Advice needed - how to gain traction as a truly new player?

[trollitc]

I've been struggling with how to word this post so that people don't get the wrong idea. I really enjoy this game, and I've met some fantastic people on the server. I'm not looking for handouts or free stuff, but some actual advice. So here goes.

My friend and I are just starting out on project 1999. Our highest level characters are 5th level. We don't have a mountain of plat from older characters or guildies we're sitting on.

I'm searching my memories from back in '99 and trying to remember just how long it took then to level up and start acquiring cool stuff. What should we be expecting with our characters?

We're currently in EC with occasional forays into WC and we're leveling at the rate of about one level ever 4-5 hours.

We've decided to play our characters (druid and monk) as a little group of our own. We're not opposed to grouping with others but we're not going to log on with these particular toons without each other so that they'll stay roughly equal in level.

What can we do to advance a little faster? I don't mind the grind that much, and I'm having fun in EC but a level every 4 hours, at the rate we can play, has me wondering if I'll ever get past level 25.

What would you all suggest? Or is it just a case of buckling down and grinding away? If that's it, that's fine. I'm curious though, how did you all get where you are? I see so many lower level characters sporting amazing equipment, and people selling/buying items for 50k PP+. Yesterday evening we watched a 5th level character soloing the griffin in EC, which was fun to watch but something we couldn't do at this time.

Have you all (by this I mean -the folks with riches/items/etc) been on 1999 since the beginning? Are you all guild members?

Thanks!

[SCB]

I started my character on this server and knew no one. Had no plat, no higher-level items, etc. I now have one of those twins you're talking about (maybe not that impressive, though!). Money comes as you level - no need to rush it. Enjoy the experience and just have fun with your buddy, imo. Explore a bit, check out different dungeons. Trying to race to 60 is a horrible, horrible idea, imo.

Money comes when you get a big drop in a dungeon. No need to rush that drop as long as you have cash for spells and necessities. All the gear you could possibly need to level you can get on your own, and when it comes time to get the really nice stuff you'll have a guild, or a friends list, or a long afternoon in KC to get it.

Don't feel like you can't participate because there are so many twinked-up low level characters. Use them to make the harder parts of being a low level easy and just have fun with it. This worked out extremely well for me, and I wouldn't go back and do it any other way if I had the option.

Edit: If a level every 4 hours is daunting, please understand that it only gets (much) slower down the road. Reaching max level isn't super important to having fun in EQ. The adventure, the journey, is the fun.

[Eldaran]

A lot of high level people will just give treasures away because they are worthless to them at their level. I've received many gifts on different characters. Not all people wearing awesome gear at low levels were twinked from a high level that they own. My highest character on this server is 14 and it's taken me roughly 35 hours to get there on my /played. I prefer leveling in Crushbone until around 15 at least because of the 50% bonus to xp. EC can be good when you can get a full group for Orc camps.

[Hitchens]

Originally Posted by trollitc [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

Or is it just a case of buckling down and grinding away?

Pretty much. Starting out fresh is rough, but it gets easier with levels. Heck, I was wearing leather stuff I looted off Orcs in South Ro until about level 45.

[trollitc]

Thanks for the responses!

There's a 50% XP bonus in Crushbone? Are there other zones like this? Why aren't they packed full of shoulder to shoulder paladins and shadowknights?

[Mojoz_Mon]

Well one thing is ya most of those uber twinks are guilded.. Another thing i kinda look at the the xp mod. in the zone places like EC and super public zones you get less xp in.. With a druid and monk you should have no problems going to places like Upper Guk, Unrest... So on and so on.. One big thing I did to get cash starting out is collect up things like pelts, silks, bone chips and such peeps always buying them in EC, and find camps that drop things like Bronze weapons, and good vendor fodder... First couple of levels are always kinda tough specially if you don't got 50kpp to dump into i lol... I not sure if this will help you out at all but just a few suggestions and you can toss me a PM on this I would be glad to run my cleric / lower lvl druid over and help you guys out!

[trollitc]

Wow! Here's the single biggest take away piece of advice I've gleaned from this thread.

http://wiki.project1999.org/index.ph...s_and_ZEM_List - different zones have different XP modifiers.

Serves me right for not reading that wiki post earlier! But damn, this will make a hell of a lot of a difference!

[Hitchens]

Originally Posted by trollitc [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

Thanks for the responses!

There's a 50% XP bonus in Crushbone? Are there other zones like this? Why aren't they packed full of shoulder to shoulder paladins and shadowknights?

SKs, and evil races in general, typically avoid Crushbone due to the faction hits to Indigo Brotherhood.

[snoopiku]

Sometimes you just have to get lucky. I originally made a dwarf paladin and some nice, higher level warrior, gifted me a full set of banded. I collected all the cloth, rusty weapons, anything that dropped and sold it. I made about 20pp in the first few levels.

Then I made a barb shaman. Helped some guy with a transfer in front of Halas and he hooked me up with about 60pp and ring, as well as a couple backpacks full of spells.

Got my shaman to 16 (about a day and a half of playing time) and realized I wanted to play a more melee friendly character. Made a warrior and transfered all the banded off my paladin and all the gear I had accumulated off my Shaman (which included a nice club, some gloves, belt, shield, and rings). Now my warrior has a small selection of weapons to choose from, some decent armor, and some pp left over to now save for some better items.

He's level 18 now, probably 30 hours played, but the grind is just a lot of fun, especially playing a character you enjoy. So, yea, you have to work at it, but in the end, its worth it.

[cavtroop]

Heyeveryone, I'm the monk buddy he referenced. I think the biggest thing is that we've spent 100% of our time in EC/WC - didnt realize there was an XP penalty for playing there. We're going to head off to someplace with bette XP - probably CB if we can get a port for cheap. That should make a BIG difference - going from 75% to 150% would have meant 2 or 3 more levels by now!

Thanks for all the tips - this is a great server. Run into a ton of very friendly people so far, and having a blast!