Bring back some of the exciting opponents of old
After merge I found myself passing many bare and empty sites where I had fought exciting battles in the past or that were just interesting and dangerous. When I walked by I often thought of those times and of what initially attracted my attention to them.
I think it was the unexpected - the little bitto be found with Istaria - and that now seems entirely gone. Each and every mob is neatly sorted according to area, type and rating. Some are known to have a named slightly better than the rest of their kind but that's it.
No chance you run into anything unexpected or dangerous any longer. Something that suddenly gives you a fright and that you most often want to avoid and cannot handle alone. Something thatwouldreally challenge your skills and that you would beproud of havingdefeated it in personal combat.
I think Istaria is really missing such dangers and much more of it now especially for new players that set out to explore the world and hope tofind something exciting.
I justremember about:
- The Fyakki Charmers that were sometimes stalking the area and road near Sslanis and the vulcano.They were 30th level druids which was at least unusual and at theirrating a good 10 levels abovethe rest of the mobs around. They also attracted some spider followers. No one was glad to meet one of them since their roots and lightning bolts were feared especially among the crafters on their way to the vulcano to get some slate. They were tough opponents and I never was more happy to have nature resistance and ward ready. Often someone called for help and people groupedup to get one killed and the road safe again for a while. The beast killed me often but it was alwaysanice battlenonetheless.
- The mummy stone circles near Sslanis. There were three stone circles around the vulcano being infested with mummies. Those hadwarriors, mages, clerics and even healers among themand a range from 21st to 25th level being a good 5 levels above the rest of the mobs. They weredangerous opponents especially due to their strong group aggro. Those mummy stone circlesand the zombies around them were very popular spotsfor demandinghunts much more than thestandard tiered mobs around. The interesting thing about them was that you could literally stumble oversomething much more dangerous in an otherwise very predictable countryside. You did not run into an extended green and blighted area first just to meet lots of mummies the tier and placeyou expect them to be.
- The Ashen Myloc stalking the area of the Slate, Iron and Silver Golems near Dralk. I think it was 30th level, too. Like the Fyakki Charmers it attacted some followers and wasmost oftenavoided by lone huntersdue to itsregrowth ability. I remember it surprised us often coming aroundthe corner in the middle of the lavapools and I had some really excting and often deadly battles there.
I hope the meaning of my descriptions has become clear by now. The same is true for the Spider Huntress, the Darkstalkers, the Mylocs, the Dwarven Taskmasters, the Werewolf Stormcallers and the werewolf narrow passin general.Last but not leastthis is also true for theAvatar of Pain. Many of those mobs weren't stationary and traveled quite some distance within the gaming world often to beencountered unexpected and at inappropriate times or during other battles. Not to mention myshock when I traveled near Mahagra during the Satyr events and met an 80th level Deathly Ogre together with a 60th level Wraith Overlord and a horde of Satyr Skeletons while walking around one of those pillars where the blighted sandstone had been.
Among all those neatly sorted mobs I really miss those opponents now andI would like to see much more of them. I also do not want to know where they are or what they are, as with those camped new boss mobs, but ratherhave them spawning and traveling randomly in a huge area attractingdifferent kinds of followers and calling out for new ones if those are killed.
- Narkano
