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.'''

Update 7.1 (summer update)

 * Summer 2008
 * (what is the next update, will it be an update or mod 8) "There will be an update coming." - Eladrin, Stratics dev chat
 * Snow! Tolero wrote on the ddo.com boards on 7/21/08: "Like that there'd be snow in 7.1? That's right... I said it... snow is coming to Xen'drik! SNOW!"
 * DDO Executive Producer Kate Paiz told IGN.com on March 20th, "In the summer, we'll be releasing a new tutorial with a new adventure area and wilderness, and later in the year, we'll be focusing on higher-level content again when we take players to the Plane of Shavarath to take on the Pit Fiend in his home territory. We'll be raising the level cap to 20 then, and also doing some substantial improvements to the PvP system as it feels like a natural fit with the Plane of Battle (Shavarath)."  Presumably, the summer update is 7.1, with Mod 8 being the "later on in the year" update.  However, there is some question as to whether Mod 8 or Mod 9 will be the return to Shavarath.  Some have said that someone from Turbine said in a dev chat that the return to Shavarath had been pushed back to Mod 9, but I am still seeking to find that text for sourcing purposes. (written by Jerry Snook)

Module 8

 * High Level Content: Stratics House of Commons Dev Chat on June 11,2008:  Eldorudo - Yes, we do intend to add additional high level dungeons in Module 8.
 * AI Changes Possible: From "Ask the Devs 3", heard on DDOcast, episode 64, transcript located here:


 * Glin: We're doing some changes to the AI over the next couple of modules. Probably Mod 8 is where we'd have something sort of significant behind the scenes. I don't know if that's something that Codog can speak to a little bit more.
 * Codog: Yeah, sure. As we saw during the event (Jerry: he's referencing the market place event) we had some pretty major lag and some of those performance issues related to AI's in public spaces. Um, so we're taking a really good look at doing some reworking of the AI to accomodate things like that so that we won't see those problems in the future.
 * Codog: Yeah, sure. As we saw during the event (Jerry: he's referencing the market place event) we had some pretty major lag and some of those performance issues related to AI's in public spaces. Um, so we're taking a really good look at doing some reworking of the AI to accomodate things like that so that we won't see those problems in the future.

Module 9

 * One of the devs mentioned about mod 9 in DDOcast "Ask the Devs" section, waiting for transcription.
 * Here's the quote from Ask the Devs 4, heard on DDOcast in episode 72 and transcripted here:


 * Jerry: Uh, just a couple more things to bring up. Tolwyn asks "How about a true castle quest? We have had to defend an outpost a few times (like Kobold Assault), but how about a quest where toons have to sneak into a castle and could be outside on the walls and then get inside to take something or stop a kind, etc? Perhaps even a quest where monsters are trying to protect an item, caravan, NPC, like we have had to do before?
 * Glin: I can hear the DM text now, "Have fun storming the castle!"
 * (laughter)
 * Eladrin: Sounds a bit like Splinterskull to me.
 * Jerry: That's right, that's right, you know, I guess Splinterskull would probably apply there too.
 * Eldorudo: A lot of the actual things you just asked in that question we have in the game, actually. It's just, we don't have a, you know, "a castle quest", but, um, we actually, in Module 9 we are going to be going to Shavarath. I know this doesn't necessarily answer the question, but it'll be a little nugget of info here, so, and that should have some pretty epic encounters in it. We have some cool things that we're already planning, um, so that should be a properly epic for everyone.
 * Jerry writes in the Wiki on 7/24/08: Again, there's some confusion as to whether this was a mistake or not.  Working on getting a clear answer as to whether it will be Mod 8 or Mod 9 where we return to Shavarath.
 * Eas
 * Jerry: That's right, that's right, you know, I guess Splinterskull would probably apply there too.
 * Eldorudo: A lot of the actual things you just asked in that question we have in the game, actually. It's just, we don't have a, you know, "a castle quest", but, um, we actually, in Module 9 we are going to be going to Shavarath. I know this doesn't necessarily answer the question, but it'll be a little nugget of info here, so, and that should have some pretty epic encounters in it. We have some cool things that we're already planning, um, so that should be a properly epic for everyone.
 * Jerry writes in the Wiki on 7/24/08: Again, there's some confusion as to whether this was a mistake or not.  Working on getting a clear answer as to whether it will be Mod 8 or Mod 9 where we return to Shavarath.
 * Eas
 * Jerry writes in the Wiki on 7/24/08: Again, there's some confusion as to whether this was a mistake or not.  Working on getting a clear answer as to whether it will be Mod 8 or Mod 9 where we return to Shavarath.
 * Eas

New Races and Classes

 * "Half Orcs are the next race that's currently planned, we expect the first half of '09. The Druid is on our list as the next class." - Eladrin, Stratics dev chat

Spells

 * Mandate of Shavarath and Suggestion
 * "The Mandate of Shavarath currently wards creatures from Charm effects, but the Suggestion spell (and Mass Suggestion) are not tagged as Charm effects in the Player’s Handbook. As a Compulsion that pacifies hostile opponents, however, Suggestion likely should be prevented by the ward." - Silthe, QA Lodge thread

New Spells

 * "Things that are currently being worked on" - Eladrin, forums.ddo.com
 * Death Pact
 * Cleric 8
 * Benefit: You enter a pact with your deity that brings you back to life after you are slain. While under the effects of this spell and after the raise effect, your constitution is decreased by two and cannot be restored until you rest.
 * Material Component: Large Diamond, available at spell shops.
 * Lionheart
 * Paladin 1
 * Duration: 24 seconds plus 6 per caster level.
 * Benefit: Imbues a single ally with great bravery, making them immune to fear.
 * Stalwart Pact
 * Cleric 5, Paladin 4
 * Benefit: Grants the target 5 hit points for every 2 caster levels, a +2 luck bonus to saving throws, and damage reduction 5/Magic, if the target of the spell falls below 50% hit points.
 * Zeal
 * Paladin 2
 * Duration: 1 minute. (Swift casting, like Close Wounds.)
 * Benefit: Grants the Paladin a +4 deflection bonus to armor class and increases their movement speed.

Skills, Feats, and Abilities

 * Combat Expertise
 * "It's not intended that Combat Expertise drop after using potions (or monk finishers). We're looking at various solutions including changing the basic nature of Combat Expertise." - Eladrin, Stratics dev chat
 * 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
 * Monk Wind Stance
 * "Currently wind stance does not stack with haste. It's possible if our evaluations deem wind stance needing a boost that a portion of the haste effect will stack with the haste spell. It's almost certainly not going to fully stack in the way that Tempest does - we've already seen how that played, and would like to see people playing something other than just two weapon fighting dex monks. ;)" - Eladrin, Stratics dev chat
 * Eladrin: In Module 8, Monk Air Stances will partially stack with Enhancement bonuses to attack speed. Lesser Wind Stance: +2 Dexterity, -2 Constitution, 7.5% Enhancement bonus to Attack Speed, 2.5% Insight bonus to Attack Speed Wind Stance: +2 Dexterity, -2 Constitution, 10% Enhancement bonus to Attack Speed, 5% Insight bonus to Attack Speed Greater Wind Stance: +3 Dexterity, -2 Constitution, 12.5% Enhancement bonus to Attack Speed, 7.5% Insight bonus to Attack Speed


 * Monk-related Fixes
 * "Some Monk related tidbits on things I've been working on" - Eladrin forums.ddo.com


 * The Monk enhancement "Way of the Tenacious Badger" now functions as expected.
 * The movement speed penalty on Mountain Stance has been reduced.
 * Higher levels of Mountain Stance now grant more Ki when critically hit, and have increased Damage Reduction.
 * Higher levels of Sun Stance now grant more Ki on critical hits.
 * The thrown weapon speed bonus from Ten Thousand Stars has been increased. (Note: The nature of Ten Thousand Stars may change in the future, but it will remain a "more thrown weapons" type of ability.)


 * Fixed errors in monk character generation advice.

Enhancements

 * Paladin Prestige Enhancements
 * "As for plans for the future... I expect to be implementing class specialties for the Paladin in the near future (currently winning but still subject to change: Knight of the Chalice, Defender of Sealtiel, and either the Purple Dragon Knight or an anti-undead one) as well as considering some of the spells and divine feats from various sources. There is likely to also be more poaching of the Marshal's abilities as alternatives to the Paladin's aura, and perhaps some sort of "Divine Challenge" ability to encourage opponents to pay attention to the holy warrior that doesn't have Intimidate as a class skill." "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

Items

 * Stat Tome Consumption Timer
 * "I'll be adding an interruptible timer to the consumption of stat tomes." - Eladrin, forums.ddo.com

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
 * Armor Dyeing
 * "... we will continue to monitor the demand. Once the crafting system goes live, you will be able to dye parts of your armor and monk outfits pink to your heart's content." - Piloto, Stratics dev chat

Other Changes

 * Information suggests no level cap increase in Update 7.1 or in Module 8.
 * (when is lvl cap increase?) "Our goal is to have it by the end of the year." - Eladrin, Stratics dev chat
 * Direct X 10
 * "DDO is also set to get Direct X 10 by the summer" - Turbine's communications director Adam Mersky, kotaku.com interview
 * "Our next update will release a beta version of DX10 support. In future updates we plan on increasing the support for it." - Eladrin, Stratics dev chat
 * Guild Housing
 * "I'm sorry to say that we won't have any guild housing features for mod 8." - Zyrca, forums.ddo.com