It was a very good weekend. Leveled up all but 2 of my players. Fist de Yuma (Jr.) is addicted to his xbow. How bad became apparent when he died and the bow was left on the body.
Fist de Yuma (Jr.)
When I logged I was in Awric. The day before I had hunted up the beach from Hebian-to to Tou-Tou. Then hunted over to Eastham and picked up some cheaper mana stones. I hunted along the beach to a portal that took me to Awric. There I got fletching gear as I was out of bolts. I leveled to 13 that day.
After logging I decided to go east from Awric to the beach then south to the Awric portal. It is good hunting both the east trip and the south part. No problems in the east trip, Banderling and other stuff. Only had to run once when three scouts and a guard decided to join my battle with three youths.
I'm in udder amazement when I get one-shot kills. The bane of a low level are Reedsharks. One bolt, dead, amazing. Not all the time but not uncommon.
Hitting the beach was an eye opener, golems, sharks and gunnies all over the place. The last time I had made this hunt was at 18lv with Fist de Yuma (Sr.). Fist de Yuma (Jr.) is only 13lv (14lv now) but with the xbow he is doing more damage and killing faster that his namesake at 5 levels lower.
Problem came when fighting a golem. If there are golems anywhere close to the one you are fighting they all react to the attack. It the golem is just inside of radar range and the others outside, it can be a bit of a surprise.
I hit a mud and killed it with two shots. Then I hit a shark next to it. The shark ran over with two buddies. I killed two before they got to me as was hitting the last one when two water golems attack me from out of nowhere. One hits me with a cold spell and walks back. I killed the shark and started firing into the Water Golem. Golem stomps you for 29 damage. I have 15 left and it is down to 2/3 health. I got it to a sliver of health with two shots and I'm down to 7 health. It evaded a shot and I was killed.
Opps, I was still Lifestone'd in Hebian-to. Lost bow and mana stone. Man I did not want to lose that xbow! I started running to Tou-Tou and poured all my free points into run. My patron Astrangeone was on line. I contacted him to help me search. We both hit Awric at the same time.
I ran east carry my best defense weapon and shield. This time I got to watch the Banderling slide behind me and take free shots. I hit the beach and thought I was north of where I was killed. I got a message from Astrangeone, he would go North to search while I searched south.
After a short run I found the body, but it was camped by a load of golems, sharks and gunnies. With the bow it would be no problem. Without it I would have to do a hit and run, hoping the spawn rate is slow enough for me to clear it out. Astrangeone came to my rescue.
After killing a shark I ran over to try and draw something else. I ran up and saw a block of orange around a white dot. He was fighting three golems, 2 sharks and some gunnies at once. Now being I have a higher level I knew this was not big deal but for a 13lv it was impressive to see.
After I recovered I hunted some more. Astrangeone headed back to the Dirlands. I got killed again fighting a Shadow child when a shark and golem got me from the back. This time I was Life Stoned in Awric and did not leave the xbow. Recovery was easy even with a bunch of stuff around it because I had the xbow.
Next death was when two sharks spawned while I was fighting a Water Golem. This was a lot harder, left the xbow again. Fist (Sr.) did the draw and kill all the time at this level. He has never had a bow. I knew what to do but it was long and hard work compared to just plucking them off.
Cliff Bowman (Jr.)
I got a call from Astrangeone. He had been working on a bow that someone wanted to trade. The price was too high and I ask him to forget it, not worth it. He said an Umbris Shadow and dropped a 112% Yumi into his hands. I was overjoyed!
I met up with him in Hebian-to. With BD I that I can toss I was doing 1 to 2 points more damage than the BD II bow I had. Knowing how the damage mod works I know it will get better as my Item skill improves.
I decided to take the long route to Awric. This involves a run from Hebian-to, passed Eastham to the double portal, then take a portal to Awric. Never any danger, plunk, dead. Never took over 3 shots and maybe 5 for a water golem. Had to run a few times but only because I was to far away from the Life Stone to take chances.
Lot of players were out hunting in this direction. We kept passing each other as we battled. I got about half way when my playing time was getting short. I saw a town on the map and headed for it. Instead I found fort with a lot of badies in it. Have to come back to this one. Somehow I have never found that fort before. Always hunted north and south of it.
From there I took the road. It led past a starter town where logged. After I got back I ran to Eastham. I only had enough pyreal for a few stones. From there I hunted up to the double portal and Awric.
Patrons and over loading Vassals.
I understand that both Fist de Yuma (Jr.) and Cliff Bowman (Jr.) and the mages are not typical. Having a known name I picked up a great patron who can supply me with better than average items. Pyreal is not a problem as I'm well supplied. This is a big advantage for the mages.
At least I hope they are not typical as it might make it to easy for a new player without my experience. I know what is like to use a starter bow. I know what it is like to use my fists to fight with. What would an Archer without Fist's experience do when his bow gets dropped I the middle of a big spawn? I played a mage that had to pick food off the ground to sell for comps. I remember gathering apples to sell for a piece of armor. This was so I had something on while trying to get my body.
First body was easy as my patron was there, but I could have done it. The second time I dropped the bow I did it the hard way. A new player would have no idea what to do and start leaving a trail of bodies.
A good example was a player I met in Awric while selling. He was spaming about having lost all his items. He was 19lv. I asked him how he lost it all, thinking I might be able to help recover it.
LOL he lost several bodies on the run from the temple to the vault. Now Fist de Yuma (Sr.) has taken 50 points of damage and got several de-buffing spells on him during that run. He has a 305 run skill. A 19lv has very little chance. Of course he kept trying to recover and kept getting killed.
I asked him if he was an archer, thinking he might have been going there to leach. But even with the overpowering abilities of an archer to hit I think 19lv would be too low to hit a soldier. But no he was a fighter. He had followed someone and ended up there.
Being that everything he had was given to him and he had never had to earn anything, he was lost. He declared he was going to delete his player and give up the game. If his patron had given him a little less stuff and a little more guidance he might be better off.
After picking up a bunch of items in the vault I took some that were to low to save but to high to sell to a newbe town. I met a 13lv player there. After giving him a weapon he asked me how to activate the magic on it. (??) He had asked me a bunch of very basic questions. He has a patron. Apparently his patron had given him stuff but never helped him learn the game.
It is sad but many of the vassal pimps out there are getting vassals without any intention of spending the time and effort required to help them. Rank and experience are all they are looking for.
Shield
I was looking at messages on a board and saw someone had a shield for trade. It was very light and after magic about 220al. I made a 2 key bid for it, then promptly forget about it.
I got a message from the seller that I had won the bid. He wanted to know where he could meet me. I told him the Arwic Hall was best, that was where I have my keys muled. Then I got involved helping someone and somehow forgot him.
When I remember I felt very bad for standing the guy up. I ran over to the hall hoping he was still there and not too pissed. Just before I got there I got a message from him. He had been held up and was not there yet. LOL.
Shield has a 292 melee defense requirement so he was glad to get anything for it. I have a 302 so I was glad get it, good trade all around.
I felt I could pick up more keys without a problem. I had 15 muled.
Back to the vault
I had about 3.5 million points to get 56lv. With the stam bottles and comps I was carrying I was at burden without a strength boost. This was clearly ridicules. Only two choices, drop something or increase strength. It was costing 560k a strength point but I felt it was worth the cost.
I'm not sure if it is true but I heard that adding 10 points of strength adds 1 point of damage. But even if not true it will add to my unarmed skill.
I powered up and ported to the temple. Man I hate the run between the temple and the vault. By the time you get there a mob of 20 melee and spell casting baddies are all over you. I mostly hit the portal at a dead run. I then have to check what de-buffs are on me before I decide to fight or wait until they wearing off.
I hear it will be much worse after the next patch. It will have good effect and a bad one. The good effect is we might not be seeing the 27lv leaches in the vault any more. The bad is if you do die running to the vault, recovery may be impossible.
My biggest problem is during lag. I see a clear spot to run, but because of lag I end up in the middle of a mob. Fighting is not a good idea but if you get surrounded you may have to. That will let a whole bunch of liches and other spell casters rip you to pieces in no time.
I'm not sure which is best. Whither running with your best defensive weapon and shield on, or with wand in hand, portal hot key ready. I have taken the weapon/shield route with a magic resistance V band on.
I have been lucky in that there has not been a mob of soldiers waiting for me. When I was 44lv and in the vault we many times were run out by 7 to 15 soldiers. The reason I left was after a patch was the outside became worse then the inside. Without a place to run it was a death trap.
Retaking the vault was a pain as I could not kill even one before having to run out the portal again. Now I could take them all down but hate porting into a mess. I hear that some players are drawing a load of soldiers to the top on purpose to kill the lamer leaches. I don't think this is a good idea, despite my dislike of the lamer leaches.
Keys
I picked up a lot of item IV stuff that are worth saving but most of the stuff I get are sellers. The thing that makes up for not getting Noble loot are the keys. A great idea Turbine! But like the Noble it is a lottery. So I try to get about 20 keys before going to the chests.
After trading the two keys I wanted to get some more. But luck was not with me. I had a very bad streak. Over 1.5 million in points and not one key. That is a lot of soldiers. Admittedly I did not have a chance to loot every kill. Sometimes I was lucky to loot one in three. But I have found places where I can kill everything and have time to loot. Around the bridges are places were 4 or five spawn. I can kill 5 and still have a minute to loot or buff before the next spawn.
What I am finding is 1k to 3k gems and wands. Getting a D notes for a 2 hour trip is not uncommon.
Finally my bad luck broke and I started finding keys. In the last few hours of hunting I found 4.
A buffing spot
Readers will note that I go to the Vault with VI's on my weapon and have to use V's later for lack of a good buffing spot. Removing helm and coordination V ring, plus my weapon and shield, leave me very vulnerable. Seen a few players take one hit kills doing that.
A friend I know had read that. He said he found a spot where I could buff in safety. It requires a bit of a jumping skill but there is a ledge in a room. Once there I can take the time to buff with my VI spells.
A few mages and bow-users are there as well, shooting from the ledge. But only a few soldiers spawn in the room so it is no biggy.
Very nice to use my best spells, but burn and fizzle are still a big problem. After I get my stats where I want them I will try adding to item again.
Great find for Vassal and cashing the keys
Jarad was very happy. He pulled a 112% +8% bow from a chest. He is going to be using an Archer soon. Meanwhile he loaned it to my Archer (his vassal). I'm hoping to get enough favors on my side to keep it but if not I would understand. He is a great vassal.
After he help me mule we decided to head to the chest and cash my keys in. I was still overload with stuff from the vault so I had to sell first.
A friend of Jarad's showed me the best route to the chest. Only problem was I did not have any keys with me at the time. It was a few days back and I'm not sure which direction to run to after the portal. Have to ask next time I see her.
Jarad said he was stoned close to the chest and would meet me there. While running to the portal I got a bunch of banderling's on my tail. I did not want to waste time killing them so I ran into the portal without thinking. Only problem is I ran into the wrong portal. I was back in Awric. Really stupid, blame it on lack of sleep, that's the ticket.
Jarad said not to go anywhere, he would tie to the portal and summon. He would just need mana. I have a Life wand so I could infuse mana into him. Good team work.
Chest was camped so we had a little wait. First few pulls were junk with a couple of items worth saving. Finally on the 8 or 9 key I hit the jackpot. Got a 112% bow, with a bunch of spells mostly level IV's. Only down side was no attack bonus. Got an electrical hammer a vassal said he could use and a few armor pieces that might be useful later.
Other good item was a shield. It is not to heavy, about 1300 burden, and after spells was well over 300al. But my new buckler is only 299 burden and weight and stam is my biggest problem, not armor. I may need it if the Queen ever pops up.
It was a later that I had wanted to stay up so I was ready to log. Jarad said him a grand vassal and three others were going for the acid stone. Man they really needed me. But it was just too late. I will find out what happened tonight. I left a note in the Killean message board to be on the lookout for them. (Update; lag was to bad and they did not go.)
Fighting beside Elder
Elder my patron found that you would not be able to retie to the Vault right after the patch that fixed it. His warning not to break that tie came to late for me. Because he fought in the vault and I fought in BDC I have gone from about 3 levels below him to over 10 below him.
He and many others tried hard to get me back to the vault. But two reasons kept me away. Number one was I was more than a little afraid of the place. At 44lv I could not solo it and with fewer people there it would be even harder.
Number two was I was having a lot of fun in BDC. And fun is what it is all about. But I sure missed fighting beside one of the best fighters in the game.
Yesterday I was fighting and Elder joined in my battle. He told me earlier that the lag get better as you got deeper in the vault. My problem was every time I went deeper I got trapped and had to port out. Or never had time to do weapon buffs and would be force to port.
With Elder neither of them would be a problem. I was about 144k away from leveling to 56 when we met. I was hoping to level with him there. But it was late so it was not to be.
After getting deep enough to be away from the lag we had some very nice battles. Who cares if 15 soldiers attack you, that is only 7 or 8 each . We even found time to buff as we could clear a spot in 1 minute, leaving 2 minutes to buff before re-spawn.
Elder was tired and had to log. We fought back to the bridges where I knew my way around. With that trip I know a little more about the place. Going to be slow but in a while I will know ever rock, just like BDC.
Best fight
Close to the beginning there is a lot of lag, too many players. As you go deeper it is better. But I'm playing close to the buffing ledge until I find a place deeper in where I can buff, or have help.
There is twisting tunnel leading to a room. Going though the room leads to the first set of bridges over the acid river. That room also spawns about 10 soldiers. The tunnel has 4 or 5 soldiers spawning itself.
It started out strange, I was getting hit but could not see what was hitting me. The invisible Olthoi bug. A player runs past me and into the invisible Olthoi. He gets around it and runs into the room.
One soldier runs out of the room at me. I engage it and mob of them follow it in. Then the tunnel Soldiers attack me from the rear. I see the other player try to help me out. He screams and dies. I did not count them but I was surrounded and they were two and three deep in places. My first thought was to kill as much as I could then port. Then I remembered I was on the wrong tab.
I had put my level VI spells on a different tab. My level V's were on the main tab for a quick charge. Mostly I was using them before I found the buffing ledge. Problem was tab V I did not have portal. By the time I get the wand out and changed tab's, I would be dead. I knew from experience that I take massive damage after pulling my wand. I lose a shield with 200+ from the front and +28% melee bonus from weapon and defender VI. I only have a second or two before I'm dead. The last time I took 95 damage before I ported. I would not be able to change tabs without pulling the wand.
Nothing I could do but hang in there. I got lucky and hit a few crits and took out 3 or 4 of them quickly. I kept checking the radar screen hoping for help. I was close enough to the top and on the main route. No players showed on the screen.
Finally a player joined in. I should have got his name as he is a great one. The first thing he did was take out one to make a space between him and me. Then stepped into the space and used his heal kit on me. After he was sure I had enough hit points to live he attacked the ones on my rear. Between us we cleared it out in no time. Total cost 4 stam and 3 heal bottles.
Fist's stats
A few have asked me what Fist de Yuma stats are. I have no qualms about showing them. Be aware that some items here are trained so the experience required for the next point is lower than it's true cost. For example my unarmed needed over 900k but has trained to less than 650k. These are the raw un-buff stats. Most you can add 30 to for combat stats. Numbers in parentheses are starting stats. As Fist was made in early December the stats are not what we would call optimized today. Also today's patch will change the spec'd stats upward. Final note on starting stats, I'm doing from memory of 5 months ago so I'm undoubtedly off somewhere.
Not sure how this will format so please bare with me if it comes out bad.
Stat Current xp needed for next point
Strength 194 (80) 774,213
Endurance 154 (50) 350,718
Coor. 200 (90) 563,684
Quick 176 (70) 401,720
Focus 140 (30) 563,684
Self 121 (10) 610,188
Health 180 213,921
Stam 257 213,921
Mana 211 77,444
Spec'd
Lore 182 521,135
Melee 260 521,135
Run 271 25,987
Unarmed 273 639,266
Trained
Healing 215 107,147
Item 196 895,649
Jump 282 31,258
Lockpick 198 22,866
Magic d 139 107,834
Mana conv. 155 203,907
Missile d 158 26,094
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