Returning to UO, what IS safe to buy?

[Wilde1]

Returned to UO a few days ago and started reading the boards to catch up. Because I havent played in 3 years or so and no longer have a house, I have a bunch of stuff to buy for my new dwelling. After reading the dupe threads, I have to say Im not impressed. Sounds like I could get banned for buying the things I'll need to going again (dye tubs, soulstone token, hammers and runics, an ethereal pet or two). As someone just coming back to the game I have an observation and a question.

In the threads Ive read, folks are posting that players ought to know not to buy items that are too good a deal, or to not shop at such and such a vendor house because its "duper friendly." That seems pretty effed up to me. Who in the world takes the time to shop around only to pay the most for something. As a returning player, how am I to know what a good deal is, much less who's vendor house is a no-no to buy from (my measly 6 mil doesnt buy what it used to, thats for sure). It seems pretty crazy to me that OSI would ban people for simply owning duped items (as opposed to banning those who are verified to have used the duping method). Huge turn off to a returning player. The last thing I want to do is put in a lot of work to build my characters/possessions back up only to have them taken away because I dont know enough about how people cheat. This is stuff I didnt worry about with the other MMOs ive played (ie, the competition). It would be nice to see a game rep clarify the policy on bans.

As for the question... what IS actually safe to buy and what items should I stay away from?

 

[Maximus Neximus]

Good luck... Before you buy an item I would page a GM and ask if it's bugged or duped, which they probably won't help with. As I said in another post, a guild mate of mine bought a bugged quiver, not knowing it was bugged. He then paged on himself for it to be fixed and the GM put a mark on his account for having it in his possession.

 

[Basara]

Except for the runics, the things you listed are very easy to buy legitimate versions of (you can get the soulstones for cash on the uogamecodes.com site directly from EA, or as vet rewards, without having to buy tokens off NPCs). I've never heard of anyone duping any of the Vet Rewards below 6th year in recent history, as they are just too common.

As for the runics, look at the changes that were made to runics back in February (property intensities no longer capped for any Smith or Tailor runic, and the low end dramatically raised for them). Things that you needed Barbed Kits, or Verite/Valorite Hammers for in years prior, you can probably make with Horned kits and Bronze/Gold/Agapite runics, and you can be reasonably sure that none of THOSE are illegal dupes.

 

[Raider Red]

if you want a quick cheap way of making good armor for your chars just buy and burn horned kits,I made a stamina incr 5 125 luck 18 lrc tunic with a horned kit,in fact I burned 2 barbed kits and 1 horned kit and I got better armor out of the first 4 cuts of the horned kit than I did from 30 clips of barbed kits.I had made armor in a bag with the barbed kits and armor from my horned kit in a backpack so I can see the difference in armor.plus I had gm arms lore.

 

[Redxpanda]

Most of the armor i own was made with spined kits which were easy to come by. Most of the armor that comes out is garbage but you do get the occasional gem that makes that "useless" kit soooo worth it. I have build 70s suits from just spined kit armor and enhanced loot.

 

[Revenant2]

It's not so crazy that you have to be afraid to buy off of vendors, I think.

If someone is offering to sell you 50 valorite runic hammers in a bag for like a way, way reduced price, it might be wise to turn that one down.

 

[packrat]

Wilde1 what shard did you start on? Welcome back..

 

[THP]

i will not be buying anything over the next few months for sure...

if u can get banned for innocently buying a duped hammer..or whatever... then iam outta of here.....crazy!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[THP]

if you want a quick cheap way of making good armor for your chars just buy and burn horned kits,I made a stamina incr 5 125 luck 18 lrc tunic with a horned kit,in fact I burned 2 barbed kits and 1 horned kit and I got better armor out of the first 4 cuts of the horned kit than I did from 30 clips of barbed kits.I had made armor in a bag with the barbed kits and armor from my horned kit in a backpack so I can see the difference in armor.plus I had gm arms lore.

were the 3 kits cheap that u used!!!!

are u still playable??

 

[Eslake]

Frankly I would just avoid all artifacts and runics for the time being.

Not that I honestly believe the claims that they are banning people for purchasing those things, but the best way to avoid trouble is to never be seen by it.

Work on getting some gold to model your house (if you have one, if not on getting the gold to build one). Fill out any unfinished templates you have. Build up your virtue ranks. Start building your own BOD collection.

Just do whatever you would normally do if those things you are talking about purchasing didn't even exist.
Because the way things are going and with the duping as out of hand as it is, I would not be overly surprised to see them do global-erase of certain items with an apology to those who may have had the items legitimately. In which case you would just be out the gold with nothing to show for it.

 

[Kaj]

Some people obviously like to be dramatic and hysterical in a period like this, especially when they are in no way involved. For every person making a topic here saying 'I got banned' there hundreds that didn't get banned, because they didn't do anything wrong.
Also note that we only hear one side here. EA will never comment on things. So even John the Duper can post here 'Oh man I just do a lot of bods!' and EA won't comment.

The key (as it has always been) is: use your common sense. Don't buy things that are extremely cheap that are supposed to be very expensive. Also don't buy valorite hammers from vendors that have 30 for sale.
If you buy a barbed kit from a vendor that has 2 for sale at a fair price, 2 ethies, 2 soulstones and a few dye tubs, of course you won't get banned.

 

[Connor_Graham]

Returned to UO a few days ago

If Pacific is your home shard send me a PM. I'll hook you up with some basics to get you started.

 

[Wilde1]

Hi Packrat, thanks for the welcome back. To answer your qeustion, Lake Superior shard.

also, thanks for the input, no high end hammers or tailor kits for me in the near future I guess

 

[Slasherpvp]

Welcome back Wilde1. You would be safe to buy filled crafted spellbooks right now. All the uber gimp armor was made by duped runics. Just not sure how far the bannings are gonna trace so stick with spellbooks for now.