FAQ
While much of this information is already covered elsewhere in the Wiki, this should help answer most of the daily commonly asked questions.
Starting Questions
Do I need any special files to log in? Yes you do, You can find the links and directions on our [Downloads] page.
What 3rd Party Programs Can I Use to Log In? People may feel free to use Razor or Assist UO as an assist program. They must \\\"Negotiate features with server\\\" to keep logged in. If they do not have this checked, you will be forced to log out of the game. Any other third party programs that may offer an advantage in game are strictly forbidden and will result in banned accounts.
What ERA does Darkness Once Forsaken Support? We use Stygian Abyss, High Seas Era. All lands are open.
Does DoF use a Custom Map? We do not use a custom map, however, we have custom towns and custom artwork, therefore you must get our files and install them in your UO directory in order to see everything on DoF.
How Many Accounts Can I Have? There is one account per IP allowed. You can make Six characters on one account. If you have a family member that wants to play, PM one of the staff or email kass@darkness-once-forsaken.com.
Communication & Player Interaction How do I talk in public chat? Simply type [c YourTextHere and hit enter.
How can I send someone a message/PM or see my messages/PM's? You can send a message one of two ways, either type [c and press the blue gem next to the person's name that you want to send a message to, then click Message, or type [pm Name. To view PM's you have not yet read you can either type [pm or again [c and at the bottom click on Messages.
How do I add someone to party? You can either type in /add and select the person, or double click the 2nd scroll in your paperdoll and go from there.
How do I use guild chat? Type \ YourTextHere and hit enter, or Type [g Yourtexthere and hit enter.
How do I contact staff if I have a problem? On your paperdoll press the help button, pick a topic or other and enter your message with as much detail as possible. If your help request requires a staff member to come to you, it is preferable that you stay put and don’t start running around.
Skills & Stats
What is the stat cap? Our stat cap is 300. As well, each year, up to the fifth year gives you a +5 to your stat cap. When you pick your starting class and walk through the gate, your stats will be maxxed out.
What is the skill cap? There is no skill cap. You can raise all skills to 100, up to 130 with a powerscroll.
Why is my Resisting Spells not gaining? First, in your skills list (accessed via your paperdoll) make sure that the little arrow next to said skill is pointed upwards. Secondly, try casting the magery spell Protection to deactivate it as that will lower your resisting spells skill by around 40 and could be why you aren't seeing any gains. Third, remember to get training from an NPC to begin raising resist since it takes a little resist to begin training. Last, Resist Spells will gain only by having debuff spells cast on you (clumsy, curse, weaken, feeblemind).
Am I allowed to train skills while I'm AFK? Yes, training skills while AFK is perfectly acceptable.
Where can I buy up my magery/mining/etc. skills? Each town will have an NPC that players can purchase skills from.
Does GM Alchemy have a Damage Bonus? Yes, a grand master alchemist will be able to deal bonus damage with explosion potions. The higher your alchemy is, the more damage you will do.
Can I Heal Through Poison? No, you must be cured, then you may heal. Using the ability "spirit speak" (Necromancer profession) will allow you to heal while poisoned or even mortal striked. Casting heal spells and bandages won't work until the poison is cured first. However a mysticism spell called "cleansing winds" can cure the poison and heal you at the same time.
Does GM Lumberjacking have a Damage Bonus? Yes, the bonus is 10%. Your strength, damage increase, lumberjacking bonus, and other things add up to a total of a 300% total. So even though you wear an axe with lumberjacking, you may not notice the damage increase because you may already be at the 300% cap with other bonuses.
Is There an Inscription Bonus? Yes, at GM and above you gain a 10% spell damage bonus. This bonus affects hitspells on weapons, and most damage spells that are available. Keep in mind healing spells raise by raising the main spell skill not the secondary skill that is normally used for damage. For example, more magery will increase greater heal's effectiveness, and eval intelligence will increase the damage of damage spells, as well as strengthen the power of spells like curse.
Does Anatomy and Evaluating Intelligence = Defensive Wrestling? Because all players can achieve GM or higher in every skill, defensive wrestling is not needed.
Pets & Animal Taming
What are pet leashes and hitching posts? They are both used to shrink your pets. You will need to have at least 75 in animal taming in order to use them, if your taming is lower than 75 then you can use shrink potions.
Where can I tame Mules? Mules are the mounts the boss of the crafter champ ride, so once you kill that boss you can begin taming the mule.
Where can I tame Nobles? Nobles are found in random Trammel Dungeons.
Why won't my pet listen to me? Animal lore is just as important to raise as animal taming (and much easier to raise). If, for example, you have a pet that requires 50 in animal taming you will also need to have at least 50 in animal lore in order to get the pet to actually follow your commands. Also remember to feed your pets if their Loyalty Rating is anything but Wonderfully Happy (which you can see when you lore them).
Currency & Vendors
How do I set up a vendor in the Vendor Mall? Double click an empty vendor tile, if your account is old enough you'll be able to place a vendor. You will be charged a one time fee to set up the vendor. After that you will be charged a weekly fee to keep your vendor there, along with the daily fee the vendor charges based on the items/prices you are selling. The weekly fee will automatically be deducted from your bank. To pay the vendor's fee you must drop gold on the vendor.
What are DoF Dollars? DoF Dollars, a form of currency gotten from completing various quests. DoF dollars are used to purchase certain unique items in game.
What are Fishing Tokens? These are tokens which will randomly appear in your pack in some ocean areas while you fish. You can then use these tokens to purchase unique items at the Fishing Token Redemption Yacht.
What are Town Invasion Tokens? These are tokens which will randomly appear in your backpack when you participate in the town invasions. Killing the mobs allow you a chance at receiving tokens. You can then use these tokens to purchase unique items at the Town Invasion Token Redemption Mall.
Miscellaneous
Where can I get beehives? Beehives (along with hive tools, wax pots, etc) can are obtained by completing a quest in the ankh dungeon. Find the special beeswax outside the dungeon and then proceed through the dungeon.
What's so special about beehives? When fully colonized, beehives produce wax and honey, which you can extract from the hives and then in turn sell to the beekeepers (or keep to use in special recipes that call for them). You are also able to craft certain statues and items with beeswax.
Where do I get flower seeds? Flower seeds can be found on Boglings and Bog Things in swamp areas. Certain creatures in Tokuno carry seeds as well, the Tokuno seeds are bonsai seeds which, when grown, cannot be pollinated nor do they produce seeds. There are also a few quests that drop a seed of a unique color. You will have to search out a herbalist to find them.
How do I plant a flower seed? Buy a bowl from a provisioner, double click the bowl and target a patch of dirt on the ground. Using a water pitcher, water the bowl (two times) until it says "Bowl of soft dirt". Secure the bowl somewhere in your house, then double click one of your seeds and select the bowl to plant it in.
Why can't I pick this crop I found? Because it's someone else's crop. The only crops you can pick are your own, after you've bought the seeds from a farmer and planted them in a field. Cooking determines how well the seeds you've planted will grow. If you have low cooking or no cooking, you'll find some weeds mixed in with plants growing.
How do I dig up treasure from a treasure map? When you are in the area shown on your map you need to double click the shovel and select the map. Then it will start digging up your treasure.
Why isn't this quest giver giving me the quest to do? Either one of two reasons. You may have just done the quest, in which case you need to wait a while before you can do the quest again. Or you are in the middle of another quest which you will either need to finish or just click once on yourself and select cancel Quest.
Game Play
Are there boats or ships? You may purchase small or large ships, we also have the High Seas Galleons which are available through quests and events.
How can I start up my own guild? You must purchase a Guild Deed from a provisioner and place the guildstone in your house.
Is there PK or PVP in Felucca or anywhere else? No, the only places it's allowed is with consenting guildmates in the privacy of your homes.
Is there Mount Fatigue? There is no mount fatigue, your movement on a horse is determined by the stamina of your character.
Are there Rideable Mounts? We have the standard mounts, and an assortment of unique rideable mounts.
Are Factions Alive? No Factions are not alive.
How Many Houses can I have? Each account is allowed two houses. One is an 18X18 with a 50 tile square yard. The other can not be bigger than 15X15 and can be placed anywhere on the shard that takes houses. We have several towns that are empty and available for house placement. The second house does not come with a yard. All houses must be placed by the staff.
What is the IDOC Time? That is for you to find out.
Do you have Rules on Harassment? The rules on harassment are left up to the staff’s discretion per issue. We encourage a mature environment on Darkness Once Forsaken but at the same time we do not want to interfere in player interaction unless absolutely necessary. There is an ignore feature in your options and you have the ability to recall away from anyone following you at any given time.
Can I buy or sell gold, items or accounts for real life cash? No, this is forbidden and anyone caught doing this will be permanently banned.
How do I get Powerscrolls? Powerscrolls are obtained by defeating champions at Champion spawns, they occasionally drop off of some monsters you can find throughout the shard.
How do I get rid of my young status? It's recommended to keep your young status for as long as possible, but if you decide that you want to permanently get rid of it simply say "I renounce my young player status".
How do I see how many Tithing Points I have and how do I add more? To add tithe just go to any ankh, click once on it and select 'Tithe Gold'. Note you must have gold in your backpack. To see how much you have tithed, just open up your chivalry book and it will tell you right there.
Am I allowed to AFK level weapons or gather resources? Being AFK to gather resources (such as wood, beeswax, honey, ore, fish), level a weapon, or killing any kind of spawn is not allowed. Note that the rules also include anything that is used to gain wealth. This would include, but is not limited to: Gathering wool/flax/cotton for use in making bandages to sell. Gathering/buying arrows/bolts/reagents from NPCs to sell for a slightly higher price. Crafting/making items to sell on the open market, such as repair scrolls, kegs, weapons, ingots and so forth.
Where can I buy a full spellbook/necro book? You receive full spellbooks in a bag in your bank when you start. If you require another one, check the vendor mall area.
How do I see how old my character is? Either double click the first scroll in your paperdoll, or type in [account.
How do I find out how much Fame/Karma I have? Say "I must consider my sins".
What does it mean to lock your karma? When you lock your karma (at an ankh), you are setting it so that it will not raise any higher. You will still lose karma, you just won't gain it back until you unlock it.
How can I get a title? Even though your karma level may support a title, it will not show up until you have at least a Lord or Lady title preceding your name.
Are there Rares in Game? We have a plethora of artifacts and rares that will spawn daily, weekly, monthly. Because we have custom artwork, we have rares that you will not find on any other shards. You will require a thief to steal the rares.
Combat
What Determines Swing Speed? Stamina and the swing speed increase bonus on some items will boost your swing speed to the cap, which is 1.25 seconds. You will want to keep your stamina as high as possible at all times to maintain the fastest possible speed.
Is there Insta Hit? No, we feel this would cause imbalance at the most fundamental level of combat.
How do Explosion/Purple Potions Work? Explosion potions will heat seek, and have a variable timer on them between uses. You must throw at just the right time to connect with your target.
Crafting
Can a Grand Master Crafter Mark their Created Items? Yes
Are Runic Crafting Tools In? Yes. We also have a Runic Metal-Forging crafting system, which allows players to forge more powerful weapons (on the Artisan class), these weapons level up and gain attributes and other bonuses. Our Wood Runic crafting system has been enhanced as well.
Is a Crafter an Important Character to Have? The crafter isn't isolated to a safe haven to craft simple tools, he is unique, versatile, and vastly important in creating advanced crafted armor sets and weapons. He has three new custom crafting menus full of advanced items. He also builds and commands his own golem pet (who can level up to gain in whichever types of things the player wants).
Is their Bulk Order Deeds? Yes, BOD’s are in.
Do You Have Unique Ores? We have very unique ores, woods, and leathers. Each type has different attributes to craft with. Our ores, in addition to the regular UO ores, are as follows: Asterite, Obsidian, Argentum, Orichalcum, Mithril. The woods in addition to the regular UO woods are as follows: Bamboo, Rowan, Ebonwood, Duskwood, Fellwood.
Deco
Do you Have Deco on this Shard? Yes, we have a huge variety of deco. Seasonal deco that will become collectors items, as it will never be available again after the season it’s released. Deco will be available for purchase at the deco mall.