Roadmap Q&A

Now that the Winter/Spring Roadmap of 2018 is out there, Eric Musco and Keith Kanneg have been busy answering player questions and providing details on features coming in Game Updates 5.8 and 5.9. Here’s what they had to say on a variety of topics including Izax, PvP, returning companions, and weapons in the Outfit Designer.

IZAX

So Izax’s difficulty has been an unnecessary source of confusion because BioWare has referred to it as both Master mode and Veteran mode. It’s really quite simple. Any plans for Master mode Gods from the Machine have been scrapped. Izax will be released in Story and Veteran mode like every other boss in the Operation. Izax’s Veteran mode will be extremely hard.

Regarding the special rewards, they’ll only be available during Game Update 5.8. When Game Update 5.9 is released you will no longer be able to get the achievement or the title. The special item you can earn will become a rare drop.

Izax won’t get any easier in Game Update 5.9, however, there will be new augments that will help you in your cause.

PVP AND CLASS BALANCE

PvP and class balance changes were not mentioned in the Roadmap which was cause for concern. Eric did take the time to answer questions about both of those topics. Some additional utility changes are planned for Game Update 5.9. I’m hoping that class balance is something that they look at more regularly, especially when they add new augments or anything that affects player’s power.

Season 9 looks like it will run through this Summer which I suspect is a lot longer than players would like. Although there is no PvP content planned for Game Updates 5.8 and 5.9 we should expect something in the next expansion. Quality of life changes for PvP may not be forthcoming though.

ARCANN ROMANCE AND COMPANIONS

Eric confirmed that the Arcann Romance and other companion Alliance Alerts will appear once you’ve completed Chapter 9 of Knights of the Eternal Throne. You also had to choose to let Arcann live and accept him as a companion.

Mako and Akaavi will be available to both the Bounty Hunter and Smuggler, and all of the returning companions will maintain their original weapons types. I think that’s good, but I wouldn’t have minded at all if Vette kept the option to use a hand-cannon.

I know a lot of people can’t wait to get Mako back. She’s the only one I’m nervous about. I romanced her on my Bounty Hunter, but then hooked up with Lana. I’m not sure what to expect and the fact that she’ll have some fire power by her side does not bode well for a happy reunion.

I’m a bit on the fence about having to finish Chapter 9 of KotET to qualify for these alerts. I haven’t completed it on many characters, but will now have to make that a priority. It’s just the prices of and evolving story.

WEAPONS IN THE OUTFIT DESIGNER

Weapons in the Outfit Designer is high on my wish list, but it looks like that remains far off in the distance and may not be a part of 2018. I suspect they know how to overcome the technical hurdles, but it’s still a pretty big hurdle.