Training Dummies

[Aerotine]

I know the elemenacer university is more focused on the studies, but I find it hard to believe that self-defense isn't taught.

I'd like to suggest a room with training dummies where one could practice their marksmanship and elemental abilities up to a certain skill train.

Perhaps once you raise any specific element to/beyond Journeyman (or some appropriate number value) you no longer can have access to the train that element and the "Self Defense" instructor will come over and tell you that your magic is beyond what should safely be practiced in a confined area.

That was, you can raise your elements, channeling and marksmanship early on without getting torn to shreds. It makes the game just a little easier for us weaklings start out.

I would also like to suggest that when you survey with the specific element you should get some tiny amount of skill gain and promotion progress. Currently, elemancers get no skill work during their tasks...unlike the other classes.

[Zoiya]

There used to be training dummies that were used for this kind of purpose, but the dummies did more damage than the creatures that currently roam the route by Mistral Lake and parts of Taeruka. Training dummies are a way for players to sequester themselves away and grind skills and we try to gently prod all of you away from that. We want to encourage interaction. I highly doubt that training dummies will ever be added back in for any group or guild.

[Aerotine]

I totally get it, that's why I'd like a cap on it...in the beginning I couldn't hit anything with anything, we're talking like 20-25 rounds of throwing magic at mobs and missing. That needs some help or curbing. One mob shouldn't take you from Fully Rested to Tired when it's a freaking squirrel or rat. Massive monster that takes a lot of damage...yeah, sure...but not because you channeled yourself into exhaustion.

[Zoiya]

The problem here is that if we do it for the Elemancers, then we have to find a way to do it for all guilds/people, or else it's not fair. If we do that then we'll once again have people grinding at training dummies until the cap and not interacting with others. If you find that you're having trouble killing a low level monster, this is a great opportunity to team up with other players who are able to push over, flank or otherwise disable the creature you are trying to kill.

We've been down the road before and it's one that we are currently unwilling to revisit due to the nature of our players not wanting to interact with other players. Being a loner is indeed a character choice, and we have quite a few people who do that, but we want to encourage our players to forge relationships and interact with each other.

Keep posting ideas though, just because this facet of the idea isn't going to work doesn't mean that we can't find a way to modify or help fledgling elemancers along.

[Rithiel]

http://wiki.contrarium.net/index.php/The_Never_Page

Rats (do we actually have rats?) and the like have 0 skill. Since you apparently also had 0 skill, there should be a 50-50 chance for you to hit them. Now, if you ruined your chances by wearing armor you weren't trained for, that's different.

[Aerotine]

You have infested rats in the graveyard. I know...they've dodged my bolts for hours.

Then just a string of bad luck I guess. It definitely doesn't feel like 50/50.

Finally, when I get skills up into the 30's I'm reliably hitting them. I'm nearly afraid to take on anything else. Infested Carriers and Merchants were whooping me...and no, I'm not wearing anything but robes.

[Lysse]

I'm not around really any more, but if you're interested in some help with combat Aerotine, I can give you some OOC lessons in an OOC area. If you PM me your usual times you're on, I'd be more than happy to try to arrange a time to meet you that would be good.

This goes for anyone interested in any combat lessons. PM me some general times you're on if you're interested in some combat pointers, or even full lessons, and I'll try to find time to log in for a bit to help out.

Oh, and please include the name of the character you intend to meet me with in any PMs requesting my assistance.

[Rias]

A beginning channeling elemancer shouldn't be having any more trouble energy-wise or accuracy-wise than a beginning, say, sword wielder.

Trancing a single pyromancy channel is 1 energy per second (1 energy per maintained channel, the actual raw casting doesn't take any additional energy). Battling with a longsword is 1 energy per second (5 energy per 5-second swing).

If anything, weapon wielders are more likely to have accuracy problems since they don't have to worry about dropped channels and are therefore more likely to wear armor, which reduces accuracy. Channelers with no armor (such as your robes) should only see reductions in their accuracy if they're significantly tired or hungry, or they're somehow obviously disabled (knocked to the ground or something).

As a matter of fact, by casting spellls and thus using ranged attacks, you have further advantage over melee weapon users in that your spells can't be parried - only dodged or blocked (and hardly any NPCs use shields, I can't think of any newbie fodder ones that do).

If you can pinpoint any situations or suspected reasons why you're experience otherwise, please report it, as it's likely a bug. Starting out completely new with 0 skill, wearing no armor, your accuracy should be 100. Pitted against an enemy with no defensive skills and only able to dodge, you should have an even 50/50 chance. Your R:100 vs their D:100.

[Rias]

Oh hey, I can be on topic. Regarding training dummies: Sorry, no. They're on the Never Page, as Rithiel kindly provided. They were essentially a way for someone to mindlessly AFK (or at least in another browser tab or application) grind a skill up to 50 with absolutely no risk or effort. The rats and ravens in the graveyard are so pitifully weak that you should be fine running through there naked. You'll take wounds that will stack up over time and you'll have to go get healed at some point, serving as an easy and low-risk introduction to the combat system and the wounds/energy management part of the game.

[Aerotine]

PM sent. Much appreciated!

You guys are right, it was just frustrating to burn through that so slowly. Especially because I was so excited to join the guild I didn't read thoroughly enough to know there weren't tasks created for Air and Fire yet.

That first rank took hours and when all you're getting promotion points for is hits...it feels like FOREVER between them with lots of resting in between.

[Rias]

That first rank took hours

They're supposed to take longer than that! You kids these days, so spoiled.

[Jaster]

My Elemancer's first rank took me almost a week of grinding. Lol. (Obviously, not a week as in 24/7...)

[Nootau]

Aerotine, tasks didn't always exist. :|

[Aerotine]

My Elemancer's first rank took me almost a week of grinding. Lol. (Obviously, not a week as in 24/7...)

That is commitment.

Aerotine, tasks didn't always exist. :|

So I should be grateful there is an alternative. Thanks Nootu. We didn't always have computers either, so why ask for any improvement in anything. We should just be grateful we're not still playing with rocks.

[Zoiya]

I'm absolutely certain that we can keep these discussions civil and constructive. There will be no training dummies period so lets focus on different tasks and ect to help out young elemancers. If the above posts become the norm here, this topic will be locked.

[Orris]

I would recommend just training your desired element and work on it in combat, and check your guild points each time you're done with a training session so you don't worry too much about it. If you're getting skill while casting your spells then you're getting guild points. I find the more I worry about when my next promotion is, the longer it seems to take. Just take it easy and it'll happen in time!

I do tasks pretty rarely, I find it's more interesting and satisfying to just do combat. I like our tasks don't get me wrong, I just think we need more before it will really be interesting.

[Aerotine]

I do tasks pretty rarely, I find it's more interesting and satisfying to just do combat. I like our tasks don't get me wrong, I just think we need more before it will really be interesting.

I agree. I know that the purpose of the University is learning, but don't you think learning the weaknesses and strengths of a specific mob for documentation and report could be a possible way to mix in combat tasks?

I'm absolutely certain that we can keep these discussions civil and constructive. There will be no training dummies period so lets focus on different tasks and ect to help out young elemancers. If the above posts become the norm here, this topic will be locked.

I apologize. I just don't see the past being a certain way to mean that we can't suggest/request/expect a better future.

[Lysse]

I know that the purpose of the University is learning, but don't you think learning the weaknesses and strengths of a specific mob for documentation and report could be a possible way to mix in combat tasks?

Rias has been pretty firm about the Elemancers never receiving combat based tasks.

[Orris]

I know that the purpose of the University is learning, but don't you think learning the weaknesses and strengths of a specific mob for documentation and report could be a possible way to mix in combat tasks?

It's the University of Elemancy to it's dedicated to learning about the elements, specifically the usual big four: fire, earth, air, water. I don't think they'd have much use for information on creatures that are weak or strong against elements, since I can't think of any that are except nethrim which are weak against fire which is well known. I don't know of anything else like in other games, like trolls weak against fire, or stuff like that.

Also like Lysse said it's been stated that the University doesn't offer training with or encourage combat. I know it seems otherwise because one of our main ways of getting points is from combat but I assume that's just because we don't have other tasks yet except the water and earth survey ones. The GMs stated the University is supposed to be academic and more about studies with books and labs than going out to fight monsters with magic. I like that idea personally, I'm glad it's that way and I'll see if I can find my own thread about suggestions for more scholarly tasks that don't involve combat.

I like that about elemancers, we are considered academics but it just so happens our academic studies and pursuits can potentially be applied to kick some serious butt in combat if the situation requires it. Rather than warmages who are dedicated to fighting primarily. We aren't bloodthristy barbarians!