The 2.7 PTS patch notes contain details on a new time-limited title and changes to how nightmare content will be handled in the game.

Nightmare Mode is now available for the Dread Fortress! Even greater horrors await those who wish to challenge the bastion of the Dread Masters, and even greater rewards in the form of new Dread Touched equipment!

 

This iteration of Nightmare Mode is a little different than others. The usual additional mechanics are present, as well as a new buff on the enemies called Nightmare Power. This buff grants the usual additional health and damage that has been added to previous Nightmare Modes. Anyone powerful and coordinated enough to defeat Dread Master Brontes while under the effect of Nightmare Power will be granted a new unique title!

 

At a future date, we will remove this buff, leaving the new mechanics in place but the health and damage dealt will return to usual hard mode values, and the title will no longer be possible to obtain.

 

I'm a bit surprised by the new approach where the nightmare bosses will revert to hard mode health and damage levels at some future point. The time-limited title seems to be an attempt to maintain the prestige of completing an "original" nightmare clear. I do think that the value of the new title is helped by the fact that 2.7 also brings the split between hard mode and nightmare mode lockouts, so nightmare boss skipping will no longer be possible.

This seems weird to me. Title is nice to have, but I find it a little weird that the gear drops (81?) will be from hard mode difficulty + additional mechanics per boss? Plus, you can run two HMs per week to get 78/81 gear drops (yes, plus "additional mechanics").

 

It doesn't say anything about how long the NM buff lasts (1 hour, 2 hours, 4 hours, forever?). I prefer the current timed system. If they really want to make this stuff exclusive, just remove the trigger for the title in future updates.

 

"As a future date we will remove this buff..." -- Is this so much more complicated than removing the triggered update, death proc, implementations, etc that grants the title?

 

Hopefully no one new ever wants to play this game and have titles. This kind of says, "You want titles? **** you for not playing this game when we thought you should have played it."

From the few bits and pieces of info I've read regarding this, I'm pretty sure there are two NiM titles.One involving this Nightmare Power buff, and one for completing it on "Normal" NiM mode. And I believe the timed runs are 1 hr.

 

I think it's an interesting step. Allow a shiny for a group who is geared and ready to take on the content at level when released, and can show that they were able to clear it without being overgeared. Without knowing how long this buffed NiM will be live, I can't really comment about how (un)fair it is, but it's a unique step that will reward the better progression guilds with a title that shouldn't be tarnished by clears of NiM DF 3 years from now.

 

If I were a betting man, it wouldn't surprise me if the buff gets shut off right around the time that NiM DP gets released. Would just seem to make perfect sense.

Edited March 4, 2014 by JMagee

This does two things. First, it makes all nightmare titles an "original" clear. No more need to specify "pre-2.0 Warstalker" or "pre-2.4 Dragonslayer". Second, it avoids the utterly bizarre situation we have right now where easier ops (HM DF/DP) drop better gear. There is no reason whatsoever to get gear from NiM TfB or S&V, but they are indisputably harder than HM DF or DP. So, that's backwards. With this new time-limited scheme, they will effectively be nerfing NiM DF and DP such that they are accessible to those who want an intermediate gear tier between 78s and whatever-comes-next (maybe 85s?).

The gearing sounds similar to how Kell Dragon was BiS at the time and could only be obtained through token drops from the most recent NM instances. At least I assume DF/DP NM will drop a new tier of gear that is only tokens. That they make future HMs easier and drop better gear than previous tier NM sounds more like a design decision to placate casual players. BioWare caters to casual players, and they always will.

 

As for titles, that's only relevant now, and I think it's wasted e-peen nonsense. You get a timestamped achievement when you complete a NM operation for the first time. You hear anyone talking about their raid accomplishments from EV or Denova? No. Just let people get titles. If individuals really want to feel important, they can link their accomplishments in general. Or print out a screenshot and frame it on their wall.

I think its awesome. I'm going to try my best to get them, but even if I am not able to earn them in time, I still think they are an excellent decision.

While I applaud the restructuring of lockouts (Story, Hard, NM all separate), structure for time dependent titles and temporarily harder NM mode is not what I want to see them spending their development time and resources on.

This explains the two titles per instance that was mined. One for a Nightmare Power clear, one for the timed run.

This does two things. First, it makes all nightmare titles an "original" clear. No more need to specify "pre-2.0 Warstalker" or "pre-2.4 Dragonslayer". Second, it avoids the utterly bizarre situation we have right now where easier ops (HM DF/DP) drop better gear. There is no reason whatsoever to get gear from NiM TfB or S&V, but they are indisputably harder than HM DF or DP. So, that's backwards. With this new time-limited scheme, they will effectively be nerfing NiM DF and DP such that they are accessible to those who want an intermediate gear tier between 78s and whatever-comes-next (maybe 85s?).

 

Great points KBN. That actually really clarifies the purpose of what they're doing.

 

I would imagine that the Nightmare Power buff will be in effect until the next tier of gear above 81s comes out, as you wouldn't be able to overgear for nightmare DF/DP until that point. This would likely be when the next set of operations are released, so late summer if they are out a couple of months after DP (nightmare) is released at the beginning of June.

I think this is a pretty awesome strategy and KBN nailed the reasons.

i totally read the notes as saying: if you down this on the pts within the first few weeks, youll get a title. i really wish i could think in the box once and a while.

i totally read the notes as saying: if you down this on the pts within the first few weeks, youll get a title. i really wish i could think in the box once and a while.

 

Thats ok, you're not the only one.

 

Though I am surprised that when Nightmare Power is removed the health and damage of the bosses will drop to HM level. At least give it +5%!

 

Cause I can guarantee I wont be able to take on NiM DF/DP while the buff is out (unless it lasts till december or something), but I'd like it to be more than just mechanical differences between HM and NiM when I do get around to it...

Thats ok, you're not the only one.

 

Though I am surprised that when Nightmare Power is removed the health and damage of the bosses will drop to HM level. At least give it +5%!

 

Cause I can guarantee I wont be able to take on NiM DF/DP while the buff is out (unless it lasts till december or something), but I'd like it to be more than just mechanical differences between HM and NiM when I do get around to it...

 

For most people the mechanics are what causes wipes. Not the extra bump in health or damages.

For most people the mechanics are what causes wipes. Not the extra bump in health or damages.

 

Eh, for a lot of mechanically sound people it's getting the DPS checks that becomes such a pain.

it sounds like they are making it similar to pvp seasonal titles.

 

time based titles already exist in SWTOR, they were merely given to everyone who was there, just for being there. now, you don't just have to be there, you'll have to earn them.

 

I did also read it as... well... sounds like we're going to be spending some time on PTS practicing. I do wonder how limited is limited. how many months before the nerf.

 

its an interesting idea. and from what I read of the data-mined mechanics? they sound painful, even without the health/damage buff on bosses.

 

as long as they keep the nightmare mounts earnable though? I'm personaly content. I'd love a title, but I'd love the mount more

Eh, for a lot of mechanically sound people it's getting the DPS checks that becomes such a pain.

 

Gate Commander Draxus = Next Dread Guard wall

Gate Commander Draxus = Next Dread Guard wall

 

affliction will be the new lightning field, glorious guild crushing mechanic

it sounds like they are making it similar to pvp seasonal titles.

 

time based titles already exist in SWTOR, they were merely given to everyone who was there, just for being there. now, you don't just have to be there, you'll have to earn them.

 

I did also read it as... well... sounds like we're going to be spending some time on PTS practicing. I do wonder how limited is limited. how many months before the nerf.

 

its an interesting idea. and from what I read of the data-mined mechanics? they sound painful, even without the health/damage buff on bosses.

 

as long as they keep the nightmare mounts earnable though? I'm personaly content. I'd love a title, but I'd love the mount more

 

oh there some other mechanics especially for brontes that are not mentioned on the pts. Like for one Brontes's lightning circle attack can now go clockwise OR counterclockwise. Also her fingers in the 2nd to last phase, where heals and dps have to stand next to one, now have an ability called "touch", if you get hit by this debuff again your dead, meaning you can't stand by the same finger anymore

This does two things. First, it makes all nightmare titles an "original" clear. No more need to specify "pre-2.0 Warstalker" or "pre-2.4 Dragonslayer". Second, it avoids the utterly bizarre situation we have right now where easier ops (HM DF/DP) drop better gear. There is no reason whatsoever to get gear from NiM TfB or S&V, but they are indisputably harder than HM DF or DP. So, that's backwards. With this new time-limited scheme, they will effectively be nerfing NiM DF and DP such that they are accessible to those who want an intermediate gear tier between 78s and whatever-comes-next (maybe 85s?).

 

It only makes sense if the new HMs gona be so hard that you can't beat it without the gear from DF/DP Nim. If it will be another DF/DP HM lvl of difficulty than it's stupid, still a lot of guild trying to prorgress in TFB/S&V Nim, but with a nerfed version they might not care at all.

I actually like the idea.

 

I think the buff will last long enough for any good (and i mean really good) group to clear it no matter whether they did test it on PTS or just did it on live. I also think that it might be until DP NiM is released. This way for people that struggled to gear up a bit on DF NiM, it will become easier to get NIM gear required for DP, so more people can progress it but you will not be able to get that title.

 

I also don't think it will be so short that getting title will only be available for those that practice it on PTS. If you will get the Title it then doesn't matter have you done it in week one (thanks to PTS training) or you did it week before buff expired. You will be the one that did it without help of gear from next tier making those fights easier.

 

As for gear, they are not changing anything as far as i can see for this tier. Its like it was with Kell Dragon gear. If when new HM versions will come out i am sure it will be higher then NiM (only just). If new HMs that we will get in the summer/autumn are lower then NiM gear from DF/DP (wich now drops from HM versiosns) then whats the reason to do them for 90% of population that does OPS as we will all have (if not already) full sets of 78s on most of our characters

 

I like the idea (if i understand it right) and having title that is proving how good of a player you are and part of how good group you were is a nice bonus to those that will be able to do it (i very much doubt i will do it myself even though i would love to and will die many times trying ).

also for people saying that DF/DP was stupid easy, i would not agree that much on this statement.

Our group went in with full 72s to DF and DP and we struggled. Sure we are not the best out there, we get our group together just before DF/DP got released so we improved as a group now, but it was not a walk in the park as some of you are saying.

 

If your group was in full Kell Dragon gear then sure, it was easier. We are now clearing it easily with occasional wipe here and there and it seems so easy.But that's only thanks to gear upgrade and knowing the fights so well now.

affliction will be the new lightning field, glorious guild crushing mechanic

 

i was thinking about it and i think you can split your raid in a way so no single affliction will go out and no one will die from debuff but your group will have to be very well coordinated. I think other mechanics like healing adds and inability to heal if someone is under shield might be more difficult then handling corruptors which at any give them is no more then 4 so in 8 man raid you barely can do it ... its might be one of the bosses that 16man might be easier to handle.

also for people saying that DF/DP was stupid easy, i would not agree that much on this statement. ...

It's far easier than it should have been, IMO.

It's far easier than it should have been, IMO.

 

It was in line with the relative difficulty of HM S&V and TfB. Maybe a bit harder (the coordination checks are tougher in DF/DP than in S&V/TfB). I honestly think they did a very good job of balancing them. It's just that they feel stupidly easy and undertuned because they came after NiM S&V/TfB, which are unarguably more challenging.