keep using newbie quest reward or exquisite drop?
I made a new character, an elf bushido swordswoman with chivalry. One of her newbie quest rewards (of 8) was the Arms of Armstrong:
For a newbie item that seemed pretty good to me. But the best random drop I received during my quests was:
I know eventually she'll have something much better than either of these, but which would you use and why? I'm attracted to the exquisite sleeves, but I like the fact that the Armstrong Arms are blessed.
On an unrelated question, saying the word "balance" is not showing my bank balance. I've tried it with both my bank vault open and not open. All that happens is that everyone sees my character say "balance". What am I doing wrong?
For a newbie item that seemed pretty good to me. But the best random drop I received during my quests was:
I know eventually she'll have something much better than either of these, but which would you use and why? I'm attracted to the exquisite sleeves, but I like the fact that the Armstrong Arms are blessed.
On an unrelated question, saying the word "balance" is not showing my bank balance. I've tried it with both my bank vault open and not open. All that happens is that everyone sees my character say "balance". What am I doing wrong?
Rock (formerly Imperterritus VXt, Baja)
Comments
"Balance" is the correct word to speak.The New Haven Bank tellers are rather hard of hearing in my experience, try using the western side entrance to enter the Bank behind the tellers.
As far as equipment goes, everything around New Haven does Physical Damage, so other resists are pointless. I'd keep Arms of Armstrong on your elf for the Strength bonus and higher Physical resist until you are ready to leave the island to fight stronger enemies.
Blacksmithing, Carpentry and Inscription services offered through afilliated subcontractors.
Exotic beasts available with proper authorization from the Crown.
The character, Shido, has already moved on from New Haven. She went to Ter Mur and accepted the quest granted by the Gargoyle at the city entrance, deliver a Writ to the Holy City. She died with a one-hit lightning strike just as she was about to give the Writ to the one good NPC there. The Holy City is extremely dangerous for an elf barely in her 50s! Fortunately I had remembered about item insurance, since she was wearing the exquisite sleeves.
Unfortunately I lost the new newbie award, a rune to The Darkness. I assumed it would lead to a sort of "final boss" fight for New Haven. I actually tried a couple times to use it after completing all the newbie quests, but was told it could not be used where I was. That's why I was going to Ter Mur, to buy 40 Imbuing skill, and then try to use the rune. But "No....", Dummy decided to do the introductory Ter Mur quest first.
https://uo.com/wiki/ultima-online-wiki/publish-notes/publish-99/
Bug Fixes
The rewards are minor compared to end game loot, but nice while working skill gain. I always tried to get my characters armor for max Resists before moving out of New Haven. Unless a 100% LRC was higher priority for a Mage or Necro. If you have a GM Tailor or Blacksmith from 2005, making some Exceptional armor for your new elf out of Barbed leather or Valorite would help quite a bit. It'll get you really close to 70 resists and Insurance cost will be dirt cheap while you wait to Imbue or grind higher loot.
Blacksmithing, Carpentry and Inscription services offered through afilliated subcontractors.
Exotic beasts available with proper authorization from the Crown.
That said, I would suggest new characters do their newbie quests in New Haven and get to 50 with the accelerated skill-gain zones there. Since you can earn 500 gp in less than a minute with all the newbie escort quests, stocking sufficient reagents is not a problem. After that, an LRC suit would be wonderful.
Find out what type toon they want. Give them a 70s suit. LRC if needed. Just a plain one.
Last stop take them to New Haven, show them the quest givers for skills they want. Take them to the undead there. Introduce them on Gen Chat, make sure they can use gen chat. Tell them to fight a while and report back in chat. If they seem excited about UO, offer a better suit if someone else has not found them and hooked them up with a better suit.
For a returning tamer, I grab a good pet and take them to Destard and show them what the new pets can do. Check their stable for Gems. Help them release and retame the Cus that turned 4 slot. Then see if they need anything.
I have found that a lot of players will come out of hiding if you introduce a noob or returner in chat and they actually say a few things. Thats why I leave them in Haven so others can go introduce themselves.
We grouped up against Ogres and Ettins.
The places we played in groups were the lands northeast of Minoc, Wrong or Covetous, then the Lich and fort area outside Delucia. Some players would grab your stuff and run when you died, others would go to the nearest healer and return your stuff.
Some new or returning players do like to tag along. That is why I encourage them to talk in chat and not be afraid to ask anything.
Had a new player tag along with me for about 2 weeks before they branched off to do new stuff.
Took me 14 years to join a guild, so there are many players that like to play an MMO by themselves most of the time.
The last thing I want to subject a new player to is, "the good old days"
Easy enough to put together a 70phys and 70fire with the rest 40s-50s suit from haven loot. 20 LRC pieces are so common that it does not take long to build decent resist 100LRC suit from Earth Els and Ettin Loot. Not knowing how to put together a good basic suit though is the hard part for someone that does not know the first thing about the armor system. Hopefully the player wiki will help a bit with that basic knowledge.
You are the type of player which I think feedback from is very important. Because you are trying to get back into the game and see things from a different set of eyes of that of the developers, 20 years played vets and even the come and go vets. You represent the people we look to get back.
My question to you is this: other than to spend time doing Haven content, which is very important, what else do you think a new or returning player would benefit from? I know you had done research, but not a lot do. A book of information of where to find stuff? Or is that better for self discovery? It's a fine line to walk.
I'm more into Ultima because of the lack of information. I think Ultima did do a good job of just giving you enough information.
The things I found a hard time with are;
Full Magery Spellbook because on Chessy it wasn't on Vendor Search for cheap and you can't get it easy on New Haven Island.
The escort timer on New Haven Island is a bit long. New players should be able to chain escorts.
Reagents and Blank Scrolls need a weight reduction.
New gold system needs to be explained. It took even me a second to think about why I had 4k in my backpack, but couldn't buy 1k worth of reagents.
No guilds have recruited that I've seen.
Where to go to catch up with gear to get to latest content.
Explaining much else is just going to remove a lot of the mystery. This game should make you want to pull out a notebook to play it.
Things I think new players that don't know the game should know are;
The map is tilted. If they say go South, they mean go South West.
Where New Haven Mine is, where the Boglings are, where the reds are on New Haven island. Where the Moongate is and what it's for.
How to change the chat.
How to figure out the EM schedule and plans.
UOGuide
Blackthorn's Dungeon
The bitter part of me wants people to know how useless non-sampire melee templates and crafters are.