2010

Gears of Klak’Anon PvP #EQ2

stargrace November 17, 2010 1Comment

Here’s the problem with adding pvp to a game that’s (mostly) centered around pve. No matter how hard you try, you’re going to create some unbalance. Yesterday I took my 39 and set out to complete a number of battlegrounds. I always queue for the first one available, and I was eager to earn enough tokens to purchase a new piece of gear or two. After running a handful of zones I decided that I work far better trying to AVOID the onslaught of opposing players then I do being smack dab in the middle of the action. I decided to betray the 39 assassin to a ranger. By that time I had already purchased the pvp dagger and was regretting not picking the bow – but in the end that worked out alright.

See, when you’re trying to AVOID the opposite team, distance is everything. Keeping them away from you, in other words. I picked up Longarm which happens to be a level 39 bow that drops in DFC (legendary) from the final named. The range on this bow (unlike any other bow of its level) is 50 meters. Add the ranger aa that grants you another 15m, and you’re able to pick off players from an astounding distance away.

My foes? Those scouts who fight in close proximity (you know who I’m talking about, assassins), enchanters (breaking my own mez is difficult to do if I’m not getting hit) and those fighters who like to come up behind me and kick me off of whatever platform I happen to be standing on.

The down side? There are a billion and 11 rangers currently in battlegrounds at any one time. I had one group for Gears of Klak’anon that was composed of four rangers a bard and a summoner. Yes, I’m just another one of those flavour of the month characters but it’s quite fun. I’m not sure why but things are MUCH easier to hit with the ranger then they are with my necromancer. I have a 39 necromancer who has far more aa, better gear, and better spells (fully mastered) where as the ranger was missing a few slots (charms, and an earring) and is still sporting three expert spells. On the necromancer all I’d get is resist after resist, on the ranger I can actually see myself, you know, HITTING the players.

Gears is my least favorite battleground. It’s 6 vs. 6 in a very small room with a gear in the center on the floor that can be collected, and ramps over head, as well as some crates and lifts for players to duck behind and jump on to. The object of the game is to maintain possession of the gear, the longer you hold it the more points you earn. First team to 700 points wins. It’s a popular BG because it’s quick, and whether you win or lose you’ll go home earning yourself at least 1 token.

Some easy tips for when you’re getting started:

– Know your role. Groups that just randomly knock down whatever is in their way have a much harder time winning then the group that goes in knowing what their job is. Healers are to protect whomever has the gear and keep themselves alive (I always feel bad for healers, they’re the first targets in a well played BG). If you’re a tank, taunt, taunt, taunt and don’t ever stop taunting. That guy who is targeting your healer? Taunt him to attack you. That ranger in the rafters picking off your players? Taunt them. If you’re a ranged player try to do just that, stay out of sight and keep ranged. Pick off the healer first, and then go for the rest of the team. I always enjoy distracting the opposite team, if a member is concentrating on killing you it means that they’re not killing your healer, or whomever has the gear. The more people chasing you around in circles, the better.

– Don’t be afraid to open voice chat in group and plan out your next move. Don’t be afraid to talk in group! Unless you’re entering with a pre-made group chances are you’ve never seen these players before and communication is always key.

– Don’t be afraid to lose. Some times it doesn’t matter how good of a player you are, your team gets pitted against the uber of the uber and no amount of good game play can over come that. Just keep trying to get as many kills as you can and hope for a lucky break.

– Show up prepared! Just like you would for any raid, the better geared and prepared you are, the better your chances are at surviving. This means potions, proper gear, spells, etc.

Have fun! One of the more interesting aspects of BG play is that the person who you just spent 10 minutes killing over and over again (or who may have been targeting you, over and over again) may end up being on your team next round. It’s great to see that there are no hard feelings (that I have seen at least) and people are really “all for the team” when it comes to playing. I’m not sure if the level 90 battlegrounds give off the same feeling, but so far it’s been pretty fun.

Happy gaming, no matter where you find yourself!

Less QQ More PewPew #EQ2

stargrace November 15, 2010 3Comments

With my interest renewed in EQ2 I decided I would spend a little more time checking out battlegrounds. There are still only three available to me, a 6 vs. 6, 12 vs. 12 and 24 vs. 24. My favorite so far is the 6 vs. 6 as a healer, the 12 vs. 12 as a necromancer. I personally see a few flaws in the system that make it a little less than enjoyable – but they’re not exactly major. I find myself wishing that there was some sort of gear rating system and that it would organize battles based on this. My reasoning? If you’re new to battlegrounds or on a non-pvp server and come up against those who have been completely geared out in toughness (the pvp stat) gear, you’re going to have an amazingly difficult time landing anything on them or taking them down. The battlegrounds have very little to do with character skill and everything to do with gear and spell/combat art strengths. Hopefully you’re teamed up with others who are sporting some of this gear so that you’re not immediately obliterated but this certainly won’t happen every fight.

I also find that healers are at a slight advantage because they work off of wisdom as their main stat. Why is this an advantage? Because wisdom is also the stat that boosts resists, making it harder to get hit with things. My defiler did amazingly well in battlegrounds, and I partook in enough of them yesterday to purchase a new fabled forearm that was a huge upgrade over my regular gear. While there is one component that only works during PvP (3% potency) the main focus (overloaded heals) works during regular spell casting. As a non-raider this gear is fantastic, and I’m looking forward to obtaining more of it.

Another interesting tid bit – I had an easier time getting into battlegrounds on my level 39 necromancer then my 90 defiler. I had quite a wait for the end game BG’s to become available, where as there was no wait at all for the necromancer. Since both characters obtain the same rewards I thought perhaps it would be more fun to play through on my lower level character and then just pass the tokens to my main. Turns out the opposite was true because my necromancer was getting smushed into the ground pretty bad, but I did have a good time.

Despite the fact that I don’t enjoy hack and slash as a constant in any game – I DO enjoy PvP a great deal. After yesterdays endeavors I’m thinking about making a character on Nagafen (EQ2’s PvP server) just to try it out. I do have that one open character slot looking at me longingly.

Oh yes. The screen shot above. It was an effect from a cloak I had claimed and it said it would cover me in dark energy. Obviously, this energy is located at the bottom of some vast sea because I came out looking like a barnacle covered defiler. The little tendrils even  sway and move in some imaginary breeze.

Happy gaming, no matter where you find yourself!

From Mystic to Defiler #EQ2

stargrace November 14, 2010 1Comment

I remember exactly when I decided to betray my (back then) defiler to a mystic (lets not count the fact that this character was already a mystic way back when at creation. I don’t remember the first time I betrayed, or why). It was when epic weapons came out, and I was reading the requirements for mystic vs. defiler. I decided right then and there that I had no interest in doing the defiler epic weapon quest, and I betrayed to mystic. That was quite some time ago so of course me being who I am it only made sense to betray BACK to defiler!

That’s what happens in the fall when I’m looking for something to draw me back to any MMO. I look for something ‘new’ to do (even if it’s not really new) something that can entice me to play and convince me to keep at it. When I betray in EQ2 my class becomes ‘fresh’ again if that makes sense. My mystic was fully mastered, and with the new changes to the betrayal system I’m not too concerned about that. If I chose to go BACK to mystic, my master spells will all be there waiting for me. Of course I haven’t tested this change yet, but that’s ok I’m sure I will sooner or later.

It took me about an hour and a half to work faction in Darklight Woods enough for Neriak to trust me and not want to lop off my head if I zoned in. Then it was just a matter of leading a zombie to the commonlands, kidnapping a child, and killing some vagabonds and courtesans to prove that I am really evil when it comes right down to it. Since I already had my mystic mythical it was as simple as me heading to Nektulos forest and spending a few plat in order to purchase my defiler epic weapon and spells. I use it for appearance only since I’ve gotten better weapons since then.

A guild mate (thank you Youbestopped!) created my 29 spells at expert level after I shelled out approx 200 plat on rares and ta da, I’m all set to go as a defiler. Oh, and a thank you to Pennie who crafted me three pieces of gear to replace the mystic only items I was sporting. They were level 80 and probably needed to be replaced anyhow.

Yesterday was the first day I’ve really gotten ‘back’ into EQ2 for quite some time, and it felt good. I ended up purchasing 40 mounts and obtained the ‘beastmaster’ title that comes with the achievement, as well as completing 1,000 quests and 200 collection quests for their respective achievements. I’d say that this almost feels like my main, but I know that would only jinx me. Woops, too late.

Happy gaming, no matter where you find yourself!

6 Years and Counting #EQ2

stargrace November 13, 2010 3Comments

Five days after EQ2 celebrated it’s 6th birthday, I was looking inside my very own Mistmoore Estate which happens to be the 7 year veteran reward. For those who are wondering how that math works out, for earlier expansions EQ2 used to give away 90 days of account age but they’ve since stopped. Even though I had just moved my Norrathian museum from the Freeport Mage tower to Halas – I decided that the elaborate arch ways were too much to pass up, and if any of my character houses were going to be in a grand estate, it would have to be the museum. I packed up all 400+ player written books along with the rest of my worldly possessions and set off to move yet again.

While the house itself is quite amazing there are a few design flaws. Number one, it’s literally bigger then the tier 2 guild halls that you’ll find in home cities. The ceilings are so incredibly high that this will most certainly pose some issues for me as I decorate. I’m pretty sure I’ll be lowering the ceiling on some rooms via floor tiles – aside from the main entrance where the cathedral like arches work quite well. When EQ2 housing was given a brief revamp and homes received an extra 100 item count – the 7 year veteran reward was not included in that list. 600 items is the max you can place by default. Granted, you CAN purchase the player-crafted expander which allows you 100 more items and there IS the item from the station marketplace that expands the item count by another 200 items (and this stacks with the player-crafted) bringing you up to a whopping 900 items but for a home that is gigantic by any standard this is still not quite enough.

Still, a free home (and rent free at that) is a free home, and I’m quite pleased with it. There are people who are unsatisfied with this veteran reward as it offered nothing to those dedicated gamers who do NOT enjoy the player housing aspect of EQ2, and I can understand their position. Personally I tend to take the rout of ‘we should be thankful we got anything at all’ and I won’t turn my nose up at it.

The decorating process thus far has been quite slow. I’ve got the main entrance almost completed as well as the starts of my library if for no other reason then unloading those 400 books. What a pain to place, let me tell you. Once I get a little more completed I’ll post more screen shots and a video – so until then, happy gaming. No matter where you find yourself!