New xpac, is it worth coming back and $$?

I saw the new xpac is out, but it's expensive... like really expensive for something that has a monthly fee.

Is it worth coming back? I played alot until ToV, then it started getting meh and grindy. I have bought the last xpac but it was ascension grinding. I finished the quest line with my BL and SK, but it felt like busy work to me.

90 bucks for the mid tier expansion and 15 bucks per month for a 15 year old game without an engine update is steep. Steep enough to ask opinions about it. I'm not seeing many reviews for this online, but EQ2 isn't much in the limelight these days.

I'd be doing the main storyline, mostly solo / duo with Lorr'kejut or Malice merc. I like the TLE, but I'm mostly solo...alot of the content is lost on me. Pros and cons are..

1. Pro - Loved EQ2 before it was completely reliant on the marketplace.
2. Pro - EQ / EQ2 has always been my home. I've play the "other game" (who shall remain nameless just to get by)
3. Pro - I can usually kick back and chill and do my own thing. Crafting is useful sometimes.

1. Con - Stat crunching gives me the blues (last it was CB and potency), over-inflated abilities per class..like 8 full bars, and little sense of direction / epic adventures.
2. Epic 2.0 was completely out of reach. On my home server, chat is toxic because of 1-2 people who think they run the server.
3. Since I solo, TLE and most of the new content is out of reach. I tried a few guilds who were "active" but totally weren't. Either hardcore cliques of long time friends or multi-boxers dominate while everyone else chatted and asked questions.

I want to come back, and give it a shot, but I can't justify dropping 90 bucks on a game just to end up bored with just more of the same... uh, non-dynamic content.

I'd love to hear the opinion of folks playing the xpac these days that may have the same playstyle as mine.

Throknar
Fallen Gate / Halls of Fate

I like the expansion. I solo or I raid, I usually don't group much. Why don't you take a peek at the expansion overview and the Chaos Descending Timeline on the wiki and see if it looks interesting to you?

Thank you Sigrdrifa, I'll check it out.

I'm going to sub for a month and decide on the xpac. I can't find info on EQ2i or another other site about the upgrade to get Skando. Is he a ranged merc like the other aviak? That's the only thing I can see that I'd want and the merc wouldn't be worth the like... 50 bucks to go to the second tier.

This expansion will go on sale for 50% off in about 10 months. If you really like the stuff in the CE or PE version, but don't need it right away, then just buy the basic version and upgrade later.

I logged in and immediately regretted just subbing. There are soooo many things bad in the game.

1. Stats in the thousands, and hps / mana in the millions. Mobflation and stats inflation makes it impossible to gauge upgrades.
2. Nonsense stats with no assistance regarding which is the best. Previous xpacs you went for CB and Potency, now it's resolve and likely potency. There are like 6 stats for autoattack, as many for defense, more than a dozen stats for offense, and up to 18 stats for tradeskills.
3. 10 hotbars full of skills (buffs, consumables, ascension abilities, normal abilities, macros, advantages / primals). Ascension abilities pretty much hosed all the classes. It's not even about finding a clever strategy in using them...
4. No information regarding mercs and best in class. I have Bhooghar with 5m hps at rank 5, and Lorr'kejut at 3m at rank 4 with comparable armor.
5. Impossible to acquire decent level familiars.
6. No place to get started, where you're at or where you should get started.
7. Pets that have lost any sense of individuality. Tank pet on my necro or conjy can't tank at all.

Man, I can go on and on.... Just looking at it from a technical engineer / player advocate, it's little wonder why people aren't trying EQ2. You can make stats sensible so you can work and understand your gear, but until there is a massive stat crunch... I can't see why anyone would boost a 110 and try to contribute.

Got me for the 15 bucks for All Access, but I don't think you'll get me for the xpac...and I'm somewhat seasoned when it comes to the game.

Disappointed.

Throknar

This makes me sad, because it's all true. :-(

Though I agree with everything, this post was not about coming back. You knew the answers. It has not changed from PoP.

I was hoping the xpac would make it worth coming back. All the data was from me installing and playing.

Stats are worse than before. More hps, no portion of bringing the stat bloat under control. That covers my first two.

Hotbars are still bloated, moreso with this xpac. There are more ascension levels which (I feel ascension) further dilutes the core class.

Less information for new players. More zones, more information that's not covered, no sharing or assistance with data. It's missed opportunity for new folks to play, and brings those that are returning further away of being current.

Pets, I tested my conjy and necro. I just tried last xpac mobs and they were eaten up by the mobs. Xpac could have fixed this with items or stat boosts.

So, you're right... everything seems to be the same. It didn't have to be. The Xpac could have focused on fixes as well as additional content. They're certainly focused on bringing additional items to the Marketplace. It wasn't just a rant, it was a reaction to current state vs. my first question of "Is it worth coming back".

Like Sig, I like the new expac. I have not found a race/class that has trouble getting through content solo with a merc. I use Evania on all of mine except 2 that use the merc from ToT.

I do not raid at all. I do group occasionally with friends on my main which is a Troubie. Mostly I am solo with a merc.

I bought the expac and the subscription...

I can honestly say that I do not intend to play anymore, simply put the stat inflation is mind boggling and the re gear, frustrating but what finally did it for me.. the leveling and gearing of Mercs and the armour on the mounts... just to much xxxx to deal with in what used to be a simple game with great depth for those who wanted to explore it. I do not have the time or inclination to deal with it all, and I cannot even play in the previous tier anymore due to the potency nerf, not that that would have kept me in all fairness, but it was one more nail.

So while the expac is certainly pretty and apparently the quest lines are well thought out I just cannot face up to the work for just keeping up

So it looks like Julesholland is hanging up his lute!!!!

I may play the earlier game for the 30 or so days they got me. Might be something to do for a bit Julesholland. Way less of the bloat to contend with. Seems around 80 it may get bad (I have a parked BL at 80 and it was tolerable).

Too much of the stuff no one wants, too much watering down in endgame, and not enough attention being paid to the fun part. DB seems to add content to hook in the cash, but they're "staying the course" for too long. You end up not going in a direction and just being adrift for too long. TLE seems like a good secondary launch attempt, but the endgame results in the same bleh as the live servers.

DB seems to just want to focus on the low hanging fruit and leave the tree to rot. I'm sad to see my home fall into such disrepair.

I'm glad you're having fun Cyrrena. When EQ2 was / is good, it's a beautiful thing.

Apologies for all the seafaring metaphor.

No worries. I do not worry about the stats or the merc gear or the mount gear/training. I just play. If the people I play with do not want me along because I do not play good enough they have never said anything, but its their choice. I play to have fun and keeping track of all that hooha is not fun. So far I have not had trouble doing any content I wish even though I ignore all of that stuff. I think it is just a matter of what your ultimate goals are. Maybe try just ignoring all of that stuff and try what you want to try. I hope that you can find your fun here, if not, I hope that you find another "home" that you enjoy and gives you the fun you seek. Good journeys to you all wherever that may be.

Exactly my thoughts !! Games are meant to be fun not a second job

Cyrrena plays very well... she is sure to take at least one dirtnap per pull *grins hatefully*





She doesn't die that often, we have good healers, after all!

The things the OP posted about are why many of us who were here since at/around the beginning have stopped playing. I wish they would do something to pull me back in but so far they are missing the mark. I am glad there are some here that are still enjoying the game at least.

*laughs*

Meneltel just doesn't mention that she has joined my inspection of the local dirt and such on a few occasions.

Of course! I FD to lose agro! I just do it so well, the healers think I need to be rezed… so I go along with it just to humor them!

LOL

Well just my 2 cents but, I like the expansion so far and am having fun doing the quests and exploring. I also think the stats need to be crunched and the upgrading of mercs / mounts is a little silly. Im like some of the responders above who don't do the endless grinding day in day out. I ...ummm how do i put this nicely......"extremely disliked" PoP, so this was a nice change. Even if im not a "i gotta have all BiS!!!! asap!!" kinda player, i have to say im having fun with it.