The Retirement of The Mudball Goblin

goatlyonesub17_ESO · August 2019

For the past couple of months, I've played a character called The Mudball Goblin, which is a level 50 character with maxed-out champion points and which continues to do quests and explore territories in Tamriel. However, he has spent maybe a third of his time throwing mudballs at people from places of hiding, often in Daggerfall, Ebonhart, or Davon's Watch, until he is discovered and chased away by one or more heroic player vigilantes while being rightfully pelted by their revenge mudballs. It was intended to provide some players with extra entertainment, and it was fun for the Mudball Goblin, too.

However, there are a small fraction of players (maybe 2%) who take strong offense to being hit with mudballs. I've been threatened with being reported to ZOS for splatting them against their wishes. Especially if it happens more than once. They might actually have a case. Spamming another player is against the ESO terms of service, and it can be argued that repeatedly targeting the same player with mudballs can constitute spam.

So, to obviate any potential action by ZOS against my account, I am retiring The Mudball Goblin. I apologize to anyone who found him engaging, funny, cute, and so forth. That character has been renamed and no longer wears his trademark Wolf Fur Brown priest-of-the-green robe and (same color) pointy wise man's hat. Also, I've changed his eyebrows and removed the ring that was in his nose.

Hippie4927 · August 2019

It's a shame that you feel a need to 'retire' him. Mudballs don't bother me. Some people need to grow a sense of humor, IMO.

Elsonso · August 2019

Just do it once. They can't report you (for harassment) for one mudball, and if they do, ZOS should not be coming after you.

Ash_In_My_Sujamma · August 2019

Just stay away from outfit stations and you have my support. However, if you are getting discouraged by just a 2% then maybe you are not a real Mudball Goblin.

goatlyonesub17_ESO · August 2019

I don't target any specific person. If somebody gets hit more than once, it's because he came into range more than once. Anyway, a lot of people had fun trying to figure out where that Mudball Goblin was hiding. He was a little guy who wore clothes that blended well with stone walls and tree bark. Lots of times people looking for him were standing right beside him looking around, not seeing him. heh heh hehhh. When they got off a little way, the Mudball Goblin would do a /laugh and then a /bellylaugh.

goatlyonesub17_ESO · August 2019

Secrets and Confessions of The Mudball Goblin

I used to play a short Bosmer character named The Mudball Goblin for role play. He was a mischievous fellow who wore camouflage clothing (Wolf Fur Brown dyed Priest of the Green robes and a pointy Wiseman hat of the same color. He'd hide in a place where the color of his clothes blended in very well with surroundings and where people usually don't think to look. And then he'd wait for players to come along... splat goes the mudball. He'd sometimes go undetected for 30 minutes or even longer, watching people try to find him. Eventually, he would be discovered by somebody, and then he'd have to run away as if terrified of revenge. That's why his armor sets were Coward's Gear and Fiord's Legacy. Zoom. Leave the vigilantes behind.

Some hiding spots are better than others for anyone who wants to be the player of a new mudball goblin. I especially recommend the following:

1. Inside the non-functioning stable in Daggerfall between the woodworking station and the blacksmithing station, near the merchant's plaza. Hide behind the box and the barrel, facing the bridge, as close to the wood bar as you can get.
2. In the cart to Wrothgar, in Daggerfall. Hide with your nose in the front-right corner of the cart.
3. In the green ivy clump on top of the Harborage outside of Davon's Watch.
4. On a ledge of the outside wall of Davon's Watch near the gate by the stable. Your wiseman hat, if suitably dark colored, will prevent people from noticing your face as you hide. Usually.
5. In the fountain outside Davon's Watch looking down the exit to the city.
6. In Auridon, the best places I've found are inside those conical topiary little evergreen trees. With one exception. I was never caught while perching on a sideways going part of the trunk of a red-leafed tree growing between the Bank of Vulkel Guard and the archway leading to the wayshrine. Doubtless, it would have only been a matter of time.
7. Among the hedges in Daggerfall, or among the shrubbery in Davon's Watch, though in these spots your line of fire can be limited by obstructions.
8. I actually had some success in splatting people and getting away with it while perched on top of the lamp post near the Davon's Watch exit to the stables. People just don't look up enough.
9. Inside a yellowy shrub by the Orsinium Wayshrine. It was just barely big enough to hide my wee, little Mudball Goblin, while he tossed filth at everybody who ran or rode by.
10. Among the plants growing on the commerce level and along the walls of the Elden Root Tree, in Grahtwood.
11. By the stables in Davon's Watch there is a rock that you can hop up on. In 3rd person mode, you can target anybody in or moving toward the stables while remaining hidden from them.
12. By the event ticket merchants stall just outside of Davon's watch, there is another rock that you can hop up on, where you can hide from your targets while splatting them with mudballs.

If you play a mudball goblin, you do need camouflagy colored and tailored clothing. And the best combo that I've found is the priest of the green robe and the wiseman hat, both colored wolf fur brown, or butcher boss brown, or possibly thalmor black. Ideally, your skin coloring should be darker than my mudball goblin's skin was, but he should be a Wood Elf to gain the advantage of the smallest possible size. His armor should include five Fiord's Legacy and Five Coward's Gear, and the two remaining pieces (the weapons) should be something that boosts stamina recovery. The Mudball Goblin isn't looking for a duel, and he isn't a fighting character. He's a cute little pest who just needs to be chased away by a righteously indignant squad of vigilantes.

And be careful when other players are looking for your MG. They can track the flight of your mudballs back to where he is hiding, if they happen to be looking in the right direction when he throws one. Half the fun is watching them dart one way, stop, then dart another way, stop, trying to see where the mudballs are coming from. When this is going on, just watch. If your MG is behind cover with respect to the player, take that moment to do a /laugh, and then a /bellylaugh.