alt-itis......an intervention

[Eviljoe2]

<p>Much of this is from my experience and a little opinion thrown in.</p><p>I decided to post this because I have seen on the forums and in my guild some of you who want to have fun with the game and cannot seem to find a class you want to play beyond 25 or so.  I know what it is like.....you see...I used to be an alt-o-holic myself.</p><p><b>The Problem</b>:</p><p>I understand...the leveling has slowed down, you do not find groups, you have not discovered all your spells yet and it takes you what seems like an hour to kill a mob solo.</p><p>Keep in mind that creating a character is like building a house.....everything builds on itself with your toon....not just with the spells and abilities you get, but with your experience in different situations. (Which is why e-bay toons are frowned upon...most who purchase have not invested the time from the ground up to truly master their toon) </p><p>Toon hopping is like if you bought a plot of land thinking...this is nice, I could live here, then you start to build your house but it takes time....then the first time it rains, you think...I don't like it here anymore, and you pick up and move to start building all over someplace where it is not raining, when all you had to do is finish the house and put a roof on it.</p><p><b>Some solutions</b>:</p><ul><li>1) When you select your toon, try to think of a class that you can identify with or embrace the idea of. Maybe one that mirrors your personality, one that embodies what you want to be, or even one that is completely opposite of you so it is like an escape. For example a person who is usually non-confrontational may wish to be a tank or a doctor who spends all day saving lives, may wish to be a Necro where he/she gets more benefit when things are dead. Playing something that gives you a good feeling and true fantasy will help push you through the tough levels.</li><li>2) Each general class has different sub-classes, or branches. Don't get over involved in researching this, but do a bit of research on the specifics of each so you can more finely tune your original choice. Such as wizard Vs. Warlock, Brigand Vs. Swash...etc...I would not get a calculator and do any math or anything, just find one that generally suits you and go with it.</li><li>3) Once you have selected the proper class for you, look ahead at the spells and abilities you will receive at higher levels...find some that make you drool on your keyboard with anticipation...for me and my Necro...it was seeing a higher level Necro with that little female devil pet...first time I saw that I thought.....gotta get me one of those, lol...but find a few in the 50+ range so you will look at your toon long-term.</li><li>4) Avoid reading negative trolls or whiny posts on the boards about your toon or reduction of this or that spell. It is good to be informed and informative posts are ok, if you take them as such, but one bad post can lead you to seek a new toon. If it is a higher level spell that got nerfed and you have not even seen it yet, then you will not notice the reduction when you get there. This is why I suggested to look ahead to a few abilities or spells you would love to have, just in case some nerfing happens before you get there.</li><li>5) Learn about delayed gratification. My father always said: anything worth having is worth working for. Though this is a game....it is not a first person shooter...you are molding a character which means there is some "work" involved. It takes will power and dedication to play that toon through the 30s and 40s. Sure, you could roll a fresh character and gain 7 levels in an hour...you will have a small sense of accomplishment for the moment. But you will never know the sense of accomplishment and power you feel when you hit 50 and 60. That is when your work and dedication begins to create a great feeling for you when you play. You will do things you never knew possible and then you start to get those abilities and spells you drooled over, and even better....the spells that you did not care much about because the description was so vague, turn out to be more fun than you ever imagined.</li></ul><p>I would rather have 1 level 80 toon than 6 level 30s.</p><p>So that is it and that is what helped cure me of my alt-ism...may it do the same for you.</p>

[Wilde_Night]

<p>Hehe.  I have alt-itis, but not so bad.  I have a level 72 Warden and a level 71 Warlock, then no one over 22 in my 11 other alts.  The Warden and Warlock are my two "mains", in as much as they are on two seperate accounts and can be two-boxed.  They are my priority and all other alts are on hold until I achieve set goals with them.  I've a 53 SK, but she is on a seperate server and is a relic from my pre-PvP days.</p><p>My husband has the same thing.  A 71 Berserker and a 71 Necromancer, with no one over 22 in his 11 alts.  We love playing many types of classes and often duo and two-box together, but always keep our mains at the top of their game.</p>

[Daysy]

<cite>Eviljoe2 wrote:</cite><blockquote>I would rather have 1 level 80 toon than 6 level 30s.</blockquote>I'd much rather have six at level 30. It's not a case of fleeing from one (your analogy of leaving a half-built house the first time it rains) but rather being keen to try something else. There is so much variety in Norrath between the number of races, classes and questing areas, that I'd be missing out on too much if I just kept to one character.

[Amitee]

I have the opposite problem.  I'm a one-character person and for the life of me I can't raise another!  I just started a new character to level with someone new to the game and decided "alt-ing" wasn't for me.  So now I just mentor my friend while he levels.  I can't stand repetition, but I'm finding it enjoyable going thru quests in other areas that I haven't been before.  I guess it all comes down to everyone's different.  Some folks like the alt-itis thing, some don't.  Some have no attention span for leveling one character... some have no attention span for leveling several! 

[Vonotar]

I have numerous alts but I have them because I like grouping with different members of my guild (and taking a 72 wizard mentored to level 10 around Blackburrow <i>may </i>be interesting, but kinda makes the other dps'ers in the group feel redundant).I have 19 in all (would be 24, but Sony haven't made enough races yet) spread across level's 12-72, sure the majority are in the low teens but I have several in the 50's, 60's and one in the 70's  (plus 10 of those alts were created from scratch 3 months ago when the other 9 moved from Butcherblock server to Antonia Bayle server, so I'm not doing badly).I like the ability to switch between dps, healing and tanking depending on the needs of the guild group.  If I want to join a group I can usually find one fairly quickly for at least one of my toons.  I actually feel sorry for those people with Single-itis, levelling one toon is not easy if nobody wants your particular talents at the time of day that your playing, sure you can Solo but I've never been a Solo-minded person.

[Derrickr]

<p>I think in the opposite direction.  Playing multiple classes keeps the game fresh.</p><p>I started out playing a zerker and got bored when he got around 50.  I thought I was burned out of EQ2 but it turned out I just needed a new class.  After months of playing a tank switching to a swash was like playing a new game.</p><p>They have all these classes and give us multiple character slots for a reason.  Don't limit yourself to just one. <img src="http://forums.station.sony.com/eq2/images/smilies/8a80c6485cd926be453217d59a84a888.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" width="15" height="15" /></p>

[AngusMa]

<cite>Derrickray wrote:</cite><blockquote><p>I think in the opposite direction.  Playing multiple classes keeps the game fresh.</p><p>I started out playing a zerker and got bored when he got around 50.  I thought I was burned out of EQ2 but it turned out I just needed a new class.  After months of playing a tank switching to a swash was like playing a new game.</p><p>They have all these classes and give us multiple character slots for a reason.  Don't limit yourself to just one. <img src="http://forums.station.sony.com/eq2/images/smilies/8a80c6485cd926be453217d59a84a888.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" width="15" height="15" /></p></blockquote><p>That's how I look at it, as well.</p><p>I have multiple characters, and switch between them all the time. Technically, I have no alts, just many mains, and I like it that way. It keeps things interesting, allows me to experience other areas of the game I may have missed with other characters, and I find that I will enjoy the game longer, too. </p>

[Wyrmypops]

<p>I have four alts. And keep them about ten levels away from my others. That way I've invariably got someone appropriate to bring when guildee friends are active. That means I get to venture into any tier of the game - rather than concentrate on any one tier for so long I get more than bored of it. Although, of course, the main is the primary character and so that character gets played more than any other, but tier-wise the lower tiers have to be played more as all the alts go through them too. But that primary/main character is so because they're more enjoyable than any other so it all works out nicely. Still, other tiers are there for me when I feel the urge. A question of ratios perhaps, 50% (<i>made up figure</i>) of time spent of the main, the rest of the time spread over the alts.</p><p>Mine are all melee types. That's what I like. I've tried others, but haven't enjoyed them. Even of these melee types, they're all different, all play differently. Even the fighters, can all tank, but have enough different abilities they achieve their goals and perform their roles differently. That's diversity enough for me. </p><p>It's the journey rather than the destination. What works for me is every minute being as good as it can be is better than ploughing through content with the perception that only some end-game has any worth. </p>

[Iggyvyn]

<p>I really resent the implication that there is something wrong with the way I choose to play the game.</p><p>I have 12 characters.  I don't have any "alts."  "Alt" implies that one character is somehow less important than another.  I have 12 characters and I value all of them.</p><p>It is ridiculous that anytime someone who plays many characters is mentioned it is framed as if the person had a disease.  I don't go around complaining about people with parse-ington's disease.  Why should my prefered playstyle be demeaned?</p><p>For some people the game is a race to the level cap.  That's fine by me if that is what makes them happy.  I am more interested in character, and having the experience of playing out different characters.  That is what I enjoy.  I may get to level 80 with some of my characters some day.  For now, 9 of them are in their 30s, and I am perfectly happy with that.</p><p>This isn't at all personal.  Most people characterize my playstyle as a disease.  I don't mean to single you out.  </p><p>But it is important to me.  I don't want my playstyle to be trivialized by those that don't want to play the same way I do.  The developers need to to hear that this is an important and valued way to play the game, that it keeps them with paying customers, so that they don't do stupid things like only provide 4 character slots, thinking that anyone that plays more than 1 character is not to be valued because they suffer from some disease.</p>

[Vonotar]

<cite>Iggyvyn wrote:</cite><blockquote>It is ridiculous that anytime someone who plays many characters is mentioned it is framed as if the person had a disease.  I don't go around complaining about people with parse-ington's disease.  </blockquote><giggle>Actually I tend to very quickly drop anybody showing this particular affliction.

[Wulfgr]

<p>I have a 50 ranger, 15 inq, 14 beserker and a 10 necro.   The necro and the inquister i hate, so i doubt i ever play them again.  But the sarnak zerker I love.  He have been really enjoying him solo, we will see what happens when I get into instances with him.</p>

[Eviljoe2]

<p>Well, it seems many of you have somehow taken my initial post as an insult, or have chimed in saying you like to play this way.</p><p>That is fine...then this does NOT apply to you.  As suggested in the first part of my post, this is designed to help those who seek it.  I have been asked and have seem people in these forums ask for guidance because they cannot seem to do anything but create alts and have trouble getting toons past the 20s.   </p><p>As for calling it a disease, it is in gest and intended as a joke.  It is called that only for those who dislike their own play style and need a push to get past it.</p><p>I have no doubt that many of you have several toons and you like it that way.  This dos not make you alt-o-holics, you just enjoy playing different toons.</p><p>It is when playing different toons gets in the way of your desire to level 1 toon up to a respectable level and you seek help to find the motivation to focus on that one toon.</p>

[Iggyvyn]

<cite>Eviljoe2 wrote</cite> <blockquote><p>As for calling it a disease, it is in gest and intended as a joke.  It is called that only for those who dislike their own play style and need a push to get past it.</p></blockquote><p>Like I said, I don't mean to single you out.  It is nothing personal.</p><p>My objection is that every time this style of play is referred to, this same joke is made.</p><p>I am someone who believes that our thoughts are limited by the language that we possess to express those thoughts.  If the only way we have of communicating this style of play is a derogatory one, then it will always carry this connotation.</p><p>If it were the first time I was hearing the joke, I would laugh it off.  But it seems to me that this is the only way that this play style ever gets described.</p>

[Mayl]

<p>Don't read the class boards....</p><p>ALL the boards have a majority of whines about their class and spend all their time saying the grass is greener</p><p>If you have the alt itch, don't go there. You will jump classes again and again until you find out, nobody that posts (note, that posts, not all that play) on the class boards, tends to dislike their class.  Or at least whine about it enough to put a damper on it.</p>

[Zard]

<p>I feel that playing multiple characters and, more importantly, multiple classes helps you <b>be a better group player</b>. Why is that? Because you learn <i>firsthand</i> what other classes can offer, which classes benefit most from which buffs, the strengths, weaknesses and limitations of each class, what the player of that class <i>should</i> be doing (like passing out Conjuror Shards, Priest rez-items, Hate transfers, etc.) and other things you might only know if you played that class yourself.</p>

[Stickfigurehero]

I like how people can manage to take offense to a post intended to help people focus. Oh well I guess some people will always be overly sensitive.Nice job OP, I enjoyed it.

[Maalek]

quote:"5) Learn about delayed gratification. My father always said: anything worth having is worth working for. Though this is a game....it is not a first person shooter...you are molding a character which means there is some "work" involved. It takes will power and dedication to play that toon through the 30s and 40s. Sure, you could roll a fresh character and gain 7 levels in an hour...you will have a small sense of accomplishment for the moment. But you will never know the sense of accomplishment and power you feel when you hit 50 and 60. That is when your work and dedication begins to create a great feeling for you when you play. You will do things you never knew possible and then you start to get those abilities and spells you drooled over, and even better....the spells that you did not care much about because the description was so vague, turn out to be more fun than you ever imagined."Thats the problem with EQ2,I stopped playing at 54 with 72 AAs cause there was absolutly no feel of an accomplishment due to the overallnon - existant difficulty in gaining xp,seeing the way to 70 clearly before me,only being a question of (a short) time and hearing from 70 it is entirepossible to solo makes me *YAWN*.Man,at 54 in EQ1 one had a real hard time playing untwinked,looked impossible to reach 65(or 70 or 75...) and a decent number of AA +appropriate gear,I was enjoying my 2 mains years later because I was really attached to them due to the invested time,effort,wit and socializingskills in them,nothing of this needed in EQ2.Thinking about that SOE took my monthly fees from EQ1 to develope this transfer picture called EQ2 still makes me ma d.

[Gladiia]

<p>For those of you who were offended by the OP, and some agreeing comments, please realize that this thread probably isn't for you.  Some people simply love playing multiple toons, and that's fine.  There is a whole other form of "alt-itis" which includes people that really want to get a high level toon, but they get to a certain point, and then start over with a different "better" toon.  This topic I believe was intended for that breed of player.</p>

[erin]

<cite>Gladiia@The Bazaar wrote:</cite><blockquote><p>For those of you who were offended by the OP, and some agreeing comments, please realize that this thread probably isn't for you.  Some people simply love playing multiple toons, and that's fine.  There is a whole other form of "alt-itis" which includes people that really want to get a high level toon, but they get to a certain point, and then start over with a different "better" toon.  This topic I believe was intended for that breed of player.</p></blockquote>Too bad he didn't say that up front and instead insulted everyone who likes to have many alts.Before RoK came out, I had 5 level 70s.  Do I have alt-itis or do I like variety?  Personally I think I like variety.When I read the OP, I assumed there was an agenda (like all his buddies are always starting alts and not getting to high level, or some reason he felt the need to post anti-alting).  If it was intended to help those that have complained they can't get focused and get to high level, it would have helped if he'd stated that.Yes I found the OP offensive.

[Gladiia]

<cite>erin wrote:</cite><blockquote><cite>Gladiia@The Bazaar wrote:</cite><blockquote><p>For those of you who were offended by the OP, and some agreeing comments, please realize that this thread probably isn't for you.  Some people simply love playing multiple toons, and that's fine.  There is a whole other form of "alt-itis" which includes people that really want to get a high level toon, but they get to a certain point, and then start over with a different "better" toon.  This topic I believe was intended for that breed of player.</p></blockquote>Too bad he didn't say that up front and instead insulted everyone who likes to have many alts.Before RoK came out, I had 5 level 70s.  Do I have alt-itis or do I like variety?  Personally I think I like variety.When I read the OP, I assumed there was an agenda (like all his buddies are always starting alts and not getting to high level, or some reason he felt the need to post anti-alting).  If it was intended to help those that have complained they can't get focused and get to high level, it would have helped if he'd stated that.Yes I found the OP offensive.</blockquote>It's ashame, I think, that some people look for the negative part of a post, and assume people are out to be insulting.  But, hey, that's me.  The OP wrote something that might be beneficial to some.  If it doesn't benefit you, then why not ignore it, and move on?

[erin]

<cite>Gladiia@The Bazaar wrote:</cite><blockquote><cite></cite>It's ashame, I think, that some people look for the negative part of a post, and assume people are out to be insulting.  </blockquote>Maybe because its rare that someone posts altruistically and there's usually an agenda?  And people on forums usually ARE out to be insulting of other styles of play, other methods.  If its not something that's important to you (either positive or negative) you wouldn't bother posting about it right?  So its very natural to assume the OP had an agenda.

[Gladiia]

<cite>erin wrote:</cite><blockquote><cite>Gladiia@The Bazaar wrote:</cite><blockquote><cite></cite>It's ashame, I think, that some people look for the negative part of a post, and assume people are out to be insulting.  </blockquote>Maybe because its rare that someone posts altruistically and there's usually an agenda?  And people on forums usually ARE out to be insulting of other styles of play, other methods.  If its not something that's important to you (either positive or negative) you wouldn't bother posting about it right?  So its very natural to assume the OP had an agenda.</blockquote><p>Perhaps.  I assumed, the OP went thru the same thing, and their agenda was to aid those that want a high level toon, but keep starting over thinking they chose wrong.</p>

[Splor]

My god Erin, talk about inhuman. I personally strive to be a teacher(reason i got to college) because I love teaching people, not because I want to turn all their minds to my same line of thought. I know well ahead of time people will clash with me regardless and will question and find offense to me, but that really is something I learn to live with. The type of person the OP is talking about resembles one of my brothers. He's made about 22 characters, some have even been the same class and honestly he does it because he just gets bored in the 40's-60's and when he gets there he usually makes a whole new toon, sometimes deleting his old toon and he never experiences the higher end teirs which he watches me mess around with. Do I have Alt-itis? Hell, I have 4 level 70+ toons and some lower 30's toons + i play some of my guildies toons for variation and I consider this fun, just like you consider your style fun. The OP was not directed at you and did no have some underlying message of hate. Settle down.

[erin]

<cite>Splorch wrote:</cite><blockquote>The type of person the OP is talking about resembles one of my brothers. He's made about 22 characters, some have even been the same class and honestly he does it because he just gets bored in the 40's-60's and when he gets there he usually makes a whole new toon, sometimes deleting his old toon and he never experiences the higher end teirs which he watches me mess around with. </blockquote>Is your brother having fun?  If so, what's wrong with how he plays?  So what if he never experiences the high end?  Hitting level 80 isn't a goal for everyone.

[Splor]

I hear my brother complain about it all the time. He wants to be at the top end but never reaches it because he gets bored half way.

[azekah]

<cite>Eviljoe2 wrote:</cite><blockquote><b>The Problem:</b><p>Toon hopping is like if you bought a plot of land thinking...this is nice, I could live here, then you start to build your house but it takes time....then the first time it rains, you think...I don't like it here anymore, and you pick up and move to start building all over someplace where it is not raining, when all you had to do is finish the house and put a roof on it.</p></blockquote>That is the dumbest analogy I've ever read...People play alts because the higher you go the longer it takes to get new spells/levels. For me thats one of the most fun parts about playing, getting new spells and leveling....Also, the higher you go, the more "repeat" spells you get... so you get scenarios like, wow I just spent 3 hours finishing off that 54th level so I could get a newer version of the spell I've had since level 5... And, wow I get to look forward to hitting the same three main spells for another 20-30 levels which will take me hours upon hours to finish....With new characters you get more bang for your buck, lots of new spells and levels in a short amount of time with less effort. It's like meth for cocaine addicts.Plus you get to try out classes that have very different types of spells and play types.Most of your bread and butter spells are usually there by level 20-30 so in all honesty, the analogy should be more like, so you like building lots and lots of little houses, rather than one big mansion?But really, who wants to live in a mansion anyway when you can have a house on every continent? (I'm sure there would be a lot of people who would pick both, so we all win don't we?)

[Lortet]

<p>A closer analogy to me is where people go for holidays. Both holidays and EQ2 are leisuretime activities for me = relaxation and de-stressing</p><p>Some people go to the same place year after year, same spot, same time. They often will have bought a holiday house/shack or whatever there. I have been to some places I definitely want to go back to, but if I was to go back every time it would no longer be a holiday.</p><p>I try to find new locations and activities most of the time, returning occasionally to the same or similar places. </p><p>Not surprisingly I am an alto-holic, and love it. </p>

[Asp9873]

I'm an alt-0-holic but i've curbed it since i was able to start soloing and questing in Kylong Plains with my warden, now i just have to get my 54 Necro up to speed and then i'll just be running the two of them all the time in RoK content. I've spent well over 100 plat just rolling alts and gearing them up to jusk kill them off in favor of a new idea for a toon. I miss that plat now <img src="http://forums.station.sony.com/eq2/images/smilies/9d71f0541cff0a302a0309c5079e8dee.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" width="15" height="15" />. Plus I love the RoK gear anyways.

[illovich]

<span class="postbody">I can begin my reply with the same words you used to wrote the original post: "Much of this is from my experience and a little opinion thrown in."You should realize that different people play games differently than you.  It's great that you enjoy playing one class.  Other people like switching it up a bit, which is why most games allow you to have more than one character. Neither way is better than the other, it's simply the taste of the individual playing.  If you only want to play with people who feel the way you do, you should form a guild with a "no alts" rule and only play with them.There's really nothing else to say. </span>

[Shotneedle]

<p>I have a question, How do you cure boredom?</p><p>I play a 72 Monk, 46 Troub, 37 Brigand, 36 Warden, 35 Wizard, 30 Shadowknight, and 25 Conjuror. I absolutely love all my characters to death, but I constantly find myself wandering around Fens bored with my Monk because I can't really find anything fun to do, I've been playing since launch, know every non-RoK zone better than the back of my hand (except maybe Steamfont Mountains and Raid Zones), and have played every sub-class to 30+. I simply can't find anything to do other than mindlessly wander and be a chat bot <img src="/smilies/9d71f0541cff0a302a0309c5079e8dee.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></p><p>However, based on your tip of "Play something like you want to be" or something like that, don't remember exactly, I'm going to go gather some information on Illusionists/Coercers and try them again <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></p>

[Gnobrin]

<p>Ugh, I am a <b>raving</b> alt'oholic.  I know the first step is admittance, but I have not desire to "cure" my disability.  If you choose to make a new character every week and you're enjoying the adventure, then all the better for you.  I know some folks that have even go so far as to make a character and when they're slain, that's it and they remake a new character.  </p><p>If you're having fun and it's not causing issues to others, then have at it!  <img src="/smilies/283a16da79f3aa23fe1025c96295f04f.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></p><p>~Gnobrin!</p>

[Araxes]

From Nov 2004 I went through my logs, I could count the UI files for all characters I had created.  In 3 years, I've created more than 60 toons.  Some of these made it as high as the 40's -- others were deleted as soon as I saw them and realized I want something about them to be different. <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />  I do only have 1 permanent character, and I just had my original toon revived from the dead. <img src="/smilies/8a80c6485cd926be453217d59a84a888.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />  So, the other 5 slots are never set in stone.  I know what my play style is and what I like.  That's never been the question, or the reason, as to why I create so many toons.There's two or three playstyles that fit me.  The rest is pure novelty.  I have tried every single class in the game, and played them all at least to level 10, and most to the high teens or low 20's, and some into the high 30's low 40's.  For me, it's the idea that I might find a new group of friends, help out new players, meet new people, maybe join a young guild and help out, and try out a new race / class combination.  It really isn't a compulsion or a problem, just what I enjoy doing.  I spend an hour sometimes, just going through and fiddling with the character creation, creating a look for all the races, tweaking it, seeing which one I like ... coming up with a story for them.  For me it's the whole process, not just the end result.I think that's the difference.  Someone people create alts because they aren't happy with their class or don't know what they like, etc.  others create them simply bc they simply ENJOY to create them!  (Which is where I fall.)  We know exactly what we like -- we just want to try a bit of everything, and we enjoy the novelty of the creation process each time.

[Eviljoe2]

Quoted from first part of original post: <p>"I decided to post this because I have seen on the forums and in my guild some of you who want to have fun with the game and cannot seem to find a class you want to play beyond 25 or so.  I know what it is like.....you see...I used to be an alt-o-holic myself."</p><p>That line was intended to indicate that the thread was to help people who seek help because they want to get a toon past 25 or so.  I have read many of the posts beyond my second explanation and was simply astounded at some of the replies.</p><p>I am not sure if some simply read part of a post and nothing else, or if they are just coiled ready to attack at the slightest indication of something they could perceive as an insult.  If you look hard enough, I am sure you could find insults in just about anything depending on how you pick it apart.  </p><p>I in no way meat to indicate that people who play alts and enjoy it are alt-o-holics....they are not, as this is their play style...an alt-o-holic is someone who desperately wants to reach higher levels, but stops leveling their toon at 25 or so.....if you do not want to reach higher levels, and want lots of alts, then you are not an alt-o-holic.</p><p>No, I did not have a hidden agenda as one responder indicated.....I simply wanted to help people get out of what I used to be stuck in...which was wanting to level but stopping and rolling new.</p><p>Maybe I worded it wrong but there is nothing quite like the feeling of working hard to write a post that you think will  help people only to have it bashed by those who misunderstood the message.</p><p>I noticed even a red name chimed in favoring alts...so, now that I think about it, maybe the wording could have been better...shrug...will be more careful next time so as not to offend.</p>

[azekah]

<cite>Eviljoe2 wrote:</cite><blockquote><p>Toon hopping is like if you bought a plot of land thinking...this is nice, I could live here, then you start to build your house but it takes time....then the first time it rains, you think...I don't like it here anymore, and you pick up and move to start building all over someplace where it is not raining, when all you had to do is finish the house and put a roof on it.</p><p>I would rather have 1 level 80 toon than 6 level 30s.</p></blockquote>I think this wording in particular was what made us think you looked down on people who have lots of alts rather than one main character...

[Jehannum]

<cite>azekah wrote:</cite><blockquote><cite>Eviljoe2 wrote:</cite><blockquote><p>Toon hopping is like if you bought a plot of land thinking...this is nice, I could live here, then you start to build your house but it takes time....then the first time it rains, you think...I don't like it here anymore, and you pick up and move to start building all over someplace where it is not raining, when all you had to do is finish the house and put a roof on it.</p><p>I would rather have 1 level 80 toon than 6 level 30s.</p></blockquote>I think this wording in particular was what made us think you looked down on people who have lots of alts rather than one main character...</blockquote><p>I suppose I can see how some might have looked at his wording on the above quoted section and thought he was expressing that everyone should agree with his desires, though I had no trouble differentiating between "I would rather" and "Anyone would rather."  In fact, I though the original post was quite well-laid-out.  Then again, unlike most people I try to think about why I'm responding before I click Submit.  I'll read and re-read the post to which I'm replying to make sure I'm not missing some shred of meaning, and in fact close to 2/3 of my replies never see the light of day as a result.  I think that given the definitions EJ2 used (and explained) it should have been obvious that he was referring to people who <i>want</i> to achieve high level, but for one reason or another tend to sputter and run out of gas in the mid-levels, becoming frustrated with that class and starting another.</p><p>One other thing I wanted to mention was that I saw someone posting about how by level 30-40 you have all your class' signature abilities; not so.  At 50, you get one of the main signatures, what used to be the reward for achieving top level.  Beyond that you receive 3 Ancient Teaching abilities for your class, and at 80 there's a new class-specific reward.  To say you can get a good feel for the class' capabilities would be fair, but those 5 abilities - to say nothing of the AA synergies possible - make the top-end game a little more than just the same old same old.</p>

[Iggyvyn]

<cite>Eviljoe2 wrote:</cite><blockquote>Quoted from first part of original post: <p>"I decided to post this because I have seen on the forums and in my guild some of you who want to have fun with the game and cannot seem to find a class you want to play beyond 25 or so.  I know what it is like.....you see...I used to be an alt-o-holic myself."</p><p>That line was intended to indicate that the thread was to help people who seek help because they want to get a toon past 25 or so.  I have read many of the posts beyond my second explanation and was simply astounded at some of the replies.</p><p>I am not sure if some simply read part of a post and nothing else, or if they are just coiled ready to attack at the slightest indication of something they could perceive as an insult.  If you look hard enough, I am sure you could find insults in just about anything depending on how you pick it apart.  </p><p>I in no way meat to indicate that people who play alts and enjoy it are alt-o-holics....they are not, as this is their play style...an alt-o-holic is someone who desperately wants to reach higher levels, but stops leveling their toon at 25 or so.....if you do not want to reach higher levels, and want lots of alts, then you are not an alt-o-holic.</p><p>No, I did not have a hidden agenda as one responder indicated.....I simply wanted to help people get out of what I used to be stuck in...which was wanting to level but stopping and rolling new.</p><p>Maybe I worded it wrong but there is nothing quite like the feeling of working hard to write a post that you think will  help people only to have it bashed by those who misunderstood the message.</p><p>I noticed even a red name chimed in favoring alts...so, now that I think about it, maybe the wording could have been better...shrug...will be more careful next time so as not to offend.</p></blockquote><p>Eviljoe2, I got your intent in your original post, and I think you offer good advice for people that want to reach high level.  My objection was never to you personally, nor to your post.  My objection is to the fact that every time someone who plays many characters is referred to in the common parlance of mmorpg jargon, they are referred to as if they suffer a disease.  I understand that you are using the term to distinction, and offering solid advice for people that do feel that their progress is hampered by multiple characters.  </p><p>My point is about the community and language.  </p><p>It is not that I am offended by your post; instead it is the general way in which this style of play is demeaned rutinely by the jargon, to which I take offense.  The common jargon does not make the fine distinction that is central to the theme of your advice, (that the intended audience is hindered in their progress.)  It is every time that a multi-character player is mentioned, that this same tired joke is made.</p><p>My criticism is not an attack on you.  I just see your post as an opportunity to discuss this way the language of mmorpgs is used.  The thoughts of humans are limited by their ability to express them through language.  Criticism is what discussion forums are for, no?</p><p>I used to play lots of characters that I would delete if they were slain, in DAoC.  Haven't done it EQ2 though, not enough slots.</p>

[Ristan]

<p><img src="http://forums.station.sony.com/eq2/images/smilies/385970365b8ed7503b4294502a458efa.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" width="15" height="15" /></p><p>This all really just depends on your goals in the game.  </p><p> I think the OP was just trying to help those who can't get a high level character.  I used to be one of those...I had 10 toons between 20 and 40, and would struggle to even get to 50 before I'd switch to something else or delete one to play with the character creator .  But then i decided I would like to raid, and see the end of the game before too many expansions push the level cap up.  So I basically did what the OP said, found the toon for me and painstakingly left the others behind.  I got my ranger to 70, then played my alts with guildies, and still had time for everything else.  Later on I realized ranger wasn't really right for my guild on raids which I could now do, so I leveled a necro to 70 (who is now 80) and I enjoy him alot.  I now have two accounts with 16 toons, one level 80 necro, the ranger level 71, 63 inquis, 46 guard, 40 zerker, and the rest below 40.  I still play them all but I also have a solo/raiding character that I can do end game stuff with, so now I can enjoy ALL aspects of the game, not just the first, or last half.</p><p>As for someone saying spells repeat.  for alot of classes there are spells that kinda separate them after level 45 or so.  theres the ancient teachings ones, and just ones that weren't available before...such as archlich and verdict for example.</p><p>But I doubt the OP really wanted to offend anyone</p>

[KarmaStrike]

Nice guide!  Helps people like me a lot for sure.