Stargazer safety!

FleetingHeart · April 21, 2009, 10:59:45 AM

After playing a stargazer for a few days (as a stealth class, no less) I can see where some survival perks might be in order.

Climbing down out of the village can be dangerous enough, though I have yet to die there directly... the zone itself is home to some rather deadly spawns.

The next zone over as well.

However, the kicker is the spider forest. Yeouch! I feel genuinely sorry for any non stealth class trying to get through there. Even with some basic stealthability (druid stealth really sucks at level 2) I would have died numerous times getting through there if it weren't for a stack of DM supplied invis potions. Even with those I did end up getting surrounded by about 5 spiders that decided invis wasn't enough to stop them.

I don't begrudge the deaths, in fact I was laughing my ass off most of the time. Especially when I'd get attacked by cats and dragged into negative health before I could AE them. Only to recover to 1 hp and get batted right back down to -5. (One cat had me pinned for a good 20 minutes, ^_^ )

However! For a non stealther... Sorc, fighter, or barb... I could never imagine 'living' in the stargazer village as a stargazer. At least until invis came along as a sorc, and probably not until much later as a barb or fighter. That's just too big of a risk to take. 1-2 spiders those classes could handle easily, but a swarm of 4-5 would be a quick death.

So, I'd propose some alternate methods of leaving the starwood. Perhaps a system of tunnels underground? They wouldn't neccessarily have to have been dug by the stargazers. Just by a friendly burrowing creature large enough to permit a halfling in it's burrow. Giant moles? Or even a naturally occuring cavern system caused by water runoff.

Or... Giant hawks? ^_^

Other than that, I'd have to say more quests would be needed to help provide those characters a means to leave when they wish. It just seems odd to me that stargazers, who dislike and avoid the Zigg... would have exactly one way of avoiding it altogether as they roam their island. A tunnel full of nasty spiders :-(

Or maybe I'm wrong entirely and have simply missed some things. Exploration efforts are still being carried out.

MexicanGunslinger · April 21, 2009, 11:58:58 AM

why not stick to the village in which you come from than, and develop plots from there?

Ebok · April 21, 2009, 12:41:51 PM

Mex, don't be stupid.

Having played a stealthy Ranger around these areas, I can concur with the sentiments, these spawns do not allow for a person to travel through near or around them in most cases. While I think this is the intention (keep the wilds dangerous) Those that are expected to be in the wilds should have a bit of help. imo.

Arthurian_Spark · April 21, 2009, 01:33:04 PM

Stargazer only swift travel system. Swinging through the trees!

BringOutYourDead · April 21, 2009, 05:20:44 PM

Quote from: MexicanGunslinger;121211why not stick to the village in which you come from than, and develop plots from there?

Unfortunately Castle Vrazdn isn't run as often as, say, the wild orc raiders.

AllMYBudgies · April 21, 2009, 05:31:36 PM

I would like to see something that saw wild characters having an easier means of travelling around. I like that the island setting is dangerous, but for Stargazer's and other wild folks it can be a little daunting and off putting to go trekking at times.
I can't honestly think of anything to suggest, though, that wouldn't be easily exploited or stop every other pc using such a route...

UnholyWon · April 21, 2009, 05:31:46 PM

Quote from: Arthurian_Spark;121233Stargazer only swift travel system. Swinging through the trees!

I am so for the above!!! :)

Cruzel · April 21, 2009, 05:36:04 PM

Stargazer pocket plane portal network >.>

Joe Desu · April 21, 2009, 06:35:37 PM

Hidden tunnels that only allow Halfling sized folk through?

artfuldodger99 · April 21, 2009, 08:01:51 PM

We have i believe an animal empathy system that works innately so that many creatures (if you stack up enough Animal Empathy as a druid) leave you alone entirely, and you don't need to use AE indivdiually (though they are still nominally hostile).

Would it be possible or desirable to give all stargzer a racial benefit that a number of creatures will leave them alone, irrespective of class?

I am think cats of all sorts, spiders, most "natural" creatures would leave them be.

I don't think this would be over powered and would be very cool for stargazers and let them *feel* IG that this was their home, at which they are at ease in.

Obviously if some Ogre or goblin is about they still need to flight/flee etc.

Ebok · April 21, 2009, 08:37:40 PM

artfuldodger99, I have never seen that to be true. Having 20+ AE at times, and I still get mauled by animals if they spot me through stealth. I would love someone to confirm the existence of said ability.

Cruzel · April 21, 2009, 09:00:53 PM

Quote from: artfuldodger99;121306We have i believe an animal empathy system that works innately so that many creatures (if you stack up enough Animal Empathy as a druid) leave you alone entirely, and you don't need to use AE indivdiually (though they are still nominally hostile).

I am pretty sure this doesn't work properly to begin with. I have played a lot of PCs with a fairly good AE, and despite Snoteye's claims, I've never noticed any animals giving me any more slack than they would give a non wilderness PC.

Not to mention AI tweaks in general are pretty meh. AI is something that is hard to change or add to without causing undesired bugs!

Daemonic Daz · April 21, 2009, 09:58:01 PM

Back in the Underdark when I played a druid, alot of animals didn't attack me at all. No idea if these benefits have been brought into EFU:A however, I'd assume they were though.

Sternhund · April 21, 2009, 10:12:49 PM

Quote from: MexicanGunslinger;121211why not stick to the village in which you come from than, and develop plots from there?

Dumb.

Quote from: Joe DesuHidden tunnels that only allow Halfling sized folk through?

Awesome.

FleetingHeart · April 21, 2009, 11:29:47 PM

As far as the AE thing. It was definitely working in the UD. Most hostile animals I could walk right up to... of course I think my AE was over 30. That doesn't help vs spiders though :-(

But really, it need not even be strictly Stargazer transportation. I am just struck by the fact that frequently in the UD if a path was blocked, there was some other way around. I'm sure this holds true throughout most of the islands now. Just not in these three zones. To get anywhere I either have to brave a spider infested forest, or a spider infested forest + a spider infested tunnel... and heavens only knows where that leads. I haven't been brave enough to return.

I guess on the bright side, if I do make it unscathed to the tunnel, I never have to fight more than 2 spiders at once >.>

Again, however, it's not the stealth and invis classes that need worry. It's the barbs and the warriors that are really the hardest hit.