Dungeons & Dragons Online's Update 9 shows that Turbine isn't afraid to do whatever they want in the name of expanding their in-game experience. We got details on the new crafting system and more!

The other big system change coming to DDO will certainly give casters across the world a reason to cheer, as there are some nice changes coming down the line for mages of all sorts. First, a large number of spells have had their costs reduced, except the ones that were already considered powerful (ie: Fire Wall). This was meant to give mages the ability to be more diverse when selecting their spells and specialties, as opposed to simply finding the best spells to bring, and then only using those. There is also the addition of "Echoes of Power," a new passive ability that allows Mages to regen up to 12 spell points when they run themselves dry; giving them the ability to remain relevant in a fight, even with no spell points. 

Sorcerer fans will also have something to cheer about with Update 9, as there are some big sorcerer buffs coming down the line with the introduction of elemental attunements. Sorcerers can now choose to attune themselves to one specific element, and by doing so, they can gain access to a few powerful element-specific spells, as well as the ability to cast certain spells of their elemental attunement for a heavily reduced cost. Ultimately, this means that sorcerers in DDO will certainly have a lot of choices coming their way, in addition to these great buffs.

Finally, last on the update list is the addition of a new premium adventure pack for players around level 15. With this pack comes a spooky quest line that brings in lots of classic DDO monsters, like Beholders and Mind Flayers, as players investigate some disappearances in the neighborhood. In its own right, the new dungeon is a great content addition to the game, but its spotlight was definitely stolen with the crafting and spellcasting changes coming in Update 9.

In the end, what this in-game tour really did was confirm just how far Turbine's DDO team is willing to go in the name of innovation and evolution. Fernando said it best when I noted the fundamental changes being introduced with Update 9, when he said that Turbine is really not afraid to open up systems that have been here for a while, and they're certainly not afraid to add some brand new systems to the game if it means a deeper experience for their players. So for all of you DDO fans out there, be sure to enjoy Update 9 for what it is: deepening and broadening the player experience, all while still giving one of the best free-to-play experiences in the market.

Chris "Pwyff" Tom, Senior Staff Writer.