It's here.

[BeeBee]

Evolution of Combat Launches 20th November!

17 hours ago

After five months of feedback and fine-tuning, the time is finally here: we're hugely excited to be able to announce the official live launch date of the Evolution of Combat: the 20th of November 2012!

With thousands of hours of playtime from yourselves and hundreds of changes to the system from your feedback, we're now looking forward to a new era in RuneScape. Once the Evolution of Combat has been released, you can look forward to some great new boss monsters and combat-related updates that would never have been possible previously.

We also had an overwhelmingly positive response to the Combat Academy and survey that launched last week and are now making some small tweaks and adjustments prior to launch.

Naturally, you'll have lots of questions about the Evolution of Combat now that the date is confirmed, and we're going to be running a live stream this weekend to address these. You can post your questions in the forums here. In the meantime, check out our FAQ.

There will also be further news posts over the next few days, detailing key changes and how best to prepare for the launch. While it's securely founded in the RuneScape combat you know so well, it contains an array of large-scale improvements and new features, including:
•Abilities: These are a replacement for the old special attacks found on weapons, but they're an whole different beast. Divided up into three classes: basic, threshold and ultimate, these do more damage than regular attacks and cause a range of nasty negative effects to your opponent, such as damage over time or stuns. Some may even bestow positive effects, healing you or further boosting your damage output for a set amount of time. Making sound use of abilities will push your combat prowess to new heights.
•Adrenaline: This new resource is built each time you hit an enemy with an auto-attack, or with a basic ability. It's spent when you use the more powerful threshold and ultimate abilities, and when you eat food in combat, so you'll want to build it as quickly as possible during a fight.
•Action Bar: This handy new interface holds all your ability buttons, and can give quick access to essentials such as potions, food and utility items.
•Armour and Life Points: The armour you wear now greatly affects your maximum life points. The Evolution of Combat is balanced with this in mind, so you'll need to gear up to stand up to your foes!
•Dual Wielding: That's right - with the launch of the Evolution of Combat, this much-requested feature will be fully implemented. With abilities specific to dual-wielded weapons and increased gear choices for mages such as wands and orbs, your choice of gear loadout has never been more varied. Off-hand versions of most weapons will be made available once the Evolution of Combat launches, so no need to go out and buy duplicates of your favourites just yet.
•And Much More: We've introduced far too many new features, tweaks and improvements to list here, but some of the biggest are as follows:
◦We've filled out gaps in gear progression, including loads of brand-new level 50 gear and new options for mages and rangers.
◦The combat triangle is more important than ever, and you'll need to take careful count of your foe's fighting style to prevail.
◦There's an array of awesome-looking new animations for the new abilities and distinct combat styles.

We've also listened carefully to feedback from those among you who know and particularly enjoy the current system. With your input in mind, we've made many changes to the Evolution of Combat which will allow you to continue playing with the traditional style of combat, while also benefiting from the raft of improvements the update brings.

For full details, take a look at our FAQ or our quick guide on the wiki. If you haven't already, you can also still log into the beta and give the new system a whirl - be sure to try out the new Combat Academy in Lumbridge while you're there!

Just two weeks to go - plant the date securely in your calendar, because you won't want to miss the Evolution of Combat launch!

The RuneScape Team

Thoughts?

Personally I'll stick around unless all the clans just drop to the ground. Nothing better to do with my life rofl.

[Randy]

I'll pass. Wasn't impressed by the beta and GW2 is a similar system but 100x better.

[Wayshow]

well fuck.

[Mojo]

Oh sheet

edit:

jk, I don't mind EoC :)

[Mister Kyle]

Finally. I actually enjoy the EoC.

[Owen]

Finally. I actually enjoy the EoC.

[Pacman Syu]

Hmmm :(

[NiirB]

Finally. I actually enjoy the EoC.

[IlIScottIlI]

Selling my melee gear to buy range/mage gear

[Zeld Freelan]

Finally...it's here.

I actually enjoy the Eoc. It's noise.

[Wind_Arcus]

Will be different, that's for sure. Wondering how many people will actually stick around though.

[Scimmy]

I'll give it a chance if not im going emetris

[Elyxiatic]

Chinning is dead  :(
200m wc here I come

[Owen]

Chinning is dead  :(
200m wc here I come

Last I heard chinning was like 2m xp per hour?

[Wind_Arcus]

I'll give it a chance if not im going emetris

The DG Emeritus rank corresponds to the WG rank of the same name. DG Emeriti have the same abilities for the junior clan, and they must also have been a DG staff member at one point to be eligible for the rank.

Sorry about that Scimmy :(

Modified: Apparently its higher+, sorry for the confusion  :3

[Scimmy]

Ohh didn't know thanks wind

[Ts Stormrage]

Question; did they forget to make Blue Dhide F2P?

Batwing and Rune are both level 50 now and f2p, but it seems Blue dhide got overlooked in this, and rangwers have to make do with lvl 40 green dhide...

[btraill]

I'm quite thoroughly enjoying it.

[Owen]

I've been skilling since it went live.

[Mojo]

Question; did they forget to make Blue Dhide F2P?

Batwing and Rune are both level 50 now and f2p, but it seems Blue dhide got overlooked in this, and rangwers have to make do with lvl 40 green dhide...

Just so people reading this aren't confused:
This is in F2P too now. As you know from testing earlier ;)

[Mister Kyle]

Word of advice - If you go ranged pking, use a Royal Crossbow. I hit like 1800 one iteming with it.

[PineappleTom]

I'm scared to log on.

[Ts Stormrage]

Question; did they forget to make Blue Dhide F2P?

Batwing and Rune are both level 50 now and f2p, but it seems Blue dhide got overlooked in this, and rangwers have to make do with lvl 40 green dhide...

Just so people reading this aren't confused:
This is in F2P too now. As you know from testing earlier ;)

Very true... See this topic here:
http://www.wildernessguardians.com/smf/index.php?topic=5230.0

Also; if you go into the wild; you will lose everything you're wearing, in invent, and in bob when you die...

[Robertwb69]

I'll pass. Wasn't impressed by the beta and GW2 is a similar system but 100x better.

GW2 isn't a browser based game so you can't really compare the two.
For a browser based game Runescape seems to surprise me every time I check out what they have done with it.