Sad times for this Xpack from what I have seen... I main an Illy and just returned to the game a week before the Xpack dropped. I am working my way through the content in some good groups and noticing quite a disparage in DPS between Mages and Scouts in general. Maybe it is a matter of me not having grouped with good mages, or maybe its more of what I think it is and we just got dumped on. All I know is when I left the game at the end of KA Illy's were doing great on the parse, now I am out parsed by healers... Very sad panda here. I notice a lot of the fights are power needy to an extreme. Especially in Challenge mode heroics. It has essentially forced me to feed power as much as a healer heals. And maybe that is what they wanted. But here is my fear to that: Troubs, Necros, etc... All those classes that can cast spells that increase power to group/friend will eventually make enchanters obsolete this xpack. I have already witnessed the troub carrying groups in power for a time. Good/Smart groups will not be taking Illy's or Coercers into Challenge modes when they can get a group with classes who add to power feed but show up on a parser. Why would they? All the same, why take a mage at all (not counting your friends) over a scout when scouts are just KILLING the parse by more than a lot over mages who should be comparable at the least. Lastly, I am working on a swash to play. I hope more mages stop playing their mage as a main to show Daybreak there is no interest in these classes until they are fixed. The longer we sit and play them and keep the population of them high, the longer it will force their hand to actually do something to fix them. Just my two cents...
Hmm. I just took a look at your gear on EQ2U, and you've got 143K Potency and 3565 resolve, which are good. You do need to reforge. For example, you have no Recovery Speed. Casting Speed no longer rolls over into Doublecast (everything is Ability Doublecast now). You've got a lot of Haste, which only affects your autoattack. You could use about double your present Fervor. Did you do the summer Ethereals and get the purple armor leveled to Planar 5? If so, it will have more Resolve that what you are wearing. I can see that you have done some plat infusing, but only a small amount of Physical Layer infusing with crafted/looted infusers. You can use old tier infusers. I start with the handcrafted Twark infusers, then crafted infusers from PoP and CD (at 120, you can smash through those old solos really fast and salvage everything). I can't see your 111-120 spells (EQ2U hasn't got that yet), but all your prior tier spells were only Experts. They will have an increased chance for the mob to resist those spells. You will definitely want to upgrade your current tier spells as you can.
It's difficult to assess your comments about DPS drops accurately; it's typical of what we tend to hear when someone dropped out around KA and are just now returning. Questions asked: Have your 2.0 spells maxed or close to it. For an illy, that's important. Done all the Panda quests and have the "Daring" white adorn set and the new cyan adorns from that? These are big as well. What were your spells at when you returned--both spells and Ascension levels? Generally speaking and not knowing your specific situation, we hear "oh they're apprentice--expert and what is the Panda? And my ascensions are at apprentice or journeyman." If you're one of those, you have some work cut out out for you, but it also typically explains the poor performance of returning players who have been gone for two years or more.
Completed Panda. Summer event was over when I returned. Got Sorens rune and all the blue runes afforded by last xpack raids. Yes current xpack spells are Adept an expert with 2 Celestial and two ancient. Almost all my ascensions are Ancient. lvl 20 Merc buff with lvl 14 mount and lvl 6 Eyeless familiar. Running best food avail. Leveled my current xpack weapon to Planar lvl 5 thus far. Your correct on the infusing as I am hesitant to spend the plat on the infusers but I could go farm the stuff you suggested, but I am fully plat infused. Not much I can find in the way of increasing my Fervor more. I do strip down and eat and drink in a solo zone then pop back for the boost. I appreciate the constructive criticism and continue to test things and take this information and try to "get gud" lol. Thanks.
Made the changes you all suggested and what do you know. Got pot up to 150K+ by fully infusing and reforged into some Recovery (Not sure how much is enough or too much) Now sitting somewhat respectably in parses. Seems like there was a plateau in DPS increase until I broke 150K. Many thanks. Not sure why the sig block isn't updating. But here is my real stats. As always I am open to suggestions to get better... https://u.eq2wire.com/soe/character_detail/433793670068
Is casting speed adding to ability doublecast now? It was adding to spell doublecast before, but havent played too much with the reforger to see if its worth anything anymore.
afaik kander said in discord that all spillover beyond cap are gone or should be gone, so haste no longer goes to flurry, casting speed no longer goes to spell doublecast (and this whole thing is not used anymore). afaik nothing has spilled over to ability doublecast but it is moot since the mechanic is gone. hope they update the ui because it still says these things happen
You shouldn't have to do summer Eths and Panda to prosper in a new expansion. Everquest is the only one I know that doesn't help gear you as you play through the story. My necro has less stats than the OP and barring a few things to get potency up it is all Heroic drops that is needed. To get in Heroics I am being told my stats are not high enough. /shrug
I have been told ability doublecast works just like spell double cast used to. That the number crunching in the background was becoming too much with all the flurry and stacking of dot's and what not. Is there any way to get more Ability doublecast outside of it being on the gear already when its discovered?
No, you do not have to get heroic drops to get geared for heroics. What we're saying is that there are Nice Things to be had by completing Achievements, and that once you have those infuse them as much as possible, and don't neglect reforging. Here's a list of the BoL Achievements that I know give rewards and are fairly easy to get (the only ones that need groupage are the PQ achievements and achievements calling for the death of overland heroic names): A Bridge To The Moon (rewards 165 Resolve charm) Is There Anybody Up There (rewards 165 Resolve charm) Triumph: Blinding Destroyer (rewards 165 Resolve charm) Another Runner in the Night (rewards 165 Resolve ear) Wrack Em Up (rewards 165 Resolve neck) Great Space Coaster (rewards 165 Resolve ring) Tree? I Am No Tree! (rewards 165 Resolve ring) Blood of My Blood (rewards 165 Resolve ring) Triumph: Aurelian Coaster (rewards choice of 165 Resolve 1H or 330 Resolve 2H) Triumph: Brutally Wracked! (rewards choice of 165 Resolve ranged or buckler) Triumph: All Together Now (rewards 170 Resolve cloak) Triumph: Moonage Daydream! (rewards 170 Resolve cloak) Triumph: Lightside Explorer (rewards a Familiar Crate) Triumph: Blindingly Killing (rewards 772.2% Potency Barding) Triumph: Brutal Coaster (rewards Brutal Barding!, a selection of Sanctum barding) Triumph: The Blood Seeker (rewards Chronochamber Spark green adorn) Triumph: Wracked! (rewards Wracking my brains. containing red weapon runes) You also have a chance at rare but nice items from stuff like the dropped item quests and the clicky POI quests that require you to kill 10-20 easily soloed local critters. For example, the dropped quests give you an Empyral Mission Reward Crate: it never lands in your inventory, but here's the loot table for it: Umbrallium Alloy Plated Bangle -- 150 Resolve wrist Umbrallium Alloy Coated Medal -- 150 Resolve charm Umbrallium Alloy Polished Earring -- 150 Resolve ear Umbrallium Alloy Studded Cloak -- 150 Resolve cloak Umbrallium Alloy Buckled Belt -- 150 Resolve waist Umbrallium Alloy Studded Shroud -- 150 Resolve cloak Umbrallium Alloy Polished Stone -- 150 Resolve neck Umbrallium Alloy Spiked Stud -- 150 Resolve ear Umbrallium Alloy Spiked Ring -- 150 Resolve ring Umbrallium Alloy Coated Wristlet -- 150 Resolve wrist Umbrallium Alloy Riveted Sash -- 150 Resolve waist Umbrallium Alloy Bone Earring -- 150 Resolve ear Umbrallium Alloy Sapphire Ring -- 150 Resolve ring Umbrallium Alloy Fire-Etched Band -- 155 Resolve ring Umbrallium Alloy Plated Buckle -- 155 Resolve charm Umbrallium Alloy Coated Buckle -- 155 Resolve charm Umbrallium Alloy Fire-Etched Cuff -- 155 Resolve wrist Umbrallium Alloy Polished Ruby Chain -- 155 Resolve neck Umbrallium Alloy Spiked Torque -- 155 Resolve neck Umbrallium Alloy Coated Band -- 155 Resolve ring Umbrallium Alloy Etched Bangle -- 155 Resolve wrist Umbrallium Alloy Plated Wristlet -- 155 Resolve wrist Umbrallium Alloy Studded Belt -- 155 Resolve wrist Umbrallium Alloy Plated Chain -- 155 Resolve wrist Necklace of Stars -- 180 Resolve neck Umbrallium Alloy Threaded Pants -- 150 Resolve legs Umbrallium Alloy Studded Hood -- 150 Resolve helm Umbrallium Alloy Studded Pants -- 155 Resolve legs Empyral Standard Crit Bonus Infuser Empyral Standard Ability Mod Infuser Empyral Standard Potency Infuser Empyral Standard Stamina Infuser Aurelian Coast Rockhopper -- familiar (Treasured) Dreadfire Shadowbeast -- familiar (Fabled) Baleshadow Construct -- familiar (Celestial) Necrotic Reishi -- familiar (Legendary) Shadow (Temporary 4 Hour) Familiar Experience (100,000) (Temporary 4 Hour) Familiar Experience (12,500) (Temporary 4 Hour) Familiar Experience (25,000) (Temporary 4 Hour) Familiar Experience (50,000) (Temporary 4 Hour) Familiar Experience (75,000) (Temporary 4 Hour) Mercenary Training Reduction (10 Day) (Temporary 4 Hour) Mercenary Training Reduction (20 Day) (Temporary 4 Hour) Mercenary Training Reduction (30 Day) (Temporary 4 Hour) Mount Training Reduction (10 Day) (Temporary 4 Hour) Mount Training Reduction (20 Day) (Temporary 4 Hour) Mount Training Reduction (30 Day) (Temporary 4 Hour) Research Reduction (10 Day) (Temporary 4 Hour) Research Reduction (20 Day) (Temporary 4 Hour) Research Reduction (30 Day) (Temporary 4 Hour) Research Reduction (40 Day) Bladimir Black -- Overseer Agent Wizard Flurggledinn -- Overseer Agent Cleric Sararah -- Overseer Agent Galen Stormwolf -- Overseer Agent Doric Silverhew -- Overseer Agent Garith Oldfoe -- Overseer Agent Grumpy Little Stelve -- Overseer Agent Inquisitor L'Morr -- Overseer Agent Seargeant Marcus Carpenter -- Overseer Agent Milo Burningsun -- Overseer Agent Selmo Koriat -- Overseer Agent Young Mitchem -- Overseer Agent Councilor Wrathburn -- Overseer Agent Gretacia Windsong -- Overseer Agent King Grorlif -- Overseer Agent Magnus Frostheart -- Overseer Agent Mina Szekle -- Overseer Agent Morac the Builder -- Overseer Agent Rittan D'Sal -- Overseer Agent Rosamond -- Overseer Agent Familiar Cage Eliminate Warlord Ix Acon -- Overseer mission Exact Revenge on the Drakota -- Overseer mission Eliminate Venekor -- Overseer mission Eliminate the Gang Lord -- Overseer mission A Dark Ceremony -- Overseer mission Slay the Evol Ew Chieftain -- Overseer mission Eliminate Klirkan X'Davai -- Overseer mission The Throne of Emperor Fyst -- Overseer mission Reacquire the Idol of Solusek Ro -- Overseer mission Convince the Guardians -- Overseer mission The Kra'thuk's Magical Properties -- Overseer mission Rob the Fool's Gold Tavern -- Overseer mission Treasure in Shortwine Burrow -- Overseer mission Liberate Lady Laravale -- Overseer mission Save Orxilia Calogn -- Overseer mission Save the Valkyrie Princess -- Overseer mission Save the Vision of Vox -- Overseer mission Keeper for the Keep -- Overseer mission Captured in Bramble Woods -- Overseer mission Save Lira Singebellows -- Overseer mission Find the Goblin Banker's Loot -- Overseer mission Find the Golden Idol of the Drafling -- Overseer mission Recover the Stolen Scrolls -- Overseer mission Retrieval for the Crown -- Overseer mission The Word of Thule -- Overseer mission Thexian Treasure -- Overseer mission Valuable Runes in a Dirty Place -- Overseer mission The Thexian Wizard's Wand -- Overseer mission Umbrallium Alloy Dagger -- 150 Resolve Umbrallium Alloy Crossbow -- 150 Resolve Umbrallium Alloy Greatstaff -- 300 Resolve 2H Umbrallium Alloy Plated Hammer -- 300 Resolve 2H Umbrallium Alloy Ingot -- 150 Resolve secondary Umbrallium Alloy Wand -- 150 Resolve Umbrallium Alloy Silvered Wand -- 150 Resolve Umbrallium Alloy Snake Wand -- 150 Resolve Umbrallium Alloy Mace -- 155 Resolve Umbrallium Alloy Spiked Crossbow -- 155 Resolve
You don't have to do the Panda quests. I mention them because many returning players aren't aware of them and if you don't want to run a number of disco quests to get cyan adorns worth 256 potency each (512 for the two hander), or the four Daring white adorns, that's a personal choice. Information is provided so those players trying to cut the gap when they return have access to the information that will help them get better. Whether they choose to do so is their call.
Done all those and my resolve is more than enough but potency is 138k. I could push it a little more with OLD content potency adornments. The point was to get into Heroics, at least where more people consider letting you join as a mage, is they want 150k Potency at least. Doing all of the quests, solos, achievements, etc will not get you 150k potency. You need to reforge, get lucky with drops, spend an *** ton of play on adornments, or hope to get lucky on overseer missions. This is not an inviting way to get people into content. Lets not even talk about how getting expert+ spells this xpac is crazy!
You really should start with old content infusers! Start with the relatively cheaper stuff! I have my Provisioner make the Twark handcrafted infusers, which use commonfish as their main ingredient, and infuse with that until it stops working. Now that I have 120 toons, it's child's play to smash through a set of PoP solos and crush all the loot for infuser fragments, which I can then craft into infusers. And so on.
Hey, I've been away from game since 2014... what are panda quests? or like where is this NPC? lol.. I see a lot of people talking about it, but no clue what/who it is
I must disagree with the fact that troubs/necro will be more popular than chanters in this xpac for power regen. We continually see in general ppl looking for chanters. I think they are very in demand now days.
