Originally Posted by Sanya Thomas
New Grouping Level Range Changes
With 1.70, we are relaxing the rules that govern the level ranges that can effectively group together. The intent of this new system is to allow lower-level players to group with substantially higher-level group leaders, and enable them to make some contribution to combat and spellcasting.
The system works as follows:
- Whenever a low-level character (5th level or higher) joins a group led by a higher level character, they are temporarily adjusted so that they can hit and land spells on monsters of the range that are normally fought by the group leader. They will be able to hit, and also to do damage to these monsters.
- This adjustment kicks in when a player approximately 90% of the level of the group leader or less joins a group. This means that if anyone less than 17th level joins a group led by a 20th level group leader, their to-hit and damage are boosted up so that they can hit and damage monsters that are commonly fought by a 20th level group. Also, while grouped, they will take less damage per hit from high level monsters.
- This system does not affect items such as weapons or armor - only to-hit and damage, and to some extent, damage taken is affected.
- Lower level group members must be within 3000 units of the group leader in order to receive the bonus.
- Experience gained by the lower level character is the same as it currently is on the live servers when lower level characters are grouped with their higher level friends.
- There are diminishing returns on the effectiveness of wide level ranges in this system. Any character that is approximately half the group leader's level or lower will not see as much bonus from this system as characters closer to the target range; although they will still get some benefit.
