First, thanks a lot for another update, especially that huge. I think all the changes are good as they prevent us to get stuck in one place when we already achieve something and see nothing interesting to aim for.
However, I must say I share the doubts concerning Defender buff. Just take into consideration the effort some players have put into upgrading from Defender they had to something stronger and much much more expensive, to find now that if they had stayed on Defender they would own now the strongest armour in game and lots of money in addition. Also, the crafting recipe for Heraldic Plate and Defender used to be the same, as well as the stats. It seems that the H.Plate owners have reasons to be pretty unhappy now...
I'd say if you wanted to do the buff to many items, it was more reasonable to keep the tiers logic unchanged: Defender and H.Plate get the same buff and remain 1:1 to each other, Gothic gets some buff and remains better than Defender, and so on. The changes that take effect with this update seem to be a bit random and no suprise thay are not universally acclaimed.
As for locking house craftable items to hero classes, I don't mind at all, however the effect will most probably be like that: players will keep marketplace (or other very cheap) items until they make hero and then they will gear up. It used to be until T4 many players waited with getting any costly gear. Now it will delay even more. I don't see how it could help in anything.
Minor thing: Splitter used to be some reasonable option as it was usable by all. Now, as it is Commando heros only, it will go into oblivion since thare are many better 1H for Commando heros available.
However, I must say I share the doubts concerning Defender buff. Just take into consideration the effort some players have put into upgrading from Defender they had to something stronger and much much more expensive, to find now that if they had stayed on Defender they would own now the strongest armour in game and lots of money in addition. Also, the crafting recipe for Heraldic Plate and Defender used to be the same, as well as the stats. It seems that the H.Plate owners have reasons to be pretty unhappy now...
I'd say if you wanted to do the buff to many items, it was more reasonable to keep the tiers logic unchanged: Defender and H.Plate get the same buff and remain 1:1 to each other, Gothic gets some buff and remains better than Defender, and so on. The changes that take effect with this update seem to be a bit random and no suprise thay are not universally acclaimed.
As for locking house craftable items to hero classes, I don't mind at all, however the effect will most probably be like that: players will keep marketplace (or other very cheap) items until they make hero and then they will gear up. It used to be until T4 many players waited with getting any costly gear. Now it will delay even more. I don't see how it could help in anything.
Minor thing: Splitter used to be some reasonable option as it was usable by all. Now, as it is Commando heros only, it will go into oblivion since thare are many better 1H for Commando heros available.