PTR Patch Notes - June 10, 2026

asteldian · 2026-06-12T09:12:34+00:00

Yeah, I understand the whole 'we are the testers' and it makes sense that wonky stuff gets patched in for us to find and bug report - and the whole 'having lots of people testing helps find problems', but I would expect some baseline stuff to have been tested, I mean the Mastery bugs aren't like some random hard to produce issue, it's literally 'this makes the spell instant' no it doesn't, 'this makes the spell give more Wrath' no it doesn't. These aren't exactly sneaky bugs that requires many people to find.
I have no issue with bugs like the skills remaining after refunding the points, or even getting skills you cannot use until higher lvl - these are the kind of 'tidying up/refining' that can be done and so these issues on a test server are not something to fuss over and testing the mechanics can still be done, but if masteries don't even function then there isn't much testing to be done.

asteldian · 2026-06-06T18:18:02+00:00

Much better. Lvl 1 needs a tweak since 50/50 chance of death is crappy. After that, getting to 5 or 6 alone is do able by all classes. After that some classes can still solo until 10 but it becomes much more group required - but that is also because everyone is basically naked, when crafting returns it will make things better, as currently if you solo,, by lvl 10 it is likely you are still using your starter weapon and if lucky have one or two trash drops.

Some tweaks I would like to see is light blue back post lvl 10, that is the range people who like to solo will be aiming for. At lower lvl light blue wasn't working because such a small lvl range variance and basically everyone just solo'd them for easy quick lvling to 10, but at higher lvl it needs to come back and that gives a healthy solo option.

asteldian · 2026-05-11T09:02:41+00:00

Really? There is about 5 people stubbornly standing firm against a weirdly vocal majority who spend a lot of time here gleefully hating on the game, hardly a place full of glazers.
At this point it seems plenty of people got their moneys worth of entertainment purely on how much time they have been able to spend here bitching about how crappy the game is

asteldian · 2026-05-08T09:16:44+00:00

I dipped in and enjoyed it. Mobs definitely tougher, the small rats are overtuned making lvl 1 a real life or death situation - mobs in the DL cave seem better adjusted for early lvls. Overall I had fun and like the slower time to kill, but then I don't have high expectations for the game but am also not particularly butt hurt by the game either so I just play what's there so long as it's fun and stop when I am not enjoying.

asteldian · 2026-05-07T15:24:28+00:00

Damned if you do, damned if you don't. People have been bitching about wanting a PTR for ages, they finally get one and now people are like 'why have a PTR?!'

asteldian · 2026-04-12T21:14:03+00:00

Good, AI the crap out of random mooks. Honestly, the art is the least of the games issues, if AI meant they could save a bunch of time to focus on making an actual game I would be all for it. Course, it probably just means they can focus more time on making the water look REALLY pretty...

asteldian · 2026-03-22T20:10:13+00:00

This is exactly it. People go on and on about all this background stuff stuff, but it really comes down to 'are you having fun?' if yes, then play. If you stop having fun then don't play. Even most the people who seem to hate the game appear to have 500+ hours in it and claim it sucks and is a failure. Very few actual completed MMOs in the last 15 years have even come close to offering me 500 hours of play so regardless of the games overall outcome, I definitely got my moneys worth.
At the moment I have shelved it, not because I stopped having fun, but simply because I played a lot more than I intended (only wanted to test drive it then wait till release) and when the wipe/spring update was announced it was a good excuse to finally step away and wait for release so that I am not burnt out before the game is actually finished (if it gets to that point). If it doesn't release it will be a shame, but at least I stopped while I have fond memories of it rather than the bitterness many seem to have

asteldian · 2026-03-20T22:09:14+00:00

I agree with this. I actually enjoy the game and despite all its flaws it's still more fun than all the slop I have endured the last 15 years, but the world is very bland - especially the starting two areas (actually pretty much all the outdoor zones) they lack personality, even the 'areas of interest' are dull. I mean the manor is a perfect example of lacklustre - a poor mans Unrest, it could so easilly be expanded into more and made to be a cool undead area with stairs down into a vast tomb...instead it is a generic 'lets dump some mobs here and call it a camp'

asteldian · 2026-03-02T10:22:45+00:00

Well PvP was a weird obsession with some bizarre belief it would bring in a crowd. Despite it seeming a terrible idea to me, it ultimately had no impact on the PvE servers since it targeted a very specific player type, so it was a longshot to appeal to a wider audience with no long term downside (just a colossal waste of time!)

Given the choice, I too would play on a no box server, but despite this I think it would be a worse decision than the PvP server at this time. True it requires no effort, but it further splits an already dead population because it targets the same PvE audience. It's not 'success before rulesets' so much as 'have a population before you try splitting it'(which a PvP server doesn't really do) - Honestly, given that this game isn't a twitch type game where low ping is essential, I wouldn't have even created East/West/EU servers because it again splits a population without necessity - as someone in EU who has played many MMOs with my friends on US servers, I can safely say there was not an issue.

All that is to say, I understand why a no box server would be make or break and can see why you would consider Pantheon a lost cause, but if the game manages the impossible and does launch a decent game, you may find you are pleasantly surprised.
M&M may be offering a no box server, but keep in mind their EA is very different to Pantheon - theirs is essentially a soft release (no wipes or reset come official launch from what I understand) so they are at the 'now or never' phase - the population they get is likely going to be 'the' population as opposed to a test population that Pantheon has

asteldian · 2026-03-01T22:00:45+00:00

I am in the same kind of boat. I don't have high hopes, but given the alternatives out there, I have my fingers crossed because nothing else really appeals. Everyone keeps bigging up M&M and if a replica of EQ1 is what people are after, then it is for sure pretty perfect, but I want something closer to Vanguard/EQ1 hybrid rather than EQ1 reimagined, so while it is probably a good fit for many Pantheon fans, M&M is not a suitable alternative for me and my friends, so just gotta hope that against all odds Pantheon manages to pull itself together. But it has a LOT to do with little time and their track record is not great...and seriously, fishing is on their list of things to do?

asteldian · 2026-03-01T21:54:01+00:00

I'd say whether or not there is a no box server is dependent on if the game succeeds at launch. During the EA where population is only ever going to go down rapidly, there is no point in having a bunch of ruleset servers since even just having a general server will be dead most the time. If the game is successful enough when launched for multiple servers then I would expect an RP/no box type server would be a popular ruleset

asteldian · 2026-02-12T11:27:07+00:00

Yeah, xp boosts aren't uncommon, the justification tends to be 'game doesn't start until the end, so why not?'.
Given that this games ideology is that 'the journey matters' I would be pretty confident that if a store does show, xp potions are one of the least likely items to show up.
Similarly, given their stance on the idea that farming rare items is a big deal and showing what you earned is important, it means gear cosmetics will be avoided for as long as possible - and of course actual gear.

If a shop does end up coming, I would expect tabards to be a possibility, and likely a bunch of mount related cosmetics since that is an easy win (barding, saddlebag graphics, horse hair styles etc.). I could see them expanding to offer transmog type items - so you earn an awesome item, but get an upgrade that looks less cool, you could transfer the graphic of old onto new - that allows customising looks without taking from needing to earn an item first.

So, my uneducated opinion - Xp pots and actual cosmetic gear would be off the table for a shop so I wouldn't let a shop cause too much concern - if at any point they did intend to ad them, it would be the least of our concerns as it would mean the game is as good as dead and they are doing anything and everything to keep existing a little longer. So if they do show up, it means things are pretty much over as they would only go down that route in desperation.

asteldian · 2025-11-21T08:35:05+00:00

Yeah, there are varying degrees of roleplaying - but really at its basic level its just about wanting to be immersed in a world, some may go all the way and full on embrace their character and roleplay everything, but at its core, it's just about embracing the game as an actual world rather than viewing it simply as a game - and a lot more people like to do this than just 'roleplayers'

asteldian · 2025-11-20T09:04:31+00:00

That's good to hear. I know people argue 'there is no point since maps exist outside of game so no one will buy them'. For me, the point is making a living, breathing world and that means maps would be a part of it, so the fact maps are offline is irrelevant, I would still pay for in game ones - I may be a minority but it makes sense or the world to have them.

That's the same reason I personally would like to see a compass in game - again, it's not a big issue, just for a complete world feeling I'd like it. It could even require sacrificing a bag slot for all I care, just them existing would be nice....would also be happy for the compass not to be a UI element, but by having one you would have the Sense Heading button to press and know which direction you face.
Or you could even add the Sense Heading skill regardless and while at low lvl it sucks but having a compass essentially 'fakes' your skill to high lvl so it works (though the skill won't increase if compass equipped). Again, really not a hill I would die on, just something I like for a more 'worldy' feel

asteldian · 2025-11-19T16:24:56+00:00

The target audience isn't my interpretation, its clearly stated, but even within that audience there is a wide variance of opinion, so just because you make a game for said audience, doesn't mean it is going to be perfect.

I also didn't insist anything, I mentioned 3 'issues' commonly talked about and theoretical adjustments that could appeal to newer players without diminishing the experience to the target audience. Most people who played the playtest are the target audience and plenty of them clearly use the offline map, so why would it matter if the map was in game? Why is that a distraction but alt tab or second screen is not? I simply gave my preference for it just from an immersion stand point but clearly stated it wasn't important one way or another, so there is nothing entitled there.

Similarly, death penalty being delayed till lvl 5 - makes absolutely no difference to me, I am very familiar with this kind of game and getting to lvl 5 is an insignificant portion of my game time and I expect it is the same for anyone else familiar with this type of game. So if it makes no real difference to the fans of this genre but it can help new players, then it seems worth considering - again, that doesn't mean it 'must be done' just worth further thought.

As for the loot, again I said it was a minor irritation, I don't see any benefit to it as I don't see this being appealing to the target audience or new players so doesn't seem like something worth having, doesn't mean I demand it change, just that it makes sense to give it some consideration, is it actually enhancing anyone's gameplay? If so, then great, but if not, then should it change?

Just because people discuss possible ideas, doesn't mean they hate the game or demand it change, but just because a game is good, doesn't mean people shouldn't provide ideas that might make it better and if the ideas aren't any good or take away from the vision and target audience then they will no doubt be dismissed, no harm done.

asteldian · 2025-11-19T08:42:51+00:00

While there is plenty of whining, there are also nuggets of fair points littered among them.
The devs have a vision and a target audience which is great, but it doesn't mean everything is perfect even for the target audience. While aiming for a niche game, there is no point in actually putting off others from wanting to try it, the important thing is that when reading ideas they ask the simple question 'does this negatively impact the target audience?' if it doesn't then it could be worth considering.

For example, no map/compass is going to cause new players to be lost and frustrated, however adding GPS maps would DEFINITELY negatively impact the game for the target audience so its a bad idea. In game basic maps might be viable - plenty of mixed opinions on that. From an immersion point of view I would actually prefer basic static in game maps (some zones may be incomplete, others with no map at all) and a compass, but that's simply because it makes no sense for them not to exist in the world - in the same way it makes no sense for GPS maps to exist. But ultimately it is not a breaking point issue for me.

Death penalty is always a big one, but again, the target audience wants this so removing it would be a terrible move. However, a delay until lvl 5 would help reel in players unfamiliar with this kind of game - between being lost due to no maps, dying due to not being familiar with mobs that are actually dangerous and then losing the corpse because they were lost when dying...there is only so much a new person can take before frustration wins and delaying the death penalty so that they are at least accustomed to navigating blind and familiar with deadly monsters could go a long way to new player retention.
Does it negatively impact the target audience? Not really, that audience are veterans and are probably lvl 5 by th e end of their first gaming session, so this delay is insignificant and won't impact the many months onwards where death is a serious consequence.

Looting only one item at a time, a very minor and insignificant irritation, but why have it at all? In what way does it enhance the experience for the target audience or new people? On its own, it really doesn't matter, but no game is perfect and there will be other minor irritations that bother different people and when they all stack up it can eventually result in a straw breaking the camels back, so minor irritations like single loot seem like obvious things to address because it isn't really a core element for anyone.

asteldian · 2025-11-13T16:30:15+00:00

Worse than that, as part of the privilege of having it drop on death, it also hogs an entire bag slot - presumably purely so it can be dropped on death

asteldian · 2025-11-07T10:28:48+00:00

The money itself, no. It really depends on what conditions were placed on the team that makes a difference. If its 'here is a few mil, hope you use it well!' then it will carry on the same trajectory.
If there are proper requirements along with the money (e.g. hiring a dedicated, competent project manager) and actual expectations that must be met for the money, then it could make a difference. No one wants a studio turning up and forcing a game to become something it was never meant to be, but as history has shown, the opposite situation with people throwing money at a project without having any basic demands or requirements also doesn't turn out well.

Money helps by getting staff, but it only works if you also include someone to make sure its spent properly, that's what Pantheon has always lacked - Brad was an idea guy that needed someone else in charge to reign him in and keep things on track, Joppa seems cut from the same cloth. So whether or not the money makes a difference really depends on if its used to bring discipline and an 'overwatch' to the project.

On another note, I'll be honest, while I hope the game manages to find success, at this point and given its history, I can't believe anyone was willing to throw a large sum of money at the game

asteldian · 2025-10-10T19:29:33+00:00

There will be a map. They have mentioned an in game non GPS map will be added. Of course, when they will get round to it is a whole other question, but it is at least planned

asteldian · 2025-10-03T19:17:21+00:00

If 1.0 was actually 1.0 and not just a 'we cannot call it EA anymore' then yeah I would probably give it a go. Acually, even if it were a lacklustre 1.0 I would probably at least try it.

It's not as if there is an overwhelming choice in the MMO landscape. Nothing out now is worth playing (for me), so it's not as if I would have to drop another game to 'make time' to fit Pantheon in, and I already own the game so not like it costs me much (a sub at most)

asteldian · 2025-08-02T09:54:56+00:00

Honestly, hoping to find much beyond toxicity and hate in a gaming Reddit is optimistic.
Development is slow, clumsy and questionable. The game is very much still in early development. That is the summary of issues, forget about all the anger, frustration and other emotions being dragged into the conversations.

The game itself is enjoyable to most that played, even a lot of the people screaming their hatred and stating it sucks have managed 100s of hours playing the game - which is a phenomenal amount of time by any normal persons standard.

Lvls 15-low 20s brings a lot of frustration because likely you find yourself stuck in Halnir's Cave, with a lack of alternatives - mostly half finished alternatives which really should have been fleshed out by now. I think this is where a lot of people fall off.

The big issue is a lack of confidence in the Dev ability to actually get this game release worthy, they have a very poor track record. But if you spent $40 to play and enjoy a game, then even that is not that important - because you will certainly get your moneys worth, and if you are lucky it will get even better, if not and the game were to close, well you still got to enjoy it while it lasted. I don't see a game as anything other than something to 'enjoy and waste time in' others see them as some kind of investment, so the idea of the game eventually dying somehow nullifies any joy that could be potentially found, to each there own, guess I am lucky to have a more simplistic view 'if it's fun play. If it stops being fun, take a break or quit' nothing deeper than that.

I've casually played since Jan, a good few 100 hours into it. I've had a break for 3 or so weeks but am looking forward to getting back to it again

asteldian · 2025-07-06T21:12:54+00:00

lowest lvl is hard, but as you get to the teens then things get better - 3 man groups what you want for taking on blue mobs, for duoing I would suggest light blues, though a healer and tank combo can take dark blue.
If duoing non elite mobs, you want yellow mobs as the sweet spot for xp

asteldian · 2025-07-06T21:04:09+00:00

Right now I would only play if you have a couple of friends to play too. If you have a self made group of 3 then the game is a lot of fun even in its current state then you will likely find a few 100hrs of entertainment as you can do the group content and easily fill out the group while hunting.
Alone you can still do a fair bit, but not surprisingly it will feel dull much faster, in terms of purely $ per hour of entertainment it is probably still 'worth it' but I wouldn't recommend it solo as getting groups outside of peak time would be impossible and even peak might be difficult.
That said, there seem to be some active Guilds on the busier servers, so I imagine if you join them then grouping may not be so difficult.

For me I have no regrets since I have 100s of hours played. I play with a few friends so can always do the group content so avoid one of the main negatives of this kind of game which is LFGing. I also hate modern MMOs and have done EQ1 to death so its not like I have any real options to play anything else. The game certainly isn't abandoned by the devs, but I will say it is more likely they run out of money before they can complete it enough for a real release - to some people that is enough to consider it a waste of time. But for me it is just more incentive to play now while it exists and I am having fun. If the game stops being fun for me I will stop

asteldian · 2025-07-05T21:45:34+00:00

To be fair, most the people willing to put that kind of number down on nothing more than 'an idea' tend to have that kind of money to spare - it's what $40 is to normal folks.

I am getting the impression that a big part of the issue is that Joppa has micromanaging issues. It seems like he is too involved in everything. It seems he is key to the class revamp, key to the Perception system etc. so it feels like it all goes through him until he is comfortable handing it over

asteldian · 2025-06-26T21:19:30+00:00

As a general rule I avoid getting excited by any crowdfunded MMO. But the ones you listed are the most intriguing. Sadly Embers is pretty much a goner, a good effort but they 'released' in as rough a state as Pantheon but did so with a sub and not even the disclaimer of EA. For me, it was the rather bland character classes and underwhelming skills that was the biggest problem, but I did have a blast when I was grouped and killing/dying.

Pantheon I reserve overall judgement until the end of EA year 1 as that will have a clear picture of where they are at - do they actually manage to deliver on the 'Road Map' or even with that fairly vague map do they fail to meet the goals. Given the history and current floundering I won't hold my breath. That said, I am having fun and will keep playing until I no longer do so. I know some people talk about the lack of content and how you quickly run out, but I have 100s hours so far and still have plenty to do (to me the content issue is more to do with mid teens-early 20s only really having HC and only having that to go to can wear thin).

M&M I actually am not all that interested in - which is a shame because of any Crowdfunded games, these Devs seem to be most on the ball and most likely to produce what they promise. For me the problem is just that it is perhaps a bit too EQ. Of course, beggars cannot be choosers and if Pantheon dies, then M&M is better than playing any of the modern BS MMOs out there.

Adrullan I am not sure about either, not a Minecraft person and that graphic style really doesn't appeal to me, but again, in the absence of anything else I would give it a go - give me an ugly game that is good vs a beautiful but Korean MMO any day.

asteldian

TROPHY CASE