We're very excited to introduced these Amulets that will let you use Power Pips for a school outside of your main school of focus!
These Amulets can be purchased in the Crown Shop only. Purchase the Amulet that corresponds to your secondary or tertiary school (not your primary school) so that Power Pips can be used for those spells.
We realize many of you will want to respec your Training Points for this purpose, and we have reduced the cost of Training Point respect at Mr Lincoln in Golem Court.
These items are currently not available as drops from creatures, but will be available as drops from creatures when we release Wintertusk.
When you change the scope of the game this much, we shouldn't have to pay anything to have our training points returned. This should be something that you KI do as a gesture of goodwill... especially when you're charging CROWNS for these amulets only!
So I am totally stoked about the new amulets and seriously love playing this game. I have been looking forward to these ever since the first whispers of their arrival then they came to the test realm. Oh! Now I am super stoked and so ready to put one to work now that they have gone live. :( Now they are here and will cost me twenty real world dollars or hours(or possibly days) of choke pointed(highly populated) battles. What a let down I have never complained about anything in this game but, I am afraid I have to say something here. I am very dissapointed that the cost of these is so high and the only option for those of us who do see them as overpriced (or have parents that can not afford to drop their kids twenty dollars for a virtual item ) is to farm what will be highly overpopulated areas causing massive frustration. I never though that I would say this about anything in the game but, KI gets an epic fail for the pricing and the forcing of farming what I am sure will be way heavy traffic areas. TOTAL BUMMER! KI plz consider dropping the price to a more decent lvl say around 5000 crowns these should no way be the same price as the mounts and high powered gear. Sorry KI I love the game and everything about it but, this one is a bit hard to swallow.
When you change the scope of the game this much, we shouldn't have to pay anything to have our training points returned. This should be something that you KI do as a gesture of goodwill... especially when you're charging CROWNS for these amulets only!
Grow up Coop. KingsIsle doesn't even HAVE to lower the buyback if they didn't want to. Stop complaining and accept the fact that the game is just that, a GAME. Crowns items and buying back spells is completely optional. If you made a mistake, you get free buybacks up to level 12 equivalent of TP.
This is my first time posting on these boards, but I had to comment on this. While I *love* the concept of being able to "dual class" my wizards, I have a concern. Namely that the new amulets cost 9950 crowns. That's over $20.00 for something of, as you say, secondary or tertiary usage. I cannot honestly justify purchasing this, no matter how cool it would be for my Diviner to be able to dabble in Necromancy.
Secondly, I have to agree with the previous poster's comment. KingsIsle has been moving Wizard101 in line with the other MMORPGs out there, but in certain ways it seems the game is still lacking behind:
-Big changes, such as introducing new schools (Astral) or this new ability to use power pips with a secondary school, usually come with a free "respec". Many long time players who have been level 50 for a while, long before the introduction of Celestia (and who had used all of their training points), were required to spend Crowns, or in real world terms Cash to even see the new spells. One free respec would have allowed us to keep our favorite secondary spells AND have the option of trying out the new spells, which would of course generate excitement about them making it better for other players as well. -Other "free to play" games that offer a subscription service offer some sort of benefit to those players. In Wizard101, that benefit is actually being able to play the game- since as a F2P player you can only get so far into Wizard City. I am not commenting on the validity of this method, only to say that up until recently there has not been a ton of value added content to make people *want* to continue paying. I propose (although this is really a completely different subject altogether) adding a "stipend" of crowns for subscription players. This would benefit the players of course, but also KI- being able to try the items in the Crown store will only "fuel the flame" of players wanting to buy more and more.
Well, that's just, like, my opinion, as a famous philosopher/bowler once said.
When you change the scope of the game this much, we shouldn't have to pay anything to have our training points returned. This should be something that you KI do as a gesture of goodwill... especially when you're charging CROWNS for these amulets only!
I agree the Amulets themselfs cost to many crowns and when you add the cost of getting your traning points back its outrageus. I do love the idea of being able to use power pips for your second school. I am happy that they listened to us also. Hopefuly they will listen again and either adjust the price of the amulet. Or make getting your training points back free.
i have a question about the amulets. in the futer, will there be new double decks (like the dual-school crafted gear) or will we just have to pack the amount that we can into the decks that we already have?
All I can say is "Wow." So now, hypothetically if someone wanted to buyback their points at level 60 and buy one of those amulets, you're looking at about a $35 deal.
~10,000 crowns = $20. Buy back points at level 60 = $15 (7000 Crowns)
Now they're having a sale on buy back... hmm, wonder why?
Buy back points sale at level 60 = Still $15. You can't buy exactly 5240 crowns.
More and more games are going the way of, "Give us money, you'll be the best in the game" type of mindset.
As it seems there will be an attached issue of training points I thought I would add my feelings on that issue. The training point buy back reduction is fair in my eyes as you should have chosen your secondary school more wisely if you feel that it is now a necessity to respec. The normal price for a respesc in my opinion would also be fair but, the twenty dollar (real world money) cost of the amulet is a bit steep in my opinion.
All I can say is "Wow." So now, hypothetically if someone wanted to buyback their points at level 60 and buy one of those amulets, you're looking at about a $35 deal.
~10,000 crowns = $20. Buy back points at level 60 = $15 (7000 Crowns)
Now they're having a sale on buy back... hmm, wonder why?
Buy back points sale at level 60 = Still $15. You can't buy exactly 5240 crowns.
More and more games are going the way of, "Give us money, you'll be the best in the game" type of mindset.
Ummm. under the recent sale on crowns, that being 60,000 crowns for $60, and with the playing public aware these were going to cost crowns only, thought ahead and bought....
10,000 crowns is $10.
Now, if you didn't plan ahead, even at the $80 for 60,000 crowns, that works out at a little over $13.
Now, I realize a few only want to buy exactly the correct amount of crowns at a more expensive rate, but don't over-inflate the prices, always use the best deal values.
By the way, the $17 for both a respec and the amulet is only 2 hrs at minimum wage. We always need to put things in perspective with real values.
THIS IS AWESOME, now i dont have to wait as long for all the pips i need to use death spells that i have, this is the greatest day of my life besides the day that i get my permanent drivers liscense in real life. :D :D :D :D
This addition is terrible, horrific, and mouse-brained! Storm and Fire are now terrible schools, and Ice has elevated to the top. Apart from the unreasonable price, this is the cheapest thing in the Spiral! I abhor this completly! Take it out of the Spiral! Banish it to the underworld! -Sabrina DragonRider Legendary Sorcerer
All I can say is "Wow." So now, hypothetically if someone wanted to buyback their points at level 60 and buy one of those amulets, you're looking at about a $35 deal.
~10,000 crowns = $20. Buy back points at level 60 = $15 (7000 Crowns)
Now they're having a sale on buy back... hmm, wonder why?
Buy back points sale at level 60 = Still $15. You can't buy exactly 5240 crowns.
More and more games are going the way of, "Give us money, you'll be the best in the game" type of mindset.
Ummm. under the recent sale on crowns, that being 60,000 crowns for $60, and with the playing public aware these were going to cost crowns only, thought ahead and bought....
10,000 crowns is $10.
Now, if you didn't plan ahead, even at the $80 for 60,000 crowns, that works out at a little over $13.
Now, I realize a few only want to buy exactly the correct amount of crowns at a more expensive rate, but don't over-inflate the prices, always use the best deal values.
By the way, the $17 for both a respec and the amulet is only 2 hrs at minimum wage. We always need to put things in perspective with real values.
Real Values!?! What site are you buying crowns from cause on the Wizard 101 site 10,000 crowns costs twenty dollars (two five thousand crown buys) as for the rest of your post! Yeah let's get real!! What kid do you know with $60.00 to buy the sale crowns. You sound like a frivolous spender with very little real values. Also your post has little if anything to do with planning ahead so who knows where you got that??!!
I find it very disappointing that the only updates we have to look forward to are Crown Shop items. Instead of thinking, " Great! New content all can enjoy. " , I think, " Great. How much it this going to cost me? "
This is one of the better additions I have seen and helps solve a major problem of the game, the lack of variety in a players deck. Usually you know that a player will mainly use one or two attacks based on their school, and it makes the game so boring. The more attacks you make available to players, and the more types of interesting spells like beguile that you put in, the better the game will be.
To those complaining, I have looked into what it costs to run a MMORPG, as I want to create one myself. It amazes me that KI can keep their price to only $5/month for subcription players. The amulet will undoubtedly be available as a drop. The cost of the amulet is only $10, if you want one sooner. It only costs more if you can't wait a few days till the next crown sale. They have them all the time. Yes, the more impatient you are, the more crowns it costs. If you really look, most crown purchases get you the same thing you could have had for free faster. Its your choice to pay, instead of taking the time to get it free.
KI, you are doing a good job. Please ignore all the whiners and have a magical day. ;)
This is my first time posting on these boards, but I had to comment on this. While I *love* the concept of being able to "dual class" my wizards, I have a concern. Namely that the new amulets cost 9950 crowns. That's over $20.00 for something of, as you say, secondary or tertiary usage. I cannot honestly justify purchasing this, no matter how cool it would be for my Diviner to be able to dabble in Necromancy.
Secondly, I have to agree with the previous poster's comment. KingsIsle has been moving Wizard101 in line with the other MMORPGs out there, but in certain ways it seems the game is still lacking behind:
-Big changes, such as introducing new schools (Astral) or this new ability to use power pips with a secondary school, usually come with a free "respec". Many long time players who have been level 50 for a while, long before the introduction of Celestia (and who had used all of their training points), were required to spend Crowns, or in real world terms Cash to even see the new spells. One free respec would have allowed us to keep our favorite secondary spells AND have the option of trying out the new spells, which would of course generate excitement about them making it better for other players as well. -Other "free to play" games that offer a subscription service offer some sort of benefit to those players. In Wizard101, that benefit is actually being able to play the game- since as a F2P player you can only get so far into Wizard City. I am not commenting on the validity of this method, only to say that up until recently there has not been a ton of value added content to make people *want* to continue paying. I propose (although this is really a completely different subject altogether) adding a "stipend" of crowns for subscription players. This would benefit the players of course, but also KI- being able to try the items in the Crown store will only "fuel the flame" of players wanting to buy more and more.
Well, that's just, like, my opinion, as a famous philosopher/bowler once said.
First, kudos for quoting The Dude! Secondly, I agree 110% with your post. I have always questioned the long term financial benefit for KI to do nothing for subscribers other than allow them to play the game. Crowns purchases are labeled "optional" but think about it for a minute. You cannot advance in the game without crowns, because there are places to which you do not have access. Our subscription ends on May 3rd, and it will not be renewed. We enjoy Wizard101, but have issues with the way the game is marketed and advertised versus the way the game actually IS. "Free to play" is an inaccurate representation of Wizard101, and KI needs to change its banner, simply because someone with a lot more money and legal expertise is going to try and play for free, as advertised, and realize that they, in fact, cannot do that, and sue KI for false advertising.
I have spent money on crowns, but I am an adult and used my own money. If I were a kid or a young adult, crowns would probably be out of my reach, or I would have to use funds I had accrued through babysitting, chores or gifts on birthdays and holidays. Wizard101 should be free to play, or at the very least, the advertising should be amended to reflect the true nature of the game.
My life was at level 29. I won't delete it, in case KI sees the light, but with the amulets unlimited, no restrictions on their use, Life is the most useless school out there. I feel bad. I have a few legend friends that are life, and they are now obsolete and redundant.
Will start training ice wizard, since it is the only school worth anything now.
Adaptus was spot on correct with the idea of limiting the use of the amulet. Guess KI thinks that enough pvp'ers will bite, but this is one person that is done buying crowns. Frankly, if it were not for friends I have made, I would be walking away right now over this. Honestly, think I may still just eventually leave this place, and that with about six months of membership left.
This is starting to feel less like a "kid's" game and more like some money machine where the integrity of the game is second and money is first. I am sure there are many who disagree and will jump at the chance to buy the amulets and training points, but after spending a ton on this game, this is one player KI won't see dime one ever spent on crowns again.
These amulets are great for ice school wizards as they keep their health and resist but can gain stronger spells, for all other schools these amulets are just fun but do not make them able to fairly compete vs ice. These amulets should not be allowed in PvP or else all schools should now have equal health and resist, ice is able to have strong spells but the strong spell school wizards can not get ice health and resist. I hope KI does something to once again make all 7 schools equal in PvP. I have wizards in all 7 schools and I would like them to all have the same fair chance in PvP. And getting a life amulet for storm wizards is not the solution as the storm char would be wasting some pips on healing, and the ice wizard could use all pips to hit and rely on their greater health and resist to stay alive.
Does anyone read the full posts anymore? Prof. Greyrose said these amulets will be available as drops when Wintertusk comes out. If you can't wait that long, yes you should have to buy them for a price just like all the other items in the crown shop that wizards are not willing to farm for.
You don't have to use these amulets in your strategy. Astral spells are still just as good as they were two days ago. These amulets are not a game changer. They are simply bringing back an ability (secondary schools) at an improved rate that many wizards have abandoned. Wizards are not gaining any new abilities, they simply can now cast spells sooner and with more power than they could before. The spells and how you defend against them are still the same. You are not fighting two wizards at once or anything like that. Your opponent still only gets one spell per turn. You still can only draw five cards at time. You still have to wait x amount of pips before cast. Offering a discount is a pretty good deal, considering the decision to respec a secondary school is no different from before (life to death or astral to myth).
The amulet glow that surrounds the wizard even tells you what school that wizard can cast!! So there is no secret to spell selection. If anything, these amulets may reduce the use of prisms!!!
i have issues with those amulets.. as a single school player i rely on my amulet, wand, ring, and pet for my other school spells. my life spells are in my amulet and to be able to cast those with out having to get the number of pips (white) would be great. i would rather see them a broach to pin on our chest. each one could be made to represent a school all 10 schools ( yes i include sun,star, and moon)
please professors think about this and pass it on to the Kings
not only u must think what school to mix with but.at the same time forget to ever buy another amulet all together.atleast the onces on bazzard.i use the 75% feint amulet witch is great wen u add the 70% feint from death school.but now i got to choose witch one to keep?do i get to just train the feint spell with out having to train all the spells above it?or is that still a problem....what if what we get,instead of amulets.we would get a diploma from our school and then a permission slip with a quest to train on the next school...with no limits on how many schools u can take up.but 1 at a time.now that would open many possibilities and ppl would not mind,paying real money for an all powerful account...yes the game it self would get to be too easy.but thats the beauty of more worlds with stronger creatures.this new amulets are use less...what if u got to wait a lil while for the spell....most of the time u get ur pips just waiting for the card.wanna make an amulet...make one that u can combine 2 spells into one.imagen putting on a trap and a blade at the same time.or using 2 low lvl monsters to attck or one to attack and a fairy to heal....know ur dect and u wont even need this amulets
THIS IS AWESOME, now i dont have to wait as long for all the pips i need to use death spells that i have, this is the greatest day of my life besides the day that i get my permanent drivers liscense in real life. :D :D :D :D
Don't look forward to getting that....it comes with a need to lay out tons of cash for insurance.
