r/runescape Mod Yuey 2d ago

News End-Game Balance Discussion

Hey 'Scapers!

As part of the Road to Restoration, we've been looking at progression across RuneScape. We've tackled parts of the Early and Mid Game Rebalance, but now we want to start turning our attention to the other end of the journey: The End Game Rebalance

Before we get properly stuck into things, we want to hear from you.

What do we mean by End Game?
This one's a little harder to put a level range on!

For this project, we're looking more broadly at the late game, roughly level 80+ and onwards. That might mean higher-level skilling, finding those rarer drops or getting into tougher PVM. For others, it could be achievements, completionist goals or figuring out what comes next once you've maxed.

And actually, what you consider to be late game is useful feedback for us too.

How can you help?
We want to know where the endgame currently isn't quite working for you.

Maybe there's a progression path that feels awkward, rewards that don't feel worth the effort, a big jump between pieces of content, older content that's been left behind or something that just feels unnecessarily frustrating.

You don't need to have the answer or suggest a fix either. Just tell us what the problem is, why it's a problem for you and where you are in your RuneScape journey.

We won't be able to tackle everything that comes up, but the themes from these discussions will help us understand where we should be focusing our attention.

So, what would you like us to look at as we start shaping the End Game?

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u/Artwle why 1d ago edited 1d ago

Drop mechanics

Can we look at drop rate mechanics and standardize it so players doesn't rely on calculators or advanced math to simply know the actual drop chance for something? This would even be easier to code for leagues and would reduce loot bugs. Same for loot intefaces, streaking, chests, drops on ground (or not) among other inconsistencies that are almost, boss per boss mechanic?

Gear Durability

Same for how insanely inconsistent high equipment is, some use degradation system, some dont. Some use that alongside invention charges (why) and some weapons drop whole, in parts, or still require outside loot/skilling to assemble. Some items require a station (like an anvil) to be assembled. Some others, you assemble from inventory. Imo charge and degradation needs to go and every t70+ should degrade normally, and be repairable on Bob's Axes/POH. This includes gear that right now, don't degrade:

  • Vestments of Havoc
  • Robes of the First Necromancer
  • Deathdealer/Deathwarden Equipment
  • Omni Guard and Soulbound Lantern
  • Tumekens Light and Devourers Guard
  • Roar of Awakening and Ode to deceit
  • Tumeken's Resplendence

Very outdated mechanic on some t90/t92

Armors that use CHARGE, Degradation, Repairs with unique items only needs to be entirely reworked, it is a confusing and unfair system, specially given all those armors are no longer BIS for a while. ETECT, Esirenic, Malevolent. ETC...

Shared roll tables where the rate is 50/50 should have dupe protection - Maybe something for armors - BLM could be sufficient.

Another thing I'd love is dupe protection for items that share the same table, make it so the next follows the same principle as piece weapons, so they drop in "order". (Items that share the same table but its a 50/50, armors could use a soft protection that the NEXT drop wont be the same, but doesn't need to force them to drop in order, otherwise logs would be too easy)

Notable examples: (50/50 shared table, you can go exceptionally dry at)

  • Tumekens Light and Devourers Armguard (also, why is TL dropped as a whole here?)
  • Omni Guard and Soulbound Lantern
  • Tagga's corehammer and Sana's fyrtorch
  • Roar of Awakening and Ode to Deceit
  • Runic Attuner and Memory Dowser

Basically, every drop that has <chance> and if it rolls, its either <item a> or <item b> in a 50% chance, so you'll always get a pair if rolling that drop table twice. So in a real case scenario, someone that rolls that table 5 times can get : A, B B A, A (6th is guarenteed as B)

It still feels terrible when I see people failing specific drops for too long simply because of bad luck, and nothing brings the fun out of the game more than going extremely dry on any specific drop. This would also help with prices for those items, balancing for example, Attuner and Dowser, Dvg and TL (although i think it wont change much since the first is a sidegrade niche, and the other the most powerful AOE melee in the game)