These 50k hireswords seem a bit overpowered to me. You can play for 3 years and not have their stats, yet someone can buy one in a couple days and have 5000 for all combat skills?
I realize that if they die you're out 50k but should this be a license for traders to go into any area they want with absolutely no skill and have no risk from critters? Can these please be re-evaluated? If their skill was around 2000 I could see it, but this seems a bit excessive.
Hireswords
Hireswords
20:21:01 [CHAT - (a mysterious GM)]: With obvious effort, Zuki pries up a thick scale over a drakolin's chest! Zuki spearhand-strikes the soft, unprotected area under the scale! Heart ruptured, death follows immediately. A drakolin lets out a final bellow of rage and falls lifeless to the ground.
50,000 a LOT of riln for something that isn't permanent. There are houses that have been purchased for less than half of that.
Most mercs range from 500 - 6000 riln, with the one exception. I plan to add a wider range, I just haven't gotten that far on my endless to-do list.
I have a scale I use for hireable mercenaries which is based on how much they cost, compared to how much skill they have. Also, keep in mind, while even 6 months seems like a long time in game, these mercenaries are veterans. They've been in battle after battle and survived, they've been around for their entire careers and as such are the best of the best and now fetch top riln(dollar) for their services.
The fact that they are strong and effectively can defend the person they hire is entirely intended. They are not invincible, however.
Also, you have to consider that while you have a mercenary, they don't necessarily gain combat skill faster either. The merc will take at least 50% of all dodge practice from you, and even more if you have it set to guard you. This tends to apply to other skills as well. You skill gains will be lower with a mercenary in most cases.
Mercs are there for protection, that's much different than having an ability that can take someone out or deal damage. You're not going to be able to invade Corvus or Shadgard using this merc, no matter how tough it is.
That said, tweaks with this system have been planned for a while, so there will be changes to assure balance as this is discussed among the GMs. Some skills will likely be adjusted a bit (like perception.)
However, even though adjustments may be mad e(as with any system) I don't have an issue with a high risk investment for a temporary perk.
Most mercs range from 500 - 6000 riln, with the one exception. I plan to add a wider range, I just haven't gotten that far on my endless to-do list.
I have a scale I use for hireable mercenaries which is based on how much they cost, compared to how much skill they have. Also, keep in mind, while even 6 months seems like a long time in game, these mercenaries are veterans. They've been in battle after battle and survived, they've been around for their entire careers and as such are the best of the best and now fetch top riln(dollar) for their services.
The fact that they are strong and effectively can defend the person they hire is entirely intended. They are not invincible, however.
Also, you have to consider that while you have a mercenary, they don't necessarily gain combat skill faster either. The merc will take at least 50% of all dodge practice from you, and even more if you have it set to guard you. This tends to apply to other skills as well. You skill gains will be lower with a mercenary in most cases.
Mercs are there for protection, that's much different than having an ability that can take someone out or deal damage. You're not going to be able to invade Corvus or Shadgard using this merc, no matter how tough it is.
That said, tweaks with this system have been planned for a while, so there will be changes to assure balance as this is discussed among the GMs. Some skills will likely be adjusted a bit (like perception.)
However, even though adjustments may be mad e(as with any system) I don't have an issue with a high risk investment for a temporary perk.
No longer GMing for CLOK.
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KianTheArcher
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- Joined: Fri Aug 19, 2011 10:01 am
The hireswords aren't nearly as difficult to kill as they seem. Of course, if you try to take it on 1v1 you're probably going to fail. But that's a poor judge of "power level" for something. Just because it isn't solo-able doesn't mean it's OP. Group tactics could most likely take it down fairly easily, provided the group is working as a team.
Morgoth, I cried
All hope is gone but I swear revenge
Hear my oath
I will take part in your damned fate
All hope is gone but I swear revenge
Hear my oath
I will take part in your damned fate
[quote=Landion][quote=Dyslexia]... my hiresword can block attacks on me but do not retaliate.[/quote]
This will likely be changed in the future too so that people on your enemies list would get attacked...(if it doesn't already.)[/quote]
While these are a large investment, it is an investment that is obtainable by a trader in a couple days or less. These hireswords, while temporarily, will likely last a very long time.
Traders, to my knowledge, are not supposed to be adept at combat. This will make them more than adept, and with a very skilled hiresword, who needs skills anyways.
What I'm saying is that even though they're temporary, they are long lasting and can be easily re-purchased and thus treated as permanent. As well, with the way things currently are, they are very unlikely to die. This level of skill is a bit of an insult to those of us who have grinded away for long hours to get our skills no where near that.
When you start allowing them to attack other players, you end up with a very unbalanced system with traders far too skilled at combat.
I understand there is a significant purchase cost, but since combat is what gives other classes an advantage over traders... in my opinion they should not be given this OP shortcut.
Also, why would a hiresword attack someone on a trader's enemy list? They're not the enemy of the hiresword.
This will likely be changed in the future too so that people on your enemies list would get attacked...(if it doesn't already.)[/quote]
While these are a large investment, it is an investment that is obtainable by a trader in a couple days or less. These hireswords, while temporarily, will likely last a very long time.
Traders, to my knowledge, are not supposed to be adept at combat. This will make them more than adept, and with a very skilled hiresword, who needs skills anyways.
What I'm saying is that even though they're temporary, they are long lasting and can be easily re-purchased and thus treated as permanent. As well, with the way things currently are, they are very unlikely to die. This level of skill is a bit of an insult to those of us who have grinded away for long hours to get our skills no where near that.
When you start allowing them to attack other players, you end up with a very unbalanced system with traders far too skilled at combat.
I understand there is a significant purchase cost, but since combat is what gives other classes an advantage over traders... in my opinion they should not be given this OP shortcut.
Also, why would a hiresword attack someone on a trader's enemy list? They're not the enemy of the hiresword.
Last edited by Acarin on Tue Jun 26, 2012 2:00 pm, edited 1 time in total.
20:21:01 [CHAT - (a mysterious GM)]: With obvious effort, Zuki pries up a thick scale over a drakolin's chest! Zuki spearhand-strikes the soft, unprotected area under the scale! Heart ruptured, death follows immediately. A drakolin lets out a final bellow of rage and falls lifeless to the ground.
How about a time limit on these things? Maybe they last for 24 hours of in-game time or until dead? There has to be a limit to how long they're hired for right?
20:21:01 [CHAT - (a mysterious GM)]: With obvious effort, Zuki pries up a thick scale over a drakolin's chest! Zuki spearhand-strikes the soft, unprotected area under the scale! Heart ruptured, death follows immediately. A drakolin lets out a final bellow of rage and falls lifeless to the ground.
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KianTheArcher
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- Joined: Fri Aug 19, 2011 10:01 am
24 hours isn't very much time. But it would be neat to have some sort of 'mini faction' system in which the more damage that a hiresword protects the Player from, the lower their faction goes with that specific mob. When it hits a certain point, the contract is ended.
That being said, I don't think that 50k riln for their stats is necessarily overpowered. A mob isn't "overpowered" just because it can't be soloed. If an actual group of PCs worked together, it could be taken down. Grouping is an AMAZING concept that just seems to bypass most people's thought processes.
That being said, I don't think that 50k riln for their stats is necessarily overpowered. A mob isn't "overpowered" just because it can't be soloed. If an actual group of PCs worked together, it could be taken down. Grouping is an AMAZING concept that just seems to bypass most people's thought processes.
Morgoth, I cried
All hope is gone but I swear revenge
Hear my oath
I will take part in your damned fate
All hope is gone but I swear revenge
Hear my oath
I will take part in your damned fate
Grouping? You mean we have to be nice to each other and work as a team? (gasp)
Last edited by Evelyn on Tue Jun 26, 2012 3:06 pm, edited 1 time in total.
The Rig-Jarl Bjorn gives you a bone-crushing bearhug.
[quote=KianTheArcher]24 hours isn't very much time. But it would be neat to have some sort of 'mini faction' system in which the more damage that a hiresword protects the Player from, the lower their faction goes with that specific mob. When it hits a certain point, the contract is ended.
That being said, I don't think that 50k riln for their stats is necessarily overpowered. A mob isn't "overpowered" just because it can't be soloed. If an actual group of PCs worked together, it could be taken down. Grouping is an AMAZING concept that just seems to bypass most people's thought processes.[/quote]
I like the idea of the mini faction system but if an attack never hits during the interception then the faction would never decrease. This would likely take longer than dying. Maybe a set number of attacks they will guard would be more appropriate?
The intention of my post was not for a single player to be able to take one down (although I'll probably try). It was that traders gain massive combat skill for essentially what amounts to a relatively small investment for them. While 50k is a lot of riln to most, it's really not that much if all you do is money making activites.
While I understand that most things can be taken down by working in large groups, 1) there are very few people capable of standing up to one at even a 50% hit rate (I can think of only 2...possibly 3) and a large group of people with 200 skill ranks in whatever weapon have no shot. 2) I just don't think massive combat skills like this should be available to someone who hasn't earned them, especially someone in a guild that is not focuses around combat.
I'm not saying that they can't be killed because under the right circumstances they can. I've killed annyeong's hiresword myself (in the death area) when in an appropriately dark environment. I'm saying that it provides a huge benefit (something I was under the impression was supposed to be harder for traders to acquire since they have a different focus) for a relatively minor investment.
These allow traders to go into almost every area in the game except for maybe 1 in relative safety. There's not a critter in the game to my knowledge that actually has a good chance of killing a hiresword.
I was simply stating that I feel this needs to be adjusted. Perhaps you'd like to team up on one with me Evelyn and we can try out this group thing.
That being said, I don't think that 50k riln for their stats is necessarily overpowered. A mob isn't "overpowered" just because it can't be soloed. If an actual group of PCs worked together, it could be taken down. Grouping is an AMAZING concept that just seems to bypass most people's thought processes.[/quote]
I like the idea of the mini faction system but if an attack never hits during the interception then the faction would never decrease. This would likely take longer than dying. Maybe a set number of attacks they will guard would be more appropriate?
The intention of my post was not for a single player to be able to take one down (although I'll probably try). It was that traders gain massive combat skill for essentially what amounts to a relatively small investment for them. While 50k is a lot of riln to most, it's really not that much if all you do is money making activites.
While I understand that most things can be taken down by working in large groups, 1) there are very few people capable of standing up to one at even a 50% hit rate (I can think of only 2...possibly 3) and a large group of people with 200 skill ranks in whatever weapon have no shot. 2) I just don't think massive combat skills like this should be available to someone who hasn't earned them, especially someone in a guild that is not focuses around combat.
I'm not saying that they can't be killed because under the right circumstances they can. I've killed annyeong's hiresword myself (in the death area) when in an appropriately dark environment. I'm saying that it provides a huge benefit (something I was under the impression was supposed to be harder for traders to acquire since they have a different focus) for a relatively minor investment.
These allow traders to go into almost every area in the game except for maybe 1 in relative safety. There's not a critter in the game to my knowledge that actually has a good chance of killing a hiresword.
I was simply stating that I feel this needs to be adjusted. Perhaps you'd like to team up on one with me Evelyn and we can try out this group thing.
20:21:01 [CHAT - (a mysterious GM)]: With obvious effort, Zuki pries up a thick scale over a drakolin's chest! Zuki spearhand-strikes the soft, unprotected area under the scale! Heart ruptured, death follows immediately. A drakolin lets out a final bellow of rage and falls lifeless to the ground.
[quote=Acarin]
These allow traders to go into almost every area in the game except for maybe 1 in relative safety. There's not a critter in the game to my knowledge that actually has a good chance of killing a hiresword.
[/quote]
Cocky training warrior.
These allow traders to go into almost every area in the game except for maybe 1 in relative safety. There's not a critter in the game to my knowledge that actually has a good chance of killing a hiresword.
[/quote]
Cocky training warrior.
[CHAT - Lil' Skittles GM Zoiya escalates quickly]: *hugs Kent*
[CHAT - Kent "Gunney" Gunderman]: *gingerly hugs back*
[CHAT - Grandmaster Ardor will be NOM'd by a drakolin]: You can give Zoiya a bearhug Kent, she can handle it.
[CHAT - Kent "Gunney" Gunderman]: *gingerly hugs back*
[CHAT - Grandmaster Ardor will be NOM'd by a drakolin]: You can give Zoiya a bearhug Kent, she can handle it.
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KianTheArcher
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- Posts: 541
- Joined: Fri Aug 19, 2011 10:01 am
I understand the frustration of Traders gaining access to otherwise completely inaccessible areas, which is why I think the best way would be the "mini faction" system. Or another way of sorting through it might be having a cooldown timer after the mercenary dies. Sort of an "Well, THAT guy was pretty damn good with a sword and still died. I don't know if I want to follow that Trader around" type thing. Mostly because, after a certain number of deaths on the part of the hireswords, their fellows might be reluctant to follow after. So a system that includes number of attacks intercepted would be fair, I think. Maybe something where after X amount of attacks intercepted, you either have to rehire the hiresword, or perhaps it leaves for Y amount of played time.
And if you're grouped with an Utasa that knows blink, chances are you'd be able to kill it MUCH easier. Flanking drops a target's defensive values close to by half.
And if you're grouped with an Utasa that knows blink, chances are you'd be able to kill it MUCH easier. Flanking drops a target's defensive values close to by half.
Morgoth, I cried
All hope is gone but I swear revenge
Hear my oath
I will take part in your damned fate
All hope is gone but I swear revenge
Hear my oath
I will take part in your damned fate
I don't think these things are reliably killable by an utasa in a group even using blink as they'd still need to have an attack around 2000 to be able to hit with any certainty at all and I don't think any utasa have this level of skill yet.
I also don't think it would be too easy to put together a group with the sole intention of attacking a hiresword unless we're in the death arena in which case they instantly respawn when killed.
How about giving a traders an ability called "bling" instead. Throw riln at a monster to make it ignore you for a short time while it picks it up. Only works on humanoids.
I also don't think it would be too easy to put together a group with the sole intention of attacking a hiresword unless we're in the death arena in which case they instantly respawn when killed.
How about giving a traders an ability called "bling" instead. Throw riln at a monster to make it ignore you for a short time while it picks it up. Only works on humanoids.
20:21:01 [CHAT - (a mysterious GM)]: With obvious effort, Zuki pries up a thick scale over a drakolin's chest! Zuki spearhand-strikes the soft, unprotected area under the scale! Heart ruptured, death follows immediately. A drakolin lets out a final bellow of rage and falls lifeless to the ground.
Y'all just jeally traders can make more money than you.
Why are all of you plotting against my hiresword? ; _;
It's not profitable to set my hiresword after you guys and hope you have riln when you die.
I do not agree with the X amount of hits= contract termination. What about those mobs/players that multihit?
The amount of hits that the hiresword is contracted for would decrease quickly (including dodges).
Also, you're forgetting one thing. A hiresword does not have to guard you. It can "assist" you in combat. Although that would be defeating the purpose of having a hiresword.
Why are all of you plotting against my hiresword? ; _;
It's not profitable to set my hiresword after you guys and hope you have riln when you die.
I do not agree with the X amount of hits= contract termination. What about those mobs/players that multihit?
The amount of hits that the hiresword is contracted for would decrease quickly (including dodges).
Also, you're forgetting one thing. A hiresword does not have to guard you. It can "assist" you in combat. Although that would be defeating the purpose of having a hiresword.
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KianTheArcher
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- Joined: Fri Aug 19, 2011 10:01 am
The point is, Dyslexia, that a character with next to no combat skills can (from what I understand) freely log in the current hardest area of the game, with no risk to themselves. I don't think their stats need to be toned, but I see no reason for them to either go away permanently after X amount of hits, or simply disappear for Y time after X amount of hits, something along the lines of taking a break for an hour or two.
And that's sort of the other point. Even if you took the current strongest PC, and let's assume he or she COULD easily kill the mobs in the strongest area containing lumber, they still couldn't log AND fight at the same time. Whereas a character that is seven days old can go there and log freely.
I don't think the hiresword itself is inherently overpowered. For the cost you pay, added to the (unlikely but still feasible) possibility that you could lose that 50k in one hit, I think that part is fair. I just think the potential use could be overpowered in regards to riln farming.
Lastly, Noot's player was mentioning something over mumble last night. Is the Guard Chance for these hireswords the same for PCs (roughly 50% from what I understand), or do they have an increased chance to guard?
And that's sort of the other point. Even if you took the current strongest PC, and let's assume he or she COULD easily kill the mobs in the strongest area containing lumber, they still couldn't log AND fight at the same time. Whereas a character that is seven days old can go there and log freely.
I don't think the hiresword itself is inherently overpowered. For the cost you pay, added to the (unlikely but still feasible) possibility that you could lose that 50k in one hit, I think that part is fair. I just think the potential use could be overpowered in regards to riln farming.
Lastly, Noot's player was mentioning something over mumble last night. Is the Guard Chance for these hireswords the same for PCs (roughly 50% from what I understand), or do they have an increased chance to guard?
Morgoth, I cried
All hope is gone but I swear revenge
Hear my oath
I will take part in your damned fate
All hope is gone but I swear revenge
Hear my oath
I will take part in your damned fate
[quote=KianTheArcher]
I don't think the hiresword itself is inherently overpowered. For the cost you pay, added to the (unlikely but still feasible) possibility that you could lose that 50k in one hit, I think that part is fair. I just think the potential use could be overpowered in regards to riln farming.
Lastly, Noot's player was mentioning something over mumble last night. Is the Guard Chance for these hireswords the same for PCs (roughly 50% from what I understand), or do they have an increased chance to guard?[/quote]
It could be overpowered, but the time it takes me to haul my wagon to and back (7-9 seconds roundtime per nonwilderness room) in the logging camp is... well, it's not fast, I can tell you. I don't remember how many rooms I've gone through to get back out into the wilderness but it took me at least 1-2 minutes to get back to the entrance from the grove in the logging camp. That and my hiresword doesn't have superhuman regenerative abilities. Once the fast spawns start happening, my hiresword gets exhausted pretty quickly.
It takes me about 15 minutes to log everything (Is it 15? Probably 20). So my hiresword has to withstand at least 15 minutes of battle. It will have to sit multiple times (it will regain back its energy in 1.5-2 minutes) during that time.
There is also a danger of my horse being killed by a falling tree or a sneaky bowman will snipe its eyeball out.
So I have a risk of having to return without anything to sell to the market and going to a nearby monk to heal my hiresword.
Also, on the return leg of the trip, my hiresword will also have to deal with spawns during the roundtime.
That will exhaust its energy supply.
And it will sit for ~2 mins to recover energy. It won't stand up until it is attacked/something is going to attack me. Once it's done battling it will sit back down again, increasing the chances of something spawning.
Then travel through the wilderness... about 8 rooms... go to the windmill... turn everything into cants and sell back to the market. (Also, dynamic markets decrease the profitability of going to log that particular type of wood).
---I realized I have probably gone off track but the point is that the risk and the time to return to the market should balance out some of the "OPness." The logging camp isn't too far off, but it's far once you factor in the roundtime of a loaded wagon. But I do realize what you mean by the OPness in riln farming.
Addressing your second paragraph that I quoted.
My hiresword guards me pretty well as long as I'm not moved into the Engage position. So if I'm in the ranged/avoid position, my hiresword will intercept all attacks. At least I THINK it will intercept all attacks. I don't remember if my hiresword has failed in guarding me in that situation.
I don't think the hiresword itself is inherently overpowered. For the cost you pay, added to the (unlikely but still feasible) possibility that you could lose that 50k in one hit, I think that part is fair. I just think the potential use could be overpowered in regards to riln farming.
Lastly, Noot's player was mentioning something over mumble last night. Is the Guard Chance for these hireswords the same for PCs (roughly 50% from what I understand), or do they have an increased chance to guard?[/quote]
It could be overpowered, but the time it takes me to haul my wagon to and back (7-9 seconds roundtime per nonwilderness room) in the logging camp is... well, it's not fast, I can tell you. I don't remember how many rooms I've gone through to get back out into the wilderness but it took me at least 1-2 minutes to get back to the entrance from the grove in the logging camp. That and my hiresword doesn't have superhuman regenerative abilities. Once the fast spawns start happening, my hiresword gets exhausted pretty quickly.
It takes me about 15 minutes to log everything (Is it 15? Probably 20). So my hiresword has to withstand at least 15 minutes of battle. It will have to sit multiple times (it will regain back its energy in 1.5-2 minutes) during that time.
There is also a danger of my horse being killed by a falling tree or a sneaky bowman will snipe its eyeball out.
So I have a risk of having to return without anything to sell to the market and going to a nearby monk to heal my hiresword.
Also, on the return leg of the trip, my hiresword will also have to deal with spawns during the roundtime.
That will exhaust its energy supply.
And it will sit for ~2 mins to recover energy. It won't stand up until it is attacked/something is going to attack me. Once it's done battling it will sit back down again, increasing the chances of something spawning.
Then travel through the wilderness... about 8 rooms... go to the windmill... turn everything into cants and sell back to the market. (Also, dynamic markets decrease the profitability of going to log that particular type of wood).
---I realized I have probably gone off track but the point is that the risk and the time to return to the market should balance out some of the "OPness." The logging camp isn't too far off, but it's far once you factor in the roundtime of a loaded wagon. But I do realize what you mean by the OPness in riln farming.
Addressing your second paragraph that I quoted.
My hiresword guards me pretty well as long as I'm not moved into the Engage position. So if I'm in the ranged/avoid position, my hiresword will intercept all attacks. At least I THINK it will intercept all attacks. I don't remember if my hiresword has failed in guarding me in that situation.
The guard mechanic works exactly the same with mercs as with players. So staying in position avoid certainly would help. That still means an archer, or an ambush would have a chance to get through, and could still crit the Trader. This isn't a 'Trader saves up 50k. Trader wins' button.
As far as someone farming riln, that's what Traders are all about and what thier abilities and areas are designed to do. That's the whole point of being a Trader, it's a choice of money over might.
Keep in mind, mercenaries also bleed, and have the same energy and crit chance as anything else. Just because it has some pretty 0's in it skills doesn't mean it is invincible. The entire combat system is based off of that mechanic.
There's always the chance that you get swarmed and can't escape, and you die along with your merc, instantly losing a 50k investment.
It's a trade off. A very fun, (as evident by certain OOC chatter) flashy, expensive and effective perk, but it comes with risks, and sooner or later that merc, or you, are going to have some rotten luck.
What happens when a tree falls on your merc's face? What happens when a pack of caveworms burst out of the wall and keep you and your merc on the ground with tail whip attacks? What happens when your merc gets crushed by falling rock, or is bleeding in the wilderness with you out of bandages?
I'm not saying that things are perfect the way they are, and certain aspects of having a minion will change. But with that said, I do not view it as 'OP" for a large number of reasons I've already listed, and I am not planning to remove the mercenary.
As far as someone farming riln, that's what Traders are all about and what thier abilities and areas are designed to do. That's the whole point of being a Trader, it's a choice of money over might.
Keep in mind, mercenaries also bleed, and have the same energy and crit chance as anything else. Just because it has some pretty 0's in it skills doesn't mean it is invincible. The entire combat system is based off of that mechanic.
There's always the chance that you get swarmed and can't escape, and you die along with your merc, instantly losing a 50k investment.
It's a trade off. A very fun, (as evident by certain OOC chatter) flashy, expensive and effective perk, but it comes with risks, and sooner or later that merc, or you, are going to have some rotten luck.
What happens when a tree falls on your merc's face? What happens when a pack of caveworms burst out of the wall and keep you and your merc on the ground with tail whip attacks? What happens when your merc gets crushed by falling rock, or is bleeding in the wilderness with you out of bandages?
I'm not saying that things are perfect the way they are, and certain aspects of having a minion will change. But with that said, I do not view it as 'OP" for a large number of reasons I've already listed, and I am not planning to remove the mercenary.
No longer GMing for CLOK.
I don't think they should be removed at all. I just think there needs to be some sort of limit on how far that 50k investment will go.
It seems as though hiring someone until they die (especially for 50k) would not be a realistic. Are the hiresword hiring conditions until death? Would any hiresword agree to that?
We're not suggesting nerfing the merc's skills anymore (although you know I am all for that). We're just thinking up ways to limit the permanence of these guys since they're intended to be temporary. Relying on random luck to get rid of them can take quite a while and if used correctly, they could last indefinitely.
How about not allowing them to be healed as another possibility. When they get too wounded, they desert the trader and their contract must be renewed for an additional fee (maybe 25k riln).
And Landion, are these really intended to allow newish players access to the hardest hunting areas in the game? Should 3 day old traders be able to walk into the logging camp in relative safety?
And Annyeong, while I understand that there is a chance you will not to profit from any trip you make, I don't think that what you have to do to earn riln and the rt/time it incurs has much relevance to balancing your hiresword.
It seems as though hiring someone until they die (especially for 50k) would not be a realistic. Are the hiresword hiring conditions until death? Would any hiresword agree to that?
We're not suggesting nerfing the merc's skills anymore (although you know I am all for that). We're just thinking up ways to limit the permanence of these guys since they're intended to be temporary. Relying on random luck to get rid of them can take quite a while and if used correctly, they could last indefinitely.
How about not allowing them to be healed as another possibility. When they get too wounded, they desert the trader and their contract must be renewed for an additional fee (maybe 25k riln).
And Landion, are these really intended to allow newish players access to the hardest hunting areas in the game? Should 3 day old traders be able to walk into the logging camp in relative safety?
And Annyeong, while I understand that there is a chance you will not to profit from any trip you make, I don't think that what you have to do to earn riln and the rt/time it incurs has much relevance to balancing your hiresword.
20:21:01 [CHAT - (a mysterious GM)]: With obvious effort, Zuki pries up a thick scale over a drakolin's chest! Zuki spearhand-strikes the soft, unprotected area under the scale! Heart ruptured, death follows immediately. A drakolin lets out a final bellow of rage and falls lifeless to the ground.