Please note, I tested all classes, different builds within the classes and different levels. I also tested both member and non-member builds at different levels. As indicated in my subject line, these are my general impressions of Chunk #2 from a PVE perspective:

* Rangers took a pretty big hit with TFF. Personally, I didn't feel too affected, but speed crit rangers are definitely feeling it. Per Stephen, the numbers will be adjusted.

* Mages seem fine. I tested a level 34 full int mage with int/end gear and no specific elemental build and chewed through mobs in Frumps. I had to use a pot in between battles occasionally, but no big deal. For grins and giggles, I then respec'ed to full end using the same gear and gimped myself to using only shadow skills even though my gear wasn't all +shadow. Obviously, I killed slower, but I still killed relatively quickly and still didn't have to use too many pots.

* Fighters got some love, most noticeably through extra defense and attack rating. They still rely upon agility, but to a much lesser extent.

* Hybrids are a mixed bag, depending what type of hybrid you have. If, for example, you play a dual-wielding fighter/shadow mage, you might dig the fighter benefits, which will let you put some agi points into int, which you'll need for the high cost of shadow lightning. My non-member agi/int poison ranger did very well, however, regardless of TFF.

* Non-members got some serious goodies as a result of having to deal with ads that aren't too intrusive in the first place. Heck, the comments on the ads are actually kind of amusing! I do have some minor issues with the ads (like seeing an ad before you even get to create a character).

* Trade - works well, but I'm personally disappointed that the devs scrapped the ability to trade with somebody no matter where in the world they are. Like most games, you now have to be within close proximity to each other to trade Yay for the secure trade window, boo for the proximity issue.

* Abyss Mill was fixed! Yay!

* DoTs were fixed - double yay!

Summary: All-in-all, I think this is a great patch, albeit with some issues (like TFF for rangers) that are being looked at.

In regards, to PVP. I don't pvp enough to have any real opinions on how this build affects pvp. I think, however, that it's critical to get all of the experienced regular pvpers onto the test server at one time, so they can put the changes through their paces. This is especially true with players logging into the pts pve world and immediately spamming upon login that "well, they killed of the ranger class", "well, they killed off low level mages" etc...

I did - one bank page - worked fine.

Ripper, it is not just TFF that hurts us Crit Rangers. It is the overall damage output we do. A great example to this would be my ranger's rings. These went from 5% and 6% on the live servers to 2% and 3% on the PTS. A 50% reduction in the bonus hurts bad when the build is focused on as much damage in as little time as one can get.

All of the %Dmg items were lowered, all my 6% went down to 4. And another note not just TFF was berfed but the Swivels as well.

After checking some more gear, it was not a nerf to all + damage items. Anything marked with a specific number such as +100 Pierce was unchanged. Only things listed with a % were modified. Not exactly sure if that hits any item but all of the ones I have are showing the same results.

And, to hit it exactly where it should be, fighters damage % wasnt changed.
Level 100 and above are 5% now, and level 95-99 are 4% (and lower but I dont know that).
I am happy that Stephen is the boss of the game, 15 sec lasting is very few, but against 40 sec recharge I cant really be angry either, expecially that 115% speed, from 55%!! LOL I want to see a popper with 12% speed bonus on it INCLUDING TTF hehe, will make it .16 or so for sure

Monster bait is taken care of also. So the only thing I got a small problem with is the damage thats still the same on fighter rainbows.

Edit: Sounds a bit mean now I read it myself, I do got the problem still with % damage of fighters thats same and rangers thats lower. But in overall I am happy that the nerf was made pretty less.

Original 195/220 TTF = 88,6% on-time
Then 30/80 = 37.5% on-time
To finally 15/40 = 37.5% on-time but from 37% to 115% for a level 100.

Makes me happy

(For the record, I play a ranger)

Isn't it logical that melee weapons (which require one to close within melee range of the target) *should* deal better damage, and hence have better damage modifiers to some extent?

Traditionally range/damage has always been a tradeoff. In the case of mages, you've got to use mana, so the damage is finite and limited to that pool. In the case of bows/guns there isn't an obvious tradeoff once you factor in changes made to increase the viability of pure STR/END warriors.

Now I haven't gone over the numbers as extensively as many of you, so I'm not sure what the discrepancies look like with lv100 dropped weapons of similar attack speed, but it seems to me that a 2h warrior weapon with the same speed rating as a 2h ranged weapon should easily be capable of 150%-200% more damage than its ranged counterpart based solely on the fact that the melee weapon requires the user to get right up in the target's face.

After all, they serve precisely the same function while auto-attacking, which requires nothing more than a button click, and no mana, which means that the ranged weapon can easily score multiple hits before the melee weapon is capable of scoring even one.

If this *has* been out of balance, than I see the reason for the changes.

Wait what LR? I have lvl 100 rings /ammys/ weapons that were all 6Percent before, now they are 4Percent