Death xp penalty at low levels

[LeonDuguit]

Hi there,

I have tried to play a wizard, but have been jumped by mobs while transitioning, killed by lag, teleported right next to the thing I am shooting, and watched as enemies run right past my summon, to me, while it watches on dumbfounded.

I get that most of these issues are difficult to fix on an old game. I posted some as a bug thread, but get the feeling that they are mostly just intractable.

What is not clear is why the death penalty is so high when xp rewards are so low. I've now been killed so many times while trying to hunt and (because that was a net-negative) trying to explore areas and finish fetch quests, that I will de-level back to level 1 if I log back in and wear the death penalty. At this point I'm not really sure what the point would be, as I can't go anywhere or do anything without dying so quickly as to lose any previously gained xp.

So, in NWN2 low level characters are very squishy. There are also infuriating ways to die which can't reasonably be avoided. Why impose a death xp penalty? Seriously? What does it achieve at low level except to disincentivise exploration? The xp rewards are so low that the delay of having to run back alone will be sanction enough to people who are trying to grind.

Your server population seems fairly high, so you might not be worried about new players leaving out of frustration. If not, fair enough. In my experience, people join PW servers because they want to interact with other people. Also in my experience, they need to get to a certain level before most areas are open to them. Maybe this is a problem peculiar to the squishier classes. Perhaps there is a way to get a relatively cheap cohort who can raise dead / stabilise bleeding, and I just haven't found it.

Anyway, I hope the above is of some use. Maybe I'm the only one who has joined and found it too frustrating to want to continue. I'll keep an eye on this thread, because your server does seem like a fun place, and if there is some kind of change made, I look forward to playing on it, but at the moment it is just too much.

[Steve]

Hello!

You answered your own question, mate: squishy Classes at low level are just that. Combine it with what seems like your first Character on BGTSCC...yeah, it will seem impossible. I feel for you, because many years ago, I did the very same thing when I started: rolled up a Wizard and proceeded to get my arse handed to me, over and over.

To mitigate your dying and such, you have two options: find others to Group with, and explore. You'll have much better luck in staying alive, plus the leveling will go faster.

Or, you could opt to play another Character with a tougher build, like a Barbarian or even a Fighter-base. Explore and get a feel for the Server, then restart with your Wizard.

Now, you might not like either of these suggestions, but it's what hundreds of Players before you, learned to do. Without the Death Penalty, there would even less Risk v. Reward on this Server, which would make for a crappier game experience (in my humble opinion).

So, I can also invite you and your Character to consider joining the Windspell Adventurer's Guild, since we are low level toons and support lowbies on their path to Epichoodedness!

[V'rass]

Play a cleric instead... full spellcasting + armor and fighting ability. Built and played right a cleric can become practically unstoppable.

[CaelusKazaran]

As a side note: You cant actually de-level thankfully. But if you need assistance just send me a tell any time you see the username CaelusKazaran on and I'll see about giving you a hand ^.^

[Sun Wukong]

Do you have invisibility spell? It is usally the first second level spell I get on any of my arcanists simply because it allows you to do most of the weekly quests with little to no challenge.

[Lighters]

...teleported right next to the thing I am shooting

Whats up with that, anyway?

When I played on here years ago this was never a thing, and it isnt on other servers. When using a ranged weapon now, often the game will lag jump me right next to the thing I am shooting. Not jumping me to somewhere I'd clicked previously, but jumps me up to melee range like the game read that I was were my arrow hit.

It is frustrating as hell when you are playing a squishy sneak archer. I am not built for being in someones face, and dont wish to be there.

Anyone else having this issue? I am assuming that its an issue with a custom script here, because as I said it doesnt happen elswhere.

((and yes, I am using the client extender))

[Tsidkenu]

I also play a sneak archer and can't remember this ever happening, despite lag being a constant thing due to my location from the server.

[Theodore01]

...teleported right next to the thing I am shooting

Whats up with that, anyway?

When I played on here years ago this was never a thing, and it isnt on other servers. When using a ranged weapon now, often the game will lag jump me right next to the thing I am shooting. Not jumping me to somewhere I'd clicked previously, but jumps me up to melee range like the game read that I was were my arrow hit.

It is frustrating as hell when you are playing a squishy sneak archer. I am not built for being in someones face, and dont wish to be there.

Anyone else having this issue? I am assuming that its an issue with a custom script here, because as I said it doesnt happen elswhere.

((and yes, I am using the client extender))

Yes, happens to me all the time with my archers/slingers.
I noticed it seems related to - if you move immediately after firing an arrow. If you stand idle for a moment before starting to move, it's less likely to happen. Or it's the in the timewindow when the arrow is flying and you move. Or in the delay when a creature dies and the server actually registering it. (issue with cleave, circlekick attacking dead targets)
(/mpredict does not help with this issue.)