New Herb System

I propose a slight revamp to our herb system (And the collection thereof).

How this would largely work is to piggyback on top of the current mining system, like mineral veins and trees. Add another farmable product of different types of colourful herbs. Instead of having effects directly, so as to get rid of both the monotony and predictability and therefore boring nature of collecting greys/magentas/mandrakes/etc, make herb type rarity relevant. This would create an entire climate for herb trading and sales.

My idea is as follows: 

-Coloured herbs throughout the lands in different forms of rarity.

-Local herbs can still be random but locatable, for instance leave an herb that converts to a low level bless in Everwild.

-The way these herbs can be used is to turn them into a reagent shop.

-Reagent shops have a unique relationship with each player. 

-Collecting herbs for shops can reduce price, or offer more options. 

Potential Herb Effects and Combining

-Herb Effect 

-Duration

-Strength (Cast level)

Example:

Bob collects many herbs throughout the lands, he has rare herbs and lots of common herbs. He turns them all into his chemist/Reagent shop and in return that shopkeeper is willing to sell him 8 herbs of blessing and frenzy and 1 herb of slow, all with relatively decent durations.

Joe collects nothing and goes to the same chemist but can only buy basic low level herbs (That he and Bob begin the game with access to) at regular price. He does however come across a particularly rare herb but, being a cleric, he doesn't need its blessing so he sells it to Bob at a decent price who can then turn it in for better deals and effects on his own herbs.

Aside from creating certain inhibiting factors to stop this from spiraling to a herbcentric PK ideal, maybe only allow herb shops to produce inventory at certain intervals, and definitely keep them unique to each player. The upside of this idea is that, assuming we don't want to change what we already have, all current herb locations can be kept or simply replaced with a reagent equivalent. It would also make it incredibly easy to tone anything over or underpowered and make herb gathering more of a hobby than a downright necessity for PK. In my opinion herbs shouldn't be required to do well in PK, and as it is now the difference between a zero prep and full prep regarding ONLY consumables is insane.

I like the concept. But since we know the strong will be strong, and the weak will be weak, maybe we could use your Idea to shatter the "glass ceiling" that currently exists. Herbs/consumables are a big part of PK. Not 100% necessary for all classes, but definitely for some to be able to compete. What if your "reagent/chemist" was PK biased? Meaning, when he creates the herbs for Bob, the reagent checks Bob's win/loss record. 2/1 or greater means his herbs have a lower duration/cast level. Thus weakening the true elite players. 1/2 or worse means his herbs have a greater duration/cast level. Just a thought. I would really like to see less dependency on herbs, personally. Because the inception of herbs for me seemed out of balance. A caster can not recast his spells in battle, when it was all potions a melee had to disarm/remove shield, hold potion, quaf potion, wear weapon/shield. With herbs its smoke, no lag, no chance to drop, no worries what so ever. Maybe we should place a lag on smoke. It takes time to mount and dismount a horse, but not to smoke an herb. Something to consider I think.

I know what you mean Fool_Hardy. I also wish to decrease the dependency on them and I feel like this can be a tool to do just that. Make them a unique part of the game instead of a required-to-do-well-in-pk part of the game. How often are good Bard materials found? Very rarely? Make that how rare it is to find the reagent for mugwort. Slow problem solved. If someone must pay top dollar from a merchant or spend quite a long time looking for a specific herb, it makes even farming a hit or miss ordeal when trying to find all the right prep. Unless of course you invest a lot of time into it, (like any part of the game) then you might get a good set of herbs for one or two fights before you have to go on the hunt again or just make due with what you have, and with the random drops it makes newbies just as likely to find specific reagents they need as vets. You can't use experience to find herbs that are in random and various locations.

consumables, in my opinion, kind of got out of hand. if they're there, then it only stands to reason that they're going to be used to their fullest effect. (that is one reason why strong pkers are strong, they find a way to 'max' any race/class/cabal/equipment/consumable combination) they certainly shouldn't be hindered for that, 'cause any player that is so devoted to pk is naturally going to be ahead of the casual player and the more rp oriented player. the problem comes from not finding the acceptable balance between a 'maxed' character and a 'mediocre' character. taking skill out of the equation, these two combatants (neither being the others bane) should only yield a slight difference in prowess. the devoted player willing to 'max' a character will have an edge, but it should be nothing too significant. I think this gap between 'max' and 'mediocre' is one of the biggest contributors to players being able to steamroll - I know skill can play a large part in pk, but I'm referring to mediocre characters getting three rounded while moderately dressed and somewhat spelled - where 'skill' isn't really a factor, but 'maxing' a character is. 

one of the biggest contributors to the aforementioned gap happens to be consumables. they're just too good, they're too useful not to be farmed and used at every possible occasion. the edge they provide is too significant to ignore - for any player that wants to be pk viable. my long winded setup to my response now at an end... I think your idea, Twinblades, is interesting and could -potentially- bring some balance where herbs are concerned. I would like to see it combined with something I suggested pertaining to all consumables. 

http://theforsakenlands.com/community/index.php?/topic/34575-consumables/#entry280961