FAQ/Difference

= The Pantheon Difference =

Pantheon isn't a casual game -- it's a hard-core challenging game. Pantheon is more reminiscent of late 1990's, early 2000's MMORPG games, such as EverQuest, EQOA, Final Fantasy XI, Vanguard, etc. That being said, it doesn't require you to be logged in all the time to succeed. While the world of Terminus will consist of vast landscapes and epic dungeons, there is no reason to require players to play long, contiguous gaming sessions. Players will be able to play a couple of hours, logout, and return later to continue their journey. There will also be mechanics and features to both help people get together and group, and also to make lasting friendships. To further facilitate this, there will also be ways for players to keep their group together even if some members of the group can play longer than others or at different times. While Pantheon utilizes a number of classical game mechanics, there are many new and interesting features the game is introducing to complement the old.

CURRENT FEATURES
These are features, currently being implemented, which are intended to be available at release. They are to comprise the core features which are to set Pantheon: Rise of the Fallen apart from other MMOs. An overview is provided for each, with FAQ points and dedicated Wiki page links where available.  These represent what is currently know about these features.

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Atmosphere/Climate System
Overview One of Pantheon’s tenets is ‘Engage the World!’ When we talk about being a PvE MMO, our definition of ‘environment’ means a lot more than just fighting NPCs -- players will be contending with the world itself. Some regions will be very hot or cold. Some areas within a zone might be enchanted with complete darkness, or silence (meaning spoken spells won't work), or poison or miasma. Small tornados could travel through a region, compelling players to work their way around them, not through them, lest they take significant damage. Also, certain spells may work better or worse (or even only work) depending on the climate or atmosphere -- for example, a 'Call Lightning' spell could deal more damage than a typical ‘lightning bolt’ spell but could only be cast if there is a storm in the region.

WIKI Page : Atmosphere / Climate System

FAQ Points: See Below  -

3.0 What are atmosphere and acclimation? There will be certain extreme environments in the game to which you’ll need your character to become acclimated. There will be six at launch: Frigid, Scorching, Toxic, Anaerobic, Pressure, and Wind Shear. Each of those extreme climates will have tiers associated with them corresponding to how punishing they will be to the player. For example, you may be able to survive in a Tier 1 environment without any acclimation, but you would certainly experience some detrimental effects like a weapon or movement speed penalty. The higher the tier the more detrimental and severe the effects would be.

3.0.1 How can one become acclimated? The process of becoming acclimated is carried out through equipment modification or special equipment allowing you to absorb resistances altering the physical composition of your body. Your character will have different slots like chest, legs, hands, arms, feet, etc. to which you apply these items. We will reveal more details as to how exactly this will work and how to change acclimatization as well. We want it to be seamless and also plan on having different environments within environments, such as the scorching environment found in the frigid environment of Amberfaet.

3.1 What are Infusions? Infusions are items that you can apply to acclimate various body parts through the acclimation tab in your inventory. You can apply one infusion each to your head, chest, arms, hands, legs, and feet. Mixing and matching infusions will also be allowed.

3.1.1 How do you obtain Infusions? Lower tier infusions, which give less acclimation, will be fairly attainable for most players through drops.

Higher tier infusions, which give more acclimation, will be attained through raiding and epic style quests.

3.1.2 How long do Infusions last? Infusions will last until you remove them, and persist through death. As long as you have applied an infusion, it will grant acclimation as long as you want it to. Once you have an infusion, they will stay with your character, even if you remove them. Higher tier infusions will replace lower tier infusions.

3.1.3 Can Infusions be crafted? Crafters will play a role in crafting infusions. There may be special types of infusions that give some bonuses or that allow for three or four different climates to be acclimated. Master crafters will be able to play a role in crafting some of these infusions uniquely.

3.1.4 Are Infusions all I need for acclimation?  You can expect to see different factors play into your overall acclimation score. Ultimately, it’s not going to be one infusion per slot and, once you’re fully decked out in your slots, not having to think about it any more. There will be several other factors that play a role into “maxing” out your acclimation score, and some of those will have an upkeep associated with them.

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The Living Codex
Overview In MMOs it is common to find rare items out in the world, by adventuring or by crafting, but abilities and spells are more often learned from trainers or even just given to player when his or her character levels up. In Pantheon, however, many of the more rare and exotic spells and abilities are found not at the local trainer but from a wise sage hiding in the depths of a dungeon or at the top of a remote tower.

WIKI Page : The Living Codex

FAQ Points: See Below  -

2.0 What is new or unique about spells and abilities in Pantheon: Rise of the Fallen? An important aspect of character development in Pantheon is obtaining powerful spells and abilities. In MMOs it is common to find rare items out in the world, whether by adventuring or by crafting, but abilities and spells are more often learned from trainers or even just given to player when his or her character levels up. In Pantheon, however, many of the more rare and exotic spells and abilities are not found at the local trainer, but from a wise sage hiding in the depths of a dungeon or at the top of a remote tower. Through a game system we call “The Living Codex”, players will be able to manage both standard class abilities and these powerful and rare abilities.

2.1 What is the Living Codex? The Living Codex serves as a ‘spellbook’ to manage “Essential” and “Transcendent” spells and abilities.

The first section of The Living Codex is labeled “Essential” and will contain the host of standard abilities characters can naturally learn throughout their lifetime.

The second section of The Living Codex is labeled “Transcendent” and is built for the scribing and intensifying of powerful Prime Scroll abilities.

2.1.1 What are “Prime Scroll” abilities? In Pantheon, many of the most powerful and exotic abilities can only be found out in the wilds of Terminus from heavily guarded treasure vaults, the depths of dungeons, and from unimaginable locations. These most powerful abilities are written on legendary parchments known as Prime Scrolls.

Spells and abilities are learned from Prime Scrolls and stored in The Living Codex as “Transcendent” abilities.

The Prime Scroll will only fill the top portion of each page; underneath, there will be three empty sections that the player can mark with special items which will further enhance the primary ability. These three sections are detailed below:

• Seal of Amplification
 * Amplifies the bonus modifiers from Mana Climates that affect the Primary Scroll’s mana color. More powerful seals will increase the bonuses.

• Brand of Resilience
 * Lessens the negative modifiers from Mana Climates that affect the Primary Scroll’s mana color. More powerful brands will decrease the penalties.

• Signet of Synergy
 * Applying a Signet of Synergy to an ability will unlock different class-specific synergy effects that can be used in combination with synergy effects from other classes, sometimes producing an awesome effect. However, the Primary Scroll ability must be capable of synergy effects and not all are.

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Dynamic NPC Encounter Groups
Overview The world is not static and unchanging – every day is not ‘groundhog’ day. Events occur that can completely change the population of a zone or the population of a group of NPCs within a zone (and the rarer the event, the rarer the rewards -- many exotic items can only be obtained when one of these zone events occur). An example: after you kill some key mobs guarding a hill giant camp, this triggers a zone event that loads up an invading force of Storm Giants who then proceed to attack the Hill Giant camp.

WIKI Page : Dynamic NPC Encounter Groups

FAQ Points: See Below  - No FAQ information is available on this topic at the moment.

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NPC Dispositions and Behaviors
Overview An area we have not seen much innovation in MMORPGs, almost since their inception, is the area of NPC AI. What if certain enemies had different “dispositions” that had to be discovered by the player? Many NPCs in Pantheon will have advanced behaviors, like the propensity to flee if possible, or to stand and fight to the end. Some NPCs will be inclined to help other NPCs in the area, while some will not. Some will target certain classes within the group that is attacking them. NPC’s movement speeds may vary if they feel they are outmatched. While it is too early to go into a lot of detail, some of the different dispositions we are working on include: the Alarmist, the Bully, the Craven, the Opportunist, the Protector, and the Strategist.

WIKI Page : NPC Dispositions and Behaviors

FAQ Points: See Below  -

14.0 What type of AI will mobs have? Mobs have a variety of AI dispositions. For example, some mobs stand their ground while others flee. Some may go after certain classes or races. The tactics used against mobs, especially boss encounters, need to involve a great deal of variation and avoid simplistic 'tank and spank' behavior where possible.

14.0.1 Is it possible to tell what disposition a mob has?<BR/> Yes, through the Perception System. Players who have chosen to become a keeper and embark on the perception system will be able to discern certain things such as disposition. Otherwise, you will have to discover mob dispositions through trial and error.

14.0.2 What is the alarmist disposition?<BR/> A mob with the alarmist disposition will run to nearby friends for help, instead of immediately attacking when aggroed. The alarmist mob will also have a special shout message in the chat log.

14.0.3 Will there be tactics you can employ to counter dispositions?<BR/> Yes. For example, the alarmist disposition can be disrupted by crowd control. If under the effects of crowd control for a certain amount of time, its entire alarmist routine will be skipped.

14.0.4 What other types of dispositions will exist?<BR/> There will be other types of dispositions such as pyrophobic, predator, and sniper dispositions.

NPC behavior will also be expanded on to include options like smart healing, ranged NPCs using cover, cleave attacks, knockbacks, knockdowns, and charms. Mob migration may even exist, creating dynamic pathing patterns and routes.

Some behaviors could be very disruptive, causing great difficulty for players. Others will be more specific roles, such as our “Ambient Mobs.”

14.0.5 What are ‘Ambient Mobs?’<BR/> Ambient mobs are a behavior type for NPCs that are more closely defined. For example, balconies could have a battalion of archers on them and, every so often with a shout, release a volley of arrows which players must avoid, or do something to stop.

14.0.6 How will caster mobs function?<BR/> We have very robust tools which allow us to give caster mobs amazing depth, ability arsenal, and intelligence on how they use their abilities. For example, certain caster mobs could: utilize a heavy damage spell to target a low health character, target a melee player with a root spell, or target a healer with an interrupt. These behaviors could also apply to melee mobs as well.

14.1 Will mobs aggro be linked together?<BR/> We will have a mix of social aggro, social linked, solo pulled, and a few other varieties of mob behavior. An example would be the scout/alarmist mob -- if they see you attack an ally of theirs, they will run away and call the entire camp to come back and attack you. In this example, it will be imperative for a group to somehow immobilize that NPC.

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The Perception System
Overview One of the most profound things about Pantheon is how we are designing the game from the ground up so that the Environment truly matters – we want players to care about the world they are in, and why things are the way they are. When you think of MMOs, when is the last time you discovered the meaning, or the history, or the secrets of a person, place or event without being told by a text box? What if we’ve conceived of a way to bring players back to exploring because they are compelled by what they see in front of them - not because a blinking light tells them to go there? In Pantheon, Wizards will be able to perceive things that a Warrior cannot. Through prayer, a Cleric may gain insight into an area, or a creature, that a Rogue could never know. Through our perception system, Pantheon will redefine how the game world becomes known, and how players will work together to progress.

WIKI Page : The Perception System

FAQ Points: See Below <BR/> -

'''16.0 “The Grind” has kept some people from joining their friends in playing MMORPGs in the past. With no plans for quest hubs, how will Pantheon appeal to players who aren't interested in a grind and want story-driven content?'''<BR/> Gaining experience by any means, including killing mobs, finishing quests, etc. is still the fundamental way to keep track of a character’s vertical progression and accomplishments. That much is similar between earlier MMOs and Pantheon and, really, between almost all MMOs. The Perception system is our answer to boring quest hubs and being told to accomplish things that really have nothing to do with the environment and the lore. By using your Perception skill, by finding Perception triggers, and by following them where they lead, you will be doing 'quests', but quests given to you in context by the environment. You can be rewarded in just as many ways as a traditional quest: experience, items, a quest token, etc., as well as with special skills and abilities.

16.1 How does the Perception System work?<BR/> Through the Perception System, players can become a Keeper and quest dialogue is recorded in your Tome of Keeping. Keepers can utilize two skills to progress through the Perception System: a passive skill called Insight, and an active skill called Investigate. Once you’ve completed a Perception Quest, you won’t be bothered by the dialogue in the future. Hints and keywords are given to help direct players, no specific instructions will be given.

16.1.1 Do you have to start quests in the Perception System at the beginning?<BR/> It is very important that most quests can be obtained at any point in time. While it can be challenging from a design perspective, we feel it is integral to the success of the system that players can do the content on their terms. In theory, a player could get to max level without participating much in the Perception System, and then become a Keeper at level 50. We have some ideas for this to happen seamlessly.

16.1.2 What is the importance of the Perception System?<BR/> Certain quests completed through the Perception System can unlock additional content. For example, if players had not talked to a specific quest NPC and gone through the questline, they might not have a key to access certain parts of a dungeon.

16.1.3 How does one become a Keeper through the Perception System?<BR/> Your introduction to the Perception System will be as a fledgling keeper. You’ll have an apprentice / master relationship with an NPC who is very wise, old, and well acquainted with the aspects of perception. The NPC will be in an area like a starting city, and they will mentor you through the beginning of the system: teaching you how to notice things, acquire your initial skills for perception, and having you put them to use in small tasks and little quests nearby. There will be other mentors throughout the game world which you will need to find in order to progress through the perception system.

16.1.4 Will there be specialization within the Perception System?<BR/> Perception is built around ‘Investigation’ and ‘Insight’. Specializing into either one of these paths is something we are considering, but nothing is set in stone.

'''1.8 Will there be hidden things all over the world that encourage players to travel off the beaten path? Not just for ‘story’ progression, not just for quests, but for the sake of just... adventuring?'''<BR/> Yes, linked to our Perception system. If your perception skill is not high enough or the wrong type, what may be visible to others will not be visible to you.<BR/>

14.0.1 Is it possible to tell what disposition a mob has?<BR/> Yes, through the Perception System. Players who have chosen to become a keeper and embark on the perception system will be able to discern certain things such as disposition. Otherwise, you will have to discover mob dispositions through trial and error.

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The Colored Mana System
Overview Different classes will use different colors of mana. Some rare abilities, spells, and prayers will use more than one color of mana. These exotic abilities create an opportunity to sub-class your character, allowing players to customize their class to a degree, but without removing the interdependence between classes that is key to group content and building community.

WIKI Page : Colored Mana System

FAQ Points: See Below <BR/> - No FAQ information is available on this topic at the moment.

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The Progeny System
Overview Players will be able to 'retire' high level characters and then create their children as new characters, but these new characters, the 'progeny', will have certain abilities, stats, etc. that make them slightly yet noticeably better than a completely brand new character (but not to the point that it unbalances things).

WIKI Page : Progeny System

FAQ Points: See Below <BR/> -

'''4.11 Can I play with my friend’s new character using my high-level character? What about alts?'''<BR/> Yes, through the Mentor System. Mentoring temporarily de-levels your character and allows you to group with them. You will either scale down or assume the character you were at that lower level (TBD). This will enable players to group together without one being overpowered and trivializing content.

The Mentor System is voluntary; although, there will be incentives to mentor, giving your character certain advantages (points, recognition, and other rewards – the details are TBD). We want to encourage people to help new players. Additionally, there will be incentives to create alternate characters through the Progeny System (where when you reach a certain level, you can create an alternate level one character who will have some advantages over a brand-new character).

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Situational Gear
Overview In Pantheon, there often won't simply be a weapon or piece of gear that is the absolute best item for your character’s class and level. Instead, many items will be more situational, and the player will need to ask himself, 'where am I?', 'what am I going to fight next?', and 'who in my group is what class, and what items do they have that may help defeat the next encounter?' Items that protect against climates/atmospheres (areas of extreme heat or cold, or disease, or absolute darkness) will often be important. So also will 'bane' items that are especially effective against certain types of mobs (for example, the Undead, or Dragonkind).

WIKI Page : Situational Gear

FAQ Points: See Below <BR/> -

13.9 What is your philosophy on item proliferation and drops?<BR/> Our desire to bring back the value and personality of items drives our item design. This means that the frequency of upgrades will be slower and when you do get a new piece of gear, not only will the experience be memorable but, also, so will the item. We want you to collect your items and be able to remember their names. When you get that epic item or rare drop after an incredible dungeon crawl, we want you to be in awe of what you have accomplished and the reward that came from it. Items will be memorable, deserved, cherished, and desired.

There will also be many ‘situational’ items.

13.10 What about the notion of magical versus non-magical weapons?<BR/> Lower level items will have their limits. Many will not be ‘magical’, limiting the types of mobs you can engage. That said, the first few levels should go fairly quickly and then advancement will slow as the player gets into the meat of the game. Roleplaying-wise, it’s traditional to start with more basic equipment, then gain access to more powerful non-magical gear, and then eventually magical gear and even planar gear. High level items will include procs (the ability to cast spells themselves), bane bonuses, regeneration & spell focus bonuses, and more.

FUTURE UPDATES
These are to include:

Future Features
• As a post launch feature, we may allow players to set up their own merchants.