Withering?

[putrid_plum]

Withering on EFU, I find it pesky and annoying rather than scarey and deadly.  After playing PCs both forced to be in the wilds all the time and PCs who make home from Mistlocke, it seems like something forced upon you akin to eating and drinking here to keep server gold down / keep long living characters down rather than a scarey curse.  It hinders unlocking and search for LORE of the server which is why we all play EFU:M and RP server and promotes a PvP mentality among many players.  I find players when out in the lands are rushed and running like idiots, it's silly, and takes away from the greatest thing EFU always and ever had to offer over other servers.  I think the idea of the Withering is VERY cool, it's just implemented in a poor way in my opinion.

I'm just curious how others view and see it, and related to these matters too.  I know most will be afraid to say their real feelings because they fear DM bias against them, OOCly.  Some will also just support anything the DM team does no matter what, for the same reason.  I hope others will speak their minds whatever it might be.

[Spiffy Has]

I think the withering indeed is more of a inconvenience. However, if we recall the MOANDERITE PLAGUE in EFU original, that shit was scary. So cost/benefit thing here, just protracted over a long term.

[Random_White_Guy]

Frankly I always thought the -coolest- thing to do would to make the Withering occur on-bite akin to a zombie outbreak, when combatting withered enemies. This creates some actual danger to fighting them and a somewhat badge of honor for those brave enough or heroic enough to undertake the endeavor. It would also make all H'balan creatures, even the ravens/smaller creatures, greatly more feared.

The idea that entering the wilds is dangerous because of the withering could remain, it just adds more -OOMPH- to fighitng/avoiding/fleeing H'balan creatures. Frankly right now a low of h'balan spawn isn't that feared unless DMs are overseeing their involvement in matters.

Removing the withering/time aspect, add a Withering "Bite" or special unique ability that both PC H'balans and NPCs can utilize to make themselves a far more menacing and fearful presence. One bite isn't instant death but raises some concerns, too many and you move up a withering stage. Some creatures bites will do more withering to your PC than others, etc.

A rough brainstorm mind you.

[Spiffy Has]

Frankly I always thought the -coolest- thing to do would to make the Withering occur on-bite akin to a zombie outbreak, when combatting withered enemies. This creates some actual danger to fighting them and a somewhat badge of honor for those brave enough or heroic enough to undertake the endeavor. It would also make all H'balan creatures, even the ravens/smaller creatures, greatly more feared.

The idea that entering the wilds is dangerous because of the withering could remain, it just adds more -OOMPH- to fighitng/avoiding/fleeing H'balan creatures. Frankly right now a low of h'balan spawn isn't that feared unless DMs are overseeing their involvement in matters.

Removing the withering/time aspect, add a Withering "Bite" or special unique ability that both PC H'balans and NPCs can utilize to make themselves a far more menacing and fearful presence. One bite isn't instant death but raises some concerns, too many and you move up a withering stage. Some creatures bites will do more withering to your PC than others, etc.

A rough brainstorm mind you.

this would be fucking amazing, especially if a DM introduced a new spawn called "Withered Swarms", basically massive clouds of insects filled with withering curse...

[putrid_plum]

I really, REALLY like that idea RwG!!!!!!

[Damien]

totally agree, everyone has to run everywhere by the time you've hit like level 7 >_>

[VanillaPudding]

So do something about it in game or join someone that is doing something about it. A large scale effort against it could easily reduce or nullify the withering in areas all together.

[Big Orc Man]

If it were made as only an on-hit thing by Withered creatures, players would simply do quests without Withered creatures.

Remember when Gaeseric's was attacked by H'bala's creatures, and almost no PCs bothered showing up to help defend it?

Lo and behold, thoroughly withered now.

[Random_White_Guy]

If it were made as only an on-hit thing by Withered creatures, players would simply do quests without Withered creatures.

I meant more her random spawns around the withered lands, but yeah it was just off the cuff.

[putrid_plum]

It goes both ways, Fury did a great deed yet Withering is still there.  Many PCs showed for that, little change if any.  Also I was there for the defense of the Unyielding Pass and if I remember right it was run on an offtime, mid-day when not many players are usually on.

[Rincewind1]

I'll repost what I said in other thread, as it is, I think, on the subject as well.

Obviously there is less exploration nowadays. The areas are much more dangerous, with monsters mutated by radiation - I mean, changed by Withering, everywhere.

Which is why I think the exploration should be a bit more rewarding. Perhaps by use of those "rubble" placeables, with random search DCs, and untied to the level/quest, like the ones in Gnolls' quest? That'd also help drive the point of us being basically in a post - apocalyptic setting, foraging into the lands formerly claimed by a civilisation much more powerful than ours.

[Jasede]

The Withering is a great idea but I am not sure if it works too well.
Well, it won't be around forever. We all know that EfU: Chapter 4 is coming sooner or later, where the world explodes and our PCs save themselves into SPACE using a Spelljammer ship provided by some druids.

Our new setting will involve an alien aberration planet filled with horrible purple flesh tentacle horrors and an air-meter script. I, for one, welcome adventures on Hellstar E'z'yxtrikl.

[Bearic]

I think there's almost too much fear about it, which is sort of awesome in itself; If more characters were banished/killed by the withering it would be pretty cool - though it can make it much more difficult to make certain characters that attempt to take their time outside of the mists.
 
 There's lots of ways to combat the withering around, though, and lots of ways to heal it; they all just take sacrifice or cool concepts - an inverse of quest grinding, basically.