Objects Values Guide for MadROM area builders.

• Thanks to Arioch for helping summarize these guidelines.
• Thanks to Blueblood for his research into objects on MadROM, and suggestions ( not all of which I took, so blame anything you don't like on my final edit - Etaine )

MadROM muds at: telnet madrom.net 1536

Area Builders: please follow these guidelines or your area will not be accepted for MadROM.

General guidelines:

1. Always write up your objects in an interesting and creative fashion. Please use the 'extended description' section on all objects. When deciding which monsters will carry or wear objects, or which rooms the objects might reset in, please remember that your area is a STORY, a mystical land, and that the objects that are to be found in there should be of a type and description that reflects the tale your area tells. Monsters should wear or carry items that make sense for the type of monster they are. Do NOT make tons of boring objects, just to fill up your area...better to have 10 beautifully written, coherent objects, than 50 of : a sword is here; a bigger sword is here.

2. If you are resetting objects on monsters, please make sure that the LEVEL of the object is no higher than the level of the monster, and no lower than 5 levels below the monsters level (unless you have good reason to do otherwise, such as in a Qwest type area)

3. While it is fine to make weapons and armor, also consider making items of other types, such as clothing, and containers, and boats etc, if they might fit in the theme of your area.

4. The guidelines for values in this document are for MAXIMUM object values. Do NOT exceed them, or the object will be edited. Also, do not set all the objects in your area at maximum value. Any one area should have a range of medium powerful objects and only a few, rare maximum power objects. The objects that have MAXIMUM values should be reset on monsters, so that players have to fight to get them.

5. This document only tells you the maximum values you may set of objects. Please get ozy.doc to find out how to write up your objects, and the list of object types and flags that MadROM uses.

Specific Guidelines:

A. Weapons:

1. Average damage on weapons at maximum should be: 5 plus 5 per every 10 levels

To calculate average damage do as follows:

dice 1 = X dice 2 = Y ( X * Y ) + X) / 2

Therfore if you want a weapon with 17.5 average damage: Dice would be 5d6.

2. Bonuses on weapons: See below, the section on bonuses. - If you do add bonuses to weapons, you must lower the average damage of the weapon slightly...eg if the maximum average damage of the weapon can be 10, but you are addding bonuses, make the average damage 8 or 9. - If you do add a hit or damage bonus to the weapon, please add at least one flag of GLOW or HUM.

3. Weight on weapons - Weapon weight should range from 3 lbs up to 20 lbs, increasing with level range (our levels range from 1 to 90). Higher level weapons, in general, should be heavier to carry.

4. Cost/Value of weapons

   • This should not exceed 2000 gold, and should not exceed 1000 gold if the weapon is under level 50.

B. Armor

1. If the armor has NO other BONUSES: The armor class of armor items should be MAXIMUM 1/3 of the level of the items for the first 3 values and 1/8 of the level of the item for the slot AC against magic value.

If the armor HAS other BONUSES: The armor class of the item not exceed 1/4 of the level of the item for the first 3 values, and 1/10 of the level of the item for the slot AC against magic.

2. Bonuses: see section on Bonuses, below. If you add hit or dam bonuses you must add to the object at least one of the GLOW or HUM flags. If the armor has the max hit/dam bonus of +6 it MUST have BOTH GLOW and HUM flags.

3. Wear locations. If you make several powerful items of armor, make some the same level and wear location, so that your area is not stuffed with powerful objects that if all worn by the character, adds up to a mega powerful outfit. Make the players choose between say those armplates with the + hitpoint bonus, or those armplates with the hefty + dam bonus.

4. Value/cost of object: same guidelines Weapon Cost/value.

5. Weight. Same guidelines as Weapon Weight.

C. Lights, Containers, and Drink Containers

1. Perpetual lights should not be available for levels under level 20.
2. Drink containers that hold endless amounts of liquid should not be available for levels under level 65.
   • max liquid a drink container that is not endless should hold is 150. Level 15 or higher should get this amount. Adjust lower level and/or cheaper drink containers accordingly.
   • if the drink container holds specialty drinks, make the max it holds 50, if its for levels under level 50, and 75 for levels higher than level 50.
3. Containers should not hold more than: Levels 1-10 100 lbs. Levels 11-15 150 lbs Levels 16 to 25 200 lbs. Levels 25+ max a container should hold is 500.

D. Food

1. Food should not give more than 50 in food value. A good range is 10 to 50, and should depend either on the level of the food, or the cost of the food.

A. Scrolls/Potions/Pills

i. The object level should be no less than the minimum level required to cast the spell normally. (i.e. a heal pill must be at least level 21 because that is the level at which clerics can cast it). See the document 'spell.txt' on the ftp.io.org site, to get a list of slot numbers for each spell, and the lowest level that an object may be for each spell.

ii. The spell level of the item should not be more than 10 levels above, or 40%, of the item level, whichever is less.

iii. The value of the item should reflect the power of the spell. If the spell level of the item is over 50, the value should be NO LESS than 1.25 * cost to create a homemade scroll or potion. (i.e. A heal potion should cost no less than 7500 gold and sanc no less than 10000 coins.) This value guide applies only if you are putting these items for sale, in a shop.

B. Wands/Staves i. The same level restrictions as Scrolls/Potions/Pills for both object level and spell level.

ii. The number of charges should be inversely proportional to the power of the spell. Max charges for any item will be 6. Of course, the lower the item level, the less charges it should have:

        For levels:      Max charges (lower if a more powerful spell)

    1-15        1
    16-25       2
    26-40       3
    41-60       4
    61-91       6

iii. Here are some guidelines for some of the more powerful and popular spells.

    Spell          Minimum item level.

    Mass Heal        38
    Mass Sanc        45
    Heal             21
    Sanc             20
    Acid Blast       37
    Chain Lightning  33

    Spell          Max Charges

    Mass Heal        1
    Mass Sanc        1
    Heal             2
    Sanc             3
    Acid Blast       2
    Chain Lightning  3

F. Bonuses for All items. (the APPLY types)

1. Items may have either +MANA or +HITPOINT bonuses but not both.

   1-10  - 0
   11-25 - +15 Hp OR Mana
   26-40 - +20
   41-60 - +35
   61-84 - +40
   85+   - +50 (MAX)
   - Scaling these values is advised for a fair distribution of pluses
   

   based on levels. A ratio method is highly suggested.

   If any objects have +hitpoint or +mana bonuses, they can not have any other bonuses UNLESS the hitpoint or mana bonus is not set at the above maximum for the level. For every +2 of other bonuses you add, you must subtract at least +5 of the maximum hitpoint or mana bonus.

2. Items may have EITHER +HIT or +DAM bonuses but not both.

   1-9   - 0
   10-19 - +1 hit OR dam
   20-39 - +2 hit OR dam
   40-59 - +3 hit OR dam
   60-79 - +4 hit OR dam
   80-89 - +5 hit OR dam
   90-91 - +6 hit OR dam (MAX)
   

   If you add +hit or +dam, you must also add at least one of the GLOW or HUM flags. For armor, you must add BOTH glow and hum flags if the hit or dam bonus is at the maximum of +6.

   If any objects have +hit or +dam bonuses, they can not have any other bonuses UNLESS the hit or dam bonus is not set at the above maximum for the level. For every +2 of other bonuses you add, you must subtract at least +1 of the maximum hit or dam bonus.

3. Attribute bonuses (int, con, str, wis, dex). These can be mixed and matched on any object, and it is advised you do so for the purpose of balance.

   1-10  - +2
   11-25 - +4
   26-50 - +5
   51+   - +6 (Absolute MAX)
   

The above totals are the total +attributes...eg a level 12 sword could have +2 con and +2 strength. If you have any mana hp dam or hit bonus on the object, as well, the attribute bonuses in this table must be at least 1 lower than the max for each level range shown above.

4. Save vs. magic bonuses. These should be used sparingly, on rarer magical items only.

   Level Save vs magic bonus

   1-10 0 11-25 -1 26-40 -2 41-50 -3 51-70 -4 71+ -5 ( MAX )

last updated November 15, 1996.