ToME: the Tales of Maj'Eyal

I've gone through all the zone files to check for values of material levels that are anomalous.
Quite a few zones are capable of dropping loot that one tier higher than the zones difficulty.
This is making the game quite easy at late game.
I've also noticed that starter zones which are levels 1-5 can drop t2 loot. This is a bit unfair on the t1 loot.
It also means that starter zone can generate enemies with t2 weapons, so changing this will make t1 areas easier.
Might also reduce doing all the t1 zones for the loot.
In additions to these changes, I'd suggest making vaults bump up their material level ranges by 1 when filling them with shinies.

Details:

Briagh's Lair: Level range is 35-50, loot range is t3-t5. Level range should be 30-40 and loot range t3-t4.
Dreadfell: Loot range is t3-t4, should be t2-t3. For the backup it is t4-t5, should be t3-t4.
Dreadfell Ambush: Loot range is t3-t5, should be t3-t4.
Flooded Cave: Loot range is t3-t5, should be t3-t4.
Golem Graveyard: Not sure if Atamathon's loot is tweaked, but it looks like it would be t2.
Ruined Halfling Complex: Loot range is t2-t3, should be t2-t2.
Tranquil Meadow: The default ambient music should be changed to Suspicion, otherwise is defaults to Wood of Eramae on level 4 and 5.
Mark of the Spellblaze: Level range is 25-35 and the loot range is t2-t3. In the interests of having it viable to corrupt the sandworm queen heart, the level range should be changed to 15-25.
The Maze: Loot range is t1-t3, should be t1-t2. For the backup it is t2-t4, should be t3-t4.
Daikara: Loot range is t2-t3, should be t1-t2. For the backup it is t4-t5, should be t3-t4.
Murgol's Lair: Loot range is t1-t2, should be t1-t1.
Norgos Lair: Loot range is t1-t2, should be t1-t1.
Lost Dwarven Kingdom of Reknor: Loot range is t3-t4, should be t2-t3.
Escape from Reknor: Loot range is t1-t2, should be t1-t1.
Rhaloren Camp: Loot range is t1-t2, should be t1-t1.
Ritches Tunnels: Loot range is t1-t2, should be t1-t1.
Ruins of Kor'pul: Loot range is t1-t2, should be t1-t1.
Scintillating Caves: Loot range is t1-t2, should be t1-t1. Also, there is no modifier for backup guardian loot range, should be t3-t4.
Slazish Fens: Loot range is t1-t2, should be t1-t1.
Tempest Peak: Loot range is t2-t3, should be t2-t2.
Unknown Tunnels: No loot range set. Should be t1-t2.
Trollmire: Loot range is t1-t2, should be t1-t1.
Unhallowed Morass: Loot range is t1-t2, but no loot drops. Should be t1-t1 with loot drops!
Vor Armoury: Level range is 35-50, should be 30-40. Loot range is t4-t5, should be t3-t4.
The Deep Bellow: Loot range is t1-t2, should be t1-t1.
Heart of the Gloom: Loot range is t1-t2, should be t1-t1.
Ruins of Telmur: Loot range is t3-t4, should be t4-t5. (Oops missed Telmur, and I think it should be buffed???)

Towns:
Angolwen: Currently t1-t3, t3-t4 after the East. Change to t1-t2, t2-t3 on first restock, t3-t4 on second restock.
Derth: Currently t1-t2 always. Change to t1-t1, t1-t2 on first restock, t2-t3 on second restock. It is only a small farming town.
Elvala: Currently t1-t2 always. Change to t1-t2, t2-t3 on first restock, t3-t4 on second restock.
Gates of Morning: Currently t3-t4 always. Change to t1-t2, t2-t3 on first restock, t3-t4 on second restock.
Irkkk: Currently t1-t2 always. Change to t1-t2, t2-t3 on first restock, t3-t4 on second restock.
Iron Council: Currently t1-t2 always. Change to t1-t2, t2-t3 on first restock, t3-t4 on second restock.
Last Hope: Currently t1-t3 always. Change to t1-t2, t2-t3 on first restock, t3-t4 on second restock.
Point Zero: Currently t1-t2 always. Change to t1-t2, t2-t3 on first restock, t3-t4 on second restock.
Shatur: Currently t1-t2 always. Change to t1-t2, t2-t3 on first restock, t3-t4 on second restock.
Zigur: Currently t2-t3, t3-t4 after the East. Change to t1-t2, t2-t3 on first restock, t3-t4 on second restock.

I'm also thinking it would be nice to bias the egos more than just Zigur never selling Arcane.

And how would this affect unique artifacts drops? Since they already have a level range on top of their tier, wouldn't narrowing the zones' material range even further make some of them nigh impossible to find?

But but but I like nice loot.

Hmmm artifacts.
Well the values I've given here match the level ranges of artifacts by tier as well.
It is an interesting question though, as Remnants of the Spellblaze has a level range set that should allow it to drop in t3 zones, but then the material minimum level would block it.
I wouldn't expect this to reduce the artifact drops. It would probably make t1 drops more likely.

Doctornull wrote:But but but I like nice loot.

I thought you didn't like power creep.

HousePet wrote:I thought you didn't like power creep.

It's not creep if it's already there.

Wintertide Phial. Tier 2 artifact with a 1-10 level range. Guess this one will be much harder to find for non-undead races if it can't drop on Tier 1 zones.

Well that one should be t1. Most artifacts fit general level ranges and oddly enough its very easy to fix those too.

Bumpage, cos I still think these should be cleaner.
I'm also pondering checking some monster minimum levels. Something should be done about facing skeleton warriors at level 1.
The above cleanup would at least stop them using steel weapons at level 1.

You'd really need to change shops as well then. Otherwise the standard strategy of 'run to LH, buy a green T3 weapon' would invalidate low level loot even more than it does now. In general the existence of LH shops makes T1-T2 weapons kinda pointless.

That's true.
Maybe bump the material levels by 1 each time the shop is restocked.
Will adjust first post.

I'm sorry, but I have to disagree on some ranges here. First of all, Vor Armoury, that is like the only place where you can reliably find a white tier 5 item per almost every weapon/armor type. This way it's gonna be practically impossible to create the crystal set you want even in the very, very rare case you got that lucky run that's arcane and found both the crystals for it.
On the same note, going by this list you're restricting tier 5 to the Prides and High Peak basically, when some races (from Higher to Yeek I'd say) can get to level 42-44 on normal just before a pride that just looks like punishing the player by throwing decent-to-bad tier 4 equipment at him when, measuring by player level instead of zone, they'd have to get tier 5s quite often. A situation like that would encourage players to grind farportals over and over again to get their equipment ready for the endgame. Now, if this material check was more flexible and took player level into account it'd be a better solution imo.
I honestly feel the same about Daikara and Tempest Peak not getting tier 3s while being the first zones where the challenge ramps up considerably for most players. Dreadfell is kind of alright, although I'd give it some pretty small chance to get tier 4s in the upper (or should I say lower?) floors. Vault getting a tier up does entice me, as I am a player that can't just say no to some extra challenge (and extra reward), but that would totally hinder the more cautious ones that don't feel up for it.
Imo, materially speaking, loot and xp drive a roleplaying game, and a player constantly finding useless junk way too often is an unsatisfied player. Going by your idea a player could get a great tier 1 weapon drop and never change it until Dreadfell, since nowadays the difference between tier 1 and tier 2 weapons is so slim I often end up using tier 1s until a tier 3 drops.
Mind you, I'm not saying some rebalancing wouldn't be nice, but I think your idea is pushing that too far.

I don't recall Vor Armoury containing 1 of each item at t5 level reliably? Anyway, that would be a special case which could be coded specially.

Measuring by player level would screw over races that level slowly, and possibly character that level quickly as enemies get the equipment too.

The Prides, Slime Tunnels and High Peak are basically the last 25% of the game. Other zones that would drop t5 are Fearscape, Eruan Vaults, Charred Scar, Room of Death, Shadow Crypt, Telmur and Valley of the Moon. A new optional zone in the East would be good too.
Running through the Prides when you already have t5 gear is contributing to the grind feeling.

Diakara and Tempest Peak would drop t3 in vaults. Same for Old Forest vaults and Sandworm Lair already drops t3. You would still be getting t3 loot around then.

If we get the shops the tier up when they restock, you would be able to buy decent gear around midgame if you haven't found it yet.

I might have pushed a little too far with some of the dungeons, but there has been significant power creep lately and having loot progression basically stop before the Prides sucks.

HousePet wrote:I might have pushed a little too far with some of the dungeons, but there has been significant power creep lately and having loot progression basically stop before the Prides sucks.

I'm not sure about the balance yet, but I definitely agree (on Normal, at least) the Prides have felt kind of pointless. I like the vaults, but 1) as has been noted, relying on vaults for meaningful equipment may punish cautious players unreasonably, and 2) that just makes the Prides that spawn without any vaults feel even more pointless.

aha - just read this post for first time, and now lots of unbalanced things I've noticed make sense - can these changes be implemented please?

But the Prides would spawn t5 loot outside of the vaults, so Pride Vaults would just be guaranteed t5 loot, not the only source.

I'd like to make vaults have better loot so that there is a good reason to open them, not require them to be opened for good loot. Bosses would still be the best source.