Bat Country notes

[Sky]

Ok. Don't Panic. Chairman Meow has seized control of EQ2 BC.

Not because of drama or a power trip or anything, quite the opposite. Stability. We've been lucky that there have been no major problems (well, you know who you are!  ), but I had a dream a couple nights ago about guild permissions and whatnot and then yesterday I read a thread on the forum about a guild that lost all their status they had built up, and SOE wouldn't (and shouldn't, really) do anything to help out, they had to start over from scratch.

The reason I took over: I've contributed almost as much status as everyone in the guild combined (though Shirley Bob and Tragny are the other major contributors and are totally molecular and big thanks to Chorulle for his time with BC), I've been playing almost a year solid now and will most likely stick with it for quite a while, and I guarantee that nothing will happen to BC while I'm in charge. Any member of f13 in good standing is welcome, and longtime community members will always have officer-level privs, just like we always have. Newer members to f13 will still go through probation (as we have made them in the past), and any jackassery (and using the term loosely, again as we always have) here or ingame will go badly.

The only tangible difference is that I would be the only one who could break up the guild. And I will not. If I leave for some reason, I'll hand off the reigns to someone else, but I don't plan on leaving. Again, I'm not doing this to be a dick or to take control of the guild in spirit (because that would be silly, it's a chat channel for solo players, mostly). It's just to protect the status we've built up over a looong time. Existing members I made officers (except for the Retired rank, which became Vacationers :)), you have all the privs you had as Big Boss Foozles, except you can't kick me from the guild or change guild permissions. Probationer and Vacationer ranks are unchanged from before.

I'm not doing this to build up the guild for personal betterment, or for raiding, or any shit like that. In fact, I don't want non-f13 members at all, though cool people are always allowed. Nothing has tangibly changed, but BC will enjoy a measure of stability that was not assured in the past chaotic system.

I hope you are all cool with this and understand the spirit in which it was done. You are all valued members of our vaunted solo chat channel, and I hope to see the regulars rotate back in and out many times through the future. I wanted to provide an explanation before someone logged in (well, SurlyB) and freaked out about it :)

[Soukyan]

Sounds good to me, Sky. Obviously, I have not been playing for a while. I don't know if I ever had the chance to guild up my Coercer, but if you need to de-guild any of my inactive characters, feel free. I'm taking a little hiatus from EQ2, but will be back at some point in the summer, so I'll let you know when that happens. Great job on maintaining a solid guild.

[Nebu]

I'm anxiously awaiting a post by Cheddar.   

[tazelbain]

By take over you mean demoted the handful people with leader rank?

[Sky]

Yup, you guys can do everything you could do yesterday except ban me or change guild permissions (and if a permission is wrong, just let me know and I'll fix it, everything should be good to go, though). Unless you haven't been on in six months or so, I demote you to Vacationer and will reinstate you as Officer as soon as you're playing again.

The only other active member right now is Surlyboi, so this post was mostly for him, and to inform all the other folks (like you three and others) who drop in for a month or three. I didn't do this as a reaction to anything that happened here or ingame, just the thing I read on the official forums that bolstered something I had been thinking about anyway.

[Surlyboi]

Bricks shat.

[Furiously]

He's mad with power! Watch him change the guild cloak next!

[Surlyboi]

I already did that.

[Sky]

Yeah, I can't afford to 

[Sky]

Did my 9th HQ with Cav last night (all solo muhaha, though mostly green and none of the epic ones). Tobrin's Eyepatch. Not too bad, though the camp for the ice goblin was kind of a bitch (kill four groups of goblins to spawn a group, kill that and hope the named spawns...he didn't the first two times). The final encounter wasn't tough, the mobs were -6lvl green heroics to me (49 mobs, I'm 55), just no^ and ^. But there were six, and I'm still one point away from the AA that gives me -15% power cost for all spells.

So it was keystone cops as I ran out of mana when I had the last mob to 75% health. With my shitty mitigation (wizard in grey armor), he was thumping on me, my shield getting a little of it, enough to keep me from dying quickly. Casting my lil nuke every 20 or 30 seconds as he chased me around. Not enough health to cast my health to power buffs. Finally got him down after a few minutes, laughing my ass off.

Didn't help I was doing the yakety sax line the whole time, either.

[Sky]

Just got my jboots. 10% to run speed doesn't seem like much, but 10% jboots + 24% SoW totem + 8% wizard run speed = luv. 42% run speed = better than my 40% mount!

Had to give up 2% wizard run speed (via AA, and it works in-combat which is huge when your life tied to your root) to get the final ability in the sorcerer wisdom line that reduces all spell costs 15% (see last post). Really wish they'd loosen up a bit on AA, even 10 more points in each tree would be nice.

[Surlyboi]

I need to finish my Jboots and my Golden Efreeti boots quests.

I also need to find a better haste item. FBSS is nice, but I think I need to score something better.

[Signe]

I need to log in an play again!  I even sort of miss it.  I've been a wee bit absorbed with  .

[UD_Delt]

Just got my jboots. 10% to run speed doesn't seem like much, but 10% jboots + 24% SoW totem + 8% wizard run speed = luv. 42% run speed = better than my 40% mount!

Had to give up 2% wizard run speed (via AA, and it works in-combat which is huge when your life tied to your root) to get the final ability in the sorcerer wisdom line that reduces all spell costs 15% (see last post). Really wish they'd loosen up a bit on AA, even 10 more points in each tree would be nice.

You can go to 70 points in each tree once you hit level 71. I wish they would get rid of that level restriction and just allow you to drop 70 points in whichever tree you want at any point.

[Sky]

Ah, that's not so bad, then. I'm working on a couple things in the EoF tree, +6 to spell range ftw, faster nukes.

SB, don't hesitate to ask for help with stuff if I'm on...though you're the grouper, so you probably don't need it :) I'm never sure when I'll play for any length of time, but Tues night (EST) and Sat mornings are my usual longer sessions.

Signe, sorry but Lt Dan kicked you out of the guild. 

[Sky]

ZOMG WE KILL DRAGONZ!

Raids have got to be the most boring way to play EQ2 possible. Or any game.

I killed Venekor with a couple groups sunday and tuesday SB and I killed Vox after many wipes. Most people left after Vox but a single group of us stayed and killed the other two epic mobs.

Risk v reward my balls. Putting up with way too many spazzy jumptards v reward imo.

And on Venekor a healer rolled and won on the int caster drop. And most of the stuff from the level 55 epic was low 40s gear. And I didn't get shit from any of the above raids, one level 41 master, whippee, I could get that soloing nameds for crissake.

Leveled the guild to 21, I guess.

[Nebu]

ZOMG WE KILL DRAGONZ!

Raids have got to be the most boring way to play EQ2 possible. Or any game.

I killed Venekor with a couple groups sunday and tuesday SB and I killed Vox after many wipes. Most people left after Vox but a single group of us stayed and killed the other two epic mobs.

Risk v reward my balls. Putting up with way too many spazzy jumptards v reward imo.

And on Venekor a healer rolled and won on the int caster drop. And most of the stuff from the level 55 epic was low 40s gear. And I didn't get shit from any of the above raids, one level 41 master, whippee, I could get that soloing nameds for crissake.

Leveled the guild to 21, I guess.

The best part: If you change this mechanic, people complain.  It's truly amazing to me. 

[Sky]

I said to Surly at one point "This is fun?" He replied "I'm playing Wii Tennis" (or something on the wii, I forget). I admitted I was playing guitar. Everyone sat around for an hour waiting for people to show up. Drives me nuts.

And yes, there are people who feel that is 'earning' your leet gear. I admit there are some interesting mechanics in dealing with raid mobs, but I don't really think it's all that fun. Meanwhile, learning how to take on heroic mobs solo is much more interesting and 'risky', since there's little risk to it, who cares about xp debt or repairing, I was down to 30% on my items at the end of the Permafrost raid (fell down a chasm once, woops) thanks to a couple evacs when everyone else wiped. Cost me a couple gold, big whup at level 60.

Then of course is the tangent when people who put up with all that shit and get the uber gear and then think that soloing heroics is so easy because they have raid gear...and bitch about nerfing solo mobs for non-raid players. Ah, well.

[tazelbain]

1999 called and they want their complaints about MMOs back.

I was wondering if putting the pvp gear, solo gear, group gear, and raid gear all on completely independent tracks for no cross over.  You could only use solo gear in solo zones, etc.  That way people could play which ever gear tree they like and not have their gear invalidated by gear from other play styles.

[Surlyboi]

Yeah, but I was raiding in '99 and it sucked then too.

You'd think in the nine intervening years, the mechanic would have changed. But as Nebu said, people bitch if you try to change it. Whiskey Tango Foxtrot.

[Morfiend]

Is Bat Country still going? Myself and a friend are considering getting the game (Well im considering, still on the trial, he already bought it) and MMOGs are more fun with friends.

Currently we both have several level 8 to 12 characters on AB.

Also, could some one explain how the PVP works on a PVE server? Is there any at all, like arenas and shit, or no pvp at all on a PVE server?

[Sky]

What do you consider still going? Bat Country was only really going once in my experience, when Tragny, gimpyone and I were doing some questing last autumn. BC doesn't go, it just is. It's basically a repository for status points (cheaper mounts, housing) for people who don't want to join a real guild.

Right now it's just SB and I active. If you get lucky and we're on for a bit, we'll group up with you, but the only time to date we've grouped was for Vox, we both signed up for a pickup raid independently.

PvP, no idea. Don't care at all. I guess there are arenas, since I have arena critters running around my house. I've heard it's barren. There's dueling. MMO PvP sucks.

[Surlyboi]

Same here. not much of a fan of PvP in a game like EQ 'cause it tends to inflate the egos of toolboxes who otherwise have failed at life. (Not to say you guys are like that, but there is that thread in this subforum about the dork that has, in his own words, "dominated every world he's stepped into"

Rant over. i'll definitely group with you guys if you're game. I've got a monk and a templar that 'd like to level up.

[Sky]

I've been thinking of starting an Inqy, I have one slot open still for a total newb character. I could also dust off my kitchen bitch (17 Guardian, 48 Provisioner) and lern2tank. I've been wanting to learn tanking and healing roles.

[Bandit]

I have started an assassin on Oasis and wouldn't mind grouping with y'all.  Only at like level 12 now.  I will try to find someone on tonight, to at least get an invite.

[Murgos]

I have started an assassin on Oasis and wouldn't mind grouping with y'all.  Only at like level 12 now.  I will try to find someone on tonight, to at least get an invite.

As someone who took assassin to 67 I recommend you don't do that.  Brigand or, maybe, one of the bards if you like the play style but assassin is not a powerhouse except in a group and even then is highly situational.

[Bandit]

Well I am a glutton for punishment, I have taken a troub to 78 so far.....but I was considering the brigand, assassin just sounds cool.

[Murgos]

Well I am a glutton for punishment, I have taken a troub to 78 so far.....but I was considering the brigand, assassin just sounds cool.

Well, just so long as you are aware of what you are getting into.  Assassins just plain old aren't soloers, they can solo in as much as any class can, whites and yellow solo mobs are fine but forget heroics until late in life and even then it can be very dependent on time of day, angle of the sun and other such little minutia.  At mid 60's borderline green-grey ^^^'s would be iffy.

Assassins have a reputation as high dps so grouping/raiding is usually easy to get in on.

[Surlyboi]

Well I am a glutton for punishment, I have taken a troub to 78 so far.....but I was considering the brigand, assassin just sounds cool.

Well, just so long as you are aware of what you are getting into.  Assassins just plain old aren't soloers, they can solo in as much as any class can, whites and yellow solo mobs are fine but forget heroics until late in life and even then it can be very dependent on time of day, angle of the sun and other such little minutia.  At mid 60's borderline green-grey ^^^'s would be iffy.

Assassins have a reputation as high dps so grouping/raiding is usually easy to get in on.

Same could be said about rangers. Still love playing mine to death. (Sometimes literally)

[Sky]

My SK is like that, too. He's kitted with MC/Leg/Fab stuff, Adept III/M I/II, and he still struggles with the heroic stuff. Encounters grind him down pretty quick.

The only big successes I've had with heroics has been the way a brawler can use his rapid FD to break up encounters (SK is a bit slow, 2.5min with AA between attempts) into manageable chunks and the wizard's group root. With a little wiggle room, the wizard is solid with all green heroics and can do some blue stuff, but my gear and spells suck because I'm in powerlevel mode.

Of course, those are the only three classes I've tried heroic stuff with, and the monk is only level 22 (SK 45, Wiz 61).

[Nebu]

Do they allow server transfers?  I have several characters in their 40's that I wouldn't mind playing again (inq, warden, warrior, brigand) but I got sick of the solo grind.

[Bandit]

for the princely sum of $50.00 you can, go through EQ2players.com - Character Services

[Sky]

Solo grind? Bah.

Speaking of character transfers, I need to finally delete my launch character, on LDL. Been holding onto him forever because he had the crappy launch jboot gift and he was born early enough that I got a name I wanted from previous MMOs.

[Nebu]

for the princely sum of $50.00 you can, go through EQ2players.com - Character Services

I don't swear often, but $50?  Fuck that.

[UD_Delt]

Or you can transfer to the exchange server for free.

And then sell your char when you get bored...

Don't worry we only have 23% more asshats on the bazaar as compared to a normal server.