Hey guys. Just curious what this game is like now as a f2p player. If I were to buy the expac but not buy a sub would I be able to keep up and compete? Or are there just too many advantages to the subscription?
Keep up? Absolutely. There's plenty of decent gear that will enable you to get through the content. Compete? As in parse similarly to someone with prestige gear? Probably not. I will say a skilled player will probably do reasonably well. But some of the Prestige runes or gear are difference makers.
Gear that you have to have a Sub to wear. Last Summer's Ethereal Runes for example, which are significant output multipliers.
There are a lot of F2P players. I personally don't recommend it, because you have some severe limitations. You can't use the broker fully, your in-game communications are limited to some extent, you can't use Fast Travel, etc. A pizza and beer are more expensive than a month's subscription. How much enjoyment do you get out of the game? If it's as much as, say, a night out at the movies, maybe you should subscribe.
Why not try the game as f2p then make a decision on purchasing expac and subscribing? Get those toes in the water, enjoy the game and see where you are at that point.
I'm not trying to argue about if its worth the money to sub. I'm just trying to figure out how badly you'd be off if you were not subbed. All the things you mentioned I don't really care about, but the prestiege stuffed mentioned above is a different story for me.
After you've tried to travel around the world without fast travel, or tried to get money without using the broker, I 'spect you'll change your tune. But up to you! Grandmaster and Ancient tier spells are a perk of membership, you won't be able to scribe those while F2P.You will not be able to equip gear tagged PRESTIGE, which includes gear from Heritage Quests.
Actually. 98% of Norrath is COMPLETELY explore-able, quest-able, and enjoyable. With.OUT. membership. Recall, EverQuest II is not Just the latest expansion. There is nearly TWENTY YEARS of stories, zones, lands, cities, NPCs, Character Development, Languages, Dungeons, forgotten cities, ruins, hidden laboratories, etc, etc, etc. did I mention that 98% of Norrath is free and did not require membership? Now. Unless you consider yourself apart of the Entitlement Generation, and want EVERYTHING now! Now!! NOW!!! or you will throw a temper tantrum thinking you will still get your way as an adult; You can be well served by walking the length and breadth of the lands, as many look quite awesome, the Hua Mein Pandas and their lands are most peaceful (once you prove yourself to them), the Isle of Mara is not only beautiful, but quite peaceful too! Two tiny examples of a vast world to explore! Many zones have "Public Transportation" freely available, which allows quick travel to distant parts of the continent you are on to save a little time to get back to that distant dungeon you found by exploring on foot. Upon arriving (however you get there) at Level 100 and the Plane of Magic, you have free, Free, FREE, as in free in the air you breathe, Gear which along with being Reforeable will serve you through a good majority of the expansion. Additionally, there are many players on these many servers who would be ever so happy to help,... get you some Master-Crafted gear for your level, maybe a guild membership, and so forth,.. so one need not think that have to go it alone. Some expansions may require purchase, however, prior to arriving at those levels, you have many years of exploration, so, no rush So, funding for you may come in time, until then enjoy the venue as it originally existed,.. where we ALL walked/ran from point A to point B,... And certainly, membership allows funding for the Developers to continue their jobs,... for the server and bandwidth bills to be paid, and so forth,... Do not think that no enjoyment will be gained if you do not have membership, there is much to be had my friend,... all one need do is kick their feet forward, and no telling what one will find at the end of the path,...
Addendum: I was thinking, and I have given a one-sided point of view. Norrath also has a HUGE Decorating Community. just look under Housing & Leaderboards to see numerous examples of the work done by what can only be described as genius-level decorators. additionally, video-graphers like Febrith, Niboota, Ocarinah, and many others also give tours of the houses that have been done. There are some who do not adventure, preferring only to Decorate. There is also a Fashion aspect of Norrath. As detailed by the numerous Museums (specifically decorated houses) there are literally thousands of armor/clothing/weapon combinations one can clothe one's self in. Additionally, and Lastly, this *is* a Role-Playing Game, i.e. a digital SCA, a virtual Renaissance Faire; where one can assume a Role, and hold all of their actions within that role,.. rather like a Ratonga I know who was "born" blind, was trained as a monk, and who walks everywhere (unless there is a nearby shoulder in which he can be lead) He hates flying (makes him sick to his stomach) here is his bio: Ripped from within his mother during combat she was involved in, the only survivor of the litter. Having suffered near mortal injuries to his head and body, left for dead among the entrails of his mother's corpse; He was found & healed by a monk from the Tower of the Four Winds. Tyflos' stoicism did not go unnoticed by the unnamed monk. Yet now only able to walk with a limp, blind, and mute, Tyflos' monk training has allowed him to not only survive, but be a service to others. so truly, there is MUCH one can do. And let us crunch some numbers, shall we? membership = $15.00/mo. (less if greater increment than 30days) that means 30 days, 720 hours, 43,200 minutes of entertainment You control. where as, what? a night out, a 2hr. movie and dinner for two would be,... $15 x 2 for admission to smelly environments, sticky seats, loud talkers, big hairs do's down in front,... the snacks,.. $10.00-20.00 easy. then the meal, ~$25.00-50.00 per person, so ~$100.00 for ONE meal! totaling ~$$150.00,.. for a few hours of substandard entertainment (not counting the fuel used to travel, traffic, parking, etc) for what was spent on ONE night, one could have a YEAR'S worth of membership ($119.00) so,.. something(s) to consider
Ceyarrecks: Honestly I bought the lifetime and some people think its a waste of money but having access to all the games at Daybreak including EQ2 for life is amazing. I can choose when I want to play at full benefits in whatever game I want at the time, it really has re-invigorated my playing of EQ2 again, if it comes out again I may buy another one just so my kid could play whenever.
Aye. my finances at that time would not allow for the Lifetime membership purchase,... but yes, I also would like to look forward to another opportunity,...
Wait what do you mean fast-travel? Like the Griffin's in Antonica or Spires or Druid Rings type is fast travel? Is there another way to travel?
Oh yes! Press M to bring up the big map. There's a silver icon at the top, press that and (if you are a member) you get to travel anywhere there is a bell, druid ring, or wizard spire, no matter where in the world you are. HUGE time saver!
15 YEARS!!!!! of membership (granted it has been on and off) and I didn't know about this... I've always thought I had to go to a bell or griffin tower, or druid rings, or spire to fast travel. OMG I am such a newb still lol
Fast travel has been available in the game for a long time for the cost of dbc or station cash. However, it has only been available for free for the past year or two to people with memberships.
TBH, I wouldn't recommend anyone go the ftp route to try it out. With all the annoying features they added to ftp I am willing to bet it has chased off more potential customers than it has brought in to full subs.
