We've corrected some issues regarding the SoB Launcher:

• fixed an issue logging into some characters or accounts while using the SoB launcher but you still get disconnected after a short time
• fixed an issue with a Cloak icon and tooltip explaining you will be disconnected, becoming stuck at the top of the screen after logging in, in some cases

Currently on Test Center for public testing is the Outfitter system for Duels & Faction events, with the following updates.

Resource/Durability Consumption:

• Resources are no longer consumed in duels, including potions (now includes faction pillars), but players will still need to carry resources in order to use them
• Durability is no longer consumed in duels

Outfitter:

• Players can invoke the /outfitter command at any time to open the Outfitter menu, where you can manage the Outfitter system
• Enabling the Outfitter system will attempt to use the selected custom skills & stats temporarily during Duels & Faction Events, for a small fee

What to test:

• Test consuming/using resources both IN and OUT of duels & events. Ensure resources still consume when they should, and not during the events. Also, ensure you don't get free empty bottles in return for using potions.
• Test the Outfitter system for BOTH duels & faction events, please!!! (see notes above)
• Test trying to use custom skills & stats in ways other than intended. For example, crafting & harvesting should ignore custom skills & stats, and you should be prevented from doing anything that you could benefit from while your skills are transformed.
• Test durability loss during duels & faction events

How to test:

• Connect via test.uo4.life:5002
• A Faction Event Test Stone has been placed at Britain Bank. Double click when ready to start the Vraal's Mausoleum faction pillar event, which can be triggered once every 20m

If you need anything to help test, encounter an issue, or have a question please reach out to #🐛test-duel-faction-outfitter

If you are an Animal Tamer and have Bake Kitsune's please stable them immediately. Combat for these pets is now prevented temporarily, but they will still be able to follow you. Sorry for the inconvenience, we will return them to normal behavior ASAP.

We've fixed an issue preventing skill gains when practicing combat with Training Dummies (if you still have issues, log out and back in to receive the update)

Part of the lag source has been identified and resolved, and a hotfix has been deployed. Please log out and back in to receive the updates. We will continue to monitor for lag and work on any remaining issues that should occur. Thanks again for your patience through the rough patches!

Faction Town Stones & Faction Base Stones have been reset to try to resolve issues with capturing towns. Please let us know if you still experience issues with this

• Creatures inside the Britain sewers now drop loot

• Three new faction mounts have been added to the faction shop (one for each faction).

• All MOBs in Deceit now have a chance to drop rare loot.

Recent fixes and changes:

• Combat performance improvements, possible relief from combat-related lag
• Fixed an issue with being able to report a murder from a blue player that defended themselves against a criminal player, but the criminal player turned blue and died; defenders should no longer be counted as a murderer when criminals die after defensive combat
• Reduced spammy "Fingers Slipping" while bandaging
• Prevented Loading Cloak feature for dead players, they are already cloaked and don't need protection when crossing regions
• Fixed issue with pets seeming to teleport around following the Stablemaster or their owners when in the Cove/Minoc region
• Resolved issue with players dying and some of the equipment becoming stuck on the corpse preventing looting all of the items
• Added blank key to Tinker vendors
• Fixed issue with gold being consumed in fractional amounts when paying Pet Stable fees, also fixes an issue with stacking/working with piles of gold
• Fixed issue with being able to use an invisibility potion at the same time as casting a spell causing the player to be able to move around while invisible briefly
• Fixed issue with Animate Horse corpses not decaying properly
• Fixed a couple of AI issues causing some mobs like Sentinels and Boss mobs to sometimes freeze up and stop responding
• Added Guild Members List UI, similar to Friends List, use /guild to open it when away from the guild stone
• Fixed issue with some house decorations not being able to be decorated properly
• Fixed issue with some house decorations not being able to be placed: Santa's Workshop model, Snowy Holiday Tree
• Fixed issue with some older house decoration deeds or bags not working when trying to place them
• Fixed issue with Pet Hunger not being displayed consistently everywhere
• Changed the Stove craftable to be Iron-only due to the item not inheriting color nicely from materials

We've set up a Housing Display Area which you can access via the stone teleporters at each of the Architect shops around the world.

• All the undead invading Paws now have a chance at dropping Rotting Hands.

We're working on a couple of improvements for Factions:

• Separation of Faction Bases into their own server regions to isolate the Faction fights from Housing in the adjacent areas

• Guild Faction Assignment:

  • guilds will be required to have a faction assigned, determined by the guildmaster, in order for members of the guild to be part of a faction
  • upon logging in, if you are in a guild and in a faction and your guild does not have one registered or it is registered to a different faction then you will begin the Faction Resignation process and be kicked from your faction after 7 days unless you leave the guild or your faction is assigned to the guild
  • if you are in a guild and trying to join a faction, your guild must be assigned to a faction and you must join the assigned faction
  • only the guildmasters can assign a faction to a guild
  • it's optional for guild members to be in the faction or not, but players wishing to be in a faction must be in the same faction as the guild
  • if you are trying to create a guild while in a faction, you will be warned that the guild will become registered to your current faction when you form the guild - you cannot form the guild with players of another faction

We're giving you some time in advance to prepare for the Guild Faction Assignment changes, so please adjust your characters accordingly to prevent being forcibly removed from your faction later on

These changes are still being worked on and they will be released separately & we'll post patch notes with all of the details when they go live.

• Rotting hand drop rate has been adjusted

• New items have been added to the lottery boxes

Good news, we're extending the deadline for the Xmas Event & House Deco Contest by 1 week, from Jan 8th to Jan 15th. A lot of the team and players have been extra busy through the holiday season and we want to make sure both the staff is prepared and players have had time to participate. We hope you've all had a good holiday season & thanks for spending some of your time with us, cheers to the new year! :)

The Necromancer's spell cocoon, blocks the first incoming damage before breaking (The shield has 60 seconds cooldown before it can be re-applied). This is how the spell was originally intended to work.

In case you missed it: Dungeon Deceit is now live! It can be accessed in it's traditional UO location, within the mountains of Dagger Isle

Safe travels and good luck!

• Mannequin NPC deeds & Carpet Stretcher tools are now for sale at Architect vendors
• Mannequin NPCs can be placed in your house and can be styled, dressed, set in a pose & more. These are not refundable.
• Carpet Stretcher tools can be used to increase/decrease the size of a rug or carpet addon in your house. This item is blessed but can wear out over time.

We've resolved an issue with Patron Registrations not being updated in-game. If you experienced this issue it should now be resolved. Sorry for the inconvenience & thanks for your patience!

• Animate Horse will now leave an Artifact upon death which the owner can double click to collect.

• Animate Horse Artifact will allow any Necromancer to resurrect the pet for a cost in Souls which is calculated doing an average of stats/skills of the pet.

• Animate Horse Artifacts can be traded and have a 7 days decay time.

• Noxious Decay can now Cure poison from any Undead creature excluding yourself (You can only use Mitigate Poison, but other Necromancers can Cure you with Noxious Decay). The chance of success is based on Spirit Speak level of the caster.

• Fixed some bugs that would sometime make the spell not work, or randomly cure and re-poison.