Muddled Times
Issue:Issue 6, October 2000
Section:Game Information
Author:Theman

The Touchstone

Nearly every person that plays MUD 2 aspires to have their own magic using persona. The ability to glow themselves and to perform attack-magic is what many want to do. However, unlike the original MUD getting magic is a mixture of experience, help and luck. The Touchstone works on a chance basis with higher levels having a much greater chance, because of this it's generally accepted that champions will survive the Touchstone. However, because of the chance system this is not always so, many champs and higher levels have died at the hands of this merciless instrument. There are ways of increasing your chances such as holding lucky charms and getting "help". Many people going for the TS will request help from other players and normally, most players will help any budding champ who's going to touch the TS.

MU Spam

Although unlikely it is possible to get even a protector to become a MU. These MU persona are useless and have only a very few spells that they can use or use well (only one is listed when you type SPELLS). Some players (no names, of course) constantly go for the TS at protector, die and then come back to repeat it all over again. This ends up completely spamming the OBIT list and is one of the reasons the OBIT list was changed. These guys normally turn into "fodders" when they get a MU persona because they really can't do too much else with a low-level MU.

The Fodders

When low level MU's survive the TS at something like seer or cabalist they are so low on magic that they normally FOD. This rarely works but when it does it sure is impressive. However, it can be very annoying for the person who is on the receiving end. Luckily it's unlikely that they will regularly survive the TS at low levels so these kind of FOD attempts are pretty rare and it is even rarer for the victim of such a FOD to die so these guys are not to be feared.

Suicide People

These are people who are sitting in the tearoom maybe at swordie or hero level and then suddenly announce they are going for the ts. They are usually laughed at and quite rightly so for they have little chance. These people (and I admit to being one of them) nearly always die but it's always a pleasant surprise when you end up with a magician or enchanter. These low level personae seem to be targeted more by PK's who believe that you should not make TS before champ and if you do you must be eradicated from the face of the Land.

The Unsuccessfuls

Those who don't succeed at surviving the TS are killed, as in dead, dead (Not Updating Persona). This is why people want to get as much help and luck behind them before they go for the TS (unless they are the previously mentioned suicide people). It normally comes as a shock when you fail the TS at champ and this is always followed by floods of sympathy. I'd like to say champs failing is not that common but the fact is that it is fairly common. Even higher levels (such as legends) have been known to die to the TS, so getting a MU is not as guaranteed as it may seem.


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