What if the Korthos questline was revamped and was given an epic version with new named loot?

[bowtieaidan]

i mean think about, the chest at the end of each quest would have new named loot besides the loot we get from turning in any of the quests. and the epic level would be 20, but the heroic level will be the same as the misery's peak quest is level 2 and the rest is level 1. i mean that's up to the devs

 

[Xeroxx]

I always felt they should add a version that kicks in whenever you had run it for more than 10 lives. Something like The Stanley Parable.

 

[bowtieaidan]

true that

 

[Underflow]

Korthos would need to be worth running in the first place for this to be worth it.

The main things taught by Korthos are the following:

• DR Breaking exists, but no details beyond that (Heyton's Rest)
• Escort quests suck (Cannith Crystal)
• Tile Puzzles (Storehouse's Secret)
• Optionals can exist after the quest finishes (Collaborator)
• Traps hurt, forking paths, a few cool mechanics that are never used again (Stopping the Sahuagin)
• Randomly placed end goals, locked doors, secret areas (Sacrifices)
• Forking Quests and doors that close when you zerg ahead (Necromancer's Doom)
• Quests can change appearance/behavior halfway through, backtracking (Redemption)
• All of the cool things are cutscenes, you don't get to do jack (Misery's Peak)

The issue, is that half of the things taught by these quests aren't used by other low-level quests. By the time they're used again, people will have forgotten about anything they could've taught.

Half of the 'here see this new mechanic' options give chests, sure... but random loot is honestly not a good thing early. Honestly, I miss the old days where you assembled your korthos set early, and it'd be enough to springboard into Harbor, and begin building an actual gearset, with striding/base stats/etc.

I'm not asking for good gear, but I'm asking for the Korthos gear being raised up to the same powerlevel as Anger's Step. The first quest you see is Heyton's Rest, and the reward is completely worthless.

Like, here's an example of fixing them:
Amulet of Inner Focus: +5 Incap Range, +1 Will Save, +3 Concentration
Amulet of Brute Force: +1 Deadly, +1 Seeker, +1 Strength

These are still fundamentally bad items, but now they have actual use to new players, and have obvious purposes. I know for a fact that most new players would love the option to have +5 incap range early, since it doesn't actually help you clear faster, but helps you stay alive.

Cannith Crystal by far was a mistake as far as tutorial quests go, frustrating, stupid and easy to fail since you can't see the health bar. Simply being able to heal/repair the crystal would make a huge difference.

 

[Fhrek]

Cannith Crystal by far was a mistake as far as tutorial quests go, frustrating, stupid and easy to fail since you can't see the health bar. Simply being able to heal/repair the crystal would make a huge difference.

Escort and protect quests are insanely frustrating and infuriating, NPCs beyond useless and extremely fragile... remember when Coyle was important?

 

[Underflow]

Screw it, we'll go down the list.

The Grotto

• Ember Weapons: Masterwork, Flaming 1 (1d6)
• Soren's Handwraps: Masterwork, Acid 1 (1d6)
• Eternal Wand of Finger of Fire: CL increased to 5
• All Armors & Shields become Masterwork
• Ring of Waterbreathing: Waterbreathing 1/day, Swim +5
• Battleworn Breastplate: Now has Lesser Divine Augmentation 1

Heyton's Rest

• Amulet of Inner Focus: Incap Range +5, Will Save +1, Concentration +3
• Amulet of the Brute: Deadly +1, Seeker +1, Strength +1

Storehouse's Secret

• Agile Belt: Reflex +1, Dodge +1, Dex + 1
• Rugged Belt: Fortitude +1, False Life +5, Con +1
• Girdle of Lesser Fortitude: Deleted (It serves no purpose with rugged belt change and it was never taken anyway)

Cannith Crystal

• Axe Bane: Axeblock II, Deflection AC +1
• Spear Bane: Spearblock II, Deflection AC +1
• Bracers of Assistance: CL 3 Aid 3/day, Healing Amplification +5, Heal +3

(Axe Bane and Spear Bane are the best loot in Korthos, since Spear Bane completely nullifies early archers.)


Collaborator

• Discarded Ring: Power 5, Spellcraft +3, Perform +3
• Fintan's Bite: +1, Bodyfeeder, Competence Strength Skills +3
• Min's Handwraps: +1, Flaming 1 (1d6)
• Oladren's Great Crossbow: +1, Keen, Frost 1 (1d6)
• Molin's Greataxe, Thera's Rapier, Valen's Mace, Lhorne's Blade: +1, Unnatural Bane 1

(New ember weapons do more damage against regular targets, but new Collab weapons show off Bane easier. Discarded Ring is no longer a bad meme.)


Korthos Wilderness

• Engraved Ring: Protection +2, False Life +5
• Ring of Alertness: Spot +3, Listen +3, Move Silently +3

Stopping the Sahuagin (Chest Loot)

• Boots of Nimbleness: Competence Strength Skills +3, Competence Dexterity skills +3, Striding +10
• Expeditious Boots: Exclusive, Sprint Boost 1 (30%) 1/day, puts all clickies on a 1 minute cooldown on use
• Winter Boots: Cold Resistance 10

(Expeditious Boots say that they grant 'bursts of speed'... And a single use exclusive Sprint Boost would be the first 'chase item' new players are exposed to. Meanwhile, 3 Cold Resistance isn't enough for a whole item slot, but 10 is more than enough to run through the traps on elite.)

Stopping the Sahuagin (End Loot)

• Battered Helm: Light Fortification, Intimidate +3, Incite 10%
• Engraved Circlet: Spell Saves +1, Will Save +1, Spell Resistance 5
• Straw Hat: Bluff +3, Diplomacy +3, Competence Dexterity Skills +3
• Tattered Cowl: Potency +20

Necromancer's Doom (Chest Loot)

• Arcane Gloves: Spell Penetration 1, Spell Lore 2
• Protective Gloves: Shield CL 1 3/day, Natural Armor +1
• Runic Gloves: UMD +1, Runearm DCs +1

Necromancer's Doom (End Loot)

• Blessed Goggles: Bless CL 1 3/day, Sacred +1, Hallowed +1
• Goggles of Insight: Hit +1, Deception +1, Armor Piercing +3%
• Ornate Goggles: Search +3, Spot +3, Disable Device +3

Redemption

• Cloak of Faith: Shield of Faith CL 1 3/day, Extra Turns 1
• Curative Cloak: Cure Light Wounds CL 1 3/day, Regeneration
• Feather Cloak: Feather Fall CL 1 3/day, Jump +3
• Thought Spike: Force Shot, Will Save +1, Impulse +30

Sacrifices

• Anger's Step: Expeditious Retreat CL 1 3/day, Striding +10, Anger's Wrath
• Arcane Goggles: Power 5, Spell Focus 1, Spellcraft +3, Arcane Mind
• Archivist's Goggles: Deleted (identical to Devoted)
• Devoted Goggles: Power 5, Spell Focus 1, Heal +3. Devoted Heart
• Nimble Grasp: Speed 2 (10% Striding, 2% Melee/Ranged Speed), Tumble +3, Nimble Hand
• Pathfinder's Boots: Striding +15, Trap Saves +2, Pathfinders
• Protector's Gloves: DR 2/-, 3 PRR, Protector's Heart
• Troubleshooter's Goggles: Spot +3, Search +3, Disable Device +3: Troubleshooter

Misery's Peak

• Anger's Gift: Minor Anger, Strength +1, Anger's Wrath
• Arcane Necklace: Minor Mnemonic Aid CL 1 2/rest, Intelligence +1, Charisma +1, Arcane Mind
• Archivist's Necklace: Deleted (Merged into the two other necklaces)
• Devoted Necklace: Minor Mnemonic Aid CL 1 2/rest, Wisdom +1, Charisma +1, Devoted Heart
• Nimble Brooch: Deception +1, Dexterity +1, Nimble Hand
• Pathfinder's Necklace: Resistance +1, Dexterity +1, Pathfinders
• Protector's Brooch: Resistance +1, Strength +1, Constitution +1, Protector's Heart
• Troubleshooter's Necklace: Open Lock +3, Listen +3, Dexterity +1, Wisdom +1, Troubleshooter

Korthos Sets

• Anger's Gift: +2 Morale bonus to Strength while Raging, +10% Strikethrough, +2 Insight bonus to Hit, +2 Insight bonus to Damage
• Arcane Necklace: Potency +36, Spell Lore +3, Lesser Arcane Augmentation II, +50 Insight bonus to Spell Points
• Devoted Necklace: Potency +36, Spell Lore +3, Lesser Divine Augmentation II, +50 Insight bonus to Spell Points
• Nimble Hand: Deception (old), Diversion 15%, Distant Diversion 15%, +2 Insight bonus to Hit
• Pathfinders: +2 Insight bonus to all Saves, Striding +30%, Balance +10, Reflex Saves +3
• Protector's Heart: DR 5/-, Incite 15%, Medium Fortification, +15 Healing Amplification
• Troubleshooter: +5 Insight Bonus to Spot, +5 Insight Bonus to Search, +5 Insight Bonus to Disable Device, +3 Competence bonus to all non-UMD skills

(The intention is that these sets are good, but the items are bad, so you replace them sooner rather than later.)

 

[Igognito]

With few exceptions, Korthos is amazing.
It is immersive, fast pace, has some very useful loot and teaches a lot about the game.
Things I would improve: very few of the items mainly the ones that come with a penalty. I weirdly agree with the winter boots that 3 is too low. Maybe do it 5. I might add a few more weapon choices as not all weapons are represented at the rewards.
I would also add a banker, mainly for those that TRed so they can remain on snowy Korthos and dont have naked people run around harbor .
Korthos has great clickies that you can have more than one in your inventory to use.
If some item upgrades are needed, are the old harbor, waterworks named items that even got nerfed from the slot upgrades.

Finally, no Korthos doesn't need an epic version.
It needs an epic sequel, meaning an adventure pack that you return to korthos for an xyz threat.
Maybe that devourer got awaken or something

Cheerios

 

[Aons]

Korthos is an introduction to the game. It provides early loot for newcomers that have nothing in hand.
Once you reach epics, not sure what you have to learn about the game in Korthos.
Early epics loot can be found quite easily in Borderlands.
So I don't see why going back to Korthos if not a sequel - as said before.

But with good ideas, everything is possible...

 

[Enir]

A 'Return to Korthos' epic sequel would be interesting. Rework it like epic 3BC. Maybe the Mind Flayers return to take revenge on Misery Peak's white dragon. Maybe that world-ending monster that you froze is waking up again.

 

[jotmon]

Legendary version of Korthos...

Stopping the Sahuagin - Time to deal with the Frozen creature ....
Sahuagin plan to awaken an ancient Devourer beast, a creature of terror and myth. You must enter the Underground Complex where the beast is imprisoned and then activate the giantish device that will keep it trapped in a frozen slumber.

Sacrifices - You rescued the Mayors Daughter.. but was the issue of the sacrifices resolved...
Mayor Viggie Storr sent you to rescue his daughter, and many other Korthos villagers who have been kidnapped by the Devourer Sahuagin and Cultists.

Redemption - What was Heyton up to in the Abandoned Cannith Manufactury and what was the force field system containing...
The heroic party broke the crystals powering the force field system to get to Heyton.

Necromancers Doom - What were the Necromancers up to ..
The heroic party's mission was to find and rescue Drusen d'Jorasco.

Misery's Peak - Draw the Mind flayers attention by ensuring the Dragon reaches the Mind Flayer's chamber.
In the meantime a Heroic party sent via a hidden passage to destroy the control crystal remain unnoticed by the distracted Mind Flayer.

 

[TrinityTurtle]

My husband wants them to make Korthos the endgame max level when they introduce 40, because he would find it hilarious that we all flock back to the place it started. And he wants us to do the dragon side in misery's peak that time while the npcs do the side we did in heroic. LOL

 

[Ying]

Legendary Korthos sounds lame AF. The only retread DDO needs is Legendary Tower of Despair, a masterpiece in raid design.

 

[norriskwondo]

Korthos is an introduction to the game. It provides early loot for newcomers that have nothing in hand.
Once you reach epics, not sure what you have to learn about the game in Korthos.
Early epics loot can be found quite easily in Borderlands.
So I don't see why going back to Korthos if not a sequel - as said before.

But with good ideas, everything is possible...

I think the point of the post is not to re-learn some stuff, to be honest it's not a bad idea since epic and legendary are a lot more difficult and can surprise people, but to have a free to play quest chain that WILL give you some respectable epic gear when delving into epic questing. I've posted on this, gear sets after Heroic Vecna is a virtual wasteland without having to insanely grind through ridiculously hard raids for solo without decent gear, or paying money for saltmarsh and upgrade that gear to epic. And to be honest, I think korthos gear is better than saltmarsh gear for the most part. A few useful pieces in saltmarsh, but not well rounded and not complete for various types of characters. Also, it would be nice to have some free to play quests that can get you to and past level 20, or at least easier to find and get to for newer players. For gear and quests, this game focuses almost entirely on mid/low level heroic and legendary, while neglecting everything between levels 16-28.

 

[FuzzyDuck81]

A sequel would be great - lean into the idea of a breach & reenabling the ice in Stopping the Sahaugin being a stopgap solution, maybe include the dragon being the island's warden keeping the Big Nasty contained, then have an epic or legendary sequel where it breaks out & has to be dealt with. I'd then add the primary completion objective to be to recapture the beastie & that gives a selection of raid loot, then have an advanced optional objective which is to kill it within the containment & that gives an additional chest that has a different selection of raid loot.

 

[norriskwondo]

A sequel would be great - lean into the idea of a breach & reenabling the ice in Stopping the Sahaugin being a stopgap solution, maybe include the dragon being the island's warden keeping the Big Nasty contained, then have an epic or legendary sequel where it breaks out & has to be dealt with. I'd then add the primary completion objective to be to recapture the beastie & that gives a selection of raid loot, then have an advanced optional objective which is to kill it within the containment & that gives an additional chest that has a different selection of raid loot.

Really great idea, so they'll never go for it. They're not paying you to come with bad ideas that totally **** over their paying customers.

 

[Ahpuch]

I dislike the rehash of old heroic content as Epic with just bigger stats. I would rather that they left heroic as is and focus on new content.

 

[norriskwondo]

I dislike the rehash of old heroic content as Epic with just bigger stats. I would rather that they left heroic as is and focus on new content.

Two posts above, that's exactly what is being suggested, but with the concept that you WILL get respectable epic gear as in Korthos

 

[Matsu]

Not just no, but no way if Khyber should an Epic version happen.

 

[Ahpuch]

Two posts above, that's exactly what is being suggested, but with the concept that you WILL get respectable epic gear as in Korthos

Yeah that would be new content and a good idea. Also that is not what the OP was pitching which is what I was rejecting.

Building on old content to create something new or revised in Epic is a good idea. 3BC came the closest to this as the quest were populated with different mobs and revised layouts. I wish they had kept that method of creating Epic content from Heroic.

 

[chaos_magus]

As much as I would love to see a continuation of Korthos in higher level content, there are a few lore issues.
The biggest one is that Aussircaex the white dragon is found later laying eggs in Reaver's Refuge, and there is an optional fight there to kill her and her mate. This kind of takes away the main antagonist of the frozen island storyline.

As much as I would also love the option to run the dragon side of Misery's Peak, I think the idea of the frozen beast in Stopping the Sahaguin being the new threat, and running through those tunnels with that chasing you could work just as well. Maybe have it be a good place to build a trap since the mindsunder was already destroyed?

As has been mentioned, it's unlikely to happen, but this is a suggestions thread after all... No harm in asking