Post by Morreion on Oct 20, 2009 8:03:22 GMT -5
I moved through the forest, looking for a lich. These undead casters in their moldering robes clutching twisted staves haunt this stretch of woods along a remote road near a tiny graveyard next to some ruins. I am nervous, because liches are deadly. So deadly in fact, I'm here to hunt down and kill the one that looted my magic silver sword after he slew me last fight. He will still be in the general area of my remains, though he may have wandered somewhat- liches can be unpredictable.
What was predictable however, was that I was coming back for my silver sword, which gives me good bonuses against the undead. I've been working on my magic resist skill for some time now to build it up, helping me to (hopefully) resist those nasty fireballs and root spells that your typical lich can unleash. You have to pick your lich target carefully; they are wanderers of the woods by themselves, but another will come to one's aid if the fight gets noisy- probably drawn towards possible loot more than by a sense of camaraderie. But then again, player characters usually have good loot, don't we?
Why am I here? Well, liches can provide skill advancement, to start. Nothing like raising your magic resist by having a fireball sputter out when it reaches you as you laugh and slash your magic sword against undead flesh. It does wonders for your swordsmanship as well. Then there is the fame issue. Sure, there is fame to be gained, who doesn't want to have a heroic title under their name for others to see? Of course, losing to a lich means losing fame as well as having an item of yours looted at random from one's body; you have to resurrect (courtesy of a healer) and then head back to the bank or recall to your house and re-equip with a spare set of armor and weapons (don't forget those healing bandages!) to give it another try. You see, in 7 minutes your remains will be lootable by any player who wants them. It is a good idea to go back and get your stuff back while you can.
If you can.
Of course half the time, the lich is hanging around your body, laughing at you. This could be a fight. Are the risks worth it? Maybe it would be a better idea to go to the graveyard and work more on your magic resist with less deadly foes. Or perhaps go on a dungeon run to make more gold. Or go to the swamp and kill lizard men, they drop seeds that you can grow in your garden. Or even just practice hiding in the shadows of a nearby building. Or follow that treasure map I found on that last dead lich to possible riches or another death...
Switch gears now.
I'm in the zone where I'm supposed to be, because when I went up the road, I can barely do damage to the mobs. It's obvious I belong in this particular zone. Everybody else my level is here, too, and we're all killing the same things for the dozens of quests we have to do. We have to kill a couple hundred of these mobs before we can do the next zone. It's pretty much a foregone conclusion that I can kill these mobs; every once in a while, I may accidentally get another add, but that's OK, if I die I that's no problem at all, just spend a minute running back and it's once again returning to the same ol' same ol'. Steady as she goes, it's a long road ahead with no real bumps in the pavement. Man, I have to kill a LOT of these things. It isn't hard, I'll just buckle down and do it. Paying my dues.
Maybe I'll keep playing this game, maybe not.
What was predictable however, was that I was coming back for my silver sword, which gives me good bonuses against the undead. I've been working on my magic resist skill for some time now to build it up, helping me to (hopefully) resist those nasty fireballs and root spells that your typical lich can unleash. You have to pick your lich target carefully; they are wanderers of the woods by themselves, but another will come to one's aid if the fight gets noisy- probably drawn towards possible loot more than by a sense of camaraderie. But then again, player characters usually have good loot, don't we?
Why am I here? Well, liches can provide skill advancement, to start. Nothing like raising your magic resist by having a fireball sputter out when it reaches you as you laugh and slash your magic sword against undead flesh. It does wonders for your swordsmanship as well. Then there is the fame issue. Sure, there is fame to be gained, who doesn't want to have a heroic title under their name for others to see? Of course, losing to a lich means losing fame as well as having an item of yours looted at random from one's body; you have to resurrect (courtesy of a healer) and then head back to the bank or recall to your house and re-equip with a spare set of armor and weapons (don't forget those healing bandages!) to give it another try. You see, in 7 minutes your remains will be lootable by any player who wants them. It is a good idea to go back and get your stuff back while you can.
If you can.
Of course half the time, the lich is hanging around your body, laughing at you. This could be a fight. Are the risks worth it? Maybe it would be a better idea to go to the graveyard and work more on your magic resist with less deadly foes. Or perhaps go on a dungeon run to make more gold. Or go to the swamp and kill lizard men, they drop seeds that you can grow in your garden. Or even just practice hiding in the shadows of a nearby building. Or follow that treasure map I found on that last dead lich to possible riches or another death...
Switch gears now.
I'm in the zone where I'm supposed to be, because when I went up the road, I can barely do damage to the mobs. It's obvious I belong in this particular zone. Everybody else my level is here, too, and we're all killing the same things for the dozens of quests we have to do. We have to kill a couple hundred of these mobs before we can do the next zone. It's pretty much a foregone conclusion that I can kill these mobs; every once in a while, I may accidentally get another add, but that's OK, if I die I that's no problem at all, just spend a minute running back and it's once again returning to the same ol' same ol'. Steady as she goes, it's a long road ahead with no real bumps in the pavement. Man, I have to kill a LOT of these things. It isn't hard, I'll just buckle down and do it. Paying my dues.
Maybe I'll keep playing this game, maybe not.
