.. would you fix it?

The purpose of this thread is to identify something that is broke to you, tell us why it is broke and then how would you fix it. Then everyone else will use the idea presented by Gieschen in the balance thread and play the Devils Advocate.

Here are some ground rules:

1. Be specific about what is broke (ie bods are to random to be of use. Generaliztions aren't useful (ie UO suxxors)

2. Tell us exactly why you feel it is broke (ie I have collected smith bods on six crafters for four years and have never gotten a lbod for anything better then a gold runic)

3. You need to present an idea of how to fix it (ie as the smiths skills go up he should have an increase chance of high end bods and a decrease chance of weapon bods)

4. If you can't do all three. Please wait to post whats broken until you can.

5. Stay with one broken topic at a time. Lets thoroughly exhaust it before the next one is posted and discussed. A topic is finished when there is a consensus by a majority to a solution.

6. There may come a time when some one posts something they feel is broken. When in reality it isn't. Be very sensitive when playing the Devils Advocate stating that the game is working as it is designed (ie 1. PvP skills are over powered 2. My ubber mule dies to all PvPer's. Even newbs 3. Make crafting skills just as deadly as PvP skills. *proper response* "Crafting skills are not intended to compete with PvP skills. It is normal game mechanics for your crafter to die to all PvPers unless you can out run them." *improper response* "What kind of idiot takes a crafter to PvP????? Newbs like you shouldn't even play the game let alone post about it ") Feelings may be wrong but they are still what the person feels


During the course of topics. There may come a time when a solution to one will break one that has already been discussed. If that is the case lets take a minute. Look at the one we just broke with the fixing of the last one and rework them so that they will work together.

Remember if nothing else this thread is to be a mental exercise for an old man. Invite your friends to the discussion. Lets give him a work out

OK who wants to give us our first topic?

*goes to think on it*

Vepl

1. Items (items themselves, not Properties on Wearable Items... that's for another topic) replacing skills (apples, trapped boxes, petals, etc.). Yes, I know, the items have been in place and are working as intended, still not right.

2. Doesn't seem right that someone can have the benefit of having 120 Resist + XX Chiv (Remove Curse) all by carrying a few items. Also throw in all the types of potions with 100% EP (Dex, Str, Heal, Cure, etc.) and it's the same as having Magery + Chiv + Healing.

3. Remove the items. J/K. I wouldn't be too upset about items replacing skills if there were limited (not by how much you can carry, but in usage/benefit). Say maybe, give Resist some added bonus that eating an orange petal and tripping a trapped box won't be able to give you. To have more incentive to use a skill instead of an item. Allow orange petals to be the equivelant to GM resist when it comes to resisting Poison, so it's not a guarantee immunization. Make trapped boxes paralyze you for a few seconds after tripping them (won't 'cause any imbalance in game, it'll just remove the cheap reason to use one). Remove Curse apples/talismans were a bad idea in the first place, but atleast with the talismans you need to wait longer (I think) and recharge the item.

We may have to look at this one again. There are at least two ways that items replace skill. One is the way you mentioned the other is items with skill bonuses on them .

Benefit of using items is it does give crafters something to make/sell .

I think your on to something with lessening the effect of the item. Not sure they can boost resists/chiv enough to make it feasible. So what about having a timer between uses like greater heal potions already have? Along with that make it 50/50 chance of working?

Vepl

*edits original post* How's that?

Timers are nice, but tweaking the way they (items) work would be more beneficial.

Yeah, I don't think they want to touch any skills to make them more feasible to use over items, but lower the effects could be a way to go.

Cooldown timers would be an interesting "quick fix", but I agree with DiP that they won't really solve his issue completely. Each one really kind of needs its own specific fix. For instance, the trapped boxes breaking paralysis. If you're paralyzed, how in the heck are you tripping the trap on the box? The easiest fix there, to me, is to change the setup so that SELF-INFLICTED damage doesn't break a paralysis. The reason we won't likely see that change is the poo-storm it would start. As for orange petals, never bothered with 'em so I couldn't tell ya.

Skill enhancing items - seems logical to me to require a base amount of points in the skill BEFORE you see any improvement from these items. Even if the items will make you an uber-mage, you still have to be at least a bumbling apprentice before you grasp the concept behind magic well enough to utilize the sudden power you're granted, something along those lines.

Nice edit

Let me break out two potions. Strength and agility. Do you feel these two need to be tweaked more then they are. They have a time limit and only add a percent to what you already have (depending on strength and EP boost)?

Now lets look at cure. I agree it should not be 100% guarantee. If you lowered the success rate to something like: greater cure will cure lesser poison 100%, poison 80%, greater poison 60%, deadly poison 40% and lethal poison 20%. If you don't put a timer in of some duration. You would just chug pots as fast as possible. Only thing that would do is make them carry more pots .

Heal and refresh potions I haven't heard many complaints one way or the other. So would guess that they are OK as is?

If magic apples have a 50% chance of lifting curse and a timer? Would that keep them useful but not where it's said "You don't need resist just carry a couple of apples".

Trapped boxes/pouches is a tougher one. First thoughts where to compare tinkering to magery. If tinkering was lower trap would not break paralyze. Trouble is what happens if a mage casts magic trap on pouch. Not sure if the magery level increases the damage. If it doesn't then they will just switch to magic trap pouches. If it does then the comparison of magery to magery would work. Another idea is to have any trapped item do a minium amount of damage no matter what if paralyzed. Say 35 HP?

The talisman with the recharge time should be OK unless it is used in conjuction with other items. Possible apply a timer when using like items?

Vepl

Need to be tweaked more, they have a greater effect than a Mage Bless with no cost in mana or any skills invested.

Timer would be nice, and definately lowered odds on curing.

Longer timers (alchemy will lower timer) and not sure how much can be healed/refreshed, but that may need balancing also. Refresh is taking away from Chiv - Divine Fury where it costs gold + mana all for a little bottle. Something has to give.

That'd be nice.

I still think if they make it so you set off an trapped box/bag then you are paralyzed for 5 seconds. This would have no effect on any other portion of the game other than PvP where itemizers use the box/bag instead of Resist.

Timer with like items would be nice too.

As far as items replacing skills, what about UBWS things?

UBWS isn't as bad as Mage Weapon.

On strength and agility. Would it be better to give the magery spell "bless" a longer timer or allow it to add more? Maybe shorten the time pots last and increase the timer?

Nice idea of allowing alchemy to shorten timers. What do you think of allowing alchemy to increase the potion working the first time. If a template has GM alchemy it should be worth something when using the pots .

How long would a person be paralyzed if he had no resist and was hit by a 120 mage/eval?

What do you suggest to fix total refresh and heal?

Vepl