Lower the rate at which unique items degrade

[Alpha]

I'd like unique items either degrade more slowly, or see a more reliable way to repair them. Currently, they are more trouble than they are worth. With no reliable way to repair the items, one can very well lose it while trying to repair. It's safe to assume that UIs are not actually magic, since BM is a low fantasy game, and therefore should be repairable by conventional means. Though, not by common smiths that toil on the items of peasants and soldiers.

I'd prefer that adventurers still be used for the repairs. Perhaps allow UIs to be repaired by high cost of gold, or by having the required materials. Make it so only adventurers may find people capable of the repairs( due to it be improper for nobles to associate  with wizards/sages).

If UIs had a longer life, more RPing could be done about them. Could allow for infiltrators to steal more valuable items, for them to be lost in battle and be found by someone foraging the field, or for an item to be passed down from x to x(holder to holder of a position).

[Anaris]

Some items have lasted for a few RL years.  I'm not at all sure the degradation rate needs to be changed.

[LilWolf]

Well, my experience seems to be that a item needs repairing every few months if you want to be absolutely sure it gets repaired in time. Don't know if battles affect item degradation though. Still, finding a trusted adventurer etc. to do it all, it takes effort which for the most part has me not bother with items.

[Sacha]

My character on Dwilight has consistently held on to 2-3 items at the same time. He's only ever lost any due to getting wounded. If you can find a skilled advy with lots of items on hand, then you pretty much have a private repair shop on hand.

On a side note, do items degrade more slowly as they gain prestige, or is it random? My +7 item decays much much slower than my +2 item.

[Alpha]

Ah that may be it. I just have  a 2+ item now. Its condition went down fast. I had it repaired, and by the time I got it back it was only slightly better than before.

My character on Dwilight has consistently held on to 2-3 items at the same time. He's only ever lost any due to getting wounded. If you can find a skilled advy with lots of items on hand, then you pretty much have a private repair shop on hand.

On a side note, do items degrade more slowly as they gain prestige, or is it random? My +7 item decays much much slower than my +2 item.

[De-Legro]

Okay a couple of things could be going on here. As I understand it the older the item, the faster it degrades. Secondly did the Advy really truly repair the item to 100% depending on how damaged the item is, it can take several repair events to get back to 100%.

[Sacha]

Age can't be the deciding factor. My +7 is much older than my +2, yet it degrades much slower. And back when I still had three +7s, they all degraded at about the same rate, if not exactly the same rate.

Logical conclusion: the better the item, the slower it decays.

[Tom]

Actually, every unique item is indeed unique, and that includes the factor of how quickly it deteriorates. Some do it faster, some do it slower.

[Foundation]

That's awesome, albeit a little hard to figure out without actual figures as when you do it relatively most chars only have at most a few.

[songqu88@gmail.com]

I could be just seeing things, but sometimes it almost looks as if a unique item, after being repaired, degrades differently than before.

[Tom]

I could be just seeing things, but sometimes it almost looks as if a unique item, after being repaired, degrades differently than before.

You are not seeing things. :-)

[Shizzle]

I guess bad repairs would be bad for the degradation process ..

e.g. repairing it only up to 60% might lower it's "hitpoints"?

[Alpha]

I suppose I should have more thoroughly considered the proposal before posting. The degradation rate isn't so much my problem, as the lack of a reliable repair means. Currently adventurers have to possess the necessary repair items, then find a sage to conduct the repairs. Without the items there are no repairs, and I believe that when repaired UIs are not necessarily fully repaired.

Like I said in my original post, I'd like to see the option for repairs to be possible by gold alone(surely some NPC freemen have acquired, and sold, countless wolf pelts, eagle talons, and shiny medallions). Have the repair costs dependent upon the condition of the item, the amount of prestige it confers, and have the chance that a repair fails causing additional damage to the item.  Adventurers would still be need to conduct the repairs(Nobles not wishing  to be associated with sages).

For item turnover rate, make it possible to lose items in battle. Infiltrators, or captors, could steal a valued item. Even allow a Judge to accept a UI as ransom. I don't know how difficult it would be to code, but it could be interesting. I could certainly see the theft of some treasure being a reason for war.

[Shizzle]

I suppose I should have more thoroughly considered the proposal before posting. The degradation rate isn't so much my problem, as the lack of a reliable repair means. Currently adventurers have to possess the necessary repair items, then find a sage to conduct the repairs. Without the items there are no repairs, and I believe that when repaired UIs are not necessarily fully repaired.

Like I said in my original post, I'd like to see the option for repairs to be possible by gold alone(surely some NPC freemen have acquired, and sold, countless wolf pelts, eagle talons, and shiny medallions). Have the repair costs dependent upon the condition of the item, the amount of prestige it confers, and have the chance that a repair fails causing additional damage to the item.

and cut out the advies in the process? Hell no!

[songqu88@gmail.com]

I think he might be suggesting that advies have the option of paying a really high amount (since it would be in gold) in lieu of items.