My feedback.

[Mrcristian]

I just wanted to say that I really appreciate the effort you all obviously put into this module. It's clear you did a lot of customizing the system and I'm sure it was a lot of work.



That being said...


It's just too harsh. After 3 days of killing tons of animals, rats and undead for next to no loot. With and without parties. There was no sign of leveling (made more aggravating by not seeing what kind of xp I'm even getting) ending in getting surrounded and killed by a three scarabs that have a better chance of hitting than a lot of PC's can at low lvl. Losing all my gold and dying again attempting to retrieve it. Not knowing how much xp I lose for each of those deaths. And then having to just leave the game on for two hours while the death penalties wear off?!? It's a lot of effort for too little return. Which sucks because I was enjoying the role play and other PC's. I like a challenge but there has to be some light at the end of the tunnel.

I like the module so I'll probably try again, but the type of character I prefer to play has very little chance in this setting.

[Little Lotte]

Someone should have told you to visit the warehouse district and do deliveries! That's a garauntee xp farm up to level 5 and if you do it with friends can introduce a ton of really amazing role play! As for your type of character not fitting in here, I personally believe that one of the best things about Ravenloft is that -every- type of PC can fit in here!

Really do hope you give us another try because this place is pretty awesome! If you ever need any help IG you can contact me on either Serafim Ianescu or Georgetta Pavenic!

Dont lose hope! We've all been there!

-Lotte

[Winter83]

It is difficult and leveling is very slow. The majority of the PCs are in the 6-14 level range. Dungeons are built up accordingly. But as you advance in roleplay and get to know more and more characters you'll find more and more help. Every dungeon in a character's level range is challanging. Yes the loot is minimal, but here you won't find EPIC items neither. Do some caravan runs, earn some money, buy stuff from the crafter PCs and you'll survive much longer.

Been playing my toon for more than a year still only level 13. It takes time, but levelling is not the main source of fun here. But the HORROR, yay!

[Amon-Si]

I reccomend not setting foot in a hostile zone until level 4 unless you know how to handle everything that area has. RP levelling is actually faster at low levels than grinding.

[tzaeru]

Well.. Many things get incrementally easier the more familiar you get with the server. The two other servers I've played in past 4 years, actually both had a lot harsher death and slower leveling. PoTM feels easy after that.

And then having to just leave the game on for two hours while the death penalties wear off?!?

It's two in-game hours, which is about 10 minutes. It's a quickly spent time with RP. Or sandwich-making.

[Dread]

Hey! First off, welcome to the server. Second of all, a lot of the advice here is sound, Mrcristian, and I highly recommend you follow it. I know it's tough getting up off the ground as a low-level character here, because oftentimes, it's hard to find a group as a low-level character or even to explore, but compared to other servers, the learning curve of PotM isn't that bad.

[Darkelf30420]

I felt liek you when i first started too, then i made a new charcater  and made a few friends. Now that charcter is lvl 10 and somewhat well liked.  I wish i knew about the deliveries before i remade my character, but then i would have know half the people i did.

ON an off note if you find a login named Zwieckelfaust he a new guy too about your level he would be a good man to learn to befriend.

[XeroSnake]

I have to say, Mrcrisitian my man, I, like you, am a new character.

This guy makes quite a few points I was hoping to make. I have to say, this is an excellent server full of wonderful people. Heck, I even get along with the players who have terrible and rude characters. I love that anyone can find a good story- I've played only a week and I have a handful of exciting experiences under my belt.

And the best part, nobody cybers. It makes things a lot less awkward.

Role-playing wise, this server is perfect. I mean that. Honestly.

But gripes I (and Mrcristian, likely) have have to do with the game play. This module is punishing. I know, fights shouldn't be easy, and that's especially the case since this is a horror role play. But- well, I guess an example will have to do.
I was walking along in the sewers.
Don't stop reading, I'm not finished.
Well, anyways, I was walking along, hauling some dead bodies (don't ask) when I got jumped by about three or four punk little rats. Okay, I figure, no big deal.
I yank out my rapier, and before I can attack, I get eaten alive. I was level two. Rats should have stopped being problems for me a while ago. Now I don't know if this was my general ineptitude as a player, or the server, but I think I might be leaning towards the the latter. The only reason I was able to get out alive was because I had a priest with me (who was using a pretty cool double sided glowing spear, but that's not the point).

Like I said- I like that I can be afraid of fights. I like that I can't go out at night because of were-wolves and vampires. I don't like having to run away from a few rats. That ain't cool. Maybe you could be a bit more forgiving with combat difficulty? It ain't my place to judge, and I'm probably supposed to adjust to all this, but this module is probably the most difficult I've ever played voluntarily.  

[Telkar]

It shouldn't take too long getting past the rat threshold. The important thing is just getting proper defense gear...they're rather precise flankers.

[Winter83]

How I see rats

Spoiler: show

...not like this...

Spoiler: show

I always imagined that for every 1 in game rat there are twenty more around which is not presented but causes an issue.

Similar,

...we have scarabs in game, yet you rarely get more than three at once when you poke a corpse, they are deadly. You know why: -->

Spoiler: show

 

[Ovidiu_Lacusta]

On Ovidiu, I didn't step foot into a hostile/dungeon area until probably level 6.

Then I got annhilated by some errant Oozes that were dragged into the wrong area - so I stayed inside and Roleplayed some more, lol.

I'm multiclassed though so I needed that extra time to insulate and level up, so that I didn't become a well meaning stain the first time I tried something.

[EberronBruce]

I have to say, Mrcrisitian my man, I, like you, am a new character.

This guy makes quite a few points I was hoping to make. I have to say, this is an excellent server full of wonderful people. Heck, I even get along with the players who have terrible and rude characters. I love that anyone can find a good story- I've played only a week and I have a handful of exciting experiences under my belt.

And the best part, nobody cybers. It makes things a lot less awkward.

Role-playing wise, this server is perfect. I mean that. Honestly.

But gripes I (and Mrcristian, likely) have have to do with the game play. This module is punishing. I know, fights shouldn't be easy, and that's especially the case since this is a horror role play. But- well, I guess an example will have to do.
I was walking along in the sewers.
Don't stop reading, I'm not finished.
Well, anyways, I was walking along, hauling some dead bodies (don't ask) when I got jumped by about three or four punk little rats. Okay, I figure, no big deal.
I yank out my rapier, and before I can attack, I get eaten alive. I was level two. Rats should have stopped being problems for me a while ago. Now I don't know if this was my general ineptitude as a player, or the server, but I think I might be leaning towards the the latter. The only reason I was able to get out alive was because I had a priest with me (who was using a pretty cool double sided glowing spear, but that's not the point).

Like I said- I like that I can be afraid of fights. I like that I can't go out at night because of were-wolves and vampires. I don't like having to run away from a few rats. That ain't cool. Maybe you could be a bit more forgiving with combat difficulty? It ain't my place to judge, and I'm probably supposed to adjust to all this, but this module is probably the most difficult I've ever played voluntarily.  

That would have been Jerry's, Legos, and Etheros little sewer, give calibian proper bruial, adventure. Accept no one knows this because we hid ourselves when we escape the sewers and went into the woods.

[Norture]

There are some classes that are far more punishing for low levels and new characters than others. Rogue is very difficult, for example. Wizard is hard if you're new to the server and don't know the threshold yet for how publicly you can cast. In contrast, fighters, barbarians, clerics, and paladins can rofflestomp their way through things pretty easily at low levels.

[Dread]

Rats aren't all that bad. As other players say, you'll be able to pass the rat threshold pretty easily. They're really quite pathetic individually, and the only real danger attached to them only exists when they're swarming you. I've no idea what class you are, but if you're a wizard, the danger of rats can be easily negated by a spell like Ghostly Visage. If you're a rogue with at least 10 or more ranks in Hide/MS, you can more often than not sneak on by without them noticing you.

I should mention, avoid encumbrance like the plague. If you're carrying corpses, make sure that your friends have cleared the way for you, before moving on; either that or drop the body and run. The most fatal mistake you can make is to trudge on through.

[Jeebs]

Yeah, it takes a little while to get adjusted to this server and learn how to be careful. I remember when I first started, all these people telling me to seek shelter at night and at first my reaction was basically "pfft, I can handle myself" then I got ravaged by a pack of werewolves and realized I needed to be more careful. Then I made the mistake of assuming that the streets of Vallaki were patrolled at night and were therefore safe... I got murdered by a pack of wererats, so I really started to take the night seriously after that. The main thing to remember is that this server is intending for you to group up. You solo at your own risk... this is partly why the combat is so unforgiving, to encourage you to make friends and travel with others. Never believe you are truly safe. Even at level 20 with top-notch gear, I'm willing to bet you will get trounced if you assume you're invincible. Even if you can handle most of what comes your way, you never know what's around the corner or when a DM is going to unleash a horde of nightmarish fiends on your behind. That being said, the best RP is on this server, hands down. The best crafting system I've ever seen also as it's skills you develop rather than being level-based or a system where you put points into the varying skills. I also really like the fact that you can't see your EXP and only get a vague impression of how close you are to levelling. I find myself less prone to trying to power through mobs to get the last 200 exp this way and focus more on the RP or other things. So, welcome to the mists, hope you enjoy it as much as I have these last several years. There really isn't a better server out there.

[Legion XXI]

Yeah, it takes a little while to get adjusted to this server and learn how to be careful. I remember when I first started, all these people telling me to seek shelter at night and at first my reaction was basically "pfft, I can handle myself" then I got ravaged by a pack of werewolves and realized I needed to be more careful. Then I made the mistake of assuming that the streets of Vallaki were patrolled at night and were therefore safe... I got murdered by a pack of wererats, so I really started to take the night seriously after that.

   I think it was intended for things like this to happen.  I mean most other servers out there baby you at low levels, giving things like rats 5 or so AC and 1hp, so than even the most incompetent person can beat them.  By making things rough at low lvls, you kind of give off the impression that "Hey, we don't screw around here.  You really are in danger, even in the sewers."  I play a rogue, and when I was lvl 2 I had no idea you could go do deliveries.  I only managed to avoid dying most of the time because I ran away if I saw more than two rats running at me.  Sometimes (Well, most of the time, at that lvl) you just have to admit that you are not the ultimate adventurer yet, and save yourself.  When you get a few levels down, you will start to be amazed at how much easier things get.  Rogue was nearly impossible at lvl 2, but at level 7 I have a 4d6 sneak attack, over 20 in hide/ms and suddenly don't feel as n00b as I did when I was hitting for like 5 physical damage every time. 

   (But that is just in the sewers, there are plenty of other things to make you feel like a lvl 2 again, and that's what makes it fun.  No matter how big you are, there is always someone out there bigger.   Experience has told me that this person usually lurks within 5 feet of you at all times, concealed by stealth mode.  Think about that, lol.  I stopped feeling bad about rats the day a faction I was in angered the powers that be by acting a lot bigger than we were, and assassins started killing us off.  Then the rats seemed kinda "meh" by comparison, but either way I enjoyed every second of it.  There was a REAL fear that the next time I walked outside of the Inn or Temple at night, it could be my last.  It was that fear that made it so fun to keep coming back.)

 
  Also, another important thing is that you should not underestimate the RP XP you are getting.  A few good long sessions of RP are really fun, and at that level will even get you the XP to lvl up.   

[Jeebs]

 
  Also, another important thing is that you should not underestimate the RP XP you are getting.  A few good long sessions of RP are really fun, and at that level will even get you the XP to lvl up.   

This is very true, I had a rogue/bard character that got to level 3 virtually entirely from RP experience. No deliveries, no dungeoning... in fact the womanizing booze hound hardly ever left the comfort of the Lady's Rest other than to go kill 2-3 minks so he could afford to get drunk and eat that night.

[Norture]

It's true for high levels too. I started keeping track of my xp gain over the last level, you get a really surprising amount from RP. Comparing a 25% segment purely from dungeoning and a 25% segment with a mix of dungeoning and RP, half of my XP came from RP. Another good thing about RP XP: It's not effected by the XP slowdown mechanism. So essentially if you hit wall from dungeoning, you can still get xp via rp.

[EberronBruce]

At higher levels I would say you can gain 90% from RP, especially if you are not casting class. To go to a higher level dungeon, you expend a lot of resources then you can spend a month or so just to recoup those losses. At higher levels normal dungeons and monsters don't give you any xp.