New Solo mobs and more drops?

[Bashir]

<DIV>Hey all</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>           Well for starters, had to get on here and rant a little, because I just got my posterior handed to me twice in Thunder Steppes by 2 of the new NPC's added from the last patch! I have a Lvl 25 Kerra Ranger with very good gear Steel Brigandine BP, Leggins, Helm, etc. And some really nice jewerly! Needless to say ,He's no slouch! I have 120 Agi, 74 Str, and 2489 AC! I zoned into TS and thought I'd do some solo'ing to see how the new XP, and drops were since the patch that boasts they're new and improved!</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Starting off I pulled one of those annoying Undead Caretakers that seem to be roaming all about the zone in area now. Fight started off pretty normal as we we're evenly matched in level (both Lvl 25, even con) and description said it was well matched for my level. As the fight progressed I was getting hit harder and harder, and my combats arts were getting blocked more often to the point that when the NPC hit half health, I was at 1/4, managed to get off a couple of ringing blow HO's and brought him down closer to my hp amt. At this point he struck me with a combat art that I didn't have time to get the license plate number on it, but I was dead none the less.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>I then took that as, oh well, get over it, and don't mess with those. So I strolled down to the beach and thought I would give the crabs a go. Kinda felt like a kid at an amusement park that wasn't tall enough to ride the fun rides, and had to go to the kiddie rides at this point, really disappointing. Got to beach and low and behold , there's a new NPC up on it Called a Beach Clencher I think is the name. Lvl 23 and 24 Solo Mobs, Blue Cons right, easy enough, so I thought!</DIV> <DIV>Got Owned first time I engaged it, same as the Caretakers. So I've been in TS all of 15mins and died 2 times from solo evenly matched and below con npc's. I did manage to kill a few sm crabs and normal crabs with a bit of trouble as to not having a lot of HP left at the end of fight. But the funny thing is, after killing about 20 NPC's I got 1 clump of crab meat and no chests. Hmmm increased loot drops? Not seeing that at all!</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>I'm not going to complain much, but this seems to be a Ranger problem more so then an Under conn'd NPC, but I could be wrong on this as I do not know everyone's experience on these new npc's from patch. But I do know that I can't hit any NPC's in TS with arrow. I have stood back on several fights and shot my arrows into the npcs for no damage at all to them, even on grays! And I have used Back shot, Wounding arrow, Open shot and my ranged enhanced buffs to no avail. Is this a bug? Or do Rangers just suck that bad at archery? I have a good Bow not the lame bow you get after doing your sub-class quest.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>To summorize, I was excited about the dps that scout classes deal until now, it seems the higher in level you get, the more they become handicapped, can only seem to be abled to solo mostly green con npc's, archery is a joke, and AC factor seems to be very misleading and false. I know we are a support type class, but come on, Sony knew how rangers were in EQ1, and they're still making the same lame mistakes as they did there in this one? I find that very disappointing to say the least. the Impede and Ensnare arts are a bad joke played on us, as they last maybe a second or 2 even on gray con's. What's the purpose? why waste the power to use them? I don't bother with them anymore, and I wasted the money buying the Adept's for them too, Sheesh! These Rangers are nothing more then a bad impression of a Rogue , as most of the power attacks come from behind the npc, and we get next to nothing in self buffs, that don't seem to work all the great either except Tolan's Talent AGI, STR buff.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>I like playing my Ranger, but I find the scout classes to simular in ablility and strengths. At least in EQ1 a rogue was a rogue and a ranger was a bad mother with a bow, this EQ puts them so simular except Rogues can still do better backstabbing damage, and rangers bow skills lack the same balance. Very disappointing Sony' Don't get me wrong I'll still play my Ranger, but I think I'll play my Pally more, even at level 31, he still rocks! Just my humble opinion</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Lionoxx 31 Barb Pally - Oggok</DIV> <DIV>Bashirii 25 Kerra Ranger - Oggok</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>:smileywink:</DIV>

[TerminalVelocity]

<DIV>Made me smile, so i 5* you :smileyvery-happy:</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>TS is very tough at the moment (at least for my lvl24 Ranger). Hope SoE relax a bit, maybe make a few mobs none KOS, then we can get around without stealth.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>At lvl24, my buffed AGi is 120, which seems pretty good. Now, I know SoE changed the benefit of AGI on defence/AC, and increased the mobs attack to counter high AGI, but is there anywhere I can find what the mobs attack is vs my AGI? Im not at 80% yet xp, and even green >> kick my sorry butt.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>any help appreciated (is this a hijack??)</DIV> <DIV> </DIV>

[CloakV]

I've had lots of new and exciting drops, both with my summoner 18th level and my warlock 31st level. Fighting the same mobs as i normaly do, slightly more drops but the best thing is lots more variation and some real nice useable stuff (for one of my many other alts that is :p ). As for rangers and solo ability. They're probably the worst class in the game for soloing with. I have one ony 27th level however, but they are a truely gimped class. I've got so dispondant with the charcter class that i now only ever use him to Trdae skill and as a merchant. If and when they get round to making them a viable solo class again i will bring him out of retirement. (not holding my breath though)

[chanaho]

I had about an hour to play, so I thought I'd go to ts and do some harvesting in my normal spots and pick a fight here and there. So zoned in, went to the right around the scarecrow patch and headed straight to the corner where the 2-3 lion cubs hang out to start my harvesting when I noticed some blue con solo scarecrows wandering around. I must admit I had fun picking them off one at a time. They took me down to about 1/2 health. My problem occurred when I kited one and grabbed agro from another. So I stayed there and battled them out. I was down to the last one and we were both at the end of hp and I saved impale/pierce for what I knew would be the ultimate victory when to my surprised I was attacked by a beetle! Needless to say the revive screen came up quick. Came back and discovered there are attacking beetles now and also some roving solo gnolls. I haven't tried out the ones near the beach you mentioned that gave the problems but with all the added solo stuff that I saw in my limited time I must say it is having a positive effect on me wanting to play more. My only hope is they made some solo mob skellies/giants/gnolls that can be used to complete quests.But I must give credit to SOE for these solo additions.

[Golor]

<DIV>Had to reply here.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Rangers have a rough spot from 27 to 30 I noticed this myself and took me a while to go thoght those levels.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>How ever once you hit 30 and can use the next tier of posions and all even with the agi nerf I am able to take yellow orcs in zek solo con 8 out of 10 times and white 10 for 10.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Remember rangers are a hard class to master it takes time and learning.  I have many deaths but I am one that likes to push myself and test what I can do to the max.  Normally solo as I do not want other to share my cost.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>I took Bloodtalon to half before he killed me at lvl 32 solo he coned green.  Most people in my guild thought I was nuts tring to fight him solo but I wanted to see and test myself and my gear and knowledge.  To me this was a feat and I felt good about myself.  Prior to the caster upgrade patch and the agi nerf patch I am sure I would have kicked his butt.  But that stuff is old new dead and barried and no matter how much gripping and complaining we do it will not come back we have seen that.  So move on learn what you can and can't do.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>The real thing to watch is caster.  I was in a group drew aggro and got smacked by 1800hp nuke from a mob needless to say I only had 1900hp so between the nuke and the hits I was dead.  But I am not mad at SoE cause they issued a challange. That Challange is for me to know my ranger better and what I can do better and work at it to know what I can and can't get away with.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Another thing to remember is this.  If the mob is an even con but your gear and ablities are not then you will have a much tougher fight on your hands.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>I have learned that gear and abilities make about 10% to 15% of what your toon can do in a fight.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>If you are able to rise to the challanges SoE has placed on Rangers and learn then when SoE gets Rangers right you will be among the top rangers in the class.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>I have meet many a rangers and I have seen some who only melee and I have seen some who do the Ranger dance.  In and out melle and Bow Disappearing and hitting hard.  You can tell a good Ranger by the Dance.  If he is Dancing then you know his DPS is high.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV><p>Message Edited by Golorum on <span class=date_text>03-10-2005</span> <span class=time_text>08:18 AM</span>

[Teksun]

When I first saw those new scarecrows, I thought cool, green cons. i killed a few dozen. The thing that got me was I got down to ORANGE on at least 4 of these MOBS. I have NEVER gotten to orange against a green solo...