What's Being Kept from Ambush/Invasion? (Updated July 4)

Four month challenge leagues (like Ambush/Invasion) are a great place to test out new game mechanics while receiving plenty of feedback and data about how players interact with them. When four month leagues end, we have to choose what parts of these new features to roll into the core game. Some systems like Rogue Exiles (Anarchy) and Shrines (Domination) came from challenge leagues in this way.

This article has our current feelings about what parts of the leagues are likely to be retained. It's going to be updated over time, especially with regard to aspects that haven't yet been decided.

The updates will not happen as soon as the leagues end. These changes will be rolled into the 1.2.0 patch.

Ambush League
The Ambush strongboxes are great fun and will be integrated into the core game. Their spawn rate will probably be reduced slightly and we will delay the first strongboxes appearing until later in the game.

We will rebalance the chance of chest types and mods on them. We'll specifically rebalance how Cartographers ones work in end-game Maps, as the bonus they can give when dropping higher level maps is extreme and is very unevenly applied across the player base.

Invasion League
There are three main elements that make up the Invasion League. There was a different method of pack spawning used in Invasion. This allows us more flexibility in what packs we can assign to areas. It will now be used in other leagues.

The system of guest base monster types was successful and will be integrated into the core game. It will be toned down substantially so that guest monsters are mostly noticeable in higher difficulties (we ramped it very high for Invasion).

The concept of invading Unique monsters will not be integrated into the core game for now. The Invasion bosses that are the most fun will be kept to help bolster our set of Unique monsters that have been statically allocated to each world area (i.e. some world areas that were missing Unique monsters will now get them). Invasion bosses will be kept as a mod we can use for events.

Other League-Specific Content
The new progression of quivers has been successful. Our current plan is to introduce them to the core game when these leagues end and stop the old quivers from dropping at that point.

Unset Rings will also be introduced to the core game.

Unique Items
We generally do not add unique items from challenge leagues to the full pool when the league ends. With Ambush/Invasion we have examined our roster of unique quivers, and we allow all the new unique quivers to spawn when the new quiver progression is swapped in at 1.2.0.

Voideye and Vaal Caress will not be added to the general unique pool. They may return in some other form in the future.

All of the content and features that make their way from the challenge leagues to the core game add up over time to contribute a lot to Path of Exile's ongoing evolution. We have awesome plans for the next challenge leagues :)
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Last edited by Chris on Oct 10, 2014, 12:09:54 AM
Awww... no more dozen 75+ maps from boxes :(
IGN: Sin
Last edited by Make_A_Witch_Foundation on Apr 21, 2014, 2:02:56 AM
Sounds good.
I have to say...I'll laugh if the one time I actually managed to score one of the decent league-specific uniques (Drillneck) is the time they don't legacy them. I can't stand legacy stuff, but if you're going to do it, I'd like it if you were at least consistent about doing it.
Why rebalance Cartographers?
Was hoping to finally use my own maps in standard in a few months.
Ah well... back to paying fees.
"
Chris wrote:

Invasion League
Note that the following is our current thinking, assuming that the changes we're making soon have the results we want.

The concept of invading Unique monsters will not be integrated into the core game for now. The Invasion bosses that are the most fun will be kept to help bolster our set of Unique monsters that have been statically allocated to each world area (i.e. some world areas that were missing Unique monsters will now get them).


I am happy with this change. I am fine with Invasion bosses in the challenge/4 month league. But to be constantly in fear of getting jumped mid zone/map by near anything took a fair bit of the fun out of clearing in anticipation for the actual boss, which should be the scary/anticipated part of the zone or map.
Will the ambush chests be imported as is to the hardcore leagues, or do you plan to change the way monsters spawn so that the character is not immediately swarmed, blocked and chain-stunned to death?
"
Chris wrote:

Unique Items
We generally do not add unique items from challenge leagues to the full pool when the league ends. With Ambush/Invasion we are examining our roster of Unique Quivers, and may allow these to spawn after the leagues end. If this is going to happen, we will let the community know well in advance.


But they already do:

*confused*
I've seen people travel east, I've seen them go west.
Never have I seen so many monsters.
A handful of the Invaders/corrupt zone monsters are very well done, you should consider them for replacements to duplicate Map bosses. I don't know what the plans are for corrupt zones, but I'd love to see Perquil the Lucky replace the current Canyon boss, for example.


Using the Invasion base monster mixup in later difficulties will probably help a good deal with complaints that the playthroughs aren't different enough.

Don't get rid of Light Quivers. Yes, they were the objectively best quiver before, but now there are better options for on-class bow users, like pierce or phys damage. Don't punish the off-class.
Last edited by Uvne on Apr 21, 2014, 2:34:31 AM
Just wondering why are the old quivers being taken out? I mean I can understand that the heavy and cured quivers have better equivalents with the new ones, but what about the rugged, conductive, and licht quivers? And what of the two unique quivers that we're tied to the old set?
Fire Ferrets
ty for ambush boxes, they are amazing

some thoughts about em:
- cartographers - decrease spawning ratio, anyway they are pretty rare and its amazing feeling to open one:)
- currency boxes - arcanists are also awesome and one of my favourite
- currency boxes - artisans, imo those f****ed low tier currency trades. now we have many many whetstones/scraps that can be easily exchanged to scrolls of wisdom. im not selling them, but many people got profits from this and need for those scrolls falls down to hard
- gear boxes, should at least always have one rare, blue and white. opening those and awww... again no item with a chance to upgrade leveling hero isnt already fun when u accept challenge of fight. upgrade is still to hard to find when you dont trade
- dont knwo if its intended - sometimes i see arcanist boxes that just dont have monsters and open after few seconds. just feels nice but no idea is it can be bug as the box says "guarded by 3 packs of monsters"


Uniques, well i would like to see all uniques added to the game, at least to standard, to have the option to test builds with them, not all players are so "rich" in currency that can afford to buy uniques from already ended leagues
maybe there are some balance issues behind it, but i would like just have the option too put my hands on all of them
Better dont quote me - often editing right after posting:)
Last edited by Evil_Kon on Apr 21, 2014, 2:43:29 AM

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