With yesterdays changes to the ‘looking for dungeon’ tool (upon completion players will now receive a chest with blue gear for their level inside) it was much easier to get into a dungeon. There are still a few things about the tool that I’m uncertain about – for example, some how I landed in Runic Descent with a level 50 in my group, even though they can’t queue for this dungeon (it ends at level 47 for queues). I wasn’t about to complain as having level 50 dps is always nice, but it was still odd. I did a few dungeons last night as the healer and it was actually a lot of fun so long as I ignored most of the group chat. I swear, I’ve never seen so many players want to wave their own e-peens around at one time. It’s a wonder they didn’t knock each other over. One player spent the entire dungeon bragging to the tank about his awesome alts gear, and then said that he had won “that exact shield” in a previous run – and then the tank received the server first message upon looting it. Woops. Foul Cascade and Runic Descent were two of the dungeons I ran, although Foul Cascade was well below my level and didn’t reward me with any experience, I did still get the blue chest at the end of the run.
I also went incredibly broke once I hit level 40 – I picked up my new 90% run speed mount. I love this mount so much. I doubt I’ll save up enough by level 50 to afford the final mount, but eventually I should be able to. I would have had a lot more money had it not been for the fact that I spent most of it on crafting recipes the day before. Crafting is an expensive prospect.
Now I’m on the last 10 levels to 50, and questing in Iron Peak. Last night I participated in a massive invasion that was going on – where giant swarms of mobs wiped out all of my quest hubs and most of the mobs I needed. Annoying. The most difficult part was that this zone is occupied by both Guardian and Defiant, so I spent half of my fights trying to heal whomever was beside me only to realize it was an unflagged Guardian that I couldn’t affect. I wish non-flagged Guardians had their names show up as a different colour then blue, so that I didn’t think they were on my team. In any case I received an ancient shard for participating, and then groaned when I realized just how many of those I’ll need in order to purchase anything from the rare planar goods merchant. I’m sure I’ll get there eventually. I absolutely love the look of this zone. The windswept snow covered areas are a nice change to the calm rolling hills and forest that I have spent most of my later 30’s surrounded by. I’ve been averaging two levels a day, but I imagine that will slow down now that I’ve hit the 40’s. I’m also really looking forward to finally being able to participate in some guild activities. Everyone has been at 50 for a little while now, and I want to play too. In the mean time, I’m deciding which alt to work up next. Tank maybe? We’ll see!
Happy gaming, no matter where you find yourself.
For future alts (I have a feeling you will have some), you can purchase a 90% mount for 13,000 favor (honor) from the general favor vendor in Meridian and Sanctum. 13,000 favor is really not a lot if you just regularly do some pvp while leveling up and it’s a lot easier to get than 35 plat.
There’s one particular zone event in Shimmering Sands that can get you up to 8-10 blue ancient shards for participating and 1 purple as well. The actual event is won rather quickly but lots of elite mobs remain and if you get into a raid that wants to kill the mobs instead of disbanding as soon as the event is one (mobs will despawn eventually), practically each of those elite mobs will award a blue ancient shard.
The only caveat I would say to getting a blue shard is based on how Trion rewards rift participation these days and your level. Rift participation rewards are still confusing as you often read and hear how participation doesn’t add up. I myself recently have shown up very late to an invasion and gotten darn good stuff for pew pewing a couple seconds and have also been at some from the beginning when I’ve gotten junk. I think it also depends on how much of the opposing faction is there and if they’ve tagged a mob or not.
I totally agree that crafting is expensive to work up, but it still seems a nicer/easier way to do it than trying to cobble together gear from quests or actually find a full set of crafted gear on the AH. I have a 50 cleric and 3 other toons all at 29 and I’m still pretty much broke on all my toons.
Fortunately, I’m pretty well crafted up to max now, so I don’t really have anything to spend money on anymore, so I’m sure that will start to build up. . . Assuming I actually play any of those toons again. My friends on Faeblight went Guardian so I’m starting over again to play with them.
I love the look of IPP also, but the howling wind eventually annoyed me enough that I turned the sound off until I got out of the zone.
Sounds like you’re having tons of fun! Thanks for the entertaining read. :)