Pre-Order EverQuest II: Chains of Eternityâ„¢ Today!

Ok at home now so I can be more precise.
At pre-order clicking on Standard shows the items you get are:
Entitlement: Chains of Eternity
In-game item: CoE Digital Pre-Order Bonus Cloak of Mourning
Clicking on Collector's shows as above plus the extra:
Chains of Eternity Tracking Feature.
What is it?

Thank you for more facts, but my question has yet to be answered.
Is this expansion only for max-level characters, or will there be something new for those that aren't?

Afista wrote:

No idea why these aren't being posted on the forums as well, but Windstalker has shared two CE pics so far on twitter (a couple of days apart), the tapestry and the healer werewolf. I'm adding them to our expansion guide on zam as I see them for anyone who doesn't follow her on there.
https://twitter.com/WindstalkerEQ2
http://eq2.zam.com/wiki/Chains_of_E...pansion_Goodies

Arieltalia@Antonia Bayle wrote:

So far on beta I've only seen things for level 92+ characters.

I'm still disappointed with the additions the collector's edition offers, which pale in comparison to previous releases. The werewolf is OK, but I doubt I will want to use it with every character regardless of it being better or not.
And if I'm not mistaken, the Firiona Vie Memorial Tapestry is a painting of Firiona's corpse. Not sure I want that hanging in every one of my homes.
And the consumables are an insult to a Collector's Edition. It should be filled with things that last forever. I still like my Everfrost and Lavastorm homes, and griffon mount.

As we have been putting together the details, I've been working with Dexella who will update the OP in this thread with the new info.
A couple of quick answers:
1. Mercs are per character. You can choose either the Templar or the Paladin Lujien (werewolf) in Freeport or Qeynos mercenary dens. They will both be available for you to hire on all your characters.
2. The Collector's Edition mercs have significantly higher stats and confidence than the standard mercs (they can take a lot more of a challenge before they cower/debuff).
3. The Collector's Edition mercs will cost the same to hire as the standard mercs.
4. The Pre-Order for CoE will be available until the expansion goes live on Nov. 13 according to our Marketing team.
I'll keep watching and chime in when I can answer stuff as we go along. We are still making some adjustments after getting player feedback. The mercs were changed a bit, for example.

Windstalker wrote:

What about the upgrade price for those who went to SoE Live, since it was said we could upgrade when it went live? Will we be able to upgrade for $20 instead of $50 which is the difference in price once the expansion goes live?

Windstalker wrote:

That's good to hear. Most people I've talked to have been really disppointed that the collector's edition was just stuffed with potions you could get from the marketplace if you really wanted them.
I personally would rather have the SC value of the potions than the potions themselves. If I do buy the CE (which is only slightly more likely now that the mercs have been changed) most of those potions would go unclaimed completely.
What would be really nice, is if we had something a bit more lasting (like people have stated already). I love my houses & mounts from previous CEs.

Well I've pre ordered the standard edition for my two accounts. Can't justify $20 for a slightly better merc. Gonna keep hunting for the elites for my alts.

A few more answers to questions that have been posed recently...
SOE Live Attendees:
You will get the Cloak of Mourning (pre-order exclusive item) in your Standard Edition expansion.
There will not be an upgrade available prior to launch day. On launch day, the upgrade from the Standard Edition to Collector's Edition will be available for $50.
Level Cap Increase and Membership:
Free, Silver, and Gold Members will all be able to access content from levels 91-95 as long as they have purchased the expansion. (Levels 1-90 are included as part of Free-to-Play content through Sentinel's Fate; Level 91-92 are part of Destiny of Velious, which is included in the purchase of Chains of Eternity. Levels 93-95 are only available if you buy CoE).
~Dexella

Dexella wrote:

I think you should be giving the Live attendees the Collector's Edition to begin with, and since you are not, at least give them the opportunity to upgrade at preorder prices. You have them between a rock and hard place and you have already taken their money.

Dexella wrote:

So, basically you want us to give you more money after launch day to upgrade to the CE then it would cost us to pre-order it right now, and basically throw away the item you gave us for attending Fan Faire...
If that's the case, then I would rather have a key sent via email for the standard addition so it can be used an any account we might have instead of our main one, since that would be the one we'd be most likely to order the CE for if we're going to order it at all.
Thinking that this may be the first CE that I don't get. That makes me sad.

Dexella wrote:

Wait...what?

So the Collector's Edition costs $5 MORE for SOE Live attendees than people who stayed home?

feldon30 wrote:

... Yeah, that makes no sense to me as well. Last time there was a CE upgrade option we only had to pay $20 for it. Here's my 2cp:
1. All Access pass holders should automatically get the CE. Those are the people who forked over a *lot* more to attend Fan Faire.
2. One day pass holders should have to pay the upgrade fee--and it's NOT an upgrade if you're making them pay $50... if that's the case, they would be better off pre-ordering the CE currently. $20, or at absolute worst, $30, sounds more reasonable. I'm sure the default cost of upgrading will be $50 and after the DoV upgrade fiasco that sounds easiest, but there has got to be some sort of middle ground here.
edit: Not sure why Feldon is seeing those prices, I still see $40 and $60.. either way, I still think offering the 'upgrade' for $50 to Fan Faire attendees feels like flipping us the bird. Honestly, there's *not* enough in the upgrade to warrant forking over $50 when I'm still paying off my hotel bill.

Windstalker wrote:

Can you be a bit more specific about this? Will they be as powerful as Elite status or at least close to it? I've heard of the DPS an Elite merc can do so while I understand it's a pally/templar I'm still hoping it can do much better than the Archon can, for instance.

feldon30 wrote:

The prices you're seeing are for members who have an All Access Pass (note that the title is "Standard All Access" and "Collector's All Access"). Those are not general preorder prices.
The preorder prices are $39.99 for Standard and $59.99 for Collector's. After launch, the Collector's price will be $89.99.

Cyliena wrote:

Apparently I'm All Access and we get a discount.

Dexella wrote:

So let me make sure I understand this correctly so I buy the right thing at the right time.
As an All Access subscriber and an SOE Live attendee, these are my options:
Pre-order the collector's edition now for $44.99.
or
Wait until the expansion launches, then upgrade my free standard edition to the collector's edition for $50.
Right?

$50, really? Why would I buy that when I can just buy the CE straight out for $45? Did you typo?
I think my threshold is $30. Otherwise it's just too much.

* Destiny of Velious CE was a $20 upgrade for Fan Faire 2010 attendees.

* Age of Discovery CE was included with Fan Faire 2011 all access pass.

feldon30 wrote:

I was just looking for that