Post by Ichibey on Feb 25, 2023 7:40:43 GMT
DEATH AND RESPECS
Sometimes, you just have to move on to a new starring role.
Sometimes, you just have to move on to a new starring role.
In this game, it certainly is possible to live long enough to reach the maximum level, enjoy all the perks that brings, and more. But depending on your choices, you could very well end up dying. This is the risk associated with Duels, Lethal Events, Raids, and Hunts. Maybe for some reason, you got Executed rather than Evacuated. Great reward is balanced by great risk. Or maybe, you decided to get dramatic about a particular scene because you find it fits the story. Either way, your character is now dead.
This isn't Dragonball. There's no coming back from the other side. Yes, there are wishes. Yes, there are cybernetics. But these methods of cheating death are to be taken seriously and dealt with on a case by case basis. The Staff will have the final say on whether it's possible to come back, and what state your character will come back in, if allowed to do so.
For those of you who have moved on, keep reading.
Now, say you enjoy the game enough to play a new character. Will you have to restart from scratch? But what about all the hard work you put into raising them?
I'm sure these questions might come up in some form or another. So we have the answer right here.
DEATH RESPEC
Once your character has passed on to the great beyond, there are two ways to go about it:
Once your character has passed on to the great beyond, there are two ways to go about it:
STARTING OVER:
You may choose to discard all of your gains and start from scratch. As compensation, you start with the total currency cost of your Inventory and Storage combined.
So while you might have 0 XP, you can at least fully deck yourself out and then some. Think of it as a kind of New Game+.
You may choose to discard all of your gains and start from scratch. As compensation, you start with the total currency cost of your Inventory and Storage combined.
So while you might have 0 XP, you can at least fully deck yourself out and then some. Think of it as a kind of New Game+.
CARRYING OVER:
If you decide to retain your gains, then you may freely import up to all of your progress: XP, items, used spell slots, currency, Faction Asset points, and the like to the new character. This character doesn't have to be someone from the same Class, or even the same Origin.
All gains and earnings are seamlessly transferred to your next character idea, for you to use as you will.
You may also choose to carry over a partial amount of your progress, gains, and earnings, if you would rather start somewhere in the middle.
If you decide to retain your gains, then you may freely import up to all of your progress: XP, items, used spell slots, currency, Faction Asset points, and the like to the new character. This character doesn't have to be someone from the same Class, or even the same Origin.
All gains and earnings are seamlessly transferred to your next character idea, for you to use as you will.
You may also choose to carry over a partial amount of your progress, gains, and earnings, if you would rather start somewhere in the middle.
CHANGING ORIGINS:
Now, if you choose to change over to the other Origin, then all items in your Inventory and Storage will be converted into the equivalent value of currency.
Any items you hold that cannot be purchased from an NPC will be sold instead for an increase in your Faction's Origin Deduction.
All of your progress will be converted over to the other Origin to the best of the system's capacity.
Now, if you choose to change over to the other Origin, then all items in your Inventory and Storage will be converted into the equivalent value of currency.
Any items you hold that cannot be purchased from an NPC will be sold instead for an increase in your Faction's Origin Deduction.
All of your progress will be converted over to the other Origin to the best of the system's capacity.
LIVING RESPEC
Sometimes, you feel you've made a mistake somewhere, like learning the wrong spell. Or maybe you feel you've made the wrong character entirely.
They're not dead. You just need to fix a little problem, or you want to retire them to start a new character.
No problem. Here's how it's going to work:
Not counting Patch Respecs, which could drop at any time, Living Respecs are limited to once a month per character.
Sometimes, you feel you've made a mistake somewhere, like learning the wrong spell. Or maybe you feel you've made the wrong character entirely.
They're not dead. You just need to fix a little problem, or you want to retire them to start a new character.
No problem. Here's how it's going to work:
Not counting Patch Respecs, which could drop at any time, Living Respecs are limited to once a month per character.
RETRAINING AND RETIREMENT:
Depending on how major your desired changes are, your respec may or may not be easier.
RETRAINING
If you just need to change spells or skills within the same class, then your character will undergo a Retraining Thread. This takes the form of an adventure (solo or otherwise) where your character will work to unlearn the undesirable spells/skills, and replace them with new ones.
The thread requires either ten posts per player if you choose to play out the thread with another player (or GMNPC), or 2000 words if done solo.
In addition, your character must pay a retraining fee of 1000 Currency x their level, for abstracted things.
Let's look at a couple of Level 15 examples:
If Vivio decides she wants to replace her current suite of spells or pick a few different skills, then she has to fork over 15,000 Dimensional Credits.
For what? Maybe she hired a top level CQC coach from another planet to teach her a new martial art to add to her repertoire.
Alternatively, Sayaka would have to pay Kyouko 15,000 Griefbucks (in cash or in apples, whichever) as a finder's fee for discovering a Mystic Cave of Self-Reflection™, where she can meditate for a week under a waterfall to become a DPS with good regen, rather than a meaty Tank.
Either way, money has to be paid along with the effort of writing the story of your character's big change.
RETIREMENT
If you feel like your Origin isn't right for you, then you can certainly respec into the other Origin.
Unfortunately, this will require you to retire your character, as Origins are integral to who they are.
In order to retire a character, you need simply make a request to do so in the Request Forum and pay the retirement fee of 1000 Currency x their level.
You must then submit an application for a new character, albeit with a matching level of progress.
As with a Death Respec, all your progress, gains, and earnings will carry over. Or as much of it as you would like, if you don't want to bring everything along.
All items in your Inventory and Storage will be converted into the equivalent value of currency.
Any items you hold that cannot be purchased from an NPC will be sold instead for an increase in your Faction's Origin Deduction.
It should be made clear, however, that since they are still alive by definition, you may indicate what should be done with your retired character.
You could make them a player NPC, for example, or save them for later, should you feel like picking them up again. Or both.
CLASS RESPEC
While it is not as integral as one's Origin, a character's Class is also a significant part of who they are.
As such, it is possible to retrain your character in order to change their class. This will, however, require you to justify their retraining in a Request.
Staff will review the request and determine whether or not it makes sense. If it is approved, then your character's class retraining can proceed.
If not, and you still desire a class change, you will have to retire them and make an application for a new character in your chosen class.
Whatever the result, you are to pay the retraining/retirement fee of 1000 Currency x the character's level.
Depending on how major your desired changes are, your respec may or may not be easier.
RETRAINING
If you just need to change spells or skills within the same class, then your character will undergo a Retraining Thread. This takes the form of an adventure (solo or otherwise) where your character will work to unlearn the undesirable spells/skills, and replace them with new ones.
The thread requires either ten posts per player if you choose to play out the thread with another player (or GMNPC), or 2000 words if done solo.
In addition, your character must pay a retraining fee of 1000 Currency x their level, for abstracted things.
Let's look at a couple of Level 15 examples:
If Vivio decides she wants to replace her current suite of spells or pick a few different skills, then she has to fork over 15,000 Dimensional Credits.
For what? Maybe she hired a top level CQC coach from another planet to teach her a new martial art to add to her repertoire.
Alternatively, Sayaka would have to pay Kyouko 15,000 Griefbucks (in cash or in apples, whichever) as a finder's fee for discovering a Mystic Cave of Self-Reflection™, where she can meditate for a week under a waterfall to become a DPS with good regen, rather than a meaty Tank.
Either way, money has to be paid along with the effort of writing the story of your character's big change.
RETIREMENT
If you feel like your Origin isn't right for you, then you can certainly respec into the other Origin.
Unfortunately, this will require you to retire your character, as Origins are integral to who they are.
In order to retire a character, you need simply make a request to do so in the Request Forum and pay the retirement fee of 1000 Currency x their level.
You must then submit an application for a new character, albeit with a matching level of progress.
As with a Death Respec, all your progress, gains, and earnings will carry over. Or as much of it as you would like, if you don't want to bring everything along.
All items in your Inventory and Storage will be converted into the equivalent value of currency.
Any items you hold that cannot be purchased from an NPC will be sold instead for an increase in your Faction's Origin Deduction.
It should be made clear, however, that since they are still alive by definition, you may indicate what should be done with your retired character.
You could make them a player NPC, for example, or save them for later, should you feel like picking them up again. Or both.
CLASS RESPEC
While it is not as integral as one's Origin, a character's Class is also a significant part of who they are.
As such, it is possible to retrain your character in order to change their class. This will, however, require you to justify their retraining in a Request.
Staff will review the request and determine whether or not it makes sense. If it is approved, then your character's class retraining can proceed.
If not, and you still desire a class change, you will have to retire them and make an application for a new character in your chosen class.
Whatever the result, you are to pay the retraining/retirement fee of 1000 Currency x the character's level.
PATCH RESPECS:
Even after the Beta is complete, the game will still be subject to change based on any new balance issues that need dealing with. Patches will continue so long as the game does.
Now, nobody wants to get stuck in a build that just got nerfed by a recent patch.
On each patch, all players will receive the option to Respec.
Any items affected by the patch will be fully refunded.
All affected character elements, such as Class Abilities, Skills, and Spells, will be refunded appropriately, and can be replaced by an element of the same value, depending on what is possible at your current progress.
Patch Respecs cost nothing, and do not require a Retraining or Retirement Thread to complete.
You may retire your character using a Patch Respec.
Even after the Beta is complete, the game will still be subject to change based on any new balance issues that need dealing with. Patches will continue so long as the game does.
Now, nobody wants to get stuck in a build that just got nerfed by a recent patch.
On each patch, all players will receive the option to Respec.
Any items affected by the patch will be fully refunded.
All affected character elements, such as Class Abilities, Skills, and Spells, will be refunded appropriately, and can be replaced by an element of the same value, depending on what is possible at your current progress.
Patch Respecs cost nothing, and do not require a Retraining or Retirement Thread to complete.
You may retire your character using a Patch Respec.
RESPEC TOKENS:
Respec Tokens are an OOC-only item you can use to waive the retraining/retirement cost of your character's respec.
For each character slot, you may earn up to four (4) Respec Tokens, one for each five (5) levels you reach: 5, 10, 15, 20.
You can only earn Respec Tokens once per level milestone for a given character slot. Even if you retire or die and start from scratch, you cannot earn them again. So use them wisely!
To use a Respec Token, just indicate its use for a given Living Respec, be it at the top of a Retraining Thread, or in your Retirement Request.
Respec Tokens are an OOC-only item you can use to waive the retraining/retirement cost of your character's respec.
For each character slot, you may earn up to four (4) Respec Tokens, one for each five (5) levels you reach: 5, 10, 15, 20.
You can only earn Respec Tokens once per level milestone for a given character slot. Even if you retire or die and start from scratch, you cannot earn them again. So use them wisely!
To use a Respec Token, just indicate its use for a given Living Respec, be it at the top of a Retraining Thread, or in your Retirement Request.
LEARNING TIME TOKENS
What about things that don't perfectly match up, though? Like Overlapping spells, or spells with different learning times?
For spells, your total number of days spent learning are imported as Learning Time Tokens, which you can use to buy spells depending on their learning time. Tier level restrictions for spells remain in effect. If you died at Level 7 and respec, you still won't be able to learn Advanced/Tier 4 spells until you reach level 10.
What about things that don't perfectly match up, though? Like Overlapping spells, or spells with different learning times?
For spells, your total number of days spent learning are imported as Learning Time Tokens, which you can use to buy spells depending on their learning time. Tier level restrictions for spells remain in effect. If you died at Level 7 and respec, you still won't be able to learn Advanced/Tier 4 spells until you reach level 10.
ARTEFACTS
What about things like Artefacts? What happens when you respec?
The rules in the Artefact thread say what happens, but we'll repeat them for posterity here:
If a character wielding a Lost Artefact is killed in any way outside of an Artefact Challenge, the Artefact is returned to the pool and made available for Questing. The Lost Artefact carries over to your new character if you choose to retire them and respec instead. Be mindful of the Artefact's Origin. If your new character has a different Origin, you won't be able to use it.
If a character wielding a Custom Artefact is killed or retired, they may modify it to fit their new character and submit the new idea for evaluation.
What about things like Artefacts? What happens when you respec?
The rules in the Artefact thread say what happens, but we'll repeat them for posterity here:
If a character wielding a Lost Artefact is killed in any way outside of an Artefact Challenge, the Artefact is returned to the pool and made available for Questing. The Lost Artefact carries over to your new character if you choose to retire them and respec instead. Be mindful of the Artefact's Origin. If your new character has a different Origin, you won't be able to use it.
If a character wielding a Custom Artefact is killed or retired, they may modify it to fit their new character and submit the new idea for evaluation.