Skaljard Feedback Thread
Abandon all hope who tread here.
I've achieved probably highest level you can achieve before the writs become exceedingly useless to you,
The only writ I got left is the couriers. So I've decided to provide my feedback on Skal Isle. But first. For those that are new to Skal Isle, or had never heard of Skal isle- for sake of you readers.
Skal Isle is alternative starting point instead of Cordor, that was originally geared for new players. However, the community disliked that, as there was nothing to learn on the game-play aspect, and that Skaljard was much harder alternative than Cordor itself. Skaljard is isolated from mostly Arelith during month 10 to 3, and is available to leave at month 4 to 9. Nobody can go to Skal until month 5 to 9, either by rented ship, or that someone -yoink them over. It is level 1 to 16 content, with no more writs passing level 17. Currently, as writing of this. I am level 18.
Now with that summary out the way. The Skal isle is not great, nor is it bad. Compared to Cordor, I would recommend players to do Cordor start, as Skal isle is extremely- and exaggerated isolated from everywhere else for longest time. Skaljard is difficult isle, although Irongron is now actually balancing the Isle at last. Which is desperately needed for years. But because the feedback I have to provide cannot be contained within the Writs feedback thread. I've decided to create a separate thread dedicated to just Skaljard at large.
And to jump into it. Let talks about the writ!
So when the player first arrive on Skal. They are often in confused, and disorientated period. Just like players when they first arrive on Cordor. They however are guided by by exploring Cordor first. Looking around the town. Not the case in Skal, where you simply have to go find the Mayor. Once you get lost in village for a bit. Which can take up to fifteen minutes if you don't know how to use your map. You'll find the Hovding. Which is Mayor technically. And he is your only questgiver on entirety of Skaljard at large.
The issue with the writs- as many of you are already aware if you kept track to Writ feedback thread- is that writ award is extremely underwhelming, and underrewarding. On top of that, it doesn't exactly help. So players are forced to grind again, and again until they can take on newer, and harder dungeons which ruins the roleplaying aspect. If isolation of Skaljard hadn't ruined that already.
Lot of the time. Writs don't even cover everything. There's few dungeons, and few places that don't have writs. Such as Littoral cave, or the 'Skaldark'. However, I'm hoping that future updates will hammer out Skaljard in more better refined form.
Now while this isn't exactly EXCLUSIVE to dungeons, and caves. I'll also bring up two honourable mentions to the NPCs. I'll start off with Saoire the Peddler. Saoire the Peddler is a peddler merchant that sits in the Longhouse. Her entire feature, and function is not to buy anything from you. Rather she doesn't actually buy anything. She just sells you essences that's +1 permanent fire, and few temporary essences. She doesn't buy anything from you. Therefore, she's very easily forgotten and ignored due to the very small amount of services she actually provide. Players will often forget she is a thing, as due to her limited capability to perform any way.
I might've misspelled his name. But that is fine. The scribe is on this feedback thread for a reason. If the player acquires a Scroll case- which is rare sometimes- since not everybody goes out of their way to craft Jewelry boxes, or Scroll cases, gem pouches, or any practical items on Skal isle, as most players will leave this place for Arelith isle due to lack of content pass Lv16s+. The Scribe does not offers an option to sell everything you got in your scroll case, therefore making it painful to pull one, by one out to sell it to the scribe.
Now with the NPCs out the way. Let begin talking dungeons, and zones!
The Bacchanhagen is a Satyr-themed dungeon. The reason why it's on this list, is that you can thank the minstrel, and the archer that spawns in the dungeon. They are both difficult, and strong due to their high AB, and their ability to use ranged capability. In addition to this. Their risk/award ratio are off- with more risk to kill them than there is award for doing so. However, there's not much when it comes to other Satyr enemies- as they're reasonably balanced.
Ghostwood is not as much as badly balanced, as much as it's just annoyance. Because there's no potion sellers in Skaljard village- except for hermit (And I don't think she sells restoration potion either), it's also tedious. The Wraith warriors will inflict delevel debuff the very moment they can hit you, and it sucks greatly if you aren't prepared to face them up. The reward/risk is even stranger, because most of the gold value comes in form of jewelries. If you don't happen to haul around an jewelry box. Then chances are, you're gonna get inventory very full- and not be able to make any money off farming undead. Which even turns into best grindspot for entirety of Skal. Because the gold values across the entire isle falls in between 5 GPs to 90 GPs tops. And Monster gold values don't even go up in hundreds even if the quest is designed around Lv16 contents!
Because of it, Skal-starting high-level players will just go to Ghostwood because it's guaranteed highest profit they'll find on the Isle before they leave for Arelith. That is, if course, they have Jewelry box.
The Littoral cave is weird one. It exists. It's just there. There's no writ. No nothing. It's just there. Even players will just ignore the Littoral cave, because there's no reason to do it. They'll just go to the Bear cave, which is closer, and easier to get though for Underdark rather than just Littoral cave. Which all features water elemental spawns. So more than not. The cave is often left alone, and unloved. Desiring a better home than this.
The Minotaur Cave is actually pretty well-balanced for a dungeon of it's level-type. However. Ironically, it's hardest because of the boss. I've been getting report that Warlord boss have recently been nerfed. But I'm unsure about that. However. I'll talk of Warlord, even if he isn't nerfed currently. Because he is the strongest boss to ever fought before in all of Skal. He rivals even wyverns, due to pure damage output the Warlord is capable of doing- And HE is the boss required to be slain for a Writ. He's capable of dealing roughly 100 damage within TWO rounds. Enough to gib any players that's just unfortunate enough not to come pre-buffed.
The Gnipahellir is more of 'Why?' than a 'There's a problem here.' than an actual issue. The Gnipahellir writ is offered earlier than Minotaur Cave. Despite having harder enemies than Minotaurs. Not only that. The Armoured Ogre, and Chieftain is uncommon spawns that can be found walking around and are extremely strong for it's type. Capable of taking on a well-geared melee player if the player isn't prepared to fight the armoured ogre. In addition, there are Elders that are quite capable of just wrecking non-magic players if they don't have any way to deal with Elders. There are also magic-casting Ogres that can certainly hurt quite a bit for those not prepared against their spams. It's also stranger, because House of Master is located just behind the entire place.
The orc Harbage is the very special place. Everybody, and their orc mother comes armed with throwing axes, and bows. And magic. When a player first enters this place- and if they're extremely unlucky. They'll just die five step into the zone. Because there are at least 12 hunters/axe-throwers just waiting to greet the new player with large volley. Almost every orc fighters in the Harbage comes prepared with at least a ranged throwable, or bow. The only exception is the Bruiser, and the Boss. But even the Warrior carries around throwing axes. Not even mage character is safe. No one is safe.
The tundra at large is rather empty, and avoid of much.. Well. lot of spaces to be had. It's excessively large, and just consumes a lot of your time to go from point A to point B. It's just that big. Same thing applies to the Skaldark. It's just big. Too excessive. Too large. And just empty spaces between it. Giving it that lifeless Tundra feels we all deserve. But also boring. The Tundra should definitely have more dungeons, more gatherables- and so goes on instead of just a big white floor. I mean. That's it. Just big white floor right here.
There is the Skaldark. The Underdark. The Skal-exclusive Underdark. The Underdark that pretty much NOBODY goes down to for any other reasons except some exclusive items that you can't find on Arelith. The Skaldark. The MOST USELESS content. An EXCLUSIVE starting zone for Deep Imskari- who just leaves for Andunor quite immediately because of course- there's NOTHING to do in Skaldark. The area is too big. Too empty, AND JUST BORING. TWO zones have NO ENEMIES- whatsoever. With only TWO OTHER ZONES- infested with it. Then a ZONE, the SLIMEWAY- quite BUGGY in graphical perspective.
This one get a honourable mention, because when you're doing the Courier writ for Trapper's nest. There's only three ways to get to Trapper nest. Two other ways very hard, and this one- the bait 'easy' way. In which after you get to this bridge. You're immediately flanked by two STRONG wyverns. FLANKED. TWO BIG WYVERNS. ON THE BRIDGE. WITH YOU. ON THE MIDDLE. So you cannot escape, you cannot go around them. You're forced to fight them. And then you pretty much died there because - well. Wyverns are stronger than Hill giants.
Finally. I've saved the best for the last. The last dungeon, and content that's quite irritating.
The pool. The Bullywug village. The MOST irritating, and ANNOYING writ to ever TACKLE. To get to the Pool. You have to go thorough the TIN mine. Then you have to get there. And then suddenly- SOMEONE ALREADY CLEARED OUT THE ENTIRE POOL. You have to WAIT until it reset- because you have to kill FIVE of them before you go into their village. ONCE it is reset. You have to go ALL the way from one end- to other end- to get to Bulylwug village. NOW this is where the fun begins. Once you get to boss. There's this giant crystal in the center of the stage. The Bullywug queen engages. You fought her to Near death status. Then pulled her to crystal on ACCIDENT- and suddenly-
Death by sonic damage.
The writ didn't count that. So you've forced to reset the ENTIRE thing- to go thorough the ENTIRE fight- and then she died again to Sonic damage. Not counted in writ. It's okay, EXCEPT she is mostly accompanied by POD priests. POD PRIESTS that heals. POD PRIESTS. THAT RESTORES health. That get VERY ANNOYING. And she summons a spider. Great. So the Queen is very annoying to fight, especially when you have to fight her again without her getting killed by the sonic trap that's in the center- and take lot of space.
Once again. This is not just it. There's more. And there'll be more feedback. Thankfully now that Skaljard is actually getting updated- and looked into. I'll also provide some other insights on Skaljard. There's no DM presence whatsoever in the Skal Isle. Because of this, lot of players causes troubles and gimmicks all around in Skal isle. Even had entire village wiped out one night because well- it happened. Sure, DM do come here, but it's not enough. Trust me. It ain't enough.
Beautifully written.
