Game updates/20070119

Permanent Changes:

 * Fixed a bug that allowed players to walk through some walls on the Isle of Weeping Stone guild battle map.
 * Fixed a bug that caused Heroes to deal extra damage with attacks.
 * If a player has the Lightbringer title track selected, that player's Heroes now gain the benefits provided by this title.
 * Fixed a bug that made it difficult to repair the attacker's catapult on the Warrior's Isle guild battle map.
 * Adjusted the positions of several of the defenders in the Isle of Solitude guild battle map to more effectively defend the Guild Lord.
 * Screenshots are now saved as JPG files.

Heroes' Ascent

 * Re-introduced the Burial Mounds map into rotation, with some map alterations to make it more conducive to a 1v1 map.
 * Removed the Scarred Earth map from rotation.

Broken Tower and Courtyard
The winning team is no longer decided by who is holding the altar when time runs out. The new win condition is based on points earned by killing members of the opposing teams.
 * Every time a team kills an opposing player, that team is awarded one point.
 * Killing a Ghostly Hero awards a team double points.
 * The first kill of a match awards double points.
 * Players may still capture the altar, but this is now done through the use of capture points similar to the control points used in Alliance Battles. The team with the most players in range of the capture point begins capturing the altar. The Ghostly Hero counts as 4 players.
 * The team holding the altar receives a 10% damage boost.
 * When the timer hits zero, the team with the most points wins. In cases of a tie, the team that scored the last kill wins the match. If no teams have scored a kill, there is no winner.
 * On Broken Tower, the team holding the altar resurrects upon the altar every minute, along with their Ghostly Hero.
 * On Courtyard, teams resurrect every minute at their shrine while their Priest is alive. The team holding the altar resurrects there instead of at their shrine.
 * Increased the time limit to 10 minutes.
 * Players no longer incur a death penalty (DP) on these maps.

Hall of Heroes

 * Increased the time limit to 8 minutes.
 * Players no longer incur a death penalty on this map.
 * The contents of the reward chest have been updated, and its location has been moved. You can find the new location by looking on your Compass after you've won a match. All players now need to click on it to receive a reward for winning a battle in the Hall of Heroes. To give players time to do this, the wait time between matches has been increased.
 * When players enter the Hall of Heroes, the win condition and match objectives are randomly decided from three options. These three options are described below.
 * Kill Count
 * Every time a team kills an opposing player, that team is awarded one point.
 * Killing a Ghostly Hero awards a team double points.
 * The first kill of a match awards double points.
 * Players may still capture the altar, but this is now done through the use of capture points similar to the control points used in Alliance Battles. The team with the most players in range of the capture point begins capturing the altar. The Ghostly Hero counts as 4 players.
 * The team holding the altar receives a 10% damage boost and gains a morale boost for every 2 minutes they hold that altar.
 * Teams resurrect at their shrine every minute, along with their Ghostly Hero. The team holding the altar resurrects upon the altar every minute, along with their Ghostly Hero.
 * When time runs out, the team with the most points wins. In cases of a tie, the team that scored the last kill wins the match. If no teams have scored a kill, the defender wins.
 * Murder Ball
 * Three Heroes are spawned, one for each team, at equal distances away from the altar.
 * One relic is spawned on the altar in the middle of the map.
 * Players bring the relic to their Ghostly Hero to score a point.
 * When a player picks up the relic, a timer starts counting down 60 seconds. When that time is up, the relic respawns at its start location.
 * If a player is holding the relic when the timer is up, that player dies.
 * If a Ghostly Hero is killed, he resurrects after 10 seconds at the place where he stood.
 * Teams resurrect at their shrine every minute.
 * When time runs out, the team with the most points wins. In cases of a tie, the tying team that last captured a relic is awarded the win. If no relics have been captured, the defending team wins.
 * Capture Points
 * There are 4 capture points on the map: one on the altar and one at each teams' resurrection shrine.
 * Teams begin capturing a point when they have more players within range than any other team. The Ghostly Hero counts as 4 players.
 * Every 30 seconds, teams are awarded a point for each capture point they are holding.
 * Teams resurrect with their Ghostly Hero every minute at their shrine.
 * When time is up, the team with the most points wins. In cases of a tie, the tying team that last scored a kill wins the match. If no kills have been scored, the defending team wins.

General
Permanent Change:
 * The "evade" mechanic has been removed from the game. All skills that used this mechanic have been changed to use "block" instead.

Temporary Change for this Weekend's Testing Event:
 * Weakness now causes -1 to all attributes.

Assassin

 * : changed duration to 30 seconds. This Spell now works on the next 1..5 attack skills.
 * : decreased recharge time to 2 seconds.
 * : now causes a Deep Wound.
 * : increased Energy cost to 15, increased recharge time to 20 seconds. Functionality changed to "Shadow Step to target foe. That foe is interrupted and becomes Dazed for 5..11 second[s]."
 * : decreased recharge time to 4 seconds.
 * : increased damage per recharging dagger attack to 5..20, up to a maximum bonus of 80.
 * : changed block rate to 75%. Duration now scales 4..10 based on the Critical Strikes attribute.
 * : increased critical strike bonus to 3..15%.
 * : now gives 1..3 Energy per critical hit, based on Critical Strikes attribute.
 * : increased damage to 10..25.
 * : decreased recharge time to 4 seconds.
 * : now must follow a lead attack.
 * : decreased duration to 4..10.
 * : increased block rate to 75%, increased duration to 5..30, and increased recharge time to 30 seconds.
 * : increased healing to 30...150.
 * : now causes a Deep Wound.
 * : decreased Energy cost to 5, decreased casting time to .25 seconds.
 * : increased double strike chance to 5..50%, based on the Critical Strikes attribute.
 * : decreased Energy cost to 5.
 * : decreased duration to 15..45, increased recharge time to 45 seconds.
 * : decreased cast time to .25 seconds.
 * : changed duration to 30 seconds. This Spell now works on the next 1..5 attack skills.
 * : decreased damage to 5..50. Functionality changed so that it cannot be blocked and now always does the bonus damage, regardless of whether or not Enchantments are removed.
 * : increased block rate to 75%, increased recharge time to 45 seconds, increased duration to 36..60.

Dervish

 * All avatar forms: increased recharge time to 30 seconds.
 * : decreased Energy cost to 5, increased amount healed to 15..60 Health.
 * : increased maximum Energy to 20.
 * : adjusted duration to 5..35 seconds.
 * : adjusted duration to 5..25 seconds.
 * : decreased recharge time to 5 seconds, increased movement speed to 33%.

Elementalist

 * : increased Conditional damage to 15..60.
 * : decreased Energy cost to 10.
 * : increased Energy cost to 10.
 * : decreased Energy cost to 5, increased damage to 10..40.
 * : decreased Energy cost to 15, increased damage to 10..40.
 * : increased damage to 10..40. This spell now causes Blindness on each pulse.
 * : decreased Energy cost to 10, increased damage to 5..35.
 * : decreased recharge time to 10 seconds, increased duration to 5..20 seconds.
 * : increased damage to 20..65.
 * : decreased casting time to 1 second.
 * : decreased recharge time to 5 seconds, decreased damage to 10..85.
 * : increased recharge time to 8 seconds.
 * : no longer adds armor to targets.
 * : decreased recharge to 2 seconds.
 * : increased recharge time to 15 seconds, decreased duration to 4..10 seconds, functionality changed to: "Target foe's movement is slowed by 66%. If that foe is under the effects of an Enchantment, target's movement is slowed by 90% instead."
 * : decreased recharge time to 3 seconds.
 * : increased area-of-effect to "nearby."
 * : increased damage to 20..65.
 * : increased Conditional damage 5..50.
 * : decreased recharge time to 2 seconds.
 * : increased area-of-effect to "nearby."
 * : increased duration to 1..10.
 * : reduced casting time to 2 seconds.
 * : decreased Energy cost to 5, increased recharge time to 25 seconds.
 * : decreased Burning duration to 1..5 seconds.
 * /: decreased Energy cost to 15, increased damage to 10..40.
 * : increased damage to 10..85.
 * : increased damage to 15..60.
 * : increased Energy cost to 10, increased casting time to 2 seconds, decreased recharge time to 7 seconds, and increased damage to 7..112.
 * : increased damage to 8..33.
 * : increased damage to 15..105.
 * : decreased Energy cost to 10, increased damage to 10..40.
 * : increased projectile speed by 25%.

Mesmer

 * : decreased recharge time to 20 seconds, decreased duration to 4..10 seconds.
 * : decreased recharge time to 0 seconds.
 * : decreased recharge time to 0 seconds.
 * : reduced area-of-effect to "nearby."
 * : decreased Energy cost to 10.
 * : decreased the amount of healing applied when this Hex ends to 15 per point of degeneration.
 * : decreased Energy cost to 5, increased duration to 5..35.
 * : decreased recharge time to 10 seconds.
 * : decreased recharge time to 20.
 * : decreased recharge time to 10 seconds.
 * : decreased recharge time to 15.
 * : decreased recharge time to 10.
 * : decreased Energy cost to 5, decreased recharge time to 5 seconds.
 * : decreased recharge time to 0 seconds.
 * : Functionality changed to: "Target foe takes 5..75 damage. If that foe is near a Spirit, all other nearby foes take 5..75 damage, and this Skill recharges instantly if it hits a Spirit."
 * : decreased recharge time to 20 seconds, decreased duration to 4..10 seconds.
 * : now does double damage to summoned creatures.

Monk

 * : decreased recharge time to 5 seconds.
 * : increased casting time to 2 seconds.
 * : area-of-effect increased to "nearby."
 * : decreased casting time to 5 seconds.
 * : decreased casting time to 6 seconds, increased recharge time to 5 seconds.
 * : decreased casting time to 6 seconds, increased recharge time to 8 seconds.
 * : decreased casting time to 5 seconds, increased recharge time to 8 seconds.
 * : decreased casting time to 6 seconds, increased recharge time to 15 seconds.
 * : increased casting time to 1 second.
 * : decreased casting time to .25 seconds, increased duration to 1..7 seconds, changed block rate to 75%.
 * : decreased casting time to .25 seconds, decreased recharge time to 5 seconds.
 * : decreased recharge time to 15 seconds, decreased duration to 8 seconds.
 * : reduced casting time to 1 second.
 * : decreased damage to 100 maximum.
 * : now adds a 15% damage buff to the target.
 * : Conditional healing increased to 15..100.

Necromancer

 * : increased damage to 1..15.
 * : decreased recharge time to 8 seconds.
 * : decreased Energy cost to 5.
 * : increased Conditional damage to 5..50.
 * : increased damage to 30..90.
 * : increased duration to 5..35 seconds, decreased sacrifice to 10% of maximum Health.
 * : decreased recharge time to 10 seconds.
 * : Increased damage to 30..110.
 * : decreased Energy cost to 5, decreased casting time to 1 second, increased recharge time to 25.
 * : decreased Energy cost to 10, decreased casting time to 2 seconds, increased recharge time to 25 seconds.
 * : decreased recharge time to 12 seconds.
 * : functionality changed to: "For 5..35 seconds, target foe suffers -1 Energy degeneration and you suffer -2 Health degeneration. If target foe's Energy reaches 0, that foe takes 5..50 damage and Malaise ends."
 * : decreased recharge time to 5 seconds. Created minion does not exploit the corpse.
 * : decreased casting time to 1 second, decreased recharge time to 10 seconds, increased duration to 5..35.
 * : decreased cast time to 2 seconds, increased damage dealt to 15..45.
 * : decreased Energy return to 5..15.
 * : decreased Energy cost to 5, decreased casting time to 1 second.
 * : decreased sacrifice to 30..10% of maximum Health.
 * : decreased recharge time to 20 seconds, increased damage done per second to 1..6, decreased duration to 20 seconds.
 * : decreased duration to 20 seconds.
 * : decreased casting time to 1 second.
 * : decreased recharge time to 5 seconds.
 * : decreased recharge time to 10 seconds. This Hex now does -4 Health degeneration, but only to Bleeding foes.
 * : decreased recharge time to 2 seconds.
 * : functionality changed to: "For 5..35 seconds, target foe suffers -2..4 Health degeneration and -1 Energy degeneration. Wither ends if target foe's Energy reaches 0. When Wither ends that foe takes 15..75 damage."

Paragon

 * : decreased healing to 30..90.
 * : decreased Energy gained to 1..6.
 * : decreased healing to 30..90, decreased recharge time to 15 seconds.
 * : increased damage to 5..25.
 * : decreased healing to 30..90.
 * : increased casting time to 2 seconds.
 * : decreased casting time to 2 seconds.
 * : decreased casting time to 5 seconds.
 * : decreased recharge time to 4 seconds, increased damage to 5..30.
 * : decreased healing to 30..90.
 * : now only affects party members, Energy cost increased to 15.
 * : decreased casting time to 2 seconds.
 * : decreased recharge time to 4 seconds.
 * : decreased Weakness duration to 5 seconds.

Ranger

 * : decreased casting time to 1 second.
 * : decreased Energy cost to 5.
 * : increased duration to 36 seconds.
 * : increased Bleeding duration to 5..25.
 * : decreased Energy cost to 5, decreased recharge time to 12 seconds, increased damage to 5..20.
 * : increased duration to 3..15 seconds.
 * : increased Conditional damage to 5..35.
 * : decreased recharge time to 10 seconds, decreased duration to 3..15.
 * : increased level to 1..10.
 * : increased Cripple duration to 3..25 seconds.
 * : decreased recharge time to 30 seconds.
 * : increased duration to 30..90 seconds.
 * : increased duration to 5..20 seconds.
 * : increased duration to 5..30.
 * : decreased recharge time to 20 seconds.

Ritualist

 * All spells that had a requirement of being "near a Spirit" or "in the area of a Spirit" have been changed to "within earshot of a spirit."
 * : increased damage to 30..130.
 * : decreased Energy cost to 15, decreased casting time to 3 seconds, decreased recharge time to 30 seconds.
 * : decreased Energy cost to 5, decreased casting time to 1 second, increased recharge time to 20 seconds, increased area-of-effect to "nearby."
 * : decreased Energy cost to 5, decreased casting time to 3 seconds, decreased recharge time to 30 seconds. Skill moved to the Channeling Attribute.
 * : increased duration 5..35.
 * : increased healing and damage done to 20..75, decreased Energy gained to 5.
 * : decreased recharge time to 4 seconds.
 * : decreased casting time to 1 second, decreased recharge time to 5 seconds.
 * : changed to: "Resurrect target party member with your current Health and Energy. If that party member dies within 120 seconds, so do you."
 * : decreased Energy cost to 5, decreased recharge time to 15.
 * : holding this bundle now causes Ritualist damage spells to have 25% armor penetration.
 * :decreased block rate to 75%.
 * : decreased recharge time to 30 seconds.
 * : decreased Energy cost to 5 Energy.
 * : decreased casting time to 4 seconds.
 * : decreased the amount of Health lost to 10..30, increased damage done per Health lost to 4.
 * : decreased recharge time to 20 seconds.
 * : decreased casting time to 1 second, decreased recharge time to 20 seconds.
 * : reduced recharge time to 5 seconds.
 * : decreased recharge time to 20 seconds.
 * : decreased recharge time to 20 seconds, decreased duration to 20 seconds, increased healing-per-second it was alive to 1..7.
 * : increased Energy gained to 30.
 * : now works on the next 2..5 attacks.
 * : increased Energy gained to 8..17.
 * : decreased recharge time to 20 seconds, increased duration to 90 seconds.
 * : now adds 24 armor when held, and heals the party for 10..85 when dropped.
 * : increased regeneration to 3 per Hex or Condition suffered.
 * : decreased Energy cost to 5.
 * : increased damage to 5..35.
 * : you now gain 3..12 Energy if you are within earshot of a Spirit.
 * : functionality changed to: "For 10 seconds, you gain +1..6 Energy regeneration but suffer -5 Health degeneration. When Spirit Channeling ends, you gain 100 Health if you are within earshot of a Spirit."
 * : increased amount healed to 1..15 Health per second, and an additional 1..15 Health if within earshot of a Spirit.
 * : increased healing to 60..180.
 * : decreased Energy cost to 10, decreased casting time to 1 second.
 * : decreased the amount of Heath lost by the nearest Spirit to 5..50, increased the amount healed per Health lost to 5.
 * : now works on the next 1..5 attacks.
 * : decreased casting time to 1 second.
 * : decreased recharge time to 2 seconds, increased duration to 15..45 seconds.
 * : decreased Energy cost to 5.
 * : decreased Energy cost to 10.
 * : increased duration to 5..20.
 * : increased recharge bonus to 33%.
 * : increased Blindness duration to 5 seconds, decreased recharge time to 20 seconds.
 * : decreased casting time to 1 second.
 * : decreased casting time to .25 seconds.

Warrior

 * : increased recharge time to 6 seconds, increased damage to 5..35.
 * : increased recharge time to 15 seconds, decreased damage to 5..20.
 * : decreased recharge time to 15 seconds, decreased duration to 1..8 seconds.
 * : decreased recharge time to 10 seconds, decreased duration to 1..8 seconds.
 * : decreased recharge time to 15 seconds, decreased duration to 1..6 seconds.
 * : increased duration to 8 seconds.
 * : decreased recharge time to 15 seconds, decreased duration to 1..6 seconds.
 * : increased recharge time to 8 seconds.
 * : increased recharge time to 8 seconds.
 * : decreased recharge time to 2 seconds, increased damage to 10..40.
 * : decreased recharge time to 15 seconds, decreased duration to 1..8 seconds.
 * : now only effects party members, armor bonus applies versus all projectiles.
 * : decreased recharge time to 10 seconds, decreased duration to 1..8 seconds.
 * : increased damage to 10..40.
 * : increased damage to 15..45.
 * : decreased recharge time to 10 seconds, decreased duration to 1..6 seconds.
 * : decreased Condition durations to 7 seconds.