Hello, I am new to the server. Give me your two cents of what I should know.

[tristantio]

Hello all,

I am new to the p99 server. I have played EQ on and off since 99. I would like for everyone to give me your two cents of what you feel a newcomer should know.

For instance, maybe what classes/professions the server needs more of, what are the most used hunting/socialization/trading (I am guessing EC) zones on p99?

So far I have had a great time with my lowbie level 5 wizard, I am amazed how many people swing by Toxxulia forest to toss lowbies buffs (especially when I am normally one of 2 or 3 other Erudites out there).

[Seaweedpimp]

Welcome!

Play what you like!

But ill tell you now to start a pet class to get your money flowing....

Dont start off as a war/ranger/rog with nothing unless you want a real challenge.

[Dr4z3r]

There's a lot of Druids/Necromancers/Mages. BUT, a lot of those were started as a farming character to boost an eventual melee main. So it works out pretty evenly.

If you level in WC/EC, you may well be able to vault through the early levels extremely quickly by constantly grabbing buffs from higher-level characters.

If you'd rather do things the old-fashioned way, Crushbone (and to a lesser extent Blackburrow) will be happy to have you.

[Estu]

Wizards aren't super-popular on the server, but they're not super-needed either; they're kind of underpowered in Classic. I hear they get better in Kunark, though. On the plus side, you will be able to sell ports, though you can probably make better money by farming at level 50 with a competent farming class anyway. Really, though, play what you like. If wizard's your favorite class, go for it. EC is the server's trade zone and you can generally get people to buff you there.

[vincin]

Welcome. first thing you should know is that people are very friendly on this server. read my threads if you dont believe me

[Spewys]

Fairly new as well and from my experience everyone is extremely helpful. Just giving someone a hail can get you a few buffs to keep you moving up the ladder. Good luck....Oh and Crushbone is a good place to level up.

[Dunes]

I believe several of the most under-utilized classes include Rogues, Wizard, Bards, Paladins, and Warriors. I agree with all previous posters, and there definitely was a min-max vibe earlier in the server's history ("why bother playing your level 3 warrior unless hes already decked out in crafted/mithril?").

That does seem to be changing however, and you are seeing a lot more casual players find their way to the server, so play what you like and dont fret too much over SSOY Envy :D If you do decide to start with a non-farming class, it may not be a bad idea to go the typical route and start in Freeport and hit up EC 50's for buffs. Theres a good amount of content to level on the area as well, so there wont be any need to travel overly much.

I personally prefer Qeynos/BB for my low levels because of the gnoll fangs and memories (that area started it all for me back on Live), so dont even let the EC suggestion limit your options - have fun!

[tristantio]

With Jboots can wizards still quad kite reliably?

How is the Jboot quest on p99?

Also someone mentioned Kunark - is p99 actually going to release it at some point or are they keeping it classic only?

Thanks for the responses!

[Occam's Butter Knife]

Fairly new as well and from my experience everyone is extremely helpful. Just giving someone a hail can get you a few buffs to keep you moving up the ladder. Good luck....Oh and Crushbone is a good place to level up.

I have to second this. I started a Erud Nec since I had never been in Paineel. I needed help getting out f the city and /OOC'd. I got the help I needed immediately plus a SoW. In the old days, most replies would have been, "get a clue newb."

My advice is to move to Queynos. You'll find a bind there and start doing the CuBert quest and farming the catacombs (sewers). There are some nice items down there. After that move to Black Burrow, then to WK. WK is the best money a 11 - 16 character can make without spending time in the EC tunnel.

All caster classes are self sufficient in some way. MAG, NEC and DRUs solo most efficiently, but Wizards are still pretty efficient. ENCs are slow at soloing but grouping is never an issue.

[Estu]

ENCs are slow at soloing but grouping is never an issue.

ENCs are actually very good soloers, I think. Their pets are underrated. They may be better soloers than druids because of more free damage (pet) and clarity, hence less downtime. Plus troll form gives a ton of HP regen. This is not even speaking of charm.

[tristantio]

I didn't level my live enchanter until 08 but they definitely are powerful soloers on live with proper charming.

[hablabba]

Enchanters cannot efficiently charm solo on this server without a lot of cha (200s) due to the mechanics. That said, cha gear is still fairly cheap to get so charm soloing is definitely viable.

The other soloing option (hasted pet/slowed mob) is also viable but not as good as other pet classes. I think that enchanters need to do >50% damage or else xp is nerfed though - someone care to confirm?

[Estu]

I think that enchanters need to do >50% damage or else xp is nerfed though - someone care to confirm?

I don't think this is true for any class that can have a pet (charmed or not); you just need to do one point of damage to get full exp.

[Dr4z3r]

I don't think this is true for any class that can have a pet (charmed or not); you just need to do one point of damage to get full exp.

Confirmed. If a PC does any damage, there will be no penalty for having the pet do the rest.

[Occam's Butter Knife]

ENCs are actually very good soloers, I think. Their pets are underrated. They may be better soloers than druids because of more free damage (pet) and clarity, hence less downtime. Plus troll form gives a ton of HP regen. This is not even speaking of charm.

From my experience back in the day, ENCs can but they are not the most efficient soloers. Pet is some free damage but you need to toss in a Tash Languid Pace, root and DOT to keep the mob rooted and dying. Even then every other fight you'll have a root break to deal with and an occasional add. At lower level pet soloing means sitting every fight. At mid levels it improves but at that point kiting mobs way out strips ENC in efficiency.

The at mid-levels with decent +CHA gear charm soloing becomes doable and improves an ENCs solo play. There will be an annoying run of breaks leading to a CR, so it carries a high risk. Still I have fond memories of charm soloing the giant guards in Velious.

[Estu]

From my experience back in the day, ENCs can but they are not the most efficient soloers. Pet is some free damage but you need to toss in a Tash Languid Pace, root and DOT to keep the mob rooted and dying. Even then every other fight you'll have a root break to deal with and an occasional add. At lower level pet soloing means sitting every fight. At mid levels it improves but at that point kiting mobs way out strips ENC in efficiency.

The at mid-levels with decent +CHA gear charm soloing becomes doable and improves an ENCs solo play. There will be an annoying run of breaks leading to a CR, so it carries a high risk. Still I have fond memories of charm soloing the giant guards in Velious.

Swishahouse seems to perform surprisingly well sharing the tanking between himself and his dagger-pet in troll form in his 30s. I might be mistaken, but troll form seems to give way more regen than it should.

[Occam's Butter Knife]

Swishahouse seems to perform surprisingly well sharing the tanking between himself and his dagger-pet in troll form in his 30s. I might be mistaken, but troll form seems to give way more regen than it should.

That would put me to shame if I was saying ENCs were unable to solo. I am not. What I am saying is DRU, WIZ, MAG and NEC, are more efficient soloers overall. An ENC can do well at soloing but a DRU at high level, for example, can quad kite. At the same level an ENC can't match that efficiency. Based on my imperfect memory, I would have to burn down my pet after two or three kills, med and repeat.

Troll form is awesome.

[Estu]

That would put me to shame if I was saying ENCs were unable to solo. I am not. What I am saying is DRU, WIZ, MAG and NEC, are more efficient soloers overall. An ENC can do well at soloing but a DRU at high level, for example, can quad kite. At the same level an ENC can't match that efficiency. Based on my imperfect memory, I would have to burn down my pet after two or three kills, med and repeat.

Troll form is awesome.

The thing about druids at high levels (from what I hear, anyway), though, is that they have to med for 10 minutes between their quad pulls. I feel like people don't take that into account when they talk about how good soloers druids are. Moreover, I hear that pets (including ENC pets) are overpowered on p99. Now, maybe even with that, they're more efficient than ENCs. I don't know, I don't have a high level druid or enc. I'm not trying to "put you to shame" or pick a fight; I'm just having a discussion based on what I've heard around the forums and from p99 buddies. Clam down.

[Kassel]

The thing about druids at high levels (from what I hear, anyway), though, is that they have to med for 10 minutes between their quad pulls

This and more importantly, have fun finding 4 mobs on a consistant basis at high levels.

[Wizerud]

I don't see the QQ in having to med up from zero to max after killing FOUR mobs. I'd be happy if I only used 25% mana on my wizard or shaman after killing one mob.

[Estu]

I don't see the QQ in having to med up from zero to max after killing FOUR mobs. I'd be happy if I only used 25% mana on my wizard or shaman after killing one mob.

Shamen and encs have mana regen abilities to make up for possibly more mana-intensive kills, though.

[Occam's Butter Knife]

We seem to have hijacked the the OP's thread into a discussion of who has a harder time soloing among casters. If this discussion is to continue we need to do two things:

1) Open a new thread

2) Agree at the end of the thread that Necro's should be nerf'd.

Item 2 is required. It was how it was done on the classic boards.

[Grod]

The efficiency in which you level depends on quite a few things. Furthermore, there also isn't a "set guide" for the most effective way to level as from what I've seen the strategy changes based on when new spells are available and which mobs you are fighting.

For example, for some levels the pet was weaker relative to the mobs at that level in which case the best strategy for the most efficient leveling was to chain cast pets as they were dying.

In the mid level ranges when haste became available it made more sense to get a high level pet then buff it and keep it alive however initially they had slow regen so the most effective way to level was to alternate taking damage (with troll regen on) with your pet.

At higher levels the pet regen is higher so you can leave the pet on it's on far more often, especially if the area has caster mobs where you can stun them and the pet can regen during the fight for very minimal downtime.

There wasn't a point where slowing the mob was effective to leveling. Yes, you can do it, but it wasn't the most efficient way to level due to the mana cost (and agro) associated with slowing the mobs. It should be used very sparingly, if at all. If a particular mob hit hard it was far more effective to stun it with whirl then to slow it. As well, feedback (damage shield) ends up being a pretty effective spell (without slow) providing you are keeping the pet alive through above listed methods (alternating fights with casters or moving in and taking damage to regen with troll form on).

Combing that with calm (can split rooms), invis, invis to undead, mez, haste and clarity the only downside to an Enchanter compared to the other pet classes is the lack of control on the pet however that can be mitigated due to proper planning and control before and during the fights.

It's hard to "judge" based on something 10 years ago but it seems like pets are definitely more powerful here as well. However, based on the effectiveness of the Enchanter pets on THIS SERVER (probably more powerful then they were on live) it would appear they are the more effective soloing class in the right hands. They require a bit more skill to play with better rewards. In any case, for someone completely new to EQ I'd probably go with a Magician or Necromancer over an Enchanter.

[Asher]

With Jboots can wizards still quad kite reliably?

How is the Jboot quest on p99?

Also someone mentioned Kunark - is p99 actually going to release it at some point or are they keeping it classic only?

Thanks for the responses!

I never quadded once on this server on my way up to level 50. I don't think my mana pool would support a quad and without SoW or Jboots. It isn't worth attempting IMO.

Jboots are currently the only item that is able to be MQed which leads to everyone and their mother pharming this thing non-stop. On any given day you can expect it to be camped with a line-up of a few people deep.

If you can afford 5k people will sell you an MQ.

Wizards definitely solo slower then pet classes but I enjoy playing my wizard.

Play what you enjoy and have fun.

Kunark will be opening on the server and rumor has it coming out sometime first quarter 2011.

Yitro - 50 Wizard

[Occam's Butter Knife]

There wasn't a point where slowing the mob was effective to leveling. Yes, you can do it, but it wasn't the most efficient way to level due to the mana cost (and agro) associated with slowing the mobs. It should be used very sparingly, if at all. If a particular mob hit hard it was far more effective to stun it with whirl then to slow it. As well, feedback (damage shield) ends up being a pretty effective spell (without slow) providing you are keeping the pet alive through above listed methods (alternating fights with casters or moving in and taking damage to regen with troll form on).

I agree with what you say. Much of the variation happens because of the cyclical nature of pets. At the level one gets them they are mighty but at the level before the next spell set they need a lot of care. For my current level (14) slows work since the pet dies pretty quickly since most of the mobs a higher level. With slow I end up with a pet at 50 - 75% health and without it at dead to 50%. Once i get Quickness (and Breeze) at 16 that will change.

I have been playing with WTYH in groups and it is better than I remember but the pet still has issues holding aggro when it wears off. I attribute this to the number of misses I see scroll by.

Reading this thread and others are pushing me to do some log parsing, even though this time around I wanted to spend more time just enjoying it.

[Estu]

I have been playing with WTYH in groups and it is better than I remember but the pet still has issues holding aggro when it wears off. I attribute this to the number of misses I see scroll by.

This is something I've been curious about. For tank classes, apparently threat is calculated based on the max damage you could do rather than what you actually do, so whether or not you miss is irrelevant. For pets it seems to be different; I have sometimes noticed pets failing to aggro from something as minor as a "walk too close to me" pull because they're missing. So are the mechanics different between PC tanks and pets?

[Nedala]

Playing both, an ench and a druid (both maxed), id say Ench is more efficient at soloing.