New player/saved posts

Drop Points

Category: General Roleplaying
Topic: World and Roleplay Improvement
Message #: 4429
Author: GS4-BERNT
Date: 5/22/2008 4:04:07 PM
Subject: Changes to New Player Drop Points

We have implemented some important changes in how starting towns for new players are determined. These changes were designed to address concerns that the current system (1) overloads Ta'Vaalor with new characters and (2) undermines role-play generally by putting new characters in places where it is implausible for them to start, based on their race. We're also hoping to give a boost to smaller communities, like River's Rest, by making them available to some new characters. The changes are:

1. Free trial characters will no longer be treated differently from other new (non-Premium) characters.

2. All new non-Premium characters will start in one of the three established "drop" towns: Wehnimer's Landing, Icemule Trace, and Ta'Vaalor. Although there is a degree of randomness in the placement, the starting-point likelihood is heavily influenced by the character's race. For example, no dark elf will start in Ta'Vaalor, while pure elves are very likely to start there.

3. New Premium and Platinum characters may choose to start not only in the three established drop towns, but also in Solhaven, River's Rest, Cysaegir, or Ta'Illistim. They are given a warning that these other four towns may not be as newbie-friendly as the Big 3.

Cheers,
GM Bernt

Gear

Category: General Roleplaying
Topic: Elanthian Fashion
Message #: 3069
Author: COGITO (Eklinaar)
Date: 8/6/2007 2:23:313 PM
Subject: New Character Starting Gear

I got a little bored last night, so I rerolled a character about 500 times to figure out how the new character starting gear system works. Here's what I discovered.

All characters generate with the following items:

a pouch

a backpack

shoes

pants

a hat

armor

a crystal amulet

a rations kit (with racial food inside)

a travel guide token

some acantha leaf

The first six items have unique descriptions, but I'll come back to those later. Characters with weapon training generate with "a leather sheath" and a generic weapon like "a handaxe" or "a broadsword". Characters with sufficient magical ranks generate with "a rune staff". Yes, it has a space in it. Characters with shield training generate with "a reinforced shield". The class of the armor generated is based on the number of armor ranks the character has. 0 ranks generates light leather, 1 rank generates full leather, and 2+ ranks generates reinforced leather.

Characters generate with an additional helpful item based on profession:

warrior: a visored helm

rogue: a copper lockpick

wizard: an iron wand

cleric and paladin: a white flask

empathy: some ambrominas leaf

sorcerer: a polished bloodwood wand

ranger: a skinning knife

bard: a wooden flute

Now, onto the fun items. The first six items (pouch, backpack, shoes, pants, hat, armor) generate from a random list of descriptions. As far as I know, these items aren't sold in NPC shops anywhere in the game, so a new character is the only place to get them. There are two types of outfits. There are universal outfits that any character can generate with, and there are unique racial outfits. A character will get either one of the universal sets or their racial set, not a mix of both.

There are three universal sets that any character can generate with, listed below. A character that generates with one of the universal sets gets the complete set, no mixing between sets. The armor chosen is based on armor ranks as described above.

the black/green/silver universal outfit:

a waxed black leather pouch

a bone-clasped forest green backpack

a pair of glazed leather boots

some dark silver-buttoned breeches

a silvery green leather cap

a silver-edged black leather tunic (light)

some ragged sea green full leathers (full)

some reinforced silver-buttoned leathers (reinforced)

the yellow/blue universal outfit:

a small cobalt blue belt pouch

a large golden yellow pack

some dark blue square-toed shoes

a pair of gold-threaded leggings

a brushed blue felt hat

some light goatskin leathers (light)

some weathered indigo full leathers (full)

some reinforced cobalt blue leathers (reinforced)

the animal hide universal outfit:

a fang-fringed bronze leather pouch

a bristly boarhide pack

a pair of fur-lined boots

some shaggy bearskin leggings

a round otter fur cap

some light fur-edged leathers (light)

some thick sheepskin-lined leathers (full)

some reinforced boarhide leathers (reinforced)

The racial sets operate differently from the universal sets. There are two pouches, backpacks, shoes, pants, and hats in each racial set. A character that generates with a racial set gets one of each of these items, chosen randomly, so there are a number of possible permutations. The armor is chosen based on armor ranks, as above. There are two exceptions in the racial sets. If a new elf gets the elven racial set, their pants are chosen based on gender, but the rest of the items are selected randomly. None of the other sets consider gender. Erithians generate with pin-worn robes instead of leg-worn pants.

Human:

a small slashed leather pouch

a blackworked white linen pouch

a reinforced black canvas backpack

a polished black leather pack

a pair of slashed leather shoes

a pair of square-toed shoes

a pair of satin-paned breeches

some crisp black brocade breeches

a jewelled flat cap

a black feather-trimmed hat

a sleeveless slashed leather tunic (light)

a peascod-bellied doublet (full)

a set of closely-laced leathers (reinforced)

Giantman:

a small bone-beaded pouch

a leather claw-fringed pouch

a quilled deerskin backpack

a ragged bearskin pack

some laced wolfskin boots

some fringed deerskin boots

a pair of elk hide breeches

a pair of wolfskin breeches

an elk horn headdress

a bone-fringed headband

a quilled leather tunic (light)

some fringed deerskin leathers (full)

some reinforced elk hide leathers (reinforced)

Half-elf:

an old ivy-embroidered pouch

a dark brown oilcloth pouch

a weathered green canvas backpack

a faded green leather pack

some black pebbled leather boots

some tall brass-buckled boots

a pair of black broadcloth breeches

a pair of soft green wool trousers

a small hawk-feathered cap

a faded black felt hat

a wool-lined green leather tunic (light)

a rich umber waxed leather doublet (full)

some reinforced darkly mottled leathers (reinforced)

Sylvan:

a pale green suede pouch

an ivory organza pouch

a cinched barkcloth pack

a variegated ivory linen backpack

a pair of forest green shoes

a pair of ivory leather boots

some fitted green suede leggings

some layered blue organza breeches

a feathered skullcap

a pale green peaked leather cap

a fitted silvery leather tunic (light)

a side-laced pale leather gambeson (full)

some reinforced fitted white leathers (reinforced)

Dark Elf:

a triangular silver-threaded pouch

a fang-clasped snakeskin pouch

a spiral-inset black leather pack

a crimson rune-stitched backpack

some red-laced soft leather sandals

a pair of narrow leather shoes

some loose silver-threaded pants

some flowing silk gauze pants

an asymmetrical black velvet hat

a blackened silver filigree headband

a silk-lined red snakeskin tunic (light)

a red-laced lizard skin doublet (full)

some reinforced silver-edged leathers (reinforced)

Elf:

a dark blue satin pouch

a gathered green velvet pouch

a velvet-edged dark green backpack

a cross-woven heavy silk pack

a pair of polished black boots

a pair of soft leather shoes

a watery green velvet skirt (female only)

a pair of narrow blue breeches (male only)

a gold-stitched dark velvet hat

a scalloped velvet cap

a tailored thick leather waistcoat (light)

a fitted soft leather jerkin (full)

some velvet-edged leathers (reinforced)

Dwarf:

a rough tawny canvas pouch

a square steel-buckled pouch

a grey canvas mining pack

a tooled black leather pack

a pair of black hobnailed boots

a pair of steel-studded boots

a pair of thick grey wool breeches

a pair of tawny canvas breeches

a mottled grey wool cap

a steel-banded boiled leather cap

a scuffed black leather tunic (light)

a pebbled grey leather doublet (full)

some reinforced sandy brown leathers (reinforced)

Halfling:

a tasselled beadwork pouch

a beaded purple leather pouch

a rich purple woolen backpack

a reinforced red felt pack

a pair of felt-lined shoes

a pair of red-laced boots

some thick brown woolen leggings

some royal purple wool trousers

a broad-brimmed red felt hat

a tasselled woolen cap

a sleeveless beaded leather tunic (light)

a felt-lined heavy leather jerkin (full)

some reinforced red-beaded leathers (reinforced)

Forest Gnome:

a soft grey rabbit fur pouch

a braided river reed pouch

a crewelwork canvas backpack

a colorful knitted pack

a pair of raccoon fur boots

a pair of river reed sandals

some motley knitted leggings

a pair of voleskin trousers

a round squirrel-tailed hat

a peaked rabbit fur hat

a crewelwork olive leather tunic (light)

a wool-lined russet leather doublet (full)

some reinforced dark voleskin leathers (reinforced)

Burghal Gnome:

a sturdy oiled leather pouch

a small tanned leather pouch

a buckled burlap pack

a complicated rope-laced backpack

a pair of twine-laced boots

a pair of cracked leather boots

an old pair of cropped pants

a pair of patchwork pants

a dented high-crowned hat

a broad-brimmed dark straw hat

a belted dark leather tunic (light)

an oiled leather doublet (full)

some sturdy patchwork leathers (reinforced)

Half-Krolvin:

a small sinew-laced pouch

a fur-trimmed canvas pouch

a fur-trimmed leather backpack

a hardened leather backpack

a pair of walrus hide boots

some sinew-laced boots

a pair of wolfskin pants

a pair of tanned sealskin trousers

a tall fox fur hat

a fur-lined round cap

some light sealskin leathers (light)

a thick walrus leather coat (full)

some reinforced sealskin leathers (reinforced)

Erithian:

a neatly folded envelope pouch

a black silk envelope pouch

a self-wrapped black silk pack

a double-folded raw silk pack

a pair of soft-soled silk shoes

a pair of braided rush sandals

an angular painted silk robe (pin worn)

a deeply folded raw silk robe (pin worn)

an intricately folded silk cap

a quilted black silk cap

a silk-lined quilted leather vest (light)

a silk-lined quilted leather gipon (full)

some reinforced diamond-quilted leathers (reinforced)

Aelotoi:

a rough twisted fiber pouch

a loosely-woven red cotton pouch

a simple magenta cotton pack

a knotted bright yellow pack

a pair of wooden clogs

a pair of wooden sandals

some pale saffron leg wraps

a long orange cotton breechcloth

a bright red cotton headwrap

a vivid orange turban

a thin red leather vest (light)

some untanned full leathers (full)

some reinforced roughly-seamed leathers (reinforced)

And that's it. I hope this is helpful. I didn't test the weight or containing capacity of any of the items, but I imagine they're all identical in that regard. I also didn't catalogue the racial food. I think there might be other items that generate based on certain skills, particularly weapons, but I didn't fool around with that much. I was mainly interested in getting a comprehensive list of the very well made clothing of starting characters, since these items can't be found anywhere else.

-Eklinaar's player