In development

'''This page aims at listing dev words on future updates of the game (as a kind of a WDA replacement). Feel free to contribute by adding your own finds.'''

New Races and Classes

 * "The Druid class will feature classic abilities, like shape-shifting, and we’re very excited about getting it out to players sometime mid next year." - Kate Paiz, gamebanshee.com


 * "The Druid has always been on our to-do list, but various reasons have prevented us from introducing it in the past. We are now revisiting it and it’s right up there near the top of our wish list. We also have a number of other classes we are seriously considering but nothing is set in stone at this time." - Ian Currie,


 * "We've got the Elemental Savants in Update 9, a couple of minor tweaks to a few others, and the next ones on the list I plan on after that are the Divine Avenger, Deepwood Sniper II, and Ninja Spy III." - Eldrin

Items

 * Holy Avenger
 * "Oh, and Tharagrim's working on the Holy Avenger." - Eladrin, forums.ddo.com
 * "A Holy Avenger's a special thing. You can't just hand them out to everyone. ;) I expect that a certain level of dedication will be required, and perhaps a task or two to prove your worth. Not the pirate quest." - Eladrin, Stratics dev chat


 * Green Steel Deconstruction
 * http://www.tentonhammer.com/node/67256 Kate Paiz, Ten Ton Hammer live chat (2009 April) - "It’s certainly something that is important to us, it makes sense, and we understand why players want it. ...we just haven’t quite gotten a clear and decisive answer as to when."

Update 9
"April" according to producer Fernando Paiz, on PAX East interview.
 * lorehound.com video page
 * Direct link to video


 * Info gathered at PAX East 2011

Epic Ward \ Death Ward

 * We've removed arbitrary inherent death wards from virtually all non-boss monsters in the game, and changed instant-kill weapon effects to:


 * 1) Kill the monster outright if it's at or below 1000 current hit points.
 * 2) Deal a chunk of damage (that varies on effect type - vorpal deals more damage than disruption, but does it 1/20th as often) if the monster is over 1000 current hit points or is a boss. For example, if you 'vorpal' a monster that's above 1000 hit points, it will deal 100 extra untyped damage.

This cap is based on current hit points, not total hit points, so a damaged monster becomes vulnerable to weapon based instant death effects.


 * Assassin III is treated as a vorpal weapon, so is now hit point capped but now has an effect in high level content. Assassin II is treated as a death effect with an opportunity cost, so does not have any hit point related restrictions. You can go ahead and assassinate epic monsters (or monsters in previous death warded dungeons), but be warned that we've also reduced the penalty epic trash has to their saves from the minion debuff (and chopped their hit point to about half of what they were before).


 * Note that some monsters still cast Death Ward or Mass Death Ward. That hasn't changed, and if they actually have the spell on, it'll stop death effects as expected. We just removed the blanket immunity most high level trash had.


 * For the monks out there, Void IV is not considered "zero opportunity cost". By that phrase, I meant "instant death effects that just sort of happen out of the blue, not because you actively chose to push a button and paid a cost in ki, spell points, or time (like Assassinate)". For the spellcasters, there have been some changes to a number of death spells, mostly increased damage on save and changed cooldowns.

Changes to Helpless State

 * Monsters that are helpless take 50% additional damage from all sources, including normal attacks, spells, or environmental effects (before damage reduction is applied). A critical hit on a helpless monster will deal 50% additional critical damage as expected.
 * Players that are helpless take additional damage based on the dungeon difficulty:
 * Solo/Casual: +5%
 * Normal: +10%
 * Hard: +15%
 * Elite: +20%
 * Epic: +25%
 * Creatures that are helpless are denied their dexterity bonus to armor class, and suffer an additional -4 penalty to armor class.

Feats

 * In Update 9, Improved Shield Bash will grant a 20% chance to make a secondary shield bash while attacking with a melee weapon.


 * Tactical Feats
 * "Prestige enhancements are planned for fighters and paladins. Before that, however, the melee classes (especially fighters) will be glad to see an array of tactical feats made available to them." - Eladrin, Stratics dev chat

Elven Arcanum
Elven Wizards will have an advantage at penetrating high spell resistance in Update 9. We're upgrading Elven Arcanum a little bit:


 * Elven Arcanum I
 * Benefit: Grants elven wizards a 20 point increase to spell points and +1 Spell Penetration. This enhancement requires at least one level of wizard.


 * Elven Arcanum II
 * Benefit: Grants elven wizards an additional 20 spell points, bringing the total increase to 40, and an additional +1 to Spell Penetration, bringing the total bonus to +2. This enhancement requires at least two levels of wizard.


 * Elven Arcanum III
 * Benefit: Grants elven wizards an additional 20 spell points, bringing the total increase to 60, and an additional +1 to Spell Penetration, bringing the total bonus to +3. This enhancement requires at least four levels of wizard.


 * Elven Arcanum IV
 * Benefit: Grants elven wizards an additional 20 spell points, bringing the total increase to 80, and an additional +1 to Spell Penetration, bringing the total bonus to +4. This enhancement requires at least eight levels of wizard.

PrEs
"We've got the Elemental Savants in Update 9, a couple of minor tweaks to a few others, and the next ones on the list I plan on after that are the Divine Avenger, Deepwood Sniper II, and Ninja Spy III." - Eldrin

"The three tiers of all four Elemental Savants are in Update 9." - Eladrin, DDO forums

Elemental Savants


 * Sorcerer prestige lines:
 * Air Savant (Update 9)
 * Water Savant (Update 9)
 * Earth Savant (Update 9)
 * Fire Savant (Update 9)


 * Favored Soul Prestige Line
 * Angel of Vengeance (Tier 1,Update 9)

"...And by "Divine Avenger", I meant "Angel of Vengeance". Sorry about that. Had Venging on the mind." 

Angel of Vengeance I: Will Provide a 20% additional damage to some divine spells,and have a defensive, debuffing aura. It was also mentioned that both Angel of Vengence I and II are coming out with Update 9. 

Sorcerer\Wizard

 * Earth Savant enhancements
 * Sorcerer_n_Wizard_enhancements_Update9

Spellcost reduction?
Eladrin

Lightning Bolt SP Cost: 12 Effect: A powerful stroke of electrical energy deals 4 to 6 electricity damage per caster level (up to a max of 40 to 60 damage at caster level 10) to targets in its path. A successful Reflex save reduces the damage by half. For each enemy this spell strikes it has a 50% chance to fork, replicating the spell's effect on that target. This can only happen once. This spell is a bolt and has double range. D&D Dice: Deals 1d3+3 electricity damage per caster level (max 10d3+30).

Melf's Acid Arrow SP Cost: 6 Effect: Deals 2 to 8 acid damage +1 per caster level to a target with a magical arrow of acid for a duration of 12 seconds. The arrow has double spell range. D&D Dice: Deals 2d4+1 acid damage per caster level (max 2d4+20).

Crafting

 * "Full Crafting System"
 * "Implementation of a full crafting system is underway. We don't have a release date yet, but we are working hard on it." "High level powerful items will certainly be one of the material goals of crafting, but characters will also be able to make all sorts of items that can be used by characters of all levels." "To begin with, the crafting system will focus on the making of equippable items like weapons, shields, armor, and accessories. Magic arrows and potions certainly may come later." - Piloto, Stratics dev chat
 * Major crafting update is coming with Update 9
 * lorehound.com video page
 * Direct link to video
 * discussion thread
 * In the current implementation you will not lose crafting XP when TRing.