Champion Spawn changes

[Unbeliever]

Just looking for information regarding what was actually changed. I did the Tokuno champ last night - got in halfway through the 1st tier and worked it almost to the 3rd with one other person. One by one, three more people joined who didn't need to be voted in. Helped kill Serado and didn't get a powerscroll. +Coilbri responded to my page and said that was correct, 3 PS dropped and I and one other person didn't get one. It would be very helpful to know what the determining factors for getting a PS are now, since most champs require a significant commitment of time (especially if you're there from the start) that is very poorly spent if there's no powerscroll reward.

[Melkor]

My understanding is the rules are changing or have changed, under the old rules all you need to do is do enough damage to the boss to get a PS.

[SOL]

Yeah something's changed with the new update from last night, I've got guildies coming in who used to be getting scrolls laughing that they're not getting any. I am glad the scrolls will be more valuable now, ups the game really, but curious what kind of effect it'll have on how we play as a realm. Previously, champs were an excellent way to hang out with everyone in game - if you caught the champ up, you announce it publicly and everyone from all over rushes in to take it down faster. But now, if there's a limitation on how many scrolls drop, will that cause us all to keep hush about their ups so we increase the chances of getting one of the drops? I never go for the gold/drops, don't really care about that, I go specifically to hang with everyone. But I honestly rely on the world announcements to know their up.

[Melkor]

Just curious, did anyone get gold but no PS? Because that would be a change for sure.

I am very curious to know what changes are or have been done.

[SOL]

Yep just confirmed, gold but no PS

[Melkor]

Yep just confirmed, gold but no PS

Wow.

I guess we await further information from Staff


Thanks Sol

[Unbeliever]

But now, if there's a limitation on how many scrolls drop, will that cause us all to keep hush about their ups so we increase the chances of getting one of the drops?

I think everyone knows that's exactly what will happen if that's the case. There were already plenty of players - first-rate veterans and new guys alike - soloing champs with much less incentive for doing so.

[scuba]

would be great though if it maybe makes these scrolls worth something again

[Melkor]

Before we all get too speculative, I'd like to hear what the actual new rules are. *please*

[Cornbread]

Would be nice. I know +Colibri said he would be posting them, but between RL and the other stuff he might need a little reminder every now and then.

[Yoda]

it would be neat to confirm.. not sure if the candle rule exists anymore.. and overall not sure that i care that it doesn't.. the less drama staff has to suffer the better because if the community can create some they will..

[+Nyx]

Colibri will need to make the official post for things to be 100% certain and he's been reminded. The rest of the staff aren't entirely sure what was changed, either, but here's what I am guessing based on what I know:

- There's no more voting for the champs
- Gold and scrolls aren't bound so you might get both, or you might get one or the other.
- There are a limited number of scrolls available per champ, and this number is smaller than the OSI number (which is 6 I believe).
- Whether you get loot of either type is based on numerous factors including how long you were at the champ (based on the number of tiers you fought in), how many mobs you killed/how much total damage you did, and how much damage you did to the boss.
- The harrower also drops a limited number of scrolls, I do not know if this is the same number as other champs or not.

Keep in mind, I am not 100% sure about any of these since we haven't been any more informed than you guys have of what the actual changes were. I just know these were the things that were discussed previously and seemed to be the ones Coli was planning to implement.

[Unbeliever]

Having read the Excelsior Daily update, I wanted to respectfully relate my experience in greater detail, ask some questions and offer some opinions, provoke some discussion. Rarely do changes go in on a UO server and work perfectly from the word 'go', so maybe some input will help with any potential tweaking.

I wasn't aware that there was that much hub-bub over the voting system. Definitely not that people were calling out champs and then not voting people in (though that might make sense if they took 20 minutes to show). I've seen players getting mad about not being allowed in firsthand but heck, I never got mad about it. I usually didn't ask my way in and just moved on - if there were some people there I knew and I tried it out and got denied - again, I moved along. Lots of UO players always get mad over not getting their way no matter what, but if staff feels the grievances were justified and numerous enough to warrant some change then that's what it is.

Regarding my champ spawn experience since the change, I've only done one but that's on purpose since the one ended badly for me. There were five people at the Tokuno champ -

Player 1 - started it
Me - Joined in at 3 candles, first tier
Player 3 - Joined in one candle before the third tier started
Players 4 and 5 - Joined in separately after Player 3 - either when/shortly after the third tier started

I did my usual thing - had five mules guarding me, tearing up everything during the first two tiers, then used 'all kill' for directed and virtually nonstop attacks during the third and fourth tiers. I didn't sic them on Serado but parked them and used a bow, definitely did damage since my EOO went orange, and I believe I did enough dmg to have qualified for a PS prior to the change.

None of the other players there were fully geared insta-heal masters who could whup mobs of hiryu and oni standing still or tank Serado. Everyone was running around trying to hit the boss without being hit. Players 1, 4, and 5 got a PS and Player 3 and I got gold only.

I hope that staff will consider giving more weight to the time spent active at the champ and somewhat less to the damage done. By placing the bulk of the emphasis on damage, it seems inevitable that it will be slanted in favor of powerful players and keep PS out of the hands of the newer players who actually need them. Besides the fact that I consider time to be the most valuable resource by far in this game, two people who were not CyS gods were still able to outgun me and my five mules starting a tier and a half after me. And I'm no slouch - I work hard at champs. I take this to mean that under the current system, a high-end player or group of players could jump in at end-of-3rd tier or possibly later and WW/heal their way to a PS without a problem. Are the following situations possible/likely/preventable?

Powerful players show up late in champ after noobs have done 75% of the work, easily script their way to a PS via WW weapon or Volcanic Eruption.
Powerful players show up early in champ, SJ out, return after noobs have done 75% of the work, yada yada.
Player who you think you're competing with for a PS through the whole thing suddenly pops out five imp dogs on the champ boss and beats you out of a PS in the space of two minutes.

I'd just like to know what to expect/not expect going in instead of having to find out the very hard way. Champion spawns have by far been my favorite thing to do since I started here on Excelsior but I have no desire to invest an hour of my limited time in one for people to swipe powerscrolls out from under my nose at the very end. Thanks (:

[Asmodean]

Unbeliever,

I wanted to pm you, but there is no such character on Excelsior... What is your in game name?

[Unbeliever]

Ur-Lord Thomas Covenant, Unbeliever and White Gold Wielder. Thanks Asmodean