Suggestion: Hillmarch Mine Tweaks

Dire Rabbit

This has been kind of a huge consternation for the last few days for anyone mining in the area; the spawns are really disproportionate for what you get out of it. It’s sort of the defacto mining area for anyone wanting to take on the smithing crafts and it’s ridiculously punishing for the unprepared or uninitiated.

Even with access to shield and stoneskin (!) I’ve nearly died a few times and I know some folks without access to these spells have died there. The bandits and gel cubes and stirges are a bit much for this area I feel. I’d really like to suggest moving over to rats of different flavors and numbers.

The metalworking crafts are already extremely grindy; the amount of time and effort required even to get out of the 1-6 range is already lengthy with having to haul heavy materials around (not a ‘bad’ thing in and of itself), doing that on top of dealing with a mixed group of bandits fit for a small party or quest, after which you have to walk the long way around the area to get to the forge feels punishingly shitty.

Echo

@arcanigans

CARES pulls from a pool of possible spawns that are based on the level of the PCs in the area and a 25% chance for increased difficulty. So I cant just make it "spawn rats" or something - it spawns stuff that is in the "caves" list (which includes, well, ... stuff you'd find in caves!).

I will look at the levels of the spawns and possibly make adjustments.

Dire Rabbit

Makes sense. It's appreciated, regardless!

Valkyrie

Thank you for looking into this.

Echo

ES_aaaa_xx_yy_zzz

aaaa = type (ie, 'cave')
xx = level of encounter (level of PC)
yy = target waypoint (where it spawns)
zzz = change of firing (1-100)

All of the spawns in the Hillmarch caves are level 5 & 6, with a 25% chance of being one level higher (6 & 7, respectively); all of them have an 85% chance of spawning.

I reduced the number of waypoints (yy) v7374. It's all luck of the dice!