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Quickfire
General
- The Skill XP Embargo list has had some changes based upon player feedback:
- Some specific items (Wise perk) will now work when they previously did not.
- The full list will be shared later.
- There will NOT be:
- Additional action bars (to be discussed)
- More Bank space
- Necromancy in Dungeoneering.
- New abyssal Runecrafting shortcuts
- New Archaeology relics
- New auras
- New Invention perks/components
- New Necromancy familiars.
- Void helmet for Necromancy
- You can:
- Use EoF with Necromancy.
- Have a 120 Necromancy pure.
- Summon a familiar alongside your conjures.
- To consider in distant future:
- Necromancy version for Rex Matriarch (Osseous)
- The upgradeable equipment cannot be dyed.
- The tier 95 gear will be dyeable but not on release.
- Rituals will have new candles.
Combat
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Accuracy - Necromancy's accuracy system is similar to ED4.
- Instead of missing you do reduced guaranteed damage.
- Bosses - The new bosses will always require Necromancy to take on.
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Capes - Kiln/Zuk Necromancy Capes will be added.
- The Necromancy version will be purple, and the Mage versions will now be blue.
- The combined Zuk cape will be broken apart on release and will require the necromancy version to recombine it.
- Combat XP - Players will receive Constitution XP and Defence XP (if toggled on) whilst training Necromancy.
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Equipment - Necromancy equipment level 70+ onwards will be:
- Augmentable.
- Branched into becoming tank gear or power gear. (There are visual differences)
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Incantations - Some incantations can be used without the necromancy weapons.
- For example: 'Bone Shield' is nonstyle specific.
- Prayer - The tier 99 Necromancy prayer will be obtained through the Praesul codex.
Skilling - Runecrafting
- The new Runecrafting method yields Runecrafting XP.
- You do require Necromancy in order to do the quest which unlocks the altars.
- Impure Essence is only formed from Pure Essence.
- Catalytic/Elemental Anima stones will work with the new runes (to clarified which stones).
- The new runes cannot be stored in existing rune pouches.
- We'd like to use a new necro ammo slot, but nothing on release (there's only 4 runes atm).
Other
- Mod Ryan's trading sequence will get an addition.
- The pot of souls item was created without knowledge that he'd work on Necromancy.
- Everything is Mobile friendly.
- Rituals have a fixed camera toggle.
Questions & Answers
General Necromancy
- Q: Why Necromancy?
- A: It has been a long time coming. The question was, how would we implement it.
When we did Archaeology, it came up quite a lot and it has always been a core part of Runescape/Gielinor's history. So it was naturally next in line. But we didn't want to do Summoning v2, a combat support skill. After discussion we agreed to make a new combat style.
We also wanted to make it Runescapey, bring all players along the journey. Making it "evil" may push some players away, but could be attractive to others. So to address that dichotomy we arrived at "Consensual Necromancy".
- Q: What does it mean to create a new combat style in 2023?
- A: Necromancy allows us to put the 20+ years of knowledge from all of our combat systems to use.
We don't want to make it feel completely distant from the existing styles but it provides the opportunity to try out new implementations to combat.
- Q: When did development start or when did the idea begin?
- A: December 2021 is when it was pitched but development didn't begin until Feb-Mar 2022.
- Q: What drove the design behind the skill icons/capes
- A: Recognition as Necromancy through the colors/icons and its use in hitsplats.
We gave a list of ideas (zombie hand, armguard, skull) to the UI artists who then came up with a few variations which expressed the idea of Necromancy. From there we decided on the skull icon. Although the Slayer icon also has a skull, this variation is different enough and incorporates the skills colors. It also needed to look good as a hitsplat.
Regarding colors, we decided on them before inverted skill capes came up, so no we didn't copy Thieving. But we went through the same process as players, using just purple and teal made it too similar to Divination so we settled on a black base. As for the trim we settled on purple since it was of the core color of the skill whilst teal is more reserved for the undead creatures.
- Q: What was designing the rituals like, how did the design process start?
- A: We wanted to make sure there was a skilling component so there's something there for everyone.
We had to consider what is Necromancy's fuel. Rituals commune with undead to fill the vessel of souls to get talent points which are needed for Necromancy. You also need it to make the impure essence. Additionally, rituals are a very Necromantic thing with the ghostly link, glyphs, candles, etc
As skilling method, it's fairly complex, but longevity playtesting has helped make it a more streamline process but also have a balance between afk and more lean forward gameplay. Also, everyone has to do rituals so they can unlock abilities and upgrade their equipment.
- Q: Will Necormancy have a lot of resources to fill your bank up?
- A: No
Since the equipment is upgradeable you will only have the 5 armour + 2 weapons from that. As for rituals we didn't introduce many new items as compared to Archaeology.
Combat
- Q: If I level up my skill through rituals does my combat level go up?
- A: Yes
It's a combat skills so it will naturally level up your combat level as the stat levels up.
As for the combat formula, it's calculated the same way as Melee, Magic, or Ranged where your highest stat out of the now 4 combat styles will affect your combat level. So if you are currently 138 your combat level won't increase until you reach level 99+ Necromancy.
Existing items with "all style" bonuses will have a Necromancy style bonus as well.
- Q: We saw ability damage ranges shown on tooltips, is this going to be implemented for all combat abilities for new player clarity?
- A: Yes.
Ultimately Necromancy is doing a lot of new things so we'd love to hear from you what's working well when it comes out. And if it works well maybe we will roll it out. For example the tooltips have now show the ability type and the cooldowns are now in cycles. We spend a lot of time making them clear, concise, and readable.
- Q: Can we conjure our allies and swap weapons?
- A: Right now you can, but it's a balance question.
If you swap weapons, should they be just as strong as if you hadn't. If they are then it could lead to a bad design space where its the only viable method. We are looking at the best way to approach it, but hybrid is definitely a high level end game thing.
Also you need both main/off-hand items equipped to use necromancy abilities to conjure.
- Q: Will existing Necromancers in the game eventually deal Necromantic damage
- A: Yes eventually.
It would encourage usage of the new protection prayer. However, since it changes existing content on top of the new skill it won't happen on release. But if it is worked on post release we can also rework their drop tables on top of that in the process, and could add creative drop such as "Taraket's armguard" as a new Necromancy weapon.
Bossing
- Q: How will it affect existing bosses?
- A: Existing bosses won't be modified to work/not work with Necromancy.
It naturally will be better against bosses like Kalphite Queen which only protect against the 3 existing styles but then there's the opposite with Dagganoth Kings/Rex matriarchs where it won't be affective.
- Q: Will you be taking on Necormany's bosses solos?
- A: Yes
You can solo both bosses, but 1 of them can be done in a group. For that boss the HP and rewards will scale based on group size. Similar to Raksha.
Lore
- Q: Will it fit into existing storylines and lore that we already know and love in Runescape?
- A: Yes, there are a few quests coming on release which tie into existing storylines/characters/places
Coming into Necromancy you don't need an understanding of that lore but those who are may pick up on some extra things. Our goal is to make sure everyone can be invested.
- Q: Is it 7 quests on release or across the entire season.
- A: Yes, but there may be a couple more.
They aren't fully blown desert treasure level quests but more akin to Archaeology mysteries+. Those provided on release will require level 1 to a high Necromancy level. Additionally Necromancy's story will be told over those quests.
- Q: Is the First Necromancer their name?
- A: No it's their title, we just haven't said their name.
- Q: Can we revive Guthix at 120 Necromancy?
- A: No he's dead, same with Bandos. However Zanik will still be around.
There's always been a rumor that all heroes for hero items are dead. We know Orlando and Hazelmeere are dead, but the other 2 people think are dead but it isn't confirmed. Maybe you might see a some dead characters in the city over time.
Environment/City
- Q: Tell us more about the name of the city?
- A: There's a lot of thought/effort put behind it. Coming up with names isn't easy.
This Necropolis is Runescape's limbo, waystation for lost souls, the leftovers of the undead society. The city itself sits on the lake/river Mnemosyne which is a call back to Greek mythology. The city is built upon the memories of people passing through it. So someone could remember their pub back into existence and as they move on it will fade away. The city will be a constant shifting landscape.
The name is silly as the area is a silly place, with combat being the serious element. playing around with the name of the city since it's an area for sillyness whilst combat is more serious. The name Um being a place where people forgot the name of. Originally it was called Um-er referencing a City of Ember (film) since it's an underground cave, light/darkness. But Um works well since there's also bridge so you can call it "Umbridge" and have it mirror the surface world Lumbridge.
- Q: Will Um be a place where players can look for clue scrolls.
- A: Yes, probably.
As a space the city and underworld can be expanded and have more content added post release. This is just the beginning of the Necromancy season and we will be building on it after the release of the skill.
- Q: Does Music play a special role in Um
- A: Yes, there's a bandstand in the middle of the city.
When you first arrive it's empty of souls so there's this strange ironic narrative where you bring life back to the city. And we can't really do that without music, and our audio team knocks it out of the park.
Tech
- Q: Has it been a challenge to make it clear whose conjures are whose?
- A: It's a difficult problem especially with our game engine team.
In the world there are limitations for the player and we have specific conjures and their amounts for a reason. Only a few at once plus summoning familiar. We haven't fully considered what to do in every scenario where there were a large number of players using them in one area. It's also unlikely people will spam them in crowded areas like the GE since it would cost them money but we can be reactive if it becomes a problem.
Other
- Q: What was the best piece of feedback a creator gave?
- A: It's all valuable, we can't pick a best as there's a variety of players with different experiences.
One area of great feedback was the teaching part. We were surprised at how much they wanted to be taught post tutorial to learn what to do.
Also based on feedback we modified the incantation, Bone Shield. Previously it triggered GCD and essentially took the place of swapping to a shield, but now it's an active ability which toggles. When you use a defensive ability with it toggled it will consume the runes required. Shields will still be useful since the incantation will act as a weaker shield based on your level.
- Q: Will Necromancy robes from Shades of Mort'ton work as Necromancy robes?
- A: They will not, and probably be renamed.
We have this new skill and we have to balance it with all the new items first. If players want legacy items to gain necromancy abilities/functions then we can absolutely address it in the future. And if we did address them we may modify them further to retain the style we've developed for Necromancy. Visual language/storytelling.
So for this particular item we are looking to rename it so tweet Mod Rowley for name suggestions.
- Q: Did you have fun?
- A: Yes we are excited even if we may be bogged down due to all of the deadlines.
Also this is the first time doing this type of stream in person in several years. Make sure to be nice to all of the Jmods when providing constructive feedback as they too want it be the best it can be.
- Q: Release Date?
- A: Capital S, "Soon"