Input from SKs needed!

[Asap]

Until the class experience penalties are removed (come Velious), the journey to 60 is a long, slow, sometimes painful process. That being said, I was curious if any 50+ Shadow Knights soloed most of their levels, or even during downtime, and the best spots to go by level.

There are several Paladin solo threads, let's see if we can get a list of levels and zones where Shadow Knights, who have taken the solo route, have gone.

I will update the OP once input is posted

[chu]

lguk bw skyfire all ez solos
eq so ez

[tristantio]

So far I've been soloing my ERU SHD (most of the time) and am at level 35 so far.

Levels 1 to 8: No spells yet, solo somewhere you can bum buffs to ease the pain (East Commons).

Levels 9 to 14: You have spells, the lifetap is better than nothing. Still stay near East Commons, so try to hunt in NRO/WC and come back once an hour for buff refresh.

Levels 15 to 21: You can now fear kite, however I enjoy the shralok orcs in kithicor forest as they are relatively stationary (and tankable) - collect and save all the orc scalps and turn in at HHK to go from 21 to 22 or 23 (they are pretty amazing XP).

Levels 22 to 28: The worst! Terrible life tap, no feign death or gather shadows. Fear kite in LOIO near water.

Level 29 to 35: I enjoy uncamped areas so like soloing kerra isle, there are a few dark blues at 29 that are tankable (and drop fun items) - there is one named above tiger pit on the south island with 2 dark/light blue assistants, as well as the Shazda turban guy (FD to clear his spawn, beat him down toe to toe).

For gear I find the slower the weapon (2h) the better, as this allows you to swing, start a lifetap, swing, repeat...

[baalzy]

30+ (no damage cap) you can also try snare kiting with:
http://wiki.project1999.com/Weighted_Axe

Instead of fearing, just snare. Run through the mob, activate auto attack when you get into melee range, keep running to get out of its range, turn around and repeat. You're doing massive amounts of damage each round and only taking 1 round of hits from the mob.

Another strategy is to equip the weighted axe for the first round (since you always swing immediately) then switch to a lower delay/better ratio weapon and face tank/fear kite.

Also, just a note: Race penalties always exist. But without the Class penalty it becomes hardly noticable (20% is tiny compared to 68%).

[Lord_Snow]

Oh damn troll sk? I was lucky and had a druid friend with a lumy staff so I just sat around while he quadded spirocs 46-51 so far....stupid crazy xp

[Messianic]

Oh damn troll sk? I was lucky and had a druid friend with a lumy staff so I just sat around while he quadded spirocs 46-51 so far....stupid crazy xp

What level were you while he did that?

[Yinikren]

I fear kited a lot in DL from 49-54, solo, along the east wall of KC. After I hit 54, the double hell became too much to solo though, though I do remember ravishing drolvargs being dark blue until 56-57 if you want to continue.

BW sucked because of adds at the giant fort and skyfire sucked for me because the assist range on those mobs was huge (so the pulls were long and I ended up zoning some of my pulls because of chromadrac adds).

After 54, it was Chardok for me because it was my only real option due to my playtime. Had there been an outdoor zone I could easily solo in, I would have done that instead most likely.

The Shadowknight power curve is immense after 50, where you start getting useful spells every single level. The 52 pet basically doubles your DPS when you are fear kiting mobs in DL, if you summon a higher one and give him weapons. The 58 even more so.

[Asap]

After 54, it was Chardok for me because it was my only real option due to my playtime. Had there been an outdoor zone I could easily solo in, I would have done that instead most likely.

aoe group?

[baalzy]

aoe group?

My guess is either:
1) Become non-kos and get in line with the other 7 pullers waiting for that one guy to finish his 18+ hour turn. If the group allows 68% penalty proxies

2) Farm money and pay for it if the group allows 68% penalty proxies.

Personally on my necro I didn't have much problem with adds at BW Fort once I figured out where they pathed to/from. You just need to make sure you periodically let them path back into the crater a bit before reapplying fear. Probably less efficient as an SK since you'd be meleeing them down though.

[Yinikren]

My guess is either:
1) Become non-kos and get in line with the other 7 pullers waiting for that one guy to finish his 18+ hour turn. If the group allows 68% penalty proxies

2) Farm money and pay for it if the group allows 68% penalty proxies.

Personally on my necro I didn't have much problem with adds at BW Fort once I figured out where they pathed to/from. You just need to make sure you periodically let them path back into the crater a bit before reapplying fear. Probably less efficient as an SK since you'd be meleeing them down though.

Yes, I pulled, and yes, if I was next in line for pulling (I woke up early, got in line, gave someone I trusted my phone number, and went back to sleep) the group dealt with me and I them. Groups in chardok are worried about volume of pulls, not penalties, and the fact that an SK can reliably and easily bring 140-mob pulls is a plus in their books. I've also never had to wait for some guy to finish an 18 hour shift, but I have heard times have changed. If anyone was to play that long in any of my groups, they'd have been replaced long beforehand so their tired ass doesn't wipe us.

You wait in line for chardok - You are next in line to pull, you pull, it does not matter what class/race you are as long as you are a reliable puller.

As for BW, because an SK has to melee a mob down, it means we are not medding during kills - it's pretty hard for us to fear/CC more than one mob at a time for any sort of long duration, because Invoke Fear costs a decent chunk of mana that we have no opportunity to med back.

[Asap]

I have heard KC is a doable zone to solo in 54-60?

[Yinikren]

Sure, you probably could fear kite along the zone in with clicky boots or a low level fear so the mob doesn't get far into the zone. You have trains and idiots to deal with, however.

Another option after you get the 54 second undead fear is the OT hammer turn-in mob - it's a 6 minute spawn and easily single pulled out of the fort.

[loramin]

Levels 15 to 21: You can now fear kite, however I enjoy the shralok orcs in kithicor forest as they are relatively stationary (and tankable) - collect and save all the orc scalps and turn in at HHK to go from 21 to 22 or 23 (they are pretty amazing XP).



Level 29 to 35: I enjoy uncamped areas so like soloing kerra isle, there are a few dark blues at 29 that are tankable (and drop fun items) - there is one named above tiger pit on the south island with 2 dark/light blue assistants, as well as the Shazda turban guy (FD to clear his spawn, beat him down toe to toe).


Both of these great suggestions were missing from the Per Level Hunting Guide (http://wiki.project1999.com/Per-Level_Hunting_Guide), but I have since added them.

The guide is a great source of soloing locations, and if you discover that any spot is particularly good/bad for SKs, please feel free to note as much in the Notes section of the guide.

[NextGenesis88]

I am a troll SK so this thread could be very useful as well. :D I have not fear kited besides a few mobs here and there, but I actually solo'd deepwater crocs for a couple levels to 25 although I don't think anyone would recommend it. Before that was HH and was nice getting a few Shralok Packs, a big amount of scalps, the Shiny Brass Idol and there have been more people showing it there lately. Good source of money for sure. And the Shiny Brass Halberd I have been collecting and saving for pets. Allows them to hit for 36 damage around. Very nice.

Upper Guk seems to be nice as well in this range and I also camped a Runed Bone Fork which is one of the best items for our ranged slot or alternatively you could sell it for 500pp give or take. Just a couple recommendations for making money while leveling.

[Malone88]

Aren't there undead in DL and Trak's that 50+ SK can solo?

[Asap]

Aren't there undead in DL and Trak's that 50+ SK can solo?

I'm not entirely sure, hoping some 60 SKs can chime in here :)

[Yinikren]

Both of those zones have spawns that start turning LB around 53-54.

[Incubo]

60 sk checking in. Only real soloing was specs in the 40s and KC entrance while LFG. Its a grind but never really had trouble finding xp groups. Just gotta suck it up.

[Lord_Snow]

What level were you while he did that?
We started when I was 40 and he was 46

[Lord_Snow]

Although if you wanna group 40-50 CoM is where its at.

[Yinikren]

CoM is good stuff, it is also possible to solo by the arena by pulling undead merbs, but it was neither fun, nor fast exp.

[Lovely_Coconuts]

I spent the mid 30's through late 40's soloing Freeport Milita guards. Fear kiting is fairly safe if you pull to certain areas, like near the Wood Elf vendor in WFP, and learn the guard pathing. I made at least 15k (I lost track after awhile) just selling the fine steel weapons I looted.

If you want to sell to the FP vendors, just do Captain Rohand's brandy quest in Qeynos. As long as you haven't ruined your faction with the Merchants of Qeynos you can sneak in to the Mermaid's Lure and drown him in booze!

[hillgiantchamp]

58 ogre sk. I use snareDot + fear clicky from blood ember set with the axe that procs invoke fear. Keeps them perma feared. With jboots with pathers that turn a lot the snare is not even needed. EZPZ

[baalzy]

Aren't there undead in DL and Trak's that 50+ SK can solo?

There are a few skeletons around the combine city right next to the port-in from DL that I think stay DB till 60. I tried them a bit on my necro once but there aren't a lot of them and a paladin was soloing them.

Would work, it just doesn't support many people.

[hillgiantchamp]

Or in lguk if you pull to the hand spawn across from AM. You can snare with gaunts and cast fear undead 10 mana spell. They will be feared just out of the room then when fear breaks run back to hand refear and you won't get adds. Great exp

[Dunes]

Id like to build on an earlier post. if we keep building, I think we can come up with a pretty nice list!

Levels 1 to 8: No spells yet, solo somewhere you can bum buffs to ease the pain (East Commons).
--Id like to add that even as a SK, you can still carve out a living near Qeynos by killing enough gnolls in Blackburrow. Was great xp up to 12 or so and I ended up not KoS to most factions in Qeynos. Unfortunately, clerics, paladins, and some of the int casters still didn't like me much!

Levels 9 to 14: You have spells, the lifetap is better than nothing. Still stay near East Commons, so try to hunt in NRO/WC and come back once an hour for buff refresh.
--Befallen gets to be good in this range. I stuck to Befallen until ~20ish

Levels 15 to 21: You can now fear kite, however I enjoy the shralok orcs in kithicor forest as they are relatively stationary (and tankable) - collect and save all the orc scalps and turn in at HHK to go from 21 to 22 or 23 (they are pretty amazing XP).
-- Najena is good times with a great ZEM. Hunting elementals, tentacles, easier mages, spiders, and the high level skeletons near spiders will make Najena last 20-28 if you want to.

Levels 22 to 28: The worst! Terrible life tap, no feign death or gather shadows. Fear kite in LOIO near water.
--I started into SK gnolls and aviaks in the mid and upper 20's

Level 29 to 35: I enjoy uncamped areas so like soloing kerra isle, there are a few dark blues at 29 that are tankable (and drop fun items) - there is one named above tiger pit on the south island with 2 dark/light blue assistants, as well as the Shazda turban guy (FD to clear his spawn, beat him down toe to toe).
--Lower 30's through mid 30's was a good time to kill inside Splitpaw. Killing everything up to the double doors was easy because they are all melee

Level 35 to 40: Was tough. I found myself moving around a lot, doing specs with a rogue, Lower Guk entrance area, deeper parts of Mistmoore, etc

Level 40 to 50: I spent the majority of my time moving through CoM camps. Began with Stable / Courtyard, then Temple / Arena, then Moat. Did a bit of LGuk as well, but that place makes me claustrophobic :o

Level 50 to 54: The Hole is awesome in this window. It stays good, but once your 55+ you can start getting groups in Seb, etc, so there are other options

Anyway, just my 2cents FWIW!

[Asap]

Or in lguk if you pull to the hand spawn across from AM. You can snare with gaunts and cast fear undead 10 mana spell. They will be feared just out of the room then when fear breaks run back to hand refear and you won't get adds. Great exp

Nice

[Asap]

Id like to build on an earlier post. if we keep building, I think we can come up with a pretty nice list!

Levels 1 to 8: No spells yet, solo somewhere you can bum buffs to ease the pain (East Commons).
--Id like to add that even as a SK, you can still carve out a living near Qeynos by killing enough gnolls in Blackburrow. Was great xp up to 12 or so and I ended up not KoS to most factions in Qeynos. Unfortunately, clerics, paladins, and some of the int casters still didn't like me much!

Levels 9 to 14: You have spells, the lifetap is better than nothing. Still stay near East Commons, so try to hunt in NRO/WC and come back once an hour for buff refresh.
--Befallen gets to be good in this range. I stuck to Befallen until ~20ish

Levels 15 to 21: You can now fear kite, however I enjoy the shralok orcs in kithicor forest as they are relatively stationary (and tankable) - collect and save all the orc scalps and turn in at HHK to go from 21 to 22 or 23 (they are pretty amazing XP).
-- Najena is good times with a great ZEM. Hunting elementals, tentacles, easier mages, spiders, and the high level skeletons near spiders will make Najena last 20-28 if you want to.

Levels 22 to 28: The worst! Terrible life tap, no feign death or gather shadows. Fear kite in LOIO near water.
--I started into SK gnolls and aviaks in the mid and upper 20's

Level 29 to 35: I enjoy uncamped areas so like soloing kerra isle, there are a few dark blues at 29 that are tankable (and drop fun items) - there is one named above tiger pit on the south island with 2 dark/light blue assistants, as well as the Shazda turban guy (FD to clear his spawn, beat him down toe to toe).
--Lower 30's through mid 30's was a good time to kill inside Splitpaw. Killing everything up to the double doors was easy because they are all melee

Level 35 to 40: Was tough. I found myself moving around a lot, doing specs with a rogue, Lower Guk entrance area, deeper parts of Mistmoore, etc

Level 40 to 50: I spent the majority of my time moving through CoM camps. Began with Stable / Courtyard, then Temple / Arena, then Moat. Did a bit of LGuk as well, but that place makes me claustrophobic :o

Level 50 to 54: The Hole is awesome in this window. It stays good, but once your 55+ you can start getting groups in Seb, etc, so there are other options

Anyway, just my 2cents FWIW!

Thanks for your input, the list is coming along nicely!

Also, when you were soloing in splitpaw, did you fear kite or just melee them down?

[twizztid]

lguk bw skyfire all ez solos
eq so ez

ur moms ez

[twizztid]

Upper 30's - mid 40's you can do DL very comfortably. I did it with my warrior solo so.......... plus you can just walk into KC and get raped with buffs.

[Malone88]

Also, when you were soloing in splitpaw, did you fear kite or just melee them down?Don't think there is enough room to fear-kite, though it is mandatory to snare everything. There are about 5 single pulls before double-doors and one easy roamer. After that, there are two pairs of mobs to deal with. Not sure how easy they are to split with FD.

[Tecmos Deception]

The issue with splitpaw is there is one static spawn ~5-6 mobs back into the dungeon that is several levels higher than the rest of them, and then behind him they are lower level again. Was a real problem trying to solo any of my characters in there, cause if the majority of things were dark blue, the one dude was a hard red.

[Malone88]

The issue with splitpaw is there is one static spawn ~5-6 mobs back into the dungeon that is several levels higher than the rest of them, and then behind him they are lower level again. Was a real problem trying to solo any of my characters in there, cause if the majority of things were dark blue, the one dude was a hard red.
Just don't go past the double-doors. All the mobs before that are dark blue/light blue/green to early 30's toon. There's also some crazy pathing past the double doors that sometimes bring the whole dungeon on you when you try to pull one of those mobs. There is a trick to it, but I never learned it. I usually moved on after 35 to a new zone.

[Tecmos Deception]

The last time I was in paw (so like... several months ago), there definitely was 1 spawn before the double doors that was significantly higher level than the rest of the gnolls around there. He isn't there every time I don't think, but he is a huge pain in the ass when he is.

[Malone88]

The last time I was in paw (so like... several months ago), there definitely was 1 spawn before the double doors that was significantly higher level than the rest of the gnolls around there. He isn't there every time I don't think, but he is a huge pain in the ass when he is.
I've never seen a white/yellow/red before double-doors there when I levelled my Enchanter and Necro there (past 6 months). Maybe I was lucky! I have pulled the whole damn dungeon on myself more than once when i did try to pull past the
double doors :D

[Kaleadar]

In paw you have the 2 static mobs at the zone line ----> Pather -----> 2 static mobs just past the ent mobs... That second set is the one that has the really high lvl gnoll it is around lvl 29-31.

I did lvl 30 to 31 solo in Rathe Mtns, if you zone in from Feerrott at the first intersection (where hasten paths) turn left, you will see a Yellow undead tower along the left zone wall. This has 1 static blue spawn at lvl 30. If you keep going past the yellow tower you will see an old Druid Ring that has about 10 undead at it. This has 2 blue static spawns with the chance for any of the greens to spawn a blue. All spawns seem to be on a 6 min timer.

This was a slow grind but worked well for my limited play time. Basically I was able to AFK lvl while watching movies the entire time or looking on the internetz. Not sure what the cons are at lvl 31. I dinged, shut laptop lid, and said enough of that crap for now.

[Malone88]

In paw you have the 2 static mobs at the zone line ----> Pather -----> 2 static mobs just past the ent mobs... That second set is the one that has the really high lvl gnoll it is around lvl 29-31. My Chanter did 33/34 in there and never had a problem with those mobs...all dark blue. My Necro invized past those two and did the 7 mobs after that, before the double-door. Splitting those last two was sometimes a challenge, but doable. Only time I wiped in there was when I tried to pull beyond the double-doors...I guess 31 could be "really-high" if you're trying to solo there at 29/30. Better off doing the outside dogs at those levels, IMO.

[Kaleadar]

31 is really high when the rest of the mobs are 25-28 generally