Anyone else feel that charms might need a bit nore work?

[Cigarskunk]

Trying to have a productive discussion on charms here.

The whole idea was a good one - an item which grows as you grow as well as some special items with some interesting effects based off of your playing style - great idea, ends the twinking/recomended levels debate and maybe even smooths out the economy a little since there's, in theory, a little less recycling.

Unfortunately, it would seem that the vast majority of charms don't really provide any real benefit, especially considering the level of mobs they drop off of - it's like making the PoP boss' main loot a FS dagger and a silver jasper ring.

[Pojodan]

I get the distinct feeling that charms are in the 'We've released new stuff before that seemed balanced but turned out to be way, way too powerful, so we're releasing this thing so almost completely useless to start so we can see how they affect the game in their practically useless state then incease their power slowly to the point we want them at' stage.

Remember Windblades? Solstice Earrings? Stein of Moggok? A good addition to the game, but threw balance off a bunch when they came into play due to their high power and sudden huge availability.

In time charms will drop everywhere, I'm certain of it.. at the very least off of high end bosses, but for now they're little trinkets for those lucky enough to have come across one (Or crazy enough to have cleared an entire part of a zone for 12 hours straight) that don't really change much.

/feedback at will

[Cigarskunk]

I get the distinct feeling that charms are in the 'We've released new stuff before that seemed balanced but turned out to be way, way too powerful, so we're releasing this thing so almost completely useless to start so we can see how they affect the game in their practically useless state then incease their power slowly to the point we want them at' stage.

That's bad - I can just see this process -

"OK, charms are almost completely useless and they aren't having any effect on game balance, let's try jacking them up to 'just about completely useless.' Any problems?"

"Nope - may as well have been nearly completely useless."

"No problem, let's see how just about completely useless works out for a few months. In the meantime, we can work on cultural tradeskills - I don't think that wood elves have enough cultural tradeskills yet, let's give them cultural cooking, but the food can only be eaten by Karrana worshipers - except for rogues of course."

"Great idea - while we're at it, let's make it so that every recipe requires enchanted cooking oil - we can make it a 65th level enchanter spell that's the rare drop on a teir 4 PoP."

That's of course if everything works out very well for us.

[Cantatus]

Charms were indeed a good idea.

The problem they seem to have though is that they limited it as an "extension feature." It seems they couldn't program it so people without LoY couldn't equip stuff in the charm, so their only alternative was to limit charms solely to the 5 LoY zones and make them all no drop (otherwise a friend could camp and get one for you).

Of course, limiting them to only 5 zones meant there were a lot less coming into the world and a majority of them would be geared towards 35-50ish. There are likely only 20-25 charms in the game. Imagine how many leggings or bracers there are.

I'm sure eventually they'll allow charms to drop worldwide, but I do have an "in the meantime" solution. Allow charms to drop worldwide, but make them require going to Gunthak to activate them.

For example, killing Terris Thule has a chance of yielding a:
Dream Scorcher's Charm
MAGIC LORE NO DROP
Slot: Charm
Wt: 0.5 Size: SMALL
Class: All
Race: None
Item Description: Becomes more powerful as it nears midnight.
(From 6am-4pm: 2ac 2int 2wis 2str 10hp 10mana
4pm-7pm: 4ac 4int 4wis 4str 25hp 25mana
7pm-11pm: 6ac 6int 6wis 6str 35hp 35mana
midnight-12:59am: 15ac 10int 10wis 10str 75hp 75mana effect:Invoke Nightmares - Ultravision, +3mana regen, +3hp regen, -10% mana cost
1am-3am: 10ac 7int 7wis 7str 50hp 50mana
3am-6am: 5ac 5int 5wis 5str 25hp 25mana)

Then whoever gets the item would go to Gunthak to make it wearable. They'd place it in a new stationary container and doing a no-fail combine.

To make this make sense from a lore perspective, it could be said that certain charms draw their powers directly from their wearer. When the wearer is slain, the charm loses it's power and must be reattuned to it's new owner. To do this, you must obtain an Attuned Stone from one of the Enchanters in Gunthak which will allow you to reattune the charm to yourself.

So, for example, a named golem in PoValor drops an:
Unattuned Shard of Defense
MAGIC LORE NO DROP
Slot: Charm
Wt:4.0 Size:Medium
Class: WAR RNG SHD PAL BST MNK ROG BRD
Race: None
Item Description: Increases in power with the slower your attacks become.

Unattuned Shard of Defense in "Attuned Stone" produces:

Shard of Defense:
Slot: Charm
Wt:4.0 Size:Medium
Class: WAR RNG SHD PAL BST MNK ROG BRD
Race: ALL
Item Description: Increases in power with the slower your attacks become.
(The more you are slowed, the higher the dex becomes. Also, a right click effect that adds a proc to your sword becomes active if you are slowed more than 40%. The strength of the proc increases the more you are slowed:
0-19% slow = +15dex
20-39% = +25dex
40-49% = +30dex, 50dmg DD proc
50%-65% = +35dex, 75dmg DD proc
66%-80% = +50dex, 115dmg DD proc
81%-100% = +75dex, 200dmg DD proc).

This could be done with tradeskill items as well:
Moonlight Temper + Elven Smithy Hammer + 2 Infused Mithril Sheets + Imbued Emerald + Charm Mold + Platinum Green Ribbon =

Unattuned Blessed Full Mithril Medallion:
MAGIC LORE
Slot: Charm
Wt:0.5 Size:Tiny
Class: WAR PAL CLR BRD
Race: None
Religion: Tunare
Item Description: Once attuned, this medallion will become more powerful for every piece of Blessed Full Mithril you don.

Unattuned Blessed Full Mithril Medallion in "Attuning Stone" =
Blessed Full Mithril Medallion:
MAGIC LORE NO DROP
Slot: Charm
Wt:0.5 Size:Tiny
Class: WAR PAL CLR BRD
Race: HIE ELF HEF
Religion: Tunare
Item Description: Increases in power as you don more armor blessed by Tunare and crafted by the hand of a skilled Elven smith.

Once they decide enough time has passed to give everyone access to charms, they can cut out the attuning step and just make the mobs drop the regular charm and allow crafters to make the finished product (and droppable).

---

Regardless of how they handle it, I think charms could use a lot of work, but I think Sony is aware of this. This is merely the beginning and hopefully we'll be seeing some additions in the near future.

[EnragedFilia]

new tradeskill stuff? no way man, we need to get these doors fixed! theres a door somewhere in... um, droga, yeah thats it. its been opening by itself for no reason for like a year now, someone has to redo the whole zone to fix it right now!

as for you tradeskill guys, um, lets just increase the droprate on windstones off that junk in shadeweaver's that's next to the broken zoneline. oh and while we're at it, lets get rid of that zoneline, its embarrassing. and the one in sol a. and the one in UP. and maybe the one in poeb too, since its easier than actually making a way out of the zone.

brought to you by the only grandmaster in pissing off your playerbase(TM), brought to you in turn by the only force ever to take down the Vision(TM), the geniuses at... well you know who they are.

[Aoladari Raveynfyre]

All of the charms currently out there do me no good. Sony needs to ADD MORE CHARMS.

Friends with rangers??? Yeah right
Group with more of my class?? Lets see 6 SK's take on a zone WHOO HOO
Not look like myself?? *cough* ****it I'm a SK not a Rogue
Dex gets higher?? ummm no
Agi gets higher??? again ummm no

I think the one thats any good to me I can't even wear being Clr Dru Shm only.

[Bennan]

I agree. They really are an interesting concept, and a cutting edge one for Verant, as magic items go.

I think they are in the testing the water stage, as if they are too powerful upon release, then changed. Everyone is going to go rank for various regions.

My belief is that they are watching this fairly carefully, and will instigate a change and/or addition of new charms.

Well I am an optimist anyways

[kiztent]

All of the charms currently out there do me no good. Sony needs to ADD MORE CHARMS.

Friends with rangers??? Yeah right

Ok, I'll give you that one.

Group with more of my class?? Lets see 6 SK's take on a zone WHOO HOO

TEAM HARM TOUCH!!!!1!! wuwu~

Not look like myself?? *cough* ****it I'm a SK not a Rogue

Deathly Temptation. Or...

Dex gets higher?? ummm no

boon of the garou and HoS = mad procs, higher dex and... wait for it

werewolf form

Agi gets higher??? again ummm no

Ok, I'll give you that one.

The problem with charms is that people seem to be expecting them to be in quality to the leg slot (75 dex? uh, yeah, whatever). Look at it this way: without a charm you get zero benefit. With one, you get some benefit.

I like the idea of attuning drops at the lighthouse myself. It might even be worthwhile to make some of them some of them tradable (the needing to be attuned stones or whatever).

But I'm on Verant's side this time. Making charms suck and improving them is better than another windblade fiasco (not that I'd ever give up my windblade).

Either way, charms suck and people whine, or charms are overpowered and get nerfed and people whine.

[Aoladari Raveynfyre]

Not sure what you mean by Deathly Temptation... I'm only level 52 so if it's a higher level spell I don't have it yet.

Illusion one interested me (I could buy potions etc.) but thats an expensive charm for me (and IMHO not quite worth it with illusion potions being expensive right now).

[kiztent]

Not sure what you mean by Deathly Temptation... I'm only level 52 so if it's a higher level spell I don't have it yet.

it's a super rare 58 spell that converts 16 HP to 6 mana per tick and turns you into a skeleton.

Illusion one interested me (I could buy potions etc.) but thats an expensive charm for me (and IMHO not quite worth it with illusion potions being expensive right now).

I like boon of the garou myself (44 enchanter spell). I also have a self imbue proc (choice of 3 actually, but I use my 52 one), spell crits and combat crits, so I love the dex that boon gives.

[Eumerin]

as for you tradeskill guys, um, lets just increase the droprate on windstones off that junk in shadeweaver's that's next to the broken zoneline. oh and while we're at it, lets get rid of that zoneline, its embarrassing.

Are you talking about the zoneline that's behind a locked door and guarded by extremely high level mobs?
Actually, its not broken.
It goes to UP.
And the key to open it is a No Rent key that drops in UP.

No, there isn't a single good reason that anyone can come up with on why you'd want a no rent Shadeweavers to UP key that drops in UP, but that's the way it is.

Also of note - SoE is currently working on one of their mysterious zone lines. Veksar is scheduled to be the next free zone.
(Veksar is the ruins at the bottom of LoIO)

[Froni Thunderpaws]

Charms - need work but as I have said before I hope they maintain the demanding orneriness of them - it makes it a lot more fun and interesting. I agree it does seem like they are in the test market stage, anyone for a McRib charm? I am also hoping that if we do get the ability to craft them that they will require interdependency between classes -> need a forager to get some parts, a mage to make a summoned part, a cleric or necromancer/SK to bless or curse some part, this tinkered part, that alchemical part, a tradeskiller to do these combines.... I like it much more when things are challenging for everyone rather than something someone at level X can farm or someone in the 1750 club can make alone. But that may be just me.

And woo hoo Veskar. Camping that deepwater barracuda for epic really made me want to go exploring between spawns. When Venril Sathir petitioned to join our guild after we were picking on him too much (lots of druids and rangers in my guild) I told him he had to give us the keys to Veksar first. And since SOE is giving us the zone, mean old Venril can just sit and haunt KC as always. I don't even think the iksar necromancers like Mr. Scaleybutt.

[Railina]

anyone for a McRib charm?

Marketing tie-in! Marketing tie-in!
McRib^tm Charm
MAGIC ITEM LORE ITEM NO DROP
Slot: Charm
Class: ALL
Race: ALL
This charm becomes more powerful when you try the new McRib^tm Sandwich, from McDonanlds.

[Lilosh]

Well, I will certianly agree that Charms are severly less Earth Shattering then the hype made them out be. And I certianly hope Sony adjusts them some how.


But Cigarskunk, I think your proofreading skills, or Subject Line typing skills, need a bit "nore" work.



Grinning,
-Lilosh

[Pojodan]

No, there isn't a single good reason that anyone can come up with on why you'd want a no rent Shadeweavers to UP key that drops in UP, but that's the way it is.

Cuz Sony obviously loves Druids, UP is very druid-centric with it's druid only drops, Shadeweavers is easy to get to, UP is not. So druid hunts in UP, loads up on loot, gets the key, gates to PoK, sells, takes Shadeweaver express, back in action. =P

No, I don't resent druids, honest! I resent Sony


ANYWAY.
I like the idea about having charms drop elsewhere but require going to Gunthak to 'activate' them.
It's all too obvious that They're forcing people to buy LoY in order to use the new slot... annoying, yes, but typical methodology for them.

I'll bet that once 75% or more people have the LoY expansion charms will drop everywhere.