| Heyo!
In about 15 minutes from the time of this post, I will be releasing a complete overhaul of the CLIMB verb to Prime. The system is currently live in Platinum, and TF will follow once any major issues are resolved in Prime.
Please direct any questions/comments/concerns about the new climb system to the Dragonrealms -> Abilities, Skills and Magic -> Survival Skills - Getting There folder.
NOTE: These changes apply only to things that used the default CLIMB verb. A few special scripted climbs (the Aesry stairs or the cliff on Hara'jaal, for example) use custom mechanics and are not affected by these updates at this time. These are rare, but be aware they exist.
I'll be monitoring this release for the next week or two. Experience rates, roundtimes, and timers are all subject to change based on observation and feedback.
There's some good news and some bad news involved in this overhaul, so let's get down to the details:
--- Climbing Aids ---
- You now have the option to CLIMB <obstacle> WITH <tool>. If you have an appropriate tool (currently the coiled ropes like those sold at the Crossing General Store are the only ones supported) you will gain a bonus to your climb attempt. However, this comes at the cost of a reduction in experience gained.
- You may appraise a climb before you attempt it, and will receive a bonus based on your success in appraising. This is not new, but the benefit from this additional step has been increased. No cost other than the added roundtime for the appraisal.
- Rangers will gain a bonus based on their scouting skill when attempting to lead groups over climbs. This is also not new, but the bonus involved is now more consistently applied, although not as substantial as it was before.
- If a group leader succeeds in a climb, everyone in their group will get a bonus based on the success of the leader. The downside is that those who wouldn't have made it without the leader bonus will received reduced experience from the climb as a result.
- The role of stats in climbing has been increased. Both agility and strength will aid in climbing.
--- Climbing Penalties ---
- The fatigue cost for climbing has gone up in most cases. Climbing while fatigued will also reduce your chances. The more difficult the climb, the greater the fatigue cost. The better your success (where applicable) the lower the cost.
- The impact of wounds on climbing have gone down in most cases. However, climbs more difficult than stairs/steps will now also check all limb wounds, not just legs like before. While wounds are less significant overall, they can still make a difference.
- You may now attempt climbs with items in your hands (any type), but there will be a penalty involved based on the size of the item, and an additional penalty if both hands are filled. Note: climbing tools (see above) are exempt and will not incur a penalty in and of themselves, although the penalty for having both hands filled will be applied if you have something in the other hand as well.
- Failed attempts now incur a roundtime to prevent spamming and learning more from failures than successes.
--- Practice Mode ---
- Two other new options are now available:
- CLIMB PRACTICE <obstacle>
- STOP CLIMB
Use of this option will put you in practice mode. Assuming the climb is reasonably challenging (but not too much so), you will learn climbing experience until the practice session ends or you use STOP CLIMB. The experience award will slowly build until the end of the session or it is stopped, but while practicing climbing you will be extremely limited in other activities. Note that practicing will not actually move you, nor will it invoke the experience timers.
--- MISC ---
- The experience for a successful climb has been increased. The experience timer still exists, and is now consistently applied. In short, going from one place to another will teach better than it used to, but climbing back and forth will not teach well in most cases. The best way to learn is to try climbing back and forth once, then run a practice session if it seems to teach well.
- A new difficulty tracking system has been added. The game will now track the most difficult climb in the game, and if the climb you are attempting is close to that climb in difficulty, it will make sure you always gain experience if you fully succeed, even if you have far more skill than required. This will insure that it will always be possible to learn climbing, even if you severely outclass the most difficult climbs in the game.
- Spells and abilities that benefit climbing should still be completely compatible. Those that bonus/hex the stats involved in climbing should now be more potent than before.
- GM Dartenian
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