NPC Sandro-bot?

[sonuvalich]

One of the most popular effects of Sandro's presence in recent months was adventurers being able to fork over ridiculous sums of coin for adventuring buffs. In fact, it's almost been too good to the point that I think people now look at him as a vending machine and not a person, with emotions and needs. I am curious about the feasibility of putting an NPC in the Enclave who could sell buffs via conversation options. This would strum up some popularity amongst adventurers, and get bodies in the Enclave looking around maybe doing some shopping.

I understand that this could be bad, because it might detract from people grouping if they could get buffed into ridiculousness (like what I give) and then go level whatever dungeon they are facing. So perhaps the guy would have to offer only mediocre spells, leaving the real show-shoppers to the PC's. As an added bonus, this could be a way for wizards in groups to forgo some buff spells and use those slots for crowd control or direct damage spells instead.

[FoogooFish]

When that happens, isn't the game then called an MMO?

While I understand your suggestion... all my no. In fact, I hope you as a player are firmly putting down your foot if players are messaging you in /tells for buffs and not using the RP options available. While using /tells to facilitate RP is perfectly fine, 'lol can I has buffs' makes me cringe.

Again, all my no.

[sonuvalich]

All your no are belong to yes!

But seriously, people come find me for buffs. I have a reputation for hanging around the 2nd Wind, so at most I get tells along the lines of "Is Sandro going to be at the inn any time soon?" And I make even my friends RP and pay, so that side is covered.

I am a bit surprised at the strongly negative response and am curious as to the why? This is not me being argumentative, just curious, because I pictured it being a cool, unique facet of the Enclave and you seem to view it as...gross? I don't see how buyable buffs overlaps with MMO mechanics to make something unsavory, so could you expound on that?

[Valhalla]

It's not really any different from potions, when it gets right down to it. Everything from Haste to Heal to the +4's, available whenever you want to spam a hotkey. They're a gold-based opt-out of lesser-quality caster buffs, which is basically what the OP was suggesting.

And afaik, the process of Sandro buffing people is entirely RP'd out, and the transactions are held in the open at the Second Wind Inn. So it makes sense that a city-dweller wouldn't really know this!

[FoogooFish]

Most of it is opinion, but the rest is mechanics.

Things like potions and scrolls and the like are different in that they have pre-scripted durations based on the fact that the items are, well, items. Even a low-level NPC is going to have a higher CL and longer durations than items based on hard-coded mechanics, and trying to ensure that a buff-bot NPC will not be abused so PCs aren't level 20 in a week is not something I want to manage.

Also, for sonuvalich: purple.

[sonuvalich]

Even a low-level NPC is going to have a higher CL and longer durations than items based on hard-coded mechanics, and trying to ensure that a buff-bot NPC will not be abused so PCs aren't level 20 in a week is not something I want to manage.

Also, for sonuvalich: purple.

On the first point, my thought was make it cost a lot more than the scroll/potion would. I sell my suite of buffs for 1,000 gold which is actually on the pretty cheap side considering you get about a dozen 8-9th level buffs. This was partly metagamey on my part, due to the influx of new players who did not have the coin to buy things at a higher price, partly IC wanting to earn money/reputation amongst people to make the Enclave look like reputable business folks while still advancing the idea we would gladly take all your coin.

As to the leveling argument, that's a can of worms. I saw a lot of new players level insanely fast due in part to buying my buffs...but also because they joined factions, did stuff they were probably too low for but had level 20+ faction members help them run, and put in long hours of real time in those weeks of playing. I think the big part wasn't just the buffs, but that they used them in conjunction with allies they made in RP to do hard stuff to earn lots of money and xp. I think that part is actually enriching the player base, because people did scaring stuff empowered with magic, got in trouble, had misadventures, etc. and it was fun and let to lots of opportunities to interact in groups.

For the last part I say again: mmmm, purple.

[FoogooFish]

What you do IC is what you do IC; if a DM had/has issue with Sandro providing wards, then that's for a DM to handle.

Dev-side, though... in the past, the decision has been made to limit casters - such as when a majority of rest areas were removed. In my opinion, it would go against that sentiment to implement a NPC where PCs could purchase buffs. What would prevent a spellcaster from purchasing wards himself or herself and then saving nukes for pew-pew-pew? Yes, hypothetical what-ifs, but I'd rather see PCs in need of protection continue to get it from other PCs.

[Lotus]

The long answer is no.

The short answer is no.

[cmosier]

I'll take Foogoo's side on this. The way it is now, you have to RP friendships and deals with people to get good buffs, and I think that's for the better.

I still love you though, sonuvalich.

[wangxiuming]

I am personally ok with people selling buffs, but im not sure about having an npc do it. At least a pc selling buffs promotes the possibility of roleplay, whereas an npc ... does not really.

[sonuvalich]

I liked Lotus's answer best.

[Mournas]

Perhaps the vendor could sell ... cake ... Thayan Cake ... just don't ask for the ingredients!

[Lugwy]

Cake? Meh. Cookies are the way to go.

And more beards and Doubtful moustaches for the golems.

[sonuvalich]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Sp-VFBbjpE

And fie to Lugwy for stealing my moustache plans!

[Talleyman99]

To think Bram used to give buff out for free as long as you where doing something to help the valley (or lied and told him you were) but yeah.... no buff bots please.