Tamers: Do you own a White Wyrm?

[G.v.P]

Do you play a UO tamer? If so, do you currently own a White Wyrm? Act I.

Several types of dragons inhabit Britannia, while the vast majority call Destard home. Destard resides far south of Britain and to the west of Trinsic, carved inside Dragonhame Mountain. However, the White Wyrm was originally discovered far north of Britain, in a frozen cave full of ice-like creatures.

Upon discovery, a grandmaster anatomist found the strength of the wyrm far superior to that of the average dragon. Later analysis would find draconic principles had pushed this breed out of Destard due to criminal implications. While the harsh climate was thought of as a place to perish rather than thrive, these dragons found a way to overcome the odds. They made use of their impressive physical characteristics as well as their ability to control magics and found little resistance in subjugating the existing denizens.

While the wyrms were able to make ample use of their new den, the bone chilling environment put a damper on their signature ability to breathe fire. However, they more than make up for this shortcoming with their ferocious claws and magical potency.

 

[red sky]

Do you play a UO tamer? If so, do you currently own a White Wyrm? Act I.

Several types of dragons inhabit Britannia, while the vast majority call Destard home. Destard resides far south of Britain and to the west of Trinsic, carved inside Dragonhame Mountain. However, the White Wyrm was originally discovered far north of Britain, in a frozen cave full of ice-like creatures.

Upon discovery, a grandmaster anatomist found the strength of the wyrm far superior to that of the average dragon. Later analysis would find draconic principles had pushed this breed out of Destard due to criminal implications. While the harsh climate was thought of as a place to perish rather than thrive, these dragons found a way to overcome the odds. They made use of their impressive physical characteristics as well as their ability to control magics and found little resistance in subjugating the existing denizens.

While the wyrms were able to make ample use of their new den, the bone chilling environment put a damper on their signature ability to breathe fire. However, they more than make up for this shortcoming with their ferocious claws and magical potency.

An even better question is who has a pre-patch WW and who has the best stats?

 

[Lady Storm]

I own 2 first gen WW and several prepatch across the shards. I hate leaving them in the stable when they were the mains of my hunting before Gd's. IF your not sure if you have a prepatch, it has a real roar, not some garbled sound. Though I do have many post patch and they were fine to run with. Most of mine are close if not fully trained as they usualy had blood eles and other dragons for lunch.

 

[Tina Small]

I have about 25 of them, spread out on several shards. Not sure if any of them are "pre-patch." When did the patch occur that changed them?

 

[LordDrago]

I have one...still not trained.

 

[Petra Fyde]

Yes, I own a white wyrm, I have had her a very long time. She and I shared many hunts against undead until it became unsafe for me to stand by her to heal her. Her name is Symphony and she is 7 x GM

 

[Ron Silverbeard]

Got a very old one tamed 2000 maxed out will never release...same goes for my mare...

 

[Winker]

I have a white wyrm too, its 12 years old, i have a red Dragon of the same age

 

[Sevin0oo0]

1 WW, prepatch with that cool ice color, fully trained. Hasn't been taken out of the stables and fed in years, hope it's OK, poor thing, can't even remember the name.
When Richard Garriott mentioned about rideable dragons at the Electronic Entertainment Expo in 1996, I was hoping that's what I was getting, got a puppy to ride instead.

 

[Magdalene]

My tamer has "legacy" stable. A pre-patch wyrm, a very old dragon and a mare, a meat-eating unicorn and the like.
Some of them have the same name, inherited from my former BF's grandma. She was a sweet lady, rest in peace, but her name was very fitting for fire breathing female beasts

 

[BeaIank]

I only started last year, and I have one. Whenever it's possible I take her and my unicorn or nightmare to a hunt instead of the plain and boring GD.

 

[Cogniac]

...until it became unsafe for me to stand by her to heal her...

I don't think there's anything more annoying as a tamer than this.

 

[Jade of Sonoma]

Yes, I own a white wyrm, I have had her a very long time. She and I shared many hunts against undead until it became unsafe for me to stand by her to heal her. Her name is Symphony and she is 7 x GM

My friendly dragons were once kept in the house on the roof until I came home one day and they killed me. A couple of those prepatch dragons are in my stables somewhere. I still have one of the first White Wyrms because I kept it in the stables for a long time. It has a different sound from any recently tamed WWs. Greater Dragons are best for PVM now.

 

[G.v.P]

An even better question is who has a pre-patch WW and who has the best stats?

Good point, hehe. I'll have to do some digging on that. I ended up getting rid of both my pre-bonding era brown dragon and white wyrm due to new tameables, the greater dragon a final nail in the coffin if you will, but neither had particular stats worth keeping (none seemed to be prepatch). It was tough to get rid of the brown dragon though, just to think of all the times I went out hunting and managed to avoid its death. It's one of those things you look back on and think how was that possible?

 

[Taylor]

Her name is Symphony and she is 7 x GM

I have a greater named Symphony! My cu's name is Concerto. Great minds.

 

[G.v.P]

I have about 25 of them, spread out on several shards. Not sure if any of them are "pre-patch." When did the patch occur that changed them?

25? Wow. I wish I had the ambition to create that many tamers, or carriers, if soulstones helped out.

 

[Kas Althume]

I have about 25 of them, spread out on several shards. Not sure if any of them are "pre-patch." When did the patch occur that changed them?

I'd like an answer too. What makes them "prepatch"? I have several white wyrms on my tamers. Some are over 10 years old. I havn't used them since we got the huge bettles with their debuffs.

 

[G.v.P]

I'd like an answer too. What makes them "prepatch"? I have several white wyrms on my tamers. Some are over 10 years old. I havn't used them since we got the huge bettles with their debuffs.

Seems as if the answer lies in part to their strength, and hit points. Per this archive provided by Stratics, the current range should be 721-760 STR, whereas prepatch exceeded that range. HP as well, but I don't know the exact range. According to TamingArchive, there are a few other characteristics to check out:

On February 1, 2001, the "smooth skinned" version of the wyrm was discontinued. This wyrm was later reintroduced. White wyrms tamed after Publish 16 (July 2002) will also eat gold, ones tamed prior will not. Gold will restore a portion of the wyrms stamina depending on how much you feed it (Number of Gold Coins - 50 = Ammount restored).​

​

There is also a page dedicated to one specific pre-patch WW, which shows how many more HPs they had.

​

According to this thread, pre-Publish 16 WWs also spawned without eval int, which I forgot about. I've played since '99 but I don't think I got into the major tames until after 2002, I'm not too sure. Took me a long time to raise my tamer, just wasn't into grinding it out, haha. I do have a prepatch frenzied ostard though.

 

[Jade of Sonoma]

Seems as if the answer lies in part to their strength, and hit points. Per this archive provided by Stratics, the current range should be 721-760 STR, whereas prepatch exceeded that range. HP as well, but I don't know the exact range. According to TamingArchive, there are a few other characteristics to check out:

On February 1, 2001, the "smooth skinned" version of the wyrm was discontinued. This wyrm was later reintroduced. White wyrms tamed after Publish 16 (July 2002) will also eat gold, ones tamed prior will not. Gold will restore a portion of the wyrms stamina depending on how much you feed it (Number of Gold Coins - 50 = Ammount restored).​

​

There is also a page dedicated to one specific pre-patch WW, which shows how many more HPs they had.

​

According to this thread, pre-Publish 16 WWs also spawned without eval int, which I forgot about. I've played since '99 but I don't think I got into the major tames until after 2002, I'm not too sure. Took me a long time to raise my tamer, just wasn't into grinding it out, haha. I do have a prepatch frenzied ostard though.

Thankyou for that information. Strange how over time, all those details that were so well known at the time, become something lost in the past. Good thing there are archives to consult. I forgot about the WW eating gold coins as one indication which will tell the difference between old prepatch WW and new ones.

(- - leaves to feed gold coins to White Wyrms in Stables )

 

[Cogniac]

A simple fix for White Wyrms would be to change them to have the same stats as Greater Dragons, except with 100% cold damage instead of 100% physical damage.

 

[Aibal]

A simple fix for White Wyrms would be to change them to have the same stats as Greater Dragons, except with 100% cold damage instead of 100% physical damage.

This.

 

[Assia Penryn]

I love my white wyrm. Many prefer greater dragons and even though white wyrms are no longer top of the line, I prefer hunting with her even if it takes longer to kill things. I'd love a graphics upgrade on them.

 

[Sevin0oo0]

I have to add that of all the large flying tames, the WW is the most beautiful in 2D, in flight, almost graceful. I don't fight it, I Fly it. just a lot of slots for a Kite

 

[Pawain]

I gave mine away when I got my GD. I needed a stable slot, didn't want to get rid of my squirrel.

 

[enderz]

My WW retired long ago. He's in the stables gettin fat watchin Maury eatin Ferrero Rocher chocolates for over 3 years now.

I want to get em out of the stables but he's so obese the Britian Fire Department said they'd have to cut a hole in the wall to get em out.

He is in desperate need of the GREATER WHITE WYRM PS90 Workout Videos & Slim-fast.

 

[Fluffi]

Yes, I own a white wyrm, I have had her a very long time. She and I shared many hunts against undead until it became unsafe for me to stand by her to heal her. Her name is Symphony and she is 7 x GM

Ceridwen only got to 5 GM. (But you were always a better tamer than me)

I think Ceri would be about 9 years old now.


*to be honest, I always preferred PvE with a full pack of multi-GN Frenzies; and PvP with fully trained Kit/Mare*

 

[G.v.P]

So after 87 votes:

Yes--64 vote(s)--73.6%
No--18 vote(s)--20.7%
N/A--5 vote(s)--5.7%

That's a pretty healthy percentage. I guess the main question I have before going to the next step is how would you navigate an "upgrade" if it would hurt the rarity of pre-patch WWs? Assumed by reading TamingArchive, a pre-patch WW would auto-fix after being retrieved from the stables, but I might have to do a bit more digging.

I'm not into making the WW a GD clone, and now that hail storm has been nerfed I wonder if that spell could be a viable inclusion as far as redesigning the WW. The problem with that, of course, is you have tamers who still use their old WWs, or at the very least, want to keep them. I tried to address those concerns in a previous thread, but because the thread tackled so many tameables the focus became a bit blurred.

White Wyrm (New 4-slot WW option)

Strengths: 456 max HP, up to 90 cold resist. Very high STR; among top in its class when you consider a single hit and very high DPS considering spell casting ability.
Weaknesses: No firebreath. Much stronger melee than a regular Dragon but incapable of being a tank in most situations due to low Fire resist (mage based spells like Fireball, Explosion, and Flame Strike are too common). Low base damage minimum means drop in DPS.
Fix: Create quest to boost Wyrms into a "Greater Wyrm." New maxes: 575 HP / 450 INT / 75 PHYS / 35 FIRE / 55 POIS / 55 ENER (total max of 310 resists) as a 4-slot. Old Wyrms would have to run through the quest, which, upon completion, would do a RNG check and reroll all stats. There could be a confirmation window if the results are crappy so a tamer can decline the changes, or perhaps a more RP friendly report card to indicate the changes if the owner confirms. New Wyrms would only spawn with original tables and the quest would be the only way to achieve such a Wyrm.
Additional Changes: Give the "Greater Wyrm" a new Cold-based special. Either a Cone of Cold/Medusa stone (minus Evils) like Sleep/Freeze spell, Hail Storm, or something else of the like.​

​

I think the majority of tamers wanted to use their old WW/Mare combo rather than use a four slot pet they couldn't ride. It's a hard design. A GD clone could be the easiest fix, perhaps with Hail Storm replacing the DPS lost from firebreath/bleed.

 

[iamSnippa]

So after 87 votes:

Yes--64 vote(s)--73.6%
No--18 vote(s)--20.7%
N/A--5 vote(s)--5.7%

That's a pretty healthy percentage. I guess the main question I have before going to the next step is how would you navigate an "upgrade" if it would hurt the rarity of pre-patch WWs? Assumed by reading TamingArchive, a pre-patch WW would auto-fix after being retrieved from the stables, but I might have to do a bit more digging.

I'm not into making the WW a GD clone, and now that hail storm has been nerfed I wonder if that spell could be a viable inclusion as far as redesigning the WW. The problem with that, of course, is you have tamers who still use their old WWs, or at the very least, want to keep them. I tried to address those concerns in a previous thread, but because the thread tackled so many tameables the focus became a bit blurred.

White Wyrm (New 4-slot WW option)​

Strengths: 456 max HP, up to 90 cold resist. Very high STR; among top in its class when you consider a single hit and very high DPS considering spell casting ability.​

Weaknesses: No firebreath. Much stronger melee than a regular Dragon but incapable of being a tank in most situations due to low Fire resist (mage based spells like Fireball, Explosion, and Flame Strike are too common). Low base damage minimum means drop in DPS.​

Fix: Create quest to boost Wyrms into a "Greater Wyrm." New maxes: 575 HP / 450 INT / 75 PHYS / 35 FIRE / 55 POIS / 55 ENER (total max of 310 resists) as a 4-slot. Old Wyrms would have to run through the quest, which, upon completion, would do a RNG check and reroll all stats. There could be a confirmation window if the results are crappy so a tamer can decline the changes, or perhaps a more RP friendly report card to indicate the changes if the owner confirms. New Wyrms would only spawn with original tables and the quest would be the only way to achieve such a Wyrm.​

Additional Changes: Give the "Greater Wyrm" a new Cold-based special. Either a Cone of Cold/Medusa stone (minus Evils) like Sleep/Freeze spell, Hail Storm, or something else of the like.​

​

I think the majority of tamers wanted to use their old WW/Mare combo rather than use a four slot pet they couldn't ride. It's a hard design. A GD clone could be the easiest fix, perhaps with Hail Storm replacing the DPS lost from firebreath/bleed.

I already suggested the idea of this type of Greater version of a White Wyrm shortly after the Shame revamp. While it was accepted by many in the community, the Dev team has seemed to either overlook the idea or just is not interested in implementing it.

 

[G.v.P]

I already suggested the idea of this type of Greater version of a White Wyrm shortly after the Shame revamp. While it was accepted by many in the community, the Dev team has seemed to either overlook the idea or just is not interested in implementing it.

Since the date of my original thread, Sep. 14, 2010, none of the tameables I targeted have been changed. Most ideas are read but they're either not feasible due to the current agenda or too hard to balance I would assume (or in the case of some of my ideas, probably too silly--I don't care, I still want the magic hat veteran reward which would have spawned regs and bunnies!!!). Shame (Pub 73) came out over a year later, on Oct. 27, 2011. With the introduction of Covetous, which we received late-April, that's three revamped dungeons in a span of six months, or one released dungeon revamp every two months.

They have to map everything out well ahead of time and they could very well have a new WW-type lined up for us if they decide to upgrade Ice Dungeon. Ice should be on the radar, since all three of the currently revamped dungeons--Shame, Covetous, Wrong--are without Champ Spawn associations (aside from Harry spawns). Ice would fit right in, with some thought regarding how it's a passageway to a spawn. Ice is kind of a small dungeon, though.

 

[iamSnippa]

Well, hopefully they will add one in soon, but it may not be until next year, if ever.

 

[lit2fly]

there should be something like Greater White Wyrms

 

[Warpig Inc]

Two tamers and still no dragon of any type. One time I did tame a dragon went to the zoo. Loss of one my prepatched frenzy was sad day.

 

[Sevin0oo0]

the next step is how would you navigate an "upgrade" if it would hurt the rarity of pre-patch WWs?

Those of us that got the nurf, got the deeper ice color (in 2D) in return, setting us apart from the 'regular' ones, and I think they should retain that difference. Newer tames present much less challenge to tame so any upgrade shouldn't cheapen their elder counterpart. They need love, but should the older non-gold eaters receive more? I say yes, both fully trained, the 'Elder WW' should win out. Name them 'Elders', then additionally spawn tameable Elders with an increased environmental difficulty representative of the old days.

 

[Jade of Sonoma]

there should be something like Greater White Wyrms

I think the old WW's that tamers have kept all these years, need to be left alone.
Introducing a Greater White Wyrm would be the solution.
It might help some tamers if stable slot requirements on regular WWs were reduced.
This would not matter to me. Over the years I created numerous tamers to handle stable slot allowances.

 

[PlayerSkillFTW]

I still have "Hades", my 7xGM WW. I tamed him within the first week that T2A launched, when WWs were introduced. I used to hunt with him all the time, and he survived everything that he went up against (pre-bonding days). The only time back then when i didn't excessively hunt with him, is when i was in a guild and he would cast Mass Curse on something in melee range, which would also hit me since i was next to him vetting, he'd then turn around and eat me. Hell, when they introduced the version of Animal Lore that actually let you look at their skills, he was already several times GM. The lore style before that, which gave you an idea, said he had "Mastered the art of war" and had "Grandmastered the arcane arts", or some such message.

I also have "Apollo" an old ass Pure Long Mane Mare that i tamed within the first week of T2A in Terathan Keep. Didn't use him nearly as much as Hades, especially when Pures stopped spawning for years, and i was getting offers of 2-3 Mill for him (Which was an extravagant amount of gold back then.) He didn't hit 7xGM until like 2-3 years ago.

 

[G.v.P]

The only time back then when i didn't excessively hunt with him, is when i was in a guild and he would cast Mass Curse on something in melee range, which would also hit me since i was next to him vetting, he'd then turn around and eat me.

That was definitely a deterrent. Of course, at first, we didn't have a limit on followers, stables weren't universal, and stable slots were determined but total capacity shared among all players. What a different game that was.

 

[PlayerSkillFTW]

That was definitely a deterrent. Of course, at first, we didn't have a limit on followers, stables weren't universal, and stable slots were determined but total capacity shared among all players. What a different game that was.

Yep, i remember that. Had a friend that used to tame like 50 Polar Bears and he'd release them all in the Covetous Lich Room or the room beneath the BK Room for laughs. Poor Liches got ganked by 50 Polar Bears as soon as they'd spawn, lol. I ran around with 5 Dragons a few times too. Most people ran as soon as they saw it, lol.

 

[Driven Insane]

Used to run on a nightmare with WW in tow for years. Both pets were 7x GM if I remember correctly.

I still prefer the doggies over GD's, but would switch back to a 2 pet set up in a heartbeat if they could last more than 30 secs against the newer stuff.

 

[G.v.P]

Used to run on a nightmare with WW in tow for years. Both pets were 7x GM if I remember correctly.

I still prefer the doggies over GD's, but would switch back to a 2 pet set up in a heartbeat if they could last more than 30 secs against the newer stuff.

I find it surprising anyone would choose a Cu over a GD for PvM, but the Cu is the ultimate mount. The GD is just such an amazing tank.

The general problem I have with the WW as a GD clone is I would want more from the WW than just a paint job alternative. On the other hand, for those who want a better three-slot, a change to one three-slot would require a change to all three-slots. The easiest thing to do, I guess, would be to slap on some HP, as most of the new monsters feature an insane amount of HP. I guess the interesting thing is the HP range of the greater dragon. I mean, a regular dragon goes 478-495, while a greater dragon goes 501-999 once tamed (Stratics). Sort of like landing a "Big Fish" while fishing only to find it's 5 stones! Change the range of the three-slotters and then you have to consider changing the minimum of the GD.

I wonder how much of pet reliance has been shaped by a decline in the use of vet skill post-necro, and if any of that can be curbed. Prior, I would use vet skill primarily. Now I primarily use magery and/or chivalry, personally, while most seem to use magery and spellweaving. Better than getting a wither to the face. But I guess necro/area based attacks can't be helped. A Cu can heal a warrior-tamer type, and you can side step and get behind the cu to try and have your pet tank again for you, but that's still pretty rough. A pet with sleep, or mass sleep could help keep a vet vetting, but the last time a WW had an area-based spell (mass curse) it didn't quite work out. Also, given the flag bugs pushed out on hail storm, I'm not sure it's in the best interest of the community to trust EA with a buffed WW plan featuring an area-based spell .

 

[Zyon Rockler]

I have Tears and Cold Rage. 1 is pure white and the other is off white. Most of my pets, I believe are over 10 years old. The Greater Dragon and the Cu is not that old but i've had it since they came out. So, i'm guessing there what, 4 or 5 years old.

When they patched my pets for the first time, they all went to max stats and then I think they changed the caps on the stats of the ones that could be tamed. I remember because of my mare but I didn't check all of the other pets. The rune beetle I think, is newer also. I had one with 136 poisoning but its' dex was low, so I figured it didn't bite as much and I set it free. That was when they hit with lower defense and worked well with a mare and my bow.

I think the Cu is an awesome pet. We used 4 of them to kill Riktor one time and they heal you when you fight RCs. I almost died a few times and my Cu healed me. I was surprised, it felt like somebody was there with me. I think if the Cu healed anyone around you, that was hurt, they would be much better companions because having 5 or 6 Cu's close to somebody who might take damage, would make them very important and valuable.

I would have to hear somebody elses' Wyrm to be sure mine sounds unique.

 

[Sevin0oo0]

Zyon and GvP, both great points. While I love my blue skinned Elf tamer and his puppy's , I never play him. This whole Slot thing simply cheapened tamers to where it's just meh. I have a complete noob on Izumo, pure dexxer, He has 5 control slots too! How special. One pet, One slot. Control difficulty should be scaled on how many you are trying to control - The "All" [command] should behave differently whether you have 1 or 5, versus the individual pet's name, and should matter little the breed of pet.
IMO, 5 slots if they're "anybody" pets, such as a horse, or other 'storebought' pet. 3 slots for Real pets, but control chances drop, depending on breed and number.

 

[Sir Morder]

I have 2 WW and tested both to see which was a pre-patch. My true white doesn't eat the gold, the dirty white does. But BOTH WW's make the growl sound, neither make the dragon roar like a g-drag. Now this will be stretching my memory quite abit, but i seem to remember the legacy wyrms had a possibilty of spawning with over 125 dex (as mine does at 127). I dont remember anything about the hp or str being higher. I remember when this baby would loot corpses LOL...good times...

 

[Jade of Sonoma]

I have 2 WW and tested both to see which was a pre-patch. My true white doesn't eat the gold, the dirty white does. But BOTH WW's make the growl sound, neither make the dragon roar like a g-drag. Now this will be stretching my memory quite abit, but i seem to remember the legacy wyrms had a possibilty of spawning with over 125 dex (as mine does at 127). I dont remember anything about the hp or str being higher. I remember when this baby would loot corpses LOL...good times...

Thanks for your post and information! I learned two things today when I went to check my WW's agaiin.
1. Two of my numerous Tamers are holding prepatch white wyrms and each White Wrym had only 125 stamina. Alll other stats were exactly the same as each other's *(different from your WW) with HP 456, Mana 404, Str. 752, Intel 404, Bard Diff. 114.9 .

OT: While checking the DEX, today I discovered ALL my pets in those Two Tamer's Stables had reverted back to guarding mode.
Now I have to check all my stabled pets on all tamers. I had been very careful about going through all my stabled pets earlier, making sure to use the commands STOP and STAY before stabling them. A stabling all pets were stabled showing "bonded" only. In another recent thread players are talking about the return of the random deadly poison bug. Hmmm.. I better post this OT to that thread.