Classes and a note on Trolloc Stocks.

 Yesterday was an excellent day! Not only did I successfully obtain a trolloc warrior (Step 1 in my journey to fade!), I met a really nice guy, named Uvall, with some great information. He gave me a complete, up-to-date map of the world and agreed to let me share it with all of you. In addition, he had some scripts that make the mudding experience even better! Melee colors, which highlight particular actions in battle, exp trackers and chat logs are just a few of the great scripts he also agreed to let me share. You can find those on the Map page in the right sidebar. And since I love exploring every nook and cranny, I will still be updating my own personal map, though likely at a much slower pace, so you'll still be able to use the images instead of the file if you prefer. Keep checking back for updates on that.

In addition to the great resources Uvall shared with me, he also gave me some new information about trolloc stocks and classes. I had been trying to stat a beaked trolloc hunter, but apparently that was the wrong way to go. Uvall suggested I start with a wolfish trolloc warrior and then perhaps move on to a wolfish trolloc hunter once I got the hang of things. Taking his advice, I made a new character and got a warrior with Str: 19 and Con: 19 on the third try. Uvall mentioned that for warriors, those are the two critical stats, so I was pleased to have gotten 19's so easily.

But I wondered: What is the difference between a hunter and a warrior? So Uvall shared a bit of information with me that I'd like to pass on to you. Unlike other games, where often armor can be restricted by class, any class can wear anything. Mages might be limited to cloth in an mmo, but a channeler in wotmud could walk around in full armor if they wanted, though it might not be the best idea. Warriors tend to be easy to stat and have high hit points and strength. In contrast, rogues tend to have lower strength and hit points, but high dexterity. Hunters seem to be a combination of both and could fall anywhere in between. Each class has a perk that sets it apart from the other classes. Warriors have an ability called "zerk attack". What that means is when the warrior sets his mood to berserk (there are three "moods": wimpy, brave and berserk. Changing your mood changes how offensive or defensive you are), he gets extra hits in each round of battle. Unfortunately, when you are berserk, you can't flee so it's probably best to choose your battles wisely. Hunters get an ability called "auto-track", which allows them to see tracks on the ground automatically, without having to use the "track" ability. Rogues are able to look into rooms around them without actually entering the room. In addition, they can see what people are holding and steal things. We didn't talk about the channeler class, but obviously the perk is magic casting.

Huge thanks to Uvall for all his help explaining classes to me and showing me the best place to stat on Dark Side. By the time I logged off, I was level 8 or 9. I'll be working hard on securing my Light Side Hunter's stats today. He seems to be having the hardest time. Hopefully today will bring some luck!

Dark Side

Having finally completed my map of the Eye of the World (you can check it out in the right sidebar), I decided it was time to start my journey to becoming a fade. First step: make a trolloc. So I logged on Dark Side and made my character. On Dark Side, there are "animal stocks" instead of homelands. I chose the first option, "beaked trolloc" and decided to stick with a hunter.

There is no "Eye of the World" equivalent on Dark Side. Perhaps that is part of the reason why Dark Side is flagged as "for experienced players only." Disregarding that, I chose to make my trolloc debut in the Ruined Keep. Filled with trollocs and dreadlords and wells bubbling with blood, Dark Side is a much different experience than the Eye of the World.

I began by exploring the Ruined Keep. I didn't find anything to kill, but I did find some nice-looking armor that turned out to belong to a guy named Kultunk. I felt pretty bad for taking his things. That's something everyone should know: Just because it's on the ground, doesn't mean it's been thrown away. It's better to ask if it belongs to anyone if it just seems too good to be true.

Once I completely explore the Ruined Keep, I'll update the map. In addition, you can check out my statting efforts in the Homeland Database page.

On another note, I received an excellent mail from Yeri explaining what the different stats mean and how they affect your character. Look for that explanation over the next few days. In addition, my seanchan hunter is level 11! I'll be heading out of the Eye of the World and beginning my adventures in Falme, so watch for that.