Shattered Kingdoms

I was going to say something about the Crucible earlier, but decided not to because I didn't think it was productive.

But in the light of discussing builder ways to possibly help the Crucible, I'll go ahead and touch on them.

So, the Crucible isn't just "weak".

It literally offers nothing to warrior and adventurer classes.

Just, actually nothing. If you join the Crucible on something other than a Priest/Warlock/Sorc/Necro/Shaman, you are literally only joining for rp fluff.

Even the caster classes are only getting that 1 'convenience' skill. Nothing about the Crucible actually makes any character stronger. Where as every single class in the game gets at least some benefit from going Hammer or Fist.

The Druids also kind of suffer from this, but they're a grey faction, so I don't think it matters or impacts the game as much (and their stuff is actually awesome for PvE on a caster).

It sounds a little ridiculous, but IDK, there really does need to be some like darkie only energy kama that gives spirit aura if you're in the Crucible, and stuff of that tier, so that there is SOME reason for people to join the Crucible.

The kind of funny thing here is that the Druids did historically have all kinds of special loot just for them, so idk, the precedent is there.

It is also interesting to touch on the matter of ki straps, which now seem to be everywhere in the game, and is kind of symptomatic of the problem that really bugs me about the light vs dark stuff.

Since Ki Straps got added, there has always been more Fist members than Ki Straps. And so Ki Straps keep getting added to the game.

It's one of those things where, at least the perception seems to be "there's more lighties, so lighties get more stuff, resulting in there being more lighties, who need more stuff, while there's less and less darkies, so they can just get ignored".

Like...GGI vault is all lightie items. West Wind is literally a lightie only zone with zappy adamantite and lightie only scripted [REDACTED] everywhere, and one chest of like 5 darkie items which is actually very difficult to get access to.

Where is my darkie only zone with all dope [REDACTED] darkie loot? All the loot in the game that is blatantly evil is somehow not zappy (GGI'S Halberd comes to mind, idk if that ever got changed.)

EDIT: Also, the Aludra jewelry bits that got mentioned. Like. I'm not mad, but I am beyond baffled how in the world that makes it into the game. We're lucky nobody's really made use of those or there'd probably be way more crying.

Where is the darkie loot that's on that tier? Asking for a friend.

It thankfully doesn't cast devotion, and it wouldn't be op since the npc would die since it doesn't heal itself. But the npc should not exist and the the threads alone are super good for their innate runes.

Really? I thought it did, but I did only ever mess with them once, so I'm probably mis-remembering.

I am sure the builder intended it to do so, but I think a code thing prevents npc from casting religion special spells. So currently the NPC says it does, but I assure you it cannot.

I am completely in the dark on the backend. I don't know the line where the code ends and scripting/building begins. I haven't been in that part of the environment. You all have been working some voodoo magic lately that seemed like you could tweak some more things than previously seemed possible without a coder's help.

An example of what you might be talking about would probably be more helpful then.

Not sure what this specifically references, but I know we have a strong builder core and everyone's skills advance as we work. The stuff I've built more recently makes my angel work look like child's play.

Basically, builders can affect items, NPCs, and areas.

Changes and additions to skills and spells, additional features like light-only targeting, expansion of LT functionality, etc are code. Not sure offhand whether anyone but Dulrik can change legal systems, but it's above my level and we've seemingly mostly left that discussion behind, so I'll worry with that if/when it comes to it.

The three areas that come to mind that could vastly benefit from darkie only loot and improvements are Lower Fort Tethos, N'Kashya, and the Pits of Az'pook. Thethos is the best opportunity to start because it has a lot of good stuff to start with, and strong, unique NPCs with high story potential. The Spinner, Grogothetcha the Vile, Boorguard, Baezurun Rausk. All of these are difficult NPCs that offer nothing for beating them. Update the gear on Mortenha and some of the deep-elves down there. Also, Lower Fort Tethos would be a royal pain to get into as a darkie, so that needs to be updated. Currently you can only get there from the Outpost with some way to go ethereal, the Temple of Spiders, or a super confusing set of tunnels from Grogothetcha's lair. You may be able to break into the front door, but I've never tried.

N'Kashya is tricky. That place needs a LOT of work, but it has some really solid potential. Some of those NPCs are really outdated when it comes to their power scale relative to level. If you could improved jade stuff to be better, that would be epic both RP wise with the flavor of the area. Or just scrap the jade thing altogether and start it over.

Pits of Az'pook is the next likely for potential, especially since it drops good vials, but they crumble. Also, you used to be able to buy vials from the Quyling, but not so much anymore. Maybe script him to only sell to those that only complete a quest for dark hearts? Take out Zoorastyr's Staff of Doom, the Uholy Helm of Y'grith, and the G'zorlani's Belt, or make them into something better. All of them are crap and they have weird scripts and no lore. Update the M'greb's blade or replace it? I think it's literally the only thing worth going there for besides the potions, and that's a stretch.

There's also all the crap on the Chancel Guardians that got nerfed ages ago that could be buffed back again and made darkie only. You also have the whole area with the Vaersarlak that literally no one ever goes into except for the one merc that comes along every decade looking for a sickle, and those sickles are mediocre.

The hellion updates you made recently?

I think that however you decide to approach the NW or Dark aura balancing, it might not end up being a one size fits all and you won't be able to please everyone.

The ore dispute probably should have been handled IC. I don't know all the details, just heard about it somewhere and dismissed it. I think if you play a dark aura around other dark auras, betrayal might happen and that it may be more that the player involved might have taken it too ooc or lodged a complaint.

I feel like most people here would handle that situation IC and I think people playing dark auras would look forward to more/fun loot.

Just be patient with us as we might seem demanding, but don't intend to when we present/debate ideas.


I'm not sure what voodoo changes he is talking about. My guess would be hellfire(which was a good change), so there is at least some notion or hope that certain ability variables can be modified.