Item of the Month Discussion

[teh_bigquack]

are the pilgrim shields good? i'm kind of considering selling mine. i never really used it when i was in softcore... is it a good d1/d2 pull?

I bought a pilgrim shield as an investment waaaaaay back (the difference in the mall price between lowest and next lowest price was 800K and I was after a quick pile of phat meat).  Some year and a half later I still have it and use it every softcore/casual run regardless of class - it is awesome.  Nowadays the best things about it are:

+3 stats/combat - quicker levelling, especially on day 1
+50% weapon drops - more to smash, especially good on the battleground

At higher levels, if you also have a Plexi hat you are pretty much indestructable as the monsters just can't keep up with your HP regen ability

I would suggest you give it a whirl - if not fully satisfied then sell it and invest the meat in something you will use.  And a clan contest.  Those are always good

[Daitezen]

Pilgrim shields are one of the best pulls for day 1, period. The only time in recent ascensions i haven't pulled it, was when i was trying all out monster level, duel wielding ice sicles. Stat gains + health regen make it a great first day pull.

[Captain_Sensible]

I like to use the cheese-and-lycra leggings teamed with Rumpelstiltskin's Revenge.  Hole of the Woodpecker was a valuable buff before they nerfed it; these days a good shot of Ambivalence is better because it confuses the monsters.  Of course a Beryllium Sphere is ideal, but they have hit 1.3 x 10¹¹ meat in the Mall - an offer you can't refuse.  What do Clannies think about Wok/Don't Wok as a Pastamancer tactic?

[teh_bigquack]

I prefer to adopt the don't wok strategy to prevent picking up the intrinsic 'barium meal' effect which, as I'm sure you know has disasterous consequences for the level 5 quest.  I hear what you say on ambivalence, though personally I am in two minds whether to use that as a routine buff or not - I tend to swing towards equipping the flamberge of freedom (the SC guild side-quest reward) which is pretty much incompatible with that.

And really - the Beryllium Sphere - that was overtaken *ages* ago by the Technecium Tangram as the optimal strategy to adopt.  You're *so* passe

[pacone]

It is clear to me that Jick consulted with Pacone on this. 

I'm lovin' it! 

[achtung5]

ZOMG new iotm in 3 days! what do you guys think it is going to be? I hope it is a new item that doesn't suck...

[sex_factory]

oh come on, the last few IotM have all been nice

[achtung5]

well i guess saying they suck is going a bit far. i guess i should say that they just don't suit me. the grimmy was pretty funny, but the hatrack and sleaze berglet-type item were not very good imo. anyway, speculation as to what it will be?

[sex_factory]

well whatever it is they've managed to be late once again

[achtung5]

were you really surprised?

EDIT: it looks like a piece of crap on a necklace. it can only be used 30 times a day, costs 0 MP (which is alright) but instead of as a nice, iotm worthy necklace, this thing might have been good if they stuck it in the battlefield as a semirare. like the ascot or something. this really just seems like a lack of creativity on the admins' part, and i cannot see myself ever using it.

[sex_factory]

Rather harsh commentary seeing as how it hasn't even been fully spaded yet, in fact I haven't even been given a definite answer as to what it does yet.

And it doesn't appear to be a piece of equipment, it looks more like a combat skill that takes an equipment slot

and finally, lack of creativity? This is something totally different than they've ever done before, I applaud their originality.

[Zaranthos]

I like to watch the "this item is teh suck" comments to find out who the "glass is half empty" people are. 

Like one guy said in the KoL forums. I hope everyone thinks it sucks until June 1st. 

[achtung5]

1.) The necklace itself is untradeable. This means that you can't get rid of it if you have second thoughts about using it. Why? No logical reason. Can anyone think of a reason why they would make it untradeable?
2.) A good bit of spading has been done today on it, and basically: a, it gets worse the more you use it per day, and b, it gets worse the more you use it per ascension
3.) It's a sucky skill. You can only use it a certain number of times per day. Again, it's also just an all around sucky skill.

harsh, you say? the thing shouldn't be an iotm. this is possibly my least favorite item they've come up with, and certainly the worst skill.

[Zaranthos]

1.) The necklace itself is untradeable. This means that you can't get rid of it if you have second thoughts about using it. Why? No logical reason. Can anyone think of a reason why they would make it untradeable?

For people who invest in the packet of mayfly bait. Also for people who want stuff other people can't get. Later it'll make your account even more special because you have something nobody can get anymore. How many hand turkeys or Jill-O-Lanterns are left?

2.) A good bit of spading has been done today on it, and basically: a, it gets worse the more you use it per day, and b, it gets worse the more you use it per ascension

Which is exactly what Jick said right away. No surprise there.

3.) It's a sucky skill. You can only use it a certain number of times per day. Again, it's also just an all around sucky skill.

I don't see a level requirement on the skill and it's 0 MP to use. So at level 1 you can use it? Can anyone say softcore skill? Might be really useful for casual ascensions as well.

harsh, you say? the thing shouldn't be an iotm. this is possibly my least favorite item they've come up with, and certainly the worst skill.

I'm amazed when people have the mechanics of a new item all figured out the first day.    Oh wait, you can't possibly know all its uses and benefits yet. Knee-jerk reactions aren't usually very insightful. Then there is always the fact that they sometimes change an item to make it better/worse sometime down the road. If it truly sucks they'll probably improve it somehow. It's actually the first unique type of Mr Store item to come out in a long time. As much as I like to throw rocks and sharp sticks at Jick I just can't jump on this bandwagon quite yet. When you use it against some monster and it forces them to drop an item that's normally hard to get and necessary for ascension or something else important you'll be sorry you didn't get one. I'd laugh it they made a change like that next month.

[Club Sealer]

Actually, from what I can understand from Jick's ramblings, the item is actually so good for farming, that it is untradeable so it won't be abused. Although I read it pretty drunk, let me check it again...