I'm a fairly unskilled appraiser and I rarely, if ever, get a certain when appraising an item. Can the other messages be counted on as approximately correct? I would think that 'you are confident' would count more than 'you guess', but I just don't know. Does somebody know the hierarchy here? I'm just trying to ballpark weapon comparisons and I want to know if the halberd I find is better than the one I'm carrying.

Secondly, there are many shops around Elanthia that sell weapons and armor that I've never heard of (e.g. the expensive weapons shop in Leth). Is there any way to appraise these items before you buy? I don't really care about getting an estimate of their damage values, but I would like to know if I'm buying a heavy edged or a medium edged. And if you ask a shopkeeper about a certain item, some will just respond with 'Yup, that's on page 3 in the catalog.'

Thanks,
Ealner

>>As far as appraisal itself goes, the only message that is really trustworthy is anything accompanied by 'certain'.

This is a 100%, always-correct value? I tend to get certains fairly uncommonly and never more than one per appraisal, but I could have sworn some of the actual values differed from certain to certain.
J'Lo, no that other one

Certain accompanied by about is usually fairly close.


I was taking a walk in the park when this post said I stole its purse. I tried to get away, but it just kept on coming. So I had to beat it to death with this purse I found.
-MOD-ILEDEMUS

>I was confused by the word 'feel' there, I wanted to 'be' certain.

A certain is not 100%.. it is very close though.

You are confident that the ring's finely crafted bronze is worth about 81 kronars, 65 lirums, or 58 dokoras.
You are certain that the ring's ineptly polished agate is worth exactly 650 kronars, 520 lirums, or 469 dokoras.
It appears that the agate ring can be worn around the finger.
You are confident that the agate ring might weigh a few tens of stones.
You are certain that the agate ring is worth exactly 1062 kronars, 850 lirums, or 766 dokoras.
Roundtime: 5 seconds.

And...
You feel certain that some heavy oxhide teamster gloves appear to impose no maneuvering hindrance and offers:
poor protection and poor damage absorption for puncture attacks.
poor protection and poor damage absorption for slice attacks.
poor protection and poor damage absorption for impact attacks.
poor protection and poor damage absorption for fire attacks.
poor protection and poor damage absorption for cold attacks.
low protection and poor damage absorption for electrical attacks.

but depending on the stats it is possible to get a moderate that reads as a good or a good that reads as a moderate. This only happens on player made goods, as a general rule, but it can happen.

Hope this helps. Oh and I am exceptional savant in appraisal.
"Friends don't let their friends buy Micro$oft."

Critters, horses, climbing objects, swimming directions (ie, into a room flagged as water), expensive items. All of these should be teaching you quite well for a bit/long while more. Braiding grass/vines also teaches, but has probably already wound down at your ranks.

Gem pouches (plural) should still work, but you need to have ever-more expensive gems in it, not just a bigger value total. So sayeth teh Apu, at least.

J'Lo, no that other one
The Manipulation List -- http://symphaena.com/index.html

If you're a hunter, try appraise (critter) quick as they come into the room.

Ryeka


Sometimes the key to happiness is not assuming it is locked in the first place- Ziggy

A journey of a thousand SMILES begins with a single step- Ziggy

What determines when you can start to see more detail on weapons, meaning the puncture/slice/impact, balance, and suitability for strength? I just was able to start to see those values when appraising my flail, with 60 in 2HB and 48 in appraisal. However, when I appraise my bastard sword, either in 2HE (61) or HE (60), all I see is "The bastard sword appears generally best suited for slicing attacks."

What's going on?

Ryeka, you're just everywhere, aren't you? :)

After your reply, I tried appraising my skinning knife, though I have only 14 ranks of LE, and found I could guess at its stats. Same for a stout short sword after a few tries. Then I tried my bastard sword again, and this time it worked. I tried it a few more times and I was able to get a rough appraisal of its stats every time. So I wonder why it didn't work the first four or five times I tried it, and the skinning knife did.

Are bastard swords tricky or something?


While I'm on this topic, any idea what ranks I need to get fairly precise appraisals of my weapons?

So, is it a fact that swappable weapons are more difficult to appraise?

I'm moving this thread over to the Lore category under the Appraisal Skill topic where it will be more likely seen by appropriate GMs.

Wordan
DragonRealms Board Monitor

If you have questions or comments, please email me at MOD-Wordan@play.net or Senior Board Monitor Sidatura at (DR-Sidatura@play.net) or Message Board Supervisor Annwyl (DR-Annwyl@play.net).