The topic has been brought up that some quests within the Undermountain itself give up a little too much experience points. Now, though the topic has been bandied about before, more arguements were brought to the fore that I didn't consider previously. Please note, this doesn't go for every single quest currently available inside of the module, just a few of them. In order to even out the balance of how much ought to be earned, the following formula was calculated:

1) find level of LOWEST character in party
2) XP gained = char lvl * 1100
3) give all members XP gained

Sure, this would prevent massive leapfrogging in levels as previously done, but this would still guarantee that whomever was lowest in levels would be able to go up a level in ability. For example, an eighth level character would gain a total of 8800 XP, while someone who was twentieth level would go up by 22000 XP for the same quest. However, if three people were in a party (33 levels, 22 levels, 15 levels), the person's level who would be used was the 15th level character, giving all the players in the party 16500 XP. This alteration would also tie-in greatly to the "pass back" method of gaining XP via quest items. I thought something like this ought to be put out there for all to view and comment on. After all, we are still able to "pass back" equipment which gives some characters the ability to have AC 76 (highest I have seen) on a seventh level character.

Per our discussion down the well, I don't think the script will be all that hard to come up with. However, before I go complicating my already aching head with scripting stuff like this, and testing it out to be sure it works, I want to be sure it's something that Z would want to use.

The point that brought all this up for me is the fact that by the time chars get into 14, they are pretty much maxed out. With more levels coming, there's a teleporter in Skullport that goes to 17...it would make sense to me to have chars still looking for xp as they progress deeper in. Otherwise, quests in the lower levels, past 13, are pretty much just for party members that are still working their way down, as opposed to the majority of chars that are doing the quests.

Comments, want to tell me to take a long walk on a short pier? [img]graemlins/heee.gif[/img] Put 'em here.

Rewards for quests at levels 12 and 13 of Undermountain are high and may look out of proportion - 70,000 and 105,000 - compared to a max of 600 for, say, killing a heavy duty dragon.

Problem is you will need all you can get for the DPG and lvl 14 if you want to go solo.

Lvl 14 was a shock to the system but it can be done (just) with a less than lvl 40 character, with care and without dieing, especially with Jaraos' help.

Bit difficult for those of us who rely on completing our builds at lvl 40 but I'm sure we can live with that.

Level 15 and below I think I'm going to need help [img]graemlins/heee.gif[/img]

A simple solution would be to only make quest xp available to those present; either on the same lavel of the quest reward or nearby. I believe that this is already in place as Kelly only gives rewards to the one who satisfies her monetary needs.

You can choose to give XP to the party, or to the player that actually does the talking. Nothing wrong with party xp, especially for things like the Proving Grounds, where my latest theme char will not be finishing without some help. I had actually thrown the "Lowest level PC for the XP calculations into the initial discussion to scare Moz. I guess it didn't work.

Nope.
*grins wickedly*
In fact, it made more sense the more I thought about it. And it's a lot easier than trying to calculate a mean average for the party's level and coming up with the XP total for that. Sure, that's also a possibility but who really wants to do all THAT kind of scripting? If nothing else, it still guarantees people in a party more experience for that one kill or completion than they'd receive normally. (minimum 1100 XP vs. normal maximum 600 XP) Another version of the calculation would be to go with the highest character levels, do the math, and then divide it amongst the members of the party. *shrugs* Hey, I just bounce ideas off the walls here, I don't implement them.

This will not affect kill xp, only quest xp.

I should have made that more clear in my explanations. My mistake. The regular experience acquired from the slaying of your foes within the Undermountain would remain the same, as always. As well, the script could easily be altered for some of the other quests if you wanted some of the lesser quests to have a sliding scale that wasn't as dramatic. Say, for example, the quest to assist the drow on the run within Level One. Instead of the as prescribed (char.lvl * 1100), perhaps something like (char.lvl * 550)? Okay, maybe not for THAT particular quest, as then people just wanting to nudge over their 30 char.lvl creation to 31st level would end up doing a quest originally meant for starting level characters. Perhaps it would be more suitable for quests such as the Trollbark Forest? Once more, I am just throwing the ideas up there for people to look at and pick at.

The low level quests can be left alone. It's the higher level quests that seem to have an imbalance. There's no sense in trying to either over think, or over complicate what's going on.

I tend to think the XP should not be given to anyone not present (at the very least on the same level of Undermountain) or within a certain level range. While I have not been to the Undermountain in a while I do not think I would want to be able to level well into the 20's without leaving the Yawning Portal due to the timing of when I logged on. Granted the last time I played I welcomed the XP, but I think at this point I would pass.

While thinking of balancing has it ever been discussed to have level restrictions for items? There is very little balance when a newly created character is able to use a Greataxe or the Bow from the Drow Proving Grounds. These weapons are very powerful and when combined with some of the other gear you can "hand down" allows newly created characters to plow through many areas of the server with ease.

Anyway...just some random thoughts...

Peace, John.