I know all of this has probably been addressed already. However, I haven't played in a few year and looking to jump back into the game. First off should I go TLP/Live. Honestly I'm not a big fan of the current TLP progression servers. I don't have near the amount of time to play as I use to (Health reason). However I do like the concept of actually progressing through the game. I just can't keep up with that current pace of the TLP server, or would it still be better for me to find a guild/group that progresses through game content on their own time on a TLP server then live? Next what classes would be idea for returning player. I know a lot will say play whatever you enjoy. However, I more mean is there a class/classes that I could play that will make it easier to farm or progress through the game. I will more then likely play warrior/ranger/bard for sure because I love duel wielding. Yes I'm willing to play up to 3 accounts. Not 6 boxing anymore. I honestly never did trade skills before while playing. They look/felt very unorganized. However, I would love to actually level up trade skills this go around. Is there a site that I could use to help with recipes/leveling them. I have googled them and most of them just seem to be buying a bunch of stuff off vendors for a lot of plat. How would I farm/go about this without using as much plat. Are all of them even worth leveling up anymore? Any other useful information on the game that I should know that might help, or maybe even links that could be useful.
I think TLP is good for returning players. Unless you use to play on a Live server. If your freshly new, I'd go play on Mangler, I think people playing on Mangler plan on sticking around, already doing so. I played on Mangler last year (I came back to Live because I want to these new expansions and content I haven't played yet), Mangler has a good community. Other than that, if you played Live server previously I'd go play on Live server. I'm returning Live server player, I can give you heads up 65-95 is rough. I'd like to see the next expansion to be similar to TSS, where in TSS zones Cresent Reach1-25, BFM15-40, Mesa35 - 60, BFR55-70. Wide level ranges. Right now at about 70, its 70-75, 75-80, 80-85, small, and theres a ton of options too. Ex. Beza, HoT lower, oceangreen hills, dragonscale, etc. Too spread out. Too narrow level range. Don't see many other people around due to this. 5 level gap range is pretty bad for mid game especially when start and mid game is literally empty of players (thats why they made TSS, back then mid game 25-60 was rough, too many low level range zones and couldn't find others due to too many options). I'm hoping next expansion has newbie friendly zone similar to idea of TSS, maybe starts at 50, So a zone with level 50 -75 A zone with level 70 - 100 A zone with level 90 - 115 zone, and then the zone for end game. This game could really really use A (one) zone that is great for 70 - 100. I mention, a zone because that way you see other people around at the same level more frequently than before because thats the best option, similar to TSS BFM and Mesa. BFM and Mesa offered really good quests, mobs were placed nicely, progression is nice, it really helped sped up getting past 1-50 and being geared along the way. We really could use a zone designed for leveling from 70-100. (right now its like 70 dsh farm till 80, at 80 theres 5 options of zones do until 87, at 87 theres 5 options of zones do until 92, at 92 theres 5 options of zones do until 98. I'd like a zone, ONE ZONE, where I can stay in from 70 to 100. TSS was a great expansion because of what it did (huge level range, 20 level range zones) to help bring live server newbies up to speed, I'd like a TSS 2.0. Another heads up, is that for Live server, its pretty much solo till 95 is my gut feeling. I'm in the late 70s. It's starting to take a day or more to gain a level now too (1 Blue con kill is like .4xp, and it takes about 2 minutes per kill, so about 8 hours just to level at 79 at this rate I assume it gets much harder, but if was equally easy 79-100, that's 21 days of soloing). I am start of feeling worn out too, because of how long it takes to level now and everywhere I go is empty of players, I die more often, and/or those would may be willing to group with. DSH farm is pretty much the spot I know I'll see a few people at, besides that it feels empty disregarding the random 110+ player. When I played on TLP, I noticed much more interactivity among players. I'd recommend TLP unless you already have a Live character. Mangler. I'd think if TLP is past TSS its too late to join, I believe Mangler is on GoD? Thats not too far ahead, that's a great time to join, I think. https://www.everquest.com/guides/eq-what-is-a-progression-server If you want to play the newer expansions too, but you don't have a Live character, maybe Selos, because your going to be soloing anyways, mine as well do it with fast xp.
Anything could happen, but I doubt they will do a TSS style expansion this year. Maybe someday though, who knows. If you look at the recent history of expansions, they have gotten smaller and have only covered their own level range for quite a while now. If their recent hiring efforts are intended to expand things in the future that would be great, and maybe that would lead to something that resets the game at high level. But considering the state of the world over the last year and what it will look like for the rest of this year, I wouldn't expect anything huge this time around. Lots of people are still working remotely and I doubt DPG is an exception.
That would be awesome. I would love to see that happen as well. That was kinda my worry about live severs is it just being empty until higher levels. Glad to hear mangler still has good community on it. I might have to give them a shot.
When I returned I thought TLP would be the best based on what everyone said. Just like EQ of old! Well, it wasn't like EQ of Old. I disliked it extremely. So I went back to live on my old Ranger who was level 60 at that time. Had a blast, since characters are very sturdy now days you can do a lot of stuff your self or you and a merc. I subscribed on that one account so the ranger could use the better healer merc and get rezzd and buffage etc. Here is a tip: until level 85 the subscription mercs are not that much better. But once you get 85 (or 75 the hard way) and can get the J5 - now your rockin. Then I made a free account with a chanter cause needed those buffs and needed to have a group of 3 for LDON. That worked well with 2 boxing so I expanded with a pally. Again working good but was getting tired of the Pally with his "holier than thou" attitude so I made an SK. SK was more fun to solo than to box but I kept killing his pet. Decided I was tired of waiting in lobby for Shaman buffs so made one of those. So my core 3 box group is Ranger, Shaman, Enchanter. Others really disagree with running a shaman with a chanter but it all depends on how you play. Works for me. I don't care for warriors but am eyeballing a beastlord I have made. People say it's hard to level on live but no one goes to Dranick's Scar instances and very few do LDON's anymore. Those are sweet exp at level 50-70. We now have Franklin Teek in the game to help us with bonus experience in zones based on your current level. They are all kill 5 mobs and it tells you which ones, at the end you get rewards. If your say level 50 then you can ask for the 45 & 50 and maybe a lower one or whatever you can get. But get them all at once otherwise you can only do 1 a day and have to wait 24 hours to do it again. This way you have at least 2 zones you can get bonus exp, 1 of 3 pieces of free armor, the belt has haste, plat and usually a nice aug will drop - you can stay in the zone and continue to get extra exp just killing mobs but the bonus exp happens when you finish the kill 5. https://everquest.allakhazam.com/db/npc.html?id=30481
Try the newest TLP yourself and make a decision if it is for you. If it is not, 3-box a live server with 3 mercs. I 3-box ENC, MAG, CLR because it is a stand alone group that performs very well with merc War, Rog and CLR/ROG. Also because I don't have a real tank it's ideal for LFM including a PC tank. However if doing this I would suggest considering ENC, MAG and DRU over CLR. My CLR is older than mercs, druid is better in that mix I think, and also it's better for picking up players as you don't end up with 2 CLR and can DPS with the druid.
Aradune or Rizlona? I never played a pure caster so that would be interesting, and I have heard enchanter are pretty powerful now as well.
Don't know. I don't play TLP. I think those launched at the same time so which ever has the ruleset you want. If you are not going to box, then I would think the truebox server unless it's population is low. I main ENC. We very powerful. Give it a try.
Avoid classes that can't be self-sufficient even with a merc. This would be classes that can't tank or heal or ones that couldn't solo before mercs. So avoid the Rogue, maybe Berserker, Wizard, Warrior, stuff like that. If you like tanks, go SK or Paladin instead of Warrior and use a healer merc. If you like priests you could pick any of the 3, but Druid and Shaman will be more versatile and kill faster than the Cleric, but all would use a tank merc. Pet classes you can do Mage, Necro, or Beastlord. They are all pretty strong but the Necro has some unique utility that can make things easier, the Beastlord does to some degree also.
Edit: Oh did you mean what class? Ranger with a healer merc Still do the Franklin Teek hot zones but avoid the Clayton Teeks ones for now, they will be too hard solo unless your a raid geared super player. HOT is good with lots of easy experience killing rot dogs and snakes from the task giver at the entrance in the house but don't forget Feerrott itself, lots of named and they drop nice stuff. If follow the line of campfires near the guys in the black robes it makes a safe path to get between Feerrott and the House entrance. If your running any paid accounts get your J5 merc - either the long way for level 75 characters or the easy way (in feerrrott) for level 85. Oceangreen has some good quests and armor also. Drop and earned. And finally, TBM - Plane of life, health, etc. You have to do a short progression and the armor looks like crud until you realizes what it can be with the augs you buy with the currency you get from each task. These augs can be upgraded every few levels and carry you will into 100. I still do these zones just cause some killer augs drop and very rare hero's forge. This is an easy to understand how they work https://www.almarsguides.com/eq/quests/TBM/GroupGear/
Running and 85 cleric with tank merc and towing an 80 mage with healer merc and 73 duid with melee dops merc in Loping Plains to farm rank II spells 75-80. Cleric is at 90% to AA, mobs light blue, easy kills and .8% AA a kill not including task XP. XP is decent on the 73, slower on the mage (Using this to catch the druid up) Mage gets about .8% reg XP a kill or good AA
TLP are a great option for players who have a lot of time to play because you need consistent high playtime to keep up with the game, especially if you plan on playing into the later expansions. For a casual player I would not recommend any of the TLP myself I would instead say go to a live server with a decent high end population & join a guild. What do I consider a casual player? I would say that anyone with less than a regular 5-6 hours an evening 5 days a week is casual. Just bear in mind when you ask for advice like this that many players will be thinking about what's best for them i.e. how to get you to join their server - rather than telling you what would be best for you.
Using a tank merc as a cleric after about level 70 or so is going to be very slow going. i recommend you train and AA up a caster, put tank gear on him and set him on burn and heal him like you would the tank. Stuff will die way faster and the caster merc's tanking ability will be the tiniest fraction worse than the tank merc.
Yeah, I can see that. The live server are kind of hard to tell population on other then FV. What would be some of the more active live servers? Also I only play like 2 hours for most the week besides the days I'm off work and then I play like 10 hours those days.
Bristlebane and Xegony are two of the highest population USA Timezone live servers FV is somewhere between those two. Antonius Bayle is the only EU live server.
FV is the highest pop server, though it is a special server where you can't leave (though you can trade 99% of items) For standard servers Bristle > Bertox > Cazic > Xegony
I play on FV. I tried TLP for awhile but its to grindy for my life now. I don't have the time to spend anymore. I also like mercs and stuff. Also TLP are overrun with cheaters and farmers. Not that they don't have good people but. It's not what it was supposed to be.
Thanks, how are the bazaar prices and stuff on FV. I don't know how easy it is to make plat now days. However everything seemed to be going for a lot on Bristle, or plat most be a lot easier to get then it use to.
Yeah, last time I played I had rl friends and family I played with at certain times. So I never really had to look for a group. Going into the TLP knowing no one and knowing the older content was grindy and not really solo able kind of worried me as well. I don't know how the communities are on any server, and seem to get a lot of mixed reviews on it.
