Level 20... where to go?

[Scai]

So I've played an SK to 21, necro to 20, and now I'm getting a bit discouraged. Basically, I really like how the quest layout in dark woods (or whatever's outside neriak) led me from camp to camp, with 5,6,7 quests or so per camp.  I would do these, level a few times, and move onto the next camp.  This felt very natural and well designed to me. I hit 19/20 with my SK and was advised to move to the common lands to do quests.  Here I found a bunch of quests, mostly green or blue, for WC and surrounding areas.  These were ok but ultimately felt less directed.  I did most of the WC quests and some of the ones that I took the time to check online sites to see where to find the mobs required.  Overall this was ok but it took me more time to get from 20-21 than it took to get from 10-15.  I feel like I was constantly killing stuff and completing quests from 10-15 and a ton of running / not doing much with the common lands quests. Then I leveled a necro.  Blazed through the first 20 levels again.  Ran over to the common lands and again, I'm running into a bunch of quests that don't feel intended for my level.  So, I ran over to nek forest (or whatever it's called) from the common lands entrance.  Got a couple quests, both level 20 or 21, can't find the things to kill for the quest.  The first mobs I run into are 21-23.  Not that I can't take them, but they do destroy me and my new warlock pet.  I could go back with my spider pet and destroy them, but that's beside the point.  At the moment, I feel like I've made a step from really organized quests to total confusion. I've read that there are other places to go.  That's cool, you could list off a bunch of places that are good for level 20 and I wouldn't know how to get to them or if I would even want to get to them. So I do have a question here!  I'm stuck with 2 characters at level 20ish.  I don't know what to do with either.  I don't think I want to just do a bunch of easy green quests, and I don't think I want to grind greens until I figure out what's going on.  I would like to find a more "defined" route to level up.  Some bit of direction is good for someone new to a game imo.  Once I know that direction, I can wander in new directions with whatever character I plan on leveling next.  So, is there a direction that could lead me to a more defined path for the time being?  Please keep in mind that i don't know anything more than neriak, dark woods and some of common lands. Thanks for any help <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />

[Lortet]

<p>The newly added Neriak/Darklight Woods do really have a great set of progressive quests - compared to the "old world" areas. You simply will not find such a directed progression once you have exhausted them, so yes, you will have to take what you can get from here on in. </p><p>At 20 - 21 you want to head over to Freeport and the CL Crossroads and pick up any relevant quests you can find there - including for Wailing Caves - which you will want to do before levelling any more. Once that is done consider Nek Forest or my choice of heading over to Antonica (use the CL spire to KoS and return down to Antonica for the fastest trip) and check out Stormhold dungeon. You will want a group at your current level. After doing that for a while, do the same for Fallen Gate off CL.</p>

[Deyaneyra]

There are also quest-series in the "old areas" and on the starter isles that lead you from one part to the next through the lower level zones. The starter zones have these quests to show people how this game works, show them the different possibilites of quests and what they contain, leaad them through the lower level zones. After that there are still tons of quests available, but it's no leading anymore. You are encouraged to discover the world around you to find new quests, new zones, the mobs and NPCs you need. This also means more freedom to a player, if you have to do quests step by step from one zone to the next until lvl 70 it would get boring fast. So now walk around (your necro can do that invisibile, thats a good help), have a look into the zones surrounding you, and you will find new quests and the mobs you need. There are stilll some series, not as big as the starting ones, like Armor Quests availabe inside Freeport. These also send you to some different zones. Armor Quest starter (iirc) for your SK should be Dyric Pire in East Freeport, for your necro Kirsteh the Witch in East Freeport (both to start at lvl 20, on both you maybe need help on some of the steps). With the download of EQ2-Maps ( <a href="http://maps.eq2interface.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://maps.eq2interface.com/</a> ) it will get easier to find special mobs/NPCs, and its still possible to ask guards to show the direction to NPCs.

[Karlen]

There is a quite a bit of level 20ish content in both Thundering Steppes and Nektulos Forest (enter via commonlands).  I believe Butcherblock Mountains also has level 20 content (but am not sure what).

[Gladiia]

<p>yes, butcherblock mountains is overall a similar level range as thundering steps and nektulos forest.  </p><p> OP, don't overlook those green quests.  Even the green quests can supply decent XP upon completion, and if you have expansions, its a must do for those AAs.  Plus, lots of quests open up new quest lines, so turning in a green quest will sometimes create a new blue, white or harder quest - or just another green quest - but either way lots of quests are only found by finishing others.</p>

[Chondrichtheyia]

I'm currently a 25 Warden, and in my early 20s, I was basically running back and forth between Wailing Caves and doing Crossroads quests, with a sprinkle of Freeport quests. Now, that I've finished every single quest at the Crossroads (I even did the grays because I'm OCD like that <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /> ), I'm moving on to Nek Forest - I also need to find a group for Fallen Gate (groups I can find actually, I just haven't had the time to allocate 3-5hours for one sitting). The way I see it is that after level 20, while it is true that you won't get your hand held anymore like in Darklight Woods or the other starter zones, you are now a bona fide adventurer  and it is essentially up to you regarding where you wish to quest. As far as I know, MMO's typically do not have an overall storyline, thus giving the player to roleplay any scenario he wants. For instance, you could pretend that you're a mercenary or renegade who goes from town to town and help its inhabitants for coin and other rewards, etc.

[Sassinak]

No other place is quite as straightforward as Darklight Wood was.  But there <i>are</i> long quest arcs in the later zones, and most of them are just as good.  But just be aware that your progression will be slower from here on. Here's a link to the Nektulos Forest quest arc.  <a href="http://eq2i.com/articles/Nektulos_Forest_Timeline" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://eq2i.com/articles/Nektulos_Forest_Timeline</a> The "main solo timeline" starts at the beach with Bruhn.  This is the best place to start when you are level 21.  It means you have to travel to the Nektulos beach to get started. There is also a "militia timeline" that starts near the Commonlands zone line; I find that this one is harder and more frustrating. The later quests will take you deeper into Nek Forest.  I highly suggest you take the time to unlock the griffin towers.  This will drastically reduce the amount of time you spend running around on each quest.

[ke'la]

What you are experiancing is the differance in the design phiosifies between the designers at launch and the current group. At lauch there was very little hand holding at all, in fact the only way to know if an NPC had a quest was if they "talked" or Waved as you walked by, and as its hard to see that sometimes, you ended up just hailing everyone. Most of the "old world" is still mired in that, though there are quest lines out there if you come out of the FP or Qyenos Quests, but the mobs still can be fairly far away at times. Darklight Woods however is built on thier new Quest design phiophy, as such there are more "bread crumbs" to follow and a true path of adventure. Darklight Woods infact follows in what Echos of Faydwar Started. If you started in Kelethin(in the nercery) you would have a series of quests that evenually lead you to the main city and the other "quest camps" in Greater Faydwar and when you finnished with those camps they would point you to the quest camps in BBM, and that would point you to Gnomeland Security in Steamfont, and so forth. SoE is planing on revamping these areas to be more inline with they way EoF works, but who knows when they will be done. Until they are I would look at the <a href="http://eq2i.com/articles/Category:Solo_Timelines" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">EQ2i Solo timelines</a> and/or the <a href="http://eq2i.com/articles/Category:Heroic_Timelines" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">EQ2i Heroic Timelines</a>  for direction.

[Ennis]

<p><span style="color: #ffff00">It's a very big world out there, Scai. Time to leave the comforts of your home in Neriak and venture forth!</span></p><p><span style="color: #ffff00">Read the comments that others have left, they are all very good ones.</span></p><p><span style="color: #ffff00">You might wish to take some time and look at websites such as eq2i.com and eq2.allakhazam.com to see what quests and such are out there, what zones are like, etc. Also I would suggest highly that you go to eq2interface.com and download their mapping system (get the auto updating version).</span></p>

[Rattfa]

Nektulos Forest and Thundering Steppes are in the 20-30 range and there are plenty of quests in both. Butcherblock Mountains ranges from 20-35. I would check out all of these. The most useful thing to you right now would be to look up eq2map and install it. It's a great tool and can really help you find your way around zones.

[Gladiia]

<p>Another thing is to not worry so much about how fast your highest level toon is leveling, and not to worry about whether or not you find every single quest on that highest level toon.  Checking your map frequently and clearing the 'fog of war' or whatever its called (the black stuff on the map) will point out quest givers, and help give some direction.  Remember where these places are as best you can for alts, and also note that your alts will no doubt find things your main didn't.  It is good to have some stumbling around the first time through a zone, it means you are learning the game and the areas at your pace.</p>

[FyrthPine]

I've leveled many character through tier 3, 20-29. In my opinion, Thundering Steppes and Nektulos Forest are the worst zones in terms of layout, quest design. It's a time sink, just running from point A to B, even if you have completed the quest that activates the Griffin towers. Trust me, you'll love the quests in Enchanted Lands and Zek for Tier 4 (30-39), if you don't have any expansions. However, if you have the Echoes of Faydwer expansion, you can run through the next ten levels in Butcherblock. There are plenty of quests there for AA and exp. There are mobs (monsters) in your level range, both at the docks and at the Greater Faydark zone line. Learning your way around the mountains will take some time, but with invis and a little time, you'll learn it quickly. You can stay in Butcherblock to 35 and move to Steamfont if you wish. But due to great AA from discovery and solo quests, I do recommend spending time in Enchanted Lands and Zek, before you hit level 40. Steamfont is great until 45 or 50, but at 45, Sinking Sands is the place to be. SS requires the Desert of Flames expansion, that comes with the retail version of Echoes of Faydwer.