Change to Ethy Fortress Quest

[Mark Trail]

Jeremy announced there would be a change to the corroded box this morning. She did not add in that there is also a change to the 25K ethereal fortress quest. That quest had been drawing criticism because a new character could do it on a ghost and farm points for cross shard trading.

After this change, it is harder for a ghost. Sorry, details hidden to make it harder for the farmers. But anyway it's an improvement.

 

[Finch]

Jeremy announced there would be a change to the corroded box this morning. She did not add in that there is also a change to the 25K ethereal fortress quest. That quest had been drawing criticism because a new character could do it on a ghost and farm points for cross shard trading.

After this change, it is harder for a ghost. Sorry, details hidden to make it harder for the farmers. But anyway it's an improvement.

Where can I find details for this quest?

 

[Lord Kynd]

After this change, it is harder for a ghost. Sorry, details hidden to make it harder for the farmers. But anyway it's an improvement.

so based on this, you have no evidence. you also relize that sure you will hold out info , providing it isn't a farse .... but the info ... if true.. will be well known very soon because fortunatly other players are not greedy with info.

 

[Lord Kynd]

Jeremy announced there would be a change to the corroded box this morning. She did not add in that there is also a change to the 25K ethereal fortress quest. That quest had been drawing criticism because a new character could do it on a ghost and farm points for cross shard trading.

After this change, it is harder for a ghost. Sorry, details hidden to make it harder for the farmers. But anyway it's an improvement.

i shall try it wil my next character as a ghost and see.
maybe it only effects newbie accounts tho..

 

[Vor]

After this change, it is harder for a ghost. Sorry, details hidden to make it harder for the farmers. But anyway it's an improvement.

Whats the point? they will know the first time they try. But a normal player (like a crafter..which just happened to me) will be affected by this much more, so they should know.

It says you can't help someone when you're dead yourself.

And this change wont stop farmers tbh.. they will just get a mate/another account with the ability to heal to stand in the room and rez their ghosts.

 

[NewThunder]

Jeremy announced there would be a change to the corroded box this morning. She did not add in that there is also a change to the 25K ethereal fortress quest. That quest had been drawing criticism because a new character could do it on a ghost and farm points for cross shard trading.

After this change, it is harder for a ghost. Sorry, details hidden to make it harder for the farmers. But anyway it's an improvement.

The change is simply that you have to be alive to say "Help" to casca.

 

[Tina Small]

There are also now a couple of rats and a giant rat in one of the cells. They do respawn after killing and they seem to have normal rat/giant rat skills/stats. The cell's door is (normally) closed and the rats don't seem to have acquired enough intelligence to open the door themselves.

 

[Ni-]

The change is simply that you have to be alive to say "Help" to casca.

That isn't too bad. That can still be gotten around for normal players with crafters and some friends. Sucks for the normal player that doesn't know many people. It won't stop the cross sharders, especially the really motivated ones, but it may slow them down some and may be too much of a hassel for others.

 

[RavenWinterHawk]

Ahhhh.
cant you just make a mage newbie.
Bring some invis scrolls
Bring some ev scrolls or blade scrolls

and complete it.

GEEZ, Ive never seen so much complaining.

RTLFC

 

[Vor]

Ahhhh.
cant you just make a mage newbie.
Bring some invis scrolls
Bring some ev scrolls or blade scrolls

and complete it.

GEEZ, Ive never seen so much complaining.

RTLFC

Apart from you, no one has complained in this thread

 

[Lord Kynd]

not sure if it still allows for getting the scroll while a ghost but you can most certainly do the fortress as a ghost and get rezed at the end and say help then.

i kinda wondered how it was that we could get items in our packback while dead, after all they are not insured/blessed .. maybe placed in our dead body would be ok?

this also abused the stuck player option also i presume.

 

[Lord Kynd]

Apart from you, no one has complained in this thread

she complained ?
guess i'm not awake today, looks like she was giving advice on how to survive and not be a ghost.

but shoot... since it is my nature ...
what are you thinking??? now you want me to delete my characters so i can make a mage ???

grin , just had to

 

[Lord Kynd]

Ahhhh.
cant you just make a mage newbie.
Bring some invis scrolls
Bring some ev scrolls or blade scrolls

and complete it.

GEEZ, Ive never seen so much complaining.

RTLFC

i don't think a newbie mage can use such high level spells whether in spellbook or scrolls.

newbie made without using a advanced character token would be what max 50 point's magery ??? been awhile since i've made a new character....

blah but then you get the fake skill people who use jewlry , so i guess it is very possiable to get gm magery on a new character without ever using the skill to gain.

thats sad. along the lines with scripting i would say

 

[RavenWinterHawk]

i don't think a newbie mage can use such high level spells whether in spellbook or scrolls.

newbie made without using a advanced character token would be what max 50 point's magery ??? been awhile since i've made a new character....

blah but then you get the fake skill people who use jewlry , so i guess it is very possiable to get gm magery on a new character without ever using the skill to gain.

thats sad. along the lines with scripting i would say

yeah start with 50 magery
get some scrolls
get some jewelry

Your good to go.


Better yet start with 50 magery
Get some jewelry
Get a cheap lower reg suit (insure)

And youre good to go.

And your right. No one here is complaining. I read this after the other thread. This one just talks about a change.

So my point is to the idea people complain in general its to easy and a change is made.

So I take it back and send this to the other thread.

But the change is really insignificant.

 

[Kiminality]

Getting the letter as a ghost means you still have to run out.

The quickest way is to carry a runebook with charges, and a rune to Ulrich.
Run in, dying along the way, naturally...
Get to the final room, and somehow get a res (beg one, sacrifice, conscript a healer).
Get the letter.
Recall out.

You can do the run in under 10 minutes.
It won't slow down farming.

 

[SilentFoxXy]

In case you havent noticed its not possible to drop summons in these 3 dungeon rooms.... Every time you try its simply says 'This area is blocked'

 

[Aboo]

somehow get a res (beg one, sacrifice, conscript a healer)

This is the part I want to know how to do. I have tried with about 12 different kind of chars and I haven't made it past the balron room yet. I've used a bard, stealther, mage, tamer, swordsman, nothing works. Any suggestions on how to make it through or get rezzed?

 

[Connor_Graham]

This is the part I want to know how to do. I have tried with about 12 different kind of chars and I haven't made it past the balron room yet. I've used a bard, stealther, mage, tamer, swordsman, nothing works. Any suggestions on how to make it through or get rezzed?

That's one of the easier ones to get through if you have a stealther. Just stealth across and either pretype or have a macro set up to say the password. Once you say it you're instantly teleported to the other side of the door where the creatures can't get to you.

 

[Aboo]

I'll try it again with my GM stealther but those darn pixies hate her so she has to stealth through them too!

Thanks for the advice.

 

[Kiminality]

Often, on Europa, there're people camped out in the end room, ressing folks.
Not so much, on other shards I've visited...

If you've got an additional computer and account, you can park a character that can res in the end room, and give your characters a slap with a clean bandage when you OooOO in.
I actually have a character logged there, at the moment. If I don't have anything better to do, I log her in and res.
Or, you can make an event of it, with friends... One of you resses, while the others get their points. Then they res you while you get yours.

Also, honor is your friend.
Well, it's mine, at least
You can run from start to finish without a single monster looking your way.

 

[Flora Green]

That's one of the easier ones to get through if you have a stealther. Just stealth across and either pretype or have a macro set up to say the password. Once you say it you're instantly teleported to the other side of the door where the creatures can't get to you.

That's what I did without any problems at all.

 

[Aboo]

I got through it great. Thanks for the help!!!

 

[Eslake]

This is supposed to be because of cross sharding ticket farmers?

That makes no sense. Those people have multiple accounts, and can simply run through with a sac rez rezzer.

The ones that are hurt by this are the blacksmiths and sheppherds and such. You know.. ROLE PLAYERS!

There is no way they can make it through alive, so unless someone is at the other end ready to rez.. don't bother.

 

[hawkeye_pike]

Whats the point? they will know the first time they try. But a normal player (like a crafter..which just happened to me) will be affected by this much more, so they should know.

It says you can't help someone when you're dead yourself.

And this change wont stop farmers tbh.. they will just get a mate/another account with the ability to heal to stand in the room and rez their ghosts.

Nonsense! I made this quest with my crafter, and he got through to the Ambassador alive. It is all a matter of timing, speed and coordination, and a little luck.

 

[Aboo]

Nonsense! I made this quest with my crafter, and he got through to the Ambassador alive. It is all a matter of timing, speed and coordination, and a little luck.

I have to disagree! Vehemently disagree! I tried MANY chars and the only one to make it through alive is my stealther.

I do have a legendary bard that I haven't tried yet. She MAY be able to make it through alive but even that is doubtful.

 

[Kiminality]

This is supposed to be because of cross sharding ticket farmers?

That makes no sense. Those people have multiple accounts, and can simply run through with a sac rez rezzer.

The ones that are hurt by this are the blacksmiths and sheppherds and such. You know.. ROLE PLAYERS!

There is no way they can make it through alive, so unless someone is at the other end ready to rez.. don't bother.

There are only a few ways you can make it through alive.
Honor is the easiest.
Stealth is pretty tough, since you're revealed when you say the passwords. For the undead room, you're revealed, and teleported into the room. That hurts.
The majority of people I've seen reaching the end room have been speaking in O's. Roleplayers, crafters, and even your godly PvM/PvPers at times.

As I mentioned earlier, there are quicker ways to do it, then running as a ghost.
All this means is that you need someone to help you.

 

[Ishmael]

somehow get a res (beg one, sacrifice, conscript a healer)

This is the part I want to know how to do. I have tried with about 12 different kind of chars and I haven't made it past the balron room yet. I've used a bard, stealther, mage, tamer, swordsman, nothing works. Any suggestions on how to make it through or get rezzed?

Invis is your friend. It takes time for multiple monsters to target you. If you are invised before you begin your run through the room, you may have only 1 or 2 on you by the time you get to the door. Have all the passwords together on one macro.

Hint: If you stand at the top of a staircase and invis, then take ONE step forward to enter next room, you will still be invised.

Hope that helps.

 

[Fortyniner]

There are still some cloaks and other items of invisibility around if you can't cast invis.

But I got all my real characters through alive. Only my bodlings had to be ressed. It helps to have a 70's suit - they can share it of course. I used the virtue set.

 

[Uriah Heep]

this also abused the stuck player option also i presume.

Wait a minute...You are telling me, that people could run thru dead, get a scroll dead, stuck option back to brit, rez, turn the scroll in and get the points? And do it on 4 accounts with all their chars? I am Shocked and Appalled!!

 

[NewThunder]

Wait a minute...You are telling me, that people could run thru dead, get a scroll dead, stuck option back to brit, rez, turn the scroll in and get the points? And do it on 4 accounts with all their chars? I am Shocked and Appalled!!

Let me know if you want to buy points on Legends! The stuck option still works, though you have to get rez,d now to get the scroll.

If anyone needs a Rez on legends let me know I have a char logged out there that can rez.

 

[Spree]

I just tried it on my Chef and I died before i could make it past the reapers out side the spider cave got message that you cant help when your dead but the 5 min i was in here 6 young chars ran right though and recalled out so much for scripter fix.

 

[Aboo]

I just tried it on my Chef and I died before i could make it past the reapers out side the spider cave got message that you cant help when your dead but the 5 min i was in here 6 young chars ran right though and recalled out so much for scripter fix.

Young chars can go in there and do the quest? Why?

 

[arkanos]

First of all: I personally dont really care if people get huge masses of turn in points out of this quest - great for them!
The only question I have: was this quest really intended to work for "young" chars?

I tried the quest today on a weak char and got killed in the 3rd room, so i went to the end and waited for someone to come in and hopefully res me.
I saw young after young char run in (this was on Europa btw), they of course could not res me . Not knowing much about young status (i was young a very long time ago) I wanted to see how they made it through the rooms and went back as a ghost just to see them walk through the monsters untouched.

Intended to work like this?

 

[Katlene]

has anyone tried using a spell weaver? etherial voyage & gift of life?

 

[Ill Saint]

has anyone tried using a spell weaver? etherial voyage & gift of life?

Yeah. I tried to go through with ethereal voyage on my caster, but Paragons still go after you for some reason. But, if you die while in ethereal form you'll be able to automatically resurrect after the spell ends.

 

[Kiminality]

has anyone tried using a spell weaver? etherial voyage & gift of life?

Yep.
Ethereal Voyage is a little short-lived... Was only good for about 1 room, and the cool-down is rather too long to be useful.
Gift of life is good for the inevitable deaths... But it resses you where you died... Which is where you got killed moments before

 

[Lord Drakelord]

I was shocked that my cook made it, wearing leather LRC armor. Just a matter of real luck it seems ot me, as others I try to run in with better stats and armor did not make it.

I parked two charactors on my shard down there to help res folks that run in when I am online.

 

[MalagAste]

I think it's rather interesting... when I did it on a few of my characters I saw SEVERAL "young" characters down there....... that's the most "young" characters I think I've seen in game EVER..... I don't have any accounts that are concidered "young"... and here I've been worried this whole time!...... the one I did take through that died and I couldn't keep alive got a rez at the end anyway...

 

[Pfloyd]

this is how i do it and have not had many deaths...

The first room is the hardest to get through with the Ancient Liches and Rotting Corpses...

Before you get to the first door make macros or rely on the ctrl + q feature of duplicating text.

type safety in numbers
type painless operation but dont hit enter
get close to the first door to where you will go across when you say painless operation...
hit ctrl + q x 2 without looking at the keyboard cause you are concentrating in getting close enough to the other door to get it off...
hit enter

this first room can be harder if all the monsters are ready for you on the other side but you can still do it with the right timing...people who die right away on established characters are the kind that use boomstick on mages with no macing...use a mage -0 weapon to block a few of those attacks with high magery and you should be fine.

 

[Fink]

The ones that are hurt by this are the blacksmiths and sheppherds and such. You know.. ROLE PLAYERS!

My Shepherd was the only one of my 12 characters to make it through alive.

Also, you make me nostalgic.. I haven't seen a (another) role-played smith since before AoS.

 

[Basara]

BTW, you can run out the way you came in - it's hard to trigger but there is a teleporter that takes you back into the crypt, where you came in.

And, you CAN summon down there - you can summon any of the elementals, daemon, fey or imp - you just have a hard time dropping an UNCONTROLLED summons like a BS or EV. The way the dungeon is built, one's spells do not have a line of sight more than 1 square away from you. You MIGHT be able to drop an EV into an adjacent square - in fact, I think I managed it once or twice - but not 2 or more squares away.

Seeing this, I started relying on Earth Elementals - and even managed to kill a balron that had gotten into the entrance hall with them (had to recast about 10-12 of them, and duck for heals a few times back to the undead exit hall, but the balron died).

I have done the quest with 18 characters. 4 of them died - all of which had 30 or less resists from being BOD runners and/or being stripped down. BOD runners with 60s resist suits and even my BEGGAR with a 40s suit, survived running through - some using a macro for the words, other using the CTRL-Q method.

 

[Sir_Bolo]

First of all: I personally dont really care if people get huge masses of turn in points out of this quest - great for them!
The only question I have: was this quest really intended to work for "young" chars

Monster protection is not supposed to work for young characters in dungeons.

What does New Player Protection mean?

Monsters that would normally be actively hostile to a player will not attack new players, unless in a dungeon.

By all means the quest area looks like a dungeon and is accessed through a dungeon, so it's not intended for young characters to be safe there.
EA just needs to update the quest area so that it is recognized as a dungeon, and the problem with young characters should be solved.

 

[hawkeye_pike]

Monster protection is not supposed to work for young characters in dungeons.

I have seen a young character walk through those rooms completely untroubled. So, concerning the [young] flag, those halls do not classify as a "dungeon".

 

[slayer888]

Which location are you guys talking about?

I will challenge it with my crafter or newbie char and post result with how I could make it safe and not dead if i can...

I am sure I can though... i have great confidence on myself... dont think anything could ever kill me when i am on my mount.


hehehe

 

[KaleofAvalon]

So where is the ethy fortress located. I have just started playing more again after a 4 year pause and would like to catch up on these places.

Kale

 

[SDragor]

So where is the ethy fortress located. I have just started playing more again after a 4 year pause and would like to catch up on these places.

Kale

http://www.aschulze.net/ultima/guide/ilsh_landmark_reg.htm

 

[Dame Judi]

This is getting absurd. I have a character parked down with Casca on Sonoma to resurrect players so they can get their scrolls and what I am seeing is making me angry.

In the last two hours I have witnessed 17 players with Young tags come breezing through here. In the last week, during which I have probably been down there at least 20 hours, I have seen another 4 - 5 dozen of them. And this is just on Sonoma which isn't a heavily populated shard. If the rest of us have to contend with either making it down to the end alive or depending on someone to be there to resurrect us why don't they ?

You know full well there are not that many new players coming on board. It just isn't happening. These are the old codes from long past promotions and it's not just a couple of people using them.

They were able to keep them out of the Magincia invasion and, as I recall, they can't go into at least some dungeons. Any particular reason they are letting them in here?

 

[Zooithion]

I've seen a lot of 'youngs' also. More than I've seen for years. I can't make a young player anymore. Even if I use a char slot that has never been used before. I suppose I've just been here too long

I would think that they should have eliminated youngs from going there when they stopped ghosts from doing it.

Still not sure how vets can still make young chars and I can't. No biggy tho.

edit: I wonder if they are creating new accounts to make young players? Just curious, I wouldn't do it.

I think it's rather interesting... when I did it on a few of my characters I saw SEVERAL "young" characters down there....... that's the most "young" characters I think I've seen in game EVER..... I don't have any accounts that are concidered "young"... and here I've been worried this whole time!...... the one I did take through that died and I couldn't keep alive got a rez at the end anyway...

 

[Dame Judi]

Zoo,

I can't make Young chars on any of my accounts either. All my accounts were old before Youngs were invented.

However I believe that if you created an account after Youngs came into being, and never created chars on it, the ones you create at any time will be Young.

At least I think that's how it works.

However I do not believe all the youngs I'm watching down in the Ethereal Fortress and the Melissa event are veteran accounts. I believe they are being created from old promotion offers, aka Bring a Buddy to UO for 15 days and Here is a Code For Him to Try for Free.

 

[Salty Pete]

LOL the [young] characters I saw while I was there all had names like: sssss bgfbgf, sdfsdf and qwerty.

Exploiting [young] characters has been around for as long as there has been [young] status though.... Placing houses, making insta-bards for mega loot collection (DevilHimself and I had a field day with that one. We made millions in a few days with our [young] bards).