Curiosity: how does people spend their awards

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Curiosity: how does people spend their awards

Post by xf1313 » Fri Oct 29, 2021 12:20 am

I am still relatively new to Arelith, and met a few of the awarded race along the way. To be honest, the Major/Greater award races and perks appeared less appealing to me, since I lack the strong drive to rp a super special race. Something less common but unique feels great enough for me, I love my wild-elf Druid and won’t roll her for anything. She was created before update where wild-elf was free-for-all, well done to myself.

So the question about unlocking new race, is it unlocked for only one character or that race becomes accessible forever? I did not find explanation for this anywhere so I have to ask.

I think... I have a Normal Award, but unsure what to spend it on, Aquatic elf seems nice? A water breathing ranger or siren-voiced bard seems cool, suggestions? I cannot really deside on the character concept, or I should just hold on to the award and wait for the change?

And final question, where should I look for logging axes, gem hammer and mine picks? Exspecially gem hammer, really need one.

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Re: Curiosity: how does people spend their awards

Post by Kalimere » Fri Oct 29, 2021 12:42 am

Back when I had a better imagination for more creative and inventive RP, I would have loved to jump on the chance to play special races, but nowadays I typically just spend my awards on ECL reductions to quicken my leveling rate. Though, with how the writs work now and the Adventure XP rate increase, ECL reductions arent as useful. So I dont know what I'm going to do with myself now.

As far as the logging axe, gem hammer, and mining picks, if you look in generic barrels and crates, you can often find those as random loot spawns in those containers. Otherwise there are a few merchants around you can buy those from. The one that I can think of off the top of my head is at the Nexus Falls inn.
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Re: Curiosity: how does people spend their awards

Post by xf1313 » Fri Oct 29, 2021 5:21 am

Kalimere wrote:
Fri Oct 29, 2021 12:42 am
Back when I had a better imagination for more creative and inventive RP, I would have loved to jump on the chance to play special races, but nowadays I typically just spend my awards on ECL reductions to quicken my leveling rate. Though, with how the writs work now and the Adventure XP rate increase, ECL reductions arent as useful. So I dont know what I'm going to do with myself now.

As far as the logging axe, gem hammer, and mining picks, if you look in generic barrels and crates, you can often find those as random loot spawns in those containers. Otherwise there are a few merchants around you can buy those from. The one that I can think of off the top of my head is at the Nexus Falls inn.
Thank you! I shall look everywhere. Or take a trip to the inn

I started to share your feeling with the race, I have a sun-elf Wild Mage and a Lightfoot Halfling rogue, both are interesting and full of potential. That came from the base stats, ailment and their class (also the personality I give them). Besides, hard for me to think a interesting plane-touched... I shall leave the opportunity to more creative people. Yanti and aqua-elf thou... might try in the future.
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Re: Curiosity: how does people spend their awards

Post by xf1313 » Fri Oct 29, 2021 5:22 am

Should I redeem my award, Are the race permenantly unlocked per CDkey or just for one character?
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Re: Curiosity: how does people spend their awards

Post by ltlukoziuz » Fri Oct 29, 2021 5:33 am

xf1313 wrote:
Fri Oct 29, 2021 5:22 am
Should I redeem my award, Are the race permenantly unlocked per CDkey or just for one character?
Just for that character


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Re: Curiosity: how does people spend their awards

Post by xf1313 » Fri Oct 29, 2021 8:04 am

ltlukoziuz wrote:
Fri Oct 29, 2021 5:33 am
xf1313 wrote:
Fri Oct 29, 2021 5:22 am
Should I redeem my award, Are the race permenantly unlocked per CDkey or just for one character?
Just for that character
thank you very much, I think I shall save the award for now. Untill I have something really good in mind
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Re: Curiosity: how does people spend their awards

Post by fulminea » Fri Oct 29, 2021 2:10 pm

I don't like too exotic races/ wingy shiny half-somethings for players to play, so all my awards Ive spent on reducing ECL but that's in the past.

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Re: Curiosity: how does people spend their awards

Post by Archnon » Fri Oct 29, 2021 2:48 pm

ECl was great until the writ changes. Now I almost wish it was turned into a bonus to your RPR ticks .... ie, you got 120 XP per tick for a minor award, 140 for a normal, etc.

Without ECL, the Guldorand start is really great for getting a lot of bonus XP at the start and allowing you to make some serioussly non-optimal builds and still have fun with them by taking low level writs.

In addition, the languages can be really useful if you are planning a character with espionage. For example, if you want to pass your new warlock off as a sorcerer, then maybe consider taking draconic with an award.

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Re: Curiosity: how does people spend their awards

Post by xf1313 » Fri Oct 29, 2021 3:11 pm

Archnon wrote:
Fri Oct 29, 2021 2:48 pm
ECl was great until the writ changes. Now I almost wish it was turned into a bonus to your RPR ticks .... ie, you got 120 XP per tick for a minor award, 140 for a normal, etc.

Without ECL, the Guldorand start is really great for getting a lot of bonus XP at the start and allowing you to make some serioussly non-optimal builds and still have fun with them by taking low level writs.

In addition, the languages can be really useful if you are planning a character with espionage. For example, if you want to pass your new warlock off as a sorcerer, then maybe consider taking draconic with an award.
Thank you, those suggestions are very helpful. I agree with the RPR ticks, they are slow... all those EXP in the pool! With careful plan and more chitchat (so the tick Exp added), low level character can get to 7 or 8 without dying. Just managed that with my rogue, 0 ecl, gift on sneak and spot lol. No one on the road can see me passing. I enjoy create character with stats that fits the concept rather than optimised battle build, that is what makes Arelith special right? Thou I genuinely pick feats and stat that makes sense for a class, maybe I should be bold and try something more rp.... when I get a rpr boost and have one character retire from adventure.
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Re: Curiosity: how does people spend their awards

Post by Edens_Fall » Fri Oct 29, 2021 3:45 pm

I like exotic races so thats what I spend on. Vampires, Firbolgs, and yuan-ti!

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Re: Curiosity: how does people spend their awards

Post by Duchess Says » Fri Oct 29, 2021 9:16 pm

Having played a few exotic races and RPed with considerable more I still think the best and deepest long-term RP is had with the base races. I don't really look at exotics as a more difficult RP challenge myself since so much comes from what a novelty you are, the real challenge is how to make a "boring" vanilla human wizard stand out.

Just my opinion and not putting down other's RP, there have been wonderfully played vampires etc, just think the award races are kind of overrated and wish there was other things to use an award on.

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Re: Curiosity: how does people spend their awards

Post by xf1313 » Sat Oct 30, 2021 2:04 pm

Duchess Says wrote:
Fri Oct 29, 2021 9:16 pm
Having played a few exotic races and RPed with considerable more I still think the best and deepest long-term RP is had with the base races. I don't really look at exotics as a more difficult RP challenge myself since so much comes from what a novelty you are, the real challenge is how to make a "boring" vanilla human wizard stand out.

Just my opinion and not putting down other's RP, there have been wonderfully played vampires etc, just think the award races are kind of overrated and wish there was other things to use an award on.

I thought about new character idea yesterday (daydreaming as usual) and realise that many award race lack some sort of background support. My rogue received unconditional kindness from a Dwarven priest just because he is one of the Earthkin. That’s unique experience, the wild-elf also meet one of her own and building a nice friendship. Then it got me wondering, what’s there for me if I got myself a water-breathing elf? Or Yan-ti? I also meet a great vamp before, he did well among us boring mortals. For people playing a hated race and evil alignment, there might be a secret vampire castle or snake cave for those race to stay and RP. Well, if there is not, I should hope those race-only hideouts come up sometime! (Add underwater city and I shall dive for a aquatic elf) . Plus they can sit together and brew some evil plans. Good guys may find out about them and so.... conspiracy! epic pvp! Holy crusade!.
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Re: Curiosity: how does people spend their awards

Post by Edens_Fall » Sat Oct 30, 2021 4:26 pm

xf1313 wrote:
Sat Oct 30, 2021 2:04 pm
Duchess Says wrote:
Fri Oct 29, 2021 9:16 pm
Having played a few exotic races and RPed with considerable more I still think the best and deepest long-term RP is had with the base races. I don't really look at exotics as a more difficult RP challenge myself since so much comes from what a novelty you are, the real challenge is how to make a "boring" vanilla human wizard stand out.

Just my opinion and not putting down other's RP, there have been wonderfully played vampires etc, just think the award races are kind of overrated and wish there was other things to use an award on.

I thought about new character idea yesterday (daydreaming as usual) and realise that many award race lack some sort of background support. My rogue received unconditional kindness from a Dwarven priest just because he is one of the Earthkin. That’s unique experience, the wild-elf also meet one of her own and building a nice friendship. Then it got me wondering, what’s there for me if I got myself a water-breathing elf? Or Yan-ti? I also meet a great vamp before, he did well among us boring mortals. For people playing a hated race and evil alignment, there might be a secret vampire castle or snake cave for those race to stay and RP. Well, if there is not, I should hope those race-only hideouts come up sometime! (Add underwater city and I shall dive for a aquatic elf) . Plus they can sit together and brew some evil plans. Good guys may find out about them and so.... conspiracy! epic pvp! Holy crusade!.
Oh how a vampire castle guildhouse would be awesome, such things are unlikely to happen.

However there was group of yuan-ti doing snek things not long ago and at least one vampire I know of that offers aid and safety to kin. In short its up to the players to make those factions which can be done IG without special areas I think.

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Re: Curiosity: how does people spend their awards

Post by Xantor_Stromgate » Sat Oct 30, 2021 5:53 pm

I've never received one. If I ever roll one of the 6 characters in my Vault, I think I'd go with a special item.
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Re: Curiosity: how does people spend their awards

Post by Duchess Says » Sat Oct 30, 2021 7:20 pm

Xantor_Stromgate wrote:
Sat Oct 30, 2021 5:53 pm
I've never received one. If I ever roll one of the 6 characters in my Vault, I think I'd go with a special item.
AFAIK that is no longer an option.

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Re: Curiosity: how does people spend their awards

Post by Echohawk » Sat Oct 30, 2021 11:08 pm

http://wiki.nwnarelith.com/Epic_Sacrifice
Pretty much all your what to spend on list right there. As answered things aren't unlocked for the entire account, even though I'll admit that's an interesting idea.

Really you're going to play what you enjoy. I've gone through a variety of rewards and non reward character by this point (4 years now just about..) and what is always unnerving is that I tend to enjoy the non reward characters just a bit more easily. When you invest in a reward it can either be really catchy or not as fun as you thought it'd be. There's a risk in a way with paying that price. I recently rolled an award character not all that long after capping out on levels just because the rp was not really grooving, and it was a struggle that made me more miserable. And that in a way is something that hurts the most and you have to be a little careful of, if you're going to have controversy in your character or take on a challenge, it can right well become more than it's worth to keep doing.

Some folks group up to specifically support characters, and those tend to do very well when you're not going it basically or entirely alone. So that's an obvious recommendation I can throw out there, since organic group finding and roleplay is very hit and mostly miss.

Got another major and honestly I'm just sitting on this one like an egg at this point. (Sorry Bat where ever you are)

At the tail end of the custom majors I managed to get one, that in itself was a rather difficult decision.
Now with standardization there's 'mostly' not a DM approval needed to just go ahead and play what you want to.
Find something you enjoy and go for it. You get some time (til level 10) to refund it, so now there's no risk to trying something out, just to see how it is. (Except for the Guldorand award, you don't get that one back currently.)

My personal spending: One custom, two RDDs, one human genasi, one guld award, one trog. A few ECL reductions, not recommended esp for a first reward imo.

tldr - Consider a concept that you can form a group with, refund if need be, do what you enjoy. Congrats
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Re: Curiosity: how does people spend their awards

Post by LichBait » Sat Oct 30, 2021 11:47 pm

I never get more than a normal, and I've rolled at least 20 characters over the years. It was nice when Human Genasi went down to normal. Made one of those, but normally they just kind of sit in my award queue. I don't even bother with reduced ECL in case something more interesting comes through. I did use one on an additional language lately which was nice.

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Re: Curiosity: how does people spend their awards

Post by WaldoT » Sun Oct 31, 2021 1:05 am

I personally just let them sit and collect dust.

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Re: Curiosity: how does people spend their awards

Post by Xantor_Stromgate » Mon Nov 01, 2021 7:20 pm

Duchess Says wrote:
Sat Oct 30, 2021 7:20 pm
Xantor_Stromgate wrote:
Sat Oct 30, 2021 5:53 pm
I've never received one. If I ever roll one of the 6 characters in my Vault, I think I'd go with a special item.
AFAIK that is no longer an option.
Should've known!

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Re: Curiosity: how does people spend their awards

Post by fulminea » Thu Nov 11, 2021 9:40 am

I made a new character and only by doing the 3 writs each day I went to level 21 in 10 days, which is still crazy to me.

Probably some of you will even ask yourself how I can still be so slow.

It makes me wonder if there is going to be a surge of reward characters.

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Re: Curiosity: how does people spend their awards

Post by Good Character » Thu Nov 11, 2021 3:43 pm

Hands down of course enjoy playing the different racial races. At this point, though, I have only not played races stuck in the Major category. With a minor, I usually immediately opted for the noble award for the Silver Palm bonus and just felt out how much I wanted to put emphasis on their nobility. However, I started going for the new language option because I know I don't have any time to sit and learn languages IG.

fulminea wrote:
Thu Nov 11, 2021 9:40 am
It makes me wonder if there is going to be a surge of reward characters.
Likely not due to the rewards also being tied to wealth. There will certainly be more people burning rewards but likely Minors and Normals, and those won't be noticeable to a passerby.

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Re: Curiosity: how does people spend their awards

Post by MRFTW » Thu Nov 11, 2021 3:49 pm

I absolutely adore forest gnomes, and they're they're mechanically nice too, with sylvan, gnim and animal for free, as well as not leaving tracks in light armour and reading tracks.

If I were to get a major award, I'd probably use it to make a fey. They too are adorable and small.

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Re: Curiosity: how does people spend their awards

Post by Aradin » Thu Nov 11, 2021 5:44 pm

The first character I rolled I got a major reward. Immediately spent it on an ogre and had a blast, but I think Echohawk has it right.
Echohawk wrote:
Sat Oct 30, 2021 11:08 pm
Really you're going to play what you enjoy. I've gone through a variety of rewards and non reward character by this point (4 years now just about..) and what is always unnerving is that I tend to enjoy the non reward characters just a bit more easily. When you invest in a reward it can either be really catchy or not as fun as you thought it'd be. There's a risk in a way with paying that price. I recently rolled an award character not all that long after capping out on levels just because the rp was not really grooving, and it was a struggle that made me more miserable.
You can sometimes feel an obligation to enjoy your special reward character because, well, shouldn't you be enjoying them extra hard if it took getting a reward to play them? But at the end of the day they're all just characters - wings and tails and bells and whistles aside - and it's the story you tell with them that makes the difference between a meh character and one you really enjoy playing. In my anecdotal experience that (usually) doesn't hinge on how "special" they are.
So for me if I have a reward in the tank, I try to not make any new character concepts hinge completely on the 'reward' part. If it's important my new character is an aquatic elf for whatever roleplay reason, then sure, but they need to have something beyond that or as soon as the novelty of the aquatic elf gimmick plays out then the whole character is suddenly boring. They've got to be more than just their race.

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Re: Curiosity: how does people spend their awards

Post by Vespidae » Thu Nov 11, 2021 6:34 pm

I always spent mind on ECL bonuses but there seems less reason to do that now!
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Re: Curiosity: how does people spend their awards

Post by Curve » Thu Nov 11, 2021 6:36 pm

I generally just use the smell of a big reward as a good reason to roll a character rather than keeping them around to do mischief every now and again.

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