Are AE groups 50+ still a thing?
 

I remember being involved in some AE groups several years ago, we'd pull Chardok for instance. Does this still happen? Is it viable?

If it still is, I have a 54 Chanter I'd like to try and set some AE groups up for if anybody would be interested in grinding out some levels and less importantly some loot.

Thanks!

Some people still try it in KC

Try? Did a mechanic change?

Also, only KC? Is there a reason?

I appreciate you educating me, I've been gone since about 2011.

After a change 2-3 years ago, PBAE spells (including stuns) only land on up to 25 mobs at at time. You'll see people doing AE in velk's and dragon necropolis, too.

Ah, a limit on the mobs, still doesn't sound too bad, 25 is a lot of mobs.

I'm currently level 54 (almost 55), does this put me in level range of doing these AE groups in DN? I'm sure I remember Velks being appropriate level for me.

It's usually bards kiting DN for themselves or for PL or guild AE groups; I haven't seen a pickup AE group in DN before. If it's a group, it's bards kiting mobs in circles snared while others AE and AE stuns aren't as essential as they used to be. That's not to say you couldn't find people willing to do it, of course.

That type of AE is usually bard AE kiting. Geneally thats the focus now isntead of wiz / ench blasting AE.

I think the problem is that there's no clear and obvious place to do it anymore ... ie. there's no more Chardok (thankfully). As you pointed out, killing 25 mobs at once can still net a group a lot of XP, but there are issues:

• you have to find somewhere that's out of the way (if your pulls mess with other people you will get in trouble for zone disruption)
• wherever you go has to let you control your number of mobs (no more just running through the zone grabbing everything: if you pull even 30 mobs by accident then that's 5 mobs beating on your group which aren't being stunned by your Enchanter, and that won't end well)
• you have to avoid problematic mobs (eg. ones that snare your puller)

I would imagine there are places that match the above criteria out there: after all, on live people AoEd plenty of non-Chardok places (eg. a friend of mine did late night Sebilis AoE groups during the Kunark era) ... but finding them would require some exploration and experimentation, which means bringing your own group. Also the rewards of doing all that aren't all that great compared to a standard group (as great as it is to kill 25 mobs at once, there's huge downtime in-between) ... so mainly it just seems to me like a good idea if you and your IRL friends happen to be a Cleric, Enchanter, puller, and three Druids/Wizards, and are looking for a fun and different way to level up.

I bet you could still AoE in Seb. I'm surprised I don't see it done as often. ABC or Disco strike me as great camps to pull 25 mobs and not interrupt other ppls camps.

Classically Seb was the first place I did any AE groups. Cleric bard enchanterx2 wizardx2.

Cleric starts around NG pull area, DAs and aggros everything down into D1 pulling the train into frenzy scarab room. Second pull is all of behind disco1 pulled onto the stage of disco2.

Could swap out bard for another enchanter as well.