Regarding the Exploration Skill

I think that the function of the Exploration skill should be changed.
The exploration skill reduces the chances of having a combat encounters with gray creatures. (I have seen the claim that this is so with ALL creatures, but have yet to avoid combat with an above-gray.)

Combat should be a challenge. Fighting grays is time-consuming, and frankly, it is frustrating, especially when traveling between towns. It's just really annoying! (Understand, this post has nothing to do with saving RT. That is not the issue here.)

Here are some potential solutions:
1) Carriage Transportation:(I know this has probably been suggested already)
Travel between towns for a fee. The fee will be variable, depending on the level of the town. (I realize that towns do not yet have levels, but as they are commonly referred to as T1, T2, etc., this would constitute a "level".) Perhaps the Exploration skill level would give one the "privilege" of using the transportation. For example, every five levels in Exploration allows you to use transportation to another town, provided, of course, that you have already journeyed there on foot.

2) Town-Specific Gate Potions:
In each town, sell a type of Gate Potion that will allow gating to ONLY the town in which is was originally bought. Similar to the above, they could even have Exploration skill requirements in order to use them.

3) Reward for Killing Grays:
Allow gray creatures to drop trophies. Honestly, if I'm level 10 and I kill 8 Ash Rattlers on my way to T3, have I suddenly become inept at chopping their tails off? Did I forget how to yank their fangs out of their mouths? Yes, the experience increase from the trophies will be almost insignificant, but at least it is less of a waste of time.

M

edit: misspelling

All excellent suggestions. Wading through the greys without any benefit is essentially creating a penalty for visiting 'lower' towns.

In addition to your suggestion of having an Exploration/Potions/Gating skill requirement, I'd suggest that only players who have been to that town can use the 'return' potion. That way, no one takes day trips way beyond their level, and there is still a sense of anticipation/reward for getting through areas and to the next town.

If anyone starts using the gate potions to continually avoid overland travel, they will be missing out on exp and levels, so I think abuse will be self-correcting.

This could also be handled as options in the church...how many daggers can those guys hold?

whats a lower town to u? one thats next to a lvl 37+ area or one thats closest to a lvl 34+ area? either way thats the first town... many of these suggestions have already been made plz check around there was a large discussion about some of these very same thoughts less then 2 weeks ago... the exploration skills works just as it says when on a path u can avoid non grey monsters i've done it and so have others, if u dont like encountering grays as much buy yourself accelerator when ur on rt u miss 75% of greys and rrt is even more