Everquest player Wondering about Everquest 2!

Discussion in 'General Gameplay Discussion' started by Lanky, Nov 15, 2012.

  1. Lanky New Member

    Hey guys, EQ Player here,

    I just signed up for the SOE Access Pass, Which means I can also play EQ2. Was just wondering what are the main differences between the games, Specifically:

    1. Questing: Is it optional? Is it viable to grind mobs like on EQ.
    2. What sort of server population does the game have? What is the most populated server?
    3. Can you buy mounts with ingame money?

    Thankyou!
  2. Jalek Active Member

    Yes, it's a faster way to reach max level. There's a lot of stuff along the way you can do in questlines to see things you'd recognize, but the only quests that are really necessary are the ones to get your epic weapon and then the quest to transfer the buffs to your toon. Other skills formerly from questlines are now automatically given.


    Freeport. Busy enough, much of the game is now soloable, but there are a lot of guilds with people that can help.
    If you buy AoD you can use mercs.

    There are merchants, SC mounts are just different looks. Horse/leaper/warg/griffon and probably others are all available in questlines.
  3. Lanky New Member

    Sweet as. I prefer games where you grind mobs rather then quest. Also do the classes in EQ2 Match the classes in EQ!
  4. Whilhelmina Well-Known Member

    1. It is mostly optional. You'll need quests to get some items or to access some zones but you can level without doing quests just by killing mobs (and for those mostly in dungeons)
    Thing to note: EQ2 was designed with quests in mind so the interface for quests is way more user friendly than EQ. You don't have to type answers in chat, it's just bubbles to click. You also have a single letter to type to open the journal ("J") and then all is sorted in an easy way.

    2. Antonia Bayle, Crushbone and Freeport are the most populated. I don't know for US servers, but the population on EQ2 Storms server (french server) is way lower than the one on EQ Tunare.

    3. yes, you can.
    Most also use status points which are gained through some of the quests or by killing mobs in instances. You'll also need to be in a guild for those.
    Finishing the questlines in the starting zones wil lalso award you a mount.
    Ground mount all have a 130% speed buff. You'll have jumping mounts at level 35, gliding mounts at 65 and flying mounts at 85. Those can be bought from marketplace or quested for.

    4. more or less.
    Several classes were cut in two. For example the enchanter became the illusionist (using illusionnary pet) AND the coercer (charms mobs), both having buffs like the EQ Chanter has.
    The necromancer stays the same but the pets are more powerfull.
    The cleric becomes the Templar and Inquisitor.
    The classes are very close at low levels but might get different at higher tiers (I'm not familliar enough with EQ classes to know that, my highest char there is a 56ish necro)
    Beastlords have probably next to nothing in common as the mechanic for those is highly specific to the class.
    Anyway, you'll find enough in common to not feel like being in an entirely different game.
  5. Seiffil Active Member

    I just want to reiterate on part 4.

    As Whilhelmina said, most of the classes are cut in two.

    I would actually call the EQ1 rogue as being closest to the Assassin, rather then the two scouts that are in the rogue sub class in EQ2 (Swashbuckler and Brigand)
    Berserker in EQ2 is a tank, it is not the chain wearing 2h weapon only dps class it was in EQ1.
    Many of the classes have a close analog, but even in the case when they are a similar style class, they play much differently then they did in EQ1.

    You have more abilities to manage and weigh against each other. I know when I played my rogue back in EQ1, I had auto attack, backstab, and my disciplines to worry about. If you play a scout class, you'll have 3-4 hotbars set up with abilities, plus more setup to use potions, swap gear, assist or acquire targets.

    Walk into it with an open mind, and even while the roles may be similar in some cases, just due to how EQ2 was designed they're still going to play differently.
  6. Cyliena Well-Known Member

    Not really. There's some similarities in names of abiltiies, but IMO the gameplay of each that has an EQ counterpart feels much different. Playing my Mage on EQ is absolutely nothing like playing my Conjuror on EQ2. You won't catch an EQ2 Necromancer fear kiting. There are no songs/melodies to "twist" for Dirges/Troubadours (they simply have normal combat arts on top of their buff songs). Etc etc. Just keep an open mind and try out different ones. :) I love playing casters on EQ but really enjoy melee more on EQ2.
  7. GabenBison Active Member

    Despite their names, both are completely different in their mechanics. Don't play EQ2 expecting it to be like EQ1. Been that way since launch despite the countless revamps to the gameplay mechanics.
  8. Merodos New Member

    EQ2 has more in common with WoW than it does with EQ1.


    A couple things you might find interesting.

    • In EQ2, mobs can be linked together as a grouped encounter (meaning you can't single pull from them) but all the names in that encounter will be highlighted the moment you target just one of them so it's easy to tell what's what.
    • There is a set distance on an aggroed (not attacked) enemy in which it will chase you before automatically running back to it's unaggroed position in the game (distances will vary depending on the zone).
    Quests are far easier to manage with the quest journal as it was integrated with the design of EQ2 from the start. Quest NPC's that will give you quests (most have a minimum level requirement) will have a glowing feather floating above their heads.

    • Gold feathers are adventuring quests.
    • Green feathers are tradeskill quests (and reward tradeskill experience points).
    • Purple feathers are signature quests (generally is a fairly long quest chain and rewards legendary/fabled gear).
    You can only know one primary tradeskill:
    • Weapon Smith - Making metal weapons and throwing ammo.
    • Armor Smith - Making plate and chain armor and metal shields.
    • Tailor - Making leather and cloth armor as well as range-slot weapons for throwing skill and bags.
    • Alchemist - Making Poisons, Potions, and Tank Abilities/Spells.
    • Sage - Making Healer and Caster Spells.
    • Jeweler - Making Earrings, Rings, Belts, Range-slot Items (not weapons), necklaces, and Melee DPS abilities/spells.
    • Woodworker - Making wooden weapons, shields, range-weapons (caster/healer wands and fighter/melee bows), and range weapon ammo (wands require no ammo).
    • Carpenter - Making furniture and box containers (mainly used for banks and house storage).
    • Provisioner - Making Food and Drink (basically it's baking and brewing combined).
    Your tradeskill levels separately from adventuring (so you could be a level one healer but a level 90 armor smith). Most crafting materials are harvested from nodes in adventuring zones and materials known as fuels are bought from npc vendors generally located near crafting tables where you do the actual crafting.

    There are 2 secondary tradeskills and you can know both at the same time. Tinkering and Adorning. Both level up in the same way that they do in EQ1.
    • Tinkering is exactly the same as it is in EQ1 but the end results are generally far more useful.
    • Adorning would be the EQ2 equivalent of crafting augment stones, but you use the transmute ability to break down treasured or higher quality gear to make the items used in their creation.
    The Stamina stat increases both your maximum health and adds to your resists and so all classes use it.

    • Tanks only need STR and STA
    • Healers only need WIS and STA
    • Casters only need INT and STA
    • Melee DPS only need AGI and STA
    • No idea what Beastlords need other than STA.
    Shatner and Cyliena like this.
  9. Pariel Active Member

    Awww, see, now I want to play EQ1 again with all these comparisons!
  10. Regolas Well-Known Member

    Eq2 has a lot of familiar things from eq1 but they're different.

    I haven't played EQ1 for 5 years so can't comment on the game it is now, but playing eq2 for the first time in Greater Faydark, having quit eq1 two years prior, felt familiar while still feeling like a new game.

    Haven't looked back since!
  11. Meaghan Stormfire Well-Known Member

    I'm the opposite of most people here. I find grinding to be WAY faster than questing to level. The classes don't entirely match. but some are kind of close. If you played a warrior in EQ1, you'll probably be more comfortable with the Guardian in EQ2.

    The closes comparisons I can come up with are:
    Warrior/Guardian
    Cleric/Templar
    Bard/Troubador
    Rogue/Assassin
    Magician/Conjuror
    Necromancer/Necromancer


    Do NOT expect EQ1 and EQ2 Shadowknights to be remotely similar.