Returning to EQ2 after a long hiatus and a stint in Vanguard

[Viladian]

<p>Hey everybody...</p><p> I first played EQ2 shortly after release, and leveled a berserker to 44, and stopped to check out WOW, then vanguard. I've been playing Vanguard since then, leveling a ranger and shaman to 50, but have decided since all the new stuff that has come to EQ2, I will give it another look.  Especially with the lack of upper level content in VG, this will give me something else to do in the online world</p><p> I'm writing to basically ask the state of the game.  And will I be completely overwhelmed by all the new stuff.  I was around when you picked your archetype at 10, and class at 20.  Long time ago, and the level cap was still 50, and not many people were asking for high level content.  I'm excited to come back, after checking out all the new stuff.  I got the full upgrade package from SOE, and am waiting for the long update before I can play.  What am I in store for?  Will it be terribly difficult to level up a character now that everybody seems to be in the new higher level zones, or are there still "newbies" like me coming around?  I would appreciate any advice some of you true EQ2 vets could give me.  Mayb e also a server that would be good.  I am a hardcore player, but as I'm coming to EQ2 fresh again, I won't be playing on a hardcore level for a while, lol.  Than kyou in advance, and I sincerely appreciate any advice yo uall could give me.</p><p> Also, what is the state of the Berserker here? I also had a ranger in EQ2, but my zerker was my main.  Has the character changed much in the last couple of years.  I know all this info is probably listed in the forums, but I would appreciate it if some of you nice people could help a new guy out.  Thanks so much again!</p><p><img src="http://forums.station.sony.com/eq2/images/smilies/283a16da79f3aa23fe1025c96295f04f.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" width="15" height="15" /></p>

[ashen1973]

<p>Welcome back to EQ2 <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></p><p>The game has changed in a huge way since you last played. You will find it much easier to level now. Although the very low levels tend to be quite how to find groups, as most people just fly through these solo, it does get easier as you get higher. And it is more than possibl;e to level all the way to cap doing solo quests if this is your thing.</p><p>There is a large amount of 'end game' contnt now (and a lot more to come with the expansion). And groupingat top end is not a problem.</p><p>As for picking a server, fist decide if you want normal or PvP play. There are seperate server for these rulesets.</p><p>Then choose Euro or US (depending on your usual playtimes). You pick this from the drop-down options that appear in the top-right corner of the loading screen where you accept/decline the EULA.</p><p>The best way to choose a server is to create a character at your usual, main playtime.</p><p>Once you get to the server select option it will show you the current server load, light, medium or high. This will give you a general idea on how busy the server is.</p><p>I have never played a zerker myself. But regularly group with one who tanks the top end heroic-instances for us with lttleeproblems and can also do some nice damage when required, so it seems they are in decent shape for group stuff.</p><p>As with most fighters thereare problems when it comes to raiding. With only 2 tank slots in most raids, and the main-tank role invariably going to a Guardian.</p><p>BUT.... there are rumours of a lot of changes to the fighter classes coming with the expansion, so things might change some then.</p>

[Viladian]

<p>Thanks so much for that reply <img src="/smilies/283a16da79f3aa23fe1025c96295f04f.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></p><p> I live on the east coast U.S., and my play time is after work, as I imagine thats a pretty busy time,so hopefully I'll be able to meet some new people.  I'm really excited to see all the new content thats been added, and really the $30 deal for everything for current station subscribers is great, so I get the whole ball of wax from the getgo.  Now just have to wait for it to finish downloading, lol...</p><p> I was reading about the state of tanks in the game, but I'm not only relegated to being a tank.  I also played a ranger in EQ2, and wanted to try out a brigand or monk, maybe even a warden or defiler.  I hear shamans are the new flavor of the month.  Anyway,  the ranger was great back then too, tracking, nice damage from bow and melee.  I never got to play that brigand or monk, so most likely those will be the first 2 classes I try out.  Any advice on the demand for those classes at higher levels.  I am playing to get to the endgame, so it's pretty important to not just enjoy the game, but also make sure that my class isn't fighting to get a group.  Fun is primary, but a close second is being needed.  I know the best way to answer these questions is to just play the game, hehe.  But I'd appreciate any more advice anyone can give.</p><p> Also, how are the starting areas now?  Do you have to start at one of the cities like back in the day, or with the expansions are there new newbie zones?  I would like to pass the first 20 levels quickly, as you don't relaly get a taste for a class till after then anyway, so I'm glad the leveling to that is pretty quick.  i have a friend who just came back to EQ2 as well, he's playing in Crushbone.  I might try that server out.  With the way Vanguard is going, I wouldn't be surprised if EQ2 gets another big surge in population soon.  I'm glad that we all have something thats been consistent for a while to come back too.  Thanks again for any advice!</p><p>...Man, this download cannot happen fast enough. 2 more hours!...</p><p> <img src="/smilies/283a16da79f3aa23fe1025c96295f04f.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></p>

[Kari]

They have added three new starting areas, plus revamped the quests on the original two islands. The starting are in Timorous Deep is the newest and is generally considered to have the best designed quests. It is an evil area but good characters are able to do the quests if they can get to the area. As far as flavor of the month classes, bards and enchanters seem to be in big demand with the raiding guilds currently; however this could easily change by the time you have hit level 80, especially with the new expansion and AA's coming out. Right now as a general rule tanks are having the hardest time getting into raids, due to the current design that limits the number of tanks you can bring and still be successful. Also rangers are pretty underpowered compared with their opposite class, assassins. So a lot of rangers have betrayed to assassin and the ranger class has gotten a bit more rare. I would recommend that you roll a variety of classes and leave a couple of character slots blank so when you get closer to the raiding game you have the opportunity to roll a new class or switch to an alt that is in demand at the time.

[Viladian]

<p>Thanks again for all the info.  That's my plan, I want to try a few classes to see what's changed, how they've developed.  I was always more of a dps type of player, and with the current state of tanks I keep reading, I'll probably focus on a melee dps class instead, though I'll make all kinds of toons as I tend to do.  I hear good things about the Brigand, monk, and assassin.  I don't know if I can vibe with a bard type of character, but I"ve never really made one, so who knows, I might enjoy a dirge.  I also loved the warden class when I last played, and wanted to try a shaman type, but never got around to it.  It feels good to have so many choices, and so much new to do.</p><p> And as far as playing the game, lol, I have lots more downloading to do.  THe 2 hours and blue bar came and went, and now have a new 4 hours to go, but the blue bar is still full.  I assume that with all the new expansions and stuff I"ll be downloading for another day.  Hehe, no big deal, I just hope my internet connection keeps up.</p><p>Oh, and how are brigands?  I never made one last time I was in game because I didn't want to be evil, but thats not a problem now, I don't really have a preference with which direction I go, especially with the expansion of the game world.  And what do you hear about monks? I hear both Brigands and monks can tank if necessary in a pinch, do both classes give up significant dps to do this?  Thats probably the last question I'll ask, since the rest I will get answered as I play.  Oh, and one last thing.  What are good quests for armor and stuff.  Do the new areas give you quests that will give you some decent equipment and a little cash to upgrade spells?  THat is probably a big factor in where I start, more so than ease of leveling.</p><p>Sorry for the babbling, and thanks again!</p>

[DwarvesR]

<cite>Viladian wrote:</cite><blockquote><p>Thanks again for all the info.  That's my plan, I want to try a few classes to see what's changed, how they've developed.  I was always more of a dps type of player, and with the current state of tanks I keep reading, I'll probably focus on a melee dps class instead, though I'll make all kinds of toons as I tend to do.  I hear good things about the Brigand, monk, and assassin.  I don't know if I can vibe with a bard type of character, but I"ve never really made one, so who knows, I might enjoy a dirge.  I also loved the warden class when I last played, and wanted to try a shaman type, but never got around to it.  It feels good to have so many choices, and so much new to do.</p><p> And as far as playing the game, lol, I have lots more downloading to do.  THe 2 hours and blue bar came and went, and now have a new 4 hours to go, but the blue bar is still full.  I assume that with all the new expansions and stuff I"ll be downloading for another day.  Hehe, no big deal, I just hope my internet connection keeps up.</p><p>Oh, and how are brigands?  I never made one last time I was in game because I didn't want to be evil, but thats not a problem now, I don't really have a preference with which direction I go, especially with the expansion of the game world.  And what do you hear about monks? I hear both Brigands and monks can tank if necessary in a pinch, do both classes give up significant dps to do this?  Thats probably the last question I'll ask, since the rest I will get answered as I play.  Oh, and one last thing.  What are good quests for armor and stuff.  Do the new areas give you quests that will give you some decent equipment and a little cash to upgrade spells?  THat is probably a big factor in where I start, more so than ease of leveling.</p><p>Sorry for the babbling, and thanks again!</p></blockquote>Brigands are in high demand in any play aspect -- in groups they do great dps (and can tank in a pinch, and tank well if spec'd for it in AA's too), and on raids, I've seen some people estimate that the brigand's debuffs account for anywhere from 15-25% of the raid's overall dps, so raids are always looking for them.  And they solo nicely too.I have tanked for some groups on my brigand (I have higher mit and avoidance than any tank of my level that I've seen, plus for grins I went with the "tank spec&quot<img src="/smilies/8a80c6485cd926be453217d59a84a888.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /> and I haven't noticed any real dps loss.  We can spin the mobs and then stun/root them in position for long enough to toss all our back attacks on them, then when they turn back around we hit them with our front/doesn't-matter-where-you-are attacks, and they die fast.Monks seem to have a tank spec OR a dps spec.  Since plate tanks have a) better mit and b) better avoidance, most monks play in a purely dps role anymore.  I still tank for groups, but only if no plate tank can be found.  Any other group I've been in with a brawler is the same and it's been that way for well over a year.For raids, a monk will sometimes be taken along for their raidwide casting speed buff and maybe as a puller, but they generally aren't taken for "just dps" as the dps-focused scout classes will generally far outdamage a monk.Best "starting armor" is found in Timorous Deep simply by following the questlines -- you'll get a full suit.  Beyond that.... it's pretty much a case of finding lucky drops, taking groups into instances and getting legendary gear off nameds, or buying player-made Mastercrafted stuff, if you're inclined to go that route.For spell/CA upgrades, you pretty much want to get everything to Apprentice 4 (player-made) or Adept 1 (dropped, generally tons on the broker for decent prices).  For my monk I started worrying about Adept 3 upgrades at around level 50, and tbh, most people will tell you I'm worrying about it too early, but.... it's where I felt comfortable doing so, and I have noticed quite a difference in how well I do with the AD3's vs the AD1/App4 mix I had up until 50-ish.For cash.... up until about level 50 the quest rewards don't give much -- your best bet in those levels is to harvest like a madman and sell the rares you get that you can't use, and selling the treasured (or higher) loot you don't want on the broker so that the transmuters can buy it up <img src="/smilies/8a80c6485cd926be453217d59a84a888.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />  and of course, the shinies and vendoring the completely unusable items.  Past 50 the quests start paying decently, plus the loot's worht that much more, so the money seems to start rolling in pretty well at that point.

[Ragecaller]

<p>Money wise, make sue you keep your eyes open for world event quests. These tend to have pretty good rewards or cash to encourage people participating in them. The current quests needed to enable the DIRTY trade in merchant all give a few gold even at low levels. That's quick and easy money!(not repeatable though).</p>