High danger exploration area

[The Old Hack]

OOC of course, I saw that there was a choke that should have been used, but IC I stayed with the line until it was clear that things were BAD - I had enough buffs up to avoid the archer issues, but in the attempt at withdrawal, was taken out by the aforementioned shadowdancers and death attacks.

*nods* I think the key word here is IC. Acting IC can be painful. If you play an impulsive character that charges ahead, expect to die. A lot. Until you learn from it, that is. On the other hand, playing a seriously overconfident character who keeps getting himself into messes can be great fun for the onlookers at least, once they have learned the painful lesson that trying to save the Mad Charger from himself is very, very hard to do unscathed. See Leeroy Jenkins for why it is sometimes better to just let this kind of guy go and concentrate on keeping your own hide safe.

Have a spot/listener in the group? Did the Shadowdancers have see invis? If not, invis pot.

I can not speak for the other characters, but I invis potted as soon as I saw the charging Orcs. And at that I took arrow damage first. (Mind you, I do not think that it is unrealistic for a shadowdancer to pack and use see invis potions.)

[Howlando]

I think the idea with some of these exploration areas is that some are really dangerous. We have a variety of content in EFU: some is easy, some is dangerous, some is well balanced, some is wildly hard. Scouting and retreat are always (usually?) options.

[FanaticusIncendi]

I love the non-QA high danger areas, they keep you alert! They also illustrate quite effectively the need to have a scout with you who you actually let do their job, something I've found sorely lacking. More high danger random QA's, IMO :D

[Adhesive]

I think the idea with some of these exploration areas is that some are really dangerous. We have a variety of content in EFU: some is easy, some is dangerous, some is well balanced, some is wildly hard. Scouting and retreat are always (usually?) options.

Extra emphasis on retreat. When I did this one being discussed, or a similar one, we would run in and slice up 5-10 orcs, then run and rest up to get spells and trinkets recharged, then run back in and do it all over again. Got through it just fine.

Of course, I was level 9 at the time, and had a level 10 bloodmage with summons... >_> But my point still stands. Our strategy let us two-man it.

[Professor Death]

Extra emphasis on retreat. When I did this one being discussed, or a similar one, we would run in and slice up 5-10 orcs, then run and rest up to get spells and trinkets recharged, then run back in and do it all over again. Got through it just fine.

Of course, I was level 9 at the time, and had a level 10 bloodmage with summons... >_> But my point still stands. Our strategy let us two-man it.

Not finger pointing here, but wouldn't this be considered inappropriate metagaming. If not, why would it be okay since it seems to take advantage of AI and game mechanics....

[Adhesive]

Not finger pointing here, but wouldn't this be considered inappropriate metagaming. If not, why would it be okay since it seems to take advantage of AI and game mechanics....

Not really. The orcs would stay to defend their encampment, the PCs made tactical retreats to rest and regroup. Guerrilla tactics. Only differences would be that if the Ai were smart enough, the orcs would have set up more traps or build more barricades, or send out scouts. Of course, they are orcs, so...

[The Old Hack]

Eh. Players did this on my old server. This was fine with any DMs present (such as me), we had the mobs sally out and attack the camp of the players to keep them on their toes.

For some reason, a lot of players insisted on making camp right next to the transition. This meant that when the monsters transitioned out, they landed right on top of the resting players. I really think the monsters ought to have reported the players for transition camping.

[TeufelHunden]

I have 3 manned this particular instance with 2 level 8s and a level 7 mage. It is not hard if you are prepared appropriately. The losses can be heavy if you aren't. I personally love the challenge something like this brings and wish they appeared more frequently.

[sylvyrdragon]

I have 3 manned this particular instance with 2 level 8s and a level 7 mage. It is not hard if you are prepared appropriately. The losses can be heavy if you aren't. I personally love the challenge something like this brings and wish they appeared more frequently.

My issue with this is that to be 'prepaired properly' you have to Metagame what you will find inside.  By this I mean YOU know exactly what buffs, spells etc to use.  

I've never enjoyed these threads where someone says "This should be looked at because of X" and we get a bunch of responces of "No, just use X,Y,Z and have A,B,C in your party".

I don't always have XYZ and I don't always have ABC in my party and if the area / quest can not be beat without them.. well.. then I will just never do it.

I hate when the ONLY way to beat an area is to have an optimized party or speciafic spells /potions.  Not everyone will have those, so reward the ones that do and the others can ummm.. watch.

My .02 and I'm back gone.

[NecropolisV]

Personally id love to experience that situation :P... anyways the shadowdancer does sound harsh, however if he was using death attack then was likely an assassin(unless shadowdancers get death attack now o.O?)IC wise an assassin or shadowdancer would appear behind the party and proceed to kill as many as possible.
      However i do agree that increased warning would be nice. As to the magi being taken down one after another, you'd think that after seeing the thing appear and drop one the others would instantly turn to eradicate the one idiot orc who dared appear behind them xD, unless he was hasted and never missed and got enough attacks to drop all of you like that :P(its happened to me before lol...)
      In the end I think having a summon or two to protect your hide is always good despite how things are looking, my sorcerer always has a summon or two with him out of action ready to leap to protect him on dangers notice or to take the first hit by being noticed first.

[putrid_plum]

The server is optimized for buffer/melee/damage groups.  It's how things are.  If you don't have that most things will be hard.  The server hardly gives encounters where this group isn't optimal.  Skills and other things mean nothing because usually a DM isn't around.  Even then most DM spice and quests are hardcore crush and again these groups shine still.  It's a fact of the game you need certain buffs and tactics which are OOC known.  You can't stop casual metagaming on a game like this.  It's like quests, once you know them they are very very easy.  Randoms are the same way.  Sad but true, this isn't PnP it's more of a MMO type PvP server.