On Fri, Sep 17/99, kim@... wrote:

> From: <kim@...>
>
> I kind of agree and disagree. When I group randomly, the
> items usually go via lotto. So far people have been pretty
> good about withdrawing their names from the lotto if they
> can't use or don't need an item (i.e. already have something
> better). But I see your point about need-based distribution
> being worse than lotto in long run for bards.

The problem is as you get higher level, you get a lot less random
grouping. It's pretty hard to just do pickup groups for a lower guk
expedition, or it was. Maybe now that lower guk is more crowded this has
changed, but when I was going there, it actually required some planning
and getting a group together in advance before venturing down to take on
the cavalier or other lower mobs.

And yes, I had a regular group and was happy to see the items go to the
people that needed them most. But, it gets a bit old after 3 or 4 weeks
of seeing items that are just perfect for everyone else in your group
show up while you sit there getting the afterthoughts.

As to them only adding instruments. I can't really see that helping a
heck of a lot and in a way, I can't see it happening at all. The only
other instruments that would benefit from an improvement would be a
stringed or brass instrument, and, remembering JM Cappozi's telling us
they still debated inside Verant whether we were too powerful, I just
can't see them giving us an instrument that would make our damage songs
do more damage. A wind instrument, IMO, would be useless. How would it
benefit us to be more invisible, or more levitated? :)

Recent news from the patch server is that there's now a pile of new
Ranger only weapons going into the game (ya like Rangers needed more
stuff). These are appearantly quest only weapons. Maybe they will
eventually get around to putting some things in for Bards, but I am
starting to wonder. Without an in house "patron" (as it is quite obvious
that dispite claims to the contrary no one at Verant plays a Bard as
their main character) or a loud protest like other classes have
organised, I just can't see it happening. It seems the noisy wheels get
the grease in this game and it seems like the kind of person who is
attracted to playing a bard has less tendancy to start loud protests. I
think we probably just quietly move on to other characters.

--
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