Much of the discussion (at least on U-Hall, I haven't checked the Test Center Forum) on Publish 73 has assumed that the new items, with the Brittle property, cannot be repaired.
This appears to be wrong. The brittle property appears to mean that they cannot be PoFed, but can be repaired.
The brittle property was introduced in Publish 67, the original documentation of which can be found here. This documentation reads, in part:
I just repaired 2 mana phasing orbs, which have the brittle property and indeed were introduced in Publish 67 along with that property, using tinker repair deeds.
It would also appear that mana phasing orbs are used in PvP, given that I see people affiliated with guilds that PvP wearing them. I also see them being bought and sold in Global Chat periodically, thus they would appear to be in decently wide use.
UO players will indeed use brittle items when these items have other desirable properties that makes their use a good risk.
Surely 25 durability seems a tad low for use in, well, anything. Especially since I could swear brittle items wear down quicker but I could easily be wrong on that, could just be my perception. But even if my perception is incorrect, it's still a low durability to be sure.
But, if the items aren't repairable, it shouldn't be due to the brittle property.
If the items go in with the 25 durability, I suspect they will be used, but not often. They'll be used almost the way a consumable is: Something to help out temporarily but not something you rely upon.
But to return to the original topic: If these items can't be repaired at all, it shouldn't be due to the brittle property which relates not to repair, but to fortification.
-Galen's player
This appears to be wrong. The brittle property appears to mean that they cannot be PoFed, but can be repaired.
The brittle property was introduced in Publish 67, the original documentation of which can be found here. This documentation reads, in part:
It does not say brittle items cannot be repaired.New Property : Brittle. These items cannot be fortified.
I just repaired 2 mana phasing orbs, which have the brittle property and indeed were introduced in Publish 67 along with that property, using tinker repair deeds.
It would also appear that mana phasing orbs are used in PvP, given that I see people affiliated with guilds that PvP wearing them. I also see them being bought and sold in Global Chat periodically, thus they would appear to be in decently wide use.
UO players will indeed use brittle items when these items have other desirable properties that makes their use a good risk.
Surely 25 durability seems a tad low for use in, well, anything. Especially since I could swear brittle items wear down quicker but I could easily be wrong on that, could just be my perception. But even if my perception is incorrect, it's still a low durability to be sure.
But, if the items aren't repairable, it shouldn't be due to the brittle property.
If the items go in with the 25 durability, I suspect they will be used, but not often. They'll be used almost the way a consumable is: Something to help out temporarily but not something you rely upon.
But to return to the original topic: If these items can't be repaired at all, it shouldn't be due to the brittle property which relates not to repair, but to fortification.
-Galen's player