Use Cunning and Trove Scamps to Incentivize Imperial City PvP

Recremen · May 2016

Trove and Cunning Scamps are pretty cool, but I've only seen a small handful in the months since Imperial City launch. They're extremely rare, but they'd be very useful to encourage PvP if they appeared more where people are actually fighting. So here's the suggestion:

Make Cunning and Trove Scamps spawn in the Districts as well as the Sewers.
Make them spawn with greater frequency wherever swords are appearing on the map.
Adjust loot tables as needed to account for this increased availability.

With this change, players would have to make very hard decisions mid-combat if they saw one of these buggers zoom past their small-group fights. Do you chase the rabbit? Do you wait for the other group to pull off and nab it, then pelt them while they're distracted? Do you both run after it and fight over the spoils? What's more important, running after the scamp, or sitting on the district flag for the capture (and tick? Do these tick? Just offensive tick no defensive?) so you can get more TV stones? I really feel like there's a lot of missed opportunities with the scamps which should be capitalized on during this second take at the Imperial City.

Aaaaaand while we're at it, can we take a look at the AP diminishing returns in the Imperial City? People can rapid-respawn so fast that you end up earning almost no AP after the first few kills. Instead of requiring 5 minutes or however long between kills for someone to be worth full AP, would it be possible to hard-reset what they're worth in 5 minute intervals? Or however long it's supposed to take? That way if they keep pouring off the walls to fight you it won't be so quickly unrewarding. After all, a lot of the best fights I've had have been in the Arboretum district, with EP, AD, and DC spawn points all in a line, encouraging rapid-fire and constant battle. Why should the most enjoyable fights also be the least rewarding?

Please to consider, many thank.

Asmael · May 2016

Make a new gameplay feature: "Catch the golden scamp!" Whenever someone catch a randomly popping golden scamp, you have to go back to your homebase on foot, there's a marker on you, visible by all players on the map (think carrying an elder scroll).

The annoying creature haz over 90,000 HP, and if his HP is brought to 0, he'll be stunned for 10 seconds, at which point you can interact with him to pick him up.

The golden scamp is a noisy, fetid (but shinyyyy) little pest that snares his owner by 20% (not purgeable), and emits little screams while you (forcibly) bring him to your homebase. If you die, the scamp tries to flee and TP away.

If you bring him to your homebase, he drops a shiny l00t with a few gold tempers, and a chance for a gold version of a set item (spell power cure, imperium, shield breaker...) for up to 4 players before escaping.

Few extra easters include Molag Bal making random comments while you carry the shiny scamp, such as "it was about time I got rid of this pest!" or "can't you do myself a favor and bash his skull to silence this vermin?".

Many scamps were hurt during the making of this idea.

EDIT: Teso version of CTF (Capture The Flag)?

Recremen · May 2016

Asmael wrote: »

Make a new gameplay feature: "Catch the golden scamp!" Whenever someone catch a randomly popping golden scamp, you have to go back to your homebase on foot, there's a marker on you, visible by all players on the map (think carrying an elder scroll).

The annoying creature haz over 90,000 HP, and if his HP is brought to 0, he'll be stunned for 10 seconds, at which point you can interact with him to pick him up.

The golden scamp is a noisy, fetid (but shinyyyy) little pest that snares his owner by 20% (not purgeable), and emits little screams while you (forcibly) bring him to your homebase. If you die, the scamp tries to flee and TP away.

If you bring him to your homebase, he drops a shiny l00t with a few gold tempers, and a chance for a gold version of a set item (spell power cure, imperium, shield breaker...) for up to 4 players before escaping.

Few extra easters include Molag Bal making random comments while you carry the shiny scamp, such as "it was about time I got rid of this pest!" or "can't you do myself a favor and bash his skull to silence this vermin?".
Many scamps were hurt during the making of this idea.

EDIT: Teso version of CTF (Capture The Flag)?

That sounds a little... involved.

Valrien · May 2016

Recremen wrote: »

Asmael wrote: »

Make a new gameplay feature: "Catch the golden scamp!" Whenever someone catch a randomly popping golden scamp, you have to go back to your homebase on foot, there's a marker on you, visible by all players on the map (think carrying an elder scroll).

The annoying creature haz over 90,000 HP, and if his HP is brought to 0, he'll be stunned for 10 seconds, at which point you can interact with him to pick him up.

The golden scamp is a noisy, fetid (but shinyyyy) little pest that snares his owner by 20% (not purgeable), and emits little screams while you (forcibly) bring him to your homebase. If you die, the scamp tries to flee and TP away.

If you bring him to your homebase, he drops a shiny l00t with a few gold tempers, and a chance for a gold version of a set item (spell power cure, imperium, shield breaker...) for up to 4 players before escaping.

Few extra easters include Molag Bal making random comments while you carry the shiny scamp, such as "it was about time I got rid of this pest!" or "can't you do myself a favor and bash his skull to silence this vermin?".
Many scamps were hurt during the making of this idea.

EDIT: Teso version of CTF (Capture The Flag)?

That sounds a little... involved.

Isn't that the point? Fun and interesting game mechanics to keep people playing?

Recremen · May 2016

Valrien wrote: »

Recremen wrote: »

Asmael wrote: »

Make a new gameplay feature: "Catch the golden scamp!" Whenever someone catch a randomly popping golden scamp, you have to go back to your homebase on foot, there's a marker on you, visible by all players on the map (think carrying an elder scroll).

The annoying creature haz over 90,000 HP, and if his HP is brought to 0, he'll be stunned for 10 seconds, at which point you can interact with him to pick him up.

The golden scamp is a noisy, fetid (but shinyyyy) little pest that snares his owner by 20% (not purgeable), and emits little screams while you (forcibly) bring him to your homebase. If you die, the scamp tries to flee and TP away.

If you bring him to your homebase, he drops a shiny l00t with a few gold tempers, and a chance for a gold version of a set item (spell power cure, imperium, shield breaker...) for up to 4 players before escaping.

Few extra easters include Molag Bal making random comments while you carry the shiny scamp, such as "it was about time I got rid of this pest!" or "can't you do myself a favor and bash his skull to silence this vermin?".
Many scamps were hurt during the making of this idea.

EDIT: Teso version of CTF (Capture The Flag)?

That sounds a little... involved.

Isn't that the point? Fun and interesting game mechanics to keep people playing?

lol I think you should re-read the post, I was just being nice. ;-) It actually sounds incredibly silly.

Silver_Strider · May 2016

Asmael wrote: »

Make a new gameplay feature: "Catch the golden scamp!" Whenever someone catch a randomly popping golden scamp, you have to go back to your homebase on foot, there's a marker on you, visible by all players on the map (think carrying an elder scroll).

The annoying creature haz over 90,000 HP, and if his HP is brought to 0, he'll be stunned for 10 seconds, at which point you can interact with him to pick him up.

The golden scamp is a noisy, fetid (but shinyyyy) little pest that snares his owner by 20% (not purgeable), and emits little screams while you (forcibly) bring him to your homebase. If you die, the scamp tries to flee and TP away.

If you bring him to your homebase, he drops a shiny l00t with a few gold tempers, and a chance for a gold version of a set item (spell power cure, imperium, shield breaker...) for up to 4 players before escaping.

Few extra easters include Molag Bal making random comments while you carry the shiny scamp, such as "it was about time I got rid of this pest!" or "can't you do myself a favor and bash his skull to silence this vermin?".
Many scamps were hurt during the making of this idea.

EDIT: Teso version of CTF (Capture The Flag)?

Sounds more like something good old Uncle Sheo would do as opposed to Molag Bal. Besides, I'd prefer to hear Sheogorath talk to you while carrying the scamp than Molag Bal.

It's not a terrible idea but I doubt ZOS would ever implement a system like this, or even be capable of doing so. Not to mention trying to balance such a system since even with a 20% snare, it's not that hard to get from topside IC to your home base in the sewers.

Toast_STS · May 2016

Asmael wrote: »

Make a new gameplay feature: "Catch the golden scamp!" Whenever someone catch a randomly popping golden scamp, you have to go back to your homebase on foot, there's a marker on you, visible by all players on the map (think carrying an elder scroll).

The annoying creature haz over 90,000 HP, and if his HP is brought to 0, he'll be stunned for 10 seconds, at which point you can interact with him to pick him up.

The golden scamp is a noisy, fetid (but shinyyyy) little pest that snares his owner by 20% (not purgeable), and emits little screams while you (forcibly) bring him to your homebase. If you die, the scamp tries to flee and TP away.

If you bring him to your homebase, he drops a shiny l00t with a few gold tempers, and a chance for a gold version of a set item (spell power cure, imperium, shield breaker...) for up to 4 players before escaping.

Few extra easters include Molag Bal making random comments while you carry the shiny scamp, such as "it was about time I got rid of this pest!" or "can't you do myself a favor and bash his skull to silence this vermin?".
Many scamps were hurt during the making of this idea.

EDIT: Teso version of CTF (Capture The Flag)?

You had me at shinyyyy!

Sheuib · May 2016

I like the idea of scamps showing up more often in areas that PVP is happening. And, they would have to be more rewarding than the regular scamps to motivate players to disengage each other for a chance at the PVP scamp. But, the whole take it back to your base thing with a 20% snare and annoying noises while fighting other players; nope, not doing it. I know a lot of people don't like running a scroll back and that is with no awful effects.

Jar_Ek · May 2016

Personally I don't much like the more scamps appearing where there is fighting as it will simply be massively abused (and will be very easy to abuse). The carrying a scamp to your base is a horrible idea - if you want a capture the flag game... ask for one without the cheese?

Valrien · May 2016

Jar_Ek wrote: »

Personally I don't much like the more scamps appearing where there is fighting as it will simply be massively abused (and will be very easy to abuse). The carrying a scamp to your base is a horrible idea - if you want a capture the flag game... ask for one without the cheese?

I don't see a problem with carrying a scamp to the base.

Jar_Ek · May 2016

@Valrien It's personal taste I guess. For me it's immersion breaking and would get annoying very quickly. I also don't like the idea of a random spawn being too valuable as it simply leads to camped zergs and horrible gameplay imo.

Refuse2GrowUp · May 2016

Lol, let trove scamps give you a synergy similar to the one three gold ghosts give you in vMSA. Kill a trove scamp, get a synergy that you have five seconds to hit which will stun all player enemies in a certain radius and pull them out of stealth. Now that would be interesting

staracino_ESO · May 2016

I wonder if they are just going to reuse the levels/hazards of MA for when(if) they release arenas...

zuto40 · May 2016

I think a CTF thing would be cool like kill a golden scamp get a sigil stone to carry back on foot with a marker on you on the map, increased health, stam, magic, and recov while carrying but 10% less speed

Solariken · May 2016

Haha, I support this. I've actually had this happen a couple times and I can tell you the result is a ton of hilarious fun.

Recremen · May 2016

Jar_Ek wrote: »

Personally I don't much like the more scamps appearing where there is fighting as it will simply be massively abused (and will be very easy to abuse). The carrying a scamp to your base is a horrible idea - if you want a capture the flag game... ask for one without the cheese?

If they adjust the loot table as suggested then abuse would hardly be an issue any more than it is now. We already have folks letting others farm them for AP to increase place on the scoreboard, and there's nothing that can be done to stop it. One more mechanic with a similar theme is hardly going to cause a huge problem, and for everyone else not abusing it, it will be fun as hell. Well, maybe some folks won't like it, but those folks don't need to visit Imperial City.

Either way, something needs to be done about scamp spawn rates, I just want the something to encourage actual PvP.

staracino_ESO · May 2016

Scamps spawn very regularly if you know what to look for.

They have set spawn locations, and follow set paths to their exit points. Along their path, they will stop 1-3 times (depending on which spawn location you are at) to do an interruptible portal if they are in combat. If they are not in combat, they will pause briefly at each portal spot instead. Once they reach their exit point, they will cast an uninterruptible portal and escape.

Each sub-zone of the sewers (widely referred to as loops) has 1-2 scamp timers. At around 11 or so minutes on each timer, a scamp will spawn somewhere. It is randomly Trove or Cunning. This means that if you find a scamp somewhere, another one will spawn in the same loop, or even the same room, about 11 minutes after it dies or escapes.

Recremen · May 2016

staracino_ESO wrote: »

Scamps spawn very regularly if you know what to look for.

They have set spawn locations, and follow set paths to their exit points. Along their path, they will stop 1-3 times (depending on which spawn location you are at) to do an interruptible portal if they are in combat. If they are not in combat, they will pause briefly at each portal spot instead. Once they reach their exit point, they will cast an uninterruptible portal and escape.

Each sub-zone of the sewers (widely referred to as loops) has 1-2 scamp timers. At around 11 or so minutes on each timer, a scamp will spawn somewhere. It is randomly Trove or Cunning. This means that if you find a scamp somewhere, another one will spawn in the same loop, or even the same room, about 11 minutes after it dies or escapes.

@staracino_ESO

Interesting, didn't know that. You happen to have a map of these things? I mean, either way I think this would be a fun thing to implement in IC to really mix things up and encourage even more PvP instead of buff campaigns and PvE farming.

staracino_ESO · May 2016

I have a few spots that i used to farm the 100 achievements, but I certainly did not map out the entire sewers.

From my experience, each large room has a spawn node, and the best place I found was the Third EP loop. I think it is called the Feeding Grounds or something. It has all of the Clannfear and Daedroth. I farm that one because there are not many mobs, and as a result not many players to interfere.
Even knowing where and when they can spawn, it is still agonizingly slow to farm them. I do wish they would make them spawn more often based on local player activity.