13.13 ENDZONES
Endzones are a category of area that offer a unique PvE challenge distinct from other areas in Lusternia. They are designed for Demigods (level 100+) and operate in a different way to normal bashing, with additional challenges and threats from both your opponents and the surrounding area.
In-character, they are areas that lie in the Wasteland - the region of the Prime Material Plane that lies beyond the Basin of Life. The first of these to be released thus far is the ruins of Grimkeep. The term 'Endzone' is, as such, considered out-of-character.
How Endzones Work
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Endzones are accessed through the Horizon Walkers guildhall in the Catacombs of the Dead. The guildhall can be found through a basin in the northern part of the Catacombs' mauseoleum level. To enter the Endzones themselves, you will need to find the Gatekeeper responsible for the area in question, who will allow you to venture beyond.
As soon as someone enters the Endzone area, a run begins, and a run cannot be started whilst another is in progress. Once the first person has entered, you have a five minute window to enter the area. If you attempt to enter after this window, you will be barred from entry until the ongoing run has ended. Should you perish whilst in the area, you will be allowed to re-enter whilst your group's run persists.
A run is how long your group has managed to survive in the Endzone area. If at any point there is no one left in the area - either as the result of death or escape - then your run will end. In order for a run to count, it must last at least 10 minutes.
Whilst you are within the Endzone, creatures will spawn on regularly. Like the Astral plane, these spawns will be proportionate to the number of people you have brought into the area. The difference is that you cannot 'turn off' the spawning. The longer you stay in there, the worse it will become.
The success of a run is scored on multiple things: how long the run lasts, how many kills you achieve, and how few deaths you have.
The character who performs the best will be named as the MVP (most valuable player) for that run, earning extra rewards. The MVP is the person who kills the most creatures whilst dying the least - however, your first death doesn't count against you. It is possible to tie for MVP awards.
To avoid runs being thrown off by others entering your run or by someone not contributing fully, there are limits on who counts towards a run. Any character who stays less than 20 minutes and does not kill a single creature will not count towards the run. Any character that does not participate for at least 50% of the time of the run will count towards the run, but will only receive partial rewards if they participated at least 30 minutes. Less than 30 minutes will result in no rewards.
If you are below level 100 (Demigod), you will not be able to participate in an Endzone run.
What You Will Face
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The creatures in each Endzone area have different archetypes. Think of these as classes for mobiles, where in addition to operating like a normal mobile would, they also have abilities from their 'class'.
These abilities are a form of AI that changes how the mobile will behave. In addition, all archetypes have a condition that will cause them to boost. In their boosted mode, they will become incredibly dangerous. Should you manage to kill a creature whilst they are boosted, the rewards will be greater.
In order to cope with the abilities of these various archetypes, you will need to think tactically about how you engage with them - from everything to the order you choose to kill them in, to where you choose to fight them.
But it is not only the creatures themselves that are dangerous. The Wasteland itself is also a threat, and you will find that you need to contend with whatever dangers it presents when you venture forth. Your Gatekeeper can offer advice on the present threats in their corresponding area.
What You Can Win
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As well as the experience gained from killing creatures in Endzone areas, and the gold you can earn from handing their corpses to the Horizon Walkers, Endzone runs also award one daily credit tick for every 20 minutes you stand on a run.
You also gain essence for the duration of your run. Any run lasting at least 20 minutes will reward the following:
1,000,000 essence per minute participating.
20,000,000 for lasting the first 30 minutes.
Each additional 30 mins will award 5,000,000 more than the previous 30 minutes.
IE: Lasting 90 minutes will get you 75 million essence, 20M + 25M + 30M.
None of these essence gains are affected by XP gain bonuses - they are flat awards.
There are achievements for the number of creatures killed, for placing walls in Endzone areas, and for earning MVP awards, which you can view under ACHIEVEMENTS.
Rankings System
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Party sizes are rated in general brackets - right now these are 5-man or unlimited. The rankings system displays the top run for each party size.
If you earn a top spot, you will earn credits and essence. These are scaled based on how long it has been since a record was last set. Rewards start at a base of 1,000,000 essence and 5 credits and will increase by 10,000 essence and 5 credits for every run that lasts at least 80% of the current top run time.
You can view the rankings using the EZRANK command.
