Blademaster blade quest item: Cinnabar

Dortheron

As part of acquiring their blade, Blademasters have to acquire three items: ashes, a random lump of metal, and a third item. The third item could be one of several objects, like a sprig of nightshade or a fiery reddish rose. Most of these items have one spot they respawn at or there are multiples of them.

But cinnabar has neither. Cinnabar, a third possible item for the quest, can respawn anywhere in Moghedu..The problems are:

A) Moghedu is big.

It spawns randomly in Moghedu. From 1st floor to the 6th, including the hidden mage room.

C) There is only one usable cinnabar

D) Unless you find it, there is no way to know where it is or even if someone has grabbed it before you. While it doesn't usually happen, I've seen a situation where after a housemate spent 15 minutes of searching for the cinnabar, and after he finally found the cinnabar it decayed mid-trip and had to spend another 10-15 minutes
of searching.


This makes finding it quite difficult and increasing frustrating when you can't find it. As current HoN and long-time aide to the same position in the Ashura, I've helped with many quests for both newbies and older players.

While randomness is a factor with the blade quest, as obviously seen with the lumps, the difficulty in finding the cinnabar just becomes annoying. It is hard for blademasters without anyone to help hunt for it (especially real newbies), it promotes no role-play feature, and does nothing to enhance the quest or class.


I would like to suggest one or more of the following changes:
A) Make cinnabar spawn specific to a single place. This is more in-line with the other items for the quest and is the easiest solution.

Make Moghedu spawn more cinnabar. More cinnabar means a much easier time finding one.

C) Restrict where it spawns to a possible few rooms. Could even have the rooms spread out across Moghedu. Similar to hunting for the lumps while not having to look everywhere. Plus after checking the few known spots, would be much easier to know if you have to wait for it to respawn.

D) Option A, PLEASE


Thank you for listening to my suggestion and I hope something good comes because of it.

Xli

The BM quest isn't the only use for cinnabar...

Iocun

Make cinnabar only appear in the GoM room. That way it's always clear where it is and there won't be any Mhaldorian blademasters anymore.

Antonius

@Xli: Okay? Maybe elaborate on why that's a problem?

Sylvance

I don't see a problem with the cinnabar per se but it's just so completely different from searching from the other reagents that I can see why it's breaking people's balls a little bit. I've certainly been known to groan when Murad uses the C word.

Kyrra

I've had a few long searches for cinnabar with my BM and it can be annoying compared to the time taken for other items. I think the only thing worse is having bad luck with the lumps of metals spawning.

If I see people hunting the area I usually send them a chirpy hello and ask if they've seen any cinnabar laying around. There was one instance of someone just collecting room items.

Zii

I like watching the Mhaldorian BM novices head into Moghedu for cinnabar, to find out the Keepers and Knights agro Mhaldorians.

Xli

Antonius said:

@Xli: Okay? Maybe elaborate on why that's a problem?

Who says it's a problem? I was merely pointing out the behaviour of the cinnabar is related to a pre-existing quest, so it doesn't behave like the other BM requirements. It's not a problem, per se, unless your character is Mhaldorian

Orzaansyn

It's not a problem if you are Mhaldorian either. You would be surprised on how we help newbies, if you do not know yet.

Xli

Orzaansyn said:

It's not a problem if you are Mhaldorian either. You would be surprised on how we help newbies, if you do not know yet.

Wasn't meant as a dig, just that the Mhun are aggro by default to Mhaldorian

Synbios

If I remember right, fiery reddish rose has the distinction of having multiples of it spread through the Aerinewild.

Trevize

Synbios said:

If I remember right, fiery reddish rose has the distinction of having multiples of it spread through the Aerinewild.

It's a lot older than the BM quest as well.

Synbios

Trevize said:

Synbios said:

If I remember right, fiery reddish rose has the distinction of having multiples of it spread through the Aerinewild.

It's a lot older than the BM quest as well.

@Trevize: Well now, that's a whole lot more interesting than I thought.

Jonners

It has the distinction of being a quest item for an old Black Forest/Treekin event also.

Trevize

Jonners said:

It has the distinction of being a quest item for an old Black Forest/Treekin event also.

Huh, wasn't sure many remembered Black Forest before Treekin and mushrooms! Yep, they were used to 'calm' the Treekin.

Jonners

Jonners lives in the black, made a point of learning the history 

Xith

Could add a little gem shop in Moghedu that sells minute quantities of cinnabar and other nifty gems that are mined. Turn the solution into one that also gives Moghedu more positive tourist flair.

Potentially add to their comm shop but I don't think cinnabar is riftable so...

Trevize

Xith said:

Turn the solution into one that also gives Moghedu more positive tourist flair.

Souvenirs! I like it. I'll stop by the shop every time I visit, after slaughtering everyone.

Tael

The blade quest as a whole has a somewhat weird structure.

Cinnabar is the worst bit of it since one faction's newbies essentially can't get it themselves, but you can't possibly expect a newbie to know about the Aerinewild either. It seems like the vast majority of the time, the "quest" for a blade just ends up being "Stay here and I'll go get the things you need then take you to the place where you find the ashes".

It would make an awful lot more sense if crafting a personal blade happened later in the skill when this could be an actual quest that involves actual discovery rather than an exercise in being lead around by someone who knows the quest (which we technically have rules against!). As it stands, the newbie gets very little sense of the history - of why the ashes are where they are, of the fact that these materials are, for the most part, pretty exotic and are also tied to other things.

If it came later in the skill, it would solve a lot of issues. For instance, maybe you buy some generic blade and later in TwoArts you get the ability to make a personal blade - and you can only use infusions with a personal blade. If that were the case, there wouldn't be such a pressing need to just do the quest for newbies so they can start playing the game - you could actually let people do the quest like they would a normal quest.

Synbios

Tael said:

The blade quest as a whole has a somewhat weird structure.

Cinnabar is the worst bit of it since one faction's newbies essentially can't get it themselves, but you can't possibly expect a newbie to know about the Aerinewild either. It seems like the vast majority of the time, the "quest" for a blade just ends up being "Stay here and I'll go get the things you need then take you to the place where you find the ashes".

It would make an awful lot more sense if crafting a personal blade happened later in the skill when this could be an actual quest that involves actual discovery rather than an exercise in being lead around by someone who knows the quest (which we technically have rules against!). As it stands, the newbie gets very little sense of the history - of why the ashes are where they are, of the fact that these materials are, for the most part, pretty exotic and are also tied to other things.

If it came later in the skill, it would solve a lot of issues. For instance, maybe you buy some generic blade and later in TwoArts you get the ability to make a personal blade - and you can only use infusions with a personal blade. If that were the case, there wouldn't be such a pressing need to just do the quest for newbies so they can start playing the game - you could actually let people do the quest like they would a normal quest.

This was already discussed before in here. Suggestions I made there:

Synbios said:

-after the introduction from Kavaya-

Murad looks over you briefly, before performing some quick measurements of your height and your arms. Satisfied, he selects a piece of steel and places it in the forge.

The sound of hammer on steel fills the air as Murad beats the steel into the shape of a blade, before sharpening it on a grindstone and affixing a sturdy grip and pommel.

Placing the sword into your hands, Murad says, "This is an unbound blade, an incomplete template from which countless blademasters begin their journey. It will serve you for the time being. However, in order for you to unlock the true potential of your weapon - and by extension, yourself - you will need to bind it to you in the ceremony of Blade Naming."

Glaring severely into your eyes, Murad says, "A blade that is not bound to you will be strongly inferior to that of a Named one. If you truly wish to be a practitioner of the Two Arts, hear me well."

Murad says, "In the Southern Vashnar Mountains, there is a glade of frozen trees. Long ago, the broken blade of Lucaine Pyramides was found embedded in one of the trees. Time has long since reduced that tree and the blade to mere dust. Gather the ashes scattered throughout that glade and bring them to me."

Murad says, "I will need a special lump of iron as well. None of the scrap metal in city blacksmiths has served as a proper substitute, but forges like <insert randomized list of 1-2 village forges> have been known to produce it in acceptable quality."

Murad says, "Finally, I require a clump of golden clay. The Pachacacha river has been known to produce it in great quantities, but the best kind of golden clay can be found in the deep waters where the river makes its round through massive boulders."

Murad tells you, "If you need me to remind you of the materials, just TELL MURAD ASH/LUMP/CLAY."

Synbios said:

Addendum: Possible properties of the unbound blade:

-balance recovery probably 2-3 seconds, modifiable by traits

-stance provides absolutely no benefit/malus to drawslash damage and balance recovery(meaning that you don't get the benefits of faster thyr balance while using an unbound blade)

-drawslash damage probably 1/2 to 2/3 of unstanced drawslash

-cannot BROKENSTAR, INFUSE or COMPASSSLASH

Kresslack

I really like the idea of BM's getting a default blade and then being able to bound it to them later. I don't think they should have the options to personalize it though; that bit I think should remain somewhat random in the hands of Murard, because it's not as if -they're- the ones forging it, Murad is. Carden has it listed to configure the swords to be more appropriately named based on factions, but not sure when that will be implemented. 

Katzchen

It would be really nice if you could choose some of the items for your blade, and they would relate to the colours. So you get a lump of steel, and you end up with a steel blade. You choose a colour for the wrapping, pomel, etc. It really sucks when you get a blade name you love, and a gaudy as hell blade. And gaudy blades (multiple loud colours) are almost as common as bad blade names, so it's pretty likely.

Forged from a golden alloy of the finest steel and bronze, this blade exhibits a soft curve along
its length, accentuated by a shallow groove carved into the metal. The thick tang is encased by a
grip of yellow silk in an intricate twisting pattern. Rounding off the grip is a pyramidal pommel
fashioned from bone, affording perfect balance to this masterfully crafted weapon.

Yellow.

Kyrra

Yeah, my favourite sword was Yearning Shadows but the sword itself looked horrible. I miss the name but not the eyesore.

Silas

Tael said:

The blade quest as a whole has a somewhat weird structure.

Cinnabar is the worst bit of it since one faction's newbies essentially can't get it themselves, but you can't possibly expect a newbie to know about the Aerinewild either. It seems like the vast majority of the time, the "quest" for a blade just ends up being "Stay here and I'll go get the things you need then take you to the place where you find the ashes".

It would make an awful lot more sense if crafting a personal blade happened later in the skill when this could be an actual quest that involves actual discovery rather than an exercise in being lead around by someone who knows the quest (which we technically have rules against!). As it stands, the newbie gets very little sense of the history - of why the ashes are where they are, of the fact that these materials are, for the most part, pretty exotic and are also tied to other things.

If it came later in the skill, it would solve a lot of issues. For instance, maybe you buy some generic blade and later in TwoArts you get the ability to make a personal blade - and you can only use infusions with a personal blade. If that were the case, there wouldn't be such a pressing need to just do the quest for newbies so they can start playing the game - you could actually let people do the quest like they would a normal quest.

This is a great idea. @Cardan, @Tecton, make it so.

Jurixe

Or code it yourself, @Silas!

*hides*

Silas

Ok... :-<

Kresslack

No, we want it to work.

Tecton

Silas said:

Tael said:

The blade quest as a whole has a somewhat weird structure.

Cinnabar is the worst bit of it since one faction's newbies essentially can't get it themselves, but you can't possibly expect a newbie to know about the Aerinewild either. It seems like the vast majority of the time, the "quest" for a blade just ends up being "Stay here and I'll go get the things you need then take you to the place where you find the ashes".

It would make an awful lot more sense if crafting a personal blade happened later in the skill when this could be an actual quest that involves actual discovery rather than an exercise in being lead around by someone who knows the quest (which we technically have rules against!). As it stands, the newbie gets very little sense of the history - of why the ashes are where they are, of the fact that these materials are, for the most part, pretty exotic and are also tied to other things.

If it came later in the skill, it would solve a lot of issues. For instance, maybe you buy some generic blade and later in TwoArts you get the ability to make a personal blade - and you can only use infusions with a personal blade. If that were the case, there wouldn't be such a pressing need to just do the quest for newbies so they can start playing the game - you could actually let people do the quest like they would a normal quest.

This is a great idea. @Cardan, @Tecton, make it so.

Actually, this is already done and ready to go, it's coming as part of the new intro/newbie experience.