Dungeon Balancing

[Cornuto]

I ran the areas as a PC a handful of times post-update and found 2 different peices of the set in chests.

The enemies have been updated to use the new loot system but I believe the chests in the area are still using the old.

[Saulus]

It's good to hear Ixis etc is getting used but what I really want to know is... what areas are people NOT going to? With exception of places like Shar's Abaddon, Cartel Mountain and the Sestra Caves (which are slated to be retweaked).

Before Ixis was someplace no one went to, it seems that is changing, same for the Spine. What area, regardless of level, do you just not see yourself going to because it's not worth the time? Mossdale is still being tweaked.

[Doubtful]

Having the things that can do the things to pass the puzzle can be awkward, making ways to have them available to other folks might be useful.

The actual puzzle itself is fine.

[ForsakenMustache]

What area, regardless of level, do you just not see yourself going to because it's not worth the time?

The Untrodden Grounds in the Viridale come to mind. I don't know if it's because there's anything necessarily wrong with the area, just no one ever seems to go there. Maybe the encounters by the Temple of Auril could be a little more special than the standard mephit/elemental gang found everywhere else in the Spine, as well.

[Torgar]

Until the loot tables for Mossdale finally go in, I agree it is entirely too much risk versus the reward.

[Seheren]

Honestly I do not see myself going to the Necropolis, but much of this is because of the type of PC's I play. It is very difficult for many non-divine or dex based chars. That is the nature of Undead enemies though and there really isn't a way to tweak that. Some higher damage fighters actually do very well there.

The Lizards in Sestra are balanced very well, if not almost too easy. I was under the impression that after myself and another player convinced them to leave that it was mostly off limits, but if that is not the case it is a great place to go. XP and gold are among the best vs. difficulty. I would love to see this dungeon open to more people, perhaps a reskin and relocation to follow the RP?

Another place I think that I would not go are the Naga caves. Ixis is a little easier, and around the same level, so risk vs. reward seems to favor the Lizards. I really can't think of anything else, but I am sure other people have some ideas.

[Cornuto]

It is very difficult for many non-divine or dex based chars.

It should be a quite a bit easier these days.

[GodBeastX]

Undead are crittable and sneak attackable.

[Chiangtao]

I believe many of the monsters are updated, but the encounters may not be. When I went to the Necropolis, I see a majority of colored-named spawns rather than white named spawns. Under the new system, this should not be the case.

[ManUtd4Ever]

I love Necropolis. It is one of my favorite areas because of the sublevel dungeons. Granted, I run this area with predominately higher level toons (All I have)... but it is hard to stay away.

The mass spawn of Blue Named zombies or the such is a bit much once you first enter the crypt, but otherwise the Dungeon is laid out very well and allows for the use of tactics throughout.

Cheers!

[ForsakenMustache]

Just ran through the Necropolis solo with my level 20 fighter. The encounters are balanced nicely and I like how they drop useful potions as well as the occasional green item (got a decent pair of gloves). Couldn't open any of the chests since I don't have open lock so can't comment on those. I got all the way to the lower level, then I ran into the aforementioned broken secret doors and thus wasn't able to get into the circular room.

Would players go there? Hard to say. I figured out the puzzle after a while and eventually bothered to take the time to acquire the resources to complete it. There's probably going to be a bunch of people who won't get past it. Either they'll just give up or realize what they need to have to get through it and decide it isn't worth it. That, coupled with the fact that it's kind of a hike through some moderately tough encounters to even get there, sort of tips the scale in favor of Argyle/Mirakus for a lot of players. In order for the Necropolis to compete with those areas, the loot and/or XP is going to have to make up for the lack of convenience, and hey, maybe they do. I unfortunately wasn't able to get either so I can't really say.

[Dragor]

Mossdale, border forest and forge

The AB has been significantly reduced, perhaps its just a tad too low but that may just be the concealment bonus

Damage seems to be reduced significantly as the archers were barely getting by 10 dr

The archers still have a pretty high LOS range

White name archers still seem to be taking up a disproportionatly large majority of the encounter groups

I think the AB is a bit too far in the low direction
As long as the archers are meant to spawn in these numbers damage is fine (for someone with mitigation or avoidance)
The green beserkers have alot of HP which is great

[lostinspace]

Hello! New player to Sundren here, posting about my initial dungeon run. Ideally, I should have posted this immediately after the experience, but I've only now registered on the forums.

With almost no foreknowledge of the server, I saw my character wake up in the Legion chapter house in Sundren. My general modus operandi when trying a new server is to set up my character's initial equipment and supplies and then wander through the starter dungeon, while observing how the players here do their thing.

The NPC I started next to gave me a quest to assist a Legion investigation. I thought it might be an 'introduction to the starter city' or 'path to the starter dungeon' quest, given the location of the NPC that offered it. I followed that quest, wandering around the city and speaking to the correct NPCs. I was able to find item merchants along the way thanks to map markers, getting a starter set of armor and a basic weapon. (I had much more trouble finding some healing supplies like kits and potions.)

So far, so good.

The investigation led me into the aqueducts of Sundren, or the sewer area. I assumed this to be the 'level 3 newbie area' since the quest pointed in that direction. And that quest was given by the NPC I started next to, so what could go wrong?

As it turns out, the gray oozes absolutely slaughter a level 3 character. They have DR, lots of HP, and can easily hit using a touch attack for a third to half of your HP. The big bloated gelatinous cubes are just as bad - they even start the fight with Grease so you can't run away once you figure out you're outmatched. The humanoid cutpurses were much more reasonable, though the Blue-named ones showed up frequently enough that you died more often than not.

After lots of mucking about, dying, getting dropped to unconsciousness, resting at every opportunity (a tactic that seemed fairly cheap to a newcomer, even if it might be intended given the lack of rest restrictions on low-level characters), I eventually asked a friend for advice. There, I learned that the level 3 area most people actually go to was somewhere else entirely.

And it was quite a journey to get there. I don't think I would have found that area or those goblins without an older character guiding me there. Especially since, at level 3, the green-named Privateer orc muscle is easily capable of stomping you.

Things would've probably been easier with other level 3 party members. But the starter city seemed quite empty - and no wonder, given that most people go straight for those hills.

In short, I think the new player experience could use some work. At the least, the deceptive starter quest that sends you into a tough, unforgiving area (for level 3s) should be looked at. If the aqueducts were rebalanced into an accessible newbie area, that'd be great.

[Doubtful]

Out of interest, which class mix is your character?

[Seheren]

Personally, I thought the starter area should be elsewhere, probably the Gate itself as it was. This may alleviate some of those issues.