Suggestions

[Curmudgeon]

I actually like to leave loot in containers when I see PCs in the vicinity. I am amused when no one checks.

[Riotnrrd]

I actually like to leave loot in containers when I see PCs in the vicinity. I am amused when no one checks.

Plz do that when I'm around kthx.

[AcadiusLost]

Getting to be a bit of a sidetrack here; but randomized loot is currently generated on the creature corpses/inventories, rather than in placed containers. This allows us to tie the reward level with a measurable CR-based challenge, as opposed to a container which may or may not be guarded by anything. While we could script some of that loot to be fantasmically teleported to a nearby inventoried container OnDeath; I'm not sure that's the way we want to go with things (would add overhead to the OnDeath event, which is probably the biggest lag-point of combat currently).

I suppose one possibility would be including functionality that made an option such that OnDeath, the loot value roll was added to a collective counter on a nearby container (like one of those barrels), which would generate loot contents OnOpen, or OnEnter of a trigger placed around the container. This would have the happy side effect of allowing 50 nearly lootless goblins to have one CLW or a masterwork shortsword or something collectively, instead of 12-13 1 gp scuffed shoes/etc (current system).

Downside of this would be making it yet less likely that a mob would drop the weapon it was wielding. (currently, this happens 25% of the time, if the loot roll is high enough to support the value of the wielded item).

[Vintenar]

Very reasonable.

Alright, now what if instead, each mob had a percent chance to wield a better than average weapon or armor etc (or at least not a rusty spoon ) and then had the appropriate 25% chance to drop it when killed.

That way, you don't have to reduce the chance for it dropping it's item but increase the difficulty of defeating the creature, and thus the reward.

Something like, 25% chance to have normal weapon, 10% for masterwork, then 25% of it even dropping at all.

[AcadiusLost]

Generally speaking the +1 AB of a MW weapon doesn't tend to mean much in terms of the creature's CR value (which, in combination with a random roll and a weighted base factor, is what determines the loot drop value). The central theme here is that maximum loot drop value is tied directly to creature CR for scripted/automatic/random loot. This keeps equivalent spawns on one server or in one area more or less equivalent in terms of reward to the same in another, and controls against loot escalation.

In other words, we've got math at play already that's been hammered out through many rounds of number-crunching argument. There are tweaks we can do on how things get distributed, or event adjust the global base loot factor if that's what the DMs / DMA want, but I'm definitely not eager to toss the current system out and start the debates all over again.

[Brother Humphrey]

I like your idea, here:

I suppose one possibility would be including functionality that made an option such that OnDeath, the loot value roll was added to a collective counter on a nearby container (like one of those barrels), which would generate loot contents OnOpen, or OnEnter of a trigger placed around the container. This would have the happy side effect of allowing 50 nearly lootless goblins to have one CLW or a masterwork shortsword or something collectively, instead of 12-13 1 gp scuffed shoes/etc (current system).

I'm curious to know if it would be possible to add a script to randomly choose either the standard single creature 25% chance for drops or collective mob container 25% chance for a drop OnOpen script trigger thingy, so that you would never know which option was chosen, ahead of time, and the IC consequence being that you would have more folks actually taking the time to search nearby containers after a fight, to see if part of the mob had pooled resources and stashed a nice pile in one, or of the sumbitches were all greedy cusses and kept things to themselves.

Just curious, and please forgive any idiotic sounding phraseology when it comes to the scripting bit, since I don't know diddly about it, so the terminology is unfamiliar to me.

[oldgrayrogue]

Here's a suggestion. How about loot scripted to be only in containers that are locked and trapped with a suitable DC so that rogues are relevant as more than scouts? I love the feature that destroys the contents when you bash the container as well -- it encourages people to party with a sneak =) If you limited the container loot to containers that are located in more dangerous locales where a fight is very likely prior to looting, all the better. As long as there is a lock and a trap, risk/reward is preserved. If sneaks start serial looting or camping containers stealthed, well IMO that's what the wealth guidelines and rules are for =) Alternatively, if there is a way to make the loot in a chest only spawn if and when mobs spawn around it, that would work too.

[johnlewismcleod]

oldgreyrogue: +1 what he said. Currently there is zilch for rogues to do other than scout, and rogues have made some significant investments in these skills they have no opportunity to employ.

[Vintenar]

Traps and locks seem like a good idea. To add though, if a chest is bashed open, perhaps there should just be a percent chance the item is destroyed since who is to say that smashing a lock off is going to damage the contents? This is to differ from the OC in which it seems like any container bashed will yield only broken contents.

+1 to more rogue functionality, however there is a difference between a full wind up smashing of a chest with a great axe and trying to break the lock/pry the lid open with some strength and tenacity. Also, loot shouldn't only be in locked/trapped containers.

[Dorn]

+1 to more rogue functionality, however there is a difference between a full wind up smashing of a chest with a great axe and trying to break the lock/pry the lid open with some strength and tenacity. Also, loot shouldn't only be in locked/trapped containers.

+10

It's very hard to find a rogue in the low-player australian timeslot so havinging it 100% trapped and 100% broken if smashed would lead to nothing for us many times. But i do like the idea of this.

Provided it's considered relevent to other priorities and doesn't increase server pain (ie i think spawns are more important than loot in chests)

[johnlewismcleod]

It's very hard to find a rogue in the low-player australian timeslot so havinging it 100% trapped and 100% broken if smashed would lead to nothing for us many times. But i do like the idea of this.

Provided it's considered relevent to other priorities and doesn't increase server pain (ie i think spawns are more important than loot in chests)

Perhaps there's a reason so few rogues.....ahem.....

[NickD]

Traps are not in the module for a reason. It was argued about quite a bit at the time. I can't really remember the reason, but there is one.

[Dorn]

Potentially. But knowing the 6 odd players involved i doubt not having chests to pick would be the reason. Besides, we have a rogue for campaign day, it's just that the other 6 days of the week in this timezone it's usually you and one or two others only who are not.

[AsteroidX]

*Hands the thread pilot a note* Just give us the Phat Lewt Alredyz. KK.

On a serious note it would be nice to jump up the "low magic" theme just a tad. Not excesive but theres higher lvl pc's now and the lack of store buyables....etc.

Damn. If only we could only balance to keep everyone wealth/lvl adjusted and still have fun when DM's were not around.

It is one hell of a grind to even get into Full Plate if it should be your PC's goal. I know in past threads we have said 3rd lvl minimum as norm for a fighter to reach Full Plate. But that was NwN1. NwN2 we have one server live currently so it is what we got to work with.

We have maturely fun players running about the server so lets make the best of it. If even if a DM drops by and says damn your 3rd level and still in leathers....Ill drop a "x" along your path that has "x" for the smile factor. RP/Combat whichever. I love to RP my PC but I also like a cookie now and then. (:.

So gives up Tat Phatz Lewt *note puffs into smoke in the pilots hands*

[danielmn]

Lewt factor is fine from where I sit. It's low magic, which I don't have a problem with in the slightest since the dms aren't throwing out things you need +1 weapons in order to kill.

More alignment shifts please. I have had 1 bump my pc's whole span on the server for 3 points. Would like to see more.

DAniel