Ring of Darkness: The Superior Alternative to Band of Air?

In the world of Neverwinter, changes are coming to the beloved Band of Air. Alongside this adjustment, the Ring of Darkness is also receiving some updates. In a recent blog post, Kobetic Studios explained the reasons behind these nerfs and adjustments, as well as their approach to balancing items in the game. This article will delve into the details of these changes and explore whether the Ring of Darkness has now surpassed the Band of Air in terms of potency.

Before we discuss the comparison of these two rings, it’s important to understand the motivations behind the changes. Kobetic Studios aims to prevent a divided player base, where groups form based on who possesses certain items. The Band of Air, for example, was so powerful that players without it were at a significant disadvantage in high-level trials. The studio emphasizes that the changes are not intended as a cash grab, but rather to create a balanced gameplay experience for all players. If an overpowered item were to be discovered and players were able to purchase it directly, the studio would subsequently adjust its power level and introduce a fair compensation system. To ensure greater oversight in the future, Kobetic Studios has established a Rewards Council, consisting of item designers, system designers, executives, and expert character builders, who will review all items before each module release.

Now let’s dive into the specific changes happening to the Band of Air and the Ring of Darkness. The Band of Air’s effectiveness will be reduced, as it was never intended to deal such excessive damage. Currently, the band’s base damage is multiplied by six, resulting in 600 magnitude. Kobetic Studios wants to bring the Band of Air in line with the Red Eyes Glare, another ring in the game. While the exact method of achieving balance across all classes is not disclosed, it seems that certain classes, such as rogues and warlocks, will experience a reduction in the Band of Air’s power. The Red Eyes Glare, on the other hand, offers a simple statistical boost of 5% power and 2.5% accuracy, without any positioning or uptime requirements. The studio estimates that this boost will contribute to approximately a 4% damage gain for an endgame character.

During testing, the Ring of Darkness also received a minor reduction in power. However, it is important to note that the changes to the Ring of Darkness may not be on par with those made to the Band of Air. The set bonus, known as Queen’s Empowerment, remains untouched and is expected to provide better damage than before. The crucial question remains: is the Ring of Darkness now better than the Band of Air? To find out, let’s examine the testing data.

In extensive testing on the live server, the lingering darkness from the Ring of Darkness accounted for roughly 6% of overall damage. However, on the preview server, this damage has been reduced to 3%. Similarly, the Band of Air’s damage has been decreased from 27,000 to 12,000, representing a 50% reduction. As for the Queen’s Empowerment set bonus, it appears that when both rings are equipped, the total damage output is approximately the same as using just the Band of Air alone. This means that running both rings simultaneously is not a viable option and would result in a wasted ring slot. Instead, players are advised to consider alternatives like the Red Eyes Glare or the Soothsayer’s Ring to maximize damage output.

Additionally, the changes to the Band of Air’s procs should be noted. Mythilar sets, storybooks, poison thorns, and ferocity city no longer trigger the Band of Air. Kobetic Studios has explicitly stated that they do not want any additional procs or triggers to activate the Band of Air. As a result, rogue builds will need to be adjusted to accommodate these changes.

In conclusion, the Ring of Darkness has undergone adjustments and now offers comparable damage to the Band of Air. However, running both rings simultaneously is not recommended. Instead, players should focus on optimizing their build by considering alternative rings and adapting to the changes made by Kobetic Studios. With balance being a priority, Neverwinter players can look forward to a more inclusive and fair gameplay experience.