Stargrace

Recruit-a-friend goodness

Yesterday the trio veered off of the path and did something different for the evening. While we would typically be headed to Obelisk, Vaults, and Najena – this time we hung out in Fallen Gate and Runnyeye. Ultann is partaking in the recruit-a-friend program and leveling up an inquisitor to play with the group. I decided that I would also sign up for a month and level up a fury + my paladin who benefits from the 200% bonus experience when they’re together.

Here was my thinking – you get a free month added to your account when your recruit purchases the game (up to RoK) for $15. They get all sorts of neat claim items, and you get a mount. I can use the 3rd account to level up my characters – and at the end of the month I can simply close the account. I am not out any money so much as I am purchasing next months subscription now. Does that make sense?

If I happen to grow attached to the fury (or whatever else I create on the account) I can pay the $50 for a character transfer later. Since the recruit-a-friend account does not come with TSO it does limit what I can do but the experience is amazing especially since it’s linked with an account that still has lower level characters on it. I created a fury last night and paired her up with my paladin who was level 38 by the time our trio decided to take a break in RE – the fury managed to ding level 31 in the remaining two hours that I played and the paladin also benefited from the experience, leveling to 41 while she was mentored.

It will be nice to have a second tank around for those days where Ultann simply wants to be DPS and it’s a lot of fun going back to the older zones that we haven’t been to in a while. Another reason why I wish that zones wouldn’t grey out to people.

We have hopes of attempting some level 50 raids with our make shift group, I have no idea if it will come to pass or not, but it’s been fun to talk about which instances we want to try to do. There’s the Trembling Lagoon and other raids in Ferrott, and then there’s also some talk of doing prismatic 1.0 for appearance slot weapons and I REALLY want to do the Godking weapons which people call prismatic 2.0 – and then there’s claymore which we’d still need an actual raid for. It may not be too bad though as pick up raids are frequent on Kithicor (so many people trying to out do one another). In any case, we’ll just have to see!

Today is FRIDAY and I hope everyone has an amazing time – oh! Don’t forget that Fan Faire registration has also started!

Station Marketplace to get new HOUSE items!

So far I’ve managed to stave off the lure of the station marketplace. There’s only a few items I glance at here and there and really wouldn’t mind owning. I was thinking of buying $20 worth just so I had a little coin – the cowboy hat comes to mind for my hair-less characters (since it looks great with fur but makes you bald other wise).

Then they rolled out the house item on the right hand side – and what’s more it comes in an 8 piece SET. Which looks absolutely amazing. You can check out the pieces over on SOE’s web site. Now, if ever there was something that would draw me to purchase station cash, house items are the way to go.

I’m torn! On one side I really want the house items, because – they’re house items! I love decorating! They look amazing! On the other hand I REALLY wish they were QUESTED items and not something that people can only own if they fork out a bunch of cash. I can see this becoming a VERY expensive hobby to get all of the items that may come out in the marketplace. Which of course is the point, and I understand that but dang. I dislike how all of the ‘best’ fluff items are now things we have to purchase and the items are not something that people can obtain through any other means. I get that it’s not essential to the game, but I still feel like there’s a lot of ‘double dipping’ going on having both a $15/m subscription and all of these items in the marketplace.

Betrayal, Instances, and Alts!

Yesterday was busy in EQ2, that satisfied busy you get when you’ve got so much to get done and your friends are right there helping you finish it all. Well, that’s what it felt like in any case. To start it off I betrayed my coercer to illusionist on Kithicor. I know, I already HAVE an 80 illusionist AND coercer on Najena. I’m obviously demented. My illusionist’ personal dps has gone down slightly (especially if you count the lack of charm) the group dps is way up with the new buffs. We’ll manage. It didn’t take long to betray and the illusionist is all settled into her new home in Qeynos, moved into a nice North Qeynos home that I’ll decorate some day I promise.

Ultann picked up a recruit a friend account for himself in order to level up an inquisitor on his laptop as we play. A backup healer is great plus they have some pretty nice buffs we can make use of. Since he has been leveling up this character (approx 36 levels in two days if that) I decided it would be a great time for me to level up my paladin at the same time. It gives him a break from playing the tank if he wants, and I (yes) already have a 71 paladin on Najena. What on earth am I going to do with all of these character doubles if servers ever do merge or I do get my wish of some free character transfers. Well, not sure.

Before we got going on the alts we decided to give instances another shot to see if anything useful would drop. Vault of Eternal Sleep refused to give up the praetor’s guard that we’re attempting to get for the illusionist. Obelisk of Ahkzul refused to give up the healer shield that I’ve spoken about pretty much every day for the last year it seems, and Najena’s Hollow Tower refused to drop the cloak Wpus is after that comes from the water boss. Our look struck as true as ever. If these things DID happen to drop I have no idea what we would do any more since it’s been our routine for quite some time. We make jokes about it, and try to guess exactly what is going to drop.

So now the paladin is sitting at level 31, after being level 18 yesterday. We headed to Fallen Gate and lay waste to everything that stood (and a few that didn’t). Sure, she’s got no gear and is sporting app1’s (and getting adept3’s at level 80 is going to be not so fun) but part of the battle is done.

On an interesting note – the 10% bonus experience that recruit a friend people get from the mount – is group wide. So my paladin was receiving the 10% bonus from Ultann’s mount, since he was riding it. She was also gaining 50% bonus due to being on my main account with other 80’s and 55% bonus from a potion – and double experience from vitality which I managed to replenish with the orb of concentrated memories that players received with the 5 year veteran reward.

Not bad.

Tonight will probably be an evening of ‘more of the same’ but we’ll just have to see!

Just Leveling Along

I’ve been leveling up a rune-caster on Landroval in order to catch up to the Nostalgians who have characters that are moving over (some time soon we hope). I didn’t want to pay to move a level 19 character when I’ve only devoted 24 hours to the class and figured it would be easier to just start over. I switched from a minstrel to the new class and then noticed ‘gee, there are a LOT of rune-keepers around!’ but I’m not going to let that bother me. In the past, it would have. I’ve never really grasped the idea of ‘playing what you like’ as opposed to ‘playing what is needed’ because I’ve constantly tied the two together. What I liked was something that was needed. As I continue to game though I’ve found it more and more important to play what I like because lets face it, things change and if you’re not at least happy with what you’re playing, well. What’s the point. It used to be a much bigger deal because I enjoy almost all classes – but I’m learning to narrow it down.

healer – support – ranged dps – tank – melee dps

That’s what I like to play, in the order that I like to play it. No big deal, nothing earth shattering. Anyhow – yesterday the rune-keeper climbed to level 14, almost 15. I’ve had a few deaths but nothing too difficult thus far. I have to keep reminding myself that last time I was doing this content I actually had a tank helping me out which made things far easier. It’s some times difficult to solo when I have to attune myself to either dps or heals. I’ve been getting by so far by placing a healing rune on the ground, and one of my two HoT’s on myself before combat begins (when ever possible) and then switching over to the dps which blocks out the rune from being cast as well as one of my HoT’s. I can take on three at once if they’re dark blue, but anything more and it starts to get messy. I typically get interrupted as I try to cast my DoT’s or my mez. It’s a work in progress what can I say.

I’ve picked up crafting but so far have been doing very little of it, concentrating on catching up in levels instead. I also managed to snag myself an invite to CoW yesterday since Sarzan was home during the day (which happens to be when I’m around most as it were). Hopefully the rest of Nostaliga moves soon and we’ll be back to our regular leveling schedule before too long!

Party Time!

The news spread like wildfire, and people started joining in faster then halflings eat pie. Kiara from the community team held a party last night on Kithicor to celebrate EQ’s 10th anniversary – the screen shot is shoddy because with over 200 people in the zone I had to turn down my settings and even then I was looking at the ground most of the evening as I delt with 5fps. I love these type of events, and I make it a point to attend. Not only do I spend lots of time bothering Kiara on twitter, but it’s great to show support for these sorts of things so that they happen in the future.

Ice cream trucks were set up for those craving a fancy treat, and there was trivia with prizes as well as lots of goodies handed out including a music box that plays music you may remember if you ever played EverQuest.

Nearing the end of the party – Nagafen made an appearance and started battling party-goers. Since most of them had begged and pleaded to have the mighty dragon there to begin with, it was no ones fault but their own. The scent of faintly baked skin hung heavy over the party for the remainder of the night.

The fact that the Kithicor party coinsided with my own birthday was great, I just pretended everyone was there for me even if no one said a word or knew who I was. The imagination is a wonderful tool.

Aside from the party, my trio has expanded some! A friend of Wpus has decided to start playing EQ2, and though he’s on a trial account currently he plans to upgrade. Ultann also decided that the recruit a friend program is the perfect way to start boxing a 2nd account. If we can level both of these characters up a little while we’ll have a full group of 6, which would be great. Ultann created an inquisitor for back up heals and buffs – not to mention they have verdict. I’m not sure what the newer player is going to use yet, he was enjoying his necromancer and his assassin last I saw.

We did a quick Obelisk run last night again with no shield. Actually had a few deaths too, it just felt like an off night.

I also decided that I would betray the coercer over to illusionist and spent most of last night purchasing very expensive spells. My sage is over on Najena. Ah how I wish they’d allow us to transfer characters for free just for a short while. Wishful thinking!

Aside from that, it was a quiet day, and a quiet night. Today will involve more of the same since I have no deadlines to meet this week for work, which is great. Still trying to pick up another freelance job (or two) but it’s slow going so I’ll just have to be patient. Hope everyone has an amazing day, no matter realm you find yourself in!