Ascension Chamber loot history

The Ascension Chamber raid loot was changed many many times. Usually improved, but sometimes nerfed. This article explains the various versions that exist. Note: Most of these still exist as almost none of these changes were retroactive. The few changes that were retroactive are specifically pointed out.

Breeze

 * Initial Version - (Added Module 9) - Quarterstaff (1d6 damage):, Telekinetic, Vertigo +6, Paralyzing, DEX used for ATK/DMG mods.
 * Update 12 - Item heavily changed: Quarterstaff (1d10 damage, 19-20/x2 expanded threat):, , , Telekinetic, , Upgradeable Item (Black Abbot), DEX used for ATK/DMG mods.
 * Upgrade: Telekinetic → Greater Telekinetic, and Greater Sirocco added.

Circle of Hatred

 * Initial Version (Module 5) - Ring: (3/day),, Resistance +4.
 * Module 5 Patch 2 - Was nerfed to be exclusive - retroactively unlike most changes.
 * Module 9 - Harm charges increased to 5/day, Resistance upgraded to +5, Intimidate upgraded to +15.
 * Update 12 - Incite 20% Added, Harm charges nerfed back to 3/day and Upgradeable Item (Black Abbot) added.
 * Upgrade: →, Harm charges increase to 5/day.

Deific Diadem

 * Initial Version (Module 5) - Helm: Lesser Heighten (3/day),,.
 * Module 5 Patch 2 - Was nerfed to be exclusive - retroactively unlike most changes.
 * Module 9 - WIS and INT upgraded to +6, Lesser Heighten charges increased to 5/day.
 * Update 12 - Lesser Heighten charges nerfed back to 3/day. Upgradeable Item (Black Abbot) added.
 * Upgrade: Lesser Heighten charges increase to 5/day, Greater Evocation Focus added.

Enduring Conviction

 * Initial Version (Module 5) - Longsword: Banishing,, , requires Good alignment or UMD of 30 (no need to be Lawful).
 * Module 5 Patch 2 - and  changed to  and.
 * Update 12 - Banishing removed. Evil Outsider Bane and Upgradeable Item (Black Abbot) added.
 * Upgrade: Evil Outsider Bane → Greater Evil Outsider Bane.

Litany of the Dead

 * Initial Version (Module 5) - Litany of the Dead - Trinket, (3/day), Taint of Evil, Litany of the Dead - Ability Bonus, Litany of the Dead - Combat Bonus.
 * Module 5 Patch 2 - Was nerfed to be exclusive - retroactively unlike most changes.
 * Update 12 - No changes, just Upgradeable Item (Black Abbot) added.
 * Upgrade: Taint of Evil is removed.

Noxious Embers

 * Initial Version (Module 5) - Necklace: Lesser Maximize (3/day), Superior Combustion VII (+50% to level 7+ fire spells),.
 * Module 5 Patch 2 - Was nerfed to be exclusive - retroactively unlike most changes.
 * Module 9 - Greater Arcane Lore added, Lesser Maximize charges increased to 5/day.
 * Update 12 - Greater Arcane Lore nerfed to Arcane Lore. Superior Combustion VII (+50% to level 7+ fire spells) nerfed to Greater Combustion VII (+40% to level 7+ fire spells), Lesser Maximize charges nerfed back to 3/day. Upgradeable Item (Black Abbot) added.
 * Upgrade: Lesser Maximize charges increase to 5/day. Arcane Lore → Greater Arcane Lore
 * Update 14 - Greater Combustion VII (+40% to level 7+ fire spells) retroactively changed to . Not sure what the old versions with Superior Combustion VII ended up with.
 * Update 19 - Arcane Lore and Greater Arcane Lore renamed to Spell Lore III and Spell Lore VI (effects unchanged)

Purging the Pantheon

 * Initial Version (Module 5) - Belt:, , (3/day), Exclusive.
 * Module 9 -  upgraded to.
 * Update 12 - No changes, just Upgradeable Item (Black Abbot) added.
 * Upgrade: →.
 * Update ?? (before 17)
 * Upgrade: (3/day) →  (5/day)

Quiver of Alacrity

 * Initial Version (Module 7) - Quiver: Ranged Alacrity 10%, Capacity 1,500 / 3 Slots.
 * Update 12 - No changes, just Upgradeable Item (Black Abbot) added.
 * Upgrade: added.

Shroud of the Abbot

 * Initial Version (Module 5) - Robe:, , , , Major Void Lore, Major Lightning Lore.
 * Module 5 Patch 2 - added.
 * Update 12 - and  removed,  and Upgradeable Item (Black Abbot) added.
 * Upgrade: → .  added.
 * Update 19 - Major Void Lore and Major Lightning Lore renamed to and  (effects not changed)

Staff of the Petitioner

 * Initial Version (Module 5) - +5 Quarterstaff: Power Store, Greater Enchantment Focus, Greater Necromancy Focus.
 * Module 5 Patch 2 - added.
 * Module 9 - Spell Penetration VIII (+2 Spell Pen to Level 8 and lower spells) added.
 * Update 12 - No changes, just Upgradeable Item (Black Abbot) added.
 * Upgrade: Superior Potency VI (+50% to level 6+ spells) added.
 * Update 14 - Superior Potency VI (+50% to level 6+ spells) in upgrade retroactively changed to
 * Also adds when upgraded (probably because all weapons with Potency get that)
 * Update 19 - Spell Penetration VIII (+2 Spell Pen to Level 8 and lower spells) effect changed into Spell Penetration III (+3 Spell Pen to all spells) on all items (retroactively)

Unwavering Ardency

 * Initial Version (Module 5) - +2 Longbow (2d12 damage):, Cursespewing, Slowburst.
 * Module 5 Patch 2 - Upgraded to +3.
 * Update 12 - Item heavily changed: +3 Longbow (2d12 damage, 19-20/x3 expanded threat):, , Smoke Screen, Upgradeable Item (Black Abbot).
 * Upgrade: Blinding Embers added.

Vile Blasphemy

 * Initial Version (Module 5) - Gloves: (3/day),,.
 * Module 5 Patch 2 - Was nerfed to be exclusive. Oddly these were the only ones not changed retroactively in 5.2.
 * Module 7 - Minor description change to display the duration, and no longer exclusive.
 * Module 9 - upgraded to.
 * Update 12 - (3/day) nerfed to  (1/day) and Upgradeable Item (Black Abbot) added.
 * Upgrade: (1/day) →  (3/day).
 * Update 12 Patch 2 - added to upgraded version.

Wretched Twilight

 * Initrial Version (Module 5) - Cloak: Ghostly, Superior Nullification VI (+50% to level 6+ negative energy spells), Stealth Strike.
 * Module 9 - added.
 * Update 12 - No changes, just Upgradeable Item (Black Abbot) added.
 * Upgrade: → . Major Void Lore added.
 * Update 14 - Superior Nullification VI (+50% to level 6+ negative energy spells) retroactively changed to
 * Update 19 - Major Void Lore renamed to (effect is the same)

Other Loot

 * +3 Ability tomes (BtC) - release to Update 19
 * +3 to +4 Upgrade Ability tomes (BtA) - added in Update 16, +3 tomes have a 25% chance of being +3 to +4 Upgrade tomes instead (and changes from BtC to BtA)
 * +2 Ability tomes (BtC) - Update 19 nerfed the base tomes to +2 instead of +3
 * +2 to +3 Upgrade Ability tomes (BtC) - Update 19 nerfed the upgrade tomes to +2 to +3 BtC instead of +3 to +4 BtA
 * +2 to +3 Upgrade Skill tomes (BtC) - Update 19 turned half the tome drops into Upgrade Skill tomes (note that no base skill tomes drop in raids, only upgrade skill tomes)
 * Seal of the Black Abbot (BtA) (Added in Update 12. Drops only on Hard and Elite.)

Brief Raid Changes/Loot added history
This is just a brief overview of the raids history, for a more complete article about this see: Ascension Chamber/Raid History.
 * Initial Release (Module 5) - Raid is released with 11 items and +3 tomes dropping.
 * This version was completed many times, as the then-impossible puzzles were optional and it lacked a 3-day timer.
 * Module 5 Patch 1 - Patch of doom. Timer fixed. Puzzles became required. Raid essentially became impossible.
 * No one completed this version.
 * Module 5 Patch 2 - Minor loot improvements, to motivate players to run it again with some new changes to make it more reasonable to complete.
 * Still took months to complete this version, and it only had a few completions.
 * Module 7 - One item added: Quiver of Alacrity.
 * This version they made the puzzles slightly easier, along with a recent level cap increase meant it had many more completions.
 * Module 9 - One item added: Breeze.
 * Significant changes have been made to the Black Abbot raid to make it more friendly to pick up group raids. This version saw tons of completions and made the raid fairly popular, even for pick up groups.
 * Update 11 - Abbots hitpoints nearly tripled with no patch notes mysteriously.
 * With the major improvements to player gear and levels, it was still reasonably completable.
 * Update 12 - Raid loot both nerfed and buffed, and made upgradeable by gather seals which now drop on hard on and elite
 * New Raidloot can now be upgraded with the Fountain of Necrotic Might, existing raidloot could not be upgraded.
 * Abbot's hitpoints on elite nearly tripled yet again (now over 6 times as many as he originally had on elite).
 * Raid loot drop rates broken to 16%/15.52%/14.56% for Normal/Hard/Elite (down from 16%/20%/25% before Update 12)
 * Update 12 Patch 2 - Bug where existing raid loot could not be upgraded fixed: Can now be upgraded by placing it along with 5 tapestries in the Fountain of Necrotic Might
 * Update 13 - Raid loot drop rate increased to 16%/18%/20% (still much lower than before Update 12)
 * Update 16 - 5% +3 BtC Ability Tome chance split to 3.75% +3 BtC Ability Tome or 1.25% +3 to +4 BtA Ability Tome
 * Update 19 - 5% Ability Tome chance re-split and nerfed to 0.5% +2 BtC Ability Tome or 2% +2 to +3 BtC Ability Tome or 2.5% +2 to +3 Skill Tome

U12 bug: For all items with clicky charges except the Litany of the Dead and Purging the Pantheon, the altar claims the items gain more charges than they actually gain (the amount of extra charges you don't get is equal to the base amount). This is likely just a display error, but it could be intended that they do gain these charges. Either way, it's a bug.