There was an update with more loot goblins and massive undead armys.
For me, I was randomly killed by undead (before nerf) and the shrine gave me a skill with an axe whirlwind effect. But no one was holding the axe … it destroyed my immersion. I wanted to deactivate the shrines -.-
There could be a more creativ approach for these kind of events.
As comparisson, Diablo 3 goblins have a whole well designed secret area. There is more behind it, not just loot.
For example one idea would be to create an area in the worldmap, like a cemetry with a few buildings further back. When you kill undead in any echo, it will count somehow (maybe you collect evil souls?). This can be used in the special area to unlock something (upgrade for gear, or doors in the area?). Maybe there is a boss waiting after you unlock all doors? (Or you have to have evil souls to take less damage in some kind of fog?)
And when the event time is over, this special area can be further used and changed by developer for a future update. Maybe Player can activate/deactive undead invasion themselves after a future patch? (could be part of an expension). Then player have more options how to play the game (for fun).
My suggestion is not to make events different or better.
My suggestion is to use events for future game enhancing updates (aaaaaaand be more creative;-)
The even was only the undead armies. Lizards and shrines we part of the permanent game. Which is why the even is over and we still have the lizards and shrines.
As for the “no one was holding the axe”, you seem to have misunderstood it. It’s you casting the skill over and over until the shrine ends. If you picked up the warpath or the meteors one, it would be the same thing. They’re you casting (there’s actually a complaint about that since an interaction with a unique can screw you up with some shrines).
Lizards sometimes drop a “Lizard tail” item that can’t be used yet. So maybe that’s the plan?
I know they are supposed to drop (very rarely) and some have posted they got one but I have never seen one and I have been killing every lizard I can. 1-in-a-million chance is super rare.
Well, they don’t do anything yet anyway, so right now they’re just an easter egg, really. I expect when they actually do anything drop rates will be adjusted, even if they’re still rare.
After all, if when they do something, like get you to a special area, if players already have dozens of them, then the suprise of it is gone really quick.
It does feel like EHG wanted goblins because they work in Diablo, but completely misunderstood WHY they work. As you say, it is not just about loot, they are rare enough to be worth chasing, you actually have to chase them which can lead to accidentally aggroing entire maps, they can open secret areas… In one word: they are fun.
The lizards aren’t. They are big loot chests, and nothing else. They are everywhere, they often appear 3-4 at the same time, super easy to kill so not really interesting to chase… Boring! #freeEterrafromthelizards
As for the “no one was holding the axe”, you seem to have misunderstood it. It’s you casting the skill over and over until the shrine ends. If you picked up the warpath or the meteors one, it would be the same thing.
The axe was flying around me. But in a whirlwind animation, usually the char is holding it and spinning with it.
Maybe it wasn’t a whirlwind skill, but the animation still didn’t fit
When shrines were introduced in patch notes, I assumed it would activate whatever skill we have equipped. That would have been cute.
I would create more builds just to activate skills more then usually possible.
Those builds might not be the best, but fun ^^
Just as an update on the Lizard Tail never dropping for me. I should have said something about that in the Forum a long time ago, because now I get one. Blue Lizard Tail
I’ve thought from early on that they should spend some time to create temporary race servers, like POE had early on. If not that then automate the process to start/end SSF races on the normal servers with separate leaderboards.
They could run them during slow periods or even have specific race rules, like VisionGL used to run.
Anyway, with such a long wait between seasons, they could really use some events.
