Patch 2.0, the Shroud of Ardan patch, was added to the Shadowbane Emulator on October 6th, 2017.
Shroud of Ardan title card
“
For centuries, the ruins of the golden realm of Ardan, humanity's first kingdom, laid undiscovered. Since The Turning, vestiges of that once great civilization have begun to rise from the sands of the Aerynth's wind scorched deserts. Within these timeworn halls lurk ancient revenants, soldiers fallen in the War of Shadows and entombed in honor of their sacrifice. Reanimated by the will of their eternal enemy, the oaths they swore in life bind them still in death.
Since their defeat during the War of Talons, the Aracoix Imperium have consolidated their forces in the desolate lands of Nar Addad. The surviving Kh'rees move with mysterious purpose and none who have ventured to those lands have survived to decipher their precise motives. What is certain, however, is that their excavations have recently stopped. What ancient horror have the Birdmen unearthed?
”
- Shroud of Ardan promotional narrative
General Changes
The launcher app has returned to automatically patch the game and provide players with development news.
Implemented a new multi-boxing system:
Characters you log in after the first cannot cast or attack and will be easier to kill.
This means you won't be able to use additional clients for PvP, but they are still viable for non-combat activities such as city management or receiving power-leveling.
AoE Rules have been reverted to their patch 24.3 state (target cap was reverted)
Random rolling costs have been lowered across the board.
It may return in one form later after polishing and further community input.
World Changes
Implemented Hot Zone Events:
Any zone that becomes a hot zone will auto-populate with high level mobs. Zones that previously hosted low-level mobs will now have endgame encounters and rewards appropriate for high-level characters.
Additionally, each hot zone comes with its own unique pre-programmed lore event.
You may choose to participate in these events at your peril for the chance to earn unique prizes.
We warn you, these events may have interesting mechanics that challenge the way you are used to playing. You may find yourself changing the tactics you employ while you PvP in the zone!
Newbie isle now has two warring PvP factions and four outposts.
Choose a side at character creation, and seek out other low-level characters for PvP and XP rewards.
Capture all of the outposts by slaying their outpost mini bosses, or defend your claims by beating back would-be usurpers!
Claiming all 4 outposts for your faction will trigger a campaign reset. If your side accomplishes this feat, you will be rewarded with enhanced experience gains for 30 minutes, and newly-created characters will receive a significant experience bump.
Elite Equipment
Elite Equipment has been partially reverted and should now feel more like their classic versions.
All Elite Equipment may be repaired once again.
To compensate for this and the new variety of elite equipment, the new drop rate has been set to 8%.
Elite Equipment is no longer just for defensive characters:
When a piece drops, it may be enchanted with one of several affixes aimed at multiple types of character builds.
Racial Changes
All race's natural spell damage resistance and penalties have been set to (plus or minus) 15%. (except for Vampire which remain at +/- 20).
Nephilim have had their Reforged in Flame changes pruned:
Regeneration reduced to +150%. No longer improves mana regeneration, but now applies in both human and true forms.
Nephilim's Mundae Eidolon (human form) no longer provides dexterity or movement speed.
Nephilim's Mundae Eidolon now applies immunity to Track, but its cooldown was increased to 300s
Stealth has been reworked to feel more like the classic versions and no longer provides the detect hidden ability.
Disregard - Reverted in patch 2.1 Sneak has been renamed "Hide". Hide has a 4s cast time, allows movement, and caps at PR-20 (JM).
Disregard - Reverted in patch 2.1 Stalk has been renamed "Sneak". Sneak is also a stealth power that allows movement, but it is instant-cast and increases movement speed by 50% at PR-20. This power lasts 30 seconds, has a 90-second recycle timer, and caps at 20 trains.
Song of Fortitude's Resistance Buff has been increased to +20. In addition, it now also resists against Bleeding damage.
Song of Warding's resistance buff has been increased to +20. In addition, it now also resists against Mental damage.
Litany of Focus now resists Elemental, Poison, Bleeding, Magic and Mental damage (+20). It lasts for 30s and has a 300s recycle timer. This does not stack with other "Bard Resistance Songs"
Flesh of Lead & Flesh of Granite have been reverted to an oldschool classic version. The cooldowns have been increased to 120s. They are single target.
Cauterize has been removed.
Glacial Rejuvenation has been removed.
Fire Bolt, Lightning Bolt & Ice Bolt's stack category has been changed from "FireDebuff", "LightningDebuff" & "IceDebuff", respectively, to "SingleElementalDebuff", and no longer stack with one another.
Detect Hidden added to this discipline. Behaves exactly like Bounty Hunter detect hidden. (does not grant two of these powers if both Bounty Hunter and Black Mask are taken)
Call of the Dark Lords now summons a ranged spell-casting pet called a Draatch. The pet casts a weak version of Mage Bolt and a special, stacking variant of Blood Boil.
Dark Lord's Favor has been changed to Dark Lord's Pact, a Single Target Destroy & Drain Pet. This spell is auto granted. 2.5s Cast Time, 300s Cooldown. Has an ATR roll based on Sorcery - drains any target pet of all of its life, healing you for 50% of the damage dealt.
Dark Lord's Boon has been changed to Arcane Binding, a Single Target Powerblock. Powerblocks the target for 8s, granting 24s of powerblock immunity also. 2s Cast Time, 40s Cooldown. Has an ATR roll based on Warding.
