Site Suggestions

So, we as staff on Ardent want to know what you, as members, suggest we do to improve the site!

Feel free to post suggestions here -- for anything! Don't feel shy when it comes to suggesting things. If you would prefer anonymity, let me know and we can set something up for that as well.

Pending Suggestions

Fight System

• other-species bonus to fight rolls, in lieu of size bonus that wolves get (suggested by relevantkoala)
• take highest of score in melee fights rather than averaging (suggested by lunarcat7)

Skills/Specialties

• allow selection of two specialties (suggested by lazuli) - not currently, dual specialties are on our future agenda
• specialty suggestions: panic button (suggested by beau), reroll lowest dice in a fight (suggested by relevantkoala)
• misc skill claim suggestions (points for failed hunt, etc)

Donation Shop

• add post-acceptance minor mutation pass as item reward (suggested by sin)

Other

• flock/herd option for companions [non-combat] (suggested by bluetick)
• allow more than two companions [non-combat] (suggested by lazuli)
• more systems for hunting, healing, nav (suggested by kingpedle)
• rolled races for navigation (suggested by ali)
• sort member list by various groups (i.e. loners) (suggested by ali)

FINALIZED SUGGESTIONS

• "Last Post" jumps to last post in thread (suggested by Joe)
• Add blank weekly form in alpha activity checks (suggested by Kat)

This doesn't pertain to any existing fights but the raid brought the thought back to me. Not quite sure how to word this but here we go.

If you start a dominance fight and the opponent responds with a maim can you escalate to a maim fight in your second round?

I think it would just help things stay fair and it makes sense that if an opponent attacks more fiercely than you intended you might respond in kind.

Oof, sorry so many suggestions. I've been thinking on this one awhile.

2 day extension

If an opponent agrees could we get a two day extension on raid fights, siege fights and pack challenges? I know the limit is strictly adhered to, in order to prevent other people's chars being stuck in limbo, but some times things come up last minute and I think it would be helpful to have this option.


Injury Penalties

I need to think on this one more but for Tier 2 maims I noticed broken bones is an option. I thought it would be interesting if for 4 weeks (I'm trying to remember what we had for our old injury time lines) after injury if that character got in any fights they'd have to take a minor disability in their fights. I could see this being for other maims as well.

For the alpha check, I'd love it if there were more options than just pack page edits. For most packs I doubt the page needs a weekly edit in any field, even if you keep up with the pack news section. Since you can look in the mod logs and kinda see who did what, maybe make archiving threads in the pack lands an alternative to editing the pack page? It would incentivize alphas to keep up the maintenance in their own boards as well as give them an alternative to pack page edits.

Not sure if this has been suggested or discussed before but I was wondering if intellectual wolves could claim points for taught/was taught a lesson in another skill (Other than their secondary skill). Like learning how to set snares for hunting or learning about some general herbs and their properties for healing etc. Even just as a small 5 point claim. Considering they are intelligent and would probably like to know basic knowledge in all areas

We were talking about this in discord and I want to make it an official suggestion! Ghosty specialties! I would love it if some wolves could get out of Somnium and be ghosts in the "real" world. I think a couple of specialties can be gotten from this idea; one that allows dead wolves to leave Somnium in a limited capacity and another for living wolves to summon/exorcise Somnium wolves. I don't think it should be easy to get out of Somnium and I think the ghosts should be limited in the real world, but I don't have any suggestions on where the limits should be.

I like the idea of living wolves having to roll to see whether or not they're successful in summoning or exorcising ghosts. And I like the idea of somnium wolves with the ghost specialty having to roll to get out of Somnium on their own. Perhaps there should be a challenge time limit on summoning/exorcising wolves like there is with fights? Maybe call these specialties Ghosts (so creative, I know) and Witches/Warlocks/Wizards. The sky's the limit with names.

That's all I have, sadly! I just think it would be a really fun thing for us to have.

I was hoping to suggest a new skill specialty for intelligence.  

Puppy Sitter!!

I had a few different potential ways it might work for consideration.  

Option A
If a pup is going to be attacked you get to take their place so they can flee

Option B
You and pups get an increase percentage to flee roll   (Or just the pups)

Option C
You get free entry into any thread where a pup in your pack is in trouble

How about double skill point days? Instead of getting 10 skill points for a thread you'd get 20, etc etc.

This is mainly because I have a slight obsession with druids but a possible sub skill in healing for druid's?

>.> Okay. -YEETS halfbaked-

More suggestions from Bri!

Donation Rewards:
- $150+: Major Mutation

- $100: Extra Large Companion Pass (Once per Player?)

- $50+: Mystery Litter Pass
- $50+: Extended Litter Pass
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Gemstore Items:
- Jumbo Litter Pass: Litter can exceed 5 Pups to reach 8 pups max when parents are in a pack, and exceed three pups to 5 when parents are loners. (Alternatively, see Specialties ideas below)

- Early Heat Breeding Pass: A female can conceive before her prior litter is a year old.

- Large Companion Accessory Pass: Companion may have an accessory larger than themselves (Stave for a monkey, for instance.)

- Jumbo Companion Pass (One Purchase per Player, so choose wisely)

Hunting Skill Claims:

- Track another wolf
- Hunt an Extra-Large Prey Animal (6+ participants – Rhino, Hippo, Elephant, Giraffe, Whales)
- Hunt an extra small Prey Animal (Mice, Moles, insects (honeybees!), Solo 800+ word requirement)
- Build a small animal enclosure (Cage, small pen)
- Build a Medium animal enclosure (Large pen/stall/crate) for animals like sheep, goats, and young prey animals like calves and foals etc.
- Build a Large animal enclosure (Pasture, stone fenced paddock, large crate) Large animals, cattle, elk, horses.)
- Solo hunt small to extra small Prey Animals (800 words required?)
- Capture small Prey animal for domestication (Could be solo with minimum word count?)
- Capture Medium Prey Animal for Domestication
- Capture Large Prey Animal for Domestication

- Successfully breed prey animals for a full cycle of the seasons (like the hunt 25(?) different prey animals, would need a list of links to every thread involving the care of said animals, observing a mating and subsequent birthing of the animals’ offspring and raising of them) [Major outside chance of being implemented lol]

- Harvest a trade, food, or crafting item from a live animal (Sheer a sheep without killing it, for instance, gather eggs from domesticated chickens or birds, etc… milk a cow or sheep or horse or bison, gather honey from a domesticated hive, etc.)
- Lead a successful large or extra-large prey animal hunt for the first time

Fighting Skill Claims

- Win an Official Fight against a Master Fighter (As Advanced or below in Fighting Skill level)
- Win an Official Fight against a Dire Wolf (As Small or Extra Small size Character)
- Win a fight in Somnium!

Intellect Skill Claims

- Meet an unmet ancestor or relative in Somnium.
- Resolve unfinished business peacefully with an old enemy in Somnium.
- Meet a relative in a group Somnium dream with an Ancestor.
- Successfully perform a Summoning (Somnium Character Summoning, see suggestions below)
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Specialty Suggestions (Bear with Me)
 Fighting
- Armor Master: One who is well guarded against attack using armor and tools in their battles.
[Allows a defensive battle accessory to be ultra effective, giving a 20% (?) additional boost to Defense score in all fights.]
- Multi-Master: One who is a master of many weapons. [Does not boost current offensive/defensive accessories, however, opens up to two extra battle accessory slots in Character’s fight form]

- Unflagging: A fighter whose fighting stamina has a deeper well, allowing them to keep battling just a bit longer. [Allows character 1 more knockout in a Raid or Siege]



 Intellect
- Land Baron: Alpha can claim up to six lands in total. However, all additional lands beyond the second land are lost if Specialty is changed, so make your choice wisely. As well, all lands must touch on the map and be in the same region. Each consecutive land purchase will rise in price.

- Emperor/Empress: Population can increase up to 70 members without additional lands, and without damaging the stats in raids/sieges, but no bonuses are given to stats in Raids/Sieges.

Population Cap drops automatically back to site norm if the Specialty is Changed during this Character’s reign, and stats will tip heavily out of favor for the overlarge pack during sieges, raids, and birthrates, with chances of failed pregnancies due to overpopulation.

- Monarch: Population can increase up to 50 members without damaging the stats in raids/sieges, but no bonuses are given to stats in Raids/Sieges beyond bonuses given by participants’ Specialties (Bard, Defender, Marauder, etc). Population Cap drops automatically back to site norm if the Specialty is Changed, and stats will tip heavily out of favor for the overlarge pack during sieges, raids, and birthrates, with chances of failed pregnancies and deformed pups due to overpopulation.


- (WIP concept Idea) When Paired with a Monarch or Emperor/Empress Specialized character, a Land Baron’s bonuses will stack with the other’s when they share alphaship over a pack. Land Count still won’t go over six lands.



Dual Skill Specialty:
Intellect/Fighting:

- Warmonger: Raid and siege caps rise by five wolves, allowing the pack to bring a total of 15 wolves to a raid when attacking. Character does not need to be an alpha, but must be at least in Tier Three of a pack for bonus to come into effect, and must be present in the Raid. However, when defending against raiders, the Warmonger’s pack is still restricted to 10 defenders.

- Guard Commander: When defending their pack against raiders, the defender cap rises by 5 to a total of 15 wolves. Character does not need to be an alpha, but must be at least Tier Three in their pack for bonus to come into effect, and must be present in the Raid.

- Conquistador: As an Alpha, this character can expand his or her pack lands beyond six to eight lands, but can only do so through Raids and Sieges, claiming lands from any conquered pack they disband. Like Land Baron, the lands should be touching on the Site Map, however, the closest lands in the next region are available

Intellect/Healing

- Acolyte of Isis: This character possesses a powerful faith that blesses her with high fertility.
Litters can exceed 5 pups to a maximum of 8, but free pups can only max at 3. Only female characters can take this specialty

- Virile: Males with this Specialty are particularly prolific, siring larger than normal litters every time.
Litters can exceed 5 pups to a maximum of 8, but free pups can only max at 3. Male can only sire 2 litters a year, however, instead of 4. Does not stack with an Acolyte of Isis.

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Intellect/Navigation
       
- Landmarker: Character with this specialty can leave their mark on a land they had had ten completed threads in, and give proof to Staff in maintenance, along with a land description edit to include the landmark, for all to find for years to come. Landmark remains, even if specialty is changed later on. Skill bonuses are given to characters that thread with them in either Navigation or Intellect, giving 5 extra skill points to the mentee. Bonus no longer applies if specialty is changed.

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Intellect/Hunting

- Something here



In line with Laz’s Ghost Specialty suggestions:

One restriction that could be interesting is perhaps the deceased-now-ghost character is bound to the land where she/she was buried, or bound to the character who summoned them, or can only travel to lands outside their burial place with characters that are related to them, they have met in life, or the one that summoned them.
As well, there could be a limit to their time in the living realm, or a certain time they can be brought in or cross the veil to the living.
Good restrictions: Cannot become an alpha or band leader, cannot fight in raids/sieges, or alter the course of things while they walk among the living. Perhaps there are different types of spirit/ghost specialty?

Also, if this becomes a thing, I sincerely hope the Somnium characters that aren’t mastered in skills (Perhaps they passed before Skills were implemented, for instance), or that we get some sort of skill claim options for Somnium characters to gain skills, because I would love to be able to play some of my deceased characters again Erani ;_;

PVE pack territory expansion idea:
maybe a series of skill-related tasks for each tier of members, with the alpha and tier 2 rank ones being the most difficult to complete
like, in order to claim a new land an alpha must complete 3 skill related claims in that land, e.g. large predator hunt, nav prompt to map the path from their other lands here, hold a festival there, do 3 rolled fights there, or something
then tier 2 wolves have to complete a few skill claims there
and at least 3 regular tier pack members have to complete 1 prompt there
might make "moving" feel more realistic

ALSO!!

A dark skin, with a calm theme so those who like dark theme can have one that suits good characters, too?

Perhaps unplayable puppies (in the two weeks after birth but before playable) Can dream in Somnium?

Lower disability penalties or make them more specific (like missing a limb = penalty to agility / blindness = penalty to perception)

add a blank alpha activity form to the alpha activity page so alphas can edit in their own form easier Added!

custom site skins, like we have on our profiles would it be possible to customize the way we see the site with each profile?

Skill claim suggestions:

Intellect:
Attend a council meeting: 10 points
Become an Alpha: 25 0r 30 points
Meet 10 new wolves: 15

Fighting:
Obtain a fighting related rank: Knight , warrior etc : 15
Maim a wolf: 15 , Maim must be successful.

Healing:
Obtain a healing related rank 15
Find the death cause of a dead character 15

Hunting:
Obtain a rank related to hunting 15 points

Navigator:
Earn a navigator related rank 15 points

I know nyx was sparked/reminded of stuff when I mentioned but I figured I would add my little piece in here! <3

For pack's claiming a 3rd territory (since raiding is the only way currently), my idea for the requirements would be:
-Pack needs 5 masters, 1 of each skill (Does not matter tier rank of wolf?)
-If there is a double master of two skills, perhaps a word count requirement for their specific post (800 words per what is used around the site)
-Maybe a word count requirement for every wolf in thread (Either group or maybe 400 words per character)
-Each master of "x" skill needs to survey the land and observe and discuss why the land is a good addition to their pack related to their master skill (Fighting - predators or border protection strength or flaws, Hunting - available prey or lack of prey, Navigation - terrain of the land, etc (Make it original too! Whatever the character thinks will benefit or hurt the pack))
-Once all master's have posted (Alpha must be included but does not need to be a master), it can be viewed by staff just to be sure requirements are met

I'd like to see some sort of size 'bonus' for other species in a fight. The others all get 5% or 10% somewhere but it looks like other species gets 0% across the board. Maybe other species could get 5% perception since their "otherness" might allow them to look at a wolf differently? I'm grasping at straws here. Another idea would be to give them the size bonus associated with their size, perhaps having that marked on their fight form even though their profile says 'other species'? Or maybe filling the size field on their profile with something like 'other species (large)' would give them adequate representation. So small critters between 23" and 28" would get 5% agility, those between 35" and 39" would get 5% defense and so on, same as the wolves. For me personally it doesn't matter where they get the %, either as a blanket 5% perception for all sizes or broken down like the wolves, I just think they should get something.

Specialty Suggestion
martial artist: your fighting style centers around defensive maneuvers that use your enemies movements against them. Bonus to defense.

but also i'd just love to see some more specialties that give a bonus to defense

---also
maybe edit the defender specialty instead of it being for just raid or siege you can use it when you don't initiate the fight