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I'm not sure if that was the best title for what I was cooking up, but just hear me out for a sec.
Ok, so forever-and-a-day there has been bitching off and on about high level gear getting to lowbies via looting, luck, cheating, etc. But, on the other hand we all like to be that very same lowbie who has the nice set...it's sort of like winning the lotto in CF. Naturally, it also paints a big target on your ass, which is a good side effect. Before I spit out my idea let me just say that I have no real problem with the way that works - if a lowbie gets decked, they become a bigger target, then they invariably get taken down and that gear gets dispersed. That's great. What I'm suggesting is just a new angle of attacking the whole gear thing that can make weapons and armor, relatively, as powerful for a low-level character as they would be on a high-level character.
Enough fat, let's get to the meat.
Tier-Based Weapons and Armor
For each ten-level block, I propose we introduce gear that is specific to that range and actually cannot be used or picked up by those outside it. In a more traditional form, this already exists, but it doesn't share that important limitation. Now I'm not saying all gear should be this way, but anything new that's added could be made this way and I think it'd work out well.
I am thinking of this in the spirit of the idea that "The Game Does Not Begin at Hero," which I believe in. Unfortunately, most of the cool ####, area exploring, etc., does. So, if we were to treat each level block as "the entire game" in and of itself, with regards to new gear/progs that get implemented, it would make them so much more flavorful while doing nothing to nerf the overall game.
Is this making sense? I feel like I'm treading water trying to explain this.
Anyhoo, basically, for each tier let's have gear that mirror's the power of the most powerful gear that currently exists, in a relative fashion. For example, we could have a Defiance-like sword that does progs like "dispel evil - level 30," "cure critical - level 30," etc. Again, I realize there are certain, lesser items out there that fill this role. But, everyone can use them. This way, people in any tier can have a crack at the best #### available that they can use.
Also, most high level gear that basically anyone would want should be usable only by a higher range...say, level 30-50, while the really spiffy, progged hero gear that currently exists should be in the 40-51 block. I say this because most lowbie looters, in my experience, are sub-30, running around watching heroes fight at cabals and really not having any risk. If a character is in the 30-50 range, they incur a lot more risk by doing that, as they are likely to run into caballed people who will beat on them for doing that. Therefore, risk should equal reward and yadda yadda.
All that being said, I do not know if this is a good idea...but I post it anyway in case someone knows how to make it into something viable.
Potential problems:
- People at the top of any 10-level block can acquire all the best stuff and dominate their immediate range. However, this is partially countered by the fact that if you are the top dog in your range, you are most likely the low man on the totem pole of another range.
- What happens to gear if you suddenly go over your level block? If I'm wearing a whole set of Level 30-40-only gear and hit level 41, what happens? My solution here is this: Most, if not all, of this special, proggy, cool-ass gear I have in mind has to be quested for. Make the quests accessible only to the level block, and make the gear take on a rot_death flag if you have it and go over the block. Also, this kind of gear should be clearly marked when looking upon it, so people can prepare for the transition.
- Certain tactics, like the time-honored dirt/disarm might run into trouble if you are using a 30-40 weapon and your opponent is out of that particular block. Why? Because they can't pick it up or sac it. Simple solution: These weapons could be so rare for their range that it would be acceptable for them to be no-disarm or un-grabbable by out of range people. Complex solution: Upon being disarmed the gear can be picked up by the player who disarmed it, but that special condition goes away if they drop it again. This could get more messy if thieving gets involved.
I think there should be some special exemptions to this system. One that springs to mind is a level 36 AP who, understandably, wants to use a high avg weapon for his/her unholy. Perhaps they could have a spell that enables them to get ahold of a weapon they normally couldn't, and the unholy blessing could strip the level block flag. \
So, does anyone like the basic concept of having level-blocked gear? Does anyone see it as having more pros than cons? It would certainly obliterate
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