Anthem: BioWare Addresses Fan Concerns With Loot Update, Here’s What It Changes
Update: BioWare has confirmed the hotfix for Anthem loot has been pushed live.
While it has not yet implemented the issue to prevent uncommon and common drops at level 30 — which is intended to come later, the hotfix does address the following issues, per this Reddit post:
- Items will no longer have inscriptions on them that are not appropriate for that specific item. NOTE: This only applies to items obtained after the patch. Items obtained prior to the hotfix will still have the same inscriptions they had before.
- Masterwork crafting costs have been reduced from 25 -> 15 Masterwork Embers. The amount of plants, metal and parts required for crafting a Masterwork item have also been reduced.
Original story follows:
BioWare is making various fan-requested changes to the loot systems in Anthem, and has detailed much of what will be tweaked.
Revealed through an official Reddit post, BioWare lead producer Ben Irvo described changes that are coming to inscriptions, level 30 drop tables and masterwork crafting material requirements. These changes are planned to go live on February 28 or March 1.
Inscriptions are modifiers on items that can grant various improvements while out on expeditions, but not all listed inscriptions are useful. Bonuses can impact health, damage, armor and more, but when an inscription that boosts physical damage is applied to a fully elemental weapon, it’s effectively useless. These ineffective inscriptions are officially going away, allowing for generally better and more effective loot to be acquired.
These changes will only apply to newly acquired items, and not to items which already exist in your Vault. If an inscription applies only to the item it’s on, meaning it shows a gear icon, it will be useful specifically to that item. Otherwise, the inscription will be beneficial to the Javelin as a whole. For more nitty-gritty details on inscription and inscription pool changes, check out the full post.
On top of the inscription changes, uncommon (white) and common (green) items will be removed from level 30 drop tables, meaning higher-level players won’t be quite as swamped with weak loot – it’s unclear if these will be replaced by higher-rated loot, or simply won’t appear at all.
In the end, Baldur\u0027s Gate is the best thing to happen to computer role-playing games in a very long time. Not only has the game shown that you can build a statistics heavy game without making it boring or confusing, but it has shown that it\u0027s possible to build them with style and beauty. I recommend this game for anyone who enjoys fantasy, role-playing or adventure games. BioWare has not only done justice to the AD&D license, they\u0027ve set the standard for what role-playing games should be.”,”height”:720,”width”:1280,”url”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2019\/02\/07\/bio1-1549501895599.jpg”,”styleUrl”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2019\/02\/07\/bio1-1549501895599_{size}.jpg”,”credit”:””,”objectRelationName”:””,”objectRelationUrl”:””,”albumName”:”Every IGN BioWare Game Review”,”relativePosition”:”02″,”albumTotalCount”:42},{“caption”:”Reviewed by Levi Buchanan
October 18, 2004
Baldur\u0027s Gate is a very worthwhile download for the more casual RPG fan, as I would suspect the majority of cellphone gamers are. If you\u0027re looking for a huge, deep RPG, you probably know that you beter start looking at your PC or at a game like Fable. But if you want an adventure with definite D&D trimmings that can be consumed in bite-sized portions, look to Baldur\u0027s Gate. Think of it as a companion piece to your PC and console RPGs, a way to take swords and sorcery on the bus. It has a good length, decent graphics, and smart game play.”,”height”:720,”width”:1280,”url”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2019\/02\/07\/bio2-1549501895602.jpg”,”styleUrl”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2019\/02\/07\/bio2-1549501895602_{size}.jpg”,”credit”:””,”objectRelationName”:””,”objectRelationUrl”:””,”albumName”:”Every IGN BioWare Game Review”,”relativePosition”:”03″,”albumTotalCount”:42},{“caption”:”Reviewed by Brandon Justice
March 30, 2000
Nearly every aspect of Bioware\u0027s sensational sequel shines in a way that sheds a painfully revealing light on their competitors\u0027 glaring inadequacies. It may be too hard for some gamers, and that keeps it from being a game for everyone, but if you\u0027re up for a good old fashioned duel to the death, then no Dreamcast title available is more worthy of your money than MDK2.”,”height”:720,”width”:1280,”url”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2019\/02\/07\/bio3-1549501895604.jpg”,”styleUrl”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2019\/02\/07\/bio3-1549501895604_{size}.jpg”,”credit”:””,”objectRelationName”:””,”objectRelationUrl”:””,”albumName”:”Every IGN BioWare Game Review”,”relativePosition”:”04″,”albumTotalCount”:42},{“caption”:”Reviewed by NAME
DATE
TEXT”,”height”:720,”width”:1280,”url”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2019\/02\/07\/bio4-1549501895605.jpg”,”styleUrl”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2019\/02\/07\/bio4-1549501895605_{size}.jpg”,”credit”:””,”objectRelationName”:””,”objectRelationUrl”:””,”albumName”:”Every IGN BioWare Game Review”,”relativePosition”:”05″,”albumTotalCount”:42},{“caption”:”Reviewed by Chris Carle
March 27, 2001
MDK 2: Armageddon is a great action title that is certainly worth twenty hours of your time. A great story, fast-paced adventure and a good deal of challenge make up for the fact that this game could (and did) look a lot better. Still, there is enough humor and fun here to warrant a purchase.”,”height”:720,”width”:1280,”url”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2019\/02\/07\/bio5-1549501895606.jpg”,”styleUrl”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2019\/02\/07\/bio5-1549501895606_{size}.jpg”,”credit”:””,”objectRelationName”:””,”objectRelationUrl”:””,”albumName”:”Every IGN BioWare Game Review”,”relativePosition”:”06″,”albumTotalCount”:42},{“caption”:”Reviewed by Erik Peterson
October 10, 2000
Baldur\u0027s Gate II: Shadows of Amn is not as beautiful or artful as Planescape: Torment. It\u0027s not as revolutionary to the genre as the original Baldur\u0027s Gate. Though, truly revolutionary titles are so rarely polished and well groomed that I can count the few that come to mind on a single hand, and artful, well-written games aren\u0027t always as fun or long. In many ways, Baldur\u0027s Gate II is the culmination of the powerful RPG renaissance that\u0027s been driving the genre over the last several years\u00bf a rebirth that originally started with its predecessor, Baldur\u0027s Gate. It redefines attention to detail, game balance, longevity, and spit and polish. It\u0027s not overbearing in its creativity, and it\u0027s not paper thin. In the end, it\u0027s simply a superb role-playing experience–one of the best. There\u0027s not much you can compare it to. Baldur\u0027s Gate II has no peers. It commands your attention and will command your life for months. It\u0027s exactly the RPG I\u0027ve been waiting for.”,”height”:720,”width”:1280,”url”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2019\/02\/07\/bio6-1549501895607.jpg”,”styleUrl”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2019\/02\/07\/bio6-1549501895607_{size}.jpg”,”credit”:””,”objectRelationName”:””,”objectRelationUrl”:””,”albumName”:”Every IGN BioWare Game Review”,”relativePosition”:”07″,”albumTotalCount”:42},{“caption”:”Reviewed by Leif Johnson
November 27, 2013
Whether it\u0027s chitchatting with a talking sword, solving murders, or escaping grim dungeons, Baldur\u0027s Gate II: Enhanced Edition captures the essence of what makes fantasy RPGs so beloved. Short of a full-blown remake (which I, for one, would love to see), this is the best way for a new generation to experience that greatness for themselves. Even revisiting it after all this time, I laughed, I faced daunting challenges, and I wanted to play it again when I was done. The visual and technical improvements may not be extensive enough to entice you if you\u2019ve played heavily modded versions of the original, but for newcomers, this is the definitive experience. Just save before embarking on the new adventures.”,”height”:720,”width”:1280,”url”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2019\/02\/07\/bio7-1549501895607.jpg”,”styleUrl”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2019\/02\/07\/bio7-1549501895607_{size}.jpg”,”credit”:””,”objectRelationName”:””,”objectRelationUrl”:””,”albumName”:”Every IGN BioWare Game Review”,”relativePosition”:”08″,”albumTotalCount”:42},{“caption”:”Reviewed by Tal Blevins
June 21, 2002
If you\u0027re an old-school computer RPG fan who favors party-based adventuring, you may be a little disappointed, but it shouldn\u0027t sway you from trying out Neverwinter Nights, especially if you\u0027re interested in building and running your own digital D&D campaigns. This game is just going to keep getting better and better as more user-created content pops up on the Web, and I for one expect to enjoy it the whole way through.”,”height”:720,”width”:1280,”url”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2019\/02\/07\/bio8-1549501895609.jpg”,”styleUrl”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2019\/02\/07\/bio8-1549501895609_{size}.jpg”,”credit”:””,”objectRelationName”:””,”objectRelationUrl”:””,”albumName”:”Every IGN BioWare Game Review”,”relativePosition”:”09″,”albumTotalCount”:42},{“caption”:”Reviewed by Tal Blevins
June 17, 2003
Overall Shadows of Undrentide is a quality expansion pack, but whether or not to get it really comes down to do you really want to spend the money on a new module. It\u0027s certainly professional and well done, but so are user-created modules like Birthright of the North or the Dreamcatcher series. If you\u0027re a Neverwinter modder you\u0027ll probably want to get it just for the tilesets, creatures and new scripting wizards and NWN fans will find plenty here to keep them busy, but Shadows of Undrentide isn\u0027t a \u0022must-have now\u0022 expansion pack for the average gamer.”,”height”:720,”width”:1280,”url”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2019\/02\/07\/bio9-1549501895609.jpg”,”styleUrl”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2019\/02\/07\/bio9-1549501895609_{size}.jpg”,”credit”:””,”objectRelationName”:””,”objectRelationUrl”:””,”albumName”:”Every IGN BioWare Game Review”,”relativePosition”:10,”albumTotalCount”:42},{“caption”:”Reviewed by Levi Buchanan
September 11, 2004
Neverwinter Nights is a pretty landmark title, what with its huge scope and streaming tech. You will undoubtedly get your money\u0027s worth, as there are hours and hours of gameplay in here. However, the lingering Q is whether or not it\u0027s your kind of gameplay. If fetch quests and selling unused weapons and items doesn\u0027t blow your hair back, then Neverwinter Nights might not be your Bag of Holding. But RPG fans with cellphones will want to DL this game immediately.i “,”height”:720,”width”:1280,”url”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2019\/02\/07\/bio10-1549501895610.jpg”,”styleUrl”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2019\/02\/07\/bio10-1549501895610_{size}.jpg”,”credit”:””,”objectRelationName”:””,”objectRelationUrl”:””,”albumName”:”Every IGN BioWare Game Review”,”relativePosition”:11,”albumTotalCount”:42},{“caption”:”Reviewed by Aaron Boulding
July 14, 2003
Put this up there with Halo, Splinter Cell and any other Xbox game that kept you up way too late or caused you to neglect your loved ones. It grabs you early on by giving your character some cool toys to play with and some familiar Star Wars critters to welcome you back and next thing you know you\u0027ve got a space ship, a light saber, a wookie and a droid. With Knights of the Old Republic, the galaxy is yours, get out there and get some.”,”height”:720,”width”:1280,”url”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2019\/02\/07\/bio11-1549501895611.jpg”,”styleUrl”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2019\/02\/07\/bio11-1549501895611_{size}.jpg”,”credit”:””,”objectRelationName”:””,”objectRelationUrl”:””,”albumName”:”Every IGN BioWare Game Review”,”relativePosition”:12,”albumTotalCount”:42},{“caption”:”Reviewed by Richard Aihoshi
January 2, 2004
Knights of the Old Republic reaffirms and reinforces BioWare\u0027s position among the world\u0027s finest development studios. As pointed out, it has various aspects that are less than perfect. However, they are far overshadowed, even overwhelmed by its many noteworthy strengths, and especially by the way they combine to produce a superior role-playing experience that feels like Star Wars and makes it very easy to imagine yourself a Jedi caught up in a larger than life adventure, with the fate of the galaxy depending on you and your trusty lightsaber. I count myself among the gamers who had thought about a Star Wars RPG long before this project was announced. For me, this game was unquestionably worth the wait.”,”height”:720,”width”:1280,”url”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2019\/02\/07\/bio12-1549501895612.jpg”,”styleUrl”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2019\/02\/07\/bio12-1549501895612_{size}.jpg”,”credit”:””,”objectRelationName”:””,”objectRelationUrl”:””,”albumName”:”Every IGN BioWare Game Review”,”relativePosition”:13,”albumTotalCount”:42},{“caption”:”Reviewed by Steve Watts
May 29, 2013
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic still holds up, and remains a must-play for younger players who didn\u2019t catch it the first time around. Though the iPad version\u0027s touch controls make movement clumsy, most of its changes are for the better. If you haven\u2019t played it before, or want to experience it again, this is a great way to do it.”,”height”:720,”width”:1280,”url”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2019\/02\/07\/bio13-1549501895612.jpg”,”styleUrl”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2019\/02\/07\/bio13-1549501895612_{size}.jpg”,”credit”:””,”objectRelationName”:””,”objectRelationUrl”:””,”albumName”:”Every IGN BioWare Game Review”,”relativePosition”:14,”albumTotalCount”:42},{“caption”:”Reviewed by David Clayman
April 8, 2005
The real joy of Jade Empire comes from the hundreds of details that couldn\u0027t possibly be covered in a review: how a character centers himself after battle, humorous references to pop culture, and the spot-on re-creation of the many fighting styles. The only way to grasp how much effort has been put into this game is to experience it yourself, so stop reading and go pick up the game, an empire awaits.”,”height”:720,”width”:1280,”url”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2019\/02\/07\/bio14-1549501895614.jpg”,”styleUrl”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2019\/02\/07\/bio14-1549501895614_{size}.jpg”,”credit”:””,”objectRelationName”:””,”objectRelationUrl”:””,”albumName”:”Every IGN BioWare Game Review”,”relativePosition”:15,”albumTotalCount”:42},{“caption”:”Reviewed by Steve Butts
February 19, 2007
Like the PC version of Knights of the Old Republic before it, Jade Empire is a remarkable RPG that, apart from better graphics and load times, really has little to separate it from the Xbox version from two years ago. If you\u0027ve played it before, there\u0027s nothing here that you can\u0027t miss. If you missed the game on the Xbox, however, you\u0027re in for a real treat.”,”height”:720,”width”:1280,”url”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2019\/02\/07\/bio15-1549501895614.jpg”,”styleUrl”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2019\/02\/07\/bio15-1549501895614_{size}.jpg”,”credit”:””,”objectRelationName”:””,”objectRelationUrl”:””,”albumName”:”Every IGN BioWare Game Review”,”relativePosition”:16,”albumTotalCount”:42},{“caption”:”Reviewed by Erik Brudvig
November 19, 2007
Mass Effect is game that is greater than the sum of its parts. Technical issues abound, but the majority of Mass Effect is so expertly delivered that it can transcend its weaknesses. Applying number ratings to a game like this doesn\u0027t do it justice because there is no way you can ignore its technical flaws. Simply put, Mass Effect is a game that must be played. Then it must be played again. Don\u0027t pass this one up.”,”height”:720,”width”:1280,”url”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2019\/02\/07\/bio16-1549501895614.jpg”,”styleUrl”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2019\/02\/07\/bio16-1549501895614_{size}.jpg”,”credit”:””,”objectRelationName”:””,”objectRelationUrl”:””,”albumName”:”Every IGN BioWare Game Review”,”relativePosition”:17,”albumTotalCount”:42},{“caption”:”Reviewed by Jason Ocampo
May 27, 2008
It almost goes without saying that BioWare remains one of the very top single-player RPG makers on the planet, and Mass Effect only reinforces their position. This is easily one of the best RPGs on the platform in recent years, delivering a terrific new universe, a fun blend of action and role-playing, and a deeply satisfying story. If you have any love of science fiction or space opera, then you owe it to yourself to check it out. There are hours upon hours of joyful discovery here, and an undeniable love for science fiction, as well.”,”height”:720,”width”:1280,”url”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2019\/02\/07\/bio17-1549501895615.jpg”,”styleUrl”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2019\/02\/07\/bio17-1549501895615_{size}.jpg”,”credit”:””,”objectRelationName”:””,”objectRelationUrl”:””,”albumName”:”Every IGN BioWare Game Review”,”relativePosition”:18,”albumTotalCount”:42},{“caption”:”Reviewed by Colin Moriarty
December 10, 2012
Mass Effect sets a solid foundation for the two games that come after it in terms of plot and character development (yes, you can import your Mass Effect save into Mass Effect 2 on PS3). And while I wish that BioWare didn\u2019t ultimately abandon the RPG elements in Mass Effect that made it inaccessible to some, it\u2019s awesome to go back and play a game that, at the time, wasn\u2019t the hit it is today.”,”height”:720,”width”:1280,”url”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2019\/02\/07\/bio18-1549501895616.jpg”,”styleUrl”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2019\/02\/07\/bio18-1549501895616_{size}.jpg”,”credit”:””,”objectRelationName”:””,”objectRelationUrl”:””,”albumName”:”Every IGN BioWare Game Review”,”relativePosition”:19,”albumTotalCount”:42},{“caption”:”Reviewed by Mark Bozon
September 24, 2008
Sonic Chronicles isn\u0027t a bad game overall, but it does suffer from a list of things that keep it from being a title we can recommend to just anyone. The character balancing is strong, the game is simply beautiful, and there\u0027s more effort put into the front end and general flow of the game than most DS titles out there. On the gameplay front though, players will need to suffer through tedious point-to-point fetch quests with very little story to push the experience, and a battle system that gets too repetitive far too fast. Random balance issues make the fights a bit awkward, while the framerate and camera follow issues mix with some odd collision in the overworld and broken flow that requires you to talk to NPC\u0027s to solve a puzzle that\u0027s sitting right in front of the team. There\u0027s a good design in here somewhere; it\u0027s just lost in the shuffle of it all.”,”height”:720,”width”:1280,”url”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2019\/02\/07\/bio19-1549501895617.jpg”,”styleUrl”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2019\/02\/07\/bio19-1549501895617_{size}.jpg”,”credit”:””,”objectRelationName”:””,”objectRelationUrl”:””,”albumName”:”Every IGN BioWare Game Review”,”relativePosition”:20,”albumTotalCount”:42}]’
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Additionally, BioWare has reduced the crafting materials required to create a masterwork from 25 masterwork embers to 15, allowing players to craft more masterwork items with inscriptions they may be looking for.
Aside from these changes, which will go live in the next day or so, BioWare dropped a new patch this morning alongside a brief set of patch notes. The patch increases the tethering timer for missions, the Swarm Tyrant encounter in the Tyrant Mine Stronghold can no longer be reset by the squad exiting and rejoining the session in progress, and players can no longer open chests in Strongholds that have already been looted.
For more on Anthem, check out our review of the game, which we called “Okay” saying “Anthem has energetic combat but it saves too much of what precious little content it has for the endgame, making playing through its mismatched story a tediously repetitive grind.”
Anthem’s 90-day post launch plans have been revealed, so players can see the short-term roadmap for the game. If you’re already playing Anthem, check out our wiki for treasure chest locations.
Colin Stevens is a news writer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter.