Combat Overhaul Update 8

= Combat =
 * Improved buff icons for tanking and added blink effects to indicate the duration is nearly over.
 * Taunt threat amounts have been greatly increased.
 * Aegis threat generation modifiers have been greatly increased.

PvM

 * Two Handed weapons now have a chance to critical hit against creatures.
 * Chance to critical is based on Tactics and Weapon Skill.
 * Must have greater than 60 in both skills.
 * Archery weapons now have a chance to critical hit against creatures.
 * Chance to critical is based on Tactics and Weapon Skill.
 * Must have greater than 60 in both skills.

Unwavering Stance
An additional ability has been added to Parrying and the tank role which is used for extreme damage mitigation. You may only enter Unwavering Stance if you already have the Bastion effect active. Once active your movement speed and dexterity are severely limited but you gain several defensive bonuses.

Requirements

 * You must have Bastion active.
 * You must have 100 Parrying skill.
 * Unwavering Stance must not be on cooldown (60 seconds upon deactivation).
 * You must not be mounted.

Effects
The following effects are applied for 45 seconds or until the effect is renewed.
 * +150% towards Bastion's Armor Rating bonus.
 * -20% stamina damage.
 * +30% increased effect of healing from spells.
 * +50% threat generation.
 * -50% dexterity.
 * -50% movement speed.
 * You cannot mount.

Stacking
Taunting while in Unwavering Stance will cause the effect modifiers to increase up to 5 stacks.


 * Max stack count is 5
 * Each stack provides an additional 5% to each modifier.

To leave Unwavering stance just use the ability again to toggle it off. You will have to wait to enter the stance again.

Tamers and Herding

 * Pet melee damage is now calculated as if the pets were players and not creatures.
 * This results in a substantial damage boost for pets in PvM.

A new primary skill has been added called Herding. This skill is used to increase movement speed of your pets and to provide a targeted damage buff for them by way of Herding's skill ability Aggression.

Aggression
A herder can direct his follower's aggression at single target providing a melee damage boost for followers.

Requirements:
 * Must have a Shepherd's Crook equipped to use the ability.
 * There are no other skill requirements to use Aggression.
 * Must not be on cooldown. (15 seconds upon use)
 * Must be a valid combat target.

Effects
 * Base damage modifier up to 20%
 * Scaled with your herding skill level.
 * Duration of 45 seconds.
 * Additional 10% movement speed. (Applies in PvP as well)

Stacking Additional uses of Aggression will cause the effect modifier to increase up to 3 stacks and renew its duration.


 * Max stack count is 3
 * Each stack provides an additional 10% up to a maximum of 50% damage bonus.
 * The stack modifier is scaled with your herding skill level.

Gaining Skill
To gain skill in Herding, you need only use Aggression on a target and have your creatures attack it. The follower's owner will have a chance to gain skill in Herding when followers attacking this target.

Veterinary Bandage
Bandaging pets now results in larger heals but over a longer bandage timer.


 * Veterinary bandage range extended by 1.5 units.

Heal Amount
Amount = random(65, 95) * (Veterinary/ 100) * (1 + (20% * (Animal Lore / 100))

Bandage Duration
Seconds = 6.5 - (1.5 * (Dexterity / 100))

Spellcasting

 * Spells now have a chance to critical against creatures.
 * Chance to critical is based on Magery and Evaluating Intelligence.
 * Must have greater than 60 in both skills.

Mana Drain and Mana Vampire in PvM
Mana Vampire and Mana Drain when cast on creatures now apply a debuff called Spell Vulnerability. While this debuff is active the creature will have reduced magic resistance and a portion of spell damage against this creature will be converted into mana for the caster. This effect can stack up to a modifier of 50% magic resist debuff. The stronger the magic resist debuff, the more mana the caster will receive from damage done to the creature.

Mana Vampire
 * Cost 40 mana
 * -40% Magic Resist
 * Duration in seconds:
 * 15 + (45 * ((Magery + Meditation) / 200))

Mana Drain
 * Cost 14 mana
 * -10% Magic Resist
 * Duration in seconds:
 * 10 + (20 * ((Magery + Meditation) / 200))

Stacking Either use of Mana Vampire or Mana Drain will reset the duration of Spell Vulnerability. Magic Resist debuff modifiers will stack until a max of -50% is reached. After the max is reached further stacking will only prolong the effect.

Mana Conversion Ratio
 * Mana = spell damage * 20% * ((Magic Resist Debuff / 50%) * ((1.88 ^ (Spell Circle / 2) -1) / 8)

Creature Death

If Spell Vulnerability is active on a creature at the time of its death, a portion of the cost to apply effect is converted back to mana for all spellcasters who stacked the effect. This mana is divided up between all those who stacked the effect during its lifetime.


 * Mana per stacker = 25 * (Magic Resist Debuff / 50%) / Spellcasters

Covetous

 * Creatures have been rebalanced again.
 * Creatures will now use spells more frequently.
 * Creatures will now poison based on their poisoning skill.
 * Bosses have been rebalanced.

Overland

 * Some creatures on the overland have been rebalanced.

AI

 * Fixed an issue causing pets to not draw aggression from monsters.
 * Fixed an issue causing some creatures to not persist custom behaviors through a server reset.