Oxford Guide


 * Table of Contents ***

1) Why Oxford? 2) Requirements 3) Enrollment 4) Earn Pages 5) Reporting 6) Rewards 7) Oxford Skills 8) What to do Next 9) Skills to Look For 10) Frequently Asked Questions 11) Scholar Locations 12) Recommended Looping 13) External Link 14) Step-by-step Start 15) Which Came First?

*** Notes: ***

1) Why Oxford? : The Inkling

Oxford skills offer cumulative bonuses to skills, proficiency gain, probabilities, and attack/defense. Some examples include up to +20% ship speed, +3 to type4 (gem/spice) trade, +25% to Search/Unlock/Eco/Recognition proficiency, Improved Great Success in item production, +25% attack/+25% defense in land battle, and improved cargo seize %. Others allow job changes anywhere with a barmaid, hiding of completed quests, and earning 20% more Roman Coins or Patriot Awards! Completing an Oxford thesis also earns Fleet points based on fame if you are in your country’s Navy (which also gives Court Rank).

See relevant Guides as to why these things may be important to players. See Section 13 at the end for a list of oxford theses (yes, the plural of “thesis” is “theses”). Also, for a click by click script for a new player, please read through to the very end…

Goals (more on the details later): 100 Thesis completed (earning a Title “Professor of Voyages” and free items to mark it (Give bonuses to Alchemy, Navigation, Management, Arms) 5/5 College Skills active 50,000 lifetime Oxford points (effectively 40,000 if you have Scholarship Orientation equipped).

*** Starting ***

2) Requirements : The Measuring

Requirements to start Oxford and take on Thesis: – Port permits to England – Minimum Levels: 5/5/5 – English is not absolutely required, as Body Language will work but has higher level requirements than Oxford (8/10/0). English may be learned nearby in Amsterdam and Seville.

3) Enrollment : The Signing

To Enroll: – Take the Carriage in the North-East of London to enter Oxford. – Inside Oxford, enter the college in the center of town (should be next to the arrival point). Talk to the Professor inside. – Event cut-scenes will proceed, and an in-game briefing will begin. – This will start the player with 0 thesis completed, 0/1 College skills, 0 events, 0 current thesis points, 0 lifetime thesis points.

First, start with the Scholarship Orientation thesis. Start with the 1* building, choose Scholarship Orientation, and Finish. If you wish to cancel before it is complete, or to view its status, select Journal, ResearchInfo. While in this room, try canceling one to see what it looks like. Talk to the Professor again to select the same again (in our case). You will see the different tasks you can perform to earn Pages (click Details for more details). You may do one, multiple, or all of the tasks listed separately or simultaneously to earn Pages. Once the Pages count is full, it is automatically flagged “Complete!”.

“Used Credits” = How many Credits it will cost to activate (Does not affect lifetime credits). “Credits Acquisition” = How many credits you earn each time you complete it.

4) Earn Pages : The Explaining

For example, the Scholarship Orientation you may: “Profitable Trade”: Sell goods for 100 000D profit (50 pages). (Note: Profit, not sale value) “Normal Voyaging”: Sail normally (Calculated once you dock) (10 pages each). (London->Dover is worth 10 pages). “Bombardment”: Sink ships (50 pages each) (such as 9 barcas — during which you will sail enough for 50 pages!).

So for the first example, try and complete the thesis nearby accumulating 500 pages in all (such as my suggested 9 barcas outside London which should take about 7 minutes, and dock, acquiring the last pages using the Voyaging part. See the walk-through at the end). Once it says Complete!, there should be a notice in your log. There will be no change to your statistics yet.

*** Reporting ***

5) Reporting : The Clickening

At this point, you may report its completion at ANY* Scholar and pick another from your list! This is important enough to state twice: At this point, you may report its completion at ANY* Scholar and pick another from your list!

Click on the Scholar and the thesis will report instantly before you get to the Scholar’s menu. Choose another or the same thesis. Recall: Oxford theses are not like quests, but more like repeatable Challenge Missions. They can (and will often be) repeated back to back. Until you get to 100 submissions, every 3-5 reported you will be summoned back to Oxford for an Event. The Events will not progress until you return to Oxford. When you talk to a Scholar or the Professor after Completing the thesis, you will receive rewards of exp, fame, and oxford points.

* Any but the Scholar at company colony. Those will only REPORT them, not get another. Some company colonies have a special oxford outpost which give +20% to all rewards and permit taking a new thesis from your list.

6) Rewards : The Accumulating

Firstly, there are several things that will be proceeding at the same time – Each thesis completed will accrue several things: – +1 thesis completed. This will also advance toward the next Event (more later). – Earn current Thesis points – Earn lifetime Thesis points.

You can see your current total thesis completed in the Research Info page. You can see your current Thesis points in the Skills page. You cannot see your lifetime points, but they do progress.

For these reasons, I urge you to always, always, always, have some thesis in the works, and if you’re not working on a hard one to unlock it, have on a thesis that completes while you sail. It is free experience, fame, oxford points, and Fleet points.

7) Oxford Skills : The Readying

Recall the goals listed at the top.

I strongly recommend after completing the first theses I listed “Scholarship Recognition”, immediately, enter Information, Skills, College, Skill Settings, then move Scholarship Recognition to the right, to become the 1/1 active skill. Click OK. Do NOT remove this until you get to /5 skills. This thesis will boost oxford points income by 20%, saving 10,000 oxford points getting you to 5/5!!!

After the first is equipped, you may perform any or none of the other thesis.

At this point a new player will have 1 thesis completed, 1/1 College skills, 0 events, 100 current thesis points, 200 lifetime thesis points.

*** Later development ***

8) What to do Next : The Developing

Every 12 or so theses reported (about every four Events), you will unlock new buildings (2*, 3*, 4*), which come pre-populated, but newer players may not see many skill-based thesis yet. Even once you have reached 100 completed theses** and are no longer called to Oxford, be certain to revisit the Professor, click Research and he can offer more thesis based on your true*** skill levels. Possessing skills at rank 2, 7, and 11 are often key unlocking points.

** Assuming returning to the Professor immediately *** Oxford looks at the real value, not what your current job prefers.

9) Skills to Look For : The Revealing

Notable Oxford Skills (of the almost 100 available): Teaching – Change jobs at ANY barmaid using a job card. Ship speed 2,3,4  – +3%+5%+10% = +18% ship speed! (cumulative with Mercator Mapping) (unlocked by Sail Handling or Navigation) Research Knowledge 1,2 – +10%, +15% = +25% proficiency for Search, Unlock, Eco, Recognition. (unlocked by one of those skills at r7, r11) Research Aid 1,2 – +1, +2 = +3 rank on above skills (same requirements as above). Melee Tactics 1,2 — +10%, +20%= +30% attack and defense in ship melee battles (melee skills 2,7). Great Success 2,3,4 – Improve great success in production (cumulative with Workshop, etc) (one production skill at 2,7,11 – even Storage!) Field Activity 1,2 – Greatly improve harvest of Collection, Fishing, Procurement (cumulative with aide on Lookout). Note that the Experience and Proficiency earned for these skills is based on the amount of good harvested! (Requires one of those skills at 2,7)

10) Frequently Asked Questions : The Warning

Principles to keep in mind: – Skills are cumulative — You can enable Gunnery2 and Gunnery3 and the bonuses add. – If you can, report in the job that matches the thesis type to maximize rewards! (e.g., a thesis may give 1000 adventure experience in an adventure job, but only 500 adventure experience in a battle job) – When you grind, try to grind near a Scholar. – When not grinding, put on a thesis that completes by sailing (such as Scholarship Orientation or Shipwreck 2*). – Sailing components of pages aren’t calculated until you dock at a town and get experience (landing areas don’t stop the counter). – You can revisit the Professor at any time, even if you have a Thesis in the works, and he may grant you new theses for your list if your skill levels have changed. – The skill levels required to unlock are your *base* levels only. e.g., To unlock a skill that requires “7,” you must have 7; 5+2 will not suffice (this is the same as learning skills from NPC nobles). – To say this again: You can report your efforts and start more research at ANY* Scholar.

*** References ***

11) Scholar Locations : The Branching

While there are 12 freely accessible European Scholars, here is a list of non-European Scholars: Caribbean colonies: (Cayenne, Caracas, Willemstad, Grand Cayman, Trujillo, Pernambuco). Pernambuco is at the eastern tip of South America and will be the last Scholar for a sail south-east or south-west! Calicut — The only Scholar between Pernambuco and Asia! Lima/San Francisco — The only Scholars between Asia and Pernambuco — the long way. Ambon / Ternate — Close and holding the same books. Generally this area will be avoided due to pirates. Hangzhou, Anping, Hanyang, Sakai — East Asia. Company Colonies — by invitation only. (May only be able to report, depending on the colony) St.Petersburg — This city receives a special mention as until you unlock this city there is no Scholar East of Amsterdam. See a Grans Atlas guide about entry.

12) Recommended Looping : The Favouring

Favourite thesis: 1* – Scholarship orientation. A good basic thesis. Once at 12 submissions completed, replace with either below) (100 EACH exp, 100 oxford) 2* – Artillery (2*) — easily completes with * NINE BARCAS * outside London. (Requires 12 submissions, Gunnery r3) (400 maritime experience, 450 oxford). 2* – Shipwreck  — completes with just sailing, Lima<>cayenne = 100% (12 submissions plus Salvage or Haul at 2). (1000 adventure exp, 100 other experience, 800 oxford) 3* – Land battle — Great for dungeon running (30 submissions, one land battle skill at 7) . (500 maritime experience, 150 adventure experience, 1400 oxford) 4* – Production — Great success of r15 is 20 pages (60 submissions, production skill at 11)– great for oil paintings and Legendary Craftsman Tools (1500 trade exp, 3500 oxford).

13) External Link : The Linking

A list of oxford theses:

http://uwodbmirror.ivyro.net/eg/main.php?id=85000045&chp=5

Submitted for Guide Fair 2

http://nforum.ogplanet.com/uwo/forum_posts.asp?TID=641224

*** First time player step through to get started ***

14) Step-by-step Start : The Tip-toeing (Signup) Qualify under “Starting”, above. Enter London Click on the Map Click on the Carriage; your avatar runs to the Carriage Click on the Charioteer Click Take the Carriage to Oxford Enter the building ahead Talk to the Professor at the end of the hall Click through Events when prompted (answers don’t matter) Click the Professor Click Research Choose 1*, Next Choose Scholarship Orientation, Next Finish

(Do it the first time quickly and locally)**** Exit the building Talk to the Charioteer; take the Carriage to London (If you don’t have cannons on your ship, click on the map, run to the shipyard, talk to the weapon seller and “Buy&Equip” Falcons to fit on your ship) Click on the map, enter the Docks (click Supplies; make sure you have about 20-25 Munitions, 20 lumber) Set sail. Attack and sink nine unflagged barcas (the tiniest ships between London and Dover). As you do this you will be appraised the thesis is progressing. You can also see the curent total at Journal,ResearchInfo, Results tab. This step should take about seven or eight minutes. Once Nine are sunk, return to London Docks — a message should pop up “thesis complete!” (the sailing part is not calculated until you dock.) Enter through Square port.

(Report it for the first time and make the skill active) At this point enter the Archives and talk to the Scholar. The thesis will auto-report. Choose the scholar’s Research option. (This menu appears identical to the above with the Professor) Choose 1*, Next Choose Scholarship Orientation, Next Finish Go to Character,Skills, College tab, Skill Settings. Move Scholarship Recognition to the right OK Back Now as you sail this thesis will be accumulating. Whenever it fills, you can stop at the nearest Scholar to renew it in the same way. You do NOT have to keep sinking barcas. If you plan to do sink barcas, I suggest you take a battle job to gain proficiency at Gunnery, Evasion, Repair. At 12 submissions, move on to the 2* Artillery thesis…

**** This section could be replaced by selling valuable cargo or sailing really far, but would likely require help from an experienced player or take a lot longer than seven minutes.

15) Which Came First? : The Cluckening

Merchant’s Way Another option to grind is to keep taking the 1* “Basic Production Tech. 1” thesis and turn Chickens into Eggs using r1 Cooking, then turn Eggs into Chickens using r2 Storage. This requires the Cooking and Storage skills as well as the “Livestock Secrets – Poultry” Cooking book (Calvi/Ragusa) and the “Traveller’s Food Procuring” Storage book (invest 200k+ in Benghazi). Starter Eggs and Chickens can both be purchased in Helder (next to Amsterdam). Each thesis will take 2 minutes but require 500 vigor. As these are low level recipes, the proficiency earned will fall off quickly, but with some preparation this could be a good way to get to unlock the 2* building with 12 theses reported. Once broader options are available, stick with those. The above thesis does not have many rewards; it would merely be a useful way to advance the Events.

Thank to spectre1701

Source: http://unchartedwaters.byethost31.com/2017/09/25/topic-oxford-guide/