Shattered Kingdoms

In a recent discussion over the new changes to scouts (allowing them to find herbs a status hearlier), I believe Dulrik mentioned his intention to make more significant changes to herbalism in the near future. I don't know how far along this idea is, or to what extent the changes are planned, but maybe it would be useful for us to discuss what we would like to see herbalism become.

Here are the things that I don't like about the current system:

1) "flavor" herbs - dandelions, nuts, poisonous mushrooms. Maybe they are fun for beginning scouts to practice herbalism, but after a certain point they're really just a hassle and a waste of system memory.

2) no cure [edit]deafness[/edit] herb

3) low level cure poison/disease herbs have nearly no chance of working at higher levels.

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Here are my suggestions:

1) make useless herbs unfindable either based on herbalism skill or level.
2) add a cure deafness herb
3) allow scouts a chance to find herbs containing higher level spells.
- scouts don't have identify, so I have two ideas for possibilities-
a) make multiple versions of herbs (slightly different descriptions mean higher level spells contained) and reduce the chance for higher-level scouts to find the lower-level versions.
b) add HERBALISM as a verb for scouts.

Syntax: herbalism <herb>
During their travels, scouts collect a lot of herbs and natural remedies that they use in their craft. As a result, they are often founts of valuable information concerning the proper use and potency of a wide variety of plants and natural cures, allowing them to determine the strength and potential effect of such treasures without resulting to self-experimentation or magic.

Hopefully the upcoming changes will make scouts more fun to play, rather than adding to the seeming downward spiral of the class, and maybe our suggestions can help compensate in case the current idea is to remove haste and sanctuary herbs.

There are actually two different cure blindness herbs.

Sorry i meant cure deafness!

In that case, that's a good point. It's been a long time since herbs got any attention, and I'll agree that cure deafness should be an effect that an herb could provide.

I'd like to see very, very rare herbs in deserts and somewhat less so rare in mountains. Possibly even streams or lakes - some nice aquatic herbs.

I'd like it if you only found herbs while walking,
OR
Have an herbalism off option. Sometimes you just don't want to be laden with herbs.

I'd also like a way to focus on looking for one particular herb. It's a pain in the neck for a GM scout to try to find anything specific in fields or swamps. And I have nooo idea why Rosa keeps picking up those stupid black mushrooms and other pointless herbs.

I'd like to see herbs in valleys.

More roots! I wish scouts could make tea...

Root-beer.

Tapioca pudding too.

Licorice! The possibilities are endless!