New player experience

[Distorted]

Since you guys are all floating around as level 12+ people (from what I saw when logging in) and I'm from the days where level 4 was the max I figured I'd give you an idea of a new player experience so far.

Logged in, glanced over the rules, the mechanics, a few updates and modded spells. I decided on ranger, 'cause of the sneak potential, favored enemy, etc.

Get my level 4 (hooray), zone in, immediately encounter a really friendly player and a friendly DM and we chat a bit and RP and I'm on my way. I decide to go outside to the forest.. get murdered instantly by a blade spider. It wasn't even a fair fight - who thought these were a good idea or even remotely challenging? I failed a reflex save and from that point on I had zero chance - this thing had +18 Attack, which I might remind you, is more AC than most new players without full plate and tower shield will have. I was instantly gibbed.

Round two, off to.. Siranda Castle, because I remember that's where keys are from the earlier mod. I get there by somehow not finding any spider spawns and the one I do find I miraculously pass my reflex. I go upstairs.. and get instantly killed by some warden who apparently has true sight? And a mage who casted missile storm or magic missile or something? There is zero indication this thing exists, what it's capable of or that I'm in for certain permadeath if I so much as click that transition.

I'm not sure what to say - as a new player I can't do anything except hop around Bastion, and I've been warned there's some vampires or something that aren't supposed to be there either that will also instagib me? What is there to really do when people aren't online?

I realize your playerbase is mostly in the level 10+ range, it looks like. These things probably don't even phase those guys. But unless you want to intentionally alienate your new player base (of which I am a member of) there has to be at minimum some clear direction on where you can and cannot go, and a reduction in these insta-gib monsters that give you no choice but to die to (I can't even check their CR...). This is a mod where you have a very real possibility of losing your entire character if you die. Make sure the player is in control over the risk and reward.

This is only after playing for a few hours, I'm sure more things will come up (both good and bad). Although, to be fair, the only things I've noticed so far that I've liked are the players and things that the mod had already and aren't custom.

Not without solutions, I propose:

Blade spiders aren't fun. They run. They web, which is a massive issue - it's ranged, it always hits, and you have to pass a save or be rooted. They hit like snipers and hurt like a truck. They should be heavily nerfed or removed. Alternatively, a possibly better solution, add a drop in bastion for a web-immunity item. Then it gives some logical progression to leave the city once you acquire it and the webbers become the gatekeepers to further exploration.

That upstairs of siranda castle really needs either an OOC sign telling people what they're getting into, or an IC sign of some kind (an examinable corpse or bone pile perhaps) that tells players what they're getting into just as effectively. Seriously, going upstairs and instantly getting blown to bits isn't an immersive or challenging experience, it's just infuriating. Your starting area mentions the players need to learn and adapt to the environment. There is no adaptation possible when you are faced with this kind of stuff.

Thanks for taking the time to read.