24h Challenge: From Rags to Riches

[cd288]

Interesting read thanks for the write up!

I would think time spent perusing the Wiki shouldn't count toward the 24 hours unless you are also actively killing/traveling while doing so.

On the other side of that coin, I wonder how much time you saved with the Surefall Glade port. Maybe an hour?

[Kalman]

Originally Posted by cd288 [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

Interesting read thanks for the write up!

I would think time spent perusing the Wiki shouldn't count toward the 24 hours unless you are also actively killing/traveling while doing so.

On the other side of that coin, I wonder how much time you saved with the Surefall Glade port. Maybe an hour?

All time the character is logged in counts. Regardless if you are alt tabbed or active.

It takes about 15 minutes from Mistmoore to Butcherblock docks. 0-20 Minutes for the Shuttles to go. About 15 minutes to swim to the pot room. Then you are directly in Halas and save about 15 minutes from not having to run from SFG to Halas.
So I saved 15-35 minutes depending on the shuttle timing.

[cd288]

Originally Posted by Kalman [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

All time the character is logged in counts. Regardless if you are alt tabbed or active.

It takes about 15 minutes from Mistmoore to Butcherblock docks. 0-20 Minutes for the Shuttles to go. About 15 minutes to swim to the pot room. Then you are directly in Halas and save about 15 minutes from not having to run from SFG to Halas.
So I saved 15-35 minutes depending on the shuttle timing.

Ah great point forgot about the firepots

[Cruger]

I was the ranger asking for a rez in your first session! Sorry to soak up your time lol.

This looks like it turned out really well, it would definitely be fun to watch a video or stream of this kind of thing.

[Kalman]

Originally Posted by Cruger [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

I was the ranger asking for a rez in your first session! Sorry to soak up your time lol.

This looks like it turned out really well, it would definitely be fun to watch a video or stream of this kind of thing.

No worries. I missed the boat because the trip between Sister Island and Spectre Island + doing the quest takes just a bit too long to catch the returning back.

[Kalman]

Session 3: The Bone Mask Hail Mary (4 Hours, 30 Minutes)

With the timer ticking down and only 4 hours and 30 minutes remaining, the final session was a pure, high-stakes sprint for accessories. The core defense and offense were secured, but key slots like the face and rings needed significant upgrades to meet the "acceptable group gear" standard.

Crucially, I immediately ruled out long, low-drop-chance camps like the Flowing Black Silk Sash (FBSS). As a Paladin, haste is not essential for group contribution — my primary job is tanking and Flash of Light is all you need for that. This knowledge allowed me to skip a potentially fruitless camp and commit to a much more efficient, dual-pronged strategy in Kunark.

Last-Minute Logistics and Guaranteed Upgrades

The final session began with one last check back at the Unrest basement before the long run to Kunark:

• Final Unrest Check: I found Garanel Rucksif up again, and he was kind enough to drop a second Jagged Band. This was a huge win, filling a ring slot with a quality item and removing a major weakness.

[You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

I then embarked on the long journey to Kunark, a massive commitment of the remaining time, but one necessary for the next tier of gear.

[You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

• Warslik Woods Camp: Once in Kunark, I prioritized a low-risk, high-reward upgrade in Warslik Woods. I checked the Iksar Bandit Lord camp, but he wasn't up and I moved on. I spent the time clearing the large Goblin camp nearly three times to secure a pair of Iksar Scaled Gauntlets. This was an almost guaranteed drop and a massive stats upgrade for the hands, a testament to maximizing efficiency through sheer effort. As a minor bonus, I picked up a trashy Forsaken Pariah Mask while passing through. My slots were all filled for the first time with this pickup.
  
  [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]
  

The Desperate, Dual-Target Hunt

The final roughly two hours were dedicated to optimizing my time between two adjacent targets in Kunark:

1. High-Impact Target (Face): Camping Targishin in the Field of Bones for his highly desirable Bone Mask.
   
   [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]
   
2. Score-Buffer (Shield): Alternating the camp with runs into Kurn's Tower for a Shield of Kurn. Although I didn't strictly need a shield, its stats would boost my final point calculation.

This final, desperate alternating push between the two zones was the last challenge.
I pushed hard for Targishin's Bone Mask, but in the end, it was a failed Hail Mary. The drop did not materialize before the clock ran out. I also had no look with the Skeletal Cook. He only spawned once and just dropped a Long Sword. I only secured some regular Targ Shields during the cross-camp which upped my PP count. The hail marry failed and didn't really pay off.

[Kalman]

The Final Tally: 24h Challenge - From Rags to Riches (60 Paladin)

The clock has officially run out. After 24 hours of played time spread across three intensely focused sessions, the challenge to take a Paladin from empty pockets to "acceptable group gear" is complete.

Campaign Summary: Efficiency Triumphant

The run was a masterclass in strategic efficiency, demonstrating the power of targeted farming over low-yield luck.
Final Gear Status: Every armor slot is filled, and the character would be geared for group content like Karnor's castle or Old Sebilis to get better equipment.

[You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

2x Alligator Tooth Earring
Blackned Alloy Medallion
Forsaken Pariah Mask
Blackened Alloy Coif
2x Jagged Band
Symbol of Loyality to Vox
Steel Vambraces
Iksar Scaled Gloves
Hero Bracers
Bloodstained Mantle
Enemaled Black Brewastplate
Cloak of the Ice Bear
Blackened Alloy Girdle
Icy Greaves (I am waering Shin Greaves on the screennshot for the looks)
Steel Plate Boots
Blackened Alloy Bastard Sword
Light Burlap Sack

Total Stats: 128 AC, +30 HP, +28 Str, +5 Sta, +3 Dex, +5 Wis, -25 Cha, +5 Int, +16 vs Magic, +14 vs Poison, +11 vs Disease, +38 vs Cold, +6 vs Fire

For Scoring I use the following weighting and factors:

Gear:
1 AC = 10 Points (based on Sakuragi's Warrior Guide)
+1 HP = 2 Points
+1 Mana = 1 Point
Primary Stats stats (Sta) +1 = 2 Points
Secondary Stats (Str, Dex, Agi, Wis) +1 = 1 Point
Main Resists (Magic, COld, Fire) +1 = 2 Points
Secondary Resists (Poison, Disease) +1 = 1 Point

Weapon:
Damage / Delay * 250 = Base Score
Low Agro Proc (DD, DOT) = 100 Points
High Agro Proc (Debuff, Stun) = 200 Points

Final Score: 1691

This challenge was a proof of concept, but Run 1 exposed key inefficiencies, namely the brutal time sink of cross-continent travel and the focus on gear progression.

I'm excited to announce that a Second Run was executed immediately afterward with the same Paladin to prove the theory that strategy outweighs luck.

• The Goal of Run 2: Achieve a significantly higher final score and a more robust gear profile by eliminating Run 1's logistical mistakes.
• The Key Change: Starting in my original starting city of Felwhite and a different strategy, cutting down on travel time and enabling a faster push for high-value gear.

The result? No plan survives contact with the RNG!

Keep an eye out for the second run in this thread! I'll be posting the full breakdown for Run 2: The Optimized Paladin in the coming days, where we'll compare the two final gear sheets and see exactly how much time can be saved with the right route.

Thanks to everyone who followed this thread! The analysis of Run 2 will be starting soon.

[Xap]

Loved following along with this, what a fun idea. Looking forward to another series, I was wracking my brain thinking of what I would camp in the same situation, good stuff!

[Kalman]

Originally Posted by Xap [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

Loved following along with this, what a fun idea. Looking forward to another series, I was wracking my brain thinking of what I would camp in the same situation, good stuff!

Thank you! I am glad you enjoyed it.

Brainstorming what I would and could get first was what made it fun for me and how I came up with the challenge.

[Kalman]

Part 1: The Optimized Paladin - Faydwer Efficiency & The Odus Gamble (Sessions 1 & 2)

Goal: Eliminate Run 1's catastrophic travel mistakes, skip intermediate gear steps.
Time Elapsed: 10 hours 58 minutes

Session 1 (4:49h): Felwithe Blitz & Runny Eye Core

The decision to start in Felwithe was about staying true to my original starting city. But it also came with an advantage: It saved two long boat trips to get the Minotaur Hero Shackles.

1. Initial Moves: Skipped over trash mobs for coin. Ran straight to Steamfont, killed Minotaur Slavers to get a Mino Axe, some Steamfont Spring Water, and to spawn the Minotaur Hero.
   
   [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]
   
2. Stocking up on supplies: I made a short stop at the Woodelf Outpost in Lesser Faydwark to stock up on food and water.
3. Accessory Win: Moved on to Mistmoore Castle. RNG was kind: the Avenging Caitiff was up! Secured the Crested Spaulders (AC 11, Stam +6) on the first check. A perfect early accessory.
   
   [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]
   
4. Core Gear Grind: Took the boat to Freeport and immediately ran to Runny Eye. The goal was the Blackened Alloy set. The Longsword and Bastard Sword finally dropped, and the increased killing speed allowed me to quickly secure more armor pieces.
5. The Cut: I already had gotten a Blackened Alloy Girdle but decided to do one more round hoping to get a Grotesque Mask. Lord Picklaw spawned but only dropped his Coif. Since I had all the important parts I decided to push on instead of spending more time on a low-chance to get the mask. Time saved here was crucial.
   
   [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]
   
6. The Side Quest: In the Gorge of King Xorbb, I killed the Evil Eyes at the monument hoping for a Polished Bone Hoop, but instead grabbed an Onyx Ring.
   
   [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]
   
7. Marathon runner: I only inserted this bullet point to have a reason to post this amazing screenshot:
   
   [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]
   
8. Accessory hunt: I entered Qeynos via the sewers to look for the Undead Knight and Injured Rats to fill out my Ear and Finger slots. The Knight was up, but no Rats. However I ran into a fellow forum poster who still seems to be on his 1-60 SSF Warrior challenge.
   
   [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]
   
9. Guaranteed gains: Finished the session with the easiest high-value quest: Minotaur Shackles in Qeynos for the Hero Bracer (AC 9, STR +10). A huge anchor for my strength stat.
   
   [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]
   

This was an amazing and efficient initial start to the run. Nothing could go wrong from there on! Right? Right?!?

[You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]



Session 2 (6:09h): The Odus Gamble

This session was defined by a major gamble and a major time sink.

1. The Gamble: Took the boat to Odus to farm Stonebrunt Mountains for Etched Iron Armor. I had never been to the zone.
   
   [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]
   
   Over a dedicated 3.5 hours of killing the Kobolds, the effort paid off somewhat: Vambraces, Gloves, 2x Bracers (only used one), and the Collar. While this provided a massive boost to my AC I had really hopped for Boots, Greaves and Helm since I had other potential options for the other slots.
   
   [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]
   
   I also picked up a pair of Blue Bamboo Splint leggings, which filled the slot for the time being, and two Forlorn Totem of Rolfron Zek.
   
2. Final Prep: Ran back through Qeynos to the Sewers to secure a second accessory: the Alligator Tooth Earring.
3. The Time Sink: Ran north to Everfrost looking for the Icebear Twins. I spent 1 hour 15 minutes clearing placeholders with absolutely no sign of either Icebear brother. This was the biggest, most damaging time loss of the entire run, directly conflicting with my goal of eliminating inefficiencies.