Remove the gold skull requirement for Doom

[LiberatingLuT]

Does there really need to be such a tedious requirement to go to an empty doom? When there were a lot more people playing it wasn't so bad because gold skulls only cost 50k, but the main thing was that when you got to Doom there were enough players usually.

I'm on Great Lakes and it is still empty most of the time. It makes sense for it to be empty because of the lack of people, and a lot of people don't want to make a character solely to keep in Doom. Who wants to do the tedious task of collecting bones or pay 100k+ for a gold skull and then have to stay in doom for a long time until you get an artifact? Also, a lot of the artifacts are outdated; I don't think they should remove any properties from them, but a lot of them need to be buffed.

Removing that requirement wouldn't cause any unbalance, it would just help alleviate the lack of population problem.

 

[Connor_Graham]

Why would you want to put Chyloth out of a job?


Seriously, getting a skull isn't that hard and doesn't take all that much time. There's no need to "fix" something that isn't broken.

 

[Tom_Builder]

Why would you want to put Chyloth out of a job?


Seriously, getting a skull isn't that hard and doesn't take all that much time. There's no need to "fix" something that isn't broken.

I would love to see some new artifacts, or the old ones updated a bit. But leave the golden skulls alone.

Like Connor stated, they are not that hard to get. I will normally get one, then go to luna or britain and ask if anyone wants a free ride in. 90% of the time someone will go with you.

 

[GalenKnighthawke]

The Doom Gauntlet on LS is anything but empty.

What I did was made a full-time Doom character, and log in at the peak times.

"Level one" of Doom would be nearly empty if it weren't for the need to get gold skulls to get to the Gauntlet!

Oh...The old-school cheap gold skulls weren't due necessarily to UO's population, but because there was an exploit that made them easier to get.

-Galen's player

 

[Sheridan]

Why would you want to put Chyloth out of a job?

Pfft... job? That guy just lounges around in Moonglow, the lazy git...

 

[Ailish]

If you can't take the what, 15 minutes?, to get a gold skull, then you are just being lazy, IMHO. As for the arties, it is very true that several of them are outdated and have no practical use any longer. Seen anyone wearing a Holy Knight's Breastplate recently? Mmmm, didnt think so. The Doom arties need a balance pass that adjusts their properties and/or resists to be useful. We all know what ones work just fine as is, and we all know what ones are useless unless they are tweaked. All the Dev's have to do is ask.

Heck, even they know it, based on some of the changes they made to some of them for Factions!

 

[LiberatingLuT]

If it is no hassle and no annoyance to get a skull then why is the price for one usually 100k+? Usually I see them selling for 150k.

What is even one good reason for keeping the gold skull requirement? Is it such a rewarding and fulfilling experience for you guys?

A couple years ago Doom, even on a server like Legends, was almost constantly full of people. I'm sure a major reason why people try to solo everything is because of the lack of people. If your on a less populated server Doom is virtually dead.

 

[LiberatingLuT]

If you can't take the what, 15 minutes?

15 minutes to go to an empty Doom? If you think even slightly deeper you would see my point is to make Doom more active, which you are apparently against.

 

[MoonBeam[TBD]]

its not the getting of skulls thats making doom empty...
i have in my house 57 gold skuls.. collected 4 or 5 years ago... i dont go cause i find doom boreing and everytime i go there i end up falling asleep at my key board

 

[Tycolby]

I have to Agree with LL about how worthless Gold skulls are. A better Idea would be to go to the bell and ring it . Chyloth would appear and when you double click him a gump pops up asking for a fee, like 10k just like Prism. Pay him and poof you're on you way to fight the DF's. It would also help remove a little of the gold from the system instead of keeping it among players.

 

[Desperado_SE]

If it is no hassle and no annoyance to get a skull then why is the price for one usually 100k+? Usually I see them selling for 150k.

Simple answer...if people are willing to pay that much for something that is easily obtained, then why would sellers be willing to sell for less?

 

[LiberatingLuT]

its not the getting of skulls thats making doom empty...
i have in my house 57 gold skuls.. collected 4 or 5 years ago... i dont go cause i find doom boreing and everytime i go there i end up falling asleep at my key board

I don't think it's a great fix it is just something to add more freedom in Doom to leave/enter because of the boredom. The situation is if you are going to spend all that time collecting bones, running back and forth to turn them in... then kill the Bone Demon you would most likely be planning a spending a fair amount of time there. It would encourage people who are bored to be able to check out Doom more often.

The reason why it cost that much money is because it really is tedious getting gold skulls.

 

[ColterDC]

Seen anyone wearing a Holy Knight's Breastplate recently?

Hell, I don't remember anyone wearing that piece of crap even when it was brand new.

They should go through the list of doom artis and buff all of the lower level ones.

 

[Ailish]

Removing the skull will not make Doom active. The only thing that will make it active is to revamp the arties or change some out for new ones. Then it wont matter if a skull is needed or not.

Also, I cannot solo Doom, but I can get thru it easily with a 2nd person to cross heal. Grab a friend and go, find a tactic that works for you, and to heck with how many people are there. I personally find that the more people, the bigger the headache because people do not know how to co-operate.

 

[weins201]

What would be the purpos summoning and kiling the bone deamon then?

Loot?

It is one of the very few in game quests that actaully has a value, why woulod oyu want to remove that?

 

[LiberatingLuT]

I have to Agree with LL about how worthless Gold skulls are. A better Idea would be to go to the bell and ring it . Chyloth would appear and when you double click him a gump pops up asking for a fee, like 10k just like Prism. Pay him and poof you're on you way to fight the DF's. It would also help remove a little of the gold from the system instead of keeping it among players.

Your idea is really reasonable, a 10k fee would be fine.

 

[Tom_Builder]

I have to Agree with LL about how worthless Gold skulls are. A better Idea would be to go to the bell and ring it . Chyloth would appear and when you double click him a gump pops up asking for a fee, like 10k just like Prism. Pay him and poof you're on you way to fight the DF's. It would also help remove a little of the gold from the system instead of keeping it among players.

This is not a bad idea. But the price should be higher. Like 25k or 50k. Make it so you can either use a gold skull and get in for free (with everyone in your party) like it is now, or pay the gold and get in alone.

 

[Tycolby]

This is not a bad idea. But the price should be higher. Like 25k or 50k. Make it so you can either use a gold skull and get in for free (with everyone in your party) like it is now, or pay the gold and get in alone.

Yes That would work great. A gold skull for parties or a fee for solo. It would keep the Bone Demon quest alive but also give ppl who dont have time for parties to get in right away.

 

[Connor_Graham]

If it is no hassle and no annoyance to get a skull then why is the price for one usually 100k+? Usually I see them selling for 150k.

Because there are A LOT of people that are either very lazy, or don't have much time to play, that willingly put out 100k to be able to get the best arties in the game guaranteed. It's very easy to come out of Doom with at least one artie that's worth 10x what the cost of the gold skull is, at least on average. In a lot of cases a lot more than that.

What is even one good reason for keeping the gold skull requirement? Is it such a rewarding and fulfilling experience for you guys?

It's the price you pay to gain access to the best arties in the game. It's no different than the quests you have to complete to enter peerless.

A couple years ago Doom, even on a server like Legends, was almost constantly full of people. I'm sure a major reason why people try to solo everything is because of the lack of people. If your on a less populated server Doom is virtually dead.

Lack of people and a want for the challenge. Not to mention not having to split the kill points with anyone, thus ensuring faster drops.

 

[LiberatingLuT]

Because there are A LOT of people that are either very lazy, or don't have much time to play, that willingly put out 100k to be able to get the best arties in the game guaranteed. It's very easy to come out of Doom with at least one artie that's worth 10x what the cost of the gold skull is, at least on average. In a lot of cases a lot more than that.



It's the price you pay to gain access to the best arties in the game. It's no different than the quests you have to complete to enter peerless.




Lack of people and a want for the challenge. Not to mention not having to split the kill points with anyone, thus ensuring faster drops.

Why are you going on defending how great the gold skull system is? The major reason for the price is that not everyone is so easily impressed with it as you are. Did it blow your mind when they first came out with that?... Seriously.. and why does there always have to be more tedium added to the tedium of Doom instead of innovation, especially when it is empty most of the time now? The system worked great when there were a lot more people, and the problem is that most things in this game are pretty empty these days; I'm sure you feel that is great too. How many people would care about the gold skull issue seeing as not many even go there?

 

[Galad]

Without a doubt, Doom would be more active with no skull requirement. At least on my shard.

I like Tycolby's idea.

 

[TheScoundrelRico]

Make the skulls stealable. That would help to get the prices to drop...la

 

[Warrior of Time]

Lets see now.
Lets remove the gold skull.
Then the keys to the citadel next.
Oh don't forget Lady M

Where will it stop.

 

[Tycolby]

I have a hard time believing it takes 15 minutes per gold skull from start to finish. But then again its do-able but not likely for the everyday player who doesnt spend alot of time improving tactics.

Running a Doom thief in Doom two to three times a day and I have seen maybe two ppl collecting bones for skulls. And that was just for one skull for them to go to Doom.

My guess for the stockpile of Skulls in luna would be leftovers from the great gold skull exploit. With so many IDOCS going down its not hard find a chest full of gold skulls or Deeds for 60k demon bones. But then I dont have any proof of this to be able to point fingers at anyone. PPL might spend all day on other shards beside mine and farm Gold Skulls.

And buying a skull is in no way a guaranteed High End Artie. You are more like to recieve 5 of the low end arties way before you recieve 1 high end Artie.

 

[Setnaffa]

I like the requirement to complete two quests before moving on to the Gauntlet. Quests are a good thing for a MMORPG.

Don't change anything. In fact, add more quests!

 

[UOKaiser]

My guess for the stockpile of Skulls in luna would be leftovers from the great gold skull exploit. .

Im trying to remmeber back it wasnt a exploit it was intended. Too many things are classified as exploit these days. I believe the way it went is 1 person summoned the bone deamon and everyone who got looting rights got a skull. It was how it was intended then the dev figured it was to easy so they made it every person had to hand in the bones in order to get a skull and not just 1 person. So it was a change and not a exploit.
Unless youre speaking about something else that happened after doom came out then I wouldnt know of it I was on vacation from UO for that time.

 

[Galad]

More quests are good, but not tedious ones.

 

[Galad]

Yeah, there was definitely a different exploit with the gold skulls.

 

[Viper09]

Leave the golden skull alone! It's not EA's fault you're lazy. It's a requirement to get in and score a chance at getting a good artifact. If you can "solo" or do whatever it is alone in there you can damn sure get the golden skull by yourself. Stop trying to make this game easier. It's easy enough as it is in a lot of regards.

 

[Turdnugget]

Removing the gold skull will only make it easier for people to go and farm Doom.

Like someone mentioned, where will it stop? Free access to the Citadel, and Lady M?

I'm sure you could make more money doing the gauntlet than you could doing Lady M. Sure you 'might' get an apron, what are the odds? You 'might' get a decent item you can sell. You also generally have to roll for those items with the group you're with.

Removing the golden skull? That would only make it easier for people who can solo Doom to... go do a couple runs, leave, repair armor, restock, go back down and repeat. Then people will complain that the market is flooded with Doom arties.

Leave it as is.

 

[Connor_Graham]

Why are you going on defending how great the gold skull system is?

Probably because I don't see a problem with it. You want the best arties in the game, in a place that you're now guaranteed to get a drop? Then take the steps necessary to earn your admission to the merry-go-round.

The major reason for the price is that not everyone is so easily impressed with it as you are.

The major reason for the price is most people are too lazy to go and get a skull themselves. It's not like anyone is charging a mil or more for them. It would take less time to farm for the skull than for the gold to buy one anyway, yet people still buy them. *shrug*

Did it blow your mind when they first came out with that?...

Nope. But then I'm a go with the flow kinda guy.

Seriously.. and why does there always have to be more tedium added to the tedium of Doom instead of innovation, especially when it is empty most of the time now?

What you see as tedium, others see as not that big of a deal. Really, it takes maybe 30 minutes tops to get a skull, or 5 minutes to find and buy one.

The system worked great when there were a lot more people, and the problem is that most things in this game are pretty empty these days; I'm sure you feel that is great too. How many people would care about the gold skull issue seeing as not many even go there?

If the system worked great before for individuals to go to Doom, then it's still working great for individuals to go to Doom.

The difference is that you're tired of taking that extra step required.

It's not that big of a deal.

 

[Seismic]

For some reason, I can't figure out how to get a skull in 30 minutes. Maybe I'm doing something wrong with my bard??

 

[Nvnter]

If it is no hassle and no annoyance to get a skull then why is the price for one usually 100k+? Usually I see them selling for 150k.

What is even one good reason for keeping the gold skull requirement? Is it such a rewarding and fulfilling experience for you guys?

A couple years ago Doom, even on a server like Legends, was almost constantly full of people. I'm sure a major reason why people try to solo everything is because of the lack of people. If your on a less populated server Doom is virtually dead.

Most of the Major Arenas have requirements to get in....Paroximous, Dread Horn and so on. Should we remove the "Keys" of entry for them to? It is only a matter of a few publishes before the Devs remove the appeal for the ML Arenas. Its destiny just accept it. It took forever for them to put any appeal back into the Virtue Dungeons.....just wait forever and Doom will be very worthy again

 

[ColterDC]

Did it blow your mind when they first came out with that?...

Nope. But then I'm a go with the flow kinda guy.

C'mon admit the truth.....

 

[Mitzlplik_SP]

I have to Agree with LL about how worthless Gold skulls are. A better Idea would be to go to the bell and ring it . Chyloth would appear and when you double click him a gump pops up asking for a fee, like 10k just like Prism. Pay him and poof you're on you way to fight the DF's. It would also help remove a little of the gold from the system instead of keeping it among players.

I quit reading after this one...good idea!

 

[Tom_Builder]

I just went in to doom and timed how long it really takes to get a skull.
I used my archer with the following skills:

120 archery
115 tactics
120 healing
110 anatomy
110 resist
100 bushido
45 chivalry 65 with jewels

It took 32 minutes from start to finish. If you had someone helping, I think you could drop it down to 20 or less. Getting the bones takes almost 20 minutes when doing it alone.

 

[MalagAste]

Dumbest idea I've ever heard!........ It's fine the way it is.... and if you think it's always empty maybe you should try getting folk to come with you. I live on GL's and I don't find it always empty.

 

[Bamboo_Spyder]

I like the requirement to complete two quests before moving on to the Gauntlet. Quests are a good thing for a MMORPG.

Don't change anything. In fact, add more quests!

Awesome Post!!

Massive Multiplayer Online Role Play Games

It helps with Roleplaying. It encourages parties and community. UO is in fact a community there are some loners yes but why mess with a perfectly good system. It's not that big a deal to get the skull. It adds too the game experience. Taking away that is, as others have stated, like taking away the keys for the peerless and such. It will only invite more farming and griefing down there IMO.

 

[LiberatingLuT]

Dumbest idea I've ever heard!........ It's fine the way it is.... and if you think it's always empty maybe you should try getting folk to come with you. I live on GL's and I don't find it always empty.

Yeah... It's acceptable for places to become desolate, but it's not acceptable to encourage people back to them.

The thing with Doom is that it is a public place with no instances and a chance for UO to actually feel like a MMORPG. It use to be that you could go to so many places and just join in the fighting, whether it was Orc Fort in Delucia, or any of the virtue dungeons. Nowadays there are so many areas and no one is them. If you do the skull quest and enter the gauntlet to find no one is there, how rewarding is that?

Even if they leave the gold skull system but make some good updates to Doom that would be awesome. In the current situation Doom is not fine the way it is.

I think the 10k idea is really great.

 

[Radun]

No never remove ever the gold skull req for doom gauntlet. never ever. ever. ever ever.
I make too much money from reselling them to take it away! you think 100k is high? lol

I'm fine with the multiple quests idea... as long as the first quest is "fetch me a gold skull", and in order to complete that quest you need to complete 2 more quests, "fetch me 1000 demon bones" and "exterminate the bone demon".

 

[Aran]

Seen anyone wearing a Holy Knight's Breastplate recently?

Two or three of my characters at the moment, actually.

 

[Anakena]

Hell, I don't remember anyone wearing that piece of crap even when it was brand new.

They should go through the list of doom artis and buff all of the lower level ones.

Or simply make them accepted as donations for the museum collections. An artifact could then always have an use.

 

[Warrior of Time]

If you want to see how many are in doom 2 stick a thief in there. I have seen people in there all diff times of the day and night.

I think most want to go in and grab the gold that can't be gotten at this time. I always see it on the floor. Many use it later to buy things from Nix.

As for how long it takes to get the bones depends on what you kill. Take the rotting corps they give far more at a time than most.

 

[Farsight]

For some reason, I can't figure out how to get a skull in 30 minutes. Maybe I'm doing something wrong with my bard??

I typically use my spellweaving mage. I also bring an ogre lord and a pack llama. I park the llama outside of the trapped room with the dark guardians and step into the room. Immediately two spawn, I invis myself until they target the ogre lord (who is still outside the room). Then I meteor swarm the two once or twice to kill them (high SDI and an undead slayer book) for my first 60 bones. After putting them on the llama, I return with OL in tow and spawn 4 of them for 120 easy bones. Now I have 180 bones in just a couple of minutes.

From that point on, I spawn 6 at a time by adding a nature's fury or a fey into the mix (I'm on foot, so a fey + 3 slot OL + pack llama = 5 slots) for 180 bones as quick as I can loot them.

The whole time from picking up my ogre lord to having 1000 bones is slightly more than 10 minutes.

From there, I gate my entourage to the bone demon, drop the bones on Vic and fireball the bone demon to death, letting the ogre lord die. What a noble ogre he is, always getting killed for me! That (with demon slayer book) takes another 10 minutes. I spend an extra five minutes most of the time preparing the bone demon area by removing the patchwork skeletons to a distant area most of the time, which brings the whole process to either just under or just over 30 minutes (added time for mistakes or looting gold as well).

By looting gold, it takes longer to get the 100-150k that people charge for the skulls, so until I get rich, that's how I prefer to get into the Doom Gauntlet, and I rather enjoy the questing so I hope it doesn't change.

 

[Yalp]

Seems like accumulating the bones, turning them in and battling the Bone Deamon is the price of admission. Working keys for Dread Horn, Lady Mel, Travesty, Proxy, and Shimmering are part of the system. Proving yourself "worthy" of battling a peerless.. if you will. Seems to me the OP hasn't put forth compelling enough reasons to change the system. Are there other, better reasons?

 

[Turdnugget]

Fastest way I've found getting bones with the dark guardians...

Use a dexer, wraith or vampire form. Enemy of One, Consecrate... and my weapon of choice is my radiant scimitar.

FC1
Hit Energy Area 44
Hit Lightning 42
Hit Mana Leech 62
DI 43

Special move: Whirlwind

It makes short work of those pesky dark guardians and can clear the room in a matter of seconds. Rinse, repeat... and you're on your way to your X amount of bones needed =-)

 

[AEowynSP]

Are you insane? Without the price of a gold skull for admision PKs could raid anytime they felt like it without having to party up and all go together.

 

[Ailish]

Not sure why anyone would even bother with Vamp or Wraith form for Dark Guardians. They are amazingly easy with JUST the radiant scimtar - tho I bet a Blaze Of Death would work great in there, as well.

Here is a good thing to know - the more "bodies" you have in that room, the more DG spawn. A mage can throw 2 EV's or BS (preferred) and get 6 Dark Guardians a pop. I bet a spellweaver could put down 5 NF's and end up with 12 DG ... but that would be a bit overwhelming!

 

[Diomedes Artega]

I would love to see some new artifacts, or the old ones updated a bit. But leave the golden skulls alone.

Like Connor stated, they are not that hard to get. I will normally get one, then go to luna or britain and ask if anyone wants a free ride in. 90% of the time someone will go with you.

I have to agree with Tom here. Even if you aren't in a guild, you can usually find a few people to goto Doom. Has always been my experience.

 

[Connor_Graham]

To prove my statment of 30 minutes to get a skull, I just finished my test run.

I just got 5000 bones. I turned in 1k at a time, then killed the Bone Daemon, rinse, repeat. The bones were obtained with my dexxer and the Bone Daemon was fought with my archer.

The entire process took a total of less than 2 hours.

That's 24 minutes per skull, which is actually less than my original statement. Additionally, with monster teleport being broken, it's even easier now to kill the Bone Daemon than it ever has been before.

No, the gold skulls don't need to go anywhere, and yes, they are very easy to get and it doesn't take very long to do so.