I came back, used level 100 bauble, and here's my thoughts (spoiler: love it)

About a few weeks ago, I reinstalled EQ2, and decided to see what has changed since the last time I played the game seriously (been a few years or more).

For the first few weeks, I created new characters on Stormhold (TLE), Isle of Refuge, and AB (RP). I played the various new characters I created up to between level 20 and 40 to get a feel for the game at the low levels as it plays today as well as feel out the server communities.

My findings on the first few weeks experiment:
1. The game is very easy to get back in to on a new character
2. All three servers I played on had great communities with people more than willing to help out with advice and in-game help. I even had complete strangers send me plat and bags with out me asking.
3. Mercenaries are insanely helpful for starting new today. Love the mercenaries. Thank you devs!
4. The lack of mercenaries on the TLE server was a non-issue because there were plenty of people to run through dungeons with at the levels I played. Stormhold was a fantastic experience. Thanks community!


Having tested things out, and asking a lot of questions in-game and on the forums, I finally decided upon playing a Coercer on the AB server and use the level 100 bauble that we get free right now (thanks DBG for the free level 100).

I created a level 1 Human Coercer starting in TD named Rizikio (feel free to hit me up in game some time) on the AB server. I used the level 100 Bauble and moved to Freeport.

My first idea on learning how to play my new level 100 coercer was to hit up the Chronomancer NPC in Freeport to self mentor down to say level 30 and hit up old content. There was one problem with this thoug. You start out with no status, and using the Chronomancer cost both money and status. So, I couldn't do that.

Then I decided to check out some of the newer content that I missed. Thanks to advice from the server community in general chat (thanks everybody for the advice), I checked my mailbox, got all of my quest mails, and started those quests. Then I headed off to Neriak to start the Thalumbra signature quest for ToT content.

My findings on playing an instant-level 100 character after being away from the game for 3+ years:
1. The content in the newer expansions is GREAT. It was very fun, very accessible, and easy to get right in to with the gear that the level 100 bauble gives you. I use a mercenary (luckily I had plat on an old character), and it makes the solo content very easy to accomplish.
2. Figuring out what to do and where to start would have been a complete failure if not for the information obtained from the server community in general chat. I can't stress this enough. Until I got answers from helpful individuals on what to do, I was completely 100% lost on what to do with my newly created level 100 character. Thank you server community!
3. The EQ2 wikia is a must read. It has been so helpful. I book marked things I will need like the Coercer epic 1.0 quest line since it is required for the Epic 2.0 quest line.
4. The advanced solo instances are awesome! Thank you devs! Finally dungeons are not just for groups. Some of us don't have the luxury to have time to put together groups, and are lucky to be able to get in an hour here or there to play EQ2. Thank you!

Just my 2 cents.

Final Grade: A

Welcome back and I hope you stay and play with us. I am in a guild on AB that is relaxed and casual, but technically a RP evil guild. My ton's name is mine... Meneltel. Guild: Army of Obliteration. Hit one of us up for more information or just ignore this, your choice *grins*. Just know we are very laid back and relaxed. Any guildie can invite (you don't have to wait for an officer to log in or interview you) and we don't kick for not logging in, (RL>EQ2, no matter how heretical that may seem!). But there are LOTS of other decent guilds out there also, so take your time and find one that will fit you as well as you fit them. They will make the game even more fun!

Thank you for the warm welcome.

I intend to take my time before I apply to a guild. I want to meet people in game, and find the right fit before jumping in.

You are welcome. Most of the guilds on AB are RP friendly, at least. Some are very strict and others are casual about it. Just take your time and talk to people. And have fun! That's why most of us are here, after all!

It's really good to hear that positiveness.

Myself personally I feel I have lost that appreciation for enjoyment of the game. I see such a lot of timesinks ahead (epic 2.0, Proving Ground grinding, every other grind for super rare gear or minuscule increments to character development, ie tithe), and I forget to enjoy the journey to get there.

I've played this game for 8 years now and all I see from this xpac is the negatives, not the positives. My playtime has drastically reduced due to real life commitments and as such I am now way behind the gear and potency values I feel I should be at to group with others.

But I'm really glad you're enjoying the game again

I find it quite confusing, I've got to admit. The community is as kind and helpful as always, but the ingame guide is pretty much non-existent! Being bombarded with mails urging me to do older content is confusing, and so are all these stats!

That might be one of my bigger problems, to be honest. There are so many different type of stats that I've got absolutely no idea how powerful my character is. I was told Potency is all that matters, but then maybe the other stats can be slimmed a bit?

I don't know what the story is, and barely where to go. My character is a mystery and I read about how much grind I've got to do in order to be 'ready'? Like, I need to do some weapon questline, or...? I'm not quite sure!

Like, I've got to say again! The EQ2 Community is ******* awesome, and it's actually the main reason I tend to come back- so many kind and helpful players, which is not typical for a MMO. But it's so intimidating to try and grasp the game.

This thread is the closest thing I've found to leave my feedback RE: Free level 100 and the current game play.

To be honest, I can't really speak to either since they both require an active sub. I'm not dumping 16 bucks into a game to see if it has improved for alt #44 to be added to my roster, not to mention the fact that most returning players will have to either buy a char slot or delete a toon to make room for the freebie.

So in essence the promotion should read, " Free level 100 character for everyone who buys a $10 slot, pays $16 for an active sub" and also have an asterisk "*To play any relevant content returning players need to purchase the latest expansion for $34.

Nope Daybreak, it's not worth it to me to pay $60 for my 44th level 100 toon when the general forums are packed full of the same complaints that made me leave in the first place. I would definitely come back to test the waters if the promotion required no financial commitment for 30 days and then had a price tag if I chose to continue but I seriously doubt they would offer that.

P.S. Hi RadarX, I miss you the most!

I am also on AB and if you need assistance look me up, same name Cyrrena.

In response to Avithax, I got the claim for the bauble on my free accounts as well, they were created long before April 20 or whatever that first date was but they haven't been subbed since October 2016.

Cyrrena

The free level 100 is for every account, including F2P, you don't have to be subbed.

All four of my F2P accounts, each with a level 95 from when the free level 95s were offered a while back, are now 100.

The Alter of Malice expansion and everything before it is free now on EQ2 (or that's what the EQ2 wikia claims).

That means that you can use your free level 100 boost on a free account, and try out the level 100 content that started in Alter of Malice. That seems like a worthwhile thing to me if you don't want to spend the money on a months subscription.

Thanks a ton for the offer! But truth be told, I used my lv100 on the EU servers because I thought we'd get one per continent- so I'm a bit boned in that regard!