Hail, adventurers! I have a friend interested in returning to EQ, and the FAQ says Free 2 Play includes the first 18 expansions. Since #25 is on its way out soon, is this FAQ correct, or has it been extended since the last update? Thanks! FAQ: https://www.everquest.com/faq
Without any membership you start with four character slots per server for FREE! Without a membership, players can use any of the "broadcast" channels, such as /auction, /level, /shout, or any other chat option that broadcasts to a large amount of other players. Max level is currently 110. Characters can level to 100 without making a single purchase. Players will need the Ring of Scale expansion in order to reach max level. Any EverQuest player can join or create a guild. Forming new guilds is reserved for All Access members. Loyalty points are earned for maintaining a continued membership in the game. Guild housing can only be owned by All Access members. (May require All Access to purchase, min 10 characters and max 1 plot per guild made it too annoying to test purchasing) All players can hire mercenaries if Seeds of Destruction has been unlocked on the server. Without a membership, players are limited to Apprentice Mercenaries of any Tier 1 or 2. Some Special Rules Servers (such as the Time Locked Progression Servers), which are exclusive to our All Access Members, the other servers are available to all players. This also includes the first 20 expansions. (or to be technical the first 19 expansions and the Legacy of Ykesha extension) All Access membership costs $9.99-$14.99 per month. Players can also purchase All Access membership by using some pre-paid game cards or consuming an item called a Krono from within the game. (it's not a realistic option: https://www.daybreakgames.com/news/daybreak-cash-card-removal-website-only-2016) The latest expansion, Ring of Scale, is also available for purchase and will grant you full access to all the features and content of that expansion, some features also require an All Access membership. When you begin playing EverQuest, you can create characters in any of 16 classes, from 16 different races, and you have 20 expansions worth of gameplay at your fingertips – all for FREE! (18 different races is the most puzzling error, it was never true) Upgrading to the All Access membership allows the opportunity to upgrade to the most powerful spells and skills, unlocks four character slots per server (or alternatively raises cap to eight, it only unlocks 8 on servers which require All Access, 'lets you upgrade' is misleading but isn't technically false) Able to earn unlimited Alternate Advancement Abilities (AA’s) AA Auto Grant: Option to gain dozens of AA’s at the click of a button (AA's has just been defined as Abilities and not Points, thousands of AA's is nowhere close to the truth) Eight character slots per server in total Unlocks maximum possible Loyalty gains per week (again misleading with "max loyalty rewards" even though not technically false) Unlimited access to Prestige Armor and Items Unlimited Mail ability (I can't find a chat restriction on a Level 40 f2p character) Items: Any Prestige Items become unusable if you downgrade from an All Access membership. They will remain equipped, but will be tinted yellow or purple and will no longer function.
There have been a lot of upgrades and changes throughout the years in EQ and not all the articles are correct or updated. Or even easy to understand with some information left out. To be honest if your friend wants to play then play and don't sweat if you have all the expansions. You errr he, won't need them for some time. And free is just that.....free - its not meant to give you the whole game. Sometimes there is confusion between what shows on these articles and what is true in game. This info is from what I see and play when I log onto my F2P accounts - not from any article: They show 21 of 24 expansions on the scroll right now so that would take your friend up to The Darkened Sea. Only 2 character slots. Although I can buy more Cannot use general chat but can use those other worthless "broadcast channels" are limited to newplayers chat otherwise. Mail is restricted to receiving only. But can use parcel. However my old accounts that I reactivated and are now considered "silver" and are free do have 4 character slots and can be in all chats.
Just pay for the new expansion and a gold account. It's less than fifty bucks, and will provide you with countless hours of amazing entertainment. My nephew, who is TWELVE, makes 50 to 70 dollars cutting lawns/raking leaves/shoveling snow every weekend. He doesn't play EQ, but could easily afford it. If you're an adult, and play EQ for free, you have a serious problem.
Best refer to the official FAQ, new free accounts get 2 character slots per server, can presently progress to level 105 in the Darkened Sea, and are allowed max 250 AA. there are other limitations on them, but, there is plenty of things to do and learn. For a returning player using their old account, as a silver/Free, 4 characters are allowed, and each can gain 1000 AA. Getting back in and having fun while relearning, will provide plenty of experiences to decide if your friend wants to stick around. Also more info on upcoming expansion is coming , and there are going to be bonus periods in the next while before release including some Bonus XP. So now is a good time to get back in.
If you have a silver account that has been idle for a while, you probably also have a lot of loyalty saved up where you can get characters dolls for 3 more slots per server if needed.
