Which Virtues Do You Still Work To Maintain?

[Tina Small]

Publish 72, released September 21, 2011, added the ability to gain in the Honesty virtue and also made the following changes to the other previously added virtues: "The total virtue point cap has been increased so that it is easier to maintain Knight rank. All virtues now decay at the same rate as the current rate for Valor. (This is a significant decrease in decay rate for most virtues.) Skills that had their decay rate reduced now spend virtue when you use them. "

Seven months, more or less, since those changes, do you find yourself still spending part of your time playing UO doing things to maintain a character's level in specific virtues? If yes, which virtues do you consider worth your time to maintain and why? Which virtues you once worked on have you stopped working on completely or only get gains incidental to doing something else?

(Note: The poll is multiple choice, so select whichever options make sense for you.)

 

[Tazar]

I maintain all 6 at Kight level. I am sure I will also do the last two once they are added to the game.

 

[Tina Small]

I maintain all 6 at Kight level. I am sure I will also do the last two once they are added to the game.

Have you seen any positive effects from the part of publish 72 that raised the total virtue point cap to make it easier to maintain Knight level, i.e., do you think that change is working as intended? And how many characters are you doing this with? (I almost hate to ask. LOL)

 

[Tazar]

I really have not pushed them well past the knight level to be certain. I check regularly and when I see one slip below Knight, I go get a few gains. I have noticed a big difference in the decay rates and they do seem much easier to maintain now.

As to how many characters... I really only use one character per shard that I play (with soulstones to adjust the template as needed). So right now, I'd guess 8 that are 6x knight of virtue with the 9th in the works.

 

[Lady Storm]

You forgot one choice..
I gain only when it happens... I wont go out of my way unless needed.

 

[Barok]

You forgot one choice..
I gain only when it happens... I wont go out of my way unless needed.

I think that would fall under this option: "I spend no time or only accidentally work on virtue gains since Publish 72."

 

[Faeryl]

I try to maintain Knight on most virtues with Faeryl. She's a Knight in Valour, Compassion and Honesty, but I need to find a better way to raise her Honour, as it moves bloody slow on a tamer... As for Sacrifice, I blame the EMs for that one, as I end up using it often enough that I keep dropping down levels

I don't really do any Fel spawns or anything, and I don't pvp, so I don't really bother with Justice these days... Although I have almost a full path left over from when I was a Knight a few years ago.

 

[MalagAste]

I maintain all of them on Malag except the Honesty... I worked on that for awhile but it got to be WAY too much of a pain.... so I quit never did make Knight. But I do maintain Knighthood in all the others.

 

[Tina Small]

I have noticed a big difference in the decay rates and they do seem much easier to maintain now.

Are you referring to a change in the decay rates since after Publish 72 was released, or a difference in the decay rate between now and before Publish 72?

As to how many characters... I really only use one character per shard that I play (with soulstones to adjust the template as needed). So right now, I'd guess 8 that are 6x knight of virtue with the 9th in the works.

That's a ton of soulstones, Tazar! And how in the world do you manage to cram all of them in a bankbox along with all of the supplies for every template you use when you don't have a house on a shard?

Do you ever wonder what the requirements will be for gaining in Humility and Spirituality and how you'll stay on top of those too?

 

[Aibal]

I used to work them all on approximately 20 characters across three shards. Then the developers, in their infinite wisdom, placed the timer on the orc cave for compassion gains...I still worked it every Sunday morning but it was becoming tedious. After that, when the decay went into effect I said screw it and haven't worked them since except an occasional sacrifice on one of my sampy's. The developer's current love-in with grinds has made doing the virtues (and other story arc stuff) untenable for me. I want to enjoy the game, not grind.

 

[Martyna Zmuir]

I try to maintain them (I have everything at Knight aside from Honor), but I think that the decay-on-use for Compassion has to go - since it is counter-intuitive to the meaning of the Virtue.

Gaining Honor past the middle of the 3rd path is damn near impossible on a pure mage character. The movement and healing restrictions completely screw you.

 

[Raptor85]

Only maintaining valor now, and only because you auto-gain it while at spawns. The decay rate on the others is just way too fast to be worth it with the work involved. (the decay rate if you actually use it that is, it's not that bad I guess if you don't actually use the virtues, but, justice in-particular is pointless now, I'd have to create a red and "farm" him for hours daily to get anywhere near enough points, instead of being "naturally" knight of justice simply from killing actual reds)

 

[Tazar]

Are you referring to a change in the decay rates since after Publish 72 was released, or a difference in the decay rate between now and before Publish 72?

I seems to be a difference between pre-72 and post 72.

That's a ton of soulstones, Tazar! And how in the world do you manage to cram all of them in a bankbox along with all of the supplies for every template you use when you don't have a house on a shard?

Bank storage upgrades helped a lot. Aside from that - I keep the most regularly needed stuff in the bank - and then I pass lesser stuff that I want to keep to a character on another account and it's stored in his bank. I set up each shard to be a mirror of my main shard - even copying over macros - so stuff is not too hard to find on whatever shard I am on at the moment.

Do you ever wonder what the requirements will be for gaining in Humility and Spirituality and how you'll stay on top of those too?

It may take a bit to work them up - but should not be too hard to maintain once I get there. As to the requirements - we'll have to wait and see.

 

[Ezekiel Zane]

None!

 

[G.v.P]

I do compassion, honor, sacrifice, and valor, for the most part. Other than valor I keep the others usually at first tier, but I'm sure honor is higher. It's too difficult to balance over ten mages with anything more than tier 1 compassion.

 

[Sevin0oo0]

I voted Honor & Sacrifice, neither actually to gain in the virtue . Honor i can use and get immediate satisfaction, whatever boost it's supposed to give. I used to regularly use, and maintain the other, after the last adjustment I don't bother anymore - I can always dump fame and have a get out of dead-jail free card for a little while if I really think I'll need it. I rarely use anything else for any purpose.

 

[MalagAste]

I like having Knight of Compassion so when I rez folk they rez at a good health.... and Sacrifice has saved me more than once.

 

[GalenKnighthawke]

Actively, none, but it's for RP reasons. The recent troubles have worn, and disheartened, Galen down significantly. Every once in awhile I'll play catchup and get back up to Knight on a few, then I'll let it drop back down for some weeks.

-Galen's player

 

[Adol]

I maintain Compassion, Valor, and Sacrifice as they don't seem to decay too badly, and only about 30 minutes play a month dedicated to them keeps them above Knight.

I used to maintain Honor for the Greater Dragon taming, but it seems to have an extremely high decay rate, at least a bubble a week; which would mean another 40 minutes a week dedicated time at the Succubi, to just that one virtue to put it back. The lack of worth while dragons recently, and a disillusionment with the ever mounting grind mechanics means this is now slowly sinking down towards Level 2.

I have never worked Justice as I dislike PvP and so I've had the same 9 bubbles since Cailleach took me to a Primaeval Lich spawn once and we whacked a few reds in passing.

For roleplay reasons, I wish I could work all 8. For real life reasons, I just don't have the time or energy any more. For gameplay reasons, even if I did, Justice would remain beyond me.

 

[GalenKnighthawke]

I maintain Compassion, Valor, and Sacrifice as they don't seem to decay too badly, and only about 30 minutes play a month dedicated to them keeps them above Knight.

I used to maintain Honor for the Greater Dragon taming, but it seems to have an extremely high decay rate, at least a bubble a week; which would mean another 40 minutes a week dedicated time at the Succubi, to just that one virtue to put it back. The lack of worth while dragons recently, and a disillusionment with the ever mounting grind mechanics means this is now slowly sinking down towards Level 2.

I have never worked Justice as I dislike PvP and so I've had the same 9 bubbles since Cailleach took me to a Primaeval Lich spawn once and we whacked a few reds in passing.

For roleplay reasons, I wish I could work all 8. For real life reasons, I just don't have the time or energy any more. For gameplay reasons, even if I did, Justice would remain beyond me.

I have long-argued that there should be a Tram way to get Justice (new and harder red NPCs, perhaps based on the Town Raiders?) and a Fel way to get Honor (arenas?).

The other Virtues seem to be covered by both rules sets in a way that those two aren't.

-Galen's player

 

[Frarc]

All of them except Justice. I am a terrible PvPer.
As a knight of Virtue i want them stay at Knight. It only takes 30 minutes a week to maintain them all.

 

[BeaIank]

I work honour and sacrifice on my chars.
Never got to knight of honour, as it's hard to gain as a mage, but I am slowly working on it.
Sacrifice I reached knight on one of my chars, but lost it two weeks after during an EM event.

 

[Phangs_of_Phage]

Justice needs to stay pvp only, It is only used in pvp areas I know it is farmable but meh :/

 

[Beleg Megil]

We spend an awful lot of time discussing all aspects of an online role playing sword and sorcery game. So I imagine Chastity. Though for many, I am guessing it is more of a curse than a virtue. And it is unfortunately self-maintained.

 

[Beleg Megil]

My real answer is: I've sort of been on break from game and didn't even know they had activated new virtues. Now that I am back, I will probably work them all as best as I can. Seems I have to re-familiarize myself with the rules and changes.

 

[NuSair]

I used to keep compassion up on a number of characters, but with the changes, I only do compassion on 1 character. Honor and Valor are just by products of my normal play. I used to do sacrifice but don't any more.

 

[Haddy G]

I don't care about the virtues, so never actively work them.

 

[Sir_Bolo]

I'm Knight in 5 Virtues out of 6 - I don't maintain Justice because I don't PvP actively.
Overall, I spend less time maintaining Virtues now than before Publish 72, thanks to the increased cap and to the reduced time-based decay. The use-based decay doesn't have a big impact for the Virtues I use...
For me:
1) Compassion --> easier to maintain compared to pre-pub 72: only two escorts needed per week now
2) Sacrifice --> easier to maintain compared to pre-pub 72: only one Sacrifice needed every few weeks now
3) Honor --> harder to maintain compared to pre-pub 72: but it's still just 8 Succubi per week, and at least I also get Fame gains for Sacrifice. Note, however, that I have never used Honor for its effect.
4) Valor --> no change noticed in maintenance: a couple of minutes at the first level of a Champion Spawn are sufficient
5) Honesty --> took some work to reach Knight of Honesty, but maintaing it is simple: a full tour of the coast of Nujel'm every 2-3 weeks, yielding 8-10 lost items. Note. however that I don't need to buy a lot of stuff from NPCs on this character, only reagents.

 

[Tina Small]

I'm Knight in 5 Virtues out of 6 - I don't maintain Justice because I don't PvP actively.
Overall, I spend less time maintaining Virtues now than before Publish 72, thanks to the increased cap and to the reduced time-based decay. The use-based decay doesn't have a big impact for the Virtues I use...
For me:
1) Compassion --> easier to maintain compared to pre-pub 72: only two escorts needed per week now
2) Sacrifice --> easier to maintain compared to pre-pub 72: only one Sacrifice needed every few weeks now
3) Honor --> harder to maintain compared to pre-pub 72: but it's still just 8 Succubi per week, and at least I also get Fame gains for Sacrifice. Note, however, that I have never used Honor for its effect.
4) Valor --> no change noticed in maintenance: a couple of minutes at the first level of a Champion Spawn are sufficient
5) Honesty --> took some work to reach Knight of Honesty, but maintaing it is simple: a full tour of the coast of Nujel'm every 2-3 weeks, yielding 8-10 lost items. Note. however that I don't need to buy a lot of stuff from NPCs on this character, only reagents.

Sir Bolo, this is useful information! Could you please clarify, though, if this is just the time it takes to bring everything back up to Knight level without actively using the virtues, i.e., just keeping ahead of decay, or are you doing a lot of rezzes that use up Compassion or Sacrifice, buying regs frequently, etc.? Also, with regard to Honesty, are you just dropping found items in any old lost and found box, or do you use forensic evaluation to return the items to the NPC that lost them?

Thanks.

 

[Sevin0oo0]

I'm Knight in 5 Virtues out of 6 - I don't maintain Justice because I don't PvP actively.
Overall, I spend less time maintaining Virtues now than before Publish 72, thanks to the increased cap and to the reduced time-based decay. The use-based decay doesn't have a big impact for the Virtues I use...
For me:
1) Compassion --> easier : only two escorts needed per week now
2) Sacrifice --> easier: only one Sacrifice needed every few weeks now
4) Valor --> no : a couple of minutes at the first level of a Champion Spawn are sufficient

I'll add: Valor is a by-product for me and have never used it for its benefit
I like Valor, relatively easy, fun, work it until maxed, done.
I feel gains that are limited per day, ie. sacrifice or escorts, become instant grinds and should be changed.

I think the Virtue range caps and decay should be the same as Fame/Karma - slow decay and drops when used (dieing). The numbers also make more sense than some cryptic 'Path' message and identical rows of dots (they could at least change color matching the main top-level Symbol). Roleplay is one thing, in-game functionality is quite another as clearly implemented under the Loyalty menu

 

[Cogniac]

I voted for every single option, because the poll didn't stop me from doing so.

 

[Sir_Bolo]

Sir Bolo, this is useful information! Could you please clarify, though, if this is just the time it takes to bring everything back up to Knight level without actively using the virtues, i.e., just keeping ahead of decay, or are you doing a lot of rezzes that use up Compassion or Sacrifice, buying regs frequently, etc.?

This is mostly to compensate for passive decay - I usually play only a couple of nights per week, and most of the time I'm solo, so I don't get many opportunities to use the Virtues actively.
I rarely self-resurrect more than three times per week, or buy more than a few thousand regs per week, or resurrect more than a couple of people.
However, I didn't notice a significant drop in Compassion even when I resurrected tens of people at an EM event.

Also, with regard to Honesty, are you just dropping found items in any old lost and found box, or do you use forensic evaluation to return the items to the NPC that lost them?

I always identify the objects with Forensics before returning them. However, I don't return all objects to the NPC that lost them: if the NPC lives in a large town (Britain, Yew, Trinsic), usually I just drop the item in the lost and found box of that town.

 

[Sir_Bolo]

I'll add: Valor is a by-product for me and have never used it for its benefit
I like Valor, relatively easy, fun, work it until maxed, done.

I recommend always using Valor for its benefit at the beginning of a Champion Spawn. Even if it costs a lot of dots, by the time you complete the spawn you will be back to Knight of Valor anyway.

 

[Sevin0oo0]

... Having never done a Spawn and only participated temporarily, in-progress, I find killing the progression quite challenging and fun (they don't take fish steaks)