kilivin
New Member
Let not one's failures lead to dismay, but rally oneself to further their want & need to improve.
Posts: 3
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Post by kilivin on Oct 30, 2021 6:50:01 GMT -5
Hello!
So, I've been having a pleasant experience for the most part in the server (still very new), but just had a rather horrid one that I didn't know how to RP out of. Myself and my fiance were doing stuff when a high level character joined us. It made some sense as to why the high lvl joined us, he was a good guy character that wants to help, but from his joining we got no XP, no challenge, and the player was a little min-maxy so they didn't even really do any combat/post combat RP..just kinda rushed through the content because said good guy person had A. Already done the content before (seemed like more than once by how familiar they were with stuff before we got to it) and B. Was able to 1 shot most every enemy and killed groups solo without so much as a scratch so post healing RP or any of that was non-existent. . It just altogether reminded my fiance and I of stale bread. My question is this,
Is there a good RP reason as to why one ought to kick someone from their group to not get 1XP a kill and have no real challenge or should this just be handled as politely as possible OOC so their character comes up with an RP reason not to join? If they don't separate, is it cause for asking a DM for help in pulling the high lvl and low lvl apart?
If anything, the whole experience has made me very hesitant to offer help/ask for help though to people without knowing their level - which feels very OOC and meta. Ultimately I'd love if there was a mechanic that just made stuff nail-bitingly harder when high levels are around so the lowbies get absolutely pub-stomped so that the high level then is kinda putting them in a situation that's worse for being there (so good characters who want to help would be helping by not being there, basically). That or a level dropper item that you can reduce your level to other people for the sake of an adventure with others and then return to your previous level (the benefit being the friends you make along the way, RP, and loot). This may have been the case, but he still killed everything so fast it didn't seem like it was happening.
Would appreciate any feedback on this as I'd hate to run through the same thing again with someone else. The whole experience has also made me seen the 1st Lord of the Rings movie in a different light. The Fellowship of the Ring must have gotten 1XP per goblin in the moria dungeon so the party was like "DM COMON BRUH" so the DM spawned a Balor to 1v1 the lvl 40 fighter/wizard/cleric and they both died.
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Post by DOT on Oct 30, 2021 6:55:46 GMT -5
Probably the best option is to have an honest ooc chat with clear communication between both parties  . |
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Post by DM Flash on Oct 30, 2021 9:24:16 GMT -5
Probably the best option is to have an honest ooc chat with clear communication between both parties . I agree, an ooc chat beforehand is usually the best way to handle this. Some people can be cagey about their character's info but also depending on the dungeon / area you're visiting it's not unreasonable to ask if they're within +/- 5 lvls to help keep things more balanced. |
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Post by vulpes on Oct 30, 2021 9:48:00 GMT -5
Level problems are bad, no way around it, the level 10 rule exists. best thing is hopefully to hook up with someone who can help but maybe not trounce through a dungeon like it isn't there. Sure high levels should be playing/ interacting with low levels, but if it is you watching a movie while ten thousand goblins get face stomped without a scratch and zero rp, like said above, maybe some ooc info back and forth. I am extremely careful not to "help" lower than 10 levels beyond what is reasonable and more importantly fun for all sides! Also don't sweat the no xp. I'm happy to adventure with someone (higher/ lower) for a story and zip xp or loot as long as there is some RP, if that is not what you are getting, maybe politely back out? Nothing wrong with pinging // level? before too as Flash said ! i often give toons quests when we are out of range so that at least you can interact and get some rp out of it |
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Post by Windhover on Oct 30, 2021 10:09:24 GMT -5
Level differences are why Captain Cormyr is usually out by herself and why she only joins others when they really want her help or to RP.
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Post by Masterbard Alyster Darkharp on Oct 30, 2021 12:28:47 GMT -5
Most of the people I hang with are so far above my league that there is a 0% chance of experience in the party. Welcome to my pain.
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Post by Munroe on Oct 30, 2021 14:26:06 GMT -5
There's a script in place on FRC that causes nobody in the party to get XP if the party has characters of a range greater than 10 (so a level 5 traveling with a level 16, for instance, or a level 10 and level 21), so if the guy is very high level relative to your characters, he won't want to travel with you because he'll get 0 XP for doing so, and a reminder every time a monster dies that your level range is too wide to get XP. (Also, in such cases, there's a server rule that only items monsters drop should be looted, not placed bones/chests, so loot should also be diminished in that case.) If he's there for the RP, he can continue to RP with your characters, but he'll know as well as you do that nobody is getting XP.
From Server Rules: Characters in a party with members more than 10 levels apart may adventure together for roleplay but will not receive XP while partied and may not loot from stationary loot containers. We ask that you pick up loot dropped by monsters and you may use whatever you find on them, including keys to gain access to other areas and quest items to earn a quest reward. You may not loot chests, bones, cabinets, lockers, armor stands and anything else you find on your travels containing loot drops, except drops from monsters/encounters. We refer to this as The 10 Level Rule.
One approach I've used in the past is "You are very capable. You seem to be able to handle this task on your own. Perhaps I'll find something where my skills can be put to use as I'm not really contributing here." Something to that effect, said in the voice/tone of my character. Of course at least once, if I've felt someone was so enthusiastic about rushing headlong into enemies that didn't threaten them, and put my character in direct risk of imminent death by doing so--such as by pulling deadly hordes of enemies onto both of us--I've just left without a word. I also learned not to travel with that particular "good-aligned" character alone, and will not, because the player, and by extension the character, was indifferent to my character's welfare. If the high level wants my company against spawns my character can't handle without their protection, my character has a reasonable expectation of receiving their protection while traveling with them, and "protection" does not just mean they run up to enemies and kill them, it means they actively defend and preserve my character rather than just smashing the enemy directly in front of them. (I base this behavior on real life. People will leave your company without notice if you're not paying attention to them anyway.) |
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Post by brygun on Oct 31, 2021 10:18:07 GMT -5
Lots of good answers.
My own experiences are reflected here.
The nature of the NWN game engine does have this issue. Almost every party has an organization phase. IC I call them "expeditions". There is a mix of OOC and IC chat about the 7 day rule* impact on the various characters and there is often an "ooc level check" which each candidate posting their level. There can also be IC story reasons why characters can't or perhaps could travel together. We are a community and there relationships between players good/bad just like the characters.
Supporting DM Munroe how the characters behave to each other matter. Characters go through their own life journeys. Just like in real life people do things like change careers, learn new skills, move away from an area, disagree on philosophy/religion/gods and so forth.
Years ago I remember playing at times with a real life married couple. They played close characters in the game world. They didnt play often. When I started a character they where higher level me. I couldnt do much with them on adventures but loved peace time RP with them. I leveled faster and got into a decent play range with them. We went on adventures and peace-time stuff. Then I leveled some more and was too powerful for them. Discussing with them that I would miss them they mentioned having gone through sets of adventure mates.
Its something that we all face in online NWN gaming. Some level faster or slower. Some play more peace-time vs grind-time. High levels might need to excuse themselves. Matching levels for combat is a necessity but any level can RP around each other.
I encourage accepting that some organization for each trip is needed. ITs okay to have some IC and OOC chatting.
* : 7 day rule is that this server doesnt want a character going back to the same dungeon until 7 days later.
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Post by Rane on Oct 31, 2021 10:33:22 GMT -5
My main character has to travel solo a lot due to his level difference. There are a lot of new players/characters on frc now.
Generally I don’t like the idea of people being excluded because they offer 1xp however there are exceptions.
If that character gets 1xp throughout the dungeon, they should ‘t probably be there in the first place.
And if they are just grinding through something with minimal effort rp wise, then they need to slow it down a bit.
I will say this though. I am a busy person irl. I’m in med school, I have an 11 month old baby that wakes up and needs my attention.
I always put rp first, but due to my time constraints I can’t spend hours in a single dungeon. My pace tends to be a little quicker.
Sometimes we need to consider that people have different real life circumstances going on. I’m not saying that this was the case with whoever you traveled with.
But this is probably why I either go solo a lot, or I tend to mingle with other characters who like to “get the job done”
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Post by brygun on Oct 31, 2021 10:40:47 GMT -5
But this is probably why I either go solo a lot, or I tend to mingle with other characters who like to “get the job done” Definitely agree that finding a matching team for the play style matters. Sometimes it can be situational, like this time go fast vs take the time. Some people are on short clocks or an upcoming event may limit the possible dungeon time for one/some. That might change from one login to another. Today for instance I have an important meeting in the afternoon so I could try a few hours of login to FRC but probably wont knowing I might get into a time crunch. Table top gaming, which this isn't, there is only ~6 (if that) people involved and they often know each other's general schedules. Online gives you access to many people with a only a few people being in a tight compatibility. We'd all love that all 10-20 online at a time were compatible levels/playstyle/gods/alignment/fighting style but thats not who we are. Each is a different player with a different character in a current state of being. Sorting out compatibility each time is a thing. |
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Post by Animayhem on Oct 31, 2021 12:31:41 GMT -5
The secret with rp with beyond level people is as some mentioned to go somewhere where xp is granted for a quest. It can bite not being able to get all the loot but if the rp is good, it should not matter.
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Post by brygun on Oct 31, 2021 12:58:14 GMT -5
Some IC phrases for organization:
OOC forming a party:
= Expedition forming
= Raiding the <blank>
= Suppressing the horde of <blank>
= Patrol
= Wide Patrol
= Exploring ruins
= Seeking rare herbs
= Cartography update
= Training mission
= Scouting
* (wide as in farther away, used this after a big event to explain going to an area to see if those baddies were there, which of course OOC we knew they wouldnt be unless the DM dropped them)
IC phrases for Can't go with you:
= Character is tired
= Prayers to do
= Research to do
= Report to file
= Training
= Being a trainer
= Work chores
= Farm chores
= Chocolate cake is calling
= Brewing is about ready
= Meditations to do
= My armor/sword/wand needs repairs
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Post by Rane on Oct 31, 2021 13:26:09 GMT -5
The secret with rp with beyond level people is as some mentioned to go somewhere where xp is granted for a quest. It can bite not being able to get all the loot but if the rp is good, it should not matter.
True to a point. Like I said if you are getting 1xp on everything you kill in a dungeon, you probably shouldn’t be in that dungeon anyway. |
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Post by Sioladuil on Oct 31, 2021 16:11:58 GMT -5
Just have your pc straight up tell them to take a hike... That's my go to option. I, personally, try not to travel with anyone that is -5/+5 of my PC. I will also not go to a dungeon where I know one individual is way above what I believe to be the level cap. The only issue with this approach, that I have found... is you have to be straight up willing to leave a party and/or an adventure.
Just remember the age old quote from... Glandash, I think? "Lawful good does not mean lawful nice". Just because your pc may be good aligned, does not mean your PC is nice. They may be straight to the point.
Hope that helps.
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Post by vulpes on Nov 10, 2021 15:31:44 GMT -5
The secret with rp with beyond level people is as some mentioned to go somewhere where xp is granted for a quest. It can bite not being able to get all the loot but if the rp is good, it should not matter.
And/ or find a group that is not interested in xp and loot. Some (most?)of the best adventures I have ever had have had zero mechanical rewards |
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