Awhile ago I sent an email explaining why I thought this quest was a bit on the easy side for its level range.
Now that people are doing it more often, perhaps this could be looked at again.
Personally I'd much rather see the quest left open to higher levels and toughened, than the DM team having to lower the level maximum because people are doing it too much.
Seconded.
I don't want anything toughened that will harm my ability to earn some gold.
Never done it, but if Ebok agrees, then let it be so.
I would also like to interject that the rewards should also be scaled appropriately if the quest is changed!
The reward, at least the potions part of the reward, is based solely on in - quest happenings, which is a good thing. It isn't fixed at all.
It sure is easy if you've lvl 10. For other lvl teams, i dunno. A cleric does take away the edge of the quest, though.
Might be more of a lvl 8 cap quest, maybe.
As for people doing it more often nowadays, i think it's just a normal thing. People didn't know much about before Sange and Dalman started sending for it, and it's a short quest too.
I have a ton to say, but I fear giving away spoilers. You can essentially die instantly on this quest. But it is pretty easy, other than that.
To be quite honest this quest was never truly tested and finished. It probably does need to be harder, and spiced up a bit - though no promises on that just yet!
It's a slippery slope. Either you're fucked, or nothing on the quest will touch you. it just comes down to being prepared. Personally I like it as it is, as a way for higher levesl to interact with 'lowbies' without the higher level doing everything while hte lowbie hides for fear of death.
The only thing I would suggest is the door at the end. It closes by itself and locks, often trapping your party inside. I think the autoclosing should bel engthened by a lot, or removed.
I'll be happy to suggest improvements, or report glitches I've experienced, if there's an interest from the Dm team.
This quest can be a holy nightmare with the wrong group, it also has a few choice monsters in this that make it especially tough to unprepared parties.
This quest is not easy by any stretch, with it's layouts, monster choice/scaling and it's over all length, this isn't something I'd a lot of players to walk away from without at least 1+ death in the party.
Sorry the above comment from 'guest' is actually mine. Forgot to log in.
I wouldn't mind reducing the max level to 8 or 9.
The issue with 'fixing' it, is that the DM that made it is no longer around (though he may come back whenever he likes), and none of us are usually too quick to begin tweaking someone else's creative property with at least getting an "OK" from the original designer.
I think 9lives got it right, just drop its max level? Leave the rest of it the same.
I have done it with Sange and Dalman and whilst the two of them were fine, it was extremely tough for me (i'm lvl 8)!
I did the Medusa quest last night and if not for the couple heavy hitters in the party we would have had serious issues. I noticed a few “Weapon not effective” emotes popping up.
I've seen Sange and Dalman mentioned a few times. They used to do the quest very occasionally because Sange had a scroll of Stone to Flesh that Dalman could use if the fight went against her. Sange wouldn't have approached a medusa without such a precaution. By no means did they do it every reset like it is being done now, with or without Sange along. People who don't have this scroll are doing the quest every reset, and they don't have hardships on it at all. None of them get stoned, and none of them are worried about turning to stone.
These people aren't level ten, either. And to be honest, a level eight Sange or a level ten Sange isn't much difference against the medusa. Nor is there anything that makes Sange special, or different from any other fighter in the module in regards to this quest.
Closing the quest off to the people who originally used to do it will not make this quest any less done, any less routine, any less taken for granted by the people who do it now, who are not dependant in any way on Sange or Dalman to be able to do it. Its become like Clowns used to be or Trolls still is, overdone and unscary.
Clowns was changed to lower xp yields and increase challenge, and I think such changes would be appropriate for the Medusa quest as well, as my long - ago email also testified - and people weren't even doing it then, except us.
I understand that feeling of not wanting to touch someone else's work, but upping the difficulty with a few additions isn't going to change the feel or essence of the quest.
The reason people don't worry about getting turned to stone, is because people know they are going after a Medusa, so they bring along a cleric who can protect them from this. It's IC to not care, but as the cleric most often brought along - I can say without Sange, the Quest is kinda tough. There is stuff there with a pretty decent AC/Concealment, HiPS which fucks up your attacking, and yes there is always teh chance you are dispelled, and get turned to stone. The quest has it's risks, including almost instant death in more than one way.
The reason it seems easy is because of how prepared you are. If you are not prepared - This quest is hell.
- A Cruzel too lazy to sign in.
As soon as the questgiver tells you what to expect (medusa+shadows), people will prepare accordingly. Even dropping the lvl cap won't help much, as a lvl 7 cleric can have all it needs.
Wether a lvl 10 warrior is present is beside the point, as all quests are really easy if you've got a good frontline. Medusa is easier still as the main fights can take place in bottlenecks, so one tank is enough.
Maybe making free action not work against petrification might be more into the quest atmosphere?
I've never seen the flesh to stone used anywhere else in EfU, so i was wondering why that change had been made.
That way you won't be touching someone elses work... and people WILL fear the Medusa :wink:
Or make the petrification Gaze hellova lot higher DC.
Level range altered.