Good evening, So I'm a old time Everquester ...from EQ1 and the start of EQ2. I left in about 2008-2009 or thereabouts. Had a 80 necromancer and Shadowknight. So I hear about Everquest going 'fully' f2p (as in, we can play our old chars) , which sounds great to me! So I log in, with the expected barrage of point resets and new systems, which is to be expected after such a long absence. So the problem I faced when logging in is that most equipment can no longer be used because of my subscription level. Also, most of my items couldn't be used since they were in 'unavailable' bag slots , again due to subscription level. Finally after trying to understand where/what the spells are, I try training and can't again due to subscription level.I'm not asking how to get all this to work, since I know you can move items, train spells etc...read forums and FAQs. Just saying it was a letdown in the general impression of returning to the game. So...this is not a complaint of someone who comes back and wants everything free. I subbed for years, so I understand that people who pay expect more...however, if the game wants to bring and keep old players back, something could perhaps be done to make the shock a little less.. I have to admit that after seeing all my equipment in 'red', bags unusable and spells unattainable it was all just a bit much...considering the options out there. I suppose in the end, it's just the shock of someone who used to be a subscriber and comes back as a F2P player and hopes to play like before. Sure, I'm not paying anymore, but the game is also rather old...anyhow...I'm getting to the point of ranting here. Any other returning players who might give me a few tips? The prospect of dumping all my legendary stuff and hunting/scouting for other gear is a little daunting, same with spells. Not even sure I can use the bank...or are some slots there disabled as well? And thanks in advance for everyone who will surely say 'Sub again - problem solved' , but... no thanks.
So all legendary or better gear is unwearable. You can buy unlockers for a few SC (Station Cash) to wear it. Or you can go on the broker and buy treasured or mastercrafted stuff that you don't need to unlock. They have just removed the coin restrictions from the f2p model, which is a massive deal, so you can hold as much coin as you want. If you have over 700pp ish you can buy a KRONO from another player or broker which will give you a months sub. All the spells you had prior to quiting you still have, you just can't use new Master spells unless you buy unlockers like with equipment. All those bags that you can't put things into, you can still remove things from. You can unlock them also for SC.
Also keep in mind that f2p wasn't meant to be the norm for end game. It was supposed to be a pain so that people will sub or buy the unlockers. If you are returning and at lvl 80, you are getting towards end game and many items will be legendary or better, ie unusable without unlocking or sub. I would strongly recommend you remake a character if you wish to remain f2p, and level a character up using quest items/mastercrafted gear until you get to endgame or decide to spend money to access various parts of the game.
Thank you both for the good advice, I'm thinking you hit it on the head Crazyeyes....probably more fun to just level a new guy up than struggle with end game stuff on a f2p account. I was confused by the character selection screen though, I had the full amount of chars you could have on a account and it seemed that only my two 80 ones were accessible, though I haven't gone there again. Wonder if I'd have to delete one of them to start a new character? edit: Oh, also about the spells, there was a 'new' screen (to me) somewhere in the character level up screen...where you could 'train' spells and there was a delay in days. That's where I saw the subscription based limitation message when I tried to select one I think? Cheers
That would be spell researching. It allows you to upgrade one spell at a time from it's current tier to the next tier. Each time it completes, you can research it again to move up the next tier up to the max that your subscription level allows. Adept for F2P, Expert (previously called Adept III) for Silver Accounts , and Master for Gold accounts. The red text just means you're spell is already at the max tier for your subscription level.
You are going to find that Sony is trying to do everything it can to prevent the old players from returning. Wait until you want to buy the latest expansion and find out that it costs 80 dollars to get you where you need to be.. ya, that's still a shocker to me.
