Scalable Hell Loot

[stonewarrior]

First, I hope this is in the right folder. I can see it potentially going in a few folders.

The reason I am posting this is due to the loot found on two recent Nessus runs. The first ended in a wip about a third of the way through the Coil. The second ended in a server crash moments after entering Asmo's lair. We found on the two runs comibined 2 Set Rings, 7 Ultra Rares and about a dozen rares. Most of the loot piles contains items such as Cynic's Chain, Strategists Mail or other similar items.

What I would suggest is a scaled incrase in the chances or rares, UR's and BUR's as one goes deeper in hell. The percentages confuse me and I would not want to venture a guess as to what would be fair and remain balanced.

I think a three tiered system would be ideal. The percentages for Avernus, Dispater and Minauros could be scaled slightly higher than non Hell Legendary Levels. Phlegoros, Stygia and Malbolge would be higher than the first three layers. Finally, Maladomini, Cania and Nessus would have a higher percentage chance of loot than the rest of Hell.

On many runs the loot found is similar to what might found in the desert until you get to the boss and the chests at the end.

I am in NO way suggesting that we get to start finding BUR's or even UR's in every other loot pile. However, finding duds or the above mentioned items is a bit disheartening. I am probably in the minority here, but I would even prefer a scenario in which each map in hell had a small handful of loot spots (i.e. going from 10 on a map to 3 on a map) and each was guaranteed to be a rare or better.

I have seen posts in which playeres refer to BUR's falling from the skies in Hell. I haven't seen it. The best I have seen is o Cania and that is in part because there are two BUR chests. In two wipes and a server crash doing Nessus (around 13 total hours of play) I have not seen a single BUR drop.

Peace, John.

[Delfestra Ruinvorn]

A wacky downside of the randomness, is that...its random.

One Malbolg run I went on we got NINE BURs. NINE. And we missed the BUR chest at the end too.

Next day, I did another run on the same level and got 2. One from the boss and one from the chest.

I've had a Phleg run with 4 BUR *races*, and a couple other BURs, a bow, and then two very good set items.

Today's Phleg run? No BURs, two "junk" set drops, and a bow.

Once upon a time, I got FIVE BURs on the Tia run. One was a race, one a exotic ring. Indeed, all the BUR sapphires of sagacity I've *ever* seen drop have been........on Tia runs.

Of course, as you know, most Tia runs are lucky to have 1 BUR.

So...those are the wiiide variants of my random loot experience. But I can agree with your frustration. One Cania run we had no BURs outside the boss's drop, only set loot chests, and then couldn't get the chests at the end. That one REALLY sucked.

Sometimes luck...is just bad.

[iamaqt]

I would agree that luck is luck - but when you are fortunate enough to have worked hard, found a good group, invested your RL time into run that takes 6+ hours (won't even go into that....), and end up with loot comparable to a Desert run, that is just discouraging to me...
Most of the people I have run with to Nessus have mentioned that the run isn't even worth it to the average working adult. The time you need to complete it -vs.- what you earn (completed or not) is not equal, IMO.

I would agree with Stone that a minor tweaking of the randomness is needed, especially for the LAST layer of hell.

[FunkySwerve]

That party didn't complete the run. The last layer is by far the richest, with 6 set urs, 6 set burs, 10 artifacts, and more loot drop spots than any other layer. And the tag, and stat edits. Hells loot already scales a fair amount, both with increased set drops and in number of random loot drops.
Funky

[iamaqt]

funkyswerve said:

That party didn't complete the run. The last layer is by far the richest, with 6 set urs, 6 set burs, 10 artifacts, and more loot drop spots than any other layer. And the tag, and stat edits. Hells loot already scales a fair amount, both with increased set drops and in number of random loot drops.
Funky

These are in the last layer? or last Room? Because we did the last layer - just crashed in the last room.

And I'm not saying that what you get at the end isn't enough... Just that some more encouragement along the way of a very long, stressful run would be welcome.

[Ironfang]

Admittedly as you mention the rewards are plentiful if you succeed. Who can argue with the 10 artifacts? Are the 6 set BURs all in the Boss loot? If so maybe moving 1 or 2 as rewards or carrots along the way may help ease the pain of those investing many hours and then wiping or crashing as we did. I really felt bad for the bank after collecting loot for 6 hours and getting a Holyblaze ring (and that was rolling in 6th or 7th place).

'Fang

[alandrian]

6 Bur chests seems nice, but not if you rogue crashes after the asmo fight like when we did nessus. I guess its saver to succor a rogue in that to drag him though the run, because of how the log/crash stuff is handled after asmo is dead.

[stonewarrior]

Our plan has always been to port my rogue in at the end. Otherwise he would get crushed in the fight. To steal Delf's phrase...he has become a key on legs. LOL

[chainlink]

3 BURs on the boss and 3 in chests (same for URs) and when we completed it they were the only BURs we got from this run due to poor luck on the loot spots. As Funky mentioned though 10 artifacts, stat boosts and 6 BURs guaranteed should be reward enough for the time put into this run. Crashing when entering the boss room would be extremely disheartening though.