Adjustments and addition to Fellows (02/26/2008)

[LilithAngel]

Adjustments and Additions to Fellows (02/26/2008)


Adjustments and additions to fellows have been scheduled for the next version update.

Some of these changes are as follows:


- Magic and other abilities you use on party members will now also benefit the fellow you summoned.

- Fellows will be able to use a greater variety of equipment.

- Fellows will no longer use the following weapon skills:
Spinning Attack, Cyclone, Circle Blade, Shockwave, Spinning Scythe, Earth Crusher.

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Now my question is, why can't SE extend the Fellow adjustment to casting party-only buffs to other "extra" party members such as pets? Would that make them too powerful, or is it something that would warrant consideration?

[Murphie]

Re: Adjustments and addition to Fellows (02/26/2008)

Not bad. My NPC was such a noob with the AOE weaponskills that I had to take away her good weapons.

[Kuro]

Re: Adjustments and addition to Fellows (02/26/2008)

God damn you SE.

Give us WoTG and ToAU access!

Oh well, atleast cureing dances will work on my NPC, finally!

This is probably the best news I've had in a while, Once my DNc is done I'm soloing BST as like the only thing I'll be doing, and i solo with my NPC out to lv him as i go (hay extra DMG is DMG) and now that i can cure him with /dnc /joy

[Akashimo]

Re: Adjustments and addition to Fellows (02/26/2008)

Yay. Now Raka can get affected by Pro V, Refresh, Phalanx II and Accomplice.
While Clearite can get Covered.

Now let us use them in ToAU and WotG >_>; And extend the limit for them to be out. By the time I'm all warmed up, she's already maxed out from kills with capped time/mobs.

[Ellipses]

Re: Adjustments and addition to Fellows (02/26/2008)

- Magic and other abilities you use on party members will now also benefit the fellow you summoned.

Hallefreakinglujah. Taking my NPC out on BRD was always such a disappointing pain.

Also, every time I see that particular NPC name, I misread it as "Amirite?"

Now my question is, why can't SE extend the Fellow adjustment to casting party-only buffs to other "extra" party members such as pets? Would that make them too powerful, or is it something that would warrant consideration?

The NPCs are temporary little bonuses you pull out for a bit of XP or farming or whatever. They're not part and parcel of a real leveling strategy, so it's no big deal for them to get those buffs. If pets could get those buffs, they'd be overpowered. Especially, say, WHM/BST, RDM/BST etc. Not that it couldn't be done, but it'd need something to balance it out, and that gets tricky. Easier to just leave it as is.

[Raydeus]

Re: Adjustments and addition to Fellows (02/26/2008)

The party buffs thing is great, but I hope with the new equipment comes the ability to lock the 4th piece of fashionable equipment. NPC 75 (Can I have it?)

Still, this is better than nothing

[Armando]

Re: Adjustments and addition to Fellows (02/26/2008)

Great, now I can give Armittie any weapon I want.

I don't know what you're talking about, Aka. An hour and a half at max bond is a lot, and if you want more, then use your Tactics Pearl.

[Omgwtfbbqkitten]

Re: Adjustments and addition to Fellows (02/26/2008)

I'd get excited about all this, but Fellows have been beyond useless for quite some time now. Nice we can finally buff them, but if they can't be taken to WotG or ToA zones, I don't see much point in updating them or spending any time on updating them.

As always, SE's holding out those job adjustments for the last announcement.

[little ninja]

Re: Adjustments and addition to Fellows (02/26/2008)

2 years of saying I wanted Fellowship updates and this is the best I can get. Why can't we call them in the new expansion packs. Why do they stay out for a crummy time limit.

Is it because I am a Taru and my best friend is a stinky Galka?

OMGWTF I need answers!!!

[LilithAngel]

Re: Adjustments and addition to Fellows (02/26/2008)

I'm not so bummed about the fact that I can't call Chanandit out to ToAU or WotG areas, but about the fact that SE has all but forgotten about, and done nothing more with, the storylines that they set up for the NPCs, Luto Mewrilah, and Miledo-Shiraddo. There was a great dynamic set up for several more stories, and indeed there could have been more, but SE just kinda dropped it.

The NPCs have so much potential for story telling...

To wit, where did the mirrors the NPCs had come from? It was mentioned that those mirrors were the same as the ones the Serpent Generals have that lock away the AC, but didn't the ToAU story say the SG's mirrors were the only ones of their kind? So where and how did our NPC friends get them? Also, there were stong ties to the ToAU storylines, at least quest-wise, to have a longer and more involved story happen, but again, it just kinda died off. Our NPCs supposedly spent time in Aht Urghan, why not make quests to explain some of that backstory, or have events happen that are based on the quests here in the Middle Lands?

I'm not so much worried about the mechanics of the NPC system, but I'm certainly a fan of the story SE gave us for it. It's something that anyone can do solo, and you don't need a massive alliance or elite endgame LS to experience. I'd be more happy to be able to continue the story and see what happens next. The story, as it is IMHO, isn't done, and I have a feeling that Vassago isn't quite done yet (like all good villains should be).

[little ninja]

Re: Adjustments and addition to Fellows (02/26/2008)

I'm not so bummed about the fact that I can't call Chanandit out to ToAU or WotG areas, but about the fact that SE has all but forgotten about, and done nothing more with, the storylines that they set up for the NPCs, Luto Mewrilah, and Miledo-Shiraddo. There was a great dynamic set up for several more stories, and indeed there could have been more, but SE just kinda dropped it.

The NPCs have so much potential for story telling...

To wit, where did the mirrors the NPCs had come from? It was mentioned that those mirrors were the same as the ones the Serpent Generals have that lock away the AC, but didn't the ToAU story say the SG's mirrors were the only ones of their kind? So where and how did our NPC friends get them? Also, there were stong ties to the ToAU storylines, at least quest-wise, to have a longer and more involved story happen, but again, it just kinda died off. Our NPCs supposedly spent time in Aht Urghan, why not make quests to explain some of that backstory, or have events happen that are based on the quests here in the Middle Lands?

I'm not so much worried about the mechanics of the NPC system, but I'm certainly a fan of the story SE gave us for it. It's something that anyone can do solo, and you don't need a massive alliance or elite endgame LS to experience. I'd be more happy to be able to continue the story and see what happens next. The story, as it is IMHO, isn't done, and I have a feeling that Vassago isn't quite done yet (like all good villains should be).

I thought they finished the storyline. But if you asked me it was set up to be expanded on.

[LilithAngel]

Re: Adjustments and addition to Fellows (02/26/2008)

Well, that particular part about the NPC, the little girl, and Vassago was mostly done, but the overall, big picture? Nah, Vassago can't be finished with us, and there's still too much left unanswered to consider the whole scenario finished. Luto, Miledo, Vassago, and the NPCs all have more to them than just this first part. If only SE would give us more quests for them and such. I liked what they were doing with this.

[ItazuraNhomango]

Re: Adjustments and addition to Fellows (02/26/2008)

ToAU and WotG zones have their own attractions; I don't see anything wrong with leaving the Fellows in the Conquest zones.

Besides, one of the biggest complain from exp parties for a while was that people were insensitively leveling NPCs in their camp area. Do folks really want the Colibri population to be abused more?

With much of the Conquest zones nearly deserted, one can't possibly argue there aren't enough places to go with NPCs these days.

* * *

Fellows popping up in the past (WotG zones) on call wouldn't make a single bit of sense story wise. It is just a game, but give me some consistency in the pretense for the sake of suspending reality.

[Feba]

Re: Adjustments and addition to Fellows (02/26/2008)

The NPCs are temporary little bonuses you pull out for a bit of XP or farming or whatever. They're not part and parcel of a real leveling strategy,

Kalokoko disagrees. She's replaced other party members on two or three occasions, has kept up just fine, is around for the rest of the party, and had no complaints (along with quite a few people impressed at how good it was)

Will you be staticing with your NPC? Probably not. Is it possible to use them in a party situation? Absolutely.

[Ziero]

Re: Adjustments and addition to Fellows (02/26/2008)

I thought they finished the storyline. But if you asked me it was set up to be expanded on.

Not even close, the overall mystery of the Mirror was left wide open and specifically pointed to being something ToAU related.

ToAU and WotG zones have their own attractions; I don't see anything wrong with leaving the Fellows in the Conquest zones.

Besides, one of the biggest complain from exp parties for a while was that people were insensitively leveling NPCs in their camp area. Do folks really want the Colibri population to be abused more?

With much of the Conquest zones nearly deserted, one can't possibly argue there aren't enough places to go with NPCs these days.

Fellows popping up in the past (WotG zones) on call wouldn't make a single bit of sense story wise. It is just a game, but give me some consistency in the pretense for the sake of suspending reality.

My major gripe with NPCs not having ToAU access is the fact that it was stated the NPCs themselves have been there and that their story was pointed at continuing in the land to the near east. But nothing in ToAU even related to the NPC storyline, which was left unfinished. I think this line of quests, one specifically designed for solo play and storytelling, should have continued on into Aht Urgan.

And why can't NPC fellows journey to the past just like us? They're adventurers too from my understanding, the only thing is that they're linked to us via that special Linkpearl. They come to us, no matter where we call them from, instantly. Why not have a WotG quest just to get them access to the past?

Kalokoko disagrees. She's replaced other party members on two or three occasions, has kept up just fine, is around for the rest of the party, and had no complaints (along with quite a few people impressed at how good it was)

Will you be staticing with your NPC? Probably not. Is it possible to use them in a party situation? Absolutely.

I've done the same thing with mine. Many times my NPC has been able to fill that missing spot in an Exp pt and do so fairly well. Infact I specifically remember one rather long Jungle pt I had that started with me and a friend and our NPCs and slowly grew to a full pt over the course of the night. But because we had NPCs at the start we weren't just sitting around doing nothing while we looked for members.

A properly lvled NPC with enough Tactics Pearl Charges can easily fill an empty PT slot, especially if they're set to attacker.