there are only really two relevant questions:

1. which focus effects were added and in game and which items before luclin release? nothing new here. good data research is needed for this. it can't be based on folks best recollections.

2. does something chronologically being on live before luclin release date necessarily mean that it is "classic" or are there other criteria? this is a question for the developers to wrestle with (and the community if they want to include us).

Personally, my feeling is that spell focus effects (i'm not talking about FT or aura of battle) like extended range, improved damage, etc. were released on live before luclin launch. However, they were released in a live update specifically linked to the coming release of luclin. The fact that they did it a little early for free instead of making it part of the expansion doesn't mean that it *has* to be classic/on p99. For me, the spell casting focus effects are really luclin era and wouldn't fit here.

Its really up to the devs, and I could understand the arguments for choosing either of the options.

Was it really tied to luclin, or was it more to bring casters in line with uber equipment drops that melee were getting from ST, AOW, NTOV? I mean gear to casters before focus effects had little impact on them other than mana pool.

While weapons with uber procs and better dmg/delay really amped up melee classes. Scepter of destruction, primals, etc.

Barring some kind of dev statement on the issue from the era, it is something that is a matter of opinion. Both views make sense. I could see devs agreeing with either point of view.

The reason I lean towards thinking of them as luclin and not velious (despite the chronology) is that the effects seem like the result of itemization that was created for luclin gear---luclin items were clearly balanced to take into account the new focus effects. the old items that got focus effects pre-luclin always seemed like an add-in bonus that didn't get much thought put into it by the devs. obviously though, its all opinion.

Focus effects (Burning Affliction, Enhanced Damage, ect..) weren't introduced until Luclin and the effects were added to many items after the fact. So despite the fact that an item may be Velious era, it did not have the focus effect on them until after Luclin dropped.

This is announcing that Luclin will add in the focus items
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/eve.../1100-2780291/

This is Allah trying to handle the focus items having been added. June 2002
http://everquest.allakhazam.com/story.html?story=951



http://www.tski.co.jp/baldio/patch/20020605a.html
Added 'focus' effects to over 150 existing items.
This is when the focus effects were retroactively added to Velious/Kunark/Vanilla gear

Luclin happened Dec. 2001.

As much as I'd love it to be different, Spell Focus Items didn't exist according to this servers timeline. They should only be added in as post-classic custom content.

flowing thought was in from the get go, or atleast by the time planes were revamped. At least FT 1 and FT II. Not sure about the higher ones from tunare and co.

Dolic

Good post. +1 internets

While this is true, I don't consider FT to be a focus effect (same with Aura of Battle ect).

Focus effects change the behavior of your spells: Increases the level of summoned pets, increases damage, decreases cast time ect...

Flowing Thought is not a focus effect, it doesn't do jack squat to your spells. It increases your mana regen.

one thing is a worn effect another a focus effect.

I remember level 60 required on vex thal gear and 51 on new CT gear at the same time as focus's added. like they added the required level to items

And IIRC, at first two Flowing Thought I items didnt stack. So you wanted a FT1 item, a FT2 item, etc. They added stacking later.

Ditto for the attack buffs.