[PTS] Patch Notes 23/07/2026 - RDPS Patch and New Scenario Mechanic

[rorswar]

The above comment is not a considered view. The posture reduces to class A needs to be weak because of the needs for larger class balance. This is farcical. There is no requirement for any class to be weak, or nonperforming, or fodder. Class analysis is fundamentally about whether a given class can do what its three respective masteries put forward. For SWs this includes: long range single target, AOE, and melee. In the new patch SWs are poorer in all three areas than before.

Scout has been turned into a 9 second backload matrix all centered on Fester. (9 seconds multi dot building is comical)

Skirmish has been simply gutted. It is basically a mid-range single target mobility thrust now. It's AOE has been reduced to a nonfactor as the damage is not compelling and not sustainable.

Assault has lost critical defensive tools while not seeing any compelling offensive offsets. It remains a niche oddity rather than given any meaningful way to perform on its own, or even integrate with WBs (the primary mode of play that is exactly why both WHs and WEs were given options so they could participate in WBs).

Are there any SW mains that are ardent defenders of the changes? Is there any excitement about the SW changes, at all? This alone is telling.

The conclusion is obvious; SW will drop over time. Those that remain will be pushed to the periphery as SW do not bring anything to the table that another class cannot do better. The SW rework is a Dev Team massive failure.

As a RR84 solo roaming aSW, I like the changes to assault. I do think it needs a boost in the defensive department and that giving it the 2x armour buff in assault back is realistic, or at least giving it some more +WNDS rather than just +INI.

Other then that, I think the changes to assault are generally an improvement, although it did raise the skill ceiling a bit more, on a class that already required more effort than a lot of other classes.

I don’t think assault will ever be properly viable in a WB as it’s purely ST so caters better to solo and small scale, but Skirmish AOE is meant to be for WBs. I cant say if Skirmish AOE got nerfed too hard, as neither it nor Scout, are really my play styles.

TL:DR - I liked assault, and like it even more now. The devs should consider boosting its defenses a bit though.

Your post demonstrates the point on Assault. Pre-patch Assault was a niche irrelevancy. Post-patch Assault is a niche irrelevancy.

As stated: "Assault has lost critical defensive tools while not seeing any compelling offensive offsets. " Your own language reinforces the first clause.

There are no offensive offsets for the defensive losses. All other MDPS are superior in single target, and have AOE options. ASW is simply a renown vehicle for Destro.

This comment is also telling "it did raise the skill ceiling a bit more, on a class that already required more effort than a lot of other classes." That comment demonstrates a Dev. design failure. Classes should be effective in all aspects of their masteries. The simple example is all healers now have effective DPS trees. That is how it should be. Assault SWs similarly should be something that can be feared in melee for any that choose that as their focus. They were not pre-Patch. They are not post-Patch. They are simply a sad fetish.

The 1% of SWs that were Assault focus pre-Patch will remain the 1% afterwards. Assault SWs will also remain a non-factor.

Assault SW isn’t a meta class where you press a few buttons like a def WE was, or how a def Magus is. It requires more skill to make it work, and that’s fine with me.

But to say that it’s irrelevant is nonsense. It’s totally viable for solo roaming, and in the right hands it’s a beast in 6-men. It’s not for everyone, and it’s clearly not for you.

It has no place in a WB, and that’s fine. The class has three trees, and they cater to different play styles. You wouldn’t argue that festerbomb was viable or sought after in a WB, right? That’s what skirmish was for… how far it’s still viable is another debate that has nothing to do with aSW.

PS you also put words in my mind. Your words of “lost critical defensive tools” and my words of “boost defenses a bit” are wildly different.

[Orontes]

As a RR84 solo roaming aSW, I like the changes to assault. I do think it needs a boost in the defensive department and that giving it the 2x armour buff in assault back is realistic, or at least giving it some more +WNDS rather than just +INI.

Other then that, I think the changes to assault are generally an improvement, although it did raise the skill ceiling a bit more, on a class that already required more effort than a lot of other classes.

I don’t think assault will ever be properly viable in a WB as it’s purely ST so caters better to solo and small scale, but Skirmish AOE is meant to be for WBs. I cant say if Skirmish AOE got nerfed too hard, as neither it nor Scout, are really my play styles.

TL:DR - I liked assault, and like it even more now. The devs should consider boosting its defenses a bit though.

Your post demonstrates the point on Assault. Pre-patch Assault was a niche irrelevancy. Post-patch Assault is a niche irrelevancy.

As stated: "Assault has lost critical defensive tools while not seeing any compelling offensive offsets. " Your own language reinforces the first clause.

There are no offensive offsets for the defensive losses. All other MDPS are superior in single target, and have AOE options. ASW is simply a renown vehicle for Destro.

This comment is also telling "it did raise the skill ceiling a bit more, on a class that already required more effort than a lot of other classes." That comment demonstrates a Dev. design failure. Classes should be effective in all aspects of their masteries. The simple example is all healers now have effective DPS trees. That is how it should be. Assault SWs similarly should be something that can be feared in melee for any that choose that as their focus. They were not pre-Patch. They are not post-Patch. They are simply a sad fetish.

The 1% of SWs that were Assault focus pre-Patch will remain the 1% afterwards. Assault SWs will also remain a non-factor.

Assault SW isn’t a meta class where you press a few buttons like a def WE was, or how a def Magus is. It requires more skill to make it work, and that’s fine with me.

But to say that it’s irrelevant is nonsense. It’s totally viable for solo roaming, and in the right hands it’s a beast in 6-men. It’s not for everyone, and it’s clearly not for you.

It has no place in a WB, and that’s fine. The class has three trees, and they cater to different play styles. You wouldn’t argue that festerbomb was viable or sought after in a WB, right? That’s what skirmish was for… how far it’s still viable is another debate that has nothing to do with aSW.

PS you also put words in my mind. Your words of “lost critical defensive tools” and my words of “boost defenses a bit” are wildly different.

This is not a compelling reply.

You already admitted "it did raise the skill ceiling" and ASW " already required more effort" This makes my argument for me. The patch made the class harder to play.

On the Destro side, no one worries about ASW. They are easy to kill. They are a nonfactor.

On the Orde side, they bring nothing to the table another class can't do better.

You being drawn to the odd speaks to your person. It does not address the actual issue: Assault should be a mode for SWs wanted by others and others wanting to play and actually do play. The numbers speak for themselves. If a gameplay mastery is used by charitably 1% of a class player base, that is telling. That is a design failure.

Pre patch Assault was a fetish. Post patch it remains a fetish. That is not good.

Per your PS this quote "Assault has lost critical defensive tools while not seeing any compelling offensive offsets. " is my requoting my earlier statement it then refers to your own statement that reinforces this same idea.

[rorswar]

Your post demonstrates the point on Assault. Pre-patch Assault was a niche irrelevancy. Post-patch Assault is a niche irrelevancy.

As stated: "Assault has lost critical defensive tools while not seeing any compelling offensive offsets. " Your own language reinforces the first clause.

There are no offensive offsets for the defensive losses. All other MDPS are superior in single target, and have AOE options. ASW is simply a renown vehicle for Destro.

This comment is also telling "it did raise the skill ceiling a bit more, on a class that already required more effort than a lot of other classes." That comment demonstrates a Dev. design failure. Classes should be effective in all aspects of their masteries. The simple example is all healers now have effective DPS trees. That is how it should be. Assault SWs similarly should be something that can be feared in melee for any that choose that as their focus. They were not pre-Patch. They are not post-Patch. They are simply a sad fetish.

The 1% of SWs that were Assault focus pre-Patch will remain the 1% afterwards. Assault SWs will also remain a non-factor.

Assault SW isn’t a meta class where you press a few buttons like a def WE was, or how a def Magus is. It requires more skill to make it work, and that’s fine with me.

But to say that it’s irrelevant is nonsense. It’s totally viable for solo roaming, and in the right hands it’s a beast in 6-men. It’s not for everyone, and it’s clearly not for you.

It has no place in a WB, and that’s fine. The class has three trees, and they cater to different play styles. You wouldn’t argue that festerbomb was viable or sought after in a WB, right? That’s what skirmish was for… how far it’s still viable is another debate that has nothing to do with aSW.

PS you also put words in my mind. Your words of “lost critical defensive tools” and my words of “boost defenses a bit” are wildly different.

This is not a compelling reply.

You already admitted "it did raise the skill ceiling" and ASW " already required more effort" This makes my argument for me. The patch made the class harder to play.

On the Destro side, no one worries about ASW. They are easy to kill. They are a nonfactor.

On the Orde side, they bring nothing to the table another class can't do better.

You being drawn to the odd speaks to your person. It does not address the actual issue: Assault should be a mode for SWs wanted by others and others wanting to play and actually do play. The numbers speak for themselves. If a gameplay mastery is used by charitably 1% of a class player base, that is telling. That is a design failure.

Pre patch Assault was a fetish. Post patch it remains a fetish. That is not good.

Per your PS this quote "Assault has lost critical defensive tools while not seeing any compelling offensive offsets. " is my requoting my earlier statement it then refers to your own statement that reinforces this same idea.

Assault is mostly fine as it is. If you can’t make it work, doesn’t mean it requires major buffs.

I’m tired of WEs defending for months a class that was clearly OP. I’m also tired of people begging for buffs if a class barely needs it.

[Orontes]

Assault SW isn’t a meta class where you press a few buttons like a def WE was, or how a def Magus is. It requires more skill to make it work, and that’s fine with me.

But to say that it’s irrelevant is nonsense. It’s totally viable for solo roaming, and in the right hands it’s a beast in 6-men. It’s not for everyone, and it’s clearly not for you.

It has no place in a WB, and that’s fine. The class has three trees, and they cater to different play styles. You wouldn’t argue that festerbomb was viable or sought after in a WB, right? That’s what skirmish was for… how far it’s still viable is another debate that has nothing to do with aSW.

PS you also put words in my mind. Your words of “lost critical defensive tools” and my words of “boost defenses a bit” are wildly different.

This is not a compelling reply.

You already admitted "it did raise the skill ceiling" and ASW " already required more effort" This makes my argument for me. The patch made the class harder to play.

On the Destro side, no one worries about ASW. They are easy to kill. They are a nonfactor.

On the Orde side, they bring nothing to the table another class can't do better.

You being drawn to the odd speaks to your person. It does not address the actual issue: Assault should be a mode for SWs wanted by others and others wanting to play and actually do play. The numbers speak for themselves. If a gameplay mastery is used by charitably 1% of a class player base, that is telling. That is a design failure.

Pre patch Assault was a fetish. Post patch it remains a fetish. That is not good.

Per your PS this quote "Assault has lost critical defensive tools while not seeing any compelling offensive offsets. " is my requoting my earlier statement it then refers to your own statement that reinforces this same idea.

Assault is mostly fine as it is. If you can’t make it work, doesn’t mean it requires major buffs.

I’m tired of WEs defending for months a class that was clearly OP. I’m also tired of people begging for buffs if a class barely needs it.

This is another failed reply. It is a composition fallacy. It is not about the particular vs the whole. It doesn't follow that because some guys are into 250 pound women, that being a 250 lb woman is therefore healthy. It is not about your Assault fetish, or me. It isn't about your emotional state (whether you are tired of something or no). The data (the numbers) are what is relevant. Something that is charitably played by 1% of SWs is the indictment. If the mastery is basically not played, that is telling. It is an indictment of the Dev. Team.

As previously stated, the goal should be to make each mastery viable and compelling. This means something that draws people, is good at its assigned role, and people want to play. Save for the fetishists, Assault SWs are basically a non-thing. No one asks for them. No one looks for them. No one thinks about them. When one shows in a blue moon it is comic relief only. They basically do not exist because there are so so few. That is not a good thing. I want all classes masteries to be good at what they are set for.

The SW patch is a failure your particularities notwithstanding.

[ponko22]

Think about it in a very simple way.

Who would be happy to have an MDPS walking towards them who can't even stealth, can only perform fragile single-target attacks, and doesn't have much offensive power?

Their tanks and healers would be burdened and unhappy.

They're a perfect target for the Dest.

The only adjustments the RoR developers make are weakening the characters.

They don't give us any excitement.

[chook06]

Feedback on the Magus PBAoE / Daemonology Changes

Regarding the PBAoE Magus in the Daemonology tree, I want to start by saying that I am extremely satisfied with the overall direction taken by the developers on the PTS.

The new gameplay dynamic, particularly the way the spec is now built around a Spirit damage engine, is much more interesting. There is now a real logic behind building your damage sequence: setting everything up, combining the different abilities correctly, and then converting that preparation into an effective PBAoE damage window.

This is especially important because this damage is not "free". For the PBAoE sequence to be truly effective, the Magus needs appropriate gear, a proper build, and above all a good mastery of the sequence. Positioning, timing, and the order in which abilities are used all genuinely matter.

When all these conditions are met, the reward finally feels appropriate.

For the first time, I feel that a properly geared and well-played PBAoE Magus can genuinely compete with Choppas and other classes capable of dealing high damage in close combat.

This is even more important considering that a PBAoE Magus has to commit to very close range to deliver this damage. Unlike traditional ranged AoE gameplay, you deliberately put yourself in danger. The level of damage achieved when the sequence is properly built and executed therefore feels like an appropriate risk/reward relationship.

Seed of Chaos finally has a real place in the rotation

The changes to Seed of Chaos are also very interesting.

Seed now genuinely fits into the construction of the PBAoE sequence. It is no longer simply another ability used independently; it contributes to setting up the damage window and really makes sense when integrated into the rest of the rotation.

This is exactly what I find successful about the new design: the different abilities are starting to function as a complete system rather than simply being a collection of independent damage sources.

Pets finally become a meaningful gameplay mechanic

Another change I particularly like is the way pets are now used.

They are becoming much more interesting to actively integrate into PBAoE gameplay and add another layer of synergy to the spec.

Their interaction with Warpfire, particularly through the refreshing of their abilities, makes pet management much more dynamic. You are no longer simply placing a pet and forgetting about it: how you use it and the timing of its abilities can now become an integral part of building your damage sequence.

This also brings something that cannot really be measured through numbers alone: gameplay enjoyment.

There are more things to manage and more interactions between the different Magus mechanics, but those interactions now serve a real purpose. Pet management, Warpfire, Seed, and the Spirit damage engine are starting to feel like different pieces of the same system.

For me, this is an excellent direction for the Magus: making pets genuinely important and interesting to play around rather than simply being a passive mechanic.

The main inconsistency: Warpfire

There is still one point that seems difficult to understand within this design: Warpfire still deals Elemental damage rather than Spirit damage.

This is even more surprising considering that Warpfire is becoming a central part of this new PBAoE gameplay, particularly because of its interactions with pets.

If the intention is to build the specialization around a Spirit damage engine and interactions between its different abilities, Warpfire seems like one of the most natural abilities to integrate into that engine.

Changing Warpfire to Spirit damage would, in my opinion, make the whole design much more coherent.

Overall

My overall feedback on the new Daemonology PBAoE direction is therefore very positive.

We are starting to have a specialization where several mechanics genuinely work together:

Seed → pets → Warpfire → Spirit damage engine → PBAoE burst window.

Success no longer depends simply on using individual abilities, but on the player's ability to properly prepare and execute the entire sequence.

It requires gear, positioning, timing, and a certain level of mastery, but when everything is executed correctly, the reward is finally there and the Magus becomes competitive with other close-range damage classes.

Most importantly, I find the specialization much more enjoyable to play.

There are still some interactions that could be made more coherent, Warpfire dealing Elemental damage being the main example, but the overall philosophy behind this new PBAoE Daemonology design feels excellent to me: risk → preparation → synergies → execution → reward.

I really hope this identity is preserved.

NB: The new M3 doesn't work with Warpfire or Firestorm, which is a real shame.