On September 13, 2005, all hell broke loose at Sony Online Entertainment as half a million people logged on to the EQ2 servers. Having just installed the Desert of Flames expansion released that day, everyone was salivating at the mouth, ready to dig into the new content. But alas, first, a patch.

The patch downloaded was the forthcoming "combat changes" that had been in the works for a long time. Indeed, they were definitely changes. Some people were happy, some were pissed and others content. However, all parties had to agree on one simple fact: the game is now definitely more difficult.