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What's it like on low pop shards?

Tabin

Seasoned Veteran
Stratics Veteran
I'm getting to itch to return and start fresh on a low population shard. Why not Atlantic? I want to try a "self-found" journey where I can't buy any gear. I'll use vendor search only to purchase resources. For me to reach end-game, I'll want 120 power scrolls and frankly I don't enjoy getting PKed by reds/blues on a high pop shard while I'm on my PvE build. I also won't have access to shard transfers since my account isn't old.

My questions:
- What shard do you play that you consider low population?
- How often do you get PKed while farming power scrolls?
- Are you able to find key crafting resources on vendor search? Shadow+ hammers, imbue ingredients, etc.
- Are you able to find other players to play with? I still want to be in a small guild and do fun stuff.
- Is it a struggle not being able to sell stuff easily since majority of the economy is in ATL? (I still need to sell stuff to afford expensive crafting mats)

PS I really wish New Legacy chars can get transferred to a permanent New Legacy style shard after reset! That would be super cool. Since there is no launch date, I'm not sure if I'll wait to start that journey. Also not a huge fan of the reset of skills when getting GM/120 on certain stuff like taming/crafting can be a chore after you've done it 3+ times.

Thanks in advance!
 
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Destiny<3

Journeyman
Stratics Veteran
I play Pacific. You still get Pked farming power scrolls (on any shard) because some of the pvpers have ghosts down in the dungeon and they always know when you are trying to do a spawn. Oh sure, they will let you finish it, and then come at the last minute to steal the show.

Crafting resources are hit and miss. I do BODS so I can get hammers and such, but imbue ingredients and leather etc I have to hunt for.

Plenty of other people to play with and several guilds around.

Selling stuff is hard, I have a few vendors and I am the cheapest on the shard but stuff will just sit there. I think people just go to Atlantic to shop now and forget to even look on their own shard.

You might not have access to shard shields, but there are plenty of nice people who will transfer for you. Most people announce in discord when they are coming and going, and some even announce in general chat.
 

Kylie Kinslayer

Stratics Legend
Alumni
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
UNLEASHED
Awards
1
Yeah... ya ain't gonna be able to get those scrolls without the usual pk's showing up. Guilds try to control the scrolls across all shards (ya can thank Shard Shields for that) to keep the value up. You may be able to sneak off a Baracoon (or whatever he is called these days) before they show up, but that is about it.
 

Nero

Journeyman
Stratics Veteran
UNLEASHED
Another point to consider is that you will likely not have a town bonus on low pop shards. Meaning you will have to redesign your suit if you need SSI or so.
 

Draza

Lore Master
Stratics Veteran
UNLEASHED
Check out napa, we are small enough that you can do what ya want, but large enough you can het help.

If you do play over here, shout out in general chat. We can hook ya up. Or fight ya, we want both.
 

Stinky Pete

Babbling Loonie
Supporter
Stratics Veteran
UNLEASHED
Sounds like you need Siege Perilous. It has a functioning economy. You can actually farm enough gold to buy the stuff you need. Sure there are PKs and no insurance, but that is what makes it the most authentic UO experience available currently.
 

Tabin

Seasoned Veteran
Stratics Veteran
Ah shame about PKs. I logged in and checked PS prices. Did they go down in price? I remember 120 taming scrolls were 100mil and then power scrolls got even more expensive (westling, med, etc) when pets could eat them.

I heard you can get PS from treasure hunting now? Did that drop the price? Surely treasure hunting should be free of PKs right?!
 

Maldar

Sage
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
Everything Destiny said about Pacific is what I would have said about Sonoma. I play solo most of the time simply because I like to but, if there is an event or something going on, I know I can show up and join in. As for having vendors on Sonoma, as Destiny said, sales can be slow but, if you keep a nicely stocked vendor (there aren't a lot of them around), you should do fairly well. I can set you up with a few mil gp and some basic crafting goodies on Sonoma. Welcome back!
 

BeaIank

Crazed Zealot
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
Campaign Supporter
I only had to deal with PKs once at Legends when I used to farm for powerscrolls.
But I usually did T2A champs instead of the dungeon ones.
Or the turtle one, which almost no one bothers with because it is not as fast to do as the classical ones.
 

Goldberg-Chessy

Crazed Zealot
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
Yeah... ya ain't gonna be able to get those scrolls without the usual pk's showing up. Guilds try to control the scrolls across all shards (ya can thank Shard Shields for that) to keep the value up. You may be able to sneak off a Baracoon (or whatever he is called these days) before they show up, but that is about it.
You have recent, personal experience of this?
 

Quickblade

Lore Master
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
UNLEASHED
The second and third most populated shards are LS and Catskills, great communities, alot of pve hunting, but yea around 8pm to 2am there is good chance at getting raided if you decide to spawn
 

Morgana Grim

Lore Master
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
UNLEASHED
The second and third most populated shards are LS and Catskills, great communities, alot of pve hunting, but yea around 8pm to 2am there is good chance at getting raided if you decide to spawn
Which are the lowest populated shards? Any ideas? All the things the OP posted, plus I just need some peace and quiet.
 

Tina Small

Stratics Legend
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
I'm getting to itch to return and start fresh on a low population shard. Why not Atlantic? I want to try a "self-found" journey where I can't buy any gear. I'll use vendor search only to purchase resources. For me to reach end-game, I'll want 120 power scrolls and frankly I don't enjoy getting PKed by reds/blues on a high pop shard while I'm on my PvE build. I also won't have access to shard transfers since my account isn't old.

My questions:
- What shard do you play that you consider low population?
- How often do you get PKed while farming power scrolls?
- Are you able to find key crafting resources on vendor search? Shadow+ hammers, imbue ingredients, etc.
- Are you able to find other players to play with? I still want to be in a small guild and do fun stuff.
- Is it a struggle not being able to sell stuff easily since majority of the economy is in ATL? (I still need to sell stuff to afford expensive crafting mats)

PS I really wish New Legacy chars can get transferred to a permanent New Legacy style shard after reset! That would be super cool. Since there is no launch date, I'm not sure if I'll wait to start that journey. Also not a huge fan of the reset of skills when getting GM/120 on certain stuff like taming/crafting can be a chore after you've done it 3+ times.

Thanks in advance!
If you decide to play on a low population shard, just be prepared to also have to accumulate gold on Atlantic to buy the more desirable things. You should be able to find someone who has shard shields and can transfer the items to wherever you are and/or transfer gold to Atlantic for you. Since so many people do transfers, you may still be able to successfully sell some high-demand things on a low population shard, e.g., SOTs and SOAs, imbuing ingredients. Those things will be snapped up quickly by the people who do a lot of transfers. Or find out if someone on Atlantic will rent a vendor to you.

Also, if you own a house on a low population shard, you may want to read this section of the wiki to brush up on how vendors work and to see the details of how the new commission vendors work: NPC’s – Player Owned – Ultima Online
 

Drakelord

Grand Poobah
Governor
Alumni
Stratics Veteran
Awards
3
Sonoma is where I call home, (Siege is because of the 2nd house to play deco) If you need assist on Sonoma ask any PAS player. Members meet every evening, mostly in Deceit this month. We also have members that are in game mornings/afternoons. Drakelord#5598, feel free to drop a line if you need assisted on Sonoma

p. s. there a lot of room on Sonoma for housing
 

Drakelord

Grand Poobah
Governor
Alumni
Stratics Veteran
Awards
3
If you decide to play on a low population shard, just be prepared to also have to accumulate gold on Atlantic to buy the more desirable things. You should be able to find someone who has shard shields and can transfer the items to wherever you are and/or transfer gold to Atlantic for you. Since so many people do transfers, you may still be able to successfully sell some high-demand things on a low population shard, e.g., SOTs and SOAs, imbuing ingredients. Those things will be snapped up quickly by the people who do a lot of transfers. Or find out if someone on Atlantic will rent a vendor to you.

Also, if you own a house on a low population shard, you may want to read this section of the wiki to brush up on how vendors work and to see the details of how the new commission vendors work: NPC’s – Player Owned – Ultima Online
10-19-200031.jpg
my tamer on Atlantic bank
 

Drakelord

Grand Poobah
Governor
Alumni
Stratics Veteran
Awards
3
10-20-200003.jpg 10-20-200004.jpg 10-20-200005.jpg 10-20-200006.jpg

Our four accounts on Sonoma, most from hunting or selling off vendors
 

Ang7

Sage
UNLEASHED
How is the PK situation on Sonoma.

I remember 20 years ago there was a bounty board and the top 2 were always Big Dog and someone else. Anyone remember who the other one was?
 

Drakelord

Grand Poobah
Governor
Alumni
Stratics Veteran
Awards
3
well James was always good killing me at the fire. what are you searching for? If you ask in chat maybe they stock it.
 

Maldar

Sage
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
What do you sell? 95% of the stuff I search for on Sonoma is never for sale.
I sell a variety of things. I often take advantage of situations nobody wants to do in order to reap the rewards. Recently I spent quite a bit of time in the Myrmidex Pit gathering moonstone crystals to make KoTL Power Coils that I then sold for 8-mil each. I run the trades and sell the Guild Sign rewards. I seldom bother with anything worth less than 100k just because it eats up vendor gold and takes a while to sell (e.g. ingots, wood, etc.) Like Drakelord said, if you are looking for something, ask in General Chat. I have 4 houses full of stuff......multiples of much of it......but I don't put it on a vendor usually because I don't know what a good price for it is.
 

Billy Butcher

Journeyman
UNLEASHED
I seldom bother with anything worth less than 100k just because it eats up vendor gold
You know they came out with the new commission vendors just for that reason. Sure it takes up lockdowns but could be useful to have one around. Available now at a banker near Yew!!!
 

Tyrath

Grand Poobah
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
What is it like on ow pop shards? It is just like on the higher pop shards........ What you make of it. Either low pop suits you or it doesn't.
 
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