Graal Forums - Changes to the Event Shop: Review

I'm ignoring the scrolls npc because he hasn't changed with this update.I won't list the other ingredient costs for items, just their EC value. Note that Dragon Amulets require 3x of their colored fragment to craft though. And I'll try to get accurate stats of the new items.

The old shop had these items up for grabs in exchange for EC's:

Ewald Hammer:

Black Guard Helmet - 35EC's
Flaming Ice Dagger - 11EC's
Ice Dagger - 6EC's
Belzebub Shield - 20EC's
Gale Armour - 75EC's

Warude Woodo:

Ancaria Gloves - 40EC's
Amulet of Speed - 12EC's
Gloves of Dragonhide - 17EC's

The New Shop:

Ewald Hammer:

Necromancer's Battle Rainment (Pow+1)(resist death +15)(ac+3) - 40EC's
Dragon Mail (Str+2)(resist cold+20)(resist fire+20)(ac+5)(armour+50) - 300EC's
Gloves of the Archer (Dex+2)(speed +1) - 35EC's
Ancaria Gloves (Wis+1)(Int+2)(Cha+2)(armour +3) - 40EC's
Tower Shield (ac+2)(speed-1)(reflect missiles) - 30EC
Shield of the Sun (Wis+1)(Str+1)(resist electricty +10) - 250EC's

Warude Woodo:

Diamond Force (dmg+9) - 25EC's
Dwarven Warhammer of Might (Str+2)(dmg+8) - 250EC's
Dwarven Warhammer of Agility (Dex+2)(dmg+8) - 200EC's
Dwarven Warhammer of Sorcery (Con+3)(dmg+8) - 300EC's
Girdle of Damage (dmg +10) - 50EC's
Red Dragon Amulet (speed+5)(resist magic+30)(resist fire +60)(regeneration +5) - 25EC's
Blue Dragon Amulet (speed+5)(resist magic+30)(resist cold +60(regeneration +5) - 25EC's
Amulet of Speed (dex+1)(speed+2) - 12EC's
Sigil of Thunder (Wis+3)(Pow+1)(attuned: electricty) - 18EC's

Review:
WE GOT AN EC UPDATE!!! Finally, and it included a real game changer - Dragon Mail. This armour ranks at #1 on the Warrior armour list and it's price justifies that. Dragon Mail offers a viable alternative to the current #1 Warrior set and allows Warriors to not have to get Gauntlets of the Giant to properly balance and overstack Str/Con/Dex/Speed. Infact, coupled with Archers and HSoH/Leaf Shield, the Dragon Mail set offers +0.033 speed over the Giant's set which is +1str and 2ac better. Speed vs Str+1 and AC, Giant's set still comes up ontop, but it's a much cheaper alternative considering that Str improvements are very common on weapons now. I'll leave it's GFX attatched. Just so that it's clear, Giant's set is: Giant's, RoW's, R/B Dragon Ammy, FHoM, Gale, Bunny Tail, any mask, ASoD, Raging Dragon, Speed Boots, Dex Bracers. Dragon's Mail set is the same combination of items, only with Dragon Mail replacing Gale, Archers replacing Giant's and HSoH/Leaf shield replacing ASoD.

Necromancers Battle Rainment is a disappointing new addition, it offers Power and death resistance with some AC and i imagine, low weight and no speed cap. Early on i imagine this to not shine at all, since Mages would rather focus on Dex and Speed and didn't really need anymore Power since Halloween Wiz, Winter's Frost and the latest wand released came into availability. Though, since Gale armour has been removed, over time mages might just have to settle with a Necromancer's Rainment, and that might not be so bad, because it has a pretty cool graphics - Which i'll leave attached.
I'd say an EC cost of around 15-23 EC's would better suit this stat-challenged item.

That covers the new items, and they're half decent, now onto the items which already existed, some of which got a makeover. I'm going to start off with the eye catchers; the Hammers. And there's not much else to say other than: 'Really?'. The prices on these Hammers are simply just too steep. Even though Hammers and axes were given a dramatic weapon speed boost to rival swords, this doesn't explain such prices. And even when you try and put stats into the equation, you really just come up with a poor argument. Sorc Hammer was atleast rare enough to slightly justify it's 300EC cost, but as I've argued for ages, Con on a weapon is futile because you have to heal to claim the new hp cap that you gain, and is really only useful for people who don't change weapons at all, or employ running tactics. I don't expect to see these bought at all, so it's a shame to see them wasting space up there.
Recommended costs: 50EC for agility, 70EC for might, 150EC for Sorc.

Sun Shield has come back to the shop, and got a sweet buff in the process.
But that +1Str buff still puts it 2nd to Moon shield and really only offering Aesthetics over 1wis and +5magic resist (of moon's). The 250EC cost is pretty ridiculous in that case as Moon Shield was given away to the public free of charge on 2 Easter Shop's. That's why they're just so easy to get, and has been a very good cost effective shield. I would suggest a cost of 70-100EC for sun shield which puts it roughly at a 2RoW value, similar to the value of other rare Str shields.

Sigil of Thunder is very affordable and a great item, I'd go grab one before it leaves the shop. I also have very little to say about Diamond Force and Tower Shield. They're decently priced, even though tower shield is a horrible item, it's currently rare and an aesthetic item the same as Diamond Force.

Last but definitely not least, Archers. The big steal of the shop, it ranks in as the 3rd best Melee glove and #1 Mage glove. But it's price tag doesn't suggest that at all. You can't really complain when a great item is given out at drop dead value prices since we're so item starved most of the time. My only critique is that the value drop was so drastic, certain players will feel robbed, especially those who bought their Archers very recently as it had hit values of around 150-200ec's or 3-4 rows. I would have probably put Archers at a price above that of what Gale armour was, since it actually is better than Gale. 80-100EC's as a better price would be my only critique, but why would i complain about getting them for 35? :p

Conclusion: One very good, very well priced item. Many very average godly priced items. Old Faces and 2 totally new faces with a Pro item on Value price! We got what we wanted didn't we? Let's hope it just doesn't take nearly half a decade for the next shop update.