Need help getting back into the game.

[Snowmant]

<DIV>Hi!</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>I took the summer off of Everquest.  I know, unbelievable!  So, I've completely missed all the changes and add-ons in the last three to four months.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>I'm a level 31 Paladin, almost 32 on the Nektulos server.  When I last left I was soloing mostly in EL, making the occasional runs in to Nek Castle with my guild (which I am no longer in, due to my absence).  But thats really all I can remember.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>I've spent the last two days making sure I've got any new spells/skills they've come out with since I left but I'm not positive that I've got them all.  Mostly I've been making sure I've got adepts of all the one's I *kinda* remember using.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>I'm in AQ armor except for the BP (I believe I have the Black Tainted BP whose stats are similar to the AQ one) and I'm using the Skullcrusher mace I bought off the black market merchant.  This equipment could be extremely outdated now for all I know.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>I'd like to know a few things.. first off, are there any new spells or skills I should make sure I have and use at level 31/32.  Second, is there better armor or weapons I should be looking to purchase?  I have a decent bank roll, before I left I had a few harvest rares in the bank waiting for guildies, and now that I am without a guild I sold them all off.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>And lastly, everyone loves quests that can be solo'ed for decent exp..  and I'm sure that they've added a few since I left.  If anyone knows about any good quests with decent exp or rewards for my level I'd love to hear about them.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Currently, I do not have any of the expansions enabled, but wouldnt mind hearing reasons why I should purchase them. =P</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Thanks in advance,</DIV> <DIV>Lyssa Lynch</DIV> <DIV>31st lvl Paladin</DIV> <DIV>Nektulos</DIV>

[Celedon Silvertree]

Welcome back. Just been back a few weeks myself and came back at 28 so I know where you are at. (Now 38 and climbing!) Sounds like you missed the great rebalancing so you are infor a treat. Firstly, travel is kinda painful at your level cause mobs 10 levels lower than you are still green so walking through TS is annoying. But since they upgraded your speed just dash through it. Just be aware that lots of little green mobs will be chasing you. It is managable. You won't do the damage you used to. Defensively your still good but it takes longer to drop mobs and heroic mobs you have to seriously outlevel in order to consider. You do a little better AOE now but don't think that grouped heroics are going to fall to you easily. Grouped soloable mobs are managable if they don't stun too much. I'd move to Zek at your level and do the early quests there. Ideally you should purchase player crafted armor now ASAP (feyrion vanguard I believe) but the orcs drop usuable armor that isn't too shabby at all. Some rares are better than player crafted actually and the full of himself halfling on the Zek docks eventually gives a quest for the very nice ebon eye breastplate you should consider doing. The dark elf on the docks starts a series of quests that will eventually take you to the Glademaster further in Zek and he gives you quests for some very nice weaponry. Also, if you havent done the HQ yet the shinny brass halbard is a very nice weapon for this level. All in all, the money and quest rewards are really good around Zek and much of it is carefully soloable. Enjoy. YMMV. <div></div>

[Coho1]

<DIV>The orcs just outside Zek's gates drop silvril armor. (atleast they used to) I got a complete set there.</DIV>

[g0thiC_iCe_cReaM]

<P>if you can afford some feysteel get it <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></P> <P>get adepts or at least app 4s of everything, for your master choices take your taunts for masters</P> <DIV>just remember your ward is definitly your friend now, and so is defensive stance for those things that you have trouble with <img src="/smilies/8a80c6485cd926be453217d59a84a888.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /> </DIV> <DIV>don't mash keys and try to conserve power for battles you think might take a while, b/c they generally last longer now and you will take more damage than you did pre-combat revamp...your group taunt lowers the mob's divine resistance, and most of your CAs are divine damage so it's good to use it even if yer solo...</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>look for goading gesture, corpse crush, and doom judgement on the broker since none of them are combat arts that you automatically get...you have to buy them</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>there are a number of quests in zek that are good for loot, i just can't think of any off hand atm <img src="/smilies/8a80c6485cd926be453217d59a84a888.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /> there's always ogaming (eq2.ogaming.com) if you wanna take a look at some of the stuff to do in zek...</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>splitpaw is a good expansion since it scales to your level when you enter...DoF is a must have when you hit 42ish simply b/c you need it to get to 60 and well there's not a whole lot left in the old world for toons that are over 50...you can get some decent xp in tombs of night (bloodline chronicles) - but the last time i was in there was pre-combat revamp so i dunno now...</DIV> <DIV> </DIV>

[Brigh]

Paw has some solo instances like the Trial of Harclave that you must set aside 2-3 hours to complete.It also has a gladatorial arena where you fight things that get harder til the end boss, which really is a big let down compared to the fight before it. You get a tiny pet mushroom to follow you around winning that arena.Bloodlines had at least one solo thing but since I left a while and came back I have yet to finish my quests there for the heroic instances. I can't find anyone to play that expansion pack.