Dear DBG: Upgrade Heroics to make them Relevant in Modern EQ

• Raise the Price to $50 (this is to justify everything below)
• 105 Starting Level
• Autogrant ALL PROGRESSION starting from CoTF through EoK (Specifically anything that Grants Hero's Vitality, Resolution, etc)
• Autogrant ALL AA Through EoK (including all focus AA)
• Enough EoK Mission gems to buy full set of WHATEVER heroic type 5 augs you want
• Full set of "heroic" ac augs (similar to the ones you have to quest in HoT zones). But these are all +30 AC +150 HP/MANA, and give +5 to a relevant Heroic Stat (without getting into a discussion about what's "Best" just do Dex for melee, Wis/Int for Casters.) - this way you don't make EoK/RoS Type 7's obsolote but still give players a fighting chance not to be made of paper.
• FULL set of bags, they don't have to be great but 2 bags is a meme.
• FULL set of non-prestige 105 gear that is equivalent to EoK T2 (Selrach) in terms of stats
• All Tradeskills set to 50 so you're ready to Quest Beginner Trophies.

This isn't meant to be an exhaustive list or even anything set in stone, just things I personally feel would make buying a heroic worth it and ACTUALLY have some relevance for a starting point. There's still months of content to work on (All of RoS progression, all of TBL, Hunters for Hero AAs, Challenger Achievements, Epic 2.0, etc).
Current state of heroics is... well they're dog dookie. No one plays at the 85 level range , and the gear is terrible.
Here is part of the marketing material for Heroics:

85 isn't "high level content"

With the level cap jumping to 115, I'd say being 30 levels and anywhere from 20-40 THOUSAND AA behind, is a fairly large barrier to entry.

As far as discussion in this thread, I expect people to say things like "you just want progression HANDED to you?"... frankly, yes. No one is running that content anymore - you can't compare it to when people were actively grouping in those eras, and Hero's AA provide a great boost to your character (as well as being a recruitment requirement for many guilds).

Lmao... I would spend $500 upgrading level 110’s just for the progression

This has been lobbied for. And lobbied for. And asked for. And begged for. And reasoned for.

Still hasn't happened. I'd say the answer is no.

Geez why play at all?

105 is aiming high, I'd say 95 is reasonable, 100 at most, and certainly nowhere near the gear you're asking.

105 tank LFG OT.
*wipes group on first pull because facetank, no discs used*

The progression part is redic, you know its not hard, and you say no one is doing it? YOU aren't doing it so aren't looking for people doing it. I can find some one to do cotf, tds, any of it, no problem. Are you playing on a dead server maybe?

If heroics granted progression we may as well put full raid loot, augs, clickies, artifact loot, everything in the dbg store, just pay to play (for the 5 minutes youd play after paying and then get bored)

Totally unreasonable heroic upgrade request.

Diplomatically said

Sure overhaul the Heroics. Just a small matter where in this small list of outstanding major issues would you like this to happen.

Overhaul Necro class (as acknowledged by Dzam)
Next round of nerfs
Oops mistakes in next expansion
Server merge tool
Account transfer tool
Regular bugs
Botting changes (as alluded to in Holly's response)
Next expansion
Next anniversary

Add it anywhere you want it effectively means something else cannot happen, too little time/money. Crossed some off as those are never an issue

https://forums.daybreakgames.com/eq/index.php?threads/raise-heroic-characters-to-100.250599/

re: dev cost, the level 85 heroic design is a bunch of unnecessary work.

??? I didn't see that. Link or it never happened

Do not make new mercs, just when max level increases to 115, make TBM + EoK be autogrant at same time, that way the hugest barrier in EQ will be gone for the casuals!!!!!!!

The level going up to 100 would be fine, even 10 bags. Leave the gear exactly as it is. No one really buys a Heroic and keeps that gear for more than a few days. This would allow the devs to give a new heroic char without spending a ton of time on it.

As for your progression suggestion? Wow. That's ridiculous. It's not hard to do, if you want to do it. It's not "old enough" to auto grant it.

I haven't even done the progression stuff because I'm fricken lazy but that shouldn't be auto granted wtf are you smoking. I plan to work on it after I get off my lazy rear and finish the last bit of TBL progression. Really though a lot of the cotf stuff can be done by any 110 + a merc you can do this while lfg.

I used to think heroics needed a boost to 100 so people could jump in the game faster and I wouldn't mind if it happened but here's the reality, if friends are are coming back to the game and you're 110 it probably doesn't matter much if they're 85 or 100 because those levels fly by if you're grouped with a 110.

If you're a returning/new player without friends the game is just faster faster faster as you level up, 85 is still fairly forgiving, mercs still have some decent power at that level. If you don't have high level friends to pl you, you don't really need a PL. Not to mention level 85's can walk into FM, say LFG level 85 and someone will often invite them to fill out a group.

Heroics should get an upgrade though in the next two years before level 120 comes out or the grouping level range needs to be removed.

Even if it was hard to do its not something that should be able to be bought

• 105 Starting Level ( No thank you. Eq is about the journey not Finnish line. It already been posted that leveling is not that hard so enjoy the journey. )
• Autogrant ALL PROGRESSION starting from CoTF through EoK (Specifically anything that Grants Hero's Vitality, Resolution, etc) NO!!! The hero's come from more then progression they come from Playing the game and complete the /ach your asking for more than progression your asking to not have to do anything of value.
• Autogrant ALL AA Through EoK (including all focus AA) NO!!! your again taking away a person reason to play the game. When things are hand out for free then people don't understand them. you can already see this with a number of heroic toons that don't use X Y or Z aa because they didn't know about it. As you can AA and spend them you spend time reading what the aa does and then using it and working it into your line up. it part of learning how to play a char well.
• Full set of "heroic" ac augs This is not needed. I leveled an SK from 85 to 110 and got him TBL gear and I am working to fill his aug. Is he as good as he could be? no but he able to farm the augs so again Why take away the reason to go out a play by handing out free augs?
• FULL set of bags, NO. how about you go out and do hunter / collection and other /ach and you can get a full set of bads. or if your to lazy then just /baz and you can buy a full set of 20 slot bags.
• FULL set of non-prestige 105 gear that is equivalent to EoK T2 (Selrach) in terms of stats. Ok now I see what your asking you want to pay 50 to max out a FTP toon so you don't have to put any effort into it.
• All Tradeskills set to 50 so you're ready to Quest Beginner Trophies. Un because the beginners TS quest you get in CR that take you to level 50 in no time and give you all the mats you need is to much work ?

Look EQ has always been a game about grinding. You grind AA you grind levels. You camp for hours to get a drop. And when most people get to the top they more on. but in truth it the journey that most people remember about EQ and what makes EQ great. it not about hitting max level. It is about the progression fighting to unlock new places. Most people that got their epic when it was current have wonderful story to tell about how it went down. More current look at TBL final raid and how all guilds battle to over come the event and the nightmares it cause as we dreamed of Mephits and meatballs for weeks.
If you take away the grind you take away the soul of ever quest. The game has always been about bringing people together. If you are having a hard time with progression then make friends, join a guild, post here on the forms and you will be amazed at the help you can get if you seek it out.
When people start heroic toons for the first time they struggle more then those that have level up. The newer content is not a place for some one to struggle. EoK on is not as forgiving as the former zones as Names have more mechanics and in truth more people expect you to know how to play when your at a higher level. When I see a toon that level 85 i know they are under geared and under skilled and am more willing to give them slack.
I am sorry but I don't feel heroic need an upgrade. What is needed is people willing to spend some time and learn to play, struggle a bit because it makes you better. Be come social it will change the game in many ways.

/cheer

Said perfectly, the journey is the soul of EQ, not engame, love it, thanks Mazame.

https://forums.daybreakgames.com/eq...y-back-to-the-game.259374/page-4#post-3819489

Hail Norrathians,

I know there is a lot of frustration surrounding both unintended and unattended gameplay (which includes botting). While we have been quiet about it, we care very much about the impact these kinds of issues have on the community and the game. Please rest assured that we are working on ways to address it and solutions behind the scenes. When we are closer to being ready to talk about them, we will let you all know.

Love the post. Love the sentiment. Agree with some of it.

Now at first glance I agree a 105 heroic is going too far. I would pick level 95 as ideal for right now and this point in time. Well within range of the soon to be max level of 115. Might still need some soloing and learning of class to get a few more levels and get groups bit very doable. The thing is IF they ever update heroics that will be possible they last time they ever do it again.

So in that way I can get a 105 or 100 heroic. If its a lot of work they want it to last quite a while and while I think a 95 would be good enough for now it wouldn't be worth the work in doing it if it is likely to become outdated too.

I run a large casual guild. Been running it non stop without breaks since Dec 99. But just looking at my experience with it during the last 4-5 years I see things. I actively look for returning players and low level toons. Even with all that at any given time 70 to 80 percent of the guild is level 110 with the rest spread out among all the other levels. Some embrace the suck and level up from 1 to within reach of reasonable grouping with the 110s in a month or two. Others struggle or just don't want to play so much time soloing and some give up. Or they run around trying to find a guild that has a lot lf low levels on Live servers. Problem is they don't exist. So I see a role for updated heroics.


All that being said with this https://www.everquest.com/news/late-summer-producers-letter-2019

Also on tap this year is EverQuest II’s 15th anniversary on Nov. 9 which we will support in EverQuest with a new take on a progression server. Players will start as Level 85 Heroic Characters with experience gain at the same rate as live servers. Content up to the House of Thule expansion will be available at launch with expansions unlocking every 2 – 3 months. We’ll release more details as we get closer to that date!

Now I don't get how a new server in Everquest is supporting Everquest 2 but I think this new server may be DBGs answer to returning players. Have them all return and go play on this new server.

The only thing about that is it is going to draw folks away from the regular live servers. So yeah some may get their wish that the complaining about no new heroics stops. But it could also mean the number of returning players on Live servers dries up. Why return to your own server and have to solo your way up in levels when you can start on a new one and be in range of everyone else?
The loss will be felt by the casual guilds first but its going to continue upwards.

Trust me we would have been better off getting new heroics or server mergers.

Congratulations on having people that will help you with older content. Most of us aren't that lucky. Mention Anashti Sul in most guilds and watch how fast people scatter.