In a recent Devpost CCP listed all the changes that are planned for the upcoming Retribution Expansion that will be released on December 4th. This list of changes is pretty massive and I can't remember any other expansion to ever have this many changes.
The major changes are:
- Crimewatch + the new Bounty Hunting System
- Rebalancing Stat changes to almost every single Frigate, Destroyer, and Cruiser
- New Destroyers for each race
- The Hurricane Nerf
- The Drake Nerf (by way of heavy missile nerf)
- The everything but heavy missile buff
- The ASB (Ancillary Shield Booster) Nerf (who didn't see that coming?)
- A new Micro Jump Drive Module
- A Drone Buff
- And Logistics Frigates
There's more than that but those are the major points.
For those of you interested in hearing more details I have created a Video and Podcast (the audio from the video) where I discuss all the changes and how I think they will effect the game. It's pretty long because I go into some detail on many of the changes.
Video:
Podcast:
EVE Online Retribution Expansion Analysis and Discussion Podcast (MP3)
Right Click and Save
Update: In the video I say that I think ASB's will have their amount boosted stat changed. That's not accurate. The actual change will limit capacity so you can load fewer cap boosters and thus not boost for as long. A counter change to this is that the X-Large Ancillary Shield Booster will have it's duration increased from 4 seconds to 5 seconds. Meaning that with a X-Large you will be able to boost for 45 seconds before running out of cap boosters instead of the old 52 seconds (with navy cap boosters). My guess is that this will cause the majority people to start building fits around the X-Large booster on T3 Cruisers and Battlecruisers.
What do you think?
View Comments (3)
great post. one thing about your comments on salvage drones - don't forget the new NPC AI coming in, they will target switch and blap the salvage drones so you still gotta wait till you clear the room.
Keep it up man, love your stuff
Rats Popping Drones is always annoying...
Glad you like the site, much more coming.
I'm not sure I understand the Drake changes. Drake damage was already low. It was the tanking that people complained about. So instead of nerfing that they nerfed damage by taking away a launcher hardpoint. But then simultaneously gave a damage buff...only when using kinetic missiles.
So the net effect is a buff when when doing missions against Guristas and a nerf when fighting anyone else.
But then they took away the extra high slot too. So was this supposed to be a fleet nerf to reduce the number of link modules people are using? If so...people will just take out one more heavy missile and put it there. Drake damage was already low to begin with, so losing a little more isn't going to have a huge affect on pvp.
All they really did did was encourage Drake pilots to fly missions in Caldari space to get Guristas missions rather than other pirates.