Quest item frequency

[keybounce]

So this time I'm trying two things differently:

1. I'm using a fighter, and
2. I'm staying in the top level area.

I only received one can of spam during the time in the spammer zone, never found the basement key in the house, leveled past an entire level when I assembled the flying saucer, and never saw a greasy confection.

And, I never saw three zones in the zone-of-zones, nor any of the items dropped in those zones. Too busy trying to find quest items, and leveled up before completing the quest.

Do quest items need to be more frequent? (I think so).

[Mad Merlin]

Well, for the flying saucer at least, you can assemble it strictly from parts available in the Item/Equipment shop.

Also, it's arguable that it's better to have quest items too rare than too frequent. Questing is generally more exciting than not questing, if the quest items are too frequent, you'll spend less time questing and more time not-questing.

(It's probably also for the best that it takes you at least 1 level to get into the basement, the Menacing Figure will smush most unprepared level 7 characters (this part is intentional).)

Thoughts?

[keybounce]

Well, the parts for the saucer may be in the town, but that was the first time I had to save money up -- basically, my "quest drops" were not buying weapons/armor/other items, but saving up.

If the boss monster for a Level 7 quest will kill the level seven characters, then why not make it a level 8 quest? There are other zones that are ignored until my stamina goes negative -- is that the intention? Since I've only got as many fights as my stamina plus my eating, my surplus 25 fights will be the only time I tackle lower zones with this character.

(Hey, it beats the old complaints I had about going up too slowly while trying to clean out everything in the lower zones for all their specials, remember? .

[Mad Merlin]

If the boss monster for a Level 7 quest will kill the level seven characters, then why not make it a level 8 quest?

For several reasons:
- challenges are good (it's difficult, not impossible)
- the house is worth fully exploring (which is the expected fallback if you get smushed)
- most people don't make it into the basement until at least level 8 anyways

[keybounce]

Do I really need duct tape to clean that gunky key?

(Guess what item I was trying to "use"

[Mad Merlin]

Do I really need duct tape to clean that gunky key?

(Guess what item I was trying to "use"

Yes.

[keybounce]

the Menacing Figure will smush most unprepared level 7 characters

Actually, it almost smushed my L10 fighter. Went from 128 HP down to 17.

So clearly, I'm considered "unprepared". Not surprising -- last time I went through, it was a mage, and had some overpowered spells (heavily used, lower exp per battle, more battles).

What can you do to make a fighter stronger? Mages can train their spells up; fighters can't train their skills up.

[Mad Merlin]

the Menacing Figure will smush most unprepared level 7 characters

Actually, it almost smushed my L10 fighter. Went from 128 HP down to 17.

So clearly, I'm considered "unprepared". Not surprising -- last time I went through, it was a mage, and had some overpowered spells (heavily used, lower exp per battle, more battles).

What can you do to make a fighter stronger? Mages can train their spells up; fighters can't train their skills up.

Fighters have higher defense, which makes potions more potent. Also, better equipment makes more of a difference for fighters than mages. What kind of equipment were you wearing?

[keybounce]

Chain mail, Flail, small shield.

Crude helmet, beefy charm

[Mad Merlin]

Chain mail, Flail, small shield.

Crude helmet, beefy charm

Well, not awful, but with the exception of the chain mail, certainly room for improvement at level 10.

[keybounce]

There may be room for improvement, but I haven't found any improvement.

No clues, nothing that I saw in the stores or in drops, or on the market.

No advice from the sage. No "Beginning statistics" textbooks.

[Mad Merlin]

..."Beginning statistics" textbooks.

Hmm, that's an interesting idea...

[keybounce]

Alright, I think the quest item frequency seems odd.

I just sold a gunky key for 700, and a UFO for 500.

The key for the house -- that quest doesn't pay much more than that, if it does at all. People seem to be willing to pay large sums to finish the quests.

Now, the UFO for 500 is odd. It's not nearly that expensive to just buy the quest parts.

For completeness: The same person bought a bedsheet for 4000.

[Mad Merlin]

Alright, I think the quest item frequency seems odd.

I just sold a gunky key for 700, and a UFO for 500.

The key for the house -- that quest doesn't pay much more than that, if it does at all. People seem to be willing to pay large sums to finish the quests.

Now, the UFO for 500 is odd. It's not nearly that expensive to just buy the quest parts.

For completeness: The same person bought a bedsheet for 4000.

Knowledge is power! People will even buy things from the Market (at a higher price) despite the fact that they're directly available at the Item/Equipment shop.

[Rick]

Alright, I think the quest item frequency seems odd.

I just sold a gunky key for 700, and a UFO for 500.

The key for the house -- that quest doesn't pay much more than that, if it does at all. People seem to be willing to pay large sums to finish the quests.

Now, the UFO for 500 is odd. It's not nearly that expensive to just buy the quest parts.

For completeness: The same person bought a bedsheet for 4000.

My philosophy: Keep everything, sell nothing (unless you have tons of it), buy all items that you have only a few of, as you never know what you might need later!!!

Another reason high level characters will seemingly overpay for low level items is that there is a huge opportunity cost for adventuring at a low level in order to get it yourself when precious stamina points are better spent in other places!