Earliest a Mage can get their own focus items?

[tadkins]

Thread title. New mage on the Blue server, just rerolled. Transferred a few decent gear pieces from the necro I had here from a long time ago but beyond that I don't have much cash. What I have will probably be used for spells across the levels.

So I'm basically wondering, around what level should I as a mage be looking to tighten my belt and farm up my own focus items? And would Najena or CT be the better of the two places to go?

[unleashedd]

giant toes are the toughest pieces to get. just buy them

[tadkins]

giant toes are the toughest pieces to get. just buy them

I figure I could just bug someone killing Gornit for them, worst case scenario. I'm already expecting to have to buy the toes and the gems, so all the more reason to try to save cash acquiring my own farm tool implements.

[Windez]

I was able to do this starting at level 20 in Najena and made an entry about it in the per-level hunting guide. https://wiki.project1999.com/Per-Level_Hunting_Guide#Hunting_Spots_20-24
It can take some time. It took me until level 26 I believe to get all four items and that involved one or two of them being given to me by other people camping stuff.
The toes and things I just bought, mostly from npc merchants.

[tadkins]

I was able to do this starting at level 20 in Najena and made an entry about it in the per-level hunting guide. https://wiki.project1999.com/Per-Level_Hunting_Guide#Hunting_Spots_20-24
It can take some time. It took me until level 26 I believe to get all four items and that involved one or two of them being given to me by other people camping stuff.
The toes and things I just bought, mostly from npc merchants.

Ah, very cool! Thank you very much, looking forward to giving that a shot. :)

[unsunghero]

I've been in Najena a lot lately as enchanter, and never seen any steins or focus items drop from mages, chances seem pretty low. I've gotten lots of damask silk but never even seen a focus item drop

They are often camped by mid level or higher level mages as well, I'd say they're camped probably ~50% of the time during primetime

[bodenn]

I have had the most luck in CT off the alligators.

[GRMurphy]

Honestly on Blue people sell the focus items pretty cheaply in the tunnel (like 50-100p). You certainly can try to get them all solo, but it might just be faster to farm up the plat and buy

[loramin]

Honestly on Blue people sell the focus items pretty cheaply in the tunnel (like 50-100p). You certainly can try to get them all solo, but it might just be faster to farm up the plat and buy

They sell on Green too, and I actually see a lot more of them for sale on Green than on Blue (probably because they don't sell for all that much plat, and since Blue's economy is more inflated, going through the hassle of selling in the tunnel for that small amount of plat is even less attractive there, vs. just vendoring).

[GRMurphy]

Honestly makes sense. Usually when I have something that sells for less than 100 I debate if it's worth the trouble

[NegaStoat]

If you can get a stacked Invis + Invis to Undead placed on you, you can make your way up to the half portcullis location by the tentacle terrors where the first Dark Elf mage spawns and safely summon a pet in that curved hallway near her, and start at that point. In your low 20's, always use Cancel Magic to pull with as it has a greatly reduced aggro area spike that leaves other nearby spawns docile to your pull.

I leveled a magician there from 20 to 26 from that first mage described above to whacking the other mages and elementals in the nearby chamber, then killing the other mage spawns in the Crystal room. Exp was pretty okay during that stretch and I got about 1 focus item per full level of killing, with several of them being repeats that I couldn't loot. As mentioned above the drop rates off of Cazic gators is much better.

[mcoy]

The above is how I got my foci on Green. Although, I waited until level 24 so I had the vendor earth pet. If I recall correctly, I found 2 of them, and the other 2 were trades with others in zone when I had duplicates rotting.

-Mcoy

[Sabin76]

Note that you can single pull the crystal room, but there is a chance to spawn a higher level magician (level 24?) that can wreck you once set up if you are in your low 20s. The two out front are something like level 18, so easy once you get in between them.

I spent a lot of time there before heading to Sol A and I can tell you that in that time I saw several sets drop off of the DE magicians, but not a single one drop off of the goblin magicians.

[tadkins]

What level can the CT gators be done solo? From what I'm reading about Najena I'm honestly getting kinda nervous now, lol. But I've also never been to CT. Hard to pick one hehe.

[loramin]

Honestly on Blue people sell the focus items pretty cheaply in the tunnel (like 50-100p). You certainly can try to get them all solo, but it might just be faster to farm up the plat and buy

What level can the CT gators be done solo? From what I'm reading about Najena I'm honestly getting kinda nervous now, lol. But I've also never been to CT. Hard to pick one hehe.

Level 28 (https://wiki.project1999.com/Cazic_Thule_Alligator_Pit) ... but that's as a Druid (with Harmony to get singles, and charm for when you get doubles). As a Mage it will be a lot tougher, because Mages have no tech for getting single pulls.

I'd either wait until you are a bit higher, or else bring a friend (a Druid would be an excellent choice).

[tadkins]

Level 28 (https://wiki.project1999.com/Cazic_Thule_Alligator_Pit) ... but that's as a Druid (with Harmony to get singles, and charm for when you get doubles). As a Mage it will be a lot tougher, because Mages have no tech for getting single pulls.

I'd either wait until you are a bit higher, or else bring a friend (a Druid would be an excellent choice).

Thank you for the info. :)

I'm guessing I can reliably earn my own focus items around level 35ish in that case, hehe.

[loramin]

Thank you for the info. :)

I'm guessing I can reliably earn my own focus items around level 35ish in that case, hehe.

Depends on how much time you want to spend in Najena. Personally I leveled my Mage up on Green, so it was an awesome dungeon: great XP, focus item drops, and as a bonus I could wait in line for JBoots.

Even without JBoots it's still a great dungeon, and even with the low drop rates there you're likely to pick up at least a few items if you start at the lowest level possible, and stay there until you stop getting XP.

But also ... IMHO you really don't need all four items. I acquired all four myself, but the only one I ever really used, all the way to 50 (when they stop working) was the water one. I could have just as easily used the earth or fire ones also I think (and just leveled off different mobs), so I'd argue that as long as you don't get the broom, you can stop looking after your first drop.

[tadkins]

Depends on how much time you want to spend in Najena. Personally I leveled my Mage up on Green, so it was an awesome dungeon: great XP, focus item drops, and as a bonus I could wait in line for JBoots.

Even without JBoots it's still a great dungeon, and even with the low drop rates there you're likely to pick up at least a few items if you start at the lowest level possible, and stay there until you stop getting XP.

But also ... IMHO you really don't need all four items. I acquired all four myself, but the only one I ever really used, all the way to 50 (when they stop working) was the water one. I could have just as easily used the earth or fire ones also I think (and just leveled off different mobs), so I'd argue that as long as you don't get the broom, you can stop looking after your first drop.

I don't think I ever really hunted that place at level in a legitimate sense. Every time I tried it ended up badly. Lots of adds with powers, random red-cons that like to jump in and such. I spent time there on my 40 necromancer on Green a while back brute forcing everything, but that's about the only time I really found success there. So I'm just a little bit scared there. It's why I considered CT as an alternative but that's another place I've never actually been to.

For the most part I'm using my earth pet for soloing, and planning to use water when in groups. I'm not really sure what the fire and air pets are for to be honest. But I also know that the focus items are needed for the epic later, right? I know it probably sounds like a joke, "this friendless guildless nobody thinking he'll ever get the epic", but it is something I would legitimately love to try and earn one of these days. So it would still make sense to try to earn all four?

[loramin]

I don't think I ever really hunted that place at level in a legitimate sense. Every time I tried it ended up badly. Lots of adds with powers, random red-cons that like to jump in and such. I spent time there on my 40 necromancer on Green a while back brute forcing everything, but that's about the only time I really found success there. So I'm just a little bit scared there. It's why I considered CT as an alternative but that's another place I've never actually been to.

For the most part I'm using my earth pet for soloing, and planning to use water when in groups. I'm not really sure what the fire and air pets are for to be honest. But I also know that the focus items are needed for the epic later, right? I know it probably sounds like a joke, "this friendless guildless nobody thinking he'll ever get the epic", but it is something I would legitimately love to try and earn one of these days. So it would still make sense to try to earn all four?

I believe the epic only requires broom and shovel ... but as a "friendless guildless nobody", there's truly no point.

Some classes you can literally buy the epic for (on Blue at least), but the Mage epic doesn't have a multi-questable part, the way those epics do: it requires multiple drops (some extremely rare) from top-end raid mobs. It is literally impossible to acquire them without a raid force, and even if you had a raid force, you'd still have to compete with other raid forces for those mobs ... and then compete with every other Mage in that force to get to loot it ;)

In short, I can safely guarantee that without joining a top-end raid guild (or somehow becoming amazingly good friends with one) you can not complete the epic.

But as for Najena, it's 100% soloable: just start at the beginning and crawl your way through. There are a few places you won't want to go, but if you notice that your pet suddenly has 3 skeletons when you go into a certain room, you should still be able to gate out in time, and avoid that room next time. Once you learn it, you can easily solo to/from the crystal room.

[Windez]

Depends on how much time you want to spend in Najena. Personally I leveled my Mage up on Green, so it was an awesome dungeon: great XP, focus item drops, and as a bonus I could wait in line for JBoots.

Even without JBoots it's still a great dungeon, and even with the low drop rates there you're likely to pick up at least a few items if you start at the lowest level possible, and stay there until you stop getting XP.

But also ... IMHO you really don't need all four items. I acquired all four myself, but the only one I ever really used, all the way to 50 (when they stop working) was the water one. I could have just as easily used the earth or fire ones also I think (and just leveled off different mobs), so I'd argue that as long as you don't get the broom, you can stop looking after your first drop.

I will 2nd all of this. Najena solo was some of the most fun I had on my mage, and as you level you can really explore more and more. It's also really different than most other soloing you'll do as a mage since there will be a lot of fights where you have to take on two mobs at once and you can't really run away. Since you're on blue you'll also be able to take advantage of the regen component of the phantom armor line which rarely gets any utility normally.

Also remember that the mages there are just like you and easy to kill without their pet and buffs, so only the first round will really be hard.

[tadkins]

I believe the epic only requires broom and shovel ... but as a "friendless guildless nobody", there's truly no point.

Some classes you can literally buy the epic for (on Blue at least), but the Mage epic doesn't have a multi-questable part, the way those epics do: it requires multiple drops (some extremely rare) from top-end raid mobs. It is literally impossible to acquire them without a raid force, and even if you had a raid force you'd still have to compete with other raid forces for those mobs ... and then compete with every other Mage in that force to get to loot it ;)

In short, I can safely guarantee that without joining a top-end raid guild (or somehow becoming amazingly good friends with one) you can not complete the epic.

But as for Najena, it's 100% soloable, if you start at the beginning and crawl your way through. There are a few places you won't want to go, but if you notice that your pet suddenly has 3 skeletons when you go into a certain room, you should still be able to gate out in time, and avoid that room next time. Once you learn it, you can easily solo to/from the crystal room.

The first part is something I genuinely would like to change, but it is true, I did come here without any real connections. I am currently looking for a guild that will take a learning player and let me raid with them one day though. This mage is something I want to make into a "forever main" and I'd like to hold a little hope that one day I'll be able to succeed at it, even if it takes 10 years.

But yep I do plan on giving Najena a shot again at some point, I was just expressing that I'm a little scared to hehe. Those "suddenly get three skeletons" situations happened quite a bit as far as I remember. xD

[tadkins]

I will 2nd all of this. Najena solo was some of the most fun I had on my mage, and as you level you can really explore more and more. It's also really different than most other soloing you'll do as a mage since there will be a lot of fights where you have to take on two mobs at once and you can't really run away. Since you're on blue you'll also be able to take advantage of the regen component of the phantom armor line which rarely gets any utility normally.

Also remember that the mages there are just like you and easy to kill without their pet and buffs, so only the first round will really be hard.
Very true, I'll keep that in mind. I still plan to try, even if I'm a bit nervous about it.

[Sabin76]

Since you're on blue you'll also be able to take advantage of the regen component of the phantom armor line which rarely gets any utility normally.

As of Kunark release on Green, the regen component of the phantom armor line works there as well.

[loramin]

I am currently looking for a guild that will take a learning player and let me raid with them one day though. This mage is something I want to make into a "forever main" and I'd like to hold a little hope that one day I'll be able to succeed at it, even if it takes 10 years.

Oh, well I was just talking about if you wanted to stay guildless: if you're willing to join a (competitive) guild then getting your epic ... while it still won't be easy ... will absolutely be achievable ... especially with that "forever main" mentality :)

However, I wouldn't expect to join one guild early on, and stay with them all the way to top-end raids at 60. The most competitive guilds won't even accept anyone under 50 (or sometimes higher), plus they often require somewhat pricey sets or raid gear (resist jewelry, midnight mallets, wort potions, etc.). Thus, many players join "family guilds" while leveling up, and then switch to a competitive guild once they've reached the "end game".

Good luck in Najena: as long as you bind outside, and gate as soon as you agro too many mobs, you should do just fine (but again, once you learn the way and how to pull carefully as you go, you should never have to fight more than 1-2 at a time).

[tadkins]

Oh, well I was just talking about if you wanted to stay guildless: if you're willing to join a (competitive) guild then getting your epic ... while it still won't be easy ... will absolutely be achievable ... especially with that "forever main" mentality :)

However, I wouldn't expect to join one guild early on, and stay with them all the way to top-end raids at 60. The most competitive guilds won't even accept anyone under 50 (or sometimes higher), plus they often require somewhat pricey sets or raid gear (resist jewelry, midnight mallets, wort potions, etc.). Thus, many players join "family guilds" while leveling up, and then switch to a competitive guild once they've reached the "end game".

Good luck in Najena: as long as you bind outside, and gate as soon as you agro too many mobs, you should do just fine (but again, once you learn the way and how to pull carefully as you go, you should never have to fight more than 1-2 at a time).

I figured there'd have to be some casual guilds out there that do get some raid content in. I have a LFGuild post up there and will hope for some bites.

Thank you for the info though. It is good to know that it is at least possible to pull 1-2 at a time in there, and it would just be on me to learn how.