Let's Buff Something

[Connor_Graham]

I don't know about anyone else, but I'm sick of the plethora of nerf this and nerf that threads that have been floating around for the past 2 weeks. I think it's high time we buffed something instead of nerfing.

I pick Begging to start.

Beggars should get a small chance at a random minor artifact from either the Ilshenar list or the ML list. They could also get a random level treasure map, with instructions to go dig up their own treasure and to leave the NPC alone. Or possibly some deco item that is only available through begging, such as a Beggar's Bowl or something along those lines.

Maybe Herding could get a buff and be able to herd creatures through moongates. That would certainly make things interesting in Fel. I'd make my own Herder if this was possible.

Anyone have any other ideas?

Nerf Nerfs!

 

[Tina Small]

Well, if you're going to ask for herders to be able to herd tameables through moongates, you might as well take it a step further and ask to let them be able to herd tameables through dungeon exits. Then the fun would really begin....

 

[Landicine]

Cooking could use some fun upgrades since there are a ton of foods in game that aren't currently part of the system (roast pig, bacon, french bread, for example). I would also like to see brewing or wine making as part of cooking system (the art already exists too). It would be fun to have player tavners serving their own brew.

I would like to see cartography able to make maps of Tokuno and Malas and dungeons rather than getting a indecipherable map as now. Beyond roleplay reasons, Tokuno maps would be useful for sailing. I would also like to see some upgrades to the treasure map system. Except to make tattered wall maps, it isn't worth doing a lot of the low level maps.

Forensic evaluation could use a buff of some sort. It was neat during the FoA thing a bit back to actually have to use the skill, but it should have more permanent uses than the meh uses it has now. Item identification and camping fall under the same category of skills that should have at least some use. Item ID lost everything with AoS came in, and camping doesn't work at all right now according to another thread.

 

[Connor_Graham]

Well, if you're going to ask for herders to be able to herd tameables through moongates, you might as well take it a step further and ask to let them be able to herd tameables through dungeon exits. Then the fun would really begin....

Oh yeah! That could turn into ALL KINDS of fun.

 

[Black Sun]

If you're itching to do some buffing, the silverware at my house could use a good shine. Oh, and while you're at it why not wax and buff my car too!

In all seriousness, I'd like to see some love given to begging, cooking, and stealing. Begging needs a few things that are unique to the skill. Not just regular items with an "acquired by begging" tag stuck on them. Cooking could use a few more useful items added, besides the enchanted apples and grapes of wrath. As much as I'd like to see brewing & wine making, I'd rather see that as a stand alone skill (I just want a GM Brew Master title!). Stealing... well let's face it, since AOS thieves have been given the shaft. Throw them a pile of bones and make it a viable class for something other than looting dungeon arti's and stealing regs and bandies in fel.

 

[Connor_Graham]

Stealing... well let's face it, since AOS thieves have been given the shaft. Throw them a pile of bones and make it a viable class for something other than looting dungeon arti's and stealing regs and bandies in fel.

I think UO should adapt WoW's method of stealing from players. I know people are going to complain about copying from WoW, but they did come up with a unique way to not only satisfy the thieves, but to make it interesting while not hurting the "victim". Basically a Rogue can pickpocket any player, and would receive a random amount of money from that player. The thing is the money didn't come from the player's bank, but was generated by the game. This way the victim doesn't lose out, the thief has a bit of fun, and makes a small profit at the same time. Thieves can also pickpocket any coin carrying monster in game, which makes for some interesting play.

 

[Black Sun]

I think UO should adapt WoW's method of stealing from players. I know people are going to complain about copying from WoW, but they did come up with a unique way to not only satisfy the thieves, but to make it interesting while not hurting the "victim". Basically a Rogue can pickpocket any player, and would receive a random amount of money from that player. The thing is the money didn't come from the player's bank, but was generated by the game. This way the victim doesn't lose out, the thief has a bit of fun, and makes a small profit at the same time. Thieves can also pickpocket any coin carrying monster in game, which makes for some interesting play.

While an 'interesting' solution to the thief nerf, I see 2 problems with it.
1) Too easy to exploit. A thief could continually steal from a friend and farm gold much too easily.
2) As I've said in another post when an similar idea was suggested, I don't want gold. I want whatever that item was I targeted.

But it's thinking that creates forward progress. Now if only we could get the folks at EA to do a little thinking.

 

[Silverbird]

Uhm ... sorry ... but you cant steal from players in WoW. Theres only one tricky emote-macro that lets newer players believe that someone is stealing from them. Monsters there do have an extra loottable for stealing from them. Its mainly used for restocking heal potions and maybe for getting poisoning regs. Those come with a medicore chance within a pickable chest. (Best way to train lockpicking there, but thats another story.) Stealing in WoW is more like begging in UO.
Even when only compared with stealing (minor)dungeon artys stealing in WoW sucks more than in UO.

 

[Connor_Graham]

While an 'interesting' solution to the thief nerf, I see 2 problems with it.
1) Too easy to exploit. A thief could continually steal from a friend and farm gold much too easily.

The same solution to this that WoW had would work in UO. Simply make the amount random from 10-100gp, with a timer before that person could be stolen from again.

2) As I've said in another post when an similar idea was suggested, I don't want gold. I want whatever that item was I targeted.

The problem with this is that items in UO are too valuable to lose like that. People would quit the game, just as they did in the past before thieves were nerfed.

 

[Connor_Graham]

Uhm ... sorry ... but you cant steal from players in WoW.

I'm sorry, but I've seen the game messages themselves. You can most certainly steal, but the money doesn't come from the players themselves. An emote can't cause the game to tell you so and so just stole 40 silver from you. I believe I've done it myself, but it's been so long since I played that I can't remember.

 

[Black Sun]

2) As I've said in another post when an similar idea was suggested, I don't want gold. I want whatever that item was I targeted.

The problem with this is that items in UO are too valuable to lose like that. People would quit the game, just as they did in the past before thieves were nerfed.

Then those players should leave their uber items at home, or stay out of fel.

 

[Connor_Graham]

Then those players should leave their uber items at home, or stay out of fel.

Not to get off topic here, but what would be the point of having those items to begin with then?

 

[TheScoundrelRico]

Then those players should leave their uber items at home, or stay out of fel.

Not to get off topic here, but what would be the point of having those items to begin with then?

The chance to lose them to a thief?...la

 

[Angus MacGregor]

Uhm ... sorry ... but you cant steal from players in WoW.

I'm sorry, but I've seen the game messages themselves. You can most certainly steal, but the money doesn't come from the players themselves. An emote can't cause the game to tell you so and so just stole 40 silver from you. I believe I've done it myself, but it's been so long since I played that I can't remember.

No, Silverbird is right. You can't steal from players in WoW. I've actually used the emote Silverbird is referring to. It's just something you can use to make newer players freak out.


And as for buffing something... I say we buff Fishing!

 

[Connor_Graham]

Again, an emote can't cause the game to issue a message on your own game screen. A message that I most certainly recieved. Maybe it's something that's not in the game any longer, but it most certainly was when I played.

 

[Turdnugget]

Buff fishing... that's a good one =)

You could fish up a fish spawn and get some powerscrolls... You gotta call in your shipmates and kill off the nasties while on yer boat.

Begging would be a good one to boost up. I mean c'mon, if you're good at smooth talking an NPC better than someone else you should be rewarded more than just a few pesos. Think of it in terms of a real life situation, if you can beg someone well enough you could end up with some nice stuff

Stealing... bring back the ol' thief some way or another and not just an arty thief. That's uber lame.

Herding... should have more benefits.

Cooking, what about an exploding pumpkin? Kinda like an exp pot, will only do damage with the cooking skill. Make it that you can do more damage than a explosion potion =) How about a molotov bomb? Similar idea... but make it a sticky bomb, kinda like in Halo, throw it at someone, and it sticks to them until it blows up. Or a stink bomb made with eggs + something else. Throw it at someone and it briefly makes them woozy and they use more mana per spell/special than normal.

 

[Uvtha]

If you are sick of nerfs them tell the dev team to test thier systems out a little more, that way you wont end up with huge problems that take so long to fix that people get used to them, and cry NERF when they have to be removed.

Or realize its just part of design, you cant forsee everything, some things end up more powerful than planned or expected, and have to be toned down.

I also agree there are skills that need to be toned up on the same score.

Camping would be a nice target. I'd like to actually be able to erect a tent, maybe you could have a nice little gypsie encampent thing going on. Maybe allow camping to "forrage" for stuff in the woods, regs, or bones, or what have you. Rename it to survival or something.

 

[K'torr]

Well, if you're going to ask for herders to be able to herd tameables through moongates, you might as well take it a step further and ask to let them be able to herd tameables through dungeon exits. Then the fun would really begin....

I would open a second account for that. Not that I'd need it, already have GM Herding. I'd open the account just to show my appreciation.

 

[Turdnugget]

It'd be fun to herd a swarm of ki-rins and unicorns to the Fel gate. See how many reds you could get ganked =P

If only unicorns could cast evil omen, paralyze, efield efield... a little taste of the necro/mage gimp medicine

A survival skill could be interesting... they'd have to make some fairly decent items to make it worthwhile though. Maybe being able to forrage a decent amount of regs per shot... at least 5 or so at gm...Wouldn't have much to do with PvP unless they gave it some interesting twist to it.

Camping a group would be a neat feature for it too... Whoever is in your group, you start a bon fire... after a couple minutes all those in the party can log safely. Disallow this in T2A/Fel Virtue dungeons to prevent major camping lameness for spawns.

ooo just thought of a fun one for herding... have a 'stampede' special. Say you've got 10 gamans herded together, use Stampede special for herding, it targets X amount of tiles, and then you can pick a target sending that group of whatever creature to trample your target for a one time hit (giving tribal instincts where is needed) That could be fun =) Be a fun way to PvM.

 

[Basara]

Fishing Buff:

Change the "refreshing" special fish to act like the magical apples instead.

Change all the currently worthless skill-buffing special fish to act in the same manner as the Rose of Trinsic petals do (+5 to affected stat for 5 minutes).

 

[~Antzy~Pantz~]

Pardon me, could we get this also moved over to the "spiels and rants" section!

 

[pavel.vesely]

Nobody wants to buff greater dragons? I want greater dragons to be greater!

 

[K'torr]

It'd be fun to herd a swarm of ki-rins and unicorns to the Fel gate. See how many reds you could get ganked =P

If only unicorns could cast evil omen, paralyze, efield efield... a little taste of the necro/mage gimp medicine

A survival skill could be interesting... they'd have to make some fairly decent items to make it worthwhile though. Maybe being able to forrage a decent amount of regs per shot... at least 5 or so at gm...Wouldn't have much to do with PvP unless they gave it some interesting twist to it.

Camping a group would be a neat feature for it too... Whoever is in your group, you start a bon fire... after a couple minutes all those in the party can log safely. Disallow this in T2A/Fel Virtue dungeons to prevent major camping lameness for spawns.

ooo just thought of a fun one for herding... have a 'stampede' special. Say you've got 10 gamans herded together, use Stampede special for herding, it targets X amount of tiles, and then you can pick a target sending that group of whatever creature to trample your target for a one time hit (giving tribal instincts where is needed) That could be fun =) Be a fun way to PvM.

I was thinking more along the line of going into Destard, herding out every reptile I see, to a gate a friend opened that leads to the center of Luna.
A certain scene from "Galaxy Quest" comes to mind.

 

[dukarlo]

My vote would be to buff up thieves seeing as no other class has been as badly nerfed. Im not talking about more pixel crap to pick up off the floor either. Im talking about ways to make other players have to actually use thier heads when thieves are around instead of being protected by the rules because people arent happy enough with Trammel.

 

[Nexus]

The problem with this is that items in UO are too valuable to lose like that. People would quit the game, just as they did in the past before thieves were nerfed.

Yea but that's because of something else I see as an issue with an Item Based UO. Now I don't really like the concept of Item Based game play but...since we have it then items especially the desirable one's should be rare not unobtainable. If someone quits over a Doom Artie then well that's stupid they can be acquired still. Things like the RBC and other limited time artifacts though shouldn't be unobtainable they need to put a system in place for people to still acquire them. I don't care if it's putting ToT in with a much harder check to get a drop but no means to get them at all is a mistake.

 

[laurlo]

I like the idea of making some of the more... usless.. skills more useful. Or at the least more interesting.

 

[Fink]

Camping a group would be a neat feature for it too... Whoever is in your group, you start a bon fire... after a couple minutes all those in the party can log safely.

Already works this way, anyone near a campfire will be able to log out once the camp is "made safe" (30 seconds).

Disallow this in T2A/Fel Virtue dungeons to prevent major camping lameness for spawns.

Already works this way, too; can't camp dungeons or fel spawns.

I'd like to see all the "orphaned" skills at least work properly in KR.. as a sign of good faith that they're not being neglected in future.

 

[Traveller]

I think UO should adapt WoW's method of stealing from players. I know people are going to complain about copying from WoW, but they did come up with a unique way to not only satisfy the thieves, but to make it interesting while not hurting the "victim".

Oh my.... Connor, while what you suggest might have some limited use in trammel, it is equivalent to suggest that when I kill somebody in fel he should not be killed, nor lose any insurance, and instead I should just receive money generated from the game instead than my victim's money.

Moreover, we just need another gold faucet to further flush the economy...

The step you are missing, connor, is asking yourself the question: would people who have closed the account (like myself) at least _consider_ reopening it over it, or people who are about to close it, reconsider over it? The answer is simple. If the money generated by this technique were small, it would be a waste of devs time, because no thief in his sane mind would reopen his account for this, nor have any enjoyment from it. If the money generated were medium or large, it would be a gold farmers paradise and another way to inject trillions in the economy. Take your poison. I won't take it, either of them.

You asked for something to boost. You have an answer. Deal with the consequences of your actions. But after all in UO we have lost it long time ago (and I refer to murderers, as well).

 

[Angus MacGregor]

Again, an emote can't cause the game to issue a message on your own game screen. A message that I most certainly recieved. Maybe it's something that's not in the game any longer, but it most certainly was when I played.

Again... you're wrong. Sorry. I've done it, I've seen others do it, and I've had it done to me. It doesn't send the emote to one person, it sends it to every player within range. Type "/em does the dance of joy!", and everyone around you would see "(Playername) does the dance of joy!" in their chat window. People used this to make other freak out making an emote that looks like they were stealing from you and everyone else closeby.

Believe me or not, I don't really care.


Back on topic, I have to say again... Buff Fishing! Begging could use a lot of help, too. Cooking could stand to have a bone tossed their way, as well.

 

[Harlequin]

Nobody wants to buff greater dragons? I want greater dragons to be greater!

Absolutely not. Not unless they buff my chars to tank better than the GDs... and I have several tamers with GDs...

Why are most of the other suggestions so far for making little used skills more useful?

When I think of buffing, I was actually thinking along the lines of buffing HPs in characters. Or making mobs etc stronger to balance out skills rather than nerfing them.

 

[Turdnugget]

Fink, as of the last time I checked, 2 weeks ago, camping is still broken. I had a bedroll, kindling, started my fire and waited for the message, logged out and couldn't log onto another chr =/

Harlequin, buffing up hps and what not would also take a lot of PvP revamping as well.... for damage output and what not. It'd be nice to have an actual tank chr to do what tanks do, other than a 150 hp meat shield that can get torn up in a matter of seconds. If they didn't revamp PvP at the same time it'd definately be interesting to fight someone...especially if they left mana as is.

Buffing lesser used skills would help those that want to roleplay or just have a different style of play. What's the point of having the skills in game if they don't really help out that much. Especially camping... you don't even need the skill really to use it. Why not make it worthwhile?

 

[Maplestone]

camping: increased rate of harvesting or increased chance of rare resources when harvesting

item id: luck bonus equal to 10 times skill. (+1000 luck at GM)

 

[hen]

I've got an idea to buff tracking. At gm tracking if you stand in a forest and track you have a one in something chance of tracking a sasquatch.
Once the tracker finds this sasquatch you can murder it and its loot is "sasquatch trousers" which are kind of ictchy and hairy but when wearing them you can carry an extra one hundred stones. Then you can stroll round the bank of your choice, and say "yup, got my sasquatch trousers on today".

 

[Turdnugget]

Going off of Maples idea...perhaps Item ID helping in the crafting process? You successfully ID an item and have a higher chance of making it w/better properties/intensities.

Tired of burning through runics and not even getting one item that pays for itself.

Possibly enhancing DC/Shadow runics for dexer armor? It was mentioned in another thread about giving more resists to heavier armor (chain,ring,plate) etc. They could make those hammers a little more useful and not worth only 500gps.

 

[Turdnugget]

Hen, that's awesome =0 I played another shard that had an actual Yeti & Bigfoot you could kill and every so often a Biggfoot robe would spawn on it. Giving you +stats/resists. Looked like a hooded shroud.

 

[Harlequin]

Fink, as of the last time I checked, 2 weeks ago, camping is still broken. I had a bedroll, kindling, started my fire and waited for the message, logged out and couldn't log onto another chr =/

Harlequin, buffing up hps and what not would also take a lot of PvP revamping as well.... for damage output and what not. It'd be nice to have an actual tank chr to do what tanks do, other than a 150 hp meat shield that can get torn up in a matter of seconds. If they didn't revamp PvP at the same time it'd definately be interesting to fight someone...especially if they left mana as is.

Buffing lesser used skills would help those that want to roleplay or just have a different style of play. What's the point of having the skills in game if they don't really help out that much. Especially camping... you don't even need the skill really to use it. Why not make it worthwhile?

Yes, I agree that the neglected skills should get some love and made more useful. But I was hoping that folks would look at buffing as the opposite of nerfing, ie make other stuff stronger instead of nerfing them to balance things out

 

[Splup]

Buff up a siege shard to Europa!

 

[Harlequin]

Fink, as of the last time I checked, 2 weeks ago, camping is still broken. I had a bedroll, kindling, started my fire and waited for the message, logged out and couldn't log onto another chr =/

Harlequin, buffing up hps and what not would also take a lot of PvP revamping as well.... for damage output and what not. It'd be nice to have an actual tank chr to do what tanks do, other than a 150 hp meat shield that can get torn up in a matter of seconds. If they didn't revamp PvP at the same time it'd definately be interesting to fight someone...especially if they left mana as is.

Buffing lesser used skills would help those that want to roleplay or just have a different style of play. What's the point of having the skills in game if they don't really help out that much. Especially camping... you don't even need the skill really to use it. Why not make it worthwhile?

Wanted to add this, but forgot about it -

The last time I used camping, I had to
1) wait for the message (save to logout)
2) put the bedroll on the floor, dbl click to open it
3) then dbl click it again
4) client will get disconnected

You have to use the bedroll instead of logging out from the paper doll. The bedroll will be in your pack when you log on again. So clicking the log out button doesn't work.

Let me know if this works

 

[Splup]

Or maybe it should be like your character can have 720+200 skillpoints. Regular skills would go to that 720, but skills like camping (add other useless skills) would go to that other 200. So these skills wouldnt be waste of skillpoints.

 

[Flora Green]

Connor,

I like the begging ideas. It would serve a use outside of Halloween and RPing. Cooking certainly needs a boost and the possibilities are numerous. Some ideas are floating around the Botany and Nutrition forum. Like Black Sun, I would prefer to see brewing and winemaking as a stand alone skill. And I understand him wanting the title as I would love, love, love to have a GM Gardener title. *sigh*

Speaking of gardening, I know we just got the new plants, but hopefully they will continue to add resources. It's already speculated that sugar cane will become a producer. Growing cotton and flax that produce would be good.

Coffee would be a cool addition IMO. Gardeners can grow the plant and then cooks could have the ability to grind and brew the beans. And since cocoa has been added how about hot chocolate?

 

[Flora Green]

Going off of Maples idea...perhaps Item ID helping in the crafting process? You successfully ID an item and have a higher chance of making it w/better properties/intensities.

Suggestion in the Botany forum to use ID on seeds as well. With the new peculiar seeds it would be an OPTION for seed identification, not a requirement. That way the players who like a surprise when the seeds pop still have it and those looking to better sort/store can keep/toss the seeds they want. This actually would help existing seeds from the original system that have been crossed and for whatever reason the grower doesn't know what the unlabeled seed is.

Myself, I just tossed a ton of plain, orange and purple unidentified seeds recently. If they aren't labeled, I don't grow them. I don't need 20 prickly pears when I'm lucky to sell one every two months.

 

[Sir Kenga]

Give Taste ID additional 50 EP overcap. We'll see very interesting templates =))

 

[Black Sun]

Then those players should leave their uber items at home, or stay out of fel.

Not to get off topic here, but what would be the point of having those items to begin with then?

Play with them in Tram for PvM. PvP should be about skill, not the suit you're wearing.

I've got an idea to buff tracking. At gm tracking if you stand in a forest and track you have a one in something chance of tracking a sasquatch.
Once the tracker finds this sasquatch you can murder it and its loot is "sasquatch trousers" which are kind of ictchy and hairy but when wearing them you can carry an extra one hundred stones. Then you can stroll round the bank of your choice, and say "yup, got my sasquatch trousers on today".

I would so GM tracking just to have some Sasquatch pants. Awesome idea. Absurd, but awesome!

Going off of Maples idea...perhaps Item ID helping in the crafting process? You successfully ID an item and have a higher chance of making it w/better properties/intensities.

This would be nice. I am so tired of burning up runics and getting maybe 1 or 2 good pieces off each one. Although, this is going to really make my smith's template crowded.

 

[Maplestone]

I am so tired of burning up runics and getting maybe 1 or 2 good pieces off each one.

I would point out again that no matter how much you buff item creation, it's still a matter of diminishing returns - the definition of "good" is a moving target that depends on what's available. Unless there is a plan to slowly add buffs every publish, you'll be right back in "1 or 2 good pieces" in no time. Arms lore, runic rebalancing ... there have already been buffs in the past year or so and the "wow" factor has already faded away.