Krampus

[mihali]

West European Lore, nice idea for Krampus. A little bit with lack of change for more recent game additions though?

To spawn Krampus, a good size team effort is needed, and some time also, running around for trade runs.
After Krampus is spawned, turns out to be a pretty tough encounter, for all types of builds.
So all that is ok.
The rewards though do not seem to match the time commitment and encounter difficulty. The drop rate of useful drops is not that great.
So lots of folks are doing other seasonal things, such as growing Christmas trees, and the Archlich event.

 

[Jennifer-Marie]

I was just discussing this about two hours ago with a friend ... it would be nice if the Krampus drops were weighted by how many trade runs you've done.

Since three trade runs seems to guarantee you a drop of some kind, then 3-5 trade runs could be a guaranteed low-end drop (coin purse, character titles, etc) with a random RNG-based chance at a higher-end drop; and 6-10 trade runs could guarantee a better chance at the higher-end drops (Krampus stars, recipes, etc). This would actually encourage people to run more than just three trade runs and then wait for Krampus to spawn.

 

[mihali]

I was just discussing this about two hours ago with a friend ... it would be nice if the Krampus drops were weighted by how many trade runs you've done.

Since three trade runs seems to guarantee you a drop of some kind, then 3-5 trade runs could be a guaranteed low-end drop (coin purse, character titles, etc) with a random RNG-based chance at a higher-end drop; and 6-10 trade runs could guarantee a better chance at the higher-end drops (Krampus stars, recipes, etc). This would actually encourage people to run more than just three trade runs and then wait for Krampus to spawn.

This would make sense. Likely they can try adding the code for that for next year if enough people recommend this to them.

 

[Keven2002]

I was just discussing this about two hours ago with a friend ... it would be nice if the Krampus drops were weighted by how many trade runs you've done.

Since three trade runs seems to guarantee you a drop of some kind, then 3-5 trade runs could be a guaranteed low-end drop (coin purse, character titles, etc) with a random RNG-based chance at a higher-end drop; and 6-10 trade runs could guarantee a better chance at the higher-end drops (Krampus stars, recipes, etc). This would actually encourage people to run more than just three trade runs and then wait for Krampus to spawn.

That might work during off hours or dead shards but there are times on ATL (weekends or nights) where I can barely get 4 runs in before Krampus spawns. I don't sail trade runs anywhere which may or may not take more time. In these instances it would actually discourage people from doing Krampus (which I don't think anyone wants) if they don't think they could get to the higher tier number. It would certainly discourage people from using their same chars that are up to the 5 items in favor of their chars with only 1 or 2 items.

Keep in mind that it takes 20+ runs to spawn Krampus so it could really just be 1-3 people getting the higher end rewards with everyone else only getting low end items. For me personally if I didn't have a chance to get a higher end drop that I wanted then I'm not even going to bother killing Krampus (along with others that feel the same) which means that Krampus would become harder given the lack of people killing him.

Speaking of rewards... has anyone noticed that the drop rates (of the items that actually drop) seem to vary each year? I feel like this year I'm getting a ton of recipes (unfortunately they are mostly boots/hats) compared to last year. I can't remember what I was getting more of last year... I think it might have been reward titles but that might have been the year before. It seems like every year though I'm getting more of a certain drop type (either recipes/titles/coin purses). I've only gotten 3 coin purses this year (only 1 star) compared to 10 recipes (4 boots / 4 hats / 2 whips but still no candy cane).

 

[Jennifer-Marie]

Well, honestly the drop rate for 3-5 trade runs would be exactly what it is now: higher chance at the lower-end stuff and a fairly RNG based chance at the higher end stuff. So none of that would change.

All that would change is that anyone who does more than 5 trade runs before Krampus spawns would actually get a considerably better chance at the higher-end/newer rewards. I really don't see how it would discourage anything.

 

[Merus]

Well, honestly the drop rate for 3-5 trade runs would be exactly what it is now: higher chance at the lower-end stuff and a fairly RNG based chance at the higher end stuff. So none of that would change.

All that would change is that anyone who does more than 5 trade runs before Krampus spawns would actually get a considerably better chance at the higher-end/newer rewards. I really don't see how it would discourage anything.

I agree with Kevin. It is my perception that there are a fairly significant number of accounts that get their 3 trade runs and stop, waiting for Krampus to spawn. This keeps their trade order lines down and reduces their time investment on Krampus, while leaving runs available for other players to get their 3 runs in before Krampus spawns. By giving an increased chance of a better reward for additional runs those players may continue doing more runs, thereby limiting the number of runs available for other players before Krampus spawns... its just simple math... 21/3 = 7 players who can be guaranteed a reward. 21/4.2 = 5 players who get a reward (3 players at 5 runs and 2 players with 3) Thus you have eliminated 2 players per Krampus who could be eligible for a reward. Obviously each shard is going to end up with their own mix, and it might offer some reward on slower shards where it might only be 5 people doing trades runs, but I think on busy shards it ends up having a negative impact.

 

[Jennifer-Marie]

There are 27 shards - only one of which is Atlantic. So you're saying 26 shards' worth of people should cater to one shard's population on the way events should be/could be done?

 

[Merus]

There are 27 shards - only one of which is Atlantic. So you're saying 26 shards' worth of people should cater to one shard's population on the way events should be/could be done?

You presume that only Atl would have enough players to be impacted, which I disagree with. I play mostly on Napa and I know there are times we have more than 5 people running trade routes for Krampus... not all the time, but at least some of the time.

 

[Pawain]

While dropping BODs on shards, I hear a lot of Krampus talk. Soon it will die down, so you better do it while it is popular.

 

[Jennifer-Marie]

And I play on Great Lakes, which has quite a decent population. Sometimes I can barely get two trade runs in before Krampus pops - and other times I'll have seven or eight trade runs (or more) by the time Krampus pops. That's the luck of the draw and part of playing a community game. I'd rather more people playing, doing trade runs, and faster Krampus spawns than doing so much work for very little reward. (Naughty Elf gloves with 8 trade runs under my belt? No thanks.)

And also, you have a chance at a Krampus reward even without trade runs right now - especially if you're a top attacker - so any change to the trade run vs. reward given system would also mean you have a chance at anything no matter what -- just like everything else reliant upon RNG in the gaming world.

 

[Pawain]

And I play on Great Lakes,

They have been doing Krampus today. They were calling for help killing him on the last one.

I have not received the Orb or Cane recipe. But I am fine the way it is, the more you do the more chances you have. It should not turn into, do 5 runs get the new drop and never do it again. My Opinion.

 

[Jennifer-Marie]

I’m personally not stressing over any of it. I do a few runs when I can log in, but this is Christmas time and I have a family and real life stuff that are more important than a video game.

 

[Pawain]

I have a family and real life stuff that are more important than a video game.

 

[Jennifer-Marie]

Make fun all you want, but obviously Krampus will be back next year if I don’t get a candy cane recipe this year. So it’s not something I’m stressed about.

 

[Keven2002]

And also, you have a chance at a Krampus reward even without trade runs right now - especially if you're a top attacker - so any change to the trade run vs. reward given system would also mean you have a chance at anything no matter what -- just like everything else reliant upon RNG in the gaming world.

This is true as I've gotten a drop in the past without trade runs but I think the odds are extremely low (regardless if you are the top attacker or not). I've been using my sampire sometimes (no trade runs done, mainly just because I log in and Krampus spawns before my mage has his runs) and I have yet to get a drop this year without trade runs and I'm pretty sure I'm top attacker almost every time because I'm usually the only sampire (with honor and EOO I'm doing 125+ every hit). That means I don't ever stop hitting Krampus; minions spawn and I just whirlwind while everyone else is running off and invising somewhere (or archers need to focus on killing minions).

Again just an educated guess that I'm top attacker but I've yet to get a drop (I hit luck statue too) in 8 Krampus spawns which totally could just be shotty RNG but that drop rate still seems abysmal. Honestly the only reason I really do it is because it's either off hours (I don't feel like spending 90min killing Krampus) or I see someone call out Krampus has spawned while I'm surfing the net or doing something else (not actively playing UO). I've started doing my 3 runs before I log out now just in case I log in during a Krampus because it's proven unfruitful to kill him without the trade runs (for me at least).

 

[Keven2002]

Speaking of rewards... has anyone noticed that the drop rates (of the items that actually drop) seem to vary each year? I feel like this year I'm getting a ton of recipes (unfortunately they are mostly boots/hats) compared to last year. I can't remember what I was getting more of last year... I think it might have been reward titles but that might have been the year before. It seems like every year though I'm getting more of a certain drop type (either recipes/titles/coin purses). I've only gotten 3 coin purses this year (only 1 star) compared to 10 recipes (4 boots / 4 hats / 2 whips but still no candy cane).

I haven't had much time to play UO the past week but the little time I have spent has gone towards Krampus. Since my last post (above), I've gotten 8 more drops and surprisingly 6 of those 8 were coin purses and the other 2 were titles so it appears that I totally jinxed myself on recipes. The silver lining is that of the 9 coin purses I've collected this year 5 have been stars.

I'm hoping I'll be able to get a staff recipe before it ends but it's been hit or miss on ATL with people doing trade runs around when I play so might not work out. The good news is that I see the orb recipes are a fraction of what they were selling for last year so I can probably wait it out and buy one on the low next year.

 

[Onixia The Paladin]

I have been lucky this year. On 3 Krampus runs on Origin have gotten the Candied Staff recipe, the Orb recipe and the bladed whip recipe. So yes I think this year its seems to be recipes.

 

[Naitch]

Still have a week left to get something. ends on the 5th of Jan. Have not gotten the cane recipe, but did get some nice new stars. new orange purple and pink ones . Rest has been recycled junk , but oh well..

 

[Keven2002]

Posted this on the other forum so I'll post it here too.

Looks like Krampus was turned off with the shard maintenance so Jan 5 was indeed the last full day to do it.

I did quite a bit of Krampus hunting during the time he was up and all said and done I was well over 60 drops (started using a second account with various chars at 1 item trades to help spawn him). Unfortunately I never got the staff recipe in 60+ drops and surprisingly I didn't get any of most older items (branch/snowballs/punishing list). I only got 2 cards out of all the drops.

Here is a rough breakdown of what I got (I started just tossing bags with wrist watches etc so I don't have a well documented breakdown).

15 recipes (hat/boots/whips) - No staff and no orb recipe this year
15 titles
30+ coin purses

I guess the ratio of recipes/titles/purses was pretty decent although at this point the titles are trash. I can't even give them away to most people. Like I said, I did see a fair share of recipes (mostly hats/boots) so I guess the chance at the recipe for the staff was there but the RNG just never hit. The 30+ coin purses was fine given all the different things that come in them so no real complaint there BUT I only received a total of 6 stars and 2 cards out of those 30+ drops and the rest were the ranger tunic / naughty gloves / broken wristwatch. That seems broken. Hopefully that will be looked into for next year.

One other thing I noticed which is a little annoying is that many of the Krampus items give virtually no trash points. The tunic/gloves/wristwatch which is what I got the most of are only worth 10 points which is nothing for something you have to complete 3+ trade runs and actually kill Krampus to get. Even worse are the titles which are worth no points. Again all that effort towards getting a reward that you might have 10 each of over the last 3-4 years is worth 0 points. Meanwhile, if you kill some minions and they have candy canes, those are worth 2500 points each. In one of my last Krampus runs I had my sampire and was doing whirlwind to all the minions and I ended up with 5 candy canes total (and the ranger tunic as a drop). So basically the minions gave me more valuable things for trash points than the boss did and it wasn't even close --> minions = 12,500 points & Krampus = 19 points (10 from tunic rest from gems). Even if I trashed all the loot on him at under 40pts a piece that's still under 1,000 points from Krampus.