Killing time (but not goblins)

After a prolonged period of just thinking about it, I've finally decided to try playing a vampire (I'm kinda addicted to creating new characters). So I created her tonight and basically poked her head into most of the shops in Vale, but not before spending what seemed like waaay too long just sitting in the Sleeping Dragon twiddling her thumbs because it was like 8 o'clock in the morning and she had to wait for sundown.

So I'm wondering how others have dealt with the downtime, as I assume (especially at low levels), you're not always going to be able to get somewhere with something to do while the sun's out. Do you literally just sit there and wait it out? Log out for a bit and play a different character? I can only get up and make a cuppa tea so many times...

WHen I first started Angelica, yes, there was a good bit of downtime just sitting in the inn, or, when I felt particularly brave, a quick run from the inn up to the cave by the pond on the hill (which should be quite easier now, since you can run right up the hill, not run through a series of ramps, and there's not that "enclosed tunnel" to hassle with either now).

Part of playing a vampire, particularly a new one with limited to no resources, is planning your travelling. If it's getting close to sunup, get into an area you won't mind sticking it out in for a while. Goblin caves if you want to hunt, or the SDI if you want to chitchat with everyone passing through.

And when you can afford it, the blackout umbrella in Entrom's Emporium in Macedone is a HUGE benefit to vampires. It costs around 2k to 2.5K. It won't "burn out" like a shadowcloak, but the downside is it doesn't cut away all sundamage. It will however reduce your sundamage by 75%.

Also, learn how to run through daylight. Carry blood, and lots of it. At low levels, depending on your HP, you can basicly full heal off a single blood. It gets more difficult as you gain more levels (more HP), but at low levels, count on drinking lots of blood if you're caught outside and need to run.

And get a shadowcloak as soon as you're able. The Hooded Merchant outside of Mountainholm sells two per reset (he only comes out at night), and Drow are notorious for being clothes hogs when it comes to cloaks. Another nice benefit of shadowcloaks is, if you have a scepter of magical reinvestment, you can recharge a cloak. My vampire, Angelica, has had a particular cloak since she started her adventures. Also note, while there's two styles of shadowcloaks (one that's "solid" but tattered, the other is "translucent"), they are both effectively the same thing... it's just an appearance issue difference.

Also... teleport is your friend. Wiz/sorc/umd makes vampire life much easier, helms of teleport as well (although it's far more limited than casting/scrolls). Wiz/sorc levels is overall best since you get 50 slots to work with. Set a few teleports in towns for selling/buying, one by the hooded merchant (btw, his tent is shelter, so it won't be fun, but you could sit in that small tent during the day). Then have slots set to your favorite hunting spots.

Also, some wanderer's portals are inside. Learn which portals are indoors, which are outdoors, and that can help you regulate TP slots if you feel you don't have enough.

And also... pay attention to the weather.

Daytime is usually bad, however, rain and snow blocks sunlight, making "bad weather" into "good weather" for those with sun allergies

Just be prepared to duck into cover should the skies clear up!

Okay so not so on-topic as MJ's post... but shadowchildren suffer sun-damage too, so I'll post my "stuck-inside" hints because when I started play in Aenea, my first PC was Jay Braysin (who has become affectionly known as The Wandering Shadow)... ....

Follow all of MJ's advice...

Activate a very useful info message for the sun-haters, it will tell you 90% of the time when shelter is nearby... use the vc command info sunshelter ... this will tell you when your outside of (nearly) any area-transitions that go "inside" in an area around 10-15ft from you... it's very helpful when running through towns to find doors you may not think you can open.... ...

The open lock skill is handy in towns/cities as most doors can be picked to enter a "generic house"... great for when you think you are no-where near shelter... it's also good for opening any number of doors and chests you will find....

Regen items are your friends, even the ioun stone, every HP clawed back at the end of the round is another few feet towards the nearest shelter....

Try to find items that can dish out Darkness.... whilst under the effects you are immune to sun-damage....

Be aware that sun-damage counts as "in-combat" so forget trying to "talk" to things... just run... go back at night to continue the conversation...

Hover the mouse over the compass for an "insta-time" pop-up... get near those doors to outside at 1700, and leave at 1800 (sunset)... start looking for shelter at 0500, and be in it by 0600(sunrise)....


As for things to do when stuck inside an "empty room"....
# organise your inventory,
# redo your pc bio,
# learn how to rename and edit item descriptions and get to it.. alternatively get some good crafting ranks/feats.. and get to work during the daylight hours creating all kinds of stuff to sell or trade... note you'll need to have hidden in a workshop or lab....
# write in your journal what you just did, the aenea time and date, the real-life time and date... (((start writing an in-depth story of your time in Aenea, ready to cut/copy/paste from the .txt file in your localvault to the forum boards)))
# get a magical dye pot and re-colour your entire outfit to be a black or white "canvas".. and recolour it all.. ...
# empty and refill your quickslots (even with the same stuff), you'll likely find a better way of organising the "three reels" that makes combat sooo much more "streamlined"....
# play around with your voicechats to learn and remember what each one does... ...
# read the description of every item you own....
# try every armour/weapon configuration you can with your currently held equipment... esp useful for finding which AC boosting stuff you hve that doesn't stack and which slots are being "wasted".. (for ages I wore a +5 AC armour bonus cloak, not realising my armour's +5AC armour bonus was being completely ignored, I since wear a different cloak)... ...
# have a cup of tea/coffe/coke.. walk outside your house for a smoke(if a smoker), or some air (if a non-smoker), the walk and the diversion will likely do you good...
# type in and learn/read as many "vc commands" as you can....
# if you can, carry a stack of blank scrolls, scribe every spell you have memorised and then rest up...

#stare at your watch and will the 15-20 minute wait to go by faster... (it will go by really slowly)...
# do anything but look at your watch or think of making the time go quicker (it will go by really fast)...


This was a off-the-top-of-my-head list of things I used to do to amuse myself when caught solo, on a lone server, caught in some of the remotest places in Aenea (such as Valic's bar).... ... hope that helps ye....

Adcension is also slated for some rescripting that will grant night walkers some modicum of reduced sun damage.... so if you have any plans on reincarnting and then ascending, learn where the best indoor hunting spots are, and level your butt off

Cloak of Shadows...will work, but for limited time. Gets you further.

Cool, this is all a big help. Thanks everyone for the suggestions.