Need a game term defined

[Namma]

Please, someone define - utility line

Trying to understand what is happening to the Hunter Trait Tree that's being talked about in:
https://forums.lotro.com/forums/show...pdate-Option-2

I have always played Blue Hunters with traits in red and yellow for my solo play style and love it.

Just don't understand what a "utility line" means and "No longer can be specialized."

[Elmagor]

Please, someone define - utility line

Trying to understand what is happening to the Hunter Trait Tree that's being talked about in:
https://forums.lotro.com/forums/show...pdate-Option-2

I have always played Blue Hunters with traits in red and yellow for my solo play style and love it.

Just don't understand what a "utility line" means and "No longer can be specialized."

That means you can't use utility line as spec. You have your main spec, additional trait tree (costs 2 trait points per trait) and utility tree (costs 1 trait points per trait)

As example: Mini have blue and red spec (main heal spec) 1 trait costs in blue, 2 trait costs in red, 1 trait costs in ulitity yellow

[Arnenna]

It means they are considering doing away with blue line and giving Hunters a two tree specialisation, but you will still be able to trait down into the blue tree.

[Hephburz-2]

Please, someone define - utility line

Trying to understand what is happening to the Hunter Trait Tree that's being talked about in:
https://forums.lotro.com/forums/show...pdate-Option-2

I have always played Blue Hunters with traits in red and yellow for my solo play style and love it.

Just don't understand what a "utility line" means and "No longer can be specialized."

The best way to answer this is with ice cream, and who doesn't love ice cream?

Currently, a Hunter like every other class can choose 3 scoops of ice cream, scoop 1 being your main spec and scoops 2 & 3 being those extra points you have elsewhere. So for example you can have blueberry ice cream as your main scoop, and then strawberry and banana as those extra scoops on top. However, the change being talked about in the thread will mean that you will no longer be able to have blueberry ice cream as your main scoop, and it will have to be either Strawberry or Banana, but you can still have some Blueberry on top

[Namma]

It means they are considering doing away with blue line and giving Hunters a two tree specialisation, but you will still be able to trait down into the blue tree.

Okay, need a bit more here.

So they will remove the Blue Trait Tree, but put the traits into red and yellow?

Which traits will move over?

Personally I dislike the red and yellow and find only a few skills in each useful - to me.

[Namma]

The best way to answer this is with ice cream, and who doesn't love ice cream?

Currently, a Hunter like every other class can choose 3 scoops of ice cream, scoop 1 being your main spec and scoops 2 & 3 being those extra points you have elsewhere. So for example you can have blueberry ice cream as your main scoop, and then strawberry and banana as those extra scoops on top. However, the change being talked about in the thread will mean that you will no longer be able to have blueberry ice cream as your main scoop, and it will have to be either Strawberry or Banana, but you can still have some Blueberry on top

Would rather have the Blueberry with some Strawberries and very little Banana.

Frankly I do not want my Hunter(s) to become different creatures simply because some few do not like the Blue Line.

Are they going to turn ALL classes into two trait tree lines only?

[Arnenna]

Would rather have the Blueberry with some Strawberries and very little Banana.

Frankly I do not want my Hunter(s) to become different creatures simply because some few do not like the Blue Line.

Are they going to turn ALL classes into two trait tree lines only?

Hunter only has one purpose - damage. It makes little sense to have two trees doing damage, then one tree doing some CC.

There will still be three trees, but you will only be able to specialise in red or yellow. All the spare points you have can still be spent in the blue tree, and if they follow how they did it with minstrel, the point costs will be low which will enable you to trait quite far down. Basically, you'll be able to shoot on the move, but with the damage of redline at your back (if I've read it correctly. not had time to have a full read yet).

[Namma]

That means you can't use utility line as spec. You have your main spec, additional trait tree (costs 2 trait points per trait) and utility tree (costs 1 trait points per trait)

As example: Mini have blue and red spec (main heal spec) 1 trait costs in blue, 2 trait costs in red, 1 trait costs in ulitity yellow

So you're saying that I will HAVE to trait Red or Yellow but be able to choose traits in Blue?

So we lose the Blue Set Bonuses as we trait more points in Blue, like Nock on the Move (shoot while running)?

[Namma]

Hunter only has one purpose - damage.

That is the purpose you assign to it.

Not everyone plays the same and I dislike being "boxed in" by someone else's "needs".

btw, have you played Hunter to an appreciable level, say 125 or so?

[Mirhaen]

So you're saying that I will HAVE to trait Red or Yellow but be able to choose traits in Blue?

So we lose the Blue Set Bonuses as we trait more points in Blue, like Nock on the Move (shoot while running)?

There are two different possible options that are currently being discussed in two separate threads. As I recall, so far, Nock on the Move (induction based attacks can be used while moving) would remain no matter which option is going to be eventually chosen. Best is you post your concerns and opinion in those threads

[Namma]

There are two different possible options that are currently being discussed in two separate threads. As I recall, so far, Nock on the Move (induction based attacks can be used while moving) would remain no matter which option is going to be eventually chosen. Best is you post your concerns and opinion in those threads

Sure and I will. When I understand what is being discussed. Game speak, particularly dev game speak, is a terrible thing for someone who doesn't live for and hang on ever single notification about a game(s).

Sometimes I feel it's deliberate, but that's probably just me.

[Hephburz-2]

So you're saying that I will HAVE to trait Red or Yellow but be able to choose traits in Blue?

So we lose the Blue Set Bonuses as we trait more points in Blue, like Nock on the Move (shoot while running)?

In this option, which is by no means a confirmed change, both Red and Yellow will be able to gain the Nock on the Move ability from the blue trait spec - to shoot whilst running.

It is also less to do with people not liking blue line and more to do with the long term health of the class and the developer work required to maintain it - as Arnenna pointed out, both Blue and Red are damage specs, the way the specs are designed currently, there is very little reason to have both, considering they both eseentially function the same way, pew pew and done, you can draw a contrast here with Champ Red & Yellow and RK Red & Yellow, in these two cases, these four specs, whilst all damage dealers, function entirely different from one another, Yellow Champ being AoE, Red Champ being ST, Yellow RK being Lightning and Red RK being Fire.

Option 1, which, at this time I believe is the more preferred option for Hunter would involve more of a melee aspect coming into play in Blue Line Hunter, it wouldn't be required by any means, and you will still retain your current ability to run and shoot on the move, but for the best possible damage output you would want to also be using Melee skills in conjuction with your Ranged skills, which, of course is not entirely relevant to people who are not doing high-tier instances or raids

[Namma]

but for the best possible damage output you would want to also be using Melee skills in conjuction with your Ranged skills, which, of course is not entirely relevant to people who are not doing high-tier instances or raids

Exactly my point.

Which begs the question again, are all classes to be treated the same and only have Red and Yellow lines? Perhaps this is a question for the thread I referenced in the OP though.

[Feral_Yoda]

Exactly my point.

Which begs the question again, are all classes to be treated the same and only have Red and Yellow lines? Perhaps this is a question for the thread I referenced in the OP though.

Not all are losing the blue line. For instance, Guardian is losing its yellow line.
But many classes seem to be heading that route or losing one of them.

Its not clear yet if every class will lose one though.

[Hephburz-2]

Exactly my point.

Which begs the question again, are all classes to be treated the same and only have Red and Yellow lines? Perhaps this is a question for the thread I referenced in the OP though.

In some cases, some classes have 3 very defined roles by their trait tree specs - take Captain as an example; Blue is to Heal, Red is to DPS and offensively support, and Yellow is to Tank, in this case, because it is a class with 3 very clear distinctive lines, it is much easier for the devs to say, we can keep all 3 of these lines and work on them, but in the case of Classes that have specs that overlap with one another in terms of their role, it becomes messier, and begs the question of the need of two specs for the same role; like as pointed out above, Guardian's Yellow Line, which was just another tank spec (albeit weaker) than their blue line tank spec, and it didn't really make sense to have both, so it's being cut. We have yet to get to the large class revamps for RK and Champ, so we don't know what yet waits in store for them and whether they may also loose a respective line, but as their specs are more distinctively different I'm not sure that would be the case (maybe red or yellow might get axed for Champ, but I think RK will retain all 3 of its lines, but that's just my theory).

But again, as I pointed out above, Option 1 for the Hunter revamp seems to be more favoured by the community than option 2, which involves keeping blue line as a spec just one that will play more differently to red if you want to push out that top damage.

[the7hing]

That means you can't use utility line as spec. You have your main spec, additional trait tree (costs 2 trait points per trait) and utility tree (costs 1 trait points per trait)

As example: Mini have blue and red spec (main heal spec) 1 trait costs in blue, 2 trait costs in red, 1 trait costs in ulitity yellow

Cost may scale up when you do down in utility line.
Like wardens yellow tree.

[Elmagor]

But again, as I pointed out above, Option 1 for the Hunter revamp seems to be more favoured by the community than option 2, which involves keeping blue line as a spec just one that will play more differently to red if you want to push out that top damage.

If you don't want to push out top damage from hunter, why you want to play hunter? He don't have any other role. It's obvious if red spec will allow you deal more damage blue spec always have 2nd rate and will stay behind

[Hephburz-2]

If you don't want to push out top damage from hunter, why you want to play hunter? He don't have any other role. It's obvious if red spec will allow you deal more damage blue spec always have 2nd rate and will stay behind

Not everyone plays Hunter simply to do damage, for not every single player is here to join instances/raids and be the best ST damage dealer. Yellow despite all it's flaws, is not a damage spec, though it's not good enough to be considered for any group content role, there are people who still play and enjoy yellow hunter in the content they do, granted it's not high tier, but, that is not the point here.

Option 1 that Orion posted hopes that Blue will do similar damage to Red, just in a different way.

[Arnenna]

That is the purpose you assign to it.

Not everyone plays the same and I dislike being "boxed in" by someone else's "needs".

btw, have you played Hunter to an appreciable level, say 125 or so?

My main hunter (I have a few) has sat on a level cap for the last eleven years, so yes, I've played it quite extensively, both in redline and blueline, over the years both in solo and raid settings.

Damage is the only purpose you can assign to it. It doesn't heal, it doesn't tank. Even in yellow, most skills are damage driven.

It's not about boxing anyone in by someone else's needs. Hunter is what it is. You've stated you play blue hunter. That's a damage dealer right there.

[treehat]

The best way to answer this is with ice cream, and who doesn't love ice cream?

Currently, a Hunter like every other class can choose 3 scoops of ice cream, scoop 1 being your main spec and scoops 2 & 3 being those extra points you have elsewhere. So for example you can have blueberry ice cream as your main scoop, and then strawberry and banana as those extra scoops on top. However, the change being talked about in the thread will mean that you will no longer be able to have blueberry ice cream as your main scoop, and it will have to be either Strawberry or Banana, but you can still have some Blueberry on top

brb, headed to the fridge