Entry into Mithril Hall's Fighters' Guild

[dolifer]

The recruiter for MH's fighters guild should be updated. Prospective fighters are asked either to pay a very large amount of coin or to complete a task in Shilmista.

The problem with the latter option is that, unless I'm mistaken, the area mentioned has been moved and moved so far away from MH (across several much higher level areas) that I think it unfair and ICly not entirely sensible to ask a tenth level character to travel there and back. That will leave most fighters with the option to pay for entry, but the amount asked is huge compared to the amount of coin most dwarves would have at that level. The only reason my own character had enough money is that he rushed to WD at a very low level, which I hated doing but found necessary.

Some suggestions:
--Signifacantly lower the amount of money needed to join the guild. 10pp?
--Up the amount of money one can make in the beginning pits. I know this has been suggested several times over the years, but thought I'd bring it up again. Even the amount asked currently wouldn't be so terrible if the pits produced amounts of coin similar to the noobie areas in WD, Silverymoon, etc.
--Provide a slightly easier task to perform instead of paying. I'm not looking for easy, just easier than walking to the other end of the world through giants and other high-level mobs at level 10.

Thanks!

[Thurgan]

I agree 100%.

I think the best fix would be to update the MH starting area to be on par with most other starting areas coin wise.

Travel to the new area to complete the quest is quite a lot to ask of a lvl 10 character IMO. BUT, it is doable if you take your time and go about it smartly.

[Yemin]

I don't have a dwarf. But you have to ask yourself if a new player to the game playing a shield dwarf would be enthusiastic about that kind of challenge or not.

As for me, I was unwilling to even leave Waterdeep for the first 15 levels.

[Gwain]

I don't think access is really an issue, there are many new roads crossing the map now. Its not that difficult to access places as it used to be.

[Yemin]

A fair point. I don't really like dwarves as a people but speaking from an IC standpoint. Would they really send out untested warriors out that far? Even to old Shilmister sounds like kind of a stretch. Perhaps i'm overthinking it?

[Vaemar]

I don't have a dwarf. But you have to ask yourself if a new player to the game playing a shield dwarf would be enthusiastic about that kind of challenge or not.

As for me, I was unwilling to even leave Waterdeep for the first 15 levels.

My first character here was a dwarven warrior. At the time I didn't even realize the guild thing and she remained a warrior until level 14. She went once at the fighter's guild in Waterdeep but she lost against the gladiator, and didn't think too much about it. At level 14 she met the Faith Manager and she discovered she was still a warrior. She had about 30 plats and wanted to join but in the end decided instead to go to Shilmista. With Kutri as a guide they went there pretty safely and then she finished the quest without problems.

And this was before the motorway Silverymoon-Waterdeep, back then it was all plains and rivers to cross.

Personally I love my dwarf and I'd play her more often if it weren't for the requirement to have her speak mockery-Scots.

P.S.
All new accounts have to start with a character in Waterdeep, even if a dwarf, so if you create a dwarf from the Halls hopefully you are not, as a player, so inexperienced.

[Yemin]

Oh, gotcha

[Thurgan]

Its only a 50 kismet requirement to start a dwarf from the Halls, so really a fairly new player can be there. Like I said its doable, buts its quite a far journey to get there. Between dwarves from mithril hall not knowing common, and the very very low coin base of the starting area it is indeed a challenge to accomplish either the payment or the journey for the quest.

My vote would still be to increase the coin base of the mithril hall newbie area to be on part with other starting cities. 1 copper per mob takes quite a while to gather up a 30plat entry fee.

[Vaemar]

To be fair since I checked it recently, when I tried with my dwarf, Shilmista was not on the other side of the world.

[Thurgan]

To be fair since I checked it recently, when I tried with my dwarf, Shilmista was not on the other side of the world.

It's not in Shilmista anymore, which is the issue. And if the new location is not considered by you to be the other side of the world then what is?!? lol

[Althasizor]

To be fair, Shilmista was -already- on the other side of the world from Mithril Hall - Just in a different direction. Caravans can probably also get you closer than at its previous location.

[dolifer]

Caravans and the newly added roads are definitely a help, though my concern was more for newer players who might not be familiar with those. It still feels a little much to me, but not undoable, especially with help from an experienced player, and gladly those seem to be somewhat more common in the Halls these days! Btw, I would have held the same concerns if my dwarf were sent to Shilmista as were they earlier.

But at the least, the recruiter should definitely be modified to give the correct directions, since he is still asking recruits to go to Shilmista.

[Gwain]

To be fair, Shilmista was -already- on the other side of the world from Mithril Hall - Just in a different direction. Caravans can probably also get you closer than at its previous location.

Shimilsta was in place early in the game history and remained for several years as one of the few places suitable for the quest. Now we seem to have dozens of newer areas with different quests. The region Mithril Hall is in had very few places suitable. Now that the game is bigger I'd suggest looking closer to home. Irondeep would be a lot closer to Mithril Hall and would present a bit more of a challenge. I would suggest changing the quest to Irondeep. Alternatively, if Irondeep is too difficult for those players, I would keep the option to travel to the other location open, but keep Irondeep as an alternative.

[Vaemar]

I second the idea to make Irondeep easier and offering it instead of Shilmista/Rawlinswood.

[Gwain]

I would not make it easier, I'd just offer it as an alternative.

[Thurgan]

Ok bear with me, I have several ideas to improve this situation.

While I kinda like the idea of making Irondeep the quest needed, it also makes me say to myself.

"Self, how would I feel if I was a lvl 10 fighter and was asked to go to Irondeep."

Especially if its a newer player and not familiar with the area at all.

I think if Irondeep is the area chosen, then the recruiters statements should be made very clear that this quest will be very challenging and that a strong group is recommended if not required. Irondeep is what, about lvl 24-30 I would venture a guess. So it would take a sizeable group of lvl 10 characters.

I would REALLY like to see dwarves staying within Mithril Hall for a majority of their younger days, (especially up to lvl 10). There is a lot for them to be exposed to and learn, but when your only source of funds is 1 copper... Things are painful to say the least, and this forces people to run off to Waterdeep or elsewhere just to be able to make enough coin to do anything and make the process of starting out not quite as dreadfully painful.

1)I really feel like the recruitment cost should be lowered to a more reasonable sum,(lowered by a third?) if the MH starting area stays the same coin wise.

2)maybe have a program entered into the recruiter to be able to pay like 5pp for a one time trade caravan ride to Tantras. Then its only a long walk and not a journey to the end of the world!

3)Have the mob that pays a small amount for smelted metal/ingot donations not walk away and disappear after one donation. I think he should act as he does now, taking the ingots to where he does currently to place them for sale for people outside the Halls, but make him stay in place and not disappear for a couple hours. This would solve the coin problem for young players by providing an alternative means to make coin, and force them into learning how to mine and smelt while young.
It would also allow smelted metals to be more readily available for others in the realms that need them.
It would provide some incentive to take up mining and smelting, encourage young ones to stay within the Halls. and provide a coin supplement alternative to the very low paying starting area

[Harroghty]

MH needs a lot of work. Thanks for all of the recommendations here. I will look into that guild in the near future.