Putting the RoLS debate to rest! Answer the poll after...
Posted: Mon Jul 11, 2011 3:44 pm
Some people are completely in love with their RoLS, or obsessed with getting one, but is hunting for a RoLS a good idea? I did the leg work for you guys and I'm going to present my findings and draw some conclusions. Tell me if you think there are any flaws in my design or conclusions and/or draw your own conclusions. Finally, answer the poll at the top.
Design:
Throughout the experiment, I was a level 50 with 229% AC, 24-28 AD, 51% BC. Before each grind, I spent approximately 30 minutes determining the best way to maximize the amount of experience I could gain in each test area. At the beginning of the experiment, in both grinding areas, I started with full life and completely equal stats, using all of the same equipment, and completely spawned monsters. In both areas, I ground for exactly 30 minutes by stopwatch. Before each grind, I wrote down the amount of experience, gold, and all pertinent items to the grinding area that I currently had in my bag. At each grind, I killed as many monsters as I could for the entirety of the 30 minutes with the methodology I had devised prior to the test.
Methodology:
In the RoLS area, I started at the entrance of the building, swept through and killed all of the trainers and masters, glanced back to see if any did a "quick respawn" and killed those, then went through the gargoyle area and killed all of them while the trainers and masters (T&M) were respawning so I could maximize the amount of experience and gold I could get in the grinding time allotted instead of just sitting. During the 30 minute practice run, I determined how far I could go before T&M would respawn so I wouldn't be wasting time having (T&M) alive instead of waiting to respawn.
In the Blackwater Mountain Cabin area (BWMC) I started at the exit to the cabin and killed all of the monsters on the 3 levels and stairs, occasionally skipping a Young Aulaeth if he was running around at the top of the screen on a respawn while I was killing the others, then went to the cabin to respawn all of the monsters at once to do it all again. At the very end of the 30 minutes, I did not have enough time to make it from the top of the stairs to the next screen back to the bed and back out to a monster, so I went to the next screen to kill a few more there before time expired.
Results:
In the RoLS area I gained:
50 Ruby Gem
9 Polished Gem
32 Regular Potion
2097 Gold
But used 5 Bonemeal potions
Total Gold value for all goods: $3234
and 19,499 experience
In the BWMC area I gained:
13 Minor Potion of Health
19 Regular Potion of Health
6 Minor Potion of Speed
6 White Wyrm Claw
1 Blackwater Dagger
2 Blackwater Iron Sword
2852 Gold
Used zero potions
Total Gold value for all goods: $7536
and 53,086 experience
In the BWMC I gained experience 2.7 times faster than I did in the RoLS area, and gained gold or gold equivalent 2.3 times faster. Also of note, I used zero potions in BWMC. While I only used 5 in the RoLS area, and though it is not too far away, time will still have to be spent to reacquire those used potions while BWMC characters continue to grind. Additionally, the weaker the character is compared to the test character, the more the disparity grows. I only had to use 5 Bonemeal in the RoLS area, but a level 20 may have to use many, many more. The BWMC character will not have to use any potions no matter what his level, because you can kill as few monsters as you need to before hitting the bed again. Furthermore, this was just 30 minutes of grinding (60 if you count the practice runs). The longer you grind, the worse the stats will look for RoLS area. There is about 4k experience in the area at the start of the test that can be obtained without waiting for it to respawn. That 4k exp in 2 minutes will get diluted the longer you grind and the numbers will get worse. And to top it all off, as you gain experience 2.7 faster on BWM, you will be leveling 2.7 times faster and killing monsters faster with every level, ultimately increasing that 2.7 higher and higher. Oh, and let's not forget one very important detail: there is no guarantee that you will ever get a RoLS!
Conclusions
As I posted several times, I do not believe the RoLS to be worth searching for. As stated before, I think the +6 damage ring is pretty close to equal, except for the regeneration (especially if you don't use a crit hit weapon), but that the time spent getting one would make it a waste by comparison.
You shouldn't search for a RoLS if you:
1. Have already leveled your attack chance up to your desired level for now. As we saw in the AC Chart posted in another thread, you do not gain much from another 15% if you already have a huge difference between your AC and their BC. Losing the 3 damage per hit would make a huge difference.
2. Already have the ability to grind in BWMC area. The gain of experience at 2.7 times the rate gained in the RoLS area will certainly make up for the perceived advantages of the RoLS over the +6 damage ring. The regeneration effect of the RoLS will be washed out by your superior levels, ability to kill enemies more efficiently, and the use of the Bonemeal you can buy with your 2.3 times as much Gold.
You should search for a RoLS if you:
1. Can't make it up to BWMC area yet to grind. I personally did my grinding in Flagstone Prison, but I didn't know RoLS existed when I was doing that...
2. Prefer cool rare stuff over making your character as mean as possible. I play MtG and understand the value of collectors' items and how collectors think at times. If you really, really want one just to have one, GO FOR IT!
3. Haven't committed yourself on your stats yet and would like to have a RoLS. If I got one now, I don't think I would even wear it.
Design:
Throughout the experiment, I was a level 50 with 229% AC, 24-28 AD, 51% BC. Before each grind, I spent approximately 30 minutes determining the best way to maximize the amount of experience I could gain in each test area. At the beginning of the experiment, in both grinding areas, I started with full life and completely equal stats, using all of the same equipment, and completely spawned monsters. In both areas, I ground for exactly 30 minutes by stopwatch. Before each grind, I wrote down the amount of experience, gold, and all pertinent items to the grinding area that I currently had in my bag. At each grind, I killed as many monsters as I could for the entirety of the 30 minutes with the methodology I had devised prior to the test.
Methodology:
In the RoLS area, I started at the entrance of the building, swept through and killed all of the trainers and masters, glanced back to see if any did a "quick respawn" and killed those, then went through the gargoyle area and killed all of them while the trainers and masters (T&M) were respawning so I could maximize the amount of experience and gold I could get in the grinding time allotted instead of just sitting. During the 30 minute practice run, I determined how far I could go before T&M would respawn so I wouldn't be wasting time having (T&M) alive instead of waiting to respawn.
In the Blackwater Mountain Cabin area (BWMC) I started at the exit to the cabin and killed all of the monsters on the 3 levels and stairs, occasionally skipping a Young Aulaeth if he was running around at the top of the screen on a respawn while I was killing the others, then went to the cabin to respawn all of the monsters at once to do it all again. At the very end of the 30 minutes, I did not have enough time to make it from the top of the stairs to the next screen back to the bed and back out to a monster, so I went to the next screen to kill a few more there before time expired.
Results:
In the RoLS area I gained:
50 Ruby Gem
9 Polished Gem
32 Regular Potion
2097 Gold
But used 5 Bonemeal potions
Total Gold value for all goods: $3234
and 19,499 experience
In the BWMC area I gained:
13 Minor Potion of Health
19 Regular Potion of Health
6 Minor Potion of Speed
6 White Wyrm Claw
1 Blackwater Dagger
2 Blackwater Iron Sword
2852 Gold
Used zero potions
Total Gold value for all goods: $7536
and 53,086 experience
In the BWMC I gained experience 2.7 times faster than I did in the RoLS area, and gained gold or gold equivalent 2.3 times faster. Also of note, I used zero potions in BWMC. While I only used 5 in the RoLS area, and though it is not too far away, time will still have to be spent to reacquire those used potions while BWMC characters continue to grind. Additionally, the weaker the character is compared to the test character, the more the disparity grows. I only had to use 5 Bonemeal in the RoLS area, but a level 20 may have to use many, many more. The BWMC character will not have to use any potions no matter what his level, because you can kill as few monsters as you need to before hitting the bed again. Furthermore, this was just 30 minutes of grinding (60 if you count the practice runs). The longer you grind, the worse the stats will look for RoLS area. There is about 4k experience in the area at the start of the test that can be obtained without waiting for it to respawn. That 4k exp in 2 minutes will get diluted the longer you grind and the numbers will get worse. And to top it all off, as you gain experience 2.7 faster on BWM, you will be leveling 2.7 times faster and killing monsters faster with every level, ultimately increasing that 2.7 higher and higher. Oh, and let's not forget one very important detail: there is no guarantee that you will ever get a RoLS!
Conclusions
As I posted several times, I do not believe the RoLS to be worth searching for. As stated before, I think the +6 damage ring is pretty close to equal, except for the regeneration (especially if you don't use a crit hit weapon), but that the time spent getting one would make it a waste by comparison.
You shouldn't search for a RoLS if you:
1. Have already leveled your attack chance up to your desired level for now. As we saw in the AC Chart posted in another thread, you do not gain much from another 15% if you already have a huge difference between your AC and their BC. Losing the 3 damage per hit would make a huge difference.
2. Already have the ability to grind in BWMC area. The gain of experience at 2.7 times the rate gained in the RoLS area will certainly make up for the perceived advantages of the RoLS over the +6 damage ring. The regeneration effect of the RoLS will be washed out by your superior levels, ability to kill enemies more efficiently, and the use of the Bonemeal you can buy with your 2.3 times as much Gold.
You should search for a RoLS if you:
1. Can't make it up to BWMC area yet to grind. I personally did my grinding in Flagstone Prison, but I didn't know RoLS existed when I was doing that...
2. Prefer cool rare stuff over making your character as mean as possible. I play MtG and understand the value of collectors' items and how collectors think at times. If you really, really want one just to have one, GO FOR IT!
3. Haven't committed yourself on your stats yet and would like to have a RoLS. If I got one now, I don't think I would even wear it.