Gear (and other objectives) while leveling up?

Discussion in 'General Discussion' started by Tecmos.Deception, May 18, 2021.

  1. Tecmos.Deception

    Tecmos.Deception Active Member

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    Hola. Kind of an introductory post, since I'm pretty new to takp (RL buddy got me to try it, I'd never wanted to play on a low pop/boxing server before). Having a lot of fun playing a chanter, cleric, bard trio, usually with said buddy's SK, BL, and mage too.

    I/we know little about Luclin (or PoP). We've been hopping around classic and kunark dungeons chasing ZEMs mostly (warrens, sola, kaesora, etc), and we are currently low 40s. My buddy's characters have some budget twink gear from the bazaar, but mine are half naked still, geared with only what I've had drop or a small purchase or two on the bazaar.

    I'm at a bit of a loss for where we should continue exping towards 60. Is it worth it to spend some time looking through Luclin zones for gear that we could camp while we get our levels? Or is the gear we could pick up in the next 10-15 levels insignificant enough still that we might as well just power towards 60 in the higher ZEMs of older dungeons and worry about camping gear later? If I'm not specifically going to Luclin for some nicer pieces, I figure I'd just want to stay in kaesora for more xalgozian fangs, then go the rest of the way to 60 in the hole, hs, and seb.

    My buddy suggested there was nice gear for our casters to pick up in acrylia caverns, but when I glanced through it just now it looks like it's not really anything to die for... just a few int and 20/30 hp/mp here or there from upper-40s named mobs? Meh.
     
    Last edited: May 18, 2021
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  2. Darchon

    Darchon I Feel Loved

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    Luclin is largely devoid of gear pre-raid stuff. Luclin zones aren't really set up like typical Classic-Velious dungeons such as LGuk, Sebilis or Velketors. Those dungeons have tons of named that each drop 1-3 different drops. Luclin has very few 'named' drops and basically no zones have a large quantity of named.

    Gear for your trio in particular, is largely irrelevant. Of the classes in your static group only the SKs matters to be honest. Everyone else can get by on cloth through your 50s.
     
  3. Tecmos.Deception

    Tecmos.Deception Active Member

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    Ok, thanks. I kind of suspected this was the case, just wasn't sure if there was some gear in Luclin somewhere that we could collect ourselves that was nicer than the gear we already see incidentally. Pretty depressing to see 3 expansions later and a lot of the pre-60 gear is still just barely better than solro quest items... lol.
     
  4. sowislifesowislove

    sowislifesowislove People Like Me

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    Your name looks familiar and I was wracking my brain trying to remember. Are you the enchanter from p99 with all the solo videos?
     
  5. Fadetree

    Fadetree People Like Me

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    Tecmos! Good to see you.
     
  6. Darchon

    Darchon I Feel Loved

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    Yea luclin itemization outside of raid gear is really bad. The twilight sea armor sets were a really good opportunity to provide a solid set of gear for level 40-50 characters, but the stats on them are so bad they aren't worth the time collecting the drops.

    The only good thing about group gear from Luclin was the focus effect introduction. Naturally the best items are all backfilled to Classic-Velious items. Circlet of Falinkan is the best item for enchanters in game right now. 33% Haste on all slows and charms is huge.
     
  7. Pithy

    Pithy I Feel Loved

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    Yeah, gear isn't wildly important as you level up, particularly if you rely mainly on summoned pets or charming. That said, if you're looking for other stuff to do while leveling, here are a few suggestions:
    • PoK focus effect quests: Fine Antique Ring and Fine Cut, Diamond Inlaid Mask are easy and work on spells up to level 46 (edit: 44 not 46).
    • Cleric epic camps: Begurgle and Gimblox camps might still give a little exp. Skyfire will give exp and epic pearls in the 50s.
    • Bard epic camps: I haven't done these in a while, but some (e.g. Skyfire) should be doable soon.
    • Enchanter epic camps: you and your friend could likely do all of these by the mid 50s.
    • Chardok quests: Regal Band of Bathezid and Spirit Wracked Cord -- mass slaughter in Droga to raise Chardok faction; grind in the 50s at Drusella in HS to camp an urn for the cord.
    • Spore king for a bard fungi. Mid to high 50s.
    • In the high 50s, slay gargoyles in and around Velk's castle to pop a named with Crystalline Torque for mana preservation on the cleric and chanter.
    • Earn plat and fast exp charming Ryklo Rykes (massive undercon) to kill rockhoppers in Dawnshroud Peaks. Sell flawless hides to high-level tailors for 250-500p apiece. This should be doable and risky/fun from 40-50ish.
    • Insta-clickies to clear spell gems: Star of Eyes (Staff of the Wheel quest) for your cleric, Rod of Insidious Glamour for your chanter. Both doable now.
    • Coldain rings and shawls have lots of camps that are doable at fairly low levels. Many toons at level 60 with hundreds of AAs still use 8th shawls and 9th or 10th rings.
     
    Last edited: May 18, 2021
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  8. thucydides

    thucydides I Feel Loved

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    focus effects! mana pres and spell haste on those pok quests are quite good. anything rank II goes up to lvl 44 (not 46).
    in general, you can make spells cheaper, faster, cast from further away, do more damage, and preserve reagents.
    some additional item ideas:
    • green silken drape for affliction haste II to hold you till circlet
    • supple scale armbands for extended range III
    • amulet of insight for extended buffs III (not as good as shawl, but it's something)
    • kael arena for coldain armor and faction toward circlet
    • steel wristband of strategy or tuned mithril bracer for reagent conservation
    • drums of the beast for your bard
    • lute of the howler for your bard
     
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  9. Tecmos.Deception

    Tecmos.Deception Active Member

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    Awesome. Thanks everyone. These are exactly the sorts of tips I was hoping to get. And hi Fadetree :)

    I think for now I'm gonna try to convince myself and my buddy to keep working on HS keys. I just love that damn zone, and really want to spend time in there from 50-60. But other than that and seb keys, I'll see about working on some of this stuff. I think just picking up a couple nice instruments for the bard or getting a few focus items and the clicky for my cleric will keep me busy for a few weeks... heh.
     
  10. thucydides

    thucydides I Feel Loved

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    addendum -
    • the narrower the application of the focus, the more powerful. i.e. affliction haste is more oomph than regular spell haste. fire nuke focus is more than general improved damage.
    • the only focus that applies to complete heal is extended range. you cannot make it faster or cheaper.
    • your buddy's mage can summon no rent jewelry with all of the foci you want if you want to skip any of these camps but still get the juice
    • you can use http://www.allakabor.com/smf/index.php to find items. you may need to make an account. it's a great site. want to know what items have improved damage 3? want to know what items you can find in howling stones?
    another item idea for you:
    • idol of the underking for improved healing III
     
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  11. Yarnee

    Yarnee People Like Me

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    thurg armor is a great place to start once you can handle inner arena, at least the bp and legs.
     
  12. Darchon

    Darchon I Feel Loved

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    For HS the master key works here. So you shouldn't need to create key corpses just to enjoy that zone fully.

    Easymode is you just get a rogue who already has the master key to collect for you the North/West/South pieces and then you only need the container from the West wing to combine the 3 pieces in.

    Hardmode is you crawl the zone, getting each temporary key and grabbing each permanent key piece from each wing until you have all 3 then combining them together.

    Also keep in mind, double invis does not work on this server so outside having a rogue, the zone can be annoying to traverse in the event of a death.
     
  13. Aithne

    Aithne Member

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    Hard mode was fun ;)
     
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  14. Tecmos.Deception

    Tecmos.Deception Active Member

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    I don't even know what a master key is, lol. Or really remember anything about key rings. Is there a wiki article on the subject for takp? My googling didn't turn up anything useful.
     
  15. Tecmos.Deception

    Tecmos.Deception Active Member

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    And on an unrelated note, what's up with mezzes wearing off early on this server? Is there just a chance based on MR and/or level that stuff breaks out of a mez early? It does seem like it mostly only happens when I haven't tashed yet on something that's even/yellow. Sometimes my bard is getting smacked around within a second of singing a mez :(
     
  16. solar

    solar Administrator Staff Member

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    If you both enc and bard mez an NPC, there will be two mez effects on it. When either one wears off, the NPC will become enabled again. This is just a quirk of how it works here.
     
  17. Darchon

    Darchon I Feel Loved

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    This. Mez never ends early, but there is a bugged interaction with Bard/Enchanter mez as Solar described. Pacify however can end early. Torven found it does on live for whatever reason rarely. I don't know if he ever narrowed down why it does.

    https://www.takproject.net/allaclone/item.php?id=17274 - This is the master key. If you follow the link to the combine it will show all the ground spawns required to make the master key and if you click on them it will show you the location of these ground spawns.
     
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  18. showstring

    showstring I Feel Loved

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    just elaborating and re-sharing this tip

    the 3 key pieces are tradable
    you can sneak around with a rogue with picklock to pick up the pieces in north, south and west, step on portal pad to get back to zone in, trade pieces to your desired char, and just get the bag from west wing to combine your Hand of Glory
    (the said rogue can open the west door to let the party go through for the bag)
    ezpz
     
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  19. Ransom

    Ransom Well-Known Member

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    Look up the anniversary quests that TAKP has. Every Dec-Jan there are some turn in quests for potentially rare items, potions, WR bags, etc. One of the possibilities is a pre-nerf dark elf mask. There are a few camps in the 40s-50s that have drops for these quests, that you could exp on now and stow away the weapons until the anniversary again. Things like SolB, Mistmoore, Crystal Caverns, etc. I think all of these weapon quest turn-ins are from classic -> Velious camps.
     
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  20. Kabouter

    Kabouter Member

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    Just wanted to say welcome Tecmos and thanks for the youtube videos, you made me want to play an enchanter :).

    What the others said: focus effect items, the fine antique ring is a great early level item, mage focus items for your buddy and a rod of insidious glamour for your enchanter and you are set.

    My trio is only in their thirties and already have great items, stuff is cheap in the bazaar (shadel bandit ring for instance is 500pp), but I of course understand if you'd rather not use the bazaar.

    Another item that is worth it and luclin only is the earring of the solstice (insane stats and FT1), ingredients for it can be bought for about 4k.

    Oh and charisma is supposedly a lot less important here for an enchanter than it is on p99.
     
  21. Tecmos.Deception

    Tecmos.Deception Active Member

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    Thanks for all the posts. I was worried that these forums seemed awfully quiet compared to what I was used to at p99, but you guys came out of the woodwork to help with suggestions.


    I have another question, figured I'd just throw it in here instead of making a new thread:

    My current trio, again, is ench/cle/brd. When I made it, I thought to myself "you'll basically just play a solo chanter like you did on p99, except it'll be on steroids with built-in hp/ac buffs, heals, mana song, and maybe even using the bard or cleric to help handle charm breaks or pulls directly. Most of the time I play, I'm also with a buddy playing SK, BL, mage.

    I'm reconsidering the bard and complete reliance on charm for my trio's effectiveness. I'd guess I've wiped maybe 15-20 times in 5-6 weeks, 42 levels, on here. I'm pretty sure every single one of those was because charm broke and then while trying to handle the charm break, mezzes on adds started wearing off too. I've considered using longer-duration mezzes, changing my hotkeys around (I need to do this anyway, my usual setup isn't ideal here because of targetting key changes), or just waiting it out to see how things are in another 10 levels.

    But I've also considered bringing a rogue in instead of the bard. I would split my time pretty evenly between enchanter in a support role, buffs, slow, maybe some lull pull help, CC, nukes, stuns, and the rogue doing his rogue thing. I figure 95% of what I lose from the bard the way I've been playing is just hp/mp song. But the SK is often out of range, the BL and mage don't cast too often, and the enchanter usually can't use excess mana without pulling aggro. Meanwhile, the rogue probably brings similar DPS to the augmentationed-but-no-dual-wield charms I've been grabbing, with no fear of charm breaks TPKing us. The mana I save not charming or healing the ench is probably more than I lose by giving up bard song, really. And at higher levels, the ench can contribute safe dps from his support role with animation empathy and/or dire charm too. And he CAN still charm, of course, if I want.


    I think I'm like 80% sold on bringing in the rogue. My one hesitation is that I'm not sure what level 60 in POP trio/groups looks like, really. Will I be able to get more mileage out of the bard if I put more effort into figuring out my hotkey setup and using his songs to help enable charming at that point? Will charm pets be so amazing that even with the danger and 0-dps time on breaks, they're superior to rogue+animation/DC dps and the chanter in a support role? If I trio content, am I screwed relying on a rogue to tank even though I will have cleric buffs/heals for him, opposed to relying on charm entirely but having more support for the ench with the bard? Etc.

    I know, I know. "Just play what you want!" Dude. If I knew what I wanted, I'd be doing it right now instead of posting all these words on the forums :)


    Thanks again for the suggestions!
     
    Last edited: May 20, 2021
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  22. Kabouter

    Kabouter Member

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    There is way more activity on Discord then on this forum.
    Regarding the bard, I'm not a high level yet, but from what I understand people usually pick a bard alongside an enchanter and cleric in their trio for easy mode charming. Basically play the mez song on the charmed pet so in case it breaks it doesnt backfire on the enchanter. Of course you also have the heal/mana song for downtime and selo's for travelling.

    Personally I'd rather have more DPS/tanking ability. I picked a mage myself for that role, but might have preferred a shadow knight or a paladin instead. Never played a rogue but I imagine it might have issues catching too much aggro?
     
  23. Pithy

    Pithy I Feel Loved

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    I've played a lot of bard/clr/enc and SK/clr/enc. I'd say tank/clr/enc is more powerful, but bard/clr/enc is more convenient. Rogue/clr/enc can certainly work -- @Tarkon has played it successfully for years -- but it's a bit tough because the rogue can't backstab while tanking. If you regularly play with your tank friend, though, that's a non-issue. If rogue fascinates you atm, go nuts, IMO. It'll work fine and you can always switch it up if you want.

    I will say that charm is pretty overpowered today, and will be absolute god-mode in PoP, where mobs hit much harder than in Luclin. A good PoP charm pet will do several times more DPS than the best raid-geared melee and have enough hitpoints to tank most anything short of raid bosses. Until charm breaks, anyway :)

    @Kabouter hit on the easiest way to play bard/clr/enc: just have the bard keep the pet targeted and roll a mez song. That way, the bard will auto-mez the pet within a few seconds of charm breaking, so you can take your time mezzing any adds, refreshing pet debuffs, recharming, healing up, etc. A higher-APM but potentially more powerful playstyle is to "main" the bard -- pull, tank, twist, etc. -- and have the chanter just sic the pet and focus on recharms or emergency CC. That's how I like to play bard/clr/enc, but I'm a geek for bards so YMMV.

    Bards will also get a huge power boost in PoP from Fading Memories, an AA that trades mana for a total aggro wipe on all mobs. They'll also get song upgrades that improve quality of life a lot.
     
  24. Tecmos.Deception

    Tecmos.Deception Active Member

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    Well that doesn't make it easier to decide at all, lol! :confused:

    I had kinda written off using bard as an auto-mez since I thought there was some issue with early mez fades and that the mp/hp song would be a big deal. But maybe now that I know differently on both counts, that'll be the difference between what I expected from my trio and what I've been getting.

    Rogue still tempts me though. I've never had a raid-geared character at all, and I figure if I ever MIGHT have one, I might as well have a true melee for it. Hmm.
     
    Last edited: May 20, 2021
  25. Darchon

    Darchon I Feel Loved

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    Going for a Rogue to go with Chanter/Cleric is a tough road to go down. Tarkon does it as pithy mentioned, I am not sure of anyone else who runs that trio. Rogues lack any form of aggro and their biggest DPS component isn't available when in their stand-alone trio because if they are in melee range the mob will face them and they cannot backstab.

    I would suggest sticking it out with Enc/Bard/Cler. As you level and charms become more reliable, long duration mezzes cost less mana as a percentage with your mana pool growing, as you gain better mana regen (C2, KEI, Tran, VoQ) and your cleric being able to better use CH efficiently to keep your pet up reducing the recycling charmed pet strategy, you will find your mana concerns on your enchanter drop off quite a bit. At this point leaving the bard mezzing your charmed pet 100% of the time is a 0 effort but very powerful tool. Every charm break all you have to worry about is mezzing whatever mob(s) you were fighting, retash your pet, charm your pet and after 3 ticks the bard mez will have faded and you can continue doing what you were doing.

    That trio is perfect for someone who wants a decent bit of power but also wants the flexibility to be able to afk frequently. The only better combination is a raid geared plate tank (ideally a knight for snap aggro) with Cleric/Enchanter.
     
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  26. Wizarous

    Wizarous New Member

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    Oh i remember helping you get your HS key? and now i totally remember where your name is from lol
     
  27. Shadowstarr0000

    Shadowstarr0000 Member

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    I been doing rogue, cleric, and chanter for most of my takp time. It'll work but there surely more efficient trios. Decent gear, some proc aggro etc helps. Get a tendonslicer.
     
  28. thucydides

    thucydides I Feel Loved

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  29. Cadsuane

    Cadsuane People Like Me

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    Ya, and snare. So endgame you're getting +400 hate (for the non-class-castable snare) -50 hate from the spelleffect = 350 hate per proc.

    Whereas a SoD would be 400(stun)+275(dd)=almost 700 hate when the DD isn't resisted.
     
    Last edited: May 25, 2021
  30. Dominar

    Dominar Well-Known Member

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    Isn’t damage spell hate the same on a resist or are procs special?