Between lockpick skill and minimum pick requirements, I'm at a point where I need boxes from creatures 10-20 levels above me. And it will only get worse. While I understand the reasoning behind it, it's still spectacularly ill-designed to push players to a point where they can't advance without getting boxes from other people. Particularly when the market for player pickers was cratered by giving the NPC locksmith warp speed.
Please to reduce roundtimes for disarm, picking, measuring, etc. and keep rep-able lock ranges around the player's level.
JGALT22
OM1E5GA
Re: Like level critters
09/27/2017 12:58 PM CDT
<Between lockpick skill and minimum pick requirements, I'm at a point where I need boxes from creatures 10-20 levels above me. And it will only get worse.>
What level are you?
Above level 30ish, the correlation of box difficulty and creature level starts to break down. Moor witch boxes tend to be harder then a krolvin corsair boxes even though they're several levels lower, for example. Similarly, lesser minotaur boxes require my 3x rogue to use lores most of the time but boxes from then plane 2 of the rift usually don't even require vaalin picks.
Starchitin
A severed gnomish hand crawls in on its fingertips and makes a rude gesture before quickly decaying and rotting into dust. A gust of wind quickly scatters the dust.
What level are you?
Above level 30ish, the correlation of box difficulty and creature level starts to break down. Moor witch boxes tend to be harder then a krolvin corsair boxes even though they're several levels lower, for example. Similarly, lesser minotaur boxes require my 3x rogue to use lores most of the time but boxes from then plane 2 of the rift usually don't even require vaalin picks.
Starchitin
A severed gnomish hand crawls in on its fingertips and makes a rude gesture before quickly decaying and rotting into dust. A gust of wind quickly scatters the dust.
PEREGRINEFALCON
Re: Like level critters
09/27/2017 06:29 PM CDT
At 2x training I did not find this to be an issue. At three times training I can see why it might be.
-- Robert
The Power of Bacon:
You accept Kirryk's offer and are now holding a maple and bacon bar.
>
You are now level 24!
-- Robert
The Power of Bacon:
You accept Kirryk's offer and are now holding a maple and bacon bar.
>
You are now level 24!
RATHBONER
Re: Like level critters
09/27/2017 07:21 PM CDT
>At 2x training I did not find this to be an issue. At three times training I can see why it might be.
The higher your training, the lower the multiple of your maxlock gives reps. There's very little in it for the minimum lock size you can rep from through mid-level and 3x can actually get reps off smaller locks when first starting out.
There are a few areas with critters that have dismally low lock sizes for their level, you just have to shift hunting ground or wait till you level out of them if you find yourself in one. I got stuck around level 25-30 in the Landing, but moving to Icemule fixed it.
The higher your training, the lower the multiple of your maxlock gives reps. There's very little in it for the minimum lock size you can rep from through mid-level and 3x can actually get reps off smaller locks when first starting out.
There are a few areas with critters that have dismally low lock sizes for their level, you just have to shift hunting ground or wait till you level out of them if you find yourself in one. I got stuck around level 25-30 in the Landing, but moving to Icemule fixed it.
OM1E5GA
Re: Like level critters
09/27/2017 08:09 PM CDT
I believe LM was released around the time my rogue (3x in all picking skills) was hunting hisskra... I never had problems getting boxes for reps from like-level hunting around the Rest, though I did get plenty of reps from people bringing me their boxes to open as well.
I did have to put picking skills on hold for a while when I was leveling out of swamp hags and didn't want to leave RR... until the Keep was released and the Citadel was changed to be like it is today. Ended up mastering LM when I was hunting tomb trolls. So from level 30-60 there's at least one place you can get plenty of boxes for reps from like-level hunting.
<I got stuck around level 25-30 in the Landing>
Until you get up to minotaurs, the Landing is the worst place in Elanthia to hunt for so many reasons....
Starchitin
A severed gnomish hand crawls in on its fingertips and makes a rude gesture before quickly decaying and rotting into dust. A gust of wind quickly scatters the dust.
I did have to put picking skills on hold for a while when I was leveling out of swamp hags and didn't want to leave RR... until the Keep was released and the Citadel was changed to be like it is today. Ended up mastering LM when I was hunting tomb trolls. So from level 30-60 there's at least one place you can get plenty of boxes for reps from like-level hunting.
<I got stuck around level 25-30 in the Landing>
Until you get up to minotaurs, the Landing is the worst place in Elanthia to hunt for so many reasons....
Starchitin
A severed gnomish hand crawls in on its fingertips and makes a rude gesture before quickly decaying and rotting into dust. A gust of wind quickly scatters the dust.
JGALT22
Re: Like level critters
09/28/2017 08:34 AM CDT
The responses thus far are well-intentioned nudges and suggestions on how to mitigate the problem, but don't address the core issue, to me, of losing the ability to self-supply a way to advance.
When I need experience, I can get it from like level critters. When I need LM reps, I can't get them from like level critters. LM checks my lockpick skill to determine if I can get a rep while the experience system doesn't give a hoot if I'm highly trained or not. LM checks my lockpick quality to determine if I can get a rep while the experience system doesn't give a hoot if I'm wielding a Sword of Doom or plain ol' 4x junk. Same thing with guild skill critter reps. I either need someone else or an alt to supply me with appropriate boxes or accept that an already slow pace guild skill will get reduced to an absolutely glacial pace. This was more palatable when you could plop down in the east tower and pick a flood of boxes that higher level characters brought to you, but those days are gone and there's no indication that I'm aware of that Simu thinks it's a problem or a priority to address. Failing player pickers being made an attractive option for customers, please get rid of lockpick quality requirements for LM.
When I need experience, I can get it from like level critters. When I need LM reps, I can't get them from like level critters. LM checks my lockpick skill to determine if I can get a rep while the experience system doesn't give a hoot if I'm highly trained or not. LM checks my lockpick quality to determine if I can get a rep while the experience system doesn't give a hoot if I'm wielding a Sword of Doom or plain ol' 4x junk. Same thing with guild skill critter reps. I either need someone else or an alt to supply me with appropriate boxes or accept that an already slow pace guild skill will get reduced to an absolutely glacial pace. This was more palatable when you could plop down in the east tower and pick a flood of boxes that higher level characters brought to you, but those days are gone and there's no indication that I'm aware of that Simu thinks it's a problem or a priority to address. Failing player pickers being made an attractive option for customers, please get rid of lockpick quality requirements for LM.
OM1E5GA
Re: Like level critters
09/28/2017 09:00 AM CDT
<When I need LM reps, I can't get them from like level critters.>
What everyone thus far has been telling you is that there are like level critters you can get boxes from that will give reps, just not what you're hunting. A couple of use have even mentioned where you can go to get these boxes.
Starchitin
A severed gnomish hand crawls in on its fingertips and makes a rude gesture before quickly decaying and rotting into dust. A gust of wind quickly scatters the dust.
What everyone thus far has been telling you is that there are like level critters you can get boxes from that will give reps, just not what you're hunting. A couple of use have even mentioned where you can go to get these boxes.
Starchitin
A severed gnomish hand crawls in on its fingertips and makes a rude gesture before quickly decaying and rotting into dust. A gust of wind quickly scatters the dust.
RATHBONER
Re: Like level critters
09/28/2017 09:43 AM CDT
>When I need experience, I can get it from like level critters.
Experience is actually a far bigger problem than locks. I moved town once because of a problem with locks and 4 times because there were no huntable critters. The main reason I stopped playing my smith as main and just pick locks for my other characters now is the lack of any suitable hunting to do when business is slack.
Experience is actually a far bigger problem than locks. I moved town once because of a problem with locks and 4 times because there were no huntable critters. The main reason I stopped playing my smith as main and just pick locks for my other characters now is the lack of any suitable hunting to do when business is slack.
JGALT22
Re: Like level critters
09/29/2017 11:25 AM CDT
<What everyone thus far has been telling you is that there are like level critters you can get boxes from that will give reps, just not what you're hunting. A couple of use have even mentioned where you can go to get these boxes.
You're recommending I uphunt about 10 levels which is much slower due to danger, longer kill time, needing spells, etc., etc. Also, it isn't like level. Which is what I've been saying.
You're recommending I uphunt about 10 levels which is much slower due to danger, longer kill time, needing spells, etc., etc. Also, it isn't like level. Which is what I've been saying.
OM1E5GA
Re: Like level critters
09/29/2017 02:33 PM CDT
<You're recommending I uphunt about 10 levels which is much slower due to danger, longer kill time, needing spells, etc., etc. Also, it isn't like level. Which is what I've been saying.>
Well I did ask what level you were and don't recall seeing an answer... but since hisskra were the lowest level critter I mentioned at levels 30-33 (depending on which type you're in front of), I'll assume you're in yer early 20'a.
Krolvin pirates at level 18 have decent boxes for their level, though if you're more then a couple levels into your 20's will prolly mostly be too easy. Starting around level 22-23, depending on your comfort level, the Karazja Jungle can be hunted and drops a good number of boxes (just have to avoid the chieftains for a few levels) the jungle trolls are still about 3-4 levels above you at that point, but aren't difficult to kill. That will keep you stocked with boxes until level 30 or whenever you're ready to head over to hisskra.
I'm not personally familiar with Icemule, but someone else posted in this thread that their boxes tend to drop with harder locks then around the Landing, so I'm sure something there would suit yer needs as well. Also, it's been my observation that hunting pressure SEEMS to play at least a small role in lock sizes (at least within what a critter's normal lock range is), so you might want to give centuars in Solhaven a try since the areas around that town are generally under-hunted.
Starchitin
A severed gnomish hand crawls in on its fingertips and makes a rude gesture before quickly decaying and rotting into dust. A gust of wind quickly scatters the dust.
Well I did ask what level you were and don't recall seeing an answer... but since hisskra were the lowest level critter I mentioned at levels 30-33 (depending on which type you're in front of), I'll assume you're in yer early 20'a.
Krolvin pirates at level 18 have decent boxes for their level, though if you're more then a couple levels into your 20's will prolly mostly be too easy. Starting around level 22-23, depending on your comfort level, the Karazja Jungle can be hunted and drops a good number of boxes (just have to avoid the chieftains for a few levels) the jungle trolls are still about 3-4 levels above you at that point, but aren't difficult to kill. That will keep you stocked with boxes until level 30 or whenever you're ready to head over to hisskra.
I'm not personally familiar with Icemule, but someone else posted in this thread that their boxes tend to drop with harder locks then around the Landing, so I'm sure something there would suit yer needs as well. Also, it's been my observation that hunting pressure SEEMS to play at least a small role in lock sizes (at least within what a critter's normal lock range is), so you might want to give centuars in Solhaven a try since the areas around that town are generally under-hunted.
Starchitin
A severed gnomish hand crawls in on its fingertips and makes a rude gesture before quickly decaying and rotting into dust. A gust of wind quickly scatters the dust.
RATHBONER
Re: Like level critters
09/30/2017 10:06 AM CDT
The Icemule critters I went for were farmhands, if you avoid undead I suspect Icemule won't be any better than the Landing but if you are a Voln type, its definitely a good place to get rep locks. Farmhands then corpses then seekers are squishy and have big locks that will keep you in reps from high 20s to mid 50s. The non-corps have good locks too, but will be rather more tricky for a rogue to hunt these days than when I was level 30.
I suspect there's also something of an effect from guild skills being made much easier to progress, so you've got to the higher mod ranks at a lower level than people did in the past. If you are level 20 and needing to use veniom already, I suspect you'll have issues in most towns.
I suspect there's also something of an effect from guild skills being made much easier to progress, so you've got to the higher mod ranks at a lower level than people did in the past. If you are level 20 and needing to use veniom already, I suspect you'll have issues in most towns.
