Bat Country (Steamfont) - Current Roster (1/22/2006)

[Furiously]

AB has a few more players. But either should be fine.

[Murgos]

Tangent...

So AB would be a better place to start than Oasis?

And I'm debating between the dirge, brigand, or inquisitor.  Can the Dirge/Brigand get groups?  What about soloability, and the all important interesting gameplay?

Dunno about AB vs Oasis.  Oasis is fine though, I haven't noticed a lack of people and whenever I have wanted a group I have been able to get one.  Lots of guilds and several big guilds recruiting lowbies, which is nice.

From what I understand Brigand and Inqui are both great soloers while the dirge is 'not so much', all three are group friendly with the group edge probably going to Inqui because, you know, main healer.  I've heard whispers that if you want to be able to solo things at level 70 that leave every other class going OMG! Did I really just see him solo that?  then inquisitor is your best bet until the nerf bat swings.  Dirge probably has the most utility but I don't think I have ever seen one in game so YMMV.  Dirge and brigand are both scouts so I imagine that the root of their game play is pretty similar, I have an assassin (which is also a scout) which is pretty fun to play, if something of a glass cannon.

I watched a lvl 16 warden (hybrid healer, shaman subclass - I think) solo level 20 mobs that were giving my 20 Bruiser a rough time (comparatively, for that level of fight i.e. two at a time was very risky and I was too hurt from one at a time to chain pull with no breaks for rest) last night.  But what's true at sub-20 is almost certainly not true throughout the life of the character and I have no idea of she was twinked to the ears or not.  But, soloing +4's was pretty impressive.

[Sauced]

As a 45 ranger, with 45 AA (AGI, almost done with INT), with Adept I skills and the best gear I could get off the broker, I can take 47^ with ease.  That's as far as I've pressed it so far, but I haven't encountered many green/blue ^^ recently to test my luck.

As far as "interesting gameplay" goes, that's really subjective.  I have arguments with a friend who likes to tell me how WoW's combat is so much more dynamic than EQ2, and I just stare at him like he said the dumbest thing I've ever heard.

[Furiously]

Furies are insane in their solo'ability as well. I've seen one tank like 4-5 even cons and just AE em down.

[Sauced]

Illusionists with full DPS specced AAs are supposedly godly, also.

[Furiously]

If your class has good AA's you will be overpowered. Swashbucklers used to be horrible with their AA's. Dunno how it has changed with the class unique ones.

[Sky]

I was really digging my illusionist alt I kinda dropped for a while when I started my ranger. I had serious altoholism this past run of EQ2. Levelled a ranger, illusionist and paladin to 20ish and pushed my SK from 20 to 31. The illusionist was really jamming, though it's hard to get a good feel up to 20. 20-30 is when the classes really start to show strengths and weakness imo, and probably intensifies after that since I haven't levelled up that high with anyone.

I stick with the SK because he has the lifetap stuff, mostly. The ranger's fights can get real dicey without heals imo, paladins are damned slow. The SK is no total powerhouse, but I like the mix, and I mostly played casters in EQ so it's a nice change being able to smack things and take a bit of a beating. Wish feign death wasn't so gimpy  

My wizard devastates single targets, but I haven't played him in so long I forget where his level ranges were, some good aoe stuff, too.

[Sauced]

The ranger's fights can get real dicey without heals imo

Sure, if it gets to melee.  There is a quest at the beginning of Sinking Sands, where you have to kill 3 45^^down - but they ambush you, so there is no 2K hidden shot from stealth to take out the first one off the bat.  Took me 2 tries at 44 to get it right, and by the end of the 3rd guy I was kiting his ass in circles with my health in the red.

[Murgos]

My assassin has problems with grouped mobs because I can't use the stun-stealth-backstab to take one out quickly so I have to tank and melee until there is one left.  But, I have literally dropped the last mob within 1 second of the second to last mob dying.  It sounds to me like that ambush encounter will be very rough for the assassin when I get there.  From what I understand Swashies and brigands get several stuns apiece and the swashie even gets mezzes.  Having a couple of quick cycling stuns, or even better, a 15 - 20 second mez would make the assassin a real powerhouse soloer though.

I've never had this many alts in an MMO before, this is a good thing.  I have a 27 Assassin, a 25 paladin, a 20 bruiser, a 20 sk and a 13 wizard.

When EQ2 first launched there was a distinct vanilla flavor to all the classes with the sub-classing system the way it was.  That good class and evil class were merely reflections of each other and that everything under a class tree was mostly the same.  Now it feels like every class has it's own nuances that make each one interesting.

[hal]

I have to agree, I hate Sony hate hate. But this game really does kick ass. And the classes play different. No mater your class some stuff is easy and some stuff is gonna be tuff tit hard. It is gonna make you think, you will try something. And it just might work. Its fun, It has turned into a really good game in my opinion.

[Cheddar]

hal is the greatest person to play games with.  HE NEVER TALKS.  Ever.  But he plays his characters well.  Its like having your own personal bot following you around.

[hal]

Ty guy. I do respond to questions. But ya , I am there to accomplish something and I am very results oriented. Don't confuse effort with results.

[Cheddar]

Ty guy. I do respond to questions. But ya , I am there to accomplish something and I am very results oriented. Don't confuse effort with results.

Still wierds me out.  Of course, I am the one bitching about getting sex in the middle of the "OMG THIS BOSS KILLS US!!!!111ELEVEN" battle.  I just talk.  A Lot.  And type fast.  Ventrillo is worse because I sound like a 10 year old girl.   

[Bandit]

Tangent...

So AB would be a better place to start than Oasis?

And I'm debating between the dirge, brigand, or inquisitor.  Can the Dirge/Brigand get groups?  What about soloability, and the all important interesting gameplay?

All solid choices as far as I am concerned....dirge might be the toughest to solo, but they definitely bring the shit to a group. People told me that Troubs suck for soloing, but I found it quite easy....and loved it, the bard has been my favourite character in EQ2 thus far.  So don't listen to what most people say, especially on the bee hive of the main forums.  You can successfully solo any of those characters, and each one of them are loved in groups.  The brigand more for their sheer top tier DPS than anything. 

You could also go a little different direction with the brigand if you primarly solo.  I have seen succesful solo builds for brigands with the sword and board AA's and they can even fill in for tank in situations.

The Inquisitor starts a little slow solo-wise, but using AA's you can pump the DPS way up.

[Der Helm]

Ventrillo is worse because I sound like a 10 year old girl.   

You are not ?

[Xerapis]

Well, he certainly screams like one.

Quacks like a duck and all that.

[Rasix]

So, question: is there a digital download that's Faydwer + expansions + base game or is that only the retail box? On a WoW lull and I'd like to take a peek at what EQ2 is now.

[Sauced]

Only the retail box has everything for the $40 price tag.

[Murgos]

Personally, I thought the box was worth it as you also get a bunch of 'retail box' goodies, like pets and reward things and you also get the gnoll and vampire stuff in addition to EoF AND some free time.  If you do it through the online store all of that stuff has to be bought separately and no free time.

My account is almost 1200 days old, the /claim bennies with the retail box stuff took me around 20 minutes to read through.

[Sauced]

It doesn't come with the gnoll and vampire stuff, I'm fairly sure.  You sure you didn't buy it 2 years ago and forget about it?

[Murgos]

Hmm, Maybe I don't have the gnoll and vampire stuff then.  I haven't tried to use any of that content yet.

I'll check it out later.

[Rasix]

Uhh, I just picked this up and I don't see a fucking account key anywhere in this box. I'm about to get stabby.

[schild]

Oh, how that would be hilarious.

[Rasix]

Oh, how that would be hilarious.

It's failing to amuse me.  I'm assuming it was to be printed on a game manual (ohh teh irony) and all I got is a quick start guide, a map and a buddy key. 

Only reason I picked this up is because I won $130 in a poker game on Friday.  Figured, hey, free money.

Edit: Called EB games, it was on a slip of paper they failed to include. ERRRK.

Edit numero dos: So, most people are on Oasis or what?

[Murgos]

Define most?  2 out of 3?   

I'm on Oasis but not in Bat Country.  Whenever I looked I didn't see anyone on.  So I joined Fabled which is a pretty large guild but they seem ok.

[Rasix]

Define most?  2 out of 3?   

I'm on Oasis but not in Bat Country.  Whenever I looked I didn't see anyone on.  So I joined Fabled which is a pretty large guild but they seem ok.

Looking mostly for just what server has the most active players.  I tend to end up higher level and I like to group on occasion, so I'd like to hook up with folks that perhaps are in more cohesive guilds, but not necessarily for raiding.  I don't have time for that anymore.

[hal]

First, if your higher level please ignore me. but if your starting on oasis I have a 27 templar and 26 necro and a full boat of teens I am leveling. It would seem that we need a way to connect.

[Murgos]

Send me mail in game and we can try and meet up?

I'm actively playing Reshe who is a 31 Assassin and Religion is a 22 Bruiser, Tuecer is a 25 Paladin but is mostly retired.

Fabled has so far been very good about pickup groups and not putting pressure on people to raid.  They are large, 300+ members, and most of the active ones are 60+ but there is lots of alts and stuff and people generally seem willing to mentor down to help with a quest or whatever.  As with any large group of people there are idiots though.

[Sauced]

So I joined Fabled which is a pretty large guild but they seem ok.

Been thinking of doing the same thing, actually.

[tazelbain]

Religion is a 22 Bruiser,

I remember you from Darklight Woods.
Bat Country is dead.  Sky went on summer vacation and I have been migrating to a small guild called Cursed Crusaders.

[Rasix]

Send me mail in game and we can try and meet up?

I'm actively playing Reshe who is a 31 Assassin and Religion is a 22 Bruiser, Tuecer is a 25 Paladin but is mostly retired.

Fabled has so far been very good about pickup groups and not putting pressure on people to raid.  They are large, 300+ members, and most of the active ones are 60+ but there is lots of alts and stuff and people generally seem willing to mentor down to help with a quest or whatever.  As with any large group of people there are idiots though.

I'll send you a mail.  Current character is a berzerker (evil fairy race) named Rasi.  Game's much improved that I can see.  Only problems are that I tend to get some sort of DX9 out of memory crash (fucking fantastic), and the berzerker doesn't seem to solo that splendidly yet.  A single level up for some mobs tends to tan my hide (fight's close though at least.. eh).

[Murgos]

I had the DX9 out of memory error too.  I went hunting on the boards and found a reference to a windows help thingie and after a bit of work it seems to be a DCOM related thing.

If you are using a home computer that's not on a microsoft exchange domain just go into the services (local) panel under administrative tools and disable it (DCOM server something or other).

Fixed it for me.

DCOM has been deprecated anyway so I doubt if it will screw anything up.

[Rasix]

I had the DX9 out of memory error too.  I went hunting on the boards and found a reference to a windows help thingie and after a bit of work it seems to be a DCOM related thing.

If you are using a home computer that's not on a microsoft exchange domain just go into the services (local) panel under administrative tools and disable it (DCOM server something or other).

Fixed it for me.

DCOM has been deprecated anyway so I doubt if it will screw anything up.

Oooh. I'll have to try that.  Hope it works.

Anyhow, anyone recommend a good melee DPS?  Reading the zerker board has me frightened as they seem to be mostly tanks, poor soloers, and using either a 2h or likely a 1h and shield.  I just wanted to maul stuff with double axes, not use a damn shield.  A nice DPS healer would be also cool. 

Edit: Heh, mainly I just want a really good soloer.  And hopefully something that isn't too fragile.  Group utility is nice, but I mostly solo (I play later at night).   It's really weird going into a DIKU like this and just being overwhelmed.

[Nija]

Start up on Unrest. Evil side (or good side, doesn't really matter)

I'd check out Brigand (if evil) - send me a tell, name there is Dogface - only level 15 so far.

[Merusk]

I heard Shadowknights are still excellent EQ soloers.  Seems to be true at low levels, too but we know how that can sometimes end