Kunark spell drops, some things in Howling Stones, and some Mechanics

[Castigate]

So originally I set out to see if HS was properly itemized, mostly because right now the zone feels pretty darn barren excluding named spawns, but after some searching I stumbled on a lot of stuff.

To begin as its required to validate that these are most likely Kunark era comments, archived versions of castersrealm comments appear to list every comment older than 1/28/2001 as having 1/28/2001 for their date, evidence here, https://web.archive.org/web/20010418035632/http://eq.castersrealm.com/spells/spell.asp?Id=812 as well as in some other links included later, with dates going backwards in time as they descend on the page. As this date is not even 2 months post Velious release I'd say its pretty good odds most comments with 1/28/2001 listed as their date are older than Velious. I'm not even really sure that this matters and would need some sort of a check on patch logs I guess to see if there were spell drop changes for Kunark era stuff in that 2 month timeframe, but whatever.

Anyways I ended up on castersrealm after seeing
http://wayback.archive.org/web/20000706194723/http://eqbeastiary.allakhazam.com/search.shtml?zone=84
mention that as of June 2000 many 50+ spells were confirmed in HS, and it didn't take long to find
https://web.archive.org/web/20011125035854/http://eq.castersrealm.com/spells/spelldescriptions.asp?Id=1205
https://web.archive.org/web/20010418042240/http://eq.castersrealm.com/spells/spell.asp?Id=802
https://web.archive.org/web/20011228014536/http://eq.castersrealm.com/spells/spelldescriptions.asp?Id=657&Page=2 (mention Black Reaver drop, as well as Evacuate failing to clear agro)
I would say this is pretty solid evidence that 55+ spells should be dropping in HS off Kunark level appropriate mobs, and I'll admit that it just may be that they do drop and I've never seen it. However, I'm pretty sure that's not the case because of the next part which also makes this pretty irrelevant in a practical sense.

So AoE groups in Chardok should be getting CoTH for sure, as well as other spells up to at least 57.
https://web.archive.org/web/20010611124343/http://eq.castersrealm.com/spells/spell.asp?Id=363
https://web.archive.org/web/20010418041432/http://eq.castersrealm.com/spells/spell.asp?Id=515
https://web.archive.org/web/20010418041541/http://eq.castersrealm.com/spells/spell.asp?Id=517
https://web.archive.org/web/20010725175526/http://eq.castersrealm.com/spells/spell.asp?Id=1208

The comment on this spell would indicate that golems in chardok should see invis, and that wurms in SF/BW see invis, but also that nothing else in BW should? Or does EoT have natural IVU as well?
https://web.archive.org/web/20010611120653/http://eq.castersrealm.com/spells/spell.asp?Id=358

I also found this, timeframe is well into Velious but it says cliff golems should be dropping multiple spells, along with this in other comments I got the feeling that Emperor Chottal should drop multiple spells, but no direct statement of it.
https://web.archive.org/web/20011125035509/http://eq.castersrealm.com/spells/spelldescriptions.asp?Id=344

Now before I get to HS I found maybe the one piece of evidence that I ever will that No Rent items weren't actually labelled as such during this era and I found it on a page that is in no way era appropriate. http://www.bonzz.com/glory.htm more specifically http://everquest.allakhazam.com/equipment/graphics14/sigilofthecalender.jpg
On live I think my only interaction with No Rent were Mod Rods and Sword of Runes, but I remember Mages warning me that the swords would disappear when I logged, and there being no indication on the item itself, so seeing this makes me think I may actually have something here.

Ok on to HS stuff. First, the word "the", should not be capitalized, probably on any mob in the zone.
http://wayback.archive.org/web/20020421202628/http://eqbeastiary.allakhazam.com/search.shtml?id=5110
http://wayback.archive.org/web/20010816163740/http://eqbeastiary.allakhazam.com/search.shtml?id=5288
the Golem Master should be a human, and should proc a 1k DD, and further evidence of spell drops, though the era is off on the spell info. Coincidentally the Crypt Keeper should also be a human and comments between the 2 pages make me believe that 1 or both should be a human clear through the end of velious, however the Crypt Keeper should be making specter noises, which he might already now that I think about it.
http://wayback.archive.org/web/20020820031147/http://eqbeastiary.allakhazam.com/search.shtml?id=5122
http://wayback.archive.org/web/20020106063627/http://eqbeastiary.allakhazam.com/search.shtml?id=5123
"The Crypt Wurm" should be named "a crypt wurm"
http://wayback.archive.org/web/20020705130259/http://eqbeastiary.allakhazam.com/search.shtml?id=5104
Sentient Bile should be named Bile Sentinel
http://wayback.archive.org/web/20011226183800/http://eqbeastiary.allakhazam.com/search.shtml?id=5121
Helot Skeles should look like this and be Wizards, and depending on level should Ice Comet.
http://wayback.archive.org/web/20020313133156/http://eqbeastiary.allakhazam.com/search.shtml?id=5118

One last thing, is the glove for the master key currently in game? It is mentioned as far back as September 2000 in Zam comments, though the fingers and forearm dont show up on magelo (earliest date I could find for them) until aug-sep 2001.
http://wayback.archive.org/web/20020124174009/http://everquest.allakhazam.com/db/zones.html?zstrat=84
http://eq.magelo.com/item/20521
http://eq.magelo.com/item/20523
http://eq.magelo.com/item/20522
Also I'm pretty sure the combine/quest wasn't solved, at least publicly, until late 2003, which makes me wonder if it should even work on p99 at all, or maybe just be ninja patched to start working some years after Velious drops.

That's all I got for now, I hope it was useful and documented properly.

[BlkCamel]

So originally I set out to see if HS was properly itemized, mostly because right now the zone feels pretty darn barren excluding named spawns, but after some searching I stumbled on a lot of stuff.

To begin as its required to validate that these are most likely Kunark era comments, archived versions of castersrealm comments appear to list every comment older than 1/28/2001 as having 1/28/2001 for their date, evidence here, https://web.archive.org/web/20010418035632/http://eq.castersrealm.com/spells/spell.asp?Id=812 as well as in some other links included later, with dates going backwards in time as they descend on the page. As this date is not even 2 months post Velious release I'd say its pretty good odds most comments with 1/28/2001 listed as their date are older than Velious. I'm not even really sure that this matters and would need some sort of a check on patch logs I guess to see if there were spell drop changes for Kunark era stuff in that 2 month timeframe, but whatever.

Anyways I ended up on castersrealm after seeing
http://wayback.archive.org/web/20000706194723/http://eqbeastiary.allakhazam.com/search.shtml?zone=84
mention that as of June 2000 many 50+ spells were confirmed in HS, and it didn't take long to find
https://web.archive.org/web/20011125035854/http://eq.castersrealm.com/spells/spelldescriptions.asp?Id=1205
https://web.archive.org/web/20010418042240/http://eq.castersrealm.com/spells/spell.asp?Id=802
https://web.archive.org/web/20011228014536/http://eq.castersrealm.com/spells/spelldescriptions.asp?Id=657&Page=2 (mention Black Reaver drop, as well as Evacuate failing to clear agro)
I would say this is pretty solid evidence that 55+ spells should be dropping in HS off Kunark level appropriate mobs, and I'll admit that it just may be that they do drop and I've never seen it. However, I'm pretty sure that's not the case because of the next part which also makes this pretty irrelevant in a practical sense.

So AoE groups in Chardok should be getting CoTH for sure, as well as other spells up to at least 57.
https://web.archive.org/web/20010611124343/http://eq.castersrealm.com/spells/spell.asp?Id=363
https://web.archive.org/web/20010418041432/http://eq.castersrealm.com/spells/spell.asp?Id=515
https://web.archive.org/web/20010418041541/http://eq.castersrealm.com/spells/spell.asp?Id=517
https://web.archive.org/web/20010725175526/http://eq.castersrealm.com/spells/spell.asp?Id=1208

The comment on this spell would indicate that golems in chardok should see invis, and that wurms in SF/BW see invis, but also that nothing else in BW should? Or does EoT have natural IVU as well?
https://web.archive.org/web/20010611120653/http://eq.castersrealm.com/spells/spell.asp?Id=358

I also found this, timeframe is well into Velious but it says cliff golems should be dropping multiple spells, along with this in other comments I got the feeling that Emperor Chottal should drop multiple spells, but no direct statement of it.
https://web.archive.org/web/20011125035509/http://eq.castersrealm.com/spells/spelldescriptions.asp?Id=344

Now before I get to HS I found maybe the one piece of evidence that I ever will that No Rent items weren't actually labelled as such during this era and I found it on a page that is in no way era appropriate. http://www.bonzz.com/glory.htm more specifically http://everquest.allakhazam.com/equipment/graphics14/sigilofthecalender.jpg
On live I think my only interaction with No Rent were Mod Rods and Sword of Runes, but I remember Mages warning me that the swords would disappear when I logged, and there being no indication on the item itself, so seeing this makes me think I may actually have something here.

Ok on to HS stuff. First, the word "the", should not be capitalized, probably on any mob in the zone.
http://wayback.archive.org/web/20020421202628/http://eqbeastiary.allakhazam.com/search.shtml?id=5110
http://wayback.archive.org/web/20010816163740/http://eqbeastiary.allakhazam.com/search.shtml?id=5288
the Golem Master should be a human, and should proc a 1k DD, and further evidence of spell drops, though the era is off on the spell info. Coincidentally the Crypt Keeper should also be a human and comments between the 2 pages make me believe that 1 or both should be a human clear through the end of velious, however the Crypt Keeper should be making specter noises, which he might already now that I think about it.
http://wayback.archive.org/web/20020820031147/http://eqbeastiary.allakhazam.com/search.shtml?id=5122
http://wayback.archive.org/web/20020106063627/http://eqbeastiary.allakhazam.com/search.shtml?id=5123
"The Crypt Wurm" should be named "a crypt wurm"
http://wayback.archive.org/web/20020705130259/http://eqbeastiary.allakhazam.com/search.shtml?id=5104
Sentient Bile should be named Bile Sentinel
http://wayback.archive.org/web/20011226183800/http://eqbeastiary.allakhazam.com/search.shtml?id=5121
Helot Skeles should look like this and be Wizards, and depending on level should Ice Comet.
http://wayback.archive.org/web/20020313133156/http://eqbeastiary.allakhazam.com/search.shtml?id=5118

One last thing, is the glove for the master key currently in game? It is mentioned as far back as September 2000 in Zam comments, though the fingers and forearm dont show up on magelo (earliest date I could find for them) until aug-sep 2001.
http://wayback.archive.org/web/20020124174009/http://everquest.allakhazam.com/db/zones.html?zstrat=84
http://eq.magelo.com/item/20521
http://eq.magelo.com/item/20523
http://eq.magelo.com/item/20522
Also I'm pretty sure the combine/quest wasn't solved, at least publicly, until late 2003, which makes me wonder if it should even work on p99 at all, or maybe just be ninja patched to start working some years after Velious drops.

That's all I got for now, I hope it was useful and documented properly.

Good work! Anything we can do to get more spells dropping in the game the better. :D

[Daldaen]

Plane of Sky bosses should drop spells too I thought. But barely anyone did sky with any frequency.

[Tecmos Deception]

I am fairly confident that I've only seen 55+ spells drop off of 2 mobs in HS south (crypt feaster for sure, and I think the skeleton sepulcher was the other even though he is lower level than the fluid and spiritualist). Without poring over logs, I bet I've killed 250+ nameds in HS south and seen fewer than 10 55+ spells in total.

I've seen them off of DS in east of course, and with MUCH greater frequency than the other nameds in HS. I don't think I've seen any 55+ off other nameds in east, but I also haven't killed more than 20 between them all. I wouldn't be surprised if the nameds in east are dropping 55+ spells, just infrequently; your one source definitely mentioning a specific 55+ spell drop in HS says it was off of an east named, after all.

I have DEFINITELY never seen a 55+ spell off a trash mob ANYWHERE in HS.



Otherwise, nice stuff! Would be pretty nuts to have a named in north proccing a 1k nuke, lol. MOST interesting that helot skeletons should be wizards! I always thought it was a bit odd that there were two different names for skeletons in south and east (i.e. helot and hamal) and that both types were necromancers.

[Castigate]

I can actually confirm that A Howling Spectre can drop 56 spells, but from what I see on castersrealm, I would tend to believe that these should be dropping off basically any Kunark mob that is about 51 or 52+
http://puu.sh/8UAT6.jpg

[Splorf22]

Nice work!

[Castigate]

So this page seems to be shortly post Luclin, but it has a bunch of links showing that items in the era did not show NO RENT, slot, or size. Basically click any of the (working) item links and it will show this. Now its possible that these changed in Velious and the images just hadn't been updated, but I think its pretty clear that none of that stuff was visible during Kunark.

Also! The Golem Master should be able to drop an item named Skorpikis Stinger Shank, http://web.archive.org/web/20031221104011/http://www.gameznet.com/eq/equipment/ss/skorpikisstingerhsank.jpg which does not appear to currently exist in P1999. Unless the lack of item slot/size continued into Luclin, I would think its a safe bet to say the item should be in game.

More evidence of mobs in P99 being named incorrectly, and I believe in fact having their post 2003 revamp names in P99 (Sentient Bile vs a bile sentient) is also on the page.
Also it appears Gem Inlaid Band is currently spelled "incorrectly" on P99.
http://web.archive.org/web/20031221104509/http://www.gameznet.com/eq/equipment/ss/gemenlaidband.jpg
There's actually a bunch of stuff on the page, that is worth looking into, The Undertaker Lord appears both here and I believe in another source that I found but can't really remember to be able to drop Kylong Greaves. Interestingly it doesn't show Thorny Blackjack as a drop from him, and I know I've seen other places where that is also missing from his loot table.
Another thing I found strange was that the dusty rusted and rotbone items should have a blank "Effect: " however your guess is as good as mine as to what that effect was.

More evidence on the Golem Master and the Crypt Keeper being human
http://web.archive.org/web/20001211195300/http://www.gameznet.com/eq/notsocommon/charisis/golemmaster.html
http://web.archive.org/web/20010107180200/http://www.gameznet.com/eq/notsocommon/charisis/cryptkeeper.html
and a bile sentinel/sentient? name
http://web.archive.org/web/20001211184700/http://www.gameznet.com/eq/notsocommon/charisis/bilesentinel.html

Wasn't really an intentional find, and I'm not sure if the item existed but just had either never dropped, or wasn't uploaded to the EQ sites, but I see no evidence of Ancient Shissar Gauntlets being in game prior to March/April 2001 when they show up everywhere. (before and after captures included) Also EQlizer shows him dropping Vibrating Gaunts/Hammer but zam doesn't confirm it?

http://web.archive.org/web/20010306145955/http://mmo.gameznet.com/eq/index.shtml
http://web.archive.org/web/20010208072319/http://www.gameznet.com/eq/ultra/venrilsathir.html
http://web.archive.org/web/20010617171156/http://www.gameznet.com/eq/ultra/venrilsathir.html
http://web.archive.org/web/20001205021600/http://eqbeastiary.allakhazam.com/search.shtml?id=4588
http://web.archive.org/web/20010421134539/http://eqbeastiary.allakhazam.com/search.shtml?id=4588

[Pint]

Kind of neat, comments in that last link imply that ancient gaunts had a transmute ability similar to vibrating gaunts but the click was broken

http://web.archive.org/web/20010525110915/http://eqdb.allakhazam.com/item.html?item=3582 that link

[Danth]

I also found this, timeframe is well into Velious but it says cliff golems should be dropping multiple spells, along with this in other comments I got the feeling that Emperor Chottal should drop multiple spells, but no direct statement of it.

Cliff Golems can currently drop two spells at once on P1999. It's very rare, but it does happen from time to time. You're more likely to kill 20 without seeing a spell at all, though. Note that the way the post you linked is worded, it could also mean that the group simply received a few spells during the course of their killing, as opposed to off a single monster.

I've seen lower-level spells drop off trash in Charasis, but not 55+ spells.

Danth

[Castigate]

Yeah I guess that link does imply that they were dropped during Kunark, but the idea of them being able to just permanently turn into the Vib Hammer/Gaunts is kinda funny.

[Pint]

Yeah I guess that link does imply that they were dropped during Kunark, but the idea of them being able to just permanently turn into the Vib Hammer/Gaunts is kinda funny.

I'm assuming that's what was broken, you click ancient gaunts as get wrong item id resulting in vibrating hammer which has a click to change to vibrating gaunts, so they fucked up in making the ancient shissar hammer if that's even what it was supposed to transmute to

[Tecmos Deception]

but from what I see on castersrealm, I would tend to believe that these should be dropping off basically any Kunark mob that is about 51 or 52+

Where are the comments you saw that make you think this?


Edit - oops, I didn't look at all of the links. That's pretty crazy if 55-59 spells should have been dropping off of random level low-level crap (two of those zam comments mention mobs that can't even be above level 50 on p99, iirc)

[Castigate]

Bump

[Haynar]

Where are the comments you saw that make you think this?


Edit - oops, I didn't look at all of the links. That's pretty crazy if 55-59 spells should have been dropping off of random level low-level crap (two of those zam comments mention mobs that can't even be above level 50 on p99, iirc)
And thus why all posts are not considered gospel.

I did not do HS much. But I spent what seemed like years farming in skyfire. Max spell levels seemed to typically never exceed mob level. The higher the level the more rare.

And it takes ages to get torpor and malo off guardian wurms. But they did drop. I would say about 1:100 for those highest level spells.

H

[Nirgon]

100 guardian wurms so 1.2k per wurm? Sounds gud.

[Haynar]

100 guardian wurms so 1.2k per wurm? Sounds gud.

I got two malo and one torpor from them. Never a pox of bertox.

Died 3 times from Talendor because he sucks when he comes over the hill.

Guardians were one of fun challenges. Kite mob around with SK until slow landed. Then pray. And luck was sometimes good. Sometimes would play the kite/summon game letting pets beat him tapping every chance while shm was doing canni dance.

Good times.

[Daldaen]

Bump.

Found a few more instances that suggest level 51+ mobs should be dropping 55-57 (maybe 58/59) spells in Kunark. Mobs like Black Reavers and certain trash in Sebilis/Chardok are currently not dropping this level of spells, they only drop 51-54 range spells.

As for the Reavers:

Allakhazam - Black Reaver (http://everquest.allakhazam.com/db/npc.html?id=4515&p=3#comments)

May 2001

Today my guild got CotH off of one, didnt think they dropped spells but they do now i guess

January 2001

55+ spells. These guys are a good source of level 55+ spells but don't drop them nearly as frequent as a lvl 60 mob would.

Allakhazam - Neh'Ashiir (http://everquest.allakhazam.com/db/npc.html?id=5263&p=2#comments)

January 2001

neh'ashiir like other lvl 51+ kunark mobs drops lvl 55+ spells sometimes but not frequent enough to camp her specifically for spells.

Speaking more to the general rule that 51+ can drop 55-59, I just think the lower the mob the lower the chance of the high level spells.

EQCaster's Realm - Call of the Hero (55) (https://web.archive.org/web/20010611124343/http://eq.castersrealm.com/spells/spell.asp?Id=363)

January 2001

FOUND IT, By Kaylan shadowveil (1/28/2001)

I just got this spell off of a bottomless devourer in Sky Fire that conned blue at 59.

FABULOUS SPELL, By Ielen (1/28/2001)

I got this spell of a Sarnak mob in Chardok. It consumes a pearl everytime you cast on a targeted member who is far away. Best used to replace outgoing members in a group, where the leader will gate to invite incoming member and then both of them will be summoned.


Caster's Realm - Forlorn Deeds (57) (https://web.archive.org/web/20011125023945/http://eq.castersrealm.com/spells/spelldescriptions.asp?Id=187)

January 2001

GOT THIS IN SKYFIRE, By Calli (1/28/2001)

Off a Mature Chromadraco.

EQCaster's Realm - Enlightenment (57) (https://web.archive.org/web/20010725174435/http://eq.castersrealm.com/spells/spell.asp?Id=190)

January 2001

DROPPED IN CHARDOK, By Sybiene (1/28/2001)

This spell dropped in Chardok once. We were fighting near zone out and pulling up to the first couple bridges. Don't recall what had it exactly.

DROPPED IN SKYFIRE, By Stepy (1/28/2001)

Looted it off a Mature Chromadrac.

EQCaster's Realm - Frost (57) (https://web.archive.org/web/20010823030613/http://eq.castersrealm.com/spells/spell.asp?Id=975)

DROP INFO, By Lirad (1/28/2001)

Got it in Skyfire as well, off a level 52 lava walker.

WHERE I GOT IT, By Mixelplix (1/28/2001)

Found it on a Drake in Skyfire.

I'm sure I can find more. But the tl;dr is that trash mobs that are in Kunark and summon (51+) should most all drop spells that are 55-57. The lower they are the lower likelihood they drop higher spells is my guess but they should still occasionally drop 55s with reasonable frequency.

[Mac Drettj]

Nice

I do remember Skyfire being the "common knowledge" place to go for kunark spells.

[Daldaen]

Bump.

Mobs which are mid 40-50 that drop spells currently are correctly dropping 51-54 spells.

Mobs of level 51+ (who summon) in Kunark who currently drop 51-54 spells should instead be dropping level 51-57 Spells. A list of these mobs:

Sebilis Trash 51+
Chardok Trash 51+
Skyfire Trash 51+
Howling Stones Trash 51+
Black Reavers (CoM)
**Gullerback / Nezekezena / Azdalin / Phurzikon (BW)

**These mobs arent all 51 but they are regularly listed as droppers of 51-55 spells.

Currently on P99, it seems that a mob needs to be level 53-55+ to drop level 55-57 spells, this should not be the case.

[Daldaen]

Bump.

[Darkatar]

Bump.

Found a few more instances that suggest level 51+ mobs should be dropping 55-57 (maybe 58/59) spells in Kunark. Mobs like Black Reavers and certain trash in Sebilis/Chardok are currently not dropping this level of spells, they only drop 51-54 range spells.



I have personally seen coth drop from the bottom floor reaver in COM (edit: on P99)

[Daldaen]

I have personally seen coth drop from the bottom floor reaver in COM (edit: on P99)

I have killed... probably 300-400 black reavers. Never seen anything but 51-54s on them on P99.

Are you sure it wasn't from a Ghost spawn after the reaver chain?

[Darkatar]

I have killed... probably 300-400 black reavers. Never seen anything but 51-54s on them on P99.

Are you sure it wasn't from a Ghost spawn after the reaver chain?

Yknow I had the same thought after I posted and talked to the guy about it..it DID drop off the ghost, not the reaver, Touche!

[Daldaen]

Bump. Velious is soon. This means players will be EXPing less in Kunark zones and therefore getting less Kunark spells to drop.

Could we maybe try to implement the updated list of mobs capable of dropping 55-57 spells according to the bug posts here so that getting Kunark spells at that point is a little less painful?

[surron]

bump

[Uthgaard]

I can tell you that I put considerable effort into making sure the skyfire cycles were correct, and that they do reliably drop spells from the 56-59 list. It's actually a little easier here because the area is not as crowded as it should be.

[indiscriminate_hater]

minor correction to above: nez is 51 and some gullerbacks are 51

[Daldaen]

Bump.

Mobs which are mid 40-50 that drop spells currently are correctly dropping 51-54 spells.

Mobs of level 51+ (who summon) in Kunark who currently drop 51-54 spells should instead be dropping level 51-57 Spells. A list of these mobs:

Sebilis Trash 51+
Chardok Trash 51+
Skyfire Trash 51+
Howling Stones Trash 51+
Black Reavers (CoM)
**Gullerback / Nezekezena / Azdalin / Phurzikon (BW)

**These mobs arent all 51 but they are regularly listed as droppers of 51-55 spells.

Currently on P99, it seems that a mob needs to be level 53-55+ to drop level 55-57 spells, this should not be the case.

Bump. Velious is out. Kunark is slain less. Having classic spell drops where 55-57s drop from more frequented areas like they did during classic would be awesome.

[derpcake]

this always bugged me, somehow first time i see thread

for a player that raided classic and did the upper tier kunark zones in classic, this is very obvious

I can tell you that I put considerable effort into making sure the skyfire cycles were correct, and that they do reliably drop spells from the 56-59 list. It's actually a little easier here because the area is not as crowded as it should be.

/shrug, bane of nife costs about as much on red as a fungi, while torpor and the likes can be found for under 15k, 10k really .. if anyone thinks torpor was cheaper or less rare then bane of nife in classic, welp ..

further, they should not drop 59 spells, as they are too low in level, obviously:

http://www.thedruidsgrove.org/archive/eq/t-3886.html

Spell Drops: The Named Cycles drop a number of 50+ spells, not including level 59 and 60 spells. One significant missing spell, however, is Regrowth of the Grove.

yep, 2001

[wwoneo]

BUMP