Gaming

No warning, but ah the possibilities

stargrace April 24, 2007 1Comment

A break down of my defiler’s ap’s thus far

Things are going to be shaking up in EQII very soon (from the 25th and onwards) and I have to say I am very excited about the changes. Not only is there a new update going in with some very good changes that I am looking forward to, but as of the 30th, the PvP servers are merging (which may be an indication of lower populations, but lets just leave that topic for now) and also free PvE server transfers, and not only free server transfers but free account transfers. This means, well first of all, that I just spent money moving my characters to the new account when I could have held off had I known about this, but anyhow. It means that I can move around some more characters between accounts if I want. Why would I want to do this? Well, I wanted an order to my two accounts. I had two set ups so to speak. Either have all my healers on one account and all my dps / utility on another (Tank? What’s that again?) or the method that I was aiming for (which I’m unsure of) is to have at least one of each arch type on the accounts. So that would mean a healer / dps / utility on one account, and the same on the other.

The way my accounts are set up now is Account #1: Templar, Fury, Conjuror, Swashbuckler, Coercer. Account #2: Illusionist, Dirge, Defiler, Assassin, Berserker.

I’d like to move my Defiler over with the templar and fury. Mainly because I really like playing my illusionist, and the dps classes on the first account are not very high level. Where as the templar fury and illusionist are 70, the conjuror, dirge, defiler, and assassin are 50’s. I wanted to move the templar back over to the second account, so that there was a healer there, move the dirge to the first account so there was power regen there that I could play with the templar if I wanted. . . . Or is that all just confusing and makes no sense? Argh decisions decisions.

So I was having a set of cobalt armor made for my defiler today, being annoyed at the level 20 gear she’s been sporting for quite some time now. There were no messages about servers coming down — though later I did find this small post saying the servers would be coming down for two hours it sure would have been nice to have had some in game warnings. I just hope my cobalt pieces are all alright and my crafter wasn’t mid-combine. Hopefully I’ll see the results of that later today. I also went out and bought a handful of pearls so that I could make some mastercrafted jewelry for her. The level 20 stuff really was putting a damper on things. I splurged and bought a cobalt spear as well, they’re dang expensive at 1p50g. I dropped about 15p total for various things from 7 pieces of cobalt + crafters tip (they were a friend of mine, so I actually paid them 2p to make the armor for me) also bought 8 rough pearls (which are going for 70g-1p each on Lucan) and also bought that spear. Thankfully the buckler I can make myself with my woodworker, so that saved me a little bit at least. I’m going to work on making some adornments next, get some stamina so that my soul ward goes off for more, and some + to heals which is always fun.

I’m still looking for new places to level, the clefs are nice but I’m going to get bored there fast. I’m thinking I should work the Godking chain of quests for something to do, but I’m dreading it, and my chances of ever finding a Godking raid are probably slim to none. I know at the later 50’s I can start working on Cyclops, but until then every percent seems to drag.

The mines of Meldrath

stargrace April 23, 2007 3Comments

Misako and Silverstep battling their way through the mines

The defiler hit level 52, and 42 aa points. At this rate she’s going to pass my 70 templar in points very soon (templar is sitting at 55 I think). If I haven’t mentioned it yet (and I have, a few times) I really really dislike the level grind from 50-59. I’m not sure why, it just seems to take forever. They are the levels that I’ll end up using my experience potions for and try to get some collection quests done for experience. Discovery as well I try to hit as much as possible in the 50’s just because I absolutely hate it. I wish I knew why it felt slower. I’m sure it’s not in truth. I spent the morning with a friend in Clefs of Rujark which will probably be my home for a little bit to come. The defiler is still wearing level 20 gear. Something I wanted to fix at level 52. I have noticed that gear is very expensive though so I’m contemplating waiting until she can quest for some gear, or get some from drops. I’m not sure. I have 6 cobalt sitting in my bank, and I could have armor made from it but then there’s the fee for person making it and then actually having to FIND someone who can make it which is typically a bigger challenge.

I also wanted to start the peacock line of quests. Without gear, there’s no point. Then I also have to make the rare spells and jewelery that the defiler would need, and I’ve been eyeballing some new adornments as well. All in all working up another level 70 is an expensive prospect. At least on Lucan, not sure if every server is the same thing.

Woopsie… I must have taken a wrong turn

stargrace April 22, 2007 0Comment

While wandering through Maj’Dul for discovery experience, Misako ran smack into this gorgeous creature, Siyamak – level 65×4

I had no idea what I felt like doing last night, but knew plenty of things that I didn’t feel like doing. A lot of my friends online were doing their weekend raid thing (sighs, still going through my raid withdrawl!) and I found myself with a few hours to fill and nothing to fill it with. Eyeballing my defiler, who was 4% into her level with very little vitality left, I decided I would try to run around the DoF zones and see if I could not get enough discovery from places to ding. I didn’t actually think I’d manage a full level worth of discovery to hit level 50, but I was wrong.

I grabbed some invis totems (curtsey of my woodworker) and headed to sinking sands. She’d never even step foot into any of the DoF content before, having spent the past week grinding her contently in Obelisk of Lost Souls (which she still has some book quests for to complete some time). Thankfully, almost nothing saw through her invis. It was a bit of a slow run, since you get no movement enchantments as you’re running around stealthed, but it was a lot of fun none the less. Doing that one zone netted her to 37% through her level and I’d yet to touch a mob. I headed to clefs of rujark, a favorite zone of mine for the lower 50’s (until it was swarmed by bots, go figure) and netted a little more. Headed to living tombs, and noticed I was approaching 70% experience. I’d also gotten myself two ap’s from all of the discovery, sitting myself at 41 which I just find amusing. My first character in the game (Dasie, my templar) only has 55 ap, and she’s done so much more then Misako who’s barely even lifted a finger to quest in her short life. After Living Tombs I headed to Maj’Dul and then to finish off the level in Pillars of Flame, part way through my discovery adventure hit 50.

Now the real fun starts. I absolutely hate the grind from 50-59. It seems to take forever, the slowest of all the tiers and I’m not even really sure why. Does anyone else seem to have this issue?

As I was making my way through Maj’Dul, I came across the pretty in the screen shot above, Siyamak. They’re used in the quest “Capturing Night and Day” (that one being the silver dragon of course) and are spawned in the area with the beggars by using a silver dragon scale that you can get as a very rare drop from the Keeper in Poets Palace. There’s also a gold version of this beauty (also used in the quest) they’re epicx4’s and level 65. It’s so rare to see anyone doing the chain of quests these days though. No one happened to be around when I walked right into this beat, so I assume someone spawned them and then either decided they couldn’t handle it alone, or a raid may have come in and wiped or something. Either way, it was a very pretty screen shot to take, and I’m glad my defiler hit level 50. I figure I’ll get her two more levels, sitting her at 52, and then upgrade her gear. Since I’ve been playing her with a level 70 mentored… she has level 20 gear. Thankfully I don’t typically group up with her, she’s just used for heals and debuffs. I’d be embarrassed trying to keep a group up with the gear she has on currently.

I swear it was like that when I got here..

stargrace April 21, 2007 0Comment

Stargrace took a visit to Silverstep’s house.. and found her plant.. dead..?

I suppose in the world of Norrath it doesn’t differ much from real life – I can’t seem to keep houes plants alive. I’m not convinced this one is quite dead yet though. I zoned in and noticed it laying like this on the floor. Right clicking the poor thing brought up no options at all (since I am not owner of the home) and I just hoped Silverstep didnt’ stop by and notice what had happened to her beloved plant. Though I hear she keeps it pretty well fed with water and compost so who knows.

Wiggled my way into an Unrest group today, it went alright. I’m not sure if I’m picky about my tanks or what, but I can’t seem to find many that I’d trust on an instance run like that. This group was no different. I’m fairly well geared as my illusionist, and I am DPS spec’d currently. I can really pump it out. I ganked (and died) more then anyone else in the group, which encompassed a Zerker, Swashy, Necro, myself, a Warden, and an assassin. We only wiped once. Or maybe it was twice.. yeah it was twice. By the time we were done the zone I was down to 50% gear. AoE’s = bad. not the blue ones and deaths due to adds, no, just my regular aoe spells seemed to be too much fire power vs. the group encounters. I typically use them for their stunning capabilities, means the tank is taking a few less hits if I’ve got them stunned.

It was a fun run none the less, though it’s a shame that the illusionist / coercer robe dropped – since I’ve had mine for quite some time now, and no one else could use it. It went to someone for vendor trash. The paladin / shadowknight hat dropped, and someone moved their alt into the zone to claim it (an issue that should be fixed as of the next live update, since the content of your group should determine the sort of loot that drops. That’s going to be interesting).

Tonight I’m feeling slightly nostalgic and left behind, as a majority of my friends are off raiding while I.. tinker. Not that I mind crafting, but since the last raid guild I was with decided to not let me join (and I decided to no longer raid with them, after all what use is it to be good enough to raid but not good enough to join the guild) I’ve not raided hardly at all and I’m missing it, a lot. Hopefully things change though when the remainder of my guild mates (and myself included) move to Kithicor and join a new home there. We’re all excited about it and hope it goes well.

The Obelisk, my new best friend (now bot-free!)

stargrace April 20, 2007 3Comments

Sure, they’ve removed that access quest that was needed, but quests are still fun.. right?

Quite a few updates ago, the access quest to the first floor of the Obelisk of Lost Souls was removed – by means of the Feerrott portal. However, if you die, you get stuck outside of the tower, and you’ll still be locked out. So it’s not *really* removed. I decided since the zone has been relatively bot-free in the early hours when I’m wandering around, it would be beneficial to finish off those access quests. I’d already finished the one that allows you to wander the bottom floor (which is still a tad bit above my defiler’s level so I’ve been holding off on that floor) and started on the outter access first thing. It helps that I have four book quests that also use some of the mobs outside in order to complete it (yawns.. 30 nightblood sentries are annoying to kill, but at least they’re gren!) and it’s been going fairly well. I’m still waiting on Soul Harvester Kul, as pictured above. Four clearings of his place holders and no sign of him yet.

Things have changed a lot since the first time I attempted this quest with my templar, almost a year and a half ago. I remember spending the entire day just working on the outter access quest. It was a huge deal because you needed into the place for “To Speak as a Dragon”, which was used in prismatic 1.0 and “the in thing” to be working on. I was exceptionally proud when I finally completed access on her with my good friends Albrta and Eyenstein.

So where am I headed to once I’ve completed my OoLS access quests? I’m not quite sure yet. I’m very eager to get the defiler to T6 and level 50+ although those are my most dreaded levels. They always seem to take forever, no matter if I am a crafter or an adventurer. I’m thinking of working some court faction though, and completing DoF quests like Godking and other things I have not touched in quite some time. It should be fun none the less and I’m actually looking forward to it. I am not grinding away needlessly, nor am I in such a rush that I can’t enjoy things. Also looking forward to posting more house screen shots, of my own home this time. Maybe I can pick up a few odd jobs decorating!