Dulling vs undulling weapons and more.
Posted: 22 May 2020 19:35
Considering recent changes to how equipment saves and the lack of discussions about the road ahead I'll attempt to start a debate.
The following issues are from a grinder's perspective and I'm not going to excuse that fact for a second.
While the difference between a dulling and an undulling weapon has decreased significantly, life without an undulling weapon is best characterized as.. bad-um-tsj.. dull!
The rate at which most weapons dull is ludicrous. I can go through a bloody skull club or a blackened whip in less than a day's worth of play. The constant visits to a smith aside, I still flock to the 'undulls' both for imbuements and lack of 'another concern' (breaking before worn out completely). Now, we've learned to accept that certain weapons, while rare and top tier, dulls like they were made of paper. However, one can only expect that new items will be seeded to the game in the future and this brings me to the reason for this note.
Dulling
The Genesis rumour mill dictates:
*The Arch of Balance "doesn't like" undulling weapons. I guess that's his prerogative, but -we do-.
*There is a rule saying undulling weapons aren't allowed/another undulling weapon will never be introduced to the game.
Considering the new mechanic of 5 days of combat regardless of an item's properties, it is time to discuss wether the AoB's -oppinions- in this regard needs adjustment and/or the 'rule' should be updated. Given that there's truth to said rumours, ofcourse.
With the new 5 day-system, one could even argue that all weapons should be made "undulling" to level out the playing field and enable us to enjoy our 'hard earned weapon' for little more than a days play.
'Epic' weapons skewed in swords' favour
This has been a pet-peeve of mine for a long time. Some weapons are more plentiful than others (yes, I'm poiting at swords). I know Zugzug had his complaints about polearms, and certain Neidars have voiced theirs regarding axes and I'll voice mine in regards to clubs. To put it plainly, there are no 'flaming black broadsword'-equivalents in the other weapon types, and this should be remedied. Now the encounters can be difficult in the way killing the nazgul is nigh impossible without proper preparations, but still doable.
Now imagine if you've spent hours preparing for the battle following a long wait for the opportune moment where all your friends who fullfill certain requirements are online and you barely succeed in aquiring said equivalent, but it dulled like it was made of paper - wouldn't that be... silly?
Imbuements
In the discussion regarding the 5-day rule, many ideas were tossed about, any updates on the following:
* "We might bring back ironstones"
* If you manually imbue an item, let's say an undulling one, can this lengthen it's time in combat to make up for the tremendous investment this actually is?
Now could, let's just take some arbitrary numbers (admin decides) and say: A faint imbue 2 extra days, pronounced 6 days and intense 12 days, be worth implementing? I'm not suggesting this should count for found imbues, only those made.
Cause reality right now is that making intense imbues, even on undulling items, is basically.. a waste.
Lastly,
Equipment spawn rates
The rumour mill hasn't said anything about adjustment of equipment spawn rates, but these last months have been depressing. You expect us to accept 'dulling is the way of life' without providing enough items to enable replenishment?
Now I have kept a rust-red mace from the beast in Raumdor in my pack since last I found one, as a back up. Thankfully, I've never had to use it, but it is the second best club in the game and I feel privileged to own one for all the following, wrong, reasons:
.. I've killed the beast daily, sometimes multiple times a day
.. I haven't seen one for sale in the auction house
.. I haven't seen anyone use one
Right now it's description says:
Judging by its age and how much it appears to have been used in combat you determine that it will last a minimum of 1 day and a maximum of 19 days before it succumbs to wear and tear.
That means it's 70+ days since I last saw one.. Something is avry. Can we discuss spawn rates?
The following issues are from a grinder's perspective and I'm not going to excuse that fact for a second.
While the difference between a dulling and an undulling weapon has decreased significantly, life without an undulling weapon is best characterized as.. bad-um-tsj.. dull!
The rate at which most weapons dull is ludicrous. I can go through a bloody skull club or a blackened whip in less than a day's worth of play. The constant visits to a smith aside, I still flock to the 'undulls' both for imbuements and lack of 'another concern' (breaking before worn out completely). Now, we've learned to accept that certain weapons, while rare and top tier, dulls like they were made of paper. However, one can only expect that new items will be seeded to the game in the future and this brings me to the reason for this note.
Dulling
The Genesis rumour mill dictates:
*The Arch of Balance "doesn't like" undulling weapons. I guess that's his prerogative, but -we do-.
*There is a rule saying undulling weapons aren't allowed/another undulling weapon will never be introduced to the game.
Considering the new mechanic of 5 days of combat regardless of an item's properties, it is time to discuss wether the AoB's -oppinions- in this regard needs adjustment and/or the 'rule' should be updated. Given that there's truth to said rumours, ofcourse.
With the new 5 day-system, one could even argue that all weapons should be made "undulling" to level out the playing field and enable us to enjoy our 'hard earned weapon' for little more than a days play.
'Epic' weapons skewed in swords' favour
This has been a pet-peeve of mine for a long time. Some weapons are more plentiful than others (yes, I'm poiting at swords). I know Zugzug had his complaints about polearms, and certain Neidars have voiced theirs regarding axes and I'll voice mine in regards to clubs. To put it plainly, there are no 'flaming black broadsword'-equivalents in the other weapon types, and this should be remedied. Now the encounters can be difficult in the way killing the nazgul is nigh impossible without proper preparations, but still doable.
Now imagine if you've spent hours preparing for the battle following a long wait for the opportune moment where all your friends who fullfill certain requirements are online and you barely succeed in aquiring said equivalent, but it dulled like it was made of paper - wouldn't that be... silly?
Imbuements
In the discussion regarding the 5-day rule, many ideas were tossed about, any updates on the following:
* "We might bring back ironstones"
* If you manually imbue an item, let's say an undulling one, can this lengthen it's time in combat to make up for the tremendous investment this actually is?
Now could, let's just take some arbitrary numbers (admin decides) and say: A faint imbue 2 extra days, pronounced 6 days and intense 12 days, be worth implementing? I'm not suggesting this should count for found imbues, only those made.
Cause reality right now is that making intense imbues, even on undulling items, is basically.. a waste.
Lastly,
Equipment spawn rates
The rumour mill hasn't said anything about adjustment of equipment spawn rates, but these last months have been depressing. You expect us to accept 'dulling is the way of life' without providing enough items to enable replenishment?
Now I have kept a rust-red mace from the beast in Raumdor in my pack since last I found one, as a back up. Thankfully, I've never had to use it, but it is the second best club in the game and I feel privileged to own one for all the following, wrong, reasons:
.. I've killed the beast daily, sometimes multiple times a day
.. I haven't seen one for sale in the auction house
.. I haven't seen anyone use one
Right now it's description says:
Judging by its age and how much it appears to have been used in combat you determine that it will last a minimum of 1 day and a maximum of 19 days before it succumbs to wear and tear.
That means it's 70+ days since I last saw one.. Something is avry. Can we discuss spawn rates?