Questions from a Monk in Progress

[Gykon]

<div></div>Hello. I am a level 7 Human Fighter, intending on becoming a Monk, and I have some newbish questions. I realize there is a Fighter's forum, but I wanted to bring them here as everything I am doing is in a Monk-context. When can I get fist weapons? Is it possible to purchase them as a Fighter from a lowbie npc vendor? If so where the heck is one? I am lost in Qeynos looking for a weapon vendor.  What about the auction system? Is it better to get mitigation gear first, or to accentuate avoidance. I looked at the monk FAQ, and if I gather right, I am supposed to take defensive passive abilities at all costs, lol. Is this still the prevailing wisdom? Personally, I want to be a high-dps, high-avoidance Monk vs a tanking monk, or at least I think so. Are there any choices that are just terrible-avoid-at-all-costs kinda deals? Being new to EQ2, what is the best way to find others to group with? I see few people on Befallen Qeynos, and I am not sure what tools I might have to group with people. Also, can you only ever have one hotbar? I see people talk about using all these myriad of animal named strikes, and one bar seems way to llittle for that much stuff. What happens if you never update your skills from Adept I? The reason I ask is it seems to confusing, you get SOOO many abilities, its hard to figure if something is going to be used in 10 levels or not, so why spend on it? Thanks for any insight. <div></div><p>Message Edited by Gykon on <span class=date_text>06-12-2005</span> <span class=time_text>01:50 PM</span>

[woo]

<DIV><FONT color=#ff0000></FONT><BR> <BLOCKQUOTE> <HR> Gykon wrote:<BR> <P>Hello.<BR><BR>I am a level 7 Human Fighter, intending on becoming a Monk, and I have some newbish questions. I realize there is a Fighter's forum, but I wanted to bring them here as everything I am doing is in a Monk-context.<BR><BR>When can I get fist weapons? Is it possible to purchase them as a Fighter from a lowbie npc vendor? If so where the heck is one? I am lost in Qeynos looking for a weapon vendor.  What about the auction system? </P> <P><FONT color=#ff0000>you can get wield fist weapons at level 10, they can be player made or bought from your local home town from a weaponsmith NPC</FONT><BR><BR>Is it better to get mitigation gear first, or to accentuate avoidance.</P> <P><FONT color=#ff0000>there isnt really 'mitigation gear'.. or 'avoidance gear'.  +agility is the only stat on gear that can add to your avoidance, and the type and tier of your armor is what affects its mitigation.  you will want to get white/yellow/orange con Light Armor for best mitigation results.  If you can afford it, you can upgrade to Legendary or Fabled Light Armor for more mitigation and usually more +agility.</FONT><BR><BR>I looked at the monk FAQ, and if I gather right, I am supposed to take defensive passive abilities at all costs, lol. Is this still the prevailing wisdom? Personally, I want to be a high-dps, high-avoidance Monk vs a tanking monk, or at least I think so. Are there any choices that are just terrible-avoid-at-all-costs kinda deals?</P> <P><FONT color=#ff0000>avoidance is tanking.. we are avoidance tanks.  defensive traits = avoidance.  there are zero traits that any race/class gets that add to mitigatoin, with the exception of the lvl 46(?) training that can give +3% to crush/pierce/slash resistance.  if you want more avoidance, increase your agility.  if you want more hitpoints, increase your stamina.  if you want more damage, increase your strength.</FONT></P> <P><BR>Being new to EQ2, what is the best way to find others to group with? I see few people on Befallen Qeynos, and I am not sure what tools I might have to group with people.</P> <P><FONT color=#ff0000>Put your /LFG tag up, ask in OOC, ask in Qeynos chat, type /who all LFG x y.  (X, Y is the level range your looking for.. ie /who all lfg 10 15).  Go to the appropriate zone that you want to level in.. at level 7 you would want to hang out in oakmyst forest most likely.</FONT><BR><BR>Also, can you only ever have one hotbar? I see people talk about using all these myriad of animal named strikes, and one bar seems way to llittle for that much stuff.</P> <P><FONT color=#ff0000>right click your hotbar and select 'Open New Hotbar'.  also, hit 'K' to see all your abiilities and combat arts.  by level 50 you will probably have 4 full hotbars that you use, and an additional 2-3 if you tradeskill.</FONT><BR><BR>What happens if you never update your skills from Adept I? The reason I ask is it seems to confusing, you get SOOO many abilities, its hard to figure if something is going to be used in 10 levels or not, so why spend on it?</P> <P><FONT color=#ff0000>If you use it a lot: upgrade it.  You dont have to get Adept 1, you can choose Apprentice 2 from local Scribes/Trainers or Apprentice 3/4 from Scholar->Alchemists (also make Adept 3s). </FONT><BR><BR>Thanks for any insight.<BR></P> <P>Message Edited by Gykon on <SPAN class=date_text>06-12-2005</SPAN> <SPAN class=time_text>01:50 PM</SPAN><BR> <HR> </BLOCKQUOTE><BR></DIV>

[Gykon]

<div></div><div></div><div></div><font color="#ff0000"><span></span></font><blockquote><hr>woode wrote:<div><font color="#ff0000"></font><blockquote><font color="#ffffff">you can get wield fist weapons at level 10, they can be player made or bought from your local home town from a weaponsmith NPC</font><p><font color="#ff0000">How much better are crafted ones versus dropped versus vendor? </font></p><p><font color="#ff0000"><font color="#ffffff">there isnt really 'mitigation gear'.. or 'avoidance gear'.  +agility is the only stat on gear that can add to your avoidance, and the type and tier of your armor is what affects its mitigation.  you will want to get white/yellow/orange con Light Armor for best mitigation results.  If you can afford it, you can upgrade to Legendary or Fabled Light Armor for more mitigation and usually more +agility.</font></font></p><p><font color="#ff0000"><font color="#6633ff"><font color="#ff0000">What do you mean upgrade to, are these things that you do to existing armor, or types of armor you get from players/drops?</font></font></font><font color="#ffffff">If you use it a lot: upgrade it.  You dont have to get Adept 1, you can choose Apprentice 2 from local Scribes/Trainers or Apprentice 3/4 from Scholar->Alchemists (also make Adept 3s). </font></p><p><font color="#ff0000">Are these all player made upgrades? Do they have to be to a paricular thing. I mean if you have Super Strike, can you get a generic upgrade or do you have to find someone that can make Super Strike Adept III precisely?</font><font color="#ff0000"> </font></p><p><font color="#ff0000">Thanks!</font></p><hr></blockquote></div></blockquote><div></div><p>Message Edited by Gykon on <span class="date_text">06-12-2005</span> <span class="time_text">04:24 PM</span></p><p>Message Edited by Gykon on <span class=date_text>06-12-2005</span> <span class=time_text>04:25 PM</span>

[Shrou]

<DIV><FONT color=#ff0000>How much better are crafted ones versus dropped versus vendor? </FONT><BR></DIV> <DIV><FONT color=#6633ff>Crafted and Quest rewards weapons will have stat bonuses, wheras NPC Vendor items will not.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT color=#6633ff>Some weapons dropped from creatures will have bonuses and some will not.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT color=#6633ff>I would advise joining a trade society or visiting the broker in Qeynos harbor so you can see what players are selling.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT color=#6633ff></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT color=#ff0000>What do you mean upgrade to, are these things that you do to existing armor, or types of armor you get from players/drops?</FONT><BR><BR>He is reffering to purchasing better gear.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><FONT color=#ff0000>Are these all player made upgrades? Do they have to be to a paricular thing. I mean if you have Super Strike, can you get a generic upgrade or do you have to find someone that can make Super Strike Adept III precisely?<BR></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT color=#3333ff>Scribes are Npc Vendors who sell apprentice II upgrades.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT color=#3333ff>Anything beyond that you will need to check a broker and buy from Player venders.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT color=#3333ff></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT color=#ff0000></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT color=#3300ff>Finally, if you are having trouble navigating, check your map. The little icons you see show the kinds of stores in your area.</FONT></DIV>

[Gykon]

<div></div>Thanks for the additional responses. Is there a chart or website somewhere that shows what going  from App 1,2,3 Master, etc gives numerically to a certain skill. Is the NPC bought App II even noticible? Edit: My post shows how litle I know, I don't even know how the order goes, as far as Adept/Apprentice. I think the skill upgrade system is the biggest oddity in EQ2. It seems good on paper to let people upgrade things but its confusing and time consuming to keep track of it, and the game doesnt explain it well at all. <div></div><p>Message Edited by Gykon on <span class=date_text>06-12-2005</span> <span class=time_text>05:42 PM</span>

[woo]

<P>upgrade for skills are as follows:<BR></P> <P>Apprentice 1: You recieve as you level up (sometimes mid-level as well)</P> <P>Apprentice 2: Vendor/NPC bought</P> <P>Apprentice 3: 'Handcrafted' aka Player-made.  Your not into tradeskills, so what im about to say will just confuse you.. but this is the non-pristine version of App4</P> <P>Apprentice 4: 'Handcrafted' aka Player-made.</P> <P>Adept 1: Mob-drop</P> <P>Adept 3: 'Legendary' Player-made.  This requires a rare harvest or refine loot.</P> <P>Master 1: 'Fabled' Mob-drop.</P> <P>Master 3: Rumored.. would most likely be fabled player-made such as the 'secrets of...' books from raid mbos</P> <P> </P> <P>Gear quality: </P> <LI>common - lets call this 'stuff'.  collection quests, some items with no stats, npc bought stuff.. <LI>handcrafted - player-made from harvest stuff OR anything that can be used in tradeskilling (not including Legendary stuff) <LI>treasured - quest rewards, some mob drops.. average joe items. <LI>Legendary - sometimes quest rewards, but generally these are items crafted from Rare harvests or refine loots..  they have better stats than treasured/handcrafted <LI>Fabled - items from a master chest OR player made from fabled refine drops + recipe books.  basically really super rare and expensive. <LI>Mythical - super duper extra rare beyond all rareness</LI> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV>