Update 4.2: Searing Heights - Release Notes
[18-Jul-2007]

Searing Heights

The fiery Sulatar drow lay claim to a volcano on the outskirts of Stormreach. Can you stop the Sulatar from unleashing a burning apocalypse on the heroes of Xen'drik?
  • Discover new secrets and enemies in newly revamped Menechtarun desert landscape and the Waterworks adventure area.
  • Wage war against the Sulatar firebinders on an all-new CR 4 landscape.
  • New spells, abilities, and enhancements including Holy Sword and Warchanter.
In the past month, sightings near the Searing Heights volcano of a mysterious drow tribe have increased tenfold. While their intent is still unknown, many of the Marketplace's residents have been victims of sleepless nights, kept awake by tribal chanting and thunderous drums. Those who have seen members of this tribe, report their face covered with distinctive markings. Scholars say these facial tattoos are unique to the long extinct Sulatar tribe, territorial dark elves that have an unnatural infatuation with all things flame and fire. One can only wonder what secrets are to be found within the depths of Searing Height's slumbering volcano.



General
  • Players get 3 more weapon set configuration slots, for a total of 7!
  • The Biography text filter has been modified to replace bad words with symbol characters instead of rejecting an entire biography. These symbols will help you identify your problem areas (which sometimes aren't obvious).
  • Fixed an Auction House bug where it was possible to bid on an auction and receive a different quantity of the item than expected.
UI Improvements
  • The XP bar should no longer disappear on larger monitors.
  • The pop-up dialog for splitting items stacks in your inventory now defaults to 1 item instead of the size of the full stack.
  • Mail
    • You will now get a warning (and won't be able to detach the money) when you attempt to detach money which would place you over the maximum amount of money you can have.
  • Auction House
    • You can now filter your auction house searches by item level. This search is based on the minimum level to use the item. Items with no level requirement are considered level 1 by the filter. This feature will only work with auctions posted after the update.
    • Clothing and Jewelry sections in the auction house are now broken up into multiple categories based the slot the item equips to. There are now a total of ten categories for both of these two sections. Note: Only newly posted auctions will appear in these new categories.
    • Throwing Darts now have their own category.
  • Friends List
    • Offline friends will no longer show up in the friends list when added or imported if "Hide Offline Friends" is checked.
    • Characters you add to your friends list who are anonymous will now appear offline as intended.
  • Who Panel
    • Clicking on the "Show only players looking for group" text will no longer check the checkbox. You now must click on the checkbox directly to select this option.
  • Rogue Action Boost and Ranger Action Boost have new icons to differentiate them from Human Versatility.
Monsters
  • The Efreeti summoned by Summon Monster VII now once again possesses spell points and is capable of casting spells.
  • Giant Skeletons will no longer always alternate missile and magical attacks when at range.
  • Translucent monsters will no longer reappear "standing" after dying to an effect that would normally destroy their body.
  • Bezekira particle effects will no longer persist after death.
  • The spike damage of the Razor Cats is now working properly. Those who hit a razor cat in melee combat will have to make a reflex save or be injured by the spikes. Keep some throwing hammers and/or spearblock items handy.
  • The fire elemental's Aura of Flame has been fixed. It can no longer be blocked by spell resistance.
  • Duergar barbarians, bandits, and bards had their alignment corrected. They are now Neutral Evil instead of Lawful Evil.
  • Higher level wights and ghouls (CR 10 and above) will be able to use their innate abilities like level drain and disease on more of their attacks, rather than only doing these on their “rear back and jump forward” attack. This makes them more like their pen and paper counterparts and will make them a little more challenging. Players will of course still get their saves to resist these effects.
Combat
  • Weapons with special damage effects no longer cause a sneak attack on an unsuspecting victim to be lost.
Spells
  • New Spells for Paladins:
    • Angelskin
      • Abjuration
      • Level: Pal 2
      • Components: V, S, DF
      • Target: Lawful Good creature touched (self or ally)
      • Duration: 6 seconds/level
      • The subject gains damage reduction 5/evil.
    • Holy Sword
      • Evocation
      • Level: Pal 4
      • Components: V, S, M
      • Channels holy power to turn a Blessed Cold Iron weapon into a +5 Holy Cold Iron weapon that grants its wielder a continuous Protection From Evil effect while equipped. The holy weapon is permanent, but is destroyed on dungeon exit. The House Jorasco Divine Reagent Vendor carries Blessed Cold Iron Greatswords, Bastard Swords, Longswords, Shortswords, Scimitars, Warhammers, Rapiers, Dwarven Waraxes, Khopeshes, Mauls, and Heavy Picks.
  • New Spells for Clerics:
    • Chaos Hammer
      • Evocation [Chaotic]
      • Level: Clr 4
      • Components: V, S
      • Saving Throw: Will partial, see text.
      • You unleash chaotic power to smite your enemies. This spell deals 1d8 points of damage per two caster levels (max 5d8) to lawful creatures (or 1d6 points of damage per caster level (max 10d6) to lawful outsiders) and slows them for a short period of time. A successful Will save reduces the damage by half and negates the slow effect. The spell deals only half damage to creatures that are neither lawful nor chaotic, and they are not slowed. Such creatures can reduce the damage by half again (down to one quarter) with a successful Will save. This spell deals no damage to chaotic creatures, and can only be cast by chaotic or neutral casters - it has no effect when cast by a lawful caster.
    • Close Wounds
      • Conjuration (Healing)
      • Level: Clr 2
      • Components: V
      • Target: One Ally, Self, or Undead Foe
      • Saving Throw: Will half
      • Close Wounds cures 1d4 points of damage + 1 point per caster level (maximum +5). This spell is quicker to cast than other cures and has no cooldown other than the one second global cooldown.
    • Nightshield
      • Abjuration
      • Level: Clr 1, Sor/Wiz 1
      • Components: V, S
      • Range: Personal
      • Duration: 1 minute/level
      • Grants a +1 resistance bonus to saves; this resistance bonus increases to +2 at caster level 6th and +3 at caster level 9th. In addition, this spell negates Magic Missile and Force Missile attacks directed at you.
    • Order's Wrath
      • Evocation [Lawful]
      • Level: Clr 4
      • Components: V, S
      • Saving Throw: Will partial, see text.
      • You unleash lawful power to smite your enemies. This spell deals 1d8 points of damage per two caster levels (max 5d8) to chaotic creatures (or 1d6 points of damage per caster level (max 10d6) to chaotic outsiders) and dazes them for a short period of time. A successful Will save reduces the damage by half and negates the daze effect. The spell deals only half damage to creatures that are neither lawful nor chaotic, and they are not dazed. Such creatures can reduce the damage by half again (down to one quarter) with a successful Will save. This spell deals no damage to lawful creatures, and can only be cast by lawful or neutral casters - it has no effect when cast by a chaotic caster.
    • Spawn Screen
      • Necromancy
      • Level: Clr 2, Sor/Wiz 2
      • Components: V, S, DF
      • Target: One Ally/level
      • Duration: 1 minute/level
      • Protects you and your allies from rising as spawns of common undead after death. Certain very rare, exceptionally powerful creatures (with purple names) may be able to bypass this ward.
    • Unholy Blight
      • Evocation [Evil]
      • Level: Clr 4
      • Components: V, S
      • Saving Throw: Will partial, see text.
      • You call up unholy power to smite your enemies. This spell deals 1d8 points of damage per two caster levels (max 5d8) to good creatures (or 1d6 points of damage per caster level (max 10d6) to good outsiders) and sickens them for a short period of time. A successful Will save reduces the damage by half and negates the sicken effect. The spell deals only half damage to creatures that are neither good nor evil, and they are not sickened. Such creatures can reduce the damage by half again (down to one quarter) with a successful Will save. This spell deals no damage to evil creatures, and can only be cast by evil or neutral casters - it has no effect when cast by a good caster.
  • New Spells for Wizards and Sorcerers:
    • Nightshield
      • Abjuration
      • Level: Clr 1, Sor/Wiz 1
      • Components: V, S
      • Range: Personal
      • Duration: 1 minute/level
      • Grants a +1 resistance bonus to saves; this resistance bonus increases to +2 at caster level 6th and +3 at caster level 9th. In addition, this spell negates Magic Missile and Force Missile attacks directed at you.
    • Ooze Puppet
      • Transmutation
      • Level: Sor/Wiz 2
      • Components: V, S
      • Target: One Ooze
      • Duration: 10 minutes
      • Saving Throw: Fortitude negates
      • You telekinetically take control of the targeted ooze, manipulating it and forcing it to move and attack as you see fit. Oozes dominated by this spell are slowed, and once a minute receive an additional save to attempt to free themselves. If the controlled ooze splits, you lose control of the resultant oozes.
    • Spawn Screen
      • Necromancy
      • Level: Clr 2, Sor/Wiz 2
      • Components: V, S, DF
      • Target: One Ally/level
      • Duration: 1 minute/level
      • Protects you and your allies from rising as spawns of common undead after death. Certain very rare, exceptionally powerful creatures (with purple names) may be able to bypass this ward.
  • New Spells for Bards:
    • Focusing Chant
      • Enchantment (Compulsion) [Mind-Affecting]
      • Level: Brd 1
      • Components: V
      • Range: Personal
      • Duration: 1 minute
      • You gain a +1 circumstance bonus on attack rolls and skill checks for the duration of the spell.
  • Base cooldowns for Sorcerers reduced by 0.5 seconds for all spells (1.0 second for lingering effects.)
  • Maximize and Empower options temporarily removed from Fire Shield and Chill Shield - these metamagics were not increasing the amount of damage dealt by the spells but were increasing the spell point cost of the spells.
  • Tenser's Transformation now grants Simple Weapon Proficiencies in addition to Martial Weapon Proficiencies. Additionally, casting Tenser's Transformation will now also grant proficiency with Throwing Hammers.
  • Chill Touch now (properly) has a fortitude save to negate the strength damage portion of the spell.
  • Potentially long-lasting debuff spells like crushing despair, bane, doom, and ray of enfeeblement have been changed so that they are removed by resting at a rest shrine.
  • Fixed Mind Fog's spell school. Mind Fog is an enchantment, not a conjuration.
  • The description for the Symbol of Flame spell has been fixed to accurately describe the amount of damage the spell does. The reflex save for this spell has also been fixed. Players and enemy npcs can now attempt a reflex save to reduce damage by half. The spell has always done 5d6 damage, and this has not been changed.
Skills, Feats, & Abilities
  • Reduced difficulty of detecting traps with Search and Spot, especially at low levels (5 and under).
  • The Power Critical feats have been upgraded. All of these feats have been consolidated into one. Once you have this feat, you will get a +4 bonus to confirm critical hits with any type of weapon.
Enhancements
  • General
    • Extra Dragonmark I
      • Cost: 1 Action Point
      • Prereqs: Any Dragonmark, Level 2 Character, 3 Action Points Spent.
      • Benefit: Gain an additional use of your Least, Lesser, and Greater Dragonmarks per rest.
    • Extra Dragonmark 2
      • Cost: 2 Action Point
      • Prereqs: Any Dragonmark, Level 6 Character, 18 Action Points Spent.
      • Benefit: Gain an additional use of your Least, Lesser, and Greater Dragonmarks per rest.
    • Extra Dragonmark 3
      • Cost: 3 Action Point
      • Prereqs: Any Dragonmark, Level 10 Character, 33 Action Points Spent.
      • Benefit: Gain an additional use of your Least, Lesser, and Greater Dragonmarks per rest.
    • Extra Dragonmark 4
      • Cost: 4 Action Point
      • Prereqs: Any Dragonmark, Level 14 Character, 48 Action Points Spent.
      • Benefit: Gain an additional use of your Least, Lesser, and Greater Dragonmarks per rest.
  • Bards
    • Note: you may only have one Bardic Specialization at a time
    • Spellsinger
      • Prereqs: Bard level 6, Bard Music of Energy 2, Bard Skill: Concentration 2, Bard Song Magic 2, Bard Lyric of Song 1, Any one of the following: Magical Training, Mental Toughness, Spell Focus: Enchantment, Greater Spell Focus: Enchantment, Empower Spell, Extend Spell, Heighten Spell, Maximize Spell
      • Your studies into magic have granted you a +2 bonus to your Concentration and Use Magic Device skills, +100 Spell Points, and the ability to expend a use of Bardic Music to grant all nearby allies a +1 morale bonus to spell DC's and a 10% morale discount on spell costs.
    • Virtuoso
      • Prereqs: Bard level 6, Bard Extra Song 2, Bard Skill: Perform 2, Bard Lingering Song 1, Bard Charisma 1, Any one of the following: Bard Extra Song 4, Skill Focus: Perform, Negotiator
      • Your studies into song have granted you a +2 bonus to your Diplomacy, Listen, and Perform skills, 3 extra uses of Bardic Music per rest, and your beneficial songs last an additional 10% longer. You also gain the ability to expend a use of Bardic Music to enthrall multiple enemies, fascinating them and inflicting a -2 penalty to attack rolls and Will saves even if the fascination is broken.
    • Warchanter
      • Prereqs: Bard level 6, Bard Inspired Attack 1, Bard Inspired Damage 1, Bard Inspired Bravery 2, Power Attack, Any one of the following: Weapon Focus: Slashing, Weapon Focus: Piercing, Weapon Focus: Bludgeoning
      • Your studies into war have granted you a +2 bonus to your Intimidate skill. Your Inspire Courage song gains an additional +1 to attack rolls, +2 to damage rolls, and +1 to fear saves. If you possess the Barbarian Rage ability, you gain +1 use per rest. You also gain the ability to expend a use of Bardic Music to grant all nearby allies damage reduction 5/-."
  • Warforged
    • Warforged Brute Fighting I
      • Cost: 1 Action Point
      • Prereqs: Warforged Level 2, 3 Action Points Spent
      • Benefit: Activate this ability to cause your melee attacks to generate 10% more hate, making enemies more likely to attack you.
    • Warforged Brute Fighting II
      • Cost: 2 Action Points
      • Prereqs: Warforged Level 6, Warforged Brute Fighting I, 18 Action Points Spent
      • Benefit: Activate this ability to cause your melee attacks to generate 15% more hate, making enemies more likely to attack you.
    • Warforged Brute Fighting III
      • Cost: 3 Action Points
      • Prereqs: Warforged Level 10, Warforged Brute Fighting II, 33 Action Points Spent
      • Benefit: Activate this ability to cause your melee attacks to generate 20% more hate, making enemies more likely to attack you.
    • Warforged Brute Fighting IV
      • Cost: 4 Action Points
      • Prereqs: Warforged Level 14, Warforged Brute Fighting III, 48 Action Points Spent
      • Benefit: Activate this ability to cause your melee attacks to generate 25% more hate, making enemies more likely to attack you.
  • The Follower of the Enhancement Lines now grant sub-abilities:
    • Tira's Champion: (Associated with Follower of the Silver Flame) Activate this ability to grant weapon proficiency in longbows to yourself or a friend until the target next rests. Consumes a use of turn undead.
    • Similar sub-abilities exist for the other faiths.
  • The Toughness enhancement lines for dwarves, barbarians, fighters, and paladins have been upgraded. They now give you 5, 10, 15, and 20 additional hit points respectively instead of 5, 5, 5, and 5. They all still have the Toughness feat as a prerequisite.
  • Halfling Thrown Weapon Attack and Damage enhancements now work on Throwing Hammers.
  • Cleric and Paladin Unyielding Sovereignty now has significantly longer range (matching other healing spells) and requires line of sight to the target.
  • The active abilities under Rogue Specializations now show up underneath the passive ability rather than under a second heading.
  • Way of the Assassin now has three different poisons available for use: Thoughtburn (Int damage and prevents casting for a short time), Icechill (Dex damage and slows the target's attack speed for a short time), and Soulshatter (Lowers the target's spell resistance by 10 and Will saves by 4 for a short time). Only one poison may be active at a time.
  • An enemy poisoned by Thoughtburn (from the Way of the Assassin ability) now displays appropriate particle effects.
  • Corrected description of Rogue Way of the Assassin I to indicate that poison effect occur on sneak attacks while Assassin's Focus is active.
  • Corrected prerequisite values for the enhancements Elven Melee Attack II and Elven Ranged Damage II. Elven Melee Attack II now requires 32 Action Points spent, Elven Ranged Damage II now requires 20 Action Points spent.
  • Rogue Subtle Backstabber is now an active enhancement that has a toggled stance. While turned on, you will generate less hate on melee attacks.
  • The Silver Flame Exorcism enhancements now use 10 + (class level) + Charisma Modifier as a DC for the Will and Fortitude saves rather than a fixed save DC. Updated the descriptions to match.
  • Undying Call now properly differentiates between Drow and "real" elves.
  • The various enhancements that summon creatures (Iron/Steel/Mithral Companion and Vulkoor’s Avatar) can now only be summoned in dungeons. You will no longer trigger the cooldown (and lose the attempt) if you try to summon them elsewhere. Summoning these creatures will now also break stealth.
  • Iron Companion no longer lists Cannith Repair II as a potential prerequisite, since a character with Cannith Repair II has already unlocked the enhancement through the Least Mark of Making.
  • Ranger Vermin Empathy enhancement prerequisites changed to: Ranger Level 2 (from 11). Ranger Extra Empathy I and any one of the following: Favored Enemy: Vermin, Ranger Desert Lore 2, Ranger Swamp Lore 2, or Ranger Extra Empathy IV.
  • Ranger Elemental Empathy enhancement prerequisites changed to: Ranger Level 4 (from 12). Ranger Extra Empathy I and any one of the following: Favored Enemy: Elemental, Ranger Energy Resistance Boost III, or Ranger Extra Empathy IV.
  • Bard Music of the Dead enhancement prerequisite changed to: Bard Level 6 (from 11). Any one of the following: Bard Extra Song IV or Bard Virtuoso I.
  • Bard Music of the Makers enhancement prerequisite changed to: Bard Level 9 (from 11). Any one of the following: Bard Extra Song IV, Bard Virtuoso I, Warforged Construct Thinking III, Lesser Dragonmark of Making.
Items
  • Corrected treasure tables for certain extremely high level, race restricted jewelry and clothing. They will no longer generate items with incorrect Minimum Required Levels.
  • Whenever you repair an item there is a chance it will be permanently damaged. Up until now, it has been impossible to see which items were permanently damaged when repairing items in bulk. From now on an alert will be sent to the chat window as well as the middle of your screen.
  • The House Jorasco Divine Reagent Vendor now carries Blessed Cold Iron Greatswords, Bastard Swords, Longswords, Shortswords, Scimitars, Warhammers, Rapiers, Dwarven Waraxes, Khopeshes, Mauls, and Heavy Picks.
  • New enchanted food and drinks are available in all taverns. Warforged also have new enchanted balms and tonics. The new drink and tonic restores 2500sp over 1 minute. The new food heals 500hp over 1 minute.The new balm heals 450hp over 1 minute.
  • Corrected the caster levels for Wands of Flame Arrow and Wands of Holy Smite to appropriate values for their spell level. Wand of Flame Arrow was reduced to Caster Level 5. Wand of Holy Smite was increased to Caster Level 7. Wands of Resist Energy was changed from Caster Level 1 to 3. These changes will affect the UMD difficulty of activating the wands as well as the wands gold value.
  • The Helm of the Black Dragon and the Helm of the Blue Dragon will now appear in the correct Clothing section of the Auction House. They were so pretty they were mistakenly put in the Jewelry category.
  • Randomly generated thrown Returning weapons will now correctly bypass their targets Damage Reduction.
  • Clarified the description of the Nullcloth Gown to make it obvious that the 15% Spell Failure applies to all spell casters, even Divine casters.
  • Corrected the naming for stacks of higher level Barkskin and Shield of Faith potions. They will now indicate their additional bonus eg Potions of Shield of Faith (+5).
  • You will no longer be able to attach items to mail messages that are not currently in your inventory (i.e., an item that is in your bank).


NPCs
  • Several enemy characters from the Aurum have had their alignment changed to Lawful Evil.
  • Many npcs were incorrectly insisting that they were "Race: Elf" in the examination window. This information has been removed from these lying npcs.
  • Niles Cage (Stormreach Harbor) is no longer performing an appendectomy on himself.
Quests
  • Story quest goals that are advanced by the completion of raid dungeons can no longer be abandoned.
  • Made a change to help prevent quest items from becoming inaccessible if the party member who was carrying them dies or leaves the quest.
  • Ataraxia's Haven
    • Players will now always be able to exit the mine cave without difficulty.
  • Cerulean Hills
    • Rare Encounter Garunt will now have a treasure chest.
  • Delera's Graveyard
    • Necromancer's Lair
      • Fixed some older traps that were not working properly. Watch out!
  • Garl's Tomb
    • The skeleton captain will now reappear if it falls into the water. Previously, if it fell off, it would not reappear, and it would not be possible to obtain its key.
  • Gianthold
    • Rakshasa Lair
      • It’s no longer possible to trap monsters within some of the rooms.
    • The Stormreaver now takes less interest in those who are flying.
  • The Low Road
    • Fixed a couple hidden doors which could not be detected before.
  • Menechtarun
    • The winds have shifted the sands of Menechtarun, revealing ancient roads.
    • Many of the named minibosses out in the desert of Menechtarun have gotten new supplies or found new sources of power. They are a fair amount stronger than before and will put up a better fight.
  • The Missing Ward
    • The hard and elite versions of Necromancer Gerti have had their spell lists fixed. They will no longer repeatedly cast the sleep spell.
  • Prison of the Planes
    • Cochitlehua has remembered that he has "Teleport Without Error" as an at-will spell-like ability.
    • Fixed a rare issue where the docent wouldn't pop.
  • Redfang's Lair
    • Bile the scorpion will no longer appear before it's ready to fight.
  • Restless Isles
    • Mul Tong now properly displays his quest chalice.
  • Sorrowdusk Island
    • The named gargoyle Vermilo now functions properly (and his chest spawns on the ground).
  • Stormcleave Outpost
    • Made several changes to the pillars:
      • The Mephits have had their hide skill lowered so they should be easier to find
      • The Mephits now have a 60 meter leash so they shouldn't wander away
      • Changed an objective to read 'Alight the Pillars' to make it more clear that they need to be fully lit and fully active rather than just partially lit.
  • Stromvauld's Mine
    • The boss and minibosses now have more hit points.
  • Tangleroot Gorge
    • Using Eremic Quall to transport you directly to Chief Ungurz will now place you in the correct version of the Tangleroot Gorge landscape quest.
  • Waterworks
    • Clan Tunnelworm
      • Fixed a valve so it can be used more than once to prevent players from getting stuck in a room.
  • Xorian Cipher
    • The three named spectres in the Xorian Cipher quest, the Urdak brothers, have been changed into skeletons so they can no longer occasionally flee and leave you stranded in a locked room. They will be slightly more challenging to beat than they were before.
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