hello i was just looking over player races, as i am downloading the game now. I played everquest online adventures on the ps2 a long time ago and i was wondering, does the alignment of my character matter for grouping up and doing endgame raiding and stuff like that?
Not anymore. Racial alignment matters very little in the realm of EQ now. The only time it really matters is If you are a Evil race, and you attempt to go into a good aligned city, you may run into a guard or two that won't enjoy your presence very much, and the same goes vice versa. However, the city of Cresent Reach is indifferent to all, and offers all the services one would require from other places. Also, some wise scholars have decided to make most of your spells and abilities available in the Plane on knowledge, so you shouldn't have to seek out a dark elf to buy a spell, of you are a gnome for example. All races are universally accepted these days. Just play what you think suits you. In addition, if you let is know what you decide to play, and what server, someone from your server could certainly advise you best on how to wet your feet in the world of Norrath. I am Dandin Mindfire, Drakkin Enchanter of the Bristlebane Server, at your service. Welcome to Norrath!
Since Luclin (post-Velious) faction is pretty irrelevant other than having to kill stuff or do a series of quests that you would do anyway to gain access to stuff. Old world they're very involved and did matter a little bit, but not generally as far as grouping or raiding. Just some events will have dramatic affect on factions. Again, this would become apparent in old world content, but today's content (or even old but post-Velious content) no impact what-so-ever. Yther Ore.
Alignment doesn't really exist. There are just starting points for various factions based on race/deity. These can be largely ignored if you don't go to racial home cities.
Be aware the world of Norrath is still full of factions that will dictate how npcs view your character. It is true that you can get most anything you want done or need in neutral locations like Plane of Knowledge and Crescent Reach, but your choices still matter. For instance my first character was a troll (evil race) shadowknight (evil class) who worshipped Innoruuk (god of hate). Outside of the troll city, he was literally attacked everywhere i took him, by animals, by guards, by merchants, by npcs by other evil races. In other evil race cities, like Oggok the Ogre city and Neriak the Dark Elf city he was tolerated in common areas but still attacked by guild members of certain classes that worshipped other gods like the Ogre shaman guild or the Dark Warrior guild. Life was very difficult for a long time. i spent months working faction to buy and sell from evil or neutral vendors and to be tolerated by the guilds and civilians of the iksar empire. Eventually you grow powerful enough that most npc's who would attack you with impunity are suicidal - but it doesnt stop them. it was a fun character development excercise and when i finally rolled up a halfling ranger and wandered the world i was amazed at how different an experience you have when there is not violent intolerance around every tree and door.
At the lower levels racial faction still matters. If you get ported to a Druid ring in North or East Karana without having invisibility up, you'll see why. Other than good cities will attack evil races, evil cities will attack good races, etc. It mainly dictates if merchants will sell to you or not in the older zones and cities now. Also, it can almost always be changed, it just may take many quests or npc kills to get to that point. The evil races do have their advantages though. They can help a lot at the low levels when you have little gear or platinum. Dark elves have ultravision (can see at night), Ogres can't be stunned from the front, Iksars and trolls have their benefits as well. Native AC and regen increases (I forget which is which). As far as if it matters for grouping or raiding, not at all.
Races and deities and factions were made insignificant with the introduction of Crescent Reach. Only a few things, such as questing, relies on how you fare with a starting city.
Wow does your post ever dredge up a lot of memories lol! I miss the years where you had to tread carefully due to factions. Think I need to go tour the old world again for fun.
Actually, evil races have another advantage. We don't care who we kill. (Yeah, I know, neither does anyone else anymore.) Having fewer good factions in the first place, we can murder with near impunity across Norrath. Which gives Iksar the edge with this advantage. (Biased much? Oh yes.) Obviously, though, that only matters if you care about factions in the first place. (Role player or simply can't stand having bad faction.) And, Trolls have regen, and apparently, infravision. Iksars have both AC and regen, as well as infravision, a small (100 point) head start on swimming, and 50 forage.
