Returning Pre-AoS Player - Which of these templates for PvM?

[Heskey]

Hi all,

I'm returning to UO. I stopped playing 'the game' during UO3D as I discovered RPing, but I want to see what's changed after all these years.

I'm a melee-player, never been a fan of magic. Back in 'the day' (2000-2ish) I played a dude in full plate with a halberd, axe, or sword/shield and he had:

GM Swords
GM Parry
GM Tactics
GM Anatomy
GM Healing
GM Lumberjack
GM Magic Resist

I'd like to make a character that's as offensive as possible (EoO, Perfection, LJ etc.) but I appreciate I'll probably get myself killed before I do any damage because I don't know what the game is like now.

I've read some of the templates in the sticky at the top of this forum and have some choices, if you could let me know what'd be best to go do champ spawns etc. with a few buddies?

Option 1:

120 Swords
100 Tactics
100 Anatomy
100 Healing
80 Parrying
120 Bushido
95 Chivalry

Extra 5 points can either go into Chiv (why?), Parry (2H parry goes from 28% to 29%), or Tactics (for extra dmg - old char I'll be using currently has 115 tactics)

Alternative Options:

Various combinations such as:

120 Swords
100 Tactics
100 Anatomy
100 Magic Resist (reliant on Cure Wounds/Potions) or Healing
80 Parrying (or GM lumberjack)
120 Bushido (or 100 to allow GM lumberjack)
100 Chivalry

Really don't know what to do for the best. If I understand it right, Bush & Chiv give better damage increases than Lumberjacking which would just be a 'nice addon'. I suppose to get all three I could sacrifice the Magic Rest/Healing to take LJ along with Parry and Chiv... But then I'd be squishy as hell besides the parrying?

Please let me know your thoughts, because I haven't got a clue what I'm doing.

Thanks!

PS. The character I intend to do this on has 115 tactics already; if I lower it and ever decide to raise it again, will it be a total pain?

 

[Heskey]

Any help please?

 

[Malforce]

Welcome back! Lots of changes, I'm still discovering some of them myself.
I have a Lumberjack/axer char and I don't notice a whole lot of damage difference between him and my characters without it. (or between him using an axe vs using any other sword for that matter.) My Carpentry habit won't let me drop it though.
Best advice is just hop in try a few things and see what you like. If your champs get raided a lot, or you fight a lot of caster mobs you'll probably want the magic resist as you've got in your 2nd build. In other situations you might prefer the healing. You could add some necromancy in there to make him a Sampire if you wanted to play around with that at all.
As far as dropping your tactics or anything else...it seems like skills go up and down pretty quickly now. Not like you're remembering from 2000-02 ish. Play around with them, see what you like. Get a Soul Stone to swap out some completed skills like Anatomy / Resist Spells to see which you like running better, or to have either available to you depending on the situation.

Most of all though, Welcome Back! Have Fun. Ask in General chat if you need any help

 

[Tabin]

You'll find on your journey that there are different ideal builds for different encounters, so it is sometimes hard to recommend a build without knowing what you'll be fighting. For an all around build, both options are viable. Option one is probably better for a returning player since your primary heal ability will be bandages + Hit life leech on weapon. The second build's primary heal is HLL and bushido confidence (which build 1 also has). To sustain your HP with HLL and confidence skill, you need good enough gear to do enough damage to leech life and sustain mana. Since you're just returning, your gear probably isn't there yet.

On my do-it all warrior, I run 120 swords, 120 tactics, 120 bush, 100 chiv, 100 necro, 100 anatomy, 60 parry. It is the classic sampire build. It is also extremely versatile with soul stones (stones that allow you to transfer skills)

For situations where I need resist like Champ spawns and doom: I drop 100 anatomy and pick up 100 resist
For situations where monsters have tainted life (life leech does damage to you): I can't use Vampiric Embrace so I drop 100 necromancy and pick up 100 healing
For situations where I can get max damage via slayer weapons: I will consider dropping 100 Chiv for 100 lumberjacking

If you go this route, you want a reusable soulstone and a separate character to hold your skills. Or if you're rich, you'll have 4 soulstones sitting in your home.

Finally, keep tactics at 115 or 120 if you can. The damage boost it gives is worth it.

Hope that helps!

 

[Heskey]

Thanks both - is it weird if I say I'd rather not have necro just because I don't like it as a skill concept? Seems too "magicky" for me and it's just not my style. Not looking to be the 'best' or anything; just not insta-die whilst running with friends to champ spawns, or roaming the lands myself.