Shattered Kingdoms

Because random is actually bad. Random and high variance rewards luck rather than skill.

To some degree, I agree with that statement.

I am in favor of some randomness in order to keep things lively.

Because being able to formulate with a 0.001% chance of error whether or not you will win or not is fun? People get lucky. Skill should not the only factor. If a skilled player loses to someone like me, they should be asking themselves, in-character, "What did I do to upset Sadal/Marfik?" Of course, some people won't, but still, there might be someone who will take it as a way to start up role play. I am not saying make things things 50/50, but add small changes that would be random chance. There should be chaos. There should be luck. Even if it is 1%.

Weapons do variable damage, I don't see why it can't be for ingame lag. Heck, our ticks are semi-random. Even if lag was ranged from .8 to 1.2 (if lag can be set that small) that would add just a little more chaos and people wouldn't as easily be able to plan things. For instance, you always know when someone is getting up from prone. You can easily plan on it.

How about allowing a bypass of the chaos code when someone is prone. It wouldn't be guaranteed and the larger the item, the lower the chance. A dive command or something similar could even be added, throwing yourself prone for the chance to pick something up.

As far as the complaining about loot goes, enchant becoming at least somewhat targetable would actually solve a lot. You get killed and jlooted? So what, just get a new suit made how you want it. Which also would get people more willing to engage in combat in the first place. And since Dulrik has said he doesn't the huge amounts of adamantite stuff aaround, this would make it not so ridiculous running around in tanso if you could tailor it to your needs.

I had an idea earlier last week about enchanting, but because there was talk about changes being in the works, I didn't bother bringing it up. My idea was that when you [cast 'enchant armor' helm], you get the chance of spell failure, chance of equipment blowing up, and chance of equipment becoming enchanted. I left out the chance of it getting faded and it recieving double enchantment for a reason.

If I cast enchant at a breastplate, and it becomes enchanted, I would, as per the current usual, cast identify on it to glean what enchantment was placed on it. As per usual, I would see that now the breastplace has randomly recieved reflex, willpower, fortitude, magical protection, or magic resistnce on it.

This is where things would be different. Instead of one rune, you would get anywhere from three (you gain access to enchant armor at expert, aka level 30) to five runes(grandmaster), depending on the level of enchanter. After a piece of equipment is magical, it would no longer be able to be enchanted.

This would almost require a spell that specifically fades things. Perhaps dispel magic could be used to target in a new way to disenchant things you're holding, or a new "disenchant" spell.

In the end, people who spend more time on their gear would have better items, but wouldn't be able to spend 10+hours into min/maxing their equipment. People will better be able to control what type of enchantments their equipment has, and it makes them choose between making sure that will save is really really high, or spreading the runes out.

Math shouldn't always = skill. In-game ability and good decision making and properly reading your opponent should also count for something.

People should just stop commenting on enchant changes for now.

Agreed