Blessing Runic Weapons for non-Faction Characters

To me the solution for helping new players acclamate to the high risk of UO is more of a community issue than a mechanic.

It is still hard for me to comprehend that people who have never played UO before are still trying this out. But that is of topic.

But what gets me about devout pk's is that a lot of them have very very poor long term vision. If they ruthlessly murder and steal things eventually they will have no one to further plunder from. The "grow thick skin" argument further shows their detachment from reality. Pks need to get involved in the community just as much if not more so than every one else. They do not have to return things they've taken as spoils, but I would like to see them risk running player events or finding creative ways to give back to the community in a way that people can see publicly. This way it will help remind us that we hate the play style not the player.

And as follow up, blessing a weapon would set the balance in pks favor because then you also remove the possibility to experience the feeling of victory if you slay a pk but cannot claim souls. I'd also wager that they would become way more brazen, knowing they also won't lose their gear they'll harass people where otherwise they would not.

There are some good PK's here, by that I mean they understand by ruthlessly going out and griefing people by PKing them, dry looting and purposely trying to kill their tames they are going to cause people to simply leave this shard, and write UO off as a shitty game. Those people are not only going to leave and go back to a no-risk, high reward MMORPG but they're going to bad mouth UO to no end and poison the well so that anyone who might have been thinking about giving this game a try won't even bother.

Then there are the PK's who are either too immature or simply stupid to grasp the concept that you don't shit on your kitchen table, and for those that don't understand that anology then you are probably the PK's I'm talking about. These are the griefers, the attention whores or those that simply have the need to stroke their epeen in a ridiculous display of false bravado on a 17+ year old game that if the true population was known would amount to a pebble of sand as compared to miles of beach in regards to the numbers of people who give a shit about such an antiquated dinosaur of a platform.

Would weapon blessing be something PK's would LOVE, yes they would. Would it be the end of the world as we know it, no. Like I said, it is just an idea, probably will never ever happen but something has to give, there has to be something to boost dexxers viability in the PvM arena. I don't think it has to be as radical as weapon blessing, or allowing them to get a buff to put them on par with tamers, but maybe something like El Horno suggested, have slayers be more available so that dexxers don't have to wait for next Christmas to see something even remotely close to a decent slayer.

I've had quite different experiences. Perhaps you are just having bad luck or are playing on an off time when people are at work. Regardless of anything, even if the shard were completely dead ( which it isn't ), it still wouldn't in any way make it "okay" to do something that would further decrease players playing the game. That's kind of like 2 wrongs making a right.

I have to completely disagree with you here.

They don't get demolished because of their gear. They get demolished because they do not know what they are doing and they either don't ask questions or they don't have someone help them. UO has ALWAYS had a steep learning curve and PvP is no exception. Dumbing the game down so we can give everyone a Plastic Participation Trophy isn't going to help anything.

I have used GM only weapons and armor across nearly a dozen servers since 1997 and have never had need of a Vanq weapon to be good in field PvP. I literally never use magics unless I picked it up in the fray from a fallen foe. Then it goes on the vendor later. It certainly makes it easier when you do use magics, but it is not necessary in any way, shape, or form. If you find that it is, you need to get better. Knowing what you are doing is what is necessary. Here we have CTF's which are a great way for people to train up in PvP. Also, we have test server. Any decent PvP'er has practiced on both extensively.

Blessed weapons are not needed, nor are they a good idea for any UO server.

Wow, just wow,

I will say that a new player is at a distinct disadvantage here as far as PvP experience, and that in addition to carrying sub-par gear into the field their inexperience only compounds their troubles when engaging in field PvP, but to say that experience alone is their problem is a reckless statement at best.

So when you come out into the field with your GM gear and I come out in my invulnerability armor and agapite weapon, it's going to be an equal fight? Seriously, Lightshade it's as if you're simply trying to argue for argument's sake at this point.

You've been around the block a few times, your time on UOSA is well documented, but trying to convince me that someone with GM gear is going to fare well out in the field against an opponent who is geared up with magic armor and a vanquishing weapon, you're deluding yourself. It might be done with a hybrid dexxer who has eval and a hidden EXP/MB or EB up his sleeve after landing a few lucky hits but that's wishing on a star as far as getting that scenario to line up every time consistently.

A dexxer vs. a mage may do ok with GM armor but his weapon better be vanq or at the very least power in order to deal any kind of effective damage. Even now that the AR of barbed has been dropped to 31 and weapons do damage based on a die roll one still needs a vanq or uber power to hope for a kill.

Who are you fighting btw? It would be interesting to know just who you are dominating with your GM gear

I can appreciate your opinion and position on this matter, maybe weapon blessing isn't the answer, but aside from PvP I still feel dexxers need something to help them in the PvM endgame.

In a 1v1 box duel, equal skills, of course the guy with better gear wins. If you want 1v1 box duels, there are dueling arenas for your solo game...or an NES from 1984.

Also, if you think that the elite PvP'ers of this shard Blessing high-end weapons is somehow going to make it easier for the new player to get into PvP and the game without getting frustrated and quitting....you are simply wrong.

This was the problem with UO on the production shards. They made the game all about the items and less about player interactions, then made the items so incredibly hard to get that no new player would stick around long enough to get their foot in the door and they'd quit. It ended up with Item Insurance and Age of Shinies. For the love of all that you cherish, back away from this idea as fast as you can.

Stop ItemQuest before it starts, Folks.

Just say no to Blessing Weapons.

Lightshade it's the same in the field when two dexxers face off 1v1, the only thing that might save the guy with GM gear is the fact he can screen and heal as many times as necessary to try and survive. Eventually though he's going to either recall, run or die if he hangs in the fight simply because he's dancing on the edge every time he gets close enough to the guy with a runic or vanq.

That said, no, it is not going to make PvP easier for the new folks. Weapon blessing is a double edged sword, it will help with PvM but cause the gap between the have and have nots to widen even further when it comes to PvP. The "rich kids" will be out playing with their shiny runics and the "poor kids" will be getting tore up if they attempt to try field fighting in such an environment.

As I have said it wouldn't kill the game or the shard but it would be a pandora's box as far as players/PK's running rampant with their verite axes or long spears and the players who don't have the luxury of sporting the same will be at an even greater disadvantage. The PvM players will, however, find it easier and alot less disheartening when they get PK'd and still hang on to that sweet power or vanq slayer they saved and looked for a LONG time to obtain and now serves as their "bread and butter" in regards to income.

Part of your argument is sound and the other as far as GM gear is simply wrong, maybe there is a solution to helping those dexxers who are in need of a little PvM love, it's not like tamers aren't getting stuff all the time. I mean extra bonding slots, wtf, era accurate, whoa, it's amazing the hypocrisy when someone talks about giving anything to the dexxer class but the server is all ears when it comes to catering to mages or tamers. It's not like I don't have a Tamer or a Bard or a Mage, I simply see who gets the grease when they start squeaking on this shard.

Brymstone:

For the record, I do NOT support the bonding of pets in any way, shape, or form and I have ZERO bonded pets. You can even ask Telamon if I have a bonded pet if you don't believe me.

As far as dexxers are concerned, I think that a less game-changing idea should be dreamed up. I did like Jupiter's idea, though I think it'll enrich the role-playing community more than give dexxers a leg up. I've bluntly said in the past that I do not see why dexxers need to be raised up as I don't think all player classes should be equal. In real life, not all jobs give the same pay either.

That having been said, though, I would be love to see other ideas for helping dexxers out.

I am supportive of tweaking magic/slayer weapon drop rates. (This encourages players to venture forth and interact!)

I am supportive of tweaking the bandage timer.

I would LOVE to see player vs. monster/npc melee damage changed so that real players do more damage to the mobs. Let's face it, in reality you usually don't just beat on something till it dies. You look for a "crippling blow" so as to not waste your time and energy and open yourself up to costly mistakes. Carrying this bit of realism into UO, I think that Players should have "crippling blows" to be used on monsters. We're an intelligent species, after all, we don't need to GROK SMASH till its dead. Humans should do a lot of damage to a less intelligent beast as humans are more likely to strike where it counts. As far as player vs. player, you are both "equally intelligent" as a human and I don't see the need for a crippling blow there and would leave PvP alone in that regard.

In the end, I want to see ideas that encourage player interaction and stay far, far away from the idea of Blessings.

Just my .02

Anywho, like i've said many times...i'm open to all sorts of changes for dexxers. I am not, however, open to the idea of blessing weapons.

A resounding NO to the idea of blessing weapons.

I do no support the magic/slayer drop rates. I think drop rates are way too high as it is. GM gear is largely worthless due to the abundance magic items on the servers. Heck, at this point in my career I don't even bother wearing anything other than invuln and vanqs because it's all so readily available.

I love the idea of changing player damage towards monsters. I think this may be the promising avenue that effects the pvm change we are looking for and does not adversely affect other areas of gameplay.

I also agree that bandage timer tweak could be helpful but that starts getting into the realm of impacting pvp - and it sounds like pvp is hard enough to get right without having spillover from pvm.

Blessing is too powerful. Top 1% get huge advantages

Do not bless weapons.

In fact we shouldn't even have bless deeds.

Its too much like la la happy land.

SHARD WIPE.

For what it's worth, I look forward to many future battles versus napo and Lightshade while they only wield GM weapons, so they can keep the playing field level for newbies.


Sure, blessed runebooks and ethereals benefit my dexxers but they sure as shit don't do anything like bonded tames which WILL NEVER GO AWAY. Bards are already fucking cake with nothing to lose so the runebook bless is just icing.

It's all good, I already have my full bonded set of tames, chests of slayers, runic hammers, blessed books and ethereals. Someone call me when the events start plz.

Well, I will see you on the field in that case. I am using GM weapons on both of my factioners at the moment.

Way to change up your gear to suit your stance and arguments. I'm sure the piles of loot in your fortress will make all the new players rejoice with your fairness. lol

I play in the CTF fields because I'm rich and have no need to leave GZ, so I doubt I'll see you there.

I believe you have just revealed the endgame for dexxers:

1) Accumulate riches
2) Obtain l33t gear
3) Play CTF.

It's the easiest three step plan ever.

Build bard to fund tamer development to fund dexxer play and housing/item hoarding glory, the end.

Such is UO as it is, as it was and as everyone seemingly always wants it to be. RP and character development are things of the past or forced events of today and beyond!

Are you trying to say that I use GM weapons just trying to prove you wrong?

Yes, because I've fielded with you with better gear and I've fought against you while you use better gear. If you're self-gimping now, that's a new thing that I can't say I've ever born witness to. Whether you're doing it to 'prove me wrong' or to somehow validate whatever nonsense point you're trying to make about weapon balance, I couldn't care less.

I do it because I often lead charges into balled up groups of oranges who are all holding down their target next orange keys. It's really nothing more than not wanting to give up magic weapons. GM weapons are easy to produce and it's not a big deal to lose one.

lol what? There are balled up groups of oranges here???? and lololol get real, nerd.

Magic weapons are just as easy to produce and you don't need anyone to make them for you. They're so common you can hardly give them away if they're not vanq.