Faction stores!

[gamestarmike]

First everyone give a big thanks to Staff for all the hard work, and all the more hard work we are about to beg for from them! <3 ilu staff <3
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I don't know what is in store for the upcoming patch with the Triad getting obliterated and the Left hand of Mundus getting scrapped from Sundren I was wondering since I imagine faction stores were going to get rehauled that now would be a good time to make some suggestions before the big patch rolls on through.

(All my suggestions reflect only the factions and stores I use, people can post here and add what they also think for the different faction stores they use.

My reasoning behind the suggestions of the additions is that if you build it they will come, people will see the added class trees in x/y/z faction and get the opportunity to build/play classes they couldn't before because of the limitations of the faction store )
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1. Blackwood/Exigo

One that that has bugged me is that Blackwood as a mercenary faction that primarily provides soldiers for guarding contracts, be it caravans or installations, that there wouldn't be clerics of helm/waukeen/red knight etc. within the ranks, with only having two gear paths people who wish to play merc characters are forced to chose between two rolls, plate fighter or chainmail range character. There is nothing wrong with the present armor for those two type of classes but that leaves out all the other types of characters that could possibly join. The main focus though is a healing class for the faction.

Exigo merchants have some pretty cool stuff but what they lack are Wizard gear. I made a Exigo Guardian just because I think they have the coolest armor on the server(blue is my favorite!) And have some great zones that aren't used because of the accessibility issues of getting into the city.

Suggestions

-At present, the current character tree for Blackwood is Close melee/Ranger melee, I would like to see Cleric added to that tree to create a balance for the faction to allow players to play cleric as a merc.

-Add a medium armor(since the server removed heavy from the given feats for balance) progression line for clerics in Blackwood

-For the Exigo merchants in Mirakus, maybe go through the gear and make all the different gear they sell open to the public like the dwarf who sells armor at Port Avynthar(who sells really cool armor btw if any new people didn't know)

The gear that is currently sold there is really niche specific with a wide range of hide/chain/halfplate/full/breast etc. They also have some neat weapons that I think the rest of the players outside of the Exigo player faction would love to use(since weapon variety always comes up).

With all the other faction stores the gear that is sold only to the faction fits a progression line and is linear for the specific classes whereas with the two Exigo merchants their gear is all over the place for different types of characters.

-Add Wizard progression gear for the Exigo Merchant faction vendor up in Sundren. It wouldn't be hard to believe Wizards who are only out for money with their craft skills would join a faction like Exigo, this may also breath life into an amazing zone that is greatly underused!
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2. Thayans

All the faction gear is great, the three character trees that are in the faction are Wizard/Knight/Monk. Personally I don't understand why a faction that is flying solo doesn't have cleric gear since Triad hates them and would never work with them and scheming Blackhand are as untrustworthy as working under the Wizard to the left or right of you.

Not being able to group with team good and only team bad isn't cool when you're trying to appear neutral. Having your own clerics from the temple of Kossuth eliminates those concerns.

Suggestions

-You probably guessed it, add cleric line of gear! More red robes!

-Oh and since the Selune temple maybe might should Ihope spring up soon I don't think we need to beg for potions anymore since(though I could be wrong) A vendor might be added there that will sell potions (oh god I really hope so ;_; )

[[DM] Grinning Death]

1. Blackwood/Exigo

-At present, the current character tree for Blackwood is Close melee/Ranger melee, I would like to see Cleric added to that tree to create a balance for the faction to allow players to play cleric as a merc.

There's nothing stopping players from playing clerics in the Blackwood. Any cleric who joined would be melee-oriented, and the armors support that. If you're talking about +WIS items, they're perfectly able to find some through random drops.

-Add a medium armor(since the server removed heavy from the given feats for balance) progression line for clerics in Blackwood

From what I understand, light armor is still available. If clerics want to wear heavy armor in a mercenary faction, I'd suggest a level of fighter.

-For the Exigo merchants in Mirakus, maybe go through the gear and make all the different gear they sell open to the public like the dwarf who sells armor at Port Avynthar(who sells really cool armor btw if any new people didn't know)

That's not particularly feasible at this time, as it requires going in and changing the item property tags on every item in the store.

-Add Wizard progression gear for the Exigo Merchant faction vendor up in Sundren. It wouldn't be hard to believe Wizards who are only out for money with their craft skills would join a faction like Exigo, this may also breath life into an amazing zone that is greatly underused!

The Exigo faction store isn't being updated at this time, because another staff member has plans for the faction that include an overhaul.


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2. Thayans

All the faction gear is great, the three character trees that are in the faction are Wizard/Knight/Monk. Personally I don't understand why a faction that is flying solo doesn't have cleric gear since Triad hates them and would never work with them and scheming Blackhand are as untrustworthy as working under the Wizard to the left or right of you.

Because they're Thayan Red Wizards. Not Thayan priests of Kossuth, nor Thayan anything else. And that's never stopped them from working with undesirables.

Not being able to group with team good and only team bad isn't cool when you're trying to appear neutral. Having your own clerics from the temple of Kossuth eliminates those concerns.

That's not a design defect, it's a feature. Players are always free to make the characters they want, but we're not going out of our way to provide gear for niche classes when it's not in the lore of the faction.

Suggestions

-You probably guessed it, add cleric line of gear! More red robes!

Nope.

-Oh and since the Selune temple maybe might should Ihope spring up soon I don't think we need to beg for potions anymore since(though I could be wrong) A vendor might be added there that will sell potions (oh god I really hope so ;_; )

Ask your friendly Red Wizard to craft some potions. I hear it's a pre-requisite to have a metamagic or a crafting feat to take the class.

The faction stores are designed to offer as many baseline benefits (as in, not class specific) as possible while still sticking to the lore of the faction. If there is a special class because of the lore that is present, the gear will shift to fit that class.

For example, the Red Wizards are primarily wizards and melee fighters (including monks) in the lore. That isn't saying there are no other classes, but those are the ones that will get gear aimed at them. And even if the gear isn't aimed at them, other classes can still benefit significantly from the gear, even if it isn't tailor made for them (such as a mercenary cleric taking a level of fighter to use heavy armor).

[Cornuto]

Add moar monk stuffs plz. (To all stores everywhere)

Monks are rad.

[Jhickey]

One thing I would like to suggest to all the players is use players with the ability to craft. I realize that it is not as special as the high tier faction gear, but it can be good. Plus it aids in the player driven economy, look at the monthly auction happening, there is some nice stuff there.

[sonuvalich]

Ask your friendly Red Wizard to craft some potions. I hear it's a pre-requisite to have a metamagic or a crafting feat to take the class.

I believe he meant potions of cure X or heal, which wizards cannot make. We had an RP thing with the temple of Selune providing us with them as part of the deal to reopen the temple. Because as it stands, the melee types in our faction are forced to rely on bandages and the lower tier cure pots they can buy from vendors.

[[DM] Grinning Death]

Then, I'd suggest setting up a barter with someone who is factioned with a group that revolves around a temple, or who has access to those particular high level potions.

[Jhickey]

Then, I'd suggest setting up a barter with someone who is factioned with a group that revolves around a temple, or who has access to those particular high level potions.

There is a place called Sestra that can handle this! Just see one of our sales reps for more details.

[zypherman]

Then, I'd suggest setting up a barter with someone who is factioned with a group that revolves around a temple, or who has access to those particular high level potions.

What about raising the level of potions in all the potion vendors who sell healing, or at lease temple potion vendors? That way the multiple factions who don't get access to any potion above cure moderate wounds, can feel that they aren't at a disadvantage when they want to RP as certain character.

[zypherman]

One thing I would like to suggest to all the players is use players with the ability to craft. I realize that it is not as special as the high tier faction gear, but it can be good. Plus it aids in the player driven economy, look at the monthly auction happening, there is some nice stuff there.

Because crafting needs to be overhauled/fixed to deal with how it falls off so much compared to faction, or even store loot. This would require a huge amount of work that I wouldn't wish on any of the devs.

[[DM] Grinning Death]

What about raising the level of potions in all the potion vendors who sell healing, or at lease temple potion vendors? That way the multiple factions who don't get access to any potion above cure moderate wounds, can feel that they aren't at a disadvantage when they want to RP as certain character.

While I appreciate the idea, and it is a good one, I'm a little lost on why everyone wants such powerful healing potions in cheap supply. Cheap being, available to anyone who walks into a temple. It's always been my own belief that chugging potions like water while dungeon running takes a good deal of the fun and/or challenge out of it when you know you're able to quickly heal after every encounter and move onto the next one.

That being said, it's not the focus of this particular thread. If you'd like to, you can start a separate one on the issue.

[ManUtd4Ever]

One thing I would like to suggest to all the players is use players with the ability to craft.

I admittedly like the crafting system. Once I retired Angus I began to realize that - as a general rule - the player base appears to shy away from crafting. Right now, only James Frazer is active on the server as a hardcore crafting machine. As a result, James is a national treasure.

The staff has done an outstanding job making the faction stores the best they have ever been. I would encourage the player community to make more crafters and round out the equipment / potions / scrolls / wands options. If you are interested and need to be pointed in the right direction, please post on the forum and a tidal wave of players will respond.

Cheers!

[Farmboy2003]

Every Character I play has to have a skill that works with the crafting system - It's basically a way to add more fun pretendy play time with your fun pretendy play time puppet!

I think factions already are huge institution in Sundren. Streamlining them for all classes with gear, PrC's, and the like seems against the point of factions.

But if you play a Blackwood wizard, or a Thayan Cleric (I seem to remember a thayan Mystic Theurge once?) - They will already be there, and the devs wont have to build something so they will come?

[bipolar bear]

I kinda wanted to bump this thread cause I figured my idea might fit in here. this is in regards to the blacktax store. some time ago it got revamped, how ever I think it only was half done. other than the armors and some wearable jewellery, all the weapons and other trinkets where taken out. (outside of a weapon called the walking stick you can only buy +1 mundane weapons and ammo). now I believe this was going to be fixed but I think this has been well over a year now. so what I was wondering A) is there any plan to have this addressed soon? and B) should it be on the back burner ( I know its not crazy imprortant) but could the faction get store get its weapons and trinkets back until such time as the update is complete? I just feel that compeared to other factions the lack of said items leaves a big hole in the store.

again just a thought. (( this was not ment as a bitch and moan complaint, just wanted to get it out there.))

I made a post about here in the faction fourms ages ago ( just a reference ) http://www.sundren.org/forum/showthread.php?t=21236

[Talleyman99]

I believe weapons are on there way back in. It's just taking time, cause you know all the extra developers and staff we have laying around.

[Memnoch1962]

Just letting everyone know, Dante' Swift is back on a regular basis and can craft most anything needed, just cant enchant armor. He and James Frazer used to work together on crafting a year or so ago. So hit me up in game if you like.