Why dont we remove trash from the loot table?

[Diamore]

Could we implement a simple merchant at the bridge to Baldurs (a now under utilised area) that allows you to exchange the 0g items for something?

An eccentric collector looking for a prized relic? You could exchange one 0g item for a small amount of 10-50g perhaps to justify keeping it in your inventory. Several items, perhaps ten, could be exchanged for a random generated item.

It would grant a reason to hold onto these items while allowing for the "gambling" effect of looting. It also allows builders to include a higher than normal chance for rare or strange properties to the server loot without tweaking the existing loot tables.

You could plausibly solve an annoyance (0g items) and add a new feature for grinders that still allows all levels and play styles a chance at unique, interesting and/or powerful items. It should be a low chance, almost akin to playing the lotto.

[Jepop]

Could we implement a simple merchant at the bridge to Baldurs (a now under utilised area) that allows you to exchange the 0g items for something?

An eccentric collector looking for a prized relic? You could exchange one 0g item for a small amount of 10-50g perhaps to justify keeping it in your inventory. Several items, perhaps ten, could be exchanged for a random generated item.

It would grant a reason to hold onto these items while allowing for the "gambling" effect of looting. It also allows builders to include a higher than normal chance for rare or strange properties to the server loot without tweaking the existing loot tables.

You could plausibly solve an annoyance (0g items) and add a new feature for grinders that still allows all levels and play styles a chance at unique, interesting and/or powerful items. It should be a low chance, almost akin to playing the lotto.

This is a great suggestion. I remember a few years ago there was a DM controlled travelling band of merchants. One of them was a Half Orc who would take your broken items and repair them, and give you something neat the next time they rolled through the FAI.

[dedude]

We are rattling the bars because something is not right and went wrong in the changes when the RIG was connected to the chests.

Calodan is right. I just found out that I failed to flag the chests correctly for the RIG system, meaning that the 25% of chest loot that is generated by the RIG is made with CR 1 no matter the chest level. I fixed it just now, and hopefully it will make it into the upcoming update.

[Lockonnow]

allways look at the bright side of life

[Steve]

We are rattling the bars because something is not right and went wrong in the changes when the RIG was connected to the chests.

Calodan is right. I just found out that I failed to flag the chests correctly for the RIG system, meaning that the 25% of chest loot that is generated by the RIG is made with CR 1 no matter the chest level. I fixed it just now, and hopefully it will make it into the upcoming update.

Christmas shall come early this year!

[Lockonnow]

maybe there more to be fix go for it dedude

[Nemni]

We have a system where anyone can make enough money to get at least a few great items after playing awhile. That's a good thing imo, since I don't want a soulcrushing grind. But the remaining drops that are slightly better than what you can buy in a store need to remain rare. If they weren't, and we all got them, then what would be the point of ever looting anything again?

That said some improvements could still be made. Like all bosses should at least drop some gold, to make them worthwhile. All items should be sellable for at least 1 gold. Remove those annoying auto-loot crafting things, like spider legs. And fix the bug where some chests are sometimes just empty (since last loot update only). And perhaps upgrade the loot of the white dragon so people actually want to group up and fight it once in awhile.

[Valefort]

Dead bug is good ! Overall that won't change the number of basic +2 weapons you'll find though, Calodan.

Regarding gold and bosses unless I screwed up the Fire giant General should drop gold now (since 2 updates or something, on top of the RIG items that every boss drops).

[Calodan]

We are rattling the bars because something is not right and went wrong in the changes when the RIG was connected to the chests.

Calodan is right. I just found out that I failed to flag the chests correctly for the RIG system, meaning that the 25% of chest loot that is generated by the RIG is made with CR 1 no matter the chest level. I fixed it just now, and hopefully it will make it into the upcoming update.

Thank you! I really appreciate someone finally taking a look! The problem with me saying something is that I am a known loot whiner. It is like the boy who cried wolf for me.

Will go back to my daily scheduled RP sessions and looting will leave this subject alone for awhile or unless something still seems off.

No problem Vale! Thanks for giving the Fire Giant Boss some gold drop. That guy is a world wrecker for sure. Harder to beat than the Balor! Good work server peeps on that guy! Really gives you a taste of fear of dying!

Peace be the journey.

[Lockonnow]

well any boss has a liar with treasure so any boss sould drop something tha tis what i wish

[chad878262]

So that's why about 1 in 10 chests I opened the last couple times I was out adventuring were empty... LOL!

[Winterborne]

There goes my copper necklace collection.

[Egg Shen]

We have a system where anyone can make enough money to get at least a few great items after playing awhile. That's a good thing imo, since I don't want a soulcrushing grind. But the remaining drops that are slightly better than what you can buy in a store need to remain rare. If they weren't, and we all got them, then what would be the point of ever looting anything again?

This is interesting. The snarky beast in me wants to suggest that with no reason for grinding, we might actually try something new...like role playing! Honestly, for those who love the grind from an OOC viewpoint, there will always be a reason to do so. If you perfect one character, well then you simply start another.

But it does bring up an issue which clever scripting and/or out-of-the-box thinking could solve. Currently, we have no serious gold sinks that have actual in-game meaning. I once played on a server where your kingdom relied on you for gold in order to function. For example, to get npc guards to protect your various territories the coffers needed a certain amount of gold. They could also be upgraded to be quite scary with even more gold. Those who donated the most gold would have titles as well. There were all sorts of systems tied into the acquisition of funds, so that even if you totally kitted out your character with epic equipment, there was still plenty of reason to adventure. (Rogues could steal from other treasuries as well, and add the funds to theirs )

maybe we can dream up some things like that which would fit the lore of our server? And if we did, then maybe we could aim for something under the two year mark to get a character outfitted with dream equipment, since there would still be a reason to grind (as we seem especially keen on protecting that particular play style).

[Nemni]

This is interesting. The snarky beast in me wants to suggest that with no reason for grinding, we might actually try something new...like role playing!

No one forces anyone to grind. You don't need items before you start RPing. And it's not an either or between killing stuff and RPing. Most people do a bit or both. Many people RP while fighting stuff. Like adventurers But if there was nothing left to fight for then that part of the game would be basically cut off.

But yeah, optional gold sinks could be good.

[metaquad4]

No one forces anyone to grind. You don't need items before you start RPing. And it's not an either or between killing stuff and RPing. Most people do a bit or both. Many people RP while fighting stuff. Like adventurers But if there was nothing left to fight for then that part of the game would be basically cut off.

But yeah, optional gold sinks could be good.

No, you don't. Anyone can do certain forms of RP, like campfire RP and less intensive events/mini events. Also, for looting, most people want to get it done as quick as possible. And most people don't RP back when doing it. You'll stop and type, and notice that your group has gotten very far ahead by the time you are done typing. That discourages RP while adventuring for most, as well. Also, RP while grinding in the same areas tends to get monotonous for most. There are only so many times you can RP killing the same pack of X creature, after all. Its like talking about work to your co-workers while working a crappier job. Its always going to be the same work. Naturally though, like in that example, you can always RP talking about other stuff (as you would talk about other stuff with your hypothetical co-workers). But, like campfire RP, this can run dry quickly as well.

Regarding items in RP:

--Conflict RP often results in at the very least roll-based PvP, if not mechanical PvP.

--DM events require skill rolls and certain items can also enhance your "RP power". RP your character sheet requires certain level of skills and items as well (certain items do have both mechanical and RP value, and you can't RP an item that isn't there). Certain items also give unique abilities to your character, as listed either in their description or as feats.

--Being a HiPsing character requires you have the highest tier of stealth loot, if you want to reliably play the spy or sneak role. Detectors gain a big advantage inherently, due to the way nwn2 handles stealth, so sneakers need those bonuses to get by. Plus, with the added disguise system, that introduces another skill (disguise, or bluff if you have master of disguise) that will require items to back it up.

Items, like levels, don't just give you mechanical power. They also give you what I call "RP power". This means you can do more in RP than "Joe Smith" beside you, or do what "Joe Smith" can do, but better. That is just the nature of making your character more powerful.

Grinding isn't just beneficial for mechanical power, it also gives you the means to enhance your RP power as well.

You are correct, in a sense. Just as with boosting your mechanical power, no one forces you to grind. But there are very heavy incentives to do so.

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That said, regarding gold sinks:

Things like NPC vendors for potions, wands, and scrolls are good. Consumables make excellent gold sinks, and they can be done without infringing on player-crafting-merchant RP. The best way to do this is to jack up NPC prices by say. . .50% more than what a player would craft it at. People can get this consumables (and will get these consumables), but if a player happens to be on, it'll still be cheaper to get it at the player.

Consumables are perhaps one of the best gold sinks, especially if you make consumables that players can't craft but are very expensive. For example:

A staff that grants etherealness (5 charges/use) at a CL of 10.
A book that grants shadow shield (5 charges/use) at a CL of 20.
A dagger that grants mind blank (5 charges/use) at a CL of 20.
A book that grants premonition (5 charges/use) at a CL of 30.

Each of these items might cost 60-90k, and would be available at a relatively easy-to-access vendor. A gold sink can't be so expensive that only the elite can buy them, but it must be expensive enough to be a drain on the buyer's wallet. In addition, it must be powerful enough to make people want to buy it. If no one buys it, then it fails as a gold sink.

--Each of the above items is affordable to a semi-casual grinder, and is likely something they would purchase after they've purchased the rest of their items (as gold sinks usually are).

--Each carries a useful and powerful effect.

--Each requires a large measure of upkeep, ensuring that gold is constantly spent when they are used (and thus, drained from the system). Each item uses 5 charges per use, and since all items have 50 charges total, this means that it will have 10 uses before it needs to be recharged again.

Other gold sinks could include:

--Sanctified Bomb: A throwable item, that causes a CL 25 mass heal upon impact. Costs 3000 gold.
--Magic Circle Dust: A consumable item, that creates a circle against (good/evil) at a CL of 10. Costs 1000 gold.
--Perfect Ninja Powder: A throwable item, that creates a darkness effect around you for 10 rounds, and gives all who are hit by the impact greater invisibility for 10 rounds. Costs 1000 gold.

And other such items. They are less expensive than the charge items, but still have their uses.