Lower exploration DC's , get rid of the CoA Skillpoint System/make the exploration spells more accessible

Lord_Acererak

@CrazyZleric I see what you're saying, but you must see the problem with just putting a 'good item' in an outdoor area, right?

area loot has to reset, or the next guy gets nothing and there is only loot once a reset. But if it resets, and there is just a +1 sword sitting in a box, then that specific area gets over camped to the nine and it becomes a silly ooc game of where's waldo.

So its gotta be good, but hard to find, but also worth finding, yet not something everyone can just get. >_>

Which is why I was asking instead, what type of an interaction would become more engaging, make it feel "worth it" without just dropping the phrase "more loot."

I'm sure there is something we can do to make this worth while. Like a random area spawn with an event, or a hidden prestige-dump faction which could sell scary stuff, or super rare treasure maps which unlock a quest. Hidden difficult quests locked behind some knowledge. That sorta thing. Those kinds of suggestions. Stuff to make DMless fun.

Locke

@Lord_Acererak I used to love going into the old swamps labyrinth. There was good loot, and it was dangerous enough you brought friends.. not to mention the mystery behind it all. I never did get through that first door. Another reason to explode was rare crafting ingredients only spawn on certain rare mobs in certain areas, so there was always a reason to go looking. Also, I love treasure maps. They're a really fun mechanic that I wish scaled with group size. Treasure maps really helped give people a reason to go outside the city for more than just questing.

CrazyZleric

@Lord_Acererak well more like I've found a mob of monsters to get to dangerous place, said mod doesn't drop anything of value. XP markers are one time use for chracters. I am just saying if monsters dropped things more often even if it's bounty or PP items to help restock

toportime

Those crazy climb and jump checks can be solved by a prestige item that you can get for not many PP last I was logged in, suprised I have not seen anyone else mention this.

Full disclaimer, I have not logged in for for quite a while, but I suspect the item I mentioned is still there.

Darlene Te'len

not sure if this is what you are talking about, but i have found various areas have their charms, the ones i am familiar with

hullack 1st part=good gold and good pp rewards for creatures, danger for me is moderate (if you are lax, you will perish)

hullack 2nd part=the gold and pp are still there, but not as good as the 1st area, and the danger is higher, the blood pumping, wake you up kind

outside tilverton= gold is decent, not as good as the hullack, but the pp is really good here, the danger can be at times less than hullack 1, and at times it matches hullack 2

inside Tilverton= nothing really that i have found, so i now avoid it

Bogs=gold and pp are not as good as other places, i find it hard to go in this area, it is challenging for my build (which is good, puts the fear of monster in me) i only pass through this area, choosing to get through it as quickly as possible

O-louth

@Lord_Acererak

Id make xp notes reset. Maybe once every week or 2 weeks. I was surprised it was once pr pc. But that alone would solve some.
Secondly I’d love more puzzles like Deadwell or the wicked cave. But please place SOMETHING at the end. Even a note saying “contact lord ace for reward” or similar for dangerous puzzles.
merchants or some such would be epic. We used to have caravan merchants at the end which sold decent loot. Could be a placable merchant if a real npc makes no sense.
remember the old notebook quest? Something like that. Or the talos crypt in the Stormhorns. Rare, epic, dangerous quests but with a solid reward would be fun to see.

Lord_Acererak

These are some good suggestions guys. I haven't read all of them yet, but I wanted to toss out some positive encouragement.

A Former User

@Lord_Acererak

On Marius the most demoralizing thing about that character was finally getting a group and fighting our way down to the deepest part of Deadwell, solving all the puzzles, braving Bodaks and powerful spawns, unavoidable traps, etc only to find…. Nothing.. there was nothing there. I know it’s spoilers but at this point it needs to be spoiled. The epic vampire and Bhaal cultist infested lair that some characters FDed to get to the bottom, that characters retired wondering what could be inside had nothing. No lore nodes, no chests, no secrets, no loot, not even an exploration XP marker.

If a DM hadn’t seen us on there and logged in to see us standing in an empty room just RPing something so it wasn’t a waste, it would have been all for naught. I’m super thankful for Spiffy for coming in and making it worthwhile for us, but it doesn’t make people want to explore when they know some of the most dangerous places don’t have anything to find.

It doesn’t need to be loot, I can be super secret lore, it can be a hook in a plot with actual information on how to move forward with it, but ever dangerous area needs a reason to go. It can’t just be a cool area. I would pay all my money and supplies for a GOOD, SOLID, Straightforward hint on a plot, but if an area is dangerous with nothing to offer, no one is going to go without a DM

O-louth

@Crusader-K said in Lower exploration DC's , get rid of the CoA Skillpoint System/make the exploration spells more accessible:

@Lord_Acererak

On Marius the most demoralizing thing about that character was finally getting a group and fighting our way down to the deepest part of Deadwell, solving all the puzzles, braving Bodaks and powerful spawns, unavoidable traps, etc only to find…. Nothing.. there was nothing there. I know it’s spoilers but at this point it needs to be spoiled. The epic vampire and Bhaal cultist infested lair that some characters FDed to get to the bottom, that characters retired wondering what could be inside had nothing. No lore nodes, no chests, no secrets, no loot, not even an exploration XP marker.

If a DM hadn’t seen us on there and logged in to see us standing in an empty room just RPing something so it wasn’t a waste, it would have been all for naught. I’m super thankful for Spiffy for coming in and making it worthwhile for us, but it doesn’t make people want to explore when they know some of the most dangerous places don’t have anything to find.

It doesn’t need to be loot, I can be super secret lore, it can be a hook in a plot with actual information on how to move forward with it, but ever dangerous area needs a reason to go. It can’t just be a cool area. I would pay all my money and supplies for a GOOD, SOLID, Straightforward hint on a plot, but if an area is dangerous with nothing to offer, no one is going to go without a DM

The Tethgard has a scripted ending. It’s epic. I seriously thought it was @Puffy the first time I saw it. I’d say Deadwell deserves something similar.

Puffy

@Crusader-K said in Lower exploration DC's , get rid of the CoA Skillpoint System/make the exploration spells more accessible:

no secrets

There are 10 nooks in the Deadwell Masoleum alone, of which 4 are in the final room. But, as of 8183, I have added exp markers and some non hidden chests

toportime

@Darlene-Te-len I was talking about an amulet from the PP store that gives you several uses of either spider climb or the jump version.

TheMinionOfArabel

@CrazyZleric
Some of the more dangerous areas have hidden nooks that have interesting loot in them. I have found a few and was pleasantly surprised.

Puffy

Stonelands and Deadwell updated with more rewards

Exploration spells available via quest loot (4-10 quests), prestige store, potions, PC crafted items cnr, potions, wands, scrolls.

Grapple hook possible to use to help people get out of dangerous situations, highly recommended

Dire Rabbit

Puffy

COAss removed, new skills created instead with spells as well.