Classic server rules incorrect

[Vanlor]

Remember nostalgia is a bit different for each of us depending on what you remembered enjoying


🪦 Fear Was Classic PvP – Stop Pretending It Wasn’t

Alright, I’m throwin’ this down because it’s been gnawin’ at me for years. Project 1999 is supposed to be about reproducing the classic EverQuest experience, but one of the most iconic mechanics of PvP — Necros (and others) using Fear on players — has been scrubbed out like it never existed. That ain’t classic, and it sure as hell ain’t nostalgia for those of us who lived it.

Proof From the Patch Notes

If you don’t believe me, here’s the hard evidence straight from the official EverQuest patch history:

Fear and Charm worked on players all the way through Classic, Kunark, Velious, and Luclin.

They were NOT removed “pre-Kunark” like people around here love to repeat. That’s flat-out wrong.

On July 24, 2002, Sony finally patched it out:


> “Players are no longer susceptible to other players' fears and charms.”



Patch log reference:
https://www.project1999.com/forums/s...d.php?p=988974

That’s mid-2002, right before Planes of Power. Meaning: for nearly three full expansions, Fear worked in PvP.

Why This Matters

If P99 is really about “classic accuracy,” then leaving out Fear/Charm on players is rewriting history. Nostalgia for many of us includes the days of fearing players in duels, on red servers, or in PvP skirmishes. That’s what happened on live. That’s what we remember.

Right now, P99 is effectively emulating post-July 2002 rules, not the classic through Luclin era. If you want to be honest, call it “curated classic” or “sanitized classic,” because it sure as hell isn’t the ruleset we played under back in the day.

Closing

I’m not even arguing Fear PvP was “good” or “healthy” — hell, maybe it was broken. But it was there, and pretending it wasn’t is disingenuous. If you want to sell “classic,” you need to give us the actual mechanics that were in the game, not a cherry-picked version that erases half the story.


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Sources:

EQ Patch Notes, July 24, 2002: https://www.project1999.com/forums/s...d.php?p=988974

Old P99 forum discussion on Fear/Charm PvP: https://www.project1999.com/forums/a...p/t-85240.html