Question: Why do I suck?

[SabbraCadabbra]

<p>I'm a level 11 Shadowknight and I can barely solo something my level. Forget about anything +1 level over me...I'm looking at my mitigation and it says its based on a mob my level, so on mobs +1 level none of it counts? </p><p> I'm trying to figure out what I'm doing wrong here. Maybe my armor sucks (its all from the newbie quest island)? Do I need to get new versions of my spells (they are all apprentice I)? Am I using the wrong fighting combinations (I use the heroic oppurtunity as much as I can)? Or is it beacuse I'm low level and we just suck at low levels hehe?</p>

[Sportak]

<p>You've pretty much answered your own question. The quality of gear/spells makes a huge difference into how effective you are. I know it can be hideously difficult these days to upgrade these, but your best bet is to harvest a lot and try to get rares needed for new armour and weapons, and adept IIIs if you can, and possibly start tradeskilling (I know it can be a bore) as an armourer or alchemist to make your own upgrades. At that level it doesn't have to be all mastercrafted or adept 3, you'll notice a big difference with adept 1, or app4 even, and normal handcrafted gear.</p><p>At lvl 12 you'll get Infernal Blessing, our reactive heal/damage spell, and at 14 you can get that made Master II. Use it all the time and you'll never look back.</p>

[SabbraCadabbra]

<p>Awesome! Thanks for the advice Sportakus. I will look into upgrading my gear/spells. I know *nothing* about crafting and all that so I guess I'll start learning. When you say harvest a lot for rares...what do you mean? Trade them for upgrades or use them for crafting? </p>

[Sportak]

Both really, depends how you want to do it. You could harvest ore nodes and if you're lucky get the rare (blackened iron ore from commonlands). You could make/get armour made for you which is very nice, but if you want to keep an eye on the future, and expect to level to 20 quite quickly, you can sell it on the broker and use the money for the next tier (20's).

[SabbraCadabbra]

Ok sounds good. I might actually make the armor myself, seems more fun and more economical hehe.

[Norrsken]

<cite>SabbraCadabbra wrote:</cite><blockquote>Ok sounds good. I might actually make the armor myself, seems more fun and more economical hehe. </blockquote>Being an armorer, I wouldnt know about the "fun" part, but its rewarding. And cheaper. And you get to make moneys off people that didnt do it!

[Talonmare]

<p>Also, you can make App4 versions of all your 1-10 spells no matter what Tradeskill class you choose.  </p><p>My first stop would be the tradeskill instance and get those spells upgraded asap.  While you are there, check the broker for level 10-12 spells.  You're abilities will jump tremendously.</p>

[SabbraCadabbra]

I haven't checked out the tradeskill instance yet...is that the tradeskill quest I have in my log that I haven't gotten to yet hehe? Also I bought some new armor and got to lvl 12 and infernal blessing rocks, i dont know how i lived without it. In a little bit i'll check out the crafting system but im just too into leveling lol...thanks for your help. Oh i also got some blackened iron clusters...

[DjVacant]

<cite>SabbraCadabbra wrote:</cite><blockquote>Ok sounds good. I might actually make the armor myself, seems more fun and more economical hehe. </blockquote><p> This is the same thing I thought when I made my SK, but in hindsight, stay FAR FAR away from being an armorsmith.  Go with alchemy...being able to upgrade your spells is much more cost efficient (as you only have 7 items (I think...quick mental count) that you actually make for yourself as an armorer (upgraded every 10 levels), whereas you'll have around 20 spells to upgrade every 10 levels.  Also, as an alchemist you'll have many more items/spells to make per level which makes it WAY easier to level (when you start crafting you'll see why...the first time you make an item you get a ton of xp for it...every time thereafter is not as much).  Finally, if you take this guy to the endgame, you can make some nifty potions for you and your friends...as an armorer, you're pretty much useless...</p>

[melaine_dvarvensplitter]

<cite>DjVacant wrote:</cite><blockquote><cite>SabbraCadabbra wrote:</cite><blockquote>Ok sounds good. I might actually make the armor myself, seems more fun and more economical hehe. </blockquote><p> This is the same thing I thought when I made my SK, but in hindsight, stay FAR FAR away from being an armorsmith.  Go with alchemy...being able to upgrade your spells is much more cost efficient (as you only have 7 items (I think...quick mental count) that you actually make for yourself as an armorer (upgraded every 10 levels), whereas you'll have around 20 spells to upgrade every 10 levels.  Also, as an alchemist you'll have many more items/spells to make per level which makes it WAY easier to level (when you start crafting you'll see why...the first time you make an item you get a ton of xp for it...every time thereafter is not as much).  Finally, if you take this guy to the endgame, you can make some nifty potions for you and your friends...as an armorer, you're pretty much useless...</p></blockquote>I have to agree... stay away from Armorer, I am lvl 51 armorer and when I am in the mood to incessantly pound my head on the wall for pain I work on it. I thought about respecing, but I won't as I do have a sense of pride when I see other people wearing my work. I do agree, Alchemist... oh the stacks of coin I spent on A3's *cringes* Good luck on your tradeskill choice and keep at it .. SK's are a blast even with recent changes.

[Beldin_]

<p>Yeah .. don't pick armorer .. they are really hard to level .. i stopped mine at 35 or whatever <img src="/smilies/136dd33cba83140c7ce38db096d05aed.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></p><p>Like other said .. 1. try to harvest some stones in Commonlands to get some Iron Clusters, and find an armorer who can made you at least a breastplate and leg-armor from that.</p><p>2. You get Blessing with 12, choose it at master 2 at 14 .. life will get much easier.</p><p>3. At 11 you still use some very low level spells and they simply suck until they get upgraded by a newer version.</p><p>Just hold on .. at 12+ life will get much easier <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></p>

[Norrsken]

Me and my 62 armorer agrees with everyone else. Its a boring tradeskill to level and all that. And you'll only make like 2 sets of armor for yourselv every level (At least I did, devout and vanguard.) but my sk is an alchemist. My assassin is the armorer. So I get both. <img src="/smilies/8a80c6485cd926be453217d59a84a888.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /> And I have a buddy jeweler. Cool stuff. If you dont have an alchy, do that. <img src="/smilies/8a80c6485cd926be453217d59a84a888.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />

[Nink]

<p>I got my armourer upto lvl34 before giving up. Big problem with some of the artisan classes especially armourers and weaponsmiths are :-</p><p>1. They take forever to level as you only get 4 recipes per level</p><p>2. Everyone wants T7 rare armour when they reach lvl62 however the stuff is soon replaced by raid/group stuff which is considerably better.</p><p>Like a lot of others I am considering re-starting my armourer; but I live in the hope that SoE will eventually get round to sorting out the tradeskill system</p>

[Coica]

and get an adornment for whatever weapon(s) you are using, they are so cheap in the early lvls.  every little bit helps <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />

[Lord Montague]

Nink wrote: <blockquote>1. They take forever to level as you only get 4 recipes per level</blockquote><p> With the changes made to tradeskill writs, this part isn't true anymore.  The xp boost from the writs makes things much faster now, at least.  I was able to level carpenter at least twice as fast as before - which made me very happy.</p><p>But yeah, the way armor and weapons get replaced it is rather sad, I agree.  I hope something is in the works for improving that to at least some degree.</p>

[Borlok]

<p>""Just hold on .. at 12+ life will get much easier ""</p><p>Boy, they ain't kiddin.</p><p>I had no idea that a Shadowknight got a spell like that.  As I climb in levels, this spell line is still my bread and butter.  With a shield, defensive stance, and all of our other lifetap spells/CA's/procs, and especially if you work down the reaver line, you can do some fairly good tanking and self healing in a group that has no healer.  You won't be doing anything exceptionally tough, but it's nice to bring solid defense to a group in that way.</p><p>---Borlok</p>

[Mrkacos]

<p>I am new here as well, and can tell you that putting points in the crusader int line, 4-4-8, is awesome method of increasing your dps.  The crit chance on spell crits is over 50% at 6.  Currently I am only at 4-4-5, and let me tell ya, I seem to crit every other spell.  Not to mention that my proc's seem to crit, and my DoT's seem to check for crit each time they hit the target.  </p><p>As a new player, I can tell you the best solution if your feeling "weak" is to lock your xp and clean up every old quest that isnt grey, get those AA points.  Dont skip on them, I am lvl 23 with 131 int and had my harm touch crit for 1100 damage last night...oh its very nice. </p>

[rshoffstall]

<p>If you looking at AA lines you might want to read this post about the Reaver Lne in the EOF Tree. That will be ur bread and butter and Jelly to.</p><p><a href="http://forums.station.sony.com/eq2/posts/list.m?topic_id=376173" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://forums.station.sony.com/eq2/...topic_id=376173</a></p><p>Dizzie</p>

[SabbraCadabbra]

<p>As a follow up to my original post : I don't suck anymore haha.</p><p>1. Did the armor quests from EFP and this helped majorly</p><p>2. upgraded my spells to adept I and III's</p><p>3. Bought KoS and am now able to put some AA's in which is a big help!</p><p>Thanks for all your help guys! <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></p>

[Beldin_]

<cite>SabbraCadabbra wrote:</cite><blockquote>3. Bought KoS and am now able to put some AA's in which is a big help! </blockquote>Ups .. i don't want to frustrate you .. but .. you had neiter KoS or EoF? If so you should have bought EoF because the boxed version of EoF has KoS and DoF integrated, also you wouldn't get the reaver-line without EoF .. and there is also a lot of content for all levels in EoF.