Deadman Gold Experience

Holy crap! Just when I thought Runescape wouldn’t attempt anything more hardcore past Darkscape! Apparently, Darkscape is only supposed to be a middle ground for the three tiers of Runescape gaming that Jagex is trying to promote. A far more hardcore mode following Darkscape, where PvP is more dangerous and punishing, is called Deadman. Gold and gear will be switching hands and ownership often due to crazier allowable actions in this Runescape type.

Unlike Darkscape, Deadman actually has a 50% XP penalty on death that increases the initially perceived punishing deaths in Darkscape. Not only do you lose your Deadman gold, but you also have the possibility of losing not just your gear, but even your bank may be raided by your killer! Nothing is safe in this Deadman mode and is certainly not for the faint of heart.

But apart from all of that, Deadman remains largely unchanged from its lower tiered counterpart in most aspects. Zones are still separated via threat levels though this doesn’t matter as much due to the ability to attack anyone at any time in Deadman. Gold may be thrown at the face of an opponent, but you certainly aren’t going to be saved by that any time soon.

The map layout also isn’t different either as it is mostly comprised of the same areas save for a few, very minute differences; differences that are way too small to even merit a mention. Farming in this mode is obviously far more difficult than the past versions. Farming for any Deadman gold is going to be hard here due to the lack of restrictions in attacking players, but I imagine that there will be less resistance in this mode due to the need of a membership in order to access in the first place.

I do feel, however, that adding a completely different game in its essence is a bit too extreme. Rather than simply adding more PvP options in already pre-existing game modes and servers, they split up the population even more, resulting in a splintered playerbase. And most of us veteran MMO players know that dividing an audience is one of the worst things you could possibly do. Yes, it’s still doing quite well these days, but who knows when we’ll actually start to feel the detrimental effects of this decision? No amount of Deadman gold is going to save a game mode or server that tanked on the most precious resource of all – people. But don’t get me wrong! Deadman is extremely fun if you enjoy the sense of survival to be found in such a harsh environment. Think of it as something similar to Wizardry Online or a simpler version of Dark Souls. It’s pretty much “prepare to die.”