What next for midlevel bard?

[WarpathEQ]

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

Thanks for sharing this, it's a nice spot. I tried it; a rotation of 6 geos gave me about 5% exp at 52, and maybe a 4 or 5 minute break before respawns if the clear was smooth. (14:30 Respawn timer in WL.)

I was able to do about 14 CS wyverns per cycle when they were available. I forgot to note how much xp that yielded. (20 min respawn timer there.)

I also did a few TD raptor aes. Those gave about 10% exp per. It takes me roughly 10 minutes to do the pull + the kill. (12 min respawn timer in TD.)

I felt a little silly trying geos at 52 knowing they are still blue at 59, but it worked better than I expected. The shamans felt dangerous at this level and I avoided any double shaman spawns. Cash and armor gem loot seemed pretty solid. Subjectively heavy on mana use, but that's fine for short sessions with mixed afk. Raptors are easier xp if you can ae consistently without dieing; but I die sometimes, don't like the lock-in of having to kill a pull before I can afk, it gets boring, and no worthwhile loot there. I'll probably do more of both camps.

Yeah I did the Geos starting at 50 so definitely very viable, shamans can definitely be a bit risky at first until you really dial in your twist timing, eventually you get to the point where they rarily even cast on you. Additionally once your base resists (with gear) start to exceed around 100 you will resist a lot of their spells (the blizzard - cold resist seems to be much harder than all the poison based stuff). To your point the camp probably shines more as you get closer to 60 and still get awesome exp from blue cons where the other camps probably start to die out.

[Vivitron]

I'll add I'm about 85% through 53 and I did this level so far on Faydwer guards.

Felwithe: already a few greens at 53. I see necros sticking around longer, presumably because they all drop a 21p sword. I suspect corruption in the city leading to guard enrichment. They're paladins so some care towards getting them fleeing without casting too many heals helps to keep it efficient. My top choice at 53, but often camped.

Kelethin: seemed to be the same level as the Felwithe guards, but with a captain and lieutenant just slightly higher. They're all warriors, mostly dual weilding so charm kills are efficient. About half as much plat per mob as Felwithe though. You can run off the side when you aggro them and kill them on the ground. I still don't know my way to all the spawns.

Butcherblock: easy mode charming. Seemed slightly higher level; I expect it to still be fine xp at 54. Mostly spawn in isolated pairs, just a green con citizen add at one of the huts. NPCs in the huts don't seem to social through the hut walls. I didn't fully explore all the possible spawns, but following the path from gfay up past kaladim and towards the dock killing as you go (skip the entrance to Kaladim guards; they're buffed in this era) seemed solid. The dock guards are tougher than the hut guards but doable. Butcherblock is the worst plat of the Faydwer guards though, they mostly drop ~4p axes.

Of course bards can sneak to sell to hostile vendors, so you get to loot everything and sell it immediately.

[Jimjam]

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

Every other sky item is rechargable via mana batteries and box of the void.

Not true, wizard snare cap doesn't recharge either. Perhaps there are more examples?

[busted]

There is evidence of it costing 10pp per charge here https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/thec...94.html#p25769 on May 09, 2001

Also some "out of era" proof here https://everquest.allakhazam.com/db/...05722245193788

[Vivitron]

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

Did you find anything particularly fun 50-55? I'm slowly leveling a second bard and am unsure what I'm going to do in this range.

Thanks for all the suggestions. I finally hit 56 and here's what I ended up doing:

level  50
total	grouped	solo	zone name
62	0	62	all zones
62	0	62	The City of Mist   # Charming around Arena was solid
level  51
total	grouped	solo	zone name
181	0	181	all zones
86	0	86	Dreadlands         # Trying for RS, already higher level than optimal
39	0	39	Cobalt Scar        # Wyvern charm, great camp
23	0	23	The Emerald Jungle # Misc Charming, Too high already
13	0	13	Kaesora            # HS Key piece solo
5	0	5	Karnor's Castle
3	0	3	The City of Mist
3	0	3	Trakanon's Teeth   # Seb key piece solo
3	0	3	Western Wastes
2	0	2	Frontier Mountains
1	0	1	Swamp Of No Hope
1	0	1	The Wakening Lands
1	0	1	Eastern Wastelands
1	0	1	Skyshrine
level  52
total	grouped	solo	zone name
146	0	146	all zones
71	0	71	The Wakening Lands    # Geo charm, we're going to be seeing more of these
46	0	46	Cobalt Scar 
29	0	29	Timorous Deep
level  53
total	grouped	solo	zone name
239	0	239	all zones
103	0	103	Greater Faydark         # Guard Charm
46	0	46	Butcherblock Mountains  # Guard Charm
43	0	43	Northern Felwithe       # Guard Charm
16	0	16	Timorous Deep
14	0	14	Southern Felwithe
12	0	12	Nagafen's Lair
5	0	5	Ruins of Old Guk
level  54
total	grouped	solo	zone name
303	140	163	all zones
79	79	0	Old Sebilis
73	61	12	The Burning Wood       # Giants, not terrible
68	0	68	Howling Stones         # Pbaoe; slow without denon's bereavement because aoe snare blocks the 48 dot
36	0	36	Butcherblock Mountains
23	0	23	The Wakening Lands
13	0	13	Nagafen's Lair
8	0	8	Trakanon's Teeth
3	0	3	The Overthere
level  55
total	grouped	solo	zone name
261	3	258	all zones
231	0	231	The Wakening Lands    # Geoooooos
23	2	21	Nagafen's Lair
2	0	2	Velketor's Labyrinth
2	0	2	Eastern Wastelands
2	0	2	Ruins of Old Guk
1	1	0	Lavastorm Mountains

[WarpathEQ]

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

Thanks for all the suggestions. I finally hit 56 and here's what I ended up doing:

level  50
total	grouped	solo	zone name
62	0	62	all zones
62	0	62	The City of Mist   # Charming around Arena was solid
level  51
total	grouped	solo	zone name
181	0	181	all zones
86	0	86	Dreadlands         # Trying for RS, already higher level than optimal
39	0	39	Cobalt Scar        # Wyvern charm, great camp
23	0	23	The Emerald Jungle # Misc Charming, Too high already
13	0	13	Kaesora            # HS Key piece solo
5	0	5	Karnor's Castle
3	0	3	The City of Mist
3	0	3	Trakanon's Teeth   # Seb key piece solo
3	0	3	Western Wastes
2	0	2	Frontier Mountains
1	0	1	Swamp Of No Hope
1	0	1	The Wakening Lands
1	0	1	Eastern Wastelands
1	0	1	Skyshrine
level  52
total	grouped	solo	zone name
146	0	146	all zones
71	0	71	The Wakening Lands    # Geo charm, we're going to be seeing more of these
46	0	46	Cobalt Scar 
29	0	29	Timorous Deep
level  53
total	grouped	solo	zone name
239	0	239	all zones
103	0	103	Greater Faydark         # Guard Charm
46	0	46	Butcherblock Mountains  # Guard Charm
43	0	43	Northern Felwithe       # Guard Charm
16	0	16	Timorous Deep
14	0	14	Southern Felwithe
12	0	12	Nagafen's Lair
5	0	5	Ruins of Old Guk
level  54
total	grouped	solo	zone name
303	140	163	all zones
79	79	0	Old Sebilis
73	61	12	The Burning Wood       # Giants, not terrible
68	0	68	Howling Stones         # Pbaoe; slow without denon's bereavement because aoe snare blocks the 48 dot
36	0	36	Butcherblock Mountains
23	0	23	The Wakening Lands
13	0	13	Nagafen's Lair
8	0	8	Trakanon's Teeth
3	0	3	The Overthere
level  55
total	grouped	solo	zone name
261	3	258	all zones
231	0	231	The Wakening Lands    # Geoooooos
23	2	21	Nagafen's Lair
2	0	2	Velketor's Labyrinth
2	0	2	Eastern Wastelands
2	0	2	Ruins of Old Guk
1	1	0	Lavastorm Mountains

Howling stones pbaoe sounds.....interesting....Never really spent any time in there but now I'm curious.

[Vivitron]

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

Howling stones pbaoe sounds.....interesting....Never really spent any time in there but now I'm curious.

Sugz4 streamed himself doing it on twitch a few times, I think someone may have posted a link earlier in the thread but I didn't see it on a quick skim.

The main things are to use bind sight / lull to help movement and avoid casters (can mez park a caster in a pinch too, but try to avoid). Then use charmed mobs to pull a room and bleed the harm touches. There's enough space to kite on the entrance pad, in the south side of the basement, in the west tunnels, etc.

I'm a little more risk averse than Sugz and usually end up with a smaller kite, like 8-12 maybe. And still die a fair bit.

[bcbrown]

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

Sugz4 streamed himself doing it on twitch a few times, I think someone may have posted a link earlier in the thread but I didn't see it on a quick skim.

https://www.twitch.tv/videos/1155754690 I think is the video you mean. I'd love to attempt that eventually but I've put the bard on the side while I get my druid to 60. Thanks Vivitron for posting where you leveled this toon!

[Duik]

I watched that twitch stream, but only because bcbrown suggested it.
I wished I didnt now, it just proves how much I SUUUUCK at eq.
I blame everyone but me.
Also that dude has real trouble looking (or not looking) at the webcam.
I would have fallen through the VS "picture" right at the very beginning.

[WarpathEQ]

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

https://www.twitch.tv/videos/1155754690 I think is the video you mean. I'd love to attempt that eventually but I've put the bard on the side while I get my druid to 60. Thanks Vivitron for posting where you leveled this toon!

Will have to check it out, thanks for linking