What is going on?? A SotA Leveling Guide

Discussion in 'Player Created Resources' started by Themo Lock, Nov 25, 2015.

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  1. mikeaw1101

    mikeaw1101 Avatar

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    This might be the wrong thread but here goes. Has anyone stopped to consider creatures with thousnads+ of h.p. are a copout to increase combat difficulty without adding any additional (substantive) tactical dimension to the challenge? You know like wounding, VISIBLE status effects, flanking, visible chance of blocking/feinting (and not just those worthless glyphs as they stand now), etc. Basically this is becoming just another run-of-the-mill, plain jane, vanilla DPS boondoggle. I'm awfully disappointed because they originally said the game was going to be innovative not derivative. Sorry, but I really don't like the direction combat is going at all. Rant over, we now return to your regularly scheduled programming.
     
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  2. Themo Lock

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    You are right, it is the wrong thread! but you are not alone in this line of thinking and it is not something being ignored by the devs. Chris has been playing around with different mob mechanics in the form of the mini-boss mobs, and hopefully we see some of that transferred to the lesser mobs in future ^.^
     
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  3. FrostII

    FrostII Bug Hunter

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    @Numa You are completely correct.... The relationship between the Tier level and the mobs within each Tier is just like the harvesting nodes (with the Greymark exception).
    The higher the Tier, the higher BOTH the mobs AND the resources within that Tier.... ;)
     
    Last edited: Nov 27, 2015
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  4. FrostII

    FrostII Bug Hunter

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    Wynton's Folly is Tier 3
     
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  5. FrostII

    FrostII Bug Hunter

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    Regarding harvesting EFFICIENCY.

    I went out purposely with an Avatar with only BEGINNING harvesting skills in order to illustrate what I mean about harvesting EFFICIENCY.

    In the image below you can see her "%chance" to harvest in both a Tier 5 (Deep Ravenswood) and a Tier 1 (Kingsroad) area.
    ***You can see also how having a higher "level" tool to use aids in this regard.***

    With beginning skills in Foraging her %chance to harvest a cotton plant in a Tier 1 is between 90 and 97% chance AT HER LEVEL.
    In a Tier 5 area she has a %chance to harvest a cotton plant at between 2 and 8%.

    What all that means is that - between insanely long harvest attempts and guaranteed failure after failure - a Tier 5 area is a complete and utter waste of her time.
    And chances are that Avatars that are just beginning their harvesting journey to GM - probably won't have the combat levels to stay alive in a Tier 5 anyway.

    This Avatar, and any beginning harvester, will move their skills in harvesting much, much faster by building those skills in an area that is at or near their skill levels. ;)

    The Hidden Vale areas are all classified by Tier in my post earlier in this thread....

    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Nov 27, 2015
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  6. Noric

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    There are some other exceptions out there as well (I know we have spoken about this on another thread before). One I found odd is south brightbone woods. The scene is 3 skulls and has tier 3 maple trees but tier 5 pine trees, cotton and ore.
     
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  7. FrostII

    FrostII Bug Hunter

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    Ok, now you've got my curiosity up....

    Admittedly, I have not spent as much time harvesting in Novia - but, that doesn't mean I haven't been to all the areas there.... I have.

    But - I have not documented Novia like I have Hidden Vale (because of the lack of *cough*maps there)...
    I'm gonna go check that out... (I'll go to Deep Ravenswood and check my %chance at both maple and pine, and see how they differ in South Brightbone Woods)...

    Thanks Noric ! ;)
     
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  8. Themo Lock

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    Added some more info to OP along with this video comparing laid back leveling vs grinding.
     
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  9. Whyterose Flowers

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    Themo you are my hero! Fitting music for the video! I know wearing leather I will never have almost 700 health, but you are amazing! Thank you for the leveling guide :)
     
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  10. Noric

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    I won't argue about the lack of maps being a complication. I explore for fun though and was really surprised when i saw the different in tree types. Tell me if you can confirm or not.
     
  11. FrostII

    FrostII Bug Hunter

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    @Noric
    You and I've got to talk more....

    I've mentioned that I try and keep tabs on where what is (Nodes and Mobs wise) for my guild, and just got back from a trip to South Brightbone Woods and you are most correct.
    If you (or anyone reading for that matter) notice any more of this "behavior" I'd be grateful for a PM here if you have time... ;)

    So everyone, like Noric said - South Brightbone Woods has joined Greymark Forest - as areas that don't keep their Tier level "to the letter"...

    From my recent (last half hour thx to Noric) trip to Deep Ravenswood and South Brightbone Woods:

    [​IMG]

    But - take heart - everything we've discussed regarding Tier levels and harvesting and mobs is still 98% correct.... ;)

    And I do as well... ;)
     
    Last edited: Nov 28, 2015
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  12. FrostII

    FrostII Bug Hunter

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    Ok, I'm officially in awe of your youthful ability to perceive both exactly what you need to do and where it all is - and skillfully fill in between.
    And when I get a chance, I'm gonna slow it down to normal speeds and see if I can keep up with everything you use...

    In the meantime, thx for the video...

    But - @themo - your movie didn't do justice to the Grunvald Shardfall.... That place has some amazing s**t in it !
    Oh, almost forgot, wt* is your background music.... I love it!

    Here's some stills from my excursion into your Grunvald Shardfall this past June - before you guys did the "item loot" thingy...
    Now - I'll just go back to ignoring it... Boo hiss ! hehehe

    [​IMG]

    And yea, I kicked some serious behind in there myself... ;)
    ** Not any of you PvP guys, just your mobs**.... :eek:
     
    Last edited: Nov 28, 2015
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  13. Themo Lock

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    yeah it is a beautiful and bountiful scene :)
     
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  14. Themo Lock

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    Updated a little more and added some mining locations.
     
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  15. Elwyn

    Elwyn Avatar

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    As far as harvesting efficiency goes, it sort of depends on whether you want stuff or skills. If you want skills, it might be better to use mid-tier nodes. Why? Because you do get some skill bumps when you fail, and you get a lot of producer XP when you succeed at a higher tier node.

    The inefficiency comes in when you have a success and then have to hunt for another node. If you fail, you can stay at the same place, with minimum response required to distract you from your primary task of watching TV.
     
  16. blaquerogue

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    i wanted to add to @Themo Lock post, I dont have alot of time to spend grinding, maybe an hour to 3 or 4 during work week, and probably about 10 to 15 hours on and off, I leveled my character to lvl 50 in 3 days. He is exactly showing the right way to gain exp, it has been what i have been doing since we were first allowed to play the game.

    Ive also found that, if you mine, skin,chop wood, pick etc...while out in these places you all of a sudden realize that by doing all this in the leveling process, you dont really notice the time it takes and soon your at the level you should be and you have decent resources to sell or use.

    Great post Themo!
     
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  17. Themo Lock

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    Worth mentioning.. don't think that because i am melee at the moment that it means mages are not viable.. mages of an equivalent level are LETHAL (ie Turin and Mimner). Mages just scale drastically now and are not the easy path for lower levels. Mages need some serious keyboard skills, but if you have them..BOOM!
     
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  18. Violation Clauth

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    Also, from what I see, mages would have done this easier. I can deal more steady damage at range than you can because you had to walk closer... so the couple times you got hit I could have avoided completely. Just my two cents on the matter.
     
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  19. Violation Clauth

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    p.s. @Themo Lock thanks for making all these videos. Really nice to get the paths that you use and the spots you use to make my life easier. Two thumbs way up for being a rockstar.
     
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  20. Barugon

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    To a mage or ranger, spiders are much less of a threat than wolves.
     
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