I suggest a DM stocks the old woman with potions and goes on a spree subduing everyone in the server, in order to make the following point : consumable - induced prowess and courage is lame.

I find it somewhat annoying when weapon masters are actually masters of chugging potion, not weapon skill. When PvP comes down to who can chug the most while getting luckiest with their Dunwarren Dispelling device (or who strikes while prebuffed at an unbuffed target). When the cunning and nefarious rogue won't scout without that camoflouge potion. When nobody will duel unless they can manage to sneak into the Hold or get a buddy to buff them.

The Shadowshielded, hasted, trueseeing, truestriking, Giant strengthed level one Old Lady could then claim the crown of Sanctuary grand champion for ever and brag about what a great warrior she is and how nobody could ever hit her.

Sound silly?

The way NWN in general handles potion chugging is outrageous, yes. EFU has suffered from a noticable consumable bloat from the day it started however.

Back in Alpha if you had a Haste potion in PvP you were all but a god...

Now, well. It's as you described. Not sure what I think of it, mostly because that's just how it is, and likely is here to stay.

Haste potions...

The "OMFG he as a haste potion! EVERYONE RUN" consumable of Alpha...

I am not joking and you know it!

I don't remember it being quite like that, but yes, Sips, haste, and other things have always been extraordinarily important.

So what?

Is our own world all that different? Fighting for resources? Having the biggest and baddest guns/missiles/wands/potions/magic gear?

It was my impression that the only way to get through much of the server was with consumables. So it shouldn't be any different with PvP and quests.

If the quantity of consumables would go down, the quests areas' difficulty should too. I don't think this is a good idea unless the DM's overhall the whole server.

Server wipe recommended. Everyone must start as level 2 slaves with no cool loot to steal from others. :mrgreen:

Potions are relatively good yes, but a simple dispel magic strips most of them.

I think EfU is extremely well balanced.

I think we're not perfect in terms of availability of supplies, but pretty close.

I prefer that supplies be a variable in PvP rather than just whoever has the highest level/best gear/sickest build.

I don't really like when PCs manage to get their hands on highly powerful spells like tensers, sip of the void, holy weapon, divine power, etc. But that's generally rare.

I think it's a fine IC to be disparaging of the use of magic or potions in fights.

What I'm trying to address isn't so much consumable use itself as what seems to be a prevalent attitude toward them thats ingrained on an OOC level.

I'm certainly not saying I'm above that or that my characters don't rely on consumables, because they do.

I feel that honorable or brave characters should not rely on their consumable level when deciding whether to do battle.

I feel its lame for anyone at all to back away from a PvP only to return to instigate it when their consumable level is more favorable.

I feel its lame for characters to flout themselves as great warriors when all their victories were consumable dependant and they would've backed away from those battles without the "requisite amount." This is a lie. If the potions won it for you, then the potions won it for you. Remember, the Cleaning lady could kick your ass with the right consumables.

I'd like to see people be more ICly dismissive of such braggarts and be more willing to fight "cleanly."

After some point characters become little more than platforms for consumable ingestion while in action. There seems to be no individuality, we all need the haste/shield/barkskin for tough encounters. Glug, glug, glug. Don't forget a caster class so you can use wands, they're cheaper. Don't go on this and that quest without this and that consumable, ever. Don't PvP until you can get the drop on the other guy buff-wise. Its time to suddenly renew an old grudge when you know your consumable supply is up to the test.

I'm not saying I'm not like this, either. To some extent its an ingrained part of the game. I wish Bioware had done potions differently, with certain classes being unable to use certain potions, and less mage spells available in potion and wand form. I liked the wizard slayer fighter type that couldn't use potions but gained spell disruption and magic resistance abilities.

I feel there isn't enough variety, both in the mechanics and in the prevalent attitude toward them. I feel people are bandwagoned on a narrow road where certain level of consumables is nessecary to be "competitive."

Seconded.

But it seems that's the way it will stay, and I understand why.

Of course the solution to this would be to make more Dunwarren devices readily available with Dispel Magic to help even the odds when multiple stealthed and pre-buffed characters get the drop on those who are not.

:lol:

There are items to dispel magic that are sold by an NPC Merchant in a rather well traveled area of the server.

Just gotta look around.

I do agree that there is a pretty wild consumable bloat on the server at the moment, and this unfortunately is likely to be around for some time.

However, I don't really buy the argument. I guess if people didn't use potions to kick ass, the people who'd always win would be the powerbuilds. I like that somebody on EFU who uses his potions and magical trinkets wisely can overcome much stronger builds or people higher level than him.

You're right, though. Bioware's handling of potions is ridiculous. A fighter with a large stock of the best potions is a menace on any level. After years of playing, players learn this, and a consumable arms race seems to be the resultant trend. Its something most of us participate in, and is just a facet of the game I guess.

I think this is perfectly IC. Wouldn't you find you had a case of "Dutch courage"* if you had a potion that gave you the strength of a bull, or turned you into some gigantic beast?

*Figure of speech!

So roll up some brewer or wand crafter and become the Lord of War!

....I heard about water, that falls from the sky, going to go look into that now...

[quote="efuincarnate"]So roll up some brewer or wand crafter and become the Lord of War!

That seat is taken, sorry. :D