Last week I had the chance to speak with Kate Paiz, one of the minds working on constant updates for Dungeons & Dragons Online for the Gamervision Somethingcast. The full interview can be found in Episode 17, but a taste of what we talked about and some exclusive footage can be seen in the video above.

On Friday I was given an opportunity that anyone who has played an MMORPG has dreamed of: being able to play with the developers and test out new content. I have said many times that I am an avid Dungeons & Dragons Online player, and spend much of my time leveling up an assortment of characters on the Khyber server. This Tuesday a new, free update is being released for DDO that will rock the very foundations of the title by adding a new character class – a feat that developers fear. After playing through the new content in the title with a level 16 monk, decked out in some nice, high level gear, I can honestly say that all of the worries are for naught and the character class gives the deepest experience of any in the game.

First up was the revamped exploration area of Three Barrel Cove, which previously was a large, open space with few quests and even fewer adventurers assaulting its shores. Turbine identified the problem and updated the area with 40 new quests and 4 new dungeons, all with a pirate theme. There is a nice sense of humor in Three Barrel Cove, from Orcs dressed as pirates to Warforge wearing bandanas. There is even a friendly minotaur with a tiny, elegant moustache. I tried some of the new quests and they definitely are a massive upgrade from the previous ones, with complex puzzles and intense battles.

You can't see it here, but the moustache is there.

The most wondrous of the new additions, though, was the inclusion of several raid-sized instances that have a party of up to twelve fighting the toughest beasts the game has presented so far. New, dangerous creatures and bosses infest the large, underground wilderness area, and the bosses seem to be as tough as anything that has troubled Stormreach since the game launched including an indestructible hound guarded by Mindflayers.

As I said earlier, the biggest update is the inclusion of the Monk, who has a large amount of new abilities that will surely find their way into the hearts of fans very fast. They combine elemental finishing moves with agile, fantastic looking abilities, and I can see them played both as pure and multi-class characters very soon. Their animations are great, and they will definitely act as the off-tanks the game has needed for some time, while also allowing for nice solo play.

This is the shrine to the fallen adventurer, Gary Gygax.

I am excited for the update, which hits tomorrow, and the future of Dungeons & Dragons Online. Further character customization and an enhanced PVP system should definitely lengthen the game's lasting appeal. Gamervision thanks Turbine for this opportunity and looks forward to brining more MMO news to you so you can further fuel your anti-life.

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