Posts : 149 Join date : 2012-10-01 Location : ...on Mars
Subject: Aion 4.0 Preview 19/03/13, 04:42 pm
I know the release date for 4.0 in NA hasn't been announced yet but it did launch for Korea in December last year so it won't be long until we can get our hands on the new content too. Until then, I've put together a post where you will find some of the cool new features that await us: three new classes, new areas, five new dungeons to explore, new skills, increased level cap and many more. The whole 4.0 update will be fractioned in 3 separate patches: part 1 on Dec 20th 2012 with the Gunner class, part 2 on Jan 16th 2013 with the Bard class and the third patch around the end of the first quarter of 2013. Dates are for the Korean version but it will give you a clue on the amount of time between patches.
New Classes
GUNNER
Or Gunslinger. First of all, I love the word: gunslinger. It has a resonant touch to it, don't you think? Secondly, I believe it will be the most favored class of the three new ones added with the 4.0 patch and hopefully it will please those kind of players who have a gaming history that includes shooter games (like yours truly). The Gunner will use leather armor and as for the weapons, according to AION NA Official Website, it will wield either dual pistols or a massive cannon and also grenades to wipe its enemies. The pistols seem to have a high attack speed and grenades work kind of like the Ranger traps. But don't take my word for it, check out the official preview below.
A combination or Ranger and Assassin with high attack speed and from what you can tell from the preview, Crowd Control, the Gunner class looks promising.
BARD
So far we’ve been used to sharp, swift weapons like swords, greatswords, maces and daggers or magic weapons like orbs and spell books for our mages. Nothing out of the ordinary since our childhood heroes often used one or more of these types of weapons. And let’s face it, the fact that guns might be added some time in the future was a bit predictable. So it’s safe to say that the weapon will be the most interesting thing about the Bard class because at a first sight it seems completely harmless compared to other weapons. It is certain that it will use cloth armor and a musical instrument as weapon but what kind of instrument it is still uncertain. From the preview and images it looks like a combination of harp and violin that adds a hint of sweetness to the battle.
It is said that the Bard class will be a combination of Cleric and Spiritmaster and is by far the cutes class of them all that will beautify the battle with musical tones. Still, I am not sure how many guys will pick it as favorite class… ¬.¬
RAIDER
The Official NA site has nothing stated about the so-called Mech class. Actually, very little is known about this third class which is to be added in the 4.0 update BUT a single look at the very few pictures found on Google made me think of one word, and one word only: badass! (yes, yes, brother, not very lady-like of me). But you have to admit, it is imposing and fearsome if you may. MMO Culture states that “it is almost certain that these machines can switch between cannon-ranged mode and a lance-melee mode”. The English name for this class has yet to be announced but the Korean translation is something like Armored Castle.
New Area
KATALAM
The new Katalam Area is divided into three parts: Northern, Southern and Underground. NCSoft NA Official has no details about the new areas, except for some concept art, but according to AionSource.com, Katalam is suspected of being the last region under Tiamat’s rule. It originally belonged to the Rune race, which was known for its weapons of mass destruction and research of some kind of energy (on the AionSource forum it is translated as “Eed” energy). They tried using this energy to protect against Tiamat’s power but of course they ended up killing themselves in an accident and now the land is disputed by many factions. Here are a few facts about Nothern Katalam which I found on daevasreport.com:
Asmodians and Elyos have their own separated leveling “paths”;
There are several windstreams which allows easy travel between distant regions;
Region/sub-zones laying on the “borders” of the zone are PvP free, PvP battles concentrate in the center of the zone (fortresses, base takeovers etc.);
In the southern part of the zone there are 4 passages to Southern Katalam zone;
Concept art
“Flying Fortress”
“Mountain Fortress”
“Plains Fortress”
“Rune Entrance”
New Gear
BERITRA SET
Named after the shadowy Dragon Lord Beritra, master of Darkness and Chaos, the new armor set coming along with 4.0 is extremely stylish and very sleek, by far the most gorgeous set I’ve seen in the game so far. I would (and probably will) kill for it. There is no info on how you acquire this armor set yet but it will definitely be worth the effort (or money).
*click on the images for full size, high detail view*
GUARDIAN/ARCHON GOVERNOR ABYSS SET
Inspired by the Beritra Armor, this new set can be acquired with Abyss Points and medals. A new type of medal will be introduced through the new Katalam Forts and quests: Ceramium. At this point is plain obvious that a new type of siege will be added as well: Katalam Siege. Note that the new Abyss Armor Set is level 65!
SPECIAL CRAFTED ITEMS
For all those who mastered Armorsmithing or Tailoring, 4.0 comes with a little something special. Certain (“special”) materials can be added to normal crafted gear to make special crafted gear and you can even craft items with PvP stats.
HYPERION SET
In one of the new high-level instance (Katalamize) mobs will drop the “Hyperion” armor set but beware! The instance is located in an isolated area and is difficult to reach so you will need to gear up with patience and be prepared for many challenges if you wish to wear the Hyperion Armor.
NEW UNIQUE WEAPON SKINS
The new instances in Katalam also drop unique weapon skins. And these 2 new skin sets are definitely worth running the instances several times. First off we have the Steel Rose set which will most likely be dropped in the Steel Rose instance. And it is absolutely adorable! Second we have a steampunk set called Ancient Katalam Set which goes perfectly with the future Gunner class.
New Instances
Level 60 players, brace yourselves! For AION 4.0 adds 5 new instances for you to run with friends. And, believe me, you’ll need plenty because the new instances will add even more challenges in which teamwork is absolutely essential.
SAURO LOGISTIC BASE
Like many other instances we faced so far, the Sauro Logistic Base allows you to choose the difficulty of the final boss. Of course, the reward potential increases along with it, as the final battle will have 5 grades. In order to acquire Mythic gear you will need to deal with at least the 4th level of the final boss. But be well prepared beforehand, both as individual as well as a team because here focus is of the essence. So here’s how it goes: you will have to take out all final named mobs within 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, the boss will increase its power and you will have about a minute and a half to finish her off (apparently it’s a she) before she becomes too powerful.
IMPENETRABLE BASTION
Another grade-based instance will be the Impenetrable Bastion, a 24-person dungeon which can be run once per week. The idea is to hold the line against attacking mobs until the final boss appears. Rewards range from Abyss Points, relics and medals to Mythic gear (which drops from the treasure boxes that appear after the boss is defeated). If your party completes the highest grade, S grade, you’ll be guaranteed at least 1 Mythic item.
OPHIDAN BRIDGE
This is by far my favorite dungeon of them all. It is a group instance set up as some kind of minigame. Looking a lot like a fortress siege, the players will have to destroy power generators to lower the bridge leading to Beritra’s ultimate weapon: the Runic Siege Gun. Here, teamwork and time are essential as you make your way to occupy all the key points which can be retaken by the Balaur. Rewards will include the Beritra’s armor set pieces ad well as treasure boxes with special material items, Ceramium medals, PvP coins and others.
DANUAR SHELTER
On second thought, I think will be my favorite instance of the five added in the 4.0 patch. A labyrinth of ancient secrets and treasures, the Danuar Shelter is the burial ground for the ancient Danuar race elites. Before starting the instance, Shugo robbers and Beritra’s forces are already there to loot the place. Team members will have to split and choose 3 different paths, as each path has different mobs with various fighting patterns. But that doesn’t mean is “Every man for himself”. On the contrary, cooperation and good task distribution is important. Therefore, rout A is easy but requires speed and it’s more appropriate for those who like solo battles. Route B requires solid teamwork skills while route C is for those who are up for running and jumping challenges. Although the team is split up at the beginning of the battle, it will be reunited in the final boss room. There is no time limit and the difficulty is relatively easy so that everyone can participate in the challenge.
KAMAR BATTLEFIELD
And here we have the 4.0 Dredgion! Sort of… Kamar Battlefield is a 24-person instance set in Kamar. It’s a 12vs12 PvPvE battle. Basically, the elyos and Asmodians will fight against each other and against mobs in order to earn points, points upon which they will receive rewards at the end of the battle. Like with every dredge, there is a time limit and the side with most points wins. What differs from the Dredgion we’ve been used to so far is, first of all, the setting. The battle will take place is a fort-like base, with a Balaur dredgion flying above it (or at least that’s what we can tell from the pictures). Also, you can find vehicles, cannons and supplies to aid you in battle. Speed and strategy are important here because mobs and NPCs with high point value with spawn based on the elapsed time.
STEEL ROSE
The Steel Rose instance is pretty much a re-designed Steel Rake (the initial 3-stages Steel Rake, where the Cabin was included along with the other two). The major difference lies in the gender change of the mobs: they’re all female! It is a level 61+ instance located in South of Katalam and can be done solo or with a 3-person group. Unlike the actual Steel Rake Cabin, the Steel Rose Cabin stage can be done in both 1 and 3 players. Same goes for the Dock while the Deck is 3-person only. Running the instance solo or with a group has its advantages/disadvantages: if you solo the instance, you have a good chance of getting the Steel Rose Sailor set while if you run it in group mode, you get the Steel Rose Pirate Set. Other than this, I couldn’t find any other info or good quality pictures to go along with it. We’ll have to wait until the NA website has some more details on it.
Other New Features
NEW SKILLS
You probably heard by now that the level cap will increase to level 65 and, along with it, new skills will be added. These are grouped into three categories: Survival reinforcement, RvR (Raid vs Raid) and a new category, Charged skills. The Survival reinforcement skills are useful in PvP areas and go as follows:
RvR skills add an advantage in siege warfare.
And the Charged skills are a new type of skills which will come in handy to casters. They have a cumulative effect the longer you charge them but as a drawback, the casting time will be increased also. It’s up to a player when or whether or not to use them.
NEW HAIRSTYLES
With all the fancy new gear coming up, it was impossible to not add a bit of style to hairdos also. The 4.0 update will have a total of eight new hairstyles (both male and female) and are apparently “inspired by current hairstyles popularized by fashion magazines!”. Here are some of them!
REDESIGNED LOGIN SCREEN AND USER INTERFACE
The login screen and user interface have been redesigned, especially the later. Character selection/creation screens have a completely new look and the appearances have been grouped into tabs and now show as thumbnails rather than cluttered up in a list, making it easier to preview. Again, I was unable to find pictures good enough to be posted but I will add a small spoiler:
Notice that the two new Bard and Gunner classes have been added *wink*
That is all for the time being. I will keep an eye on the Official Aion NA Website and update the post as more details will be revealed. The last part of the Korean 4.0 patch will be released somewhere at the end of this month so hopefully next time we’ll hear about it, they’ll have at least an approximate date for the NA release. Or more details about that third class, because I for one am anxious to find out.
Ryuuchan
Honorary Regian High Lord of Regias
Posts : 65 Join date : 2013-02-20 Location : Canada
Subject: Re: Aion 4.0 Preview 25/03/13, 11:28 pm
Nice! I think i'm gonna make a gunner first!
ReylandAZ
Founder Guild Leader
Posts : 1217 Join date : 2012-10-01
Subject: Re: Aion 4.0 Preview 26/03/13, 12:18 pm
Just as a bit of added info:
Cloth / Leather armor will give a different appearance when equipped on a Bard / Gunner respectively. ie. a lv20 leather top looks the same on a ranger/assassin of the same gender BUT will have a completely different look on a Gunner.
I'm definitely looking forward to the Katalam fields and instances and of course the Gunner class. Hope I will have the full Kahrun set on my Sorcerer before 4.0 comes out, though.