Brainstorming:. Classes Supporting Themselves
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@SadGruffman said in Current Server Balance:
I get where you're coming from @paramour, and I think in large you're right. My only complaint in this thread is the need to quest. I understand the cycle you spoke of, I'm just suggesting we break the cycle.
Please, keep in mind this is just me trying to start that discussion. I understand the overhaul currently underway by @misclick and I think time alone will fix the issues around this version of the server. When the V6 launches we'll have a awhole new animal to worry about!
But, casting aside the frustration of dying on quests, exploration/true gets dangerous with the level range. Classes can't support themselves financially. That's I think what should be discussed here. Mildred can't buy me a wedding ring and still front line on Militia wages!
So, what sort of alternatives would be cool to see implimented? We used to have a scripted caravan system, for instance. And a bank system. And you guys voted crafting up as one of the #1 desires for the next version.
What are some other ideas on how higher level characters, or characters in general could be making money?
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It is not a perma fix, but we could explore the bounty hunters more. Create a “bounty of the week” where some common creatures can be turned over for a decent reward.
DM can even tailor a few quick mini-events around that, like hunting a Wyvern (we did that in the past).
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What about a Monster Slaying Arena?
It could be an automated system where a PC walks up, wants to do battle with a random spawn of a certain CR, gets put into the arena, and fights. There could be an xp award, a gp award, or there could be no xp award, a gp award.. or nothing at all. These could be repeatable and not give anything(except for the experience of fighting different monsters).
We could have options for beginners to learn how to practice fighting stuff without fear of dying.
There could be special challenges, like endless waves, to see how far your PC can go. Rule sets, like anti magic fields and stuff.
There could even be a point system that shows your PC is 'in the lead' at the arena, like the bounty hunter system.
And then, of course, there could be regular quests tied to the arena itself. "Go capture this beast" and that sort of thing.
I think it's a cool idea, and if I knew how to script, I'd make the system. I can build it, though. Wouldn't mind doing that.
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Monster Slaying Arena - for sure - allow certain spawns of various difficulty for practice, or fights to the death. Sewers seem good.
Betting system for monster slaying arena. Not sure how easy the code for the rat race can be tailored for other things. Or allow monsters to spawn that fight one another so PCs can bet amongst themselves.
More exploration areas, some with very tough spawns, the rewards need to be there, however and not sure how loot systems work.
PC shops would be very useful and very handy.
Crafting needs tweaked, but crafting can be good. Human skin crafting for the win.
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Part of this is for my own personal benefit as a Storyteller. While these things cannot be coded quickly, I can certainly support (erratically) the support of some types of concepts by just doing it myself.
In the short term, I can give out gold for books, and contributing to the lore - that was a Puffy thing way back that I really liked.
I'm also considering an investment system with the Houses, whereby a player could invest in something the House is doing, and gain some periodic return off of it. That doesn't take a great deal of accounting knowledge, if the Retainers of those houses keep track of the investments, I can just crunch numbers and hand them out to the retainers. It has the added benefit of lending some importance to the IC goings-on, and making the position of noble retainer even more important. ;p
Clear the sewers of rats? You can now smuggle things through the sewers! Is there a new sect of druids in the Hullack? They're ruining the trade routes! Go get them!
It basically would just add a layer of hook for me to play with and to encourage people, and to give the Noble Houses a bit easier time of pushing their goals. It would certainly make rumors posts more interesting. Maybe we could issue a few bounties from various NPCs in the city, with the return on effort being a bit of coinage, or some sort of favor?
I could see a periodic 'chest drop' for pursuing certain goals as a possibility, which might support people in mercantile, or app positions a little bit better. Currently the retainers don't get pay like the Militia does, but if they are paid based on the success or failure of their faction, that might be a bit of a nudge.
I could easily impliment this IF people would agree to help by keeping good notes on their goings-on.
What would you like to see out of something like that?
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One of the biggest issues @Paramour is the fact that you cant do quests without pre-enspelling, barkskin, and shield potions. All quests are too dependant on using all those supplies to not die. So I think by removing the necessity for such, and lowering payouts, means pcs won't struggle so much for gold and those totally set up to not use supplies won't be swimming in it.
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Re-balancing quests is hard. Handing out barkskin/shield, or the money to buy those, in return for some intrigue or plot development is not. I just need to figure out how to connect the dots on it in a logical way.
I'm basically asking what you want, that could be implemented unscripted. ;p
I liked the idea of fetching bounty monsters or having rolling bounties on things, for instance.
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I have an idea. What if there were matches, like duals for money, only people didn't actually die, they were more for fun. This could help people (like me) learn to pvp better but also add some fun to the game, and some coin. We could have it in the arena of the inn, and it would have to be worth whatever potions you went through, etc... There could even be side betting and special events. WWW on Arabel!
There could even been a ranking of sorts. People always like to see their character in lights. Just a thought.
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An alternative solution to the problem of quests requiring initial investments could be handing out items that can cast those basic (Bark, Shield, Healing) spells. Either in a charge form, or x/day.
1/day Bark(6) "only" saves about 130 gold per quest but does allow players to engage with quests at a lower initial investment, which sort of solves that problem
Staples like Bark(6), Shield, and Healing are the server's most reliable resource drain, so giving them out to players clearly struggling can certainly help though going totally wild would be not so advisable since that resource drain is sort of necessary to keep gold levels under control.
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One idea is a randomly generated dungeon. Haunted Halls attempted this.
From World Serpent Inn, you take a quest. First floor, within a CR range, reach the end, some loot, resting area. An option to teleport back to the Serpent Inn for hand-in, or hit another portal for a second floor, a higher CR range, some nicer loot/resting/etc at the end, an option to teleport back. Level three, higher CR range, etc.
DMs could start with 3-4 floors, and add more if it proves popular. I'd say the rewards should be there, so getting loot right would be good. In the end, you might end up with some ridiculous number of floors all added in over a few months.
Could make it 1-16 party or 6-14 (I found scaling not too bad for those quests though). Could even import some older quests. Might even have some kind of scoreboard.
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Another quick and cool event would be stuff like "tower defense". You have to guard a certain location, person, object against hordes of enemies for XX time, it's just another take on the old Caravan quest. I think it might not need scripting and it's usually very inclusive (doesn't need a particular alignment).
Skill-based events would also be cool. Something that doesn't directly involve direct confrontation, like stealing a certain item from a noble house, put fake evidence in a crime scene, release a prisoner from jail, anything that if done well won't require a fight. I still want to see @SadGruffman being forced to drink a polymorph potion to be turned into a she-troll to infiltrate a Troll cave and get a sample for their super new poison.