Endgame

The boss monster you spoiled to me that I accidentally stomped into pieces.

I would be fully behind a price increase, Nostrums getting dropped would still be okay, full removal seems way too overkill.

I'm just hoping there wouldn't be a quest drought. We had 5 quests at once, hopefully they'll be another coming soon enough to pick up all of us wayward heroes.

Round One of Sarge VS Chryst: >Sarge drinks a mead and passes (-5 endurance) >Chryst drinks a Mulled Wine and passes (Tipsy, -2 Endurance) Sgt Jon. Mcency (Pyrovisionary) Endurance: 33/38 Half Mulled Wine: 1/2 sips Mulled Wine: 2/2 sips Mulled Wine: 2/2 sips Mulled Wine: 2/2 sips "Worth it!" Cryst (Endgame) *Tipsy!* Endurance: 23/25 Mead: 2/2 sips Mead: 2/2 sips Nostrum: 2/2 sips Half Mead: 1/2 sips -------------------------------------------------------------------- "We leave peacefully enough. Construction is irritating, and we're all getting our bearings... Plus, Jetorix is always hounding us. How much do you bet, druid? 35 minimum, 80 maximum."

I'd still think that is a bit too weak, unless it's like an AoE attack of something.

Success! I am now the bane of every rogue.

That's my normal order, actually - this discussion just reminded me "Wait, I haven't made a marke tplace trip yet!" I call it the "McRib effect".

I rush into the marketplace and practically raid Portia's Potion Shack, buying: -10 Meads -10 Smelling Salts -10 Nostrums For a total of 750 gold. Sorrow(Endgame) 428 years old undead Assassin Level 24 1/3 *Immune to Light and Blinded* Power Bonus: +1 Defense: 6 Health: 32/35 (7+21+5) Gold: 389 Equipment: Mockthril Longbow (WP: 27 Ice and Darkness Elemental), Sticky Gloves (Increases the amount of gold stolen by 50% (rounded up), suitable for rogues and beast warriors; handwear),Night’s Helmet (SP:6, immunity to light and blinded; headwear) Inventory: Longsword (WP: 5), Armor of the Croise (SP: 1, +2 power; bodywear), Dark Cloak (Backwear, SP:1, Max Health +1, Power +1, suitable for rogues and barbarians), Archer's Hat (Artifact, headwear, Power +1, suitable for Rangers and their Advanced Classes), Grand Potion x5, Health Core x2, Tonic, Ether Core, Remedy x5, Phoenix Essence x3, Venom x2, Deadly Venom, Mead x15, Smelling Salts x15, Nostrum x15, Dragon Scale x1, Chaotic Bomb (Causes 100 random elemental damage to all opponents), Bedroll, Neutralizer, Disguise Kit (Accessory. Usable by anyone. Allows the user to disguise them self as the opposite gender.), Root beer(Restores 10 health, or can be used as a bomb against undead enemies for 20 damage. The Root Beer does not affect non-undead enemies.), Tonic x1, Exterium (Can be used on an enemy to make them Confused and Plagued (15 damage, -1 SP) for 3 rounds), Ambrosia

You act as if KarieXMasson wasn't already a crack pairing from the start.

It's harming everyone - if they can scrape up the money for the consumables, they should be able to use the bloody things.

Why harm every single class in such a severe way just because of the rogues?

Sarge places 25 gold on the counter, Crystl snarling arrogantly. The barkeep sets to work, giving each competitor 4 random drinks. "Keep it clean, folks. Begin!" Prepare for Drunkenness! Sgt Jon. Mcency (Pyrovisionary) Endurance: 38/38 Mead: 2/2 sips Mulled Wine: 2/2 sips Mulled Wine: 2/2 sips Mulled Wine: 2/2 sips "Bring it on." Cryst (Endgame) Mulled Wine: 2/2 sips Mead: 2/2 sips Mead: 2/2 sips Nostrum: 2/2 sips ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "So, how are you liking the colony thus far? If you wish to start our little game now, milady, feel free - Barkeep can keep up the flow easily."

The other proposed solution removes them entirely, while a price hike allows everyone to get it - and Rogues would no longer be able to buy them religiously.

Cuts the amount of consumables they buy in half, while still allowing over classes to purchase them and not get snubbed by the Rogue's income too heavily.

I'd be more in favor of a price hike then by doing away with them altogether. (Mead 40 gold, Smelling Salts 55 gold, Nostrum 70 gold?)

"I'll only play for 20 gold, minimum. Don't waste my time."

QM Note: I'll start the game when Sarge states how much he is betting, between 25-50 gold.

The Party: Sgt Jon. Mcency (Pyrovisionary) 54 years old male human witch Level 18 *Dual Strike* *Immune to blinded* *Hastened* Power: 37 (18+17+2) Health: 38/38 (7+17+8+3+3) Ether: 19/19 (+1) Gold: 248 (70 owed to Brickington) Equipment: Demonic Scissors (WP:17, dual strike, Light, Darkness, Hollow (Potion) daggers), Witch's talisman (All attacks Cause the badly poisoned effect), Pegleg of Hastening (Permanent hastened-effect to the user; Immune to Blinded, suitable to Sarge only; footwear) Inventory: Duplovian Swift Halberd (WP:3, stuns on successful hits, Hollow (-) halberd), Duplovian Helmet of the Guard (SP:2, Immune to Magic and Healing), Mythril Shield (SP:20), Pheonix essence x3 , Potion x4, Grand Potion x5, Remedy x5, Nostrum, Venom x3, Deadly Venom, Smoke Bomb, Bedroll, Shovel, Pickaxe, Telescope, Magic Compass, Magnifying glass, Business Card, Bone x2, 2x Gold Ring (worth 15 gold; can be given to someone to make them enamored with the giver), Counterstrike gloves, Crystal Sovereign Erdathcath Madilinas, 199 years old, Level 19.5 Druid Power: 29 Health: 33/33 Ether: 22/22 Gold: 349 Equipped: Tritech Handcannon (WP:13), Satchel of Awesomeness (Causes lucky-effect; bodywear), Mage's Muffler (protects from sealed) Inventory: Longbow (WP:7), Quick bow (WP: 6, Suitable to rangers, provides hastened effect for one round each battle), Helmet (+1 max. health), 6 Potions, 3 Grand Potions, 7 Mead, 10 Smelling Salts, 15 Venoms, 3 Deadly Venoms, 1 Super Deadly Venom, 2 Floral Bombs, 2 Ice Bombs, 2 Lightning Bombs, 1 Fire Bomb, 3 Smoke Bombs, 2 Water Bombs, 2 Holy Bomb, 2 Dirt Bombs, 2 Air Bombs, Grand Tonic, Bone, Skeleton Decoy, Bedroll, Shovel, Pickaxe, Telescope, Saber teeth, Scroll of Weakening, Ruby, Snake Eye Charm (protects from petrify), Amulet of Optimism (Adds the confused-effect to all attacks; suitable to Erdathcath only; accessory) Elgar Gligin (played by Jedi master Brick) Level 24 2/3 Druid *Immune to Fragile!* Power: 34 Defense: 6 Health: 38/38 Ether: 24/24 Gold:40 Equipment: Mockthril Crossbow (WP:11 Permanently Deadly envenomed), Chainmail (SP: 2, Bodywear: half damage from Fire elemental enemies and double from Electric elemental enemies) Emerald Hood (SP: 4, headwear, protects from Fragile) Inventory: Fauxthril Longbow (WP: 5),Smoke Bomb, Bedroll, Topaz,,Opal, Spade, Pickaxe, 3 Potions, Needlessly Large Rod (Non-Artifact Item, Curses a random enemy. Usable once per battle.) Does not prevent free hits. Grand Potion (x3), Fireworks, Remedy (x2), Hide of The Regret (halves damage from undead; suitable for anyone, backwear), Tonic, Grand tonic (x5), Root beer (Restores 10 health, or can be used as a bomb against undead enemies for 20 damage. The Root Beer does not affect non-undead enemies.) , Ambrosia, White Devil Name: Unknown. Most call him "Em," though his real name remains largely mysterious. Unknown age male human ranger Level 14.5 Power: 23 SP: 2 Health: 16/21 Gold: 30 Equipment: Aquabow (WP: 7, Water-elemental), Anniversary Medal (Artefact/Accessory) (Power +2, SP +2, Max. Health +2, Max. Ether +2. The values will increase by 1 with each passing year)[/font], Syndicate Cowl (SP: 2, Immune to Doomed effect) Inventory: Consumables: Smoke bomb, Grating Stone x2, Nostrum x2, Potion x5, Remedy x4, , Venom, Ice Bomb, Grand Potion, Mead x2, Quality Cutlass (WP:6, Dagger) Equipment:White Marksman's Hat (⅙ chance of Assassination vs. Flying monsters; Headwear), Gentleman's Hat (SP: 1, suitable for men, headgear. The wearer has a 1/2 chance to not be affected by (Asleep), Bedroll, Shovel, Pickaxe,Bow(WP:5), Ranger's Quiver (+1 WP to all Bows/Crossbows), Iron Knuckle Armour (Body, foot, and hand wear. Counts as one artefact. Usable by knights and dragoons. SP: 10. Cannot be removed by enemies), Ambrosia, Crystal Sovereign Jeaux Elmfyre (joeshmoe554) Automaton male, Evoker Level 15.5 *Blessed* *Transcended* Power: 26 (Level 15 + WP: 11) Defense: 0 (-2) Health: 23/23 (6 + 3 + 14) Ether: 16/16 (15 + 1) Gold: 167 Equipment: Divine Cannonade (WP:11; gives blessed- and transcended-effects to user; hollow; handcannon), Handy Suitcase (SP-2, use 2 Items; accessory), Enchanted Ring (Accesory, protects against Sealed) Inventory: Golden Handcannon (WP:9; lightning-elemental), Eminus (WP: 5; bow), Ranger's Quiver (WP+1; backwear), Topaz, Grand Tonic x2, Phoenix Essence, Venom x2, Smoke Bomb, Holy Bomb, Water Bomb, Bedroll, Bone x6, Turdwing (fly familiar; causes confused to one opponent whenever used), Grand Potion x3 Summons: Thunder Mode "How much do you wager, old man? I have 50 gold maximum on me to fork over if I somehow lose... Like a human could ever outdo a Progg! Hah!" QM Note: Also, keep in mind you may caht up/compete with the other two Proggs while Sarge faces off with Chryst. The game isn't exclusive to him!

He has the triple EXP medal. Here's hoping I get to go on a desert adventure, though.

QM Note: The rebalanced White Devil: White Devil: Allows the drinker 9 points to distribute to HP/Power/Ether as they choose. "Huh. It seems White Devil has changed over the years... Damn thousand-year old magically modified grapes are fickle little fruits. Either way, it is time for.." Shot Passing "Okay, humans, listen up and perk up those ears - don't get drunk yet, because you're about to get a crash course in the traditional Progg drinking game: Shot Passing. -Challenge an opponent, and see who can whittle down the other's Endurance first. Your endurance is equal to your HP. -There a three types of drinks in Shot Passing: Mead, Nostrum, and Mulled Wine. Mead: -5 Endurance when drunk. Mulled Wine: Makes the drinker Tipsy, causing them to lose -2 Endurance per round. Nostrum: -6 Endurance when drunk, but cures you of the Tipsiness effect. -Each drink can have a total of 2 sips before fully expended. -Each contestant starts with a hand of 4 drinks, having to choose one to drink every round. -Whenever you take a sip from a drink and there is still one sip left, it is passed into the other drinker's hand. -Your opponent then does the same, sipping and passing a drink back to you. -Whenever a drink is expended, I'll pour another one and add it back into the mix. -A round consists of the Human taking a sip and passing, then the Progg doing the same. -The winner is whoever reduces their enemy's Endurance to 0 first. -Whenever a drink is expended, I'll pour another one and add it back into the mix. "Now, anyone who wants to participate, choose your opponent. We Proggs like to bet gold on this game..." "Come on, you despicable little..." Chrys, Novice Drinker Endurance: 25 Difficulty: Easy. Minimum Betting Amount: 20 gold. Notes: Decent endurance, but doesn't always make the best choices. "I always like a challenge." Khar, Adept Drinker Endurance: 35 Difficulty: Moderate. Minimum Betting Amount: 35 gold. Notes: Good endurance and good decision making. Gives a Mead to the first person who bests him. "Willing to take on the master?" "Barkeep", Master Drinker Endurance: 45 Difficulty: Hard. Minimum Betting Amount: 50 gold. Notes: A master of the game. Excellent endurance and decision making. Awards a Jinxy Juice and Nostrum to the first human in somehow manages to beat him. QM Note: Note that the additional awards include the betted money. (Bet 35 gold, for example, get 35 gold + whatever reward the Proggs have staked.)

To be fair, the most twisty one ever used a very similar concept to the one you're suggesting now - AI.

Though I was admittedly very close to stumbling over that line entirely in 79, though I think I managed to strike a good, if not a bit wacky, balance.

An underlying problem with the threshold bosses: A lot of them flew solo. Solo enemies are almost always easily crushed - I had to turn the boss of Q36 into a game of "I Spy" just to make a challenging. The Threshold Monsters... really don't differentiate them from normal enemies much at all. There isn't anything really unique to them that alters the battle in meaningful way.

Let me just check the rules I have set up to see whether or not they are easily breakable or not.

I was under the impression that Sarge liked "booze and babes", as he has put it. Plenty of booze, but not much of the latter, unless you're like Galen.