We’re almost finished with our latest batch of changes to the EoC, focusing on the issues I described in my last Og Blog.

The changes below are certainly not the final changes we will be making to the EoC as a whole, and the specific ones below will be monitored carefully to ensure they have had the desired impact.

In order to make sure that the below changes are well integrated into the existing game - and, in particular, the upcoming Kalphite King launch - we're not unleashing him just yet. The Kalphite King update will happen on the 14th, at the same time as these changes, to ensure that it's the well-balanced - not to mention brutally challenging - boss fight that you deserve.

Change to the Offensive Capabilities of High-Level Bosses

As mentioned in my last Og Blog, we've noticed that several of the more profitable bosses in the game are being killed by players of a lower level than we had originally intended, and using lower-levelled gear than we had predicted. To address this, we will be significantly increasing the offensive capabilities of these NPCs, meaning that higher levels and better gear will be needed to efficiently take down those opponents. Creatures affected will include the God Wars bosses and the Corporeal Beast, to name a few.

Change to the Defensive Value of Armour

At the moment, the difference between, say, level 70 and level 80 gear isn’t great enough to matter for standard combat training and boss hunting. Understandably, this means that people aren’t investing in the best gear available to them. We are changing that.

The defensive values of armour will now be plotted on an exponential curve rather than a linear one. At higher levels, the difference between sequential armour pieces will be far greater and, therefore, will make a far more noticeable difference in combat. It will also better match the upward curve of XP required to progress through those higher levels, making the highest-level gear optimal for battling your way to 99!

Strength Boosts and Set Effects

We will be adding individual strength boosts to all Torva, Pernix and Virtus gear, and a few other items like the Bandos Chestplate. The 'Nex gear' will also have an additional strength bonus in the form of a set effect. The above three areas of change will mean that higher combat levels and higher levels of gear will be needed to defeat powerful NPC opponents.

Healing Effects of Abilities

We are reducing the effectiveness of the Regeneration and Rejuvenation abilities. We noticed that less food was being taken into battle than before because the healing values of these abilities were stronger than we had anticipated. To address this, we will be increasing the cooldown on the Rejuvenate ability to 5 minutes (making it an infrequent, emergency heal) and reducing the effect of Regenerate by 20%.

This - along with the changes to defensive armour, bosses and strength boosts - will mean that more food will be needed in battle.

This is intended to stabilise the value of these items on the GE in the short-term, and to increase their value in the long-term.

Chaotic Add-On for Dragon Claws

We will be adding a new piece of chaotic gear in the form of chaotic claws. These claws will be slightly different to existing chaotic equipment in that you’ll need to mount the claws onto an existing dragon claw weapon – both the off-hand and main-hand pieces. To compensate for this additional cost, the Dungeoneering token cost of the chaotic add-on will be significantly lower than equivalent chaotic gear. At a faster attack speed, and with increased crit chance, the chaotic claws will be formidable tools to use.

Upcoming Content Updates

The planned Kalphite King and the Ranged Slayer dungeons will both require the very best equipment for effectively fighting the foes found within. Buy up some awesome gear now to avoid disappointment!

The Next Game Update

The next game update will, therefore, be in the week starting 14th January. During that week - a combat bonanza of epic proportions - we will add the Kalphite King (the toughest monster ever!), Hati and Sköll, as well as a huge list of player-recommended changes to the rest of the game.

Thanks for reading. As always, I look forward to reading your thoughts on the forums. Let us know what you think about the above changes!

Mod Mark

RuneScape Design Director

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