Median XL News, May 2025

Game news and forum updates
Siosilvar
Cow Ninja
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There's a lot of middle ground between the current campaign which you can turn your brain off for (not quite as bad as LE because it's a lot shorter, but still pretty mindless) and PoE2.

It's very hard to make a campaign in a game like this that doesn't just feel like busywork for established players; back when I was on the team, the ideas we were throwing around went something like:
  • Remove nightmare difficulty, since the only thing it really does is pad the length a bit
  • Rebalance early itemization and/or campaign content to make it possible to level with random drop rares
  • Change how TUs are created to make them a reward instead of a knowledge check (do you know how ACs work and that you can farm them from nihla? congrats, make two and everything up to level 115ish is trivial)
  • Make act bosses and some of the sidequests into better fights with more interesting rewards, maybe even pull down some of the simpler uber fights

I can't speak to what the new team's plans are, but I do have some faith.
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Aspirine101
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suchbalance wrote:II. Going through the same zones, in the same order, with every character gets boring after a while


I'm happy to hear this is being addressed as it's been one of the worst things about modern MXL for me.

In classic MXL versions & Ultimative once you hit Destruction you could do whatever uber you wanted. And sure, you could level a poison sorc and start slowly farming dunc right off the bat before you even hit 120 or get the Butcher's charm, but that was also because the game in these old versions was unbalanced AF.

In Sigma I just get bored after lvl 120. Not only does it get grindy but the droprates are also very low compared to classic versions (I always play SP SSF). I understand this is probably grindier now because of multiplayer, but I think there are better and more creative ways to increase the length of a ladder than this.

I'm also glad to hear you don't want to implement a map system. Maps are imo the most uncreative, lazy, lame and repetitive types of endgame content. Maps are fun for 10 hours, maybe 20, maybe 30 if they're really good, then I just can't play it anymore. That's why I quit Last Epoch and that's why I quit pd2.

To me the way the progression worked in cmxl was just the best. Now ubers are designed much better and the builds are way more balanced, but I don't like how ubers feel like a checklist/list of chores now.

Another small problem I have with the game now is that Sigma started removing some "cool" or "fun" aspects of the game. The most notable example being reanimates. Used to be you could reanimate so many different mobs and even bosses, now it's just a d1 skeleton and undead lancer? Cataclysm was removed, why? Getting a Sha'ad for Apostasy RW and putting it on an unholy pala was super fun. Melee nec lost it's morph which was badass imho. There are definitely some other examples I could think of, but I think the game could be a little less serious about having everything be perfectly clean and polished.
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TopDimas
Sasquatch
68 | 4
Make sacred unics in demand again. In game have 1000 unic items, used only 20 , Everything else, the seal of learning
Bring back the variety of builds.
Have you ever thought about uber quests for a joint passage? And what about them now?
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vetmode
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Pleased and hopeful to hear that the leveling up power gain will be reworked. Currently there is a very clear hurdle at 120/130 where most new or casual players simply hit a brick wall and stop playing unless some level 150 players drop them charms or tells them exactly how to craft angelics etc. There should be a more organic way to proceed. I've seen many casual friends quit because of this and I also ran into it myself plenty of times unless I muled over charms or grinded angelics for ages. Sure, there are smaller things like hunting for better charm rolls, trying trophies (more about that below), getting a better umbaru and wormhole, but none of these things will be enough to really get them much further. They are for the most part "polishing". Up to level 120/130 a player can organically play. After that he either really dives deep into the docs, harasses discord for help like I did or simply gives up. I find this very sad because I have lost friends over it.

suchbalance wrote:Those of you who enjoy playing through the current chain of rifts, as it is, will be able to continue to do so without disruption.


That is great to hear but could you please also bring back trophy fragments for charms? Having skill based trophies is great and rewards skilled or powerful players but it's frustrating to those who aren't. I am aware some players did not like it but personally I have fond memories of running Akkart and other bosses many times in a row while watching something on the side and my grind paying off in the end. Please consider adding it back into the game. There should be more rewards for "grinding" for those people who are not skilled enough and this would be a great way aside from leveling to bring back choice and at least the appearance of a way to attain more power even if you're stuck somewhere. Tenacity should also be rewarded, not just skill.
jimjim36
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"That is great to hear but could you please also bring back trophy fragments for charms? Having skill based trophies is great and rewards skilled or powerful players but it's frustrating to those who aren't. I am aware some players did not like it but personally I have fond memories of running Akkart and other bosses many times in a row while watching something on the side and my grind paying off in the end. Please consider adding it back into the game. There should be more rewards for "grinding" for those people who are not skilled enough and this would be a great way aside from leveling to bring back choice and at least the appearance of a way to attain more power even if you're stuck somewhere. Tenacity should also be rewarded, not just skill."

Idk how to forward the above comment but it's copied here. Hard agree with this, trophy frags may have felt bad but that was mostly because of the wormhole boss if i had to guess. Ain't nobody wanna kill malic 40 times with that mind control mechanic. Just rebalance fragment drop rates for harder or more tedious bosses and we're in there.
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luciano_96369
Lava Lord
91 | 8
I hope that the next version also add the following properties:


* Physical Abs (like abs-fire but for physical)

* Physical Abs % (like abs-fire% but for physical)

* Physical Max res (like res-fire-max but for physical)

* Poison Abs (like abs-fire but for poison)

* Poison Abs % (like abs-fire% but for poison)

*Holy Freeze Aura please.

The idea come to me from this post (please check):

https://d2mods.info/forum/viewtopic.php?t=67628

https://d2mods.info/forum/viewtopic.php?t=61668
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luciano_96369
Lava Lord
91 | 8
I also want 3 things for Median XL 2.11:

1) I hope that in the next version of Median XL, they restore the Holy Freeze aura, and recycle the Acid Fiend aura state into a poison damage aura. That way we would have the four elemental damage offensive auras..

2) The ''Poison Absorb %'' and ''+ Poison Absorb (points)'' properties, we know they exist because some monsters have them, the same way they already exist for fire, cold, lightning and magic.

3) The ''-% to Enemy Magic Resistance'' property (we know it exists because it's in the assassin's Doom ability), the same way they already exist for fire, cold, lightning and poison.
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luciano_96369
Lava Lord
91 | 8
magz_ wrote:
berry117 wrote:Buff phys bowzon


Ok
Hello, what do you about this ideas for Median XL 2.11:

1) I hope you also add the following properties:

* Physical Abs (like abs-fire but for physical)

* Physical Abs % (like abs-fire% but for physical)

* Physical Max res (like res-fire-max but for physical)

I got the idea for these properties from this post (please check):

https://d2mods.info/forum/viewtopic.php?t=67628

* Poison Absorb (flat points, like abs-fire but for poison)

* Poison Absorb % (like abs-fire% but for poison) properties, we know they exist because some monsters have them, the same way they already exist for fire, cold, lightning and magic.

I got the idea for these properties from this post (please check):

https://d2mods.info/forum/viewtopic.php?t=61668

* -% to Enemy Magic/Physical Resistance (we know it exists because it's in the assassin's Doom ability), the same way they already exist for fire, cold, lightning and poison.

2) I hope that in the next version of Median XL, they restore the Holy Freeze aura, and recycle the Acid Fiend aura state into a poison damage aura. That way we would have the four elemental damage offensive auras.

The auras can be reworked these way:

Ravenous Flames:
Aura - Burns nearby enemies with all-consuming fire;
Burning Damage:
+1% Damage per 6 Vitality
-1% Damage per 10 Energy
Burning Range:
+1% Radius per 13 Energy
-1% Radius per 20 Dexterity
Fire Damage to Weapon:
+1.5 Damage per 2 Dexterity
-1 Damage per 2 Strength
Enemy Fire Resistance:
+1% per 60 Strength
-1% per 120 Vitality
Fire Absorb:
+1% per 60 Vitality

Holy Shock:
Aura - destroys nearby enemies with all-consuming lightning;
Lightning Damage:
+1% Damage per 6 Vitality
-1% Damage per 10 Energy
Lightning Range:
+1% Radius per 13 Energy
-1% Radius per 20 Dexterity
Lightning Damage to Weapon:
+1.5 Damage per 2 Dexterity
-1 Damage per 2 Strength
Enemy Lightning Resistance:
+1% per 60 Strength
-1% per 120 Vitality
Lightning Absorb:
+1% per 60 Vitality

Holy Freeze:
Aura - freezes nearby enemies with all-consuming cold;
Cold Damage:
+1% Damage per 6 Vitality
-1% Damage per 10 Energy
Cold Range:
+1% Radius per 13 Energy
-1% Radius per 20 Dexterity
Cold Damage to Weapon:
+1.5 Damage per 2 Dexterity
-1 Damage per 2 Strength
Enemy Cold Resistance:
+1% per 60 Strength
-1% per 120 Vitality
Cold Absorb:
+1% per 60 Vitality

Acid Field:
Aura - Melts nearby enemies with all-consuming poison;
Poison Damage:
+1% Damage per 6 Vitality
-1% Damage per 10 Energy
Poison Range:
+1% Radius per 13 Energy
-1% Radius per 20 Dexterity
Poison Damage to Weapon:
+1.5 Damage per 2 Dexterity
-1 Damage per 2 Strength
Enemy Poison Resistance:
+1% per 60 Strength
-1% per 120 Vitality
Velocity Bonus:
+1% per 60 Vitality

Sanctuary:
Aura - Kills nearby enemies with all-consuming holy light;
Magic Damage:
+1% Damage per 6 Vitality
-1% Damage per 10 Energy
Magic Range:
+1% Radius per 13 Energy
-1% Radius per 20 Dexterity
Magic Damage to Weapon:
+1.5 Damage per 2 Dexterity
-1 Damage per 2 Strength
Enemy Magic Resistance:
+1% per 60 Strength
-1% per 120 Vitality
Magic Absorb:
+1% per 60 Vitality
lindstrom
Dark Huntress
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I just want them to get rid of javazons whatever its called thing where you have to stack 5 of the thing every couple of seconds.
Cryzoke
Jungle Hunter
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suchbalance wrote:
Our rifts were first and foremost created to serve as the backdrop for quests, and, secondly, an opportunity to farm a special drop bias or targeted drop. They all have a unique identity, lore, and context - mashing them together in a random order filled with random monsters simply will not do. Our focus will be on strengthening these identities, improving quests, and adding variety by enabling player choice and providing different incentives. I want to stress that these overhauls will be implemented in a completely modular and optional manner. Those of you who enjoy playing through the current chain of rifts, as it is, will be able to continue to do so without disruption.


Much time has passed since I write something here but I had the urge to let you know, Median developers and team members that this, exactly this "Our rifts were first and foremost created to serve as the backdrop for quests, and, secondly, an opportunity to farm a special drop bias or targeted drop. They all have a unique identity, lore, and context" is what I have always felt about Median and is also the thing that keep me playing the game over and over from many years now.

I totally agree with your statement so anyone that wants to play maps there are alredy excellent games with that system.

Keep doing your thing!