Greetings, dungeoneers!
This week’s Beta update includes major changes to the Mythic Keystone affix system in The War Within, based on player feedback. Our primary goal with these updates is to refine the Mythic+ experience to better serve a diverse playerbase.
Previously, we approached Mythic Keystones with a one-size-fits-all approach, which proved challenging in striking the right balance and limited our design space.
In this new build, you will see significant shifts in our design philosophy. We recognize the importance of weekly variety for those progressing through the system. However, for players pushing high keys, this variance has sometimes felt restrictive. We’ve also heard your feedback about wanting affixes with both positive and negative effects, as well as a desire for thematic nods similar to past affixes.
This update to the affix system aims to meet those diverse expectations. We’re maintaining the core goals of our last round of changes, but without the limitations of a one-size-fits-all approach. This flexibility allows us to craft a more tailored experience for each of the different playstyles.
Let’s dive into the revamped affix system!
Affix Update Overview
We’re reducing the total number of mechanical affixes on a keystone for players progressing through the system from two to one.
- The following affixes are being retired for The War Within:
- Sanguine
- Bolstering
- Raging
- Bursting
- We’ve heard feedback that applying bonuses unevenly to players feels exclusionary regardless of overall impact. Affixes that were part of the last Mythic Keystone test will no longer apply to keystones:
- Reckless
- Focused
- Attuned
- Thorned
- Our one bucket of active affixes for players progressing through the system offers variety along with positive effects for executing these affixes that apply more evenly.
- We’re reintroducing thematic elements to affixes by invoking Xal’atath in Mythic Keystones with her own set of affixes.
- We’re utilizing passive affixes to signpost expected increases in player mastery and commensurate rewards as players progress through the Mythic Keystone system.
- We’re aiming to eliminate “push weeks” by providing a consistent challenge that focuses solely on the dungeon, for players seeking to advance deeper into the Mythic Keystone system for scores and titles.
New Affixes
Starting at keystone level +2, Xal’atath herself will manifest in dungeons, introducing a rotation of affixes under the banner of “Xal’atath’s Bargain.” These affixes not only seek to empower the dungeon’s denizens, but also grant players the opportunity to harness their effects.
For our first test this week, we will have two Xal’atath’s Bargain affixes available. One affix is an event that players must deal with periodically while the other affix is a passive effect on creatures throughout the dungeon.
- Xal’atath’s Bargain: Ascendant
- While in combat, Xal’atath rains down orbs of cosmic energy that attempt to empower nearby enemies, increasing their Haste and Movement speed. If players disrupt these orbs, they claim this effect for themselves.
- Xal’atath’s Bargain: Frenzied
- Non-boss enemies become frenzied at 30% health remaining, increasing their Haste by 40%, but increasing their damage taken by 20%.
- Starting at keystone level +7, a new affix, Challenger’s Peril, directly affects the dungeon timer. This affix emphasizes precise play and strategic execution, placing greater risk on players’ decisions.
- Challenger’s Peril - Dying subtracts 15 seconds from time remaining rather than 5 seconds.
- Starting at keystone level +12, a new affix replaces the “Xal’atath’s Bargain” affixes. At this level, Xal’atath revokes her bargains, empowering dungeon creatures with a 20% increase in health and damage.
- Xal’atath’s Guile - Xal’atath betrays players, revoking her bargains and increasing the health and damage of enemies by 20%.
Fortified and Tyrannical
Fortified and Tyrannical now serve as milestone affixes that alternate between keystone levels +4 and +10 on a weekly rotation. We feel this provides us with clearer points in the system where increases in difficulty and rewards occur. This also affords more distinction between key levels for players progressing through the system and a consistent week-to-week experience for players progressing deeper into the Mythic Keystone system.
Keystone System Summary
Here are examples of what keystones look like under this new model.
- Keystone levels +2 through +11 have the following affixes:
- +2 Xal’atath’s Bargain affixes appear on a weekly rotation.
- +4 Fortified or Tyrannical is active, alternating on a weekly rotation.
- +7 Challenger’s Peril is active on all keystones.
- +10 Tyrannical and Fortified are active.
- The one that was not active at +4 that week becomes active at +10.
- From keystone level +12 and up, keystones have the following affixes:
- Fortified
- Challenger’s Peril
- Tyrannical
- Xal’atath’s Guile replaces the weekly Xal’atath’s Bargain affix.
Dungeon Score
We’re evaluating how dungeon scores are granted under this new model.
We believe these changes along with our Heroic and Mythic dungeon changes provide players with ways to engage with dungeons in a setting they prefer. This is a fresh look at Mythic+ and we look forward to your feedback and continuing discussions on these affixes and overall system changes.
We’ll see you in dungeons!
