. That might be why there is no noticable effect when we're nuking.

Whether or not a mob is fully debuffed should not be a factor here. The consideration is not how often we can get the effect to land compared to other spells we have, but how often we can get the effect to land compared to other epic effects. Most other epic effects are 100% unresistable regardless of the effect. When they are resistable, they are hugely modified, like the -200 to SK's effect, compared to the -40 (now -50) on ours.

If almost all of the other classes have unresistable epic effects, why should ours be so much more resisted? I guess maybe it would be balanced if our effect was that much better, but its description doesn't seem like it is so much more powerful that it deserves to not land so often.

I got my epic last night and have to say I'm far from impressed... I really hope this is being looked at.

This smells like the original epic. A nice item with decent stats and a lame effect. I was not overly impressed with the effect from the original epic (about equal to a lvl 39 DoT) and I am not overly impressed with this one either. Lets hope they have something better in mind for 2.0.

It appeared to me to cause more crits while I was messing with it. Both a mage and myself seemed to get more crits when the debuff was on a mob than when it wasn't on it.

My Friend i were talking about the effect and agreed it was weak effect

I am pretty close to gettin my 1.5 so i started to think about it, and i did some number Crunching... On the assumption thats it's a Flat +5% dmg on top of anything you nuke.. since i cant efftievly astrpolate for Focus effects i didnt Calulate for them

My big question is does it effect "Combat Effect" IE: Wepon Procs or Innate Procs (Self Imbue Procs) it says "11: Limit: Combat Skills Not Allowed" not sure if this includes wepons or Self Buffed Procs...

Wile 2 boxing Solid Blue... I set up times 1 min Casting times i used my SK's Epic effect as a time i would have Start / Stop times and i got an Avrage of 1min Burst dmg Area the numbers came out like this...


Sirra : Level 66 Druid (Over a 1min fight)
Slyvan Fire (http://lucy.allakhazam.com/spell.html?id=4884&source=Live) (1705) - 3 times = 5,115
Total = 5,115


Iosif : Level 70 Shadow Knight
Miasmic Spear (http://lucy.allakhazam.com/spell.html?id=4904&source=Live)(660) - 1 = 680
Spear of Decay (http://lucy.allakhazam.com/spell.html?id=3491&source=Live) (600) - 1 = 600
Touch of Innoruuk (http://lucy.allakhazam.com/spell.html?id=3413&source=Live) (470) - 2 = 940
Zafeer's Bite (http://lucy.allakhazam.com/spell.html?id=3408&source=Live) (200) - 1 = 200
SK Epic 1.5 (http://lucy.allakhazam.com/spell.html?id=3408&source=Live) (500) - 1 = 500
Total = 2740

ok now thats not alot of Dmg when you think of 2 people but this was me 2 boxing on 1 computer and making sure that i was not passing the 60sec mark and Making sure i was controlling the Mob properly. If it is a base +5% on top off thoes totals your looking at


Sirra (66 Druid) : 5,115base + 255gain = 5,370 total dmg
Iosif (70 SK) : 2,740base + 137gain = 2,877 total dmg


In conlusion : The Effect is Really a joke.. Assuming it's NOT resisted it only lasts 60 secs... The Gain from the Effect would be Neglibe for a Group or a Raid. the only time the number start to even look resonable is when you get in to SK/Manna Burns or some Junicy Crits up in the 6-8k Range

I would be so much happier with Hammer of Hours (http://lucy.allakhazam.com/item.html?id=21886) at least if you get 1 Proc you done more dmg then all the gain of clicking on your Epic 1.5

Personly i think thay need to make Resist Ajust (-250-500) .. Make the Duration 180-360sec (3-6mins) .. At the Vary Least... would also like to see a +10-15% dmg on it .... Or if thay want to keep the Duration short make it soemthing like +30-40% to nukes.. Unresitable Effect

Combat skills not allowed means that it doesn't affect Disciplines (and, uh, the only DD discipline I can think of is that wimpy level 1 Throw Stone ability)

I don't understand what this has to do with the druid class anyway?

Druids = Animals. So why not give us a pet similar to the necro one? , or something to do with healing. A 5% damage modifier doesn't follow with the class as we arn't known for detrimental damage.

Even if the effect works, it is in need of a large change.

PLEASE give us some form of group heal.

If not, change the resist rate, then increase the damage %. Also, pls change the cast range on this. I dont want to be in melee range to be able to cast the epic.

Currently it's way underpowered, that we can all agree on... but if they made it 25%+ then it would be overpowered on a raid(you'd be adding around 800 dps for a minute). Personally I'd like to see something we don't have yet but is useful, pet swarm would be cool and not out of line.

pet swarm would be cool and not out of line.
I would rather have a group heal.

The effect is pathetic in relation to other classes epics. I haven't done anything past the first step in Epic 1.5 and probably won't unless Epic 2.0 is a huge improvement, but doubtful other than some decent stats it will have.

I would rather have a group heal.
I agree completely. And it would be nice for one of the devs ( or someone "in the know" to even respond to our posts about the current effect not working. I have left multiple unanswered posts.

Pradera<!-- / message --><!-- sig -->

A 5% damage modifier doesn't follow with the class as we arn't known for detrimental damage.

You sir, are smoking something.

I still don't see why they're limited to 10 minutes casts anyway, remove that delay, leave it at 5%, and fix it so it actually does something tangible.

p.s. saying "because the other classes are limited to 10 minutes" isn't a valid response, unless you can explain why they're fixed at 10 minutes too.

I have cast this at raids after all debuffs are in it has no noticable affect and it is resisted often. Kinda sad I can land HoR on a lvl 75 mob but I cant land my epic effect that wasnt as easy to abtain as the spell. Hopefully this will be fixed but if not oh well just another soe day......

Would it not have made more sense to give us this item, with better effects, as a secondary / range slot item, thus not losing our dot capability from Epic 1.0 weapon.
A more effective function for our epic should have been to summon an animal pet, of equal par to other summoned pets, in the game (i.e Lvl 60 pets). Since all mobs in high lvl GoD / OoW are either immune to Command of Tunare, way to dangerous to attempt because they summon or simply no animals in the zone, combined with the now useless Dire Charm AA ability, a new pet seems only fair for our class.
No other class has been hindered by having to obtaining a lvl 55 spell, then discovering the summoned pet is only a lvl 30. Even fully buffed with multiple strengths, speed, skin and having pet weapons, this bear used during kiting can barely manage a rare 90 dmg. If you are lucky, the pet may survive one or 2 hits, but not more than that.
With the direction SOE has been taking with our character class, all indications point to them eliminating it from the game. Most of our abilities have been applied to other classes, porting has been negated by PoP stones and our dots/nukes/heals are all sub-standard to our equal lvl classes. The only redeeming update is the new summon spell, LVL 70, which allows us to no experience rez members of our party. This will come in very handy during raids, but the ability should have been granted at Lvl 66.

Waibew Yix
Lvl 68 Elder Druid
Xegony Server

We arent a pet class, nor should we be. The bear was given to us a long time ago as a toy. Nothing more. I dont think it was ever meant for a real purpose. Nor do I think they should give us a pet on par with other class pets. If I wanted a pet class I would have rolled a beastlord.

As far as removing the timer, now that would be unbalanced. Imagine the necro or cleric epics without a timer. Free aggroless group heals without a refresh anyone? Seriously consider balance before you go jumping to ideas on fixes.

Even if it does add 5% damage, it currently only lasts for 10 nukes on the mob.

Aye, I too want a group heal, but I know SOE would never be kind enough to give that to us, so I'm lobbying for a pet swarm or something useful and not too powerful or too underpowered. Our epic effect is a complete joke.

I think a group heal recourse would be perfect, and would match the other two priest epic1.5 effects. SOE seems to have a serious double standard when it comes to giving druids group/raid friendly abilities...

Cmon. The shaman epic has a group heal (plus another effect.) The cleric epic has a group heal (plus another effect AND is a 6 minute refresh.) The druid epic has an unworking (still... patches later and no fix or even an acknowledgement that it's broken) mystery nuke/debuff effect with no group benefit at all.

One of these things is not like the other! Which one is it, SOE? Do you know?

Bump: ok it's been over 3 weeks since the last post here... any news?

It got fixed. No one cares though because it still sucks ass.

I have to agree that it sucks. I have stopped going after epic and I am down to final battle. I dont see the point in it anymore. At the high end game, resists are one of the most important stats, and this lowers 2 resists that are already hard to raise. If they wanted to truly nerf us though, they would change the clicky to a new wolfform that grants us an insane amount of atk but wont stack with mask line of spells. We all know we would rather haveincreased atk for all the melee we do anyways....

Aluaeia always has such a way with words....

So apt this time, though!

This has been fixed? I haven't seen any evidence of that at all.

This has been fixed? I haven't seen any evidence of that at all.

Apparently you don't pay much attention. It's fixed on test and going live next patch. No one cares though because as I said above, it still sucks ass.

I am not even sure this effect even works. Why not give us feedback in our spell damage text?

I mean when I group with a bard... I nuke and my spell damage increases and I can see it easy because it is reported in my spell damage text. I like seeing the results.

However, I land this effect on a mob and Solstice Strike stills hits for 1926. No change. If it worked, wouldn't it be better to see the +5% damage reported back? Like the spell hits for 2022 while Nature's Blight is on.

Scrap it and give us a group heal please.

Or at the very least get this working AND let us see proof that it is.

Don't think it's live yet, but as already stated it still sucks. If it was a 25% increase then I'd be tickled or perhaps something more group friendly. Sucks being the red-headed stepchild sometimes. We always get the worst gifts.