DrKvothe's Guide to Your First Character

[Splorf22]

Originally Posted by Loraen

I should mention first of all that I think the most important attributes for 'success' on Project 1999 (using this word in the loosest way possible) are: understand basic game mechanics, play a lot, and be nice.

From the very first paragraph! But in the end, "play the class you like" is not a guide [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

A big part of the problem is that from 1-30 the game is super easy because even if you aren't twinked the mid-level gear is so insanely cheap after 3 years of Kunark that you'll be way overgeared. Suddenly you reach L50 and you are if anything slightly undergeared and all of the monsters get 3x the HP they had just 10 levels ago and the whole game changes and you realize that your Ranger is a worse puller, worse tank, and worse dps than a monk, or that your Druid has 0 chance of ever main healing a group in Sebilis, or that your paladin does nothing on raids except chain superior heal (I love Paladins, but it's worth nothing that Kalmy deleveled his because leveling was more fun than raiding on it). Meanwhile in the other courtyard of KC an enchanter (or an epic shaman) is killing stuff twice as fast as your whole group.

So my advice to new players is: pick a class you like, but edge towards the slightly more OP ones, and just read one of the hundreds of making money guides if you pick a melee.

[Splorf22]

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

When I get the time, I'll play an untwinked ranger, farm mad cash from the newbie zone, buy some sick dps gear from EC, and write a 1-30 guide about it.

At 30 your ranger is a) pulling with harmony like a god in Mistmoore or Unrest b) doing very solid damage for his level with his 16/24 100p silver swiftblade c) tanking just fine against L25 mobs that die in 20 seconds to his overgeared group.

At 55 your ranger a) can't use harmony in any major dungeon b) does way less damage than all the epic monks/rogues c) can't tank at all with low defense/hp/AC.

Originally Posted by Tecmos

But those "soloist" classes are the foundation of everything that is right and good in the game. That's why they get reccomended. Yes they are good soloers, but they are also good in groups.

The only differences between a good solo class and a good small group classes are a) the kiting classes take a hit and b) the pure melee get better with a healer.

[Vexenu]

People are ragging on this guy way too hard. It's a guide for NEW PLAYERS. That is, people with no friends on the server and no plat in the bank. That applies to exactly no one critiquing this guide in this thread.

Is it really terrible advice to tell a brand new player to consider a Mage, Necro, Druid or Cleric? Would you really prefer to start out as a naked Monk or SK with no friends and no plat? I know I wouldn't.

If the new player doesn't have a strong desire to play a certain class, why not go with one of the four suggested? Can you seriously suggest that a new player would have an easier time with a brand new naked Warrior than a Mage or Druid? Does anyone in this thread actually remember what a pain it is to start a new character with zero help? And can you not understand how, on a server where every other low level melee class you see is wearing a Fungi and most of the Rogues have epics, leveling a melee from scratch is unappealing?

The people who KNOW they want to play a certain class will do so regardless. I see this guide as applying to people who are on the fence or maybe don't remember which classes are harder to start out with. And it's valid in that regard.

I wonder how many people have attempted to start out on the server with more difficult lowbie classes and quit out of frustration? I'm sure the number runs well into the triple digits. And I'm also sure a non-trivial number probably would have kept playing if they had been reintroduced to the game with a more lowbie/casual friendly class to start off with.

Basically, it's stupid to critique this guide from the powergamer/experienced, established player perspective. It's like a bunch of Wall Street tycoons telling an immigrant how to run his hot dog stand. You're speaking from a totally different perspective than the potential new player trying to decide which class to roll from scratch.

[DrKvothe]

Originally Posted by Splorf22 [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

At 30 your ranger is a) pulling with harmony like a god in Mistmoore or Unrest b) doing very solid damage for his level with his 16/24 100p silver swiftblade c) tanking just fine against L25 mobs that die in 20 seconds to his overgeared group.

At 55 your ranger a) can't use harmony in any major dungeon b) does way less damage than all the epic monks/rogues c) can't tank at all with low defense/hp/AC.

This is exactly the description I think is missing. Too often new players just get the second paragraph of that, but the first is also important. Does that sound just flat out awesome to anyone else? What a fun way to be introduced to the game! Sounds a lot more fun that root/rotting solo or buffing/offhealing on a shm. Why worry new players with content they won't get to for several months (if ever) anyways?

[NegaStoat]

You asked for comments or additions, so here we go! (2 part post)

--- Basics for Vets returning to the game from 10+ years ago.
Alt + O opens your menu options.
Alt + M opens your sub menu for socials / actions.
your Alt + M sub menu has a Socials tab. Click it backwards to 10 or whatever and click on a blank tab. Name it "Corpse" and type " /corpse " (without qoutes) on the line. Do the same for " /assist " and " /loc ". Macros are fairly important, and those 3 get used more than anything.

Want the old Velious clear UI? It's here towards the end of all this junk you should have read while installing - http://www.project1999.org/forums/showthread.php?t=2651

Want better armor textures from Velious instead of the bland stock classic textures? Go here - https://www.project1999.org/forums/s...ure#post645740

Want better world textures in towns and around dungeons?
https://www.project1999.org/forums/s...ead.php?t=2482

I'll end with those for this part, so...

--- "Holy hell, I have no friends, no money, and I dunno how I'll cope!"

If you rolled a Light race in Faydwer, get your ass over to in front of Kaladim and level from 1-5 there. Accept no substitutions. Bone Chips and cloth armor / rusty weapons for days. Just do it - and save the chips. They sell for 5pp a stack in East Commons tunnel all day long, or even more for desperate people wanting Cabilis faction. It goes without saying you will want to level from 6-11 outside / inside crushbone for belts, which sell for 2-3pp a pop. more if someone rich and stupid comes by.

If you rolled a Dark race - get the hell over to Nektulos and get bound. Innothule SUCKS to level in due to water breaking LoS for spells / proximity aggro unlike how it worked in Classic. It's not worth dealing with. While you could level in Feerot, visibility kinda makes that place suck too, but you can go for it.

The naked ogre / troll run to Nektulos is a time honored tradition. And it is worth the risk as the bone chips / cloth + rusties is much, much better than your starting zone. Tons of silks too (save those spiderling silks. those sell in EC tunnel too).

If you rolled an Iksar - good job. Level from 1-5 in field of bone, SAVE your bone chips, but also do the Curscale Pelt quest for mad experience. All the Cabilis noob turn-in quests suck for experience but that one. It's as good as the Kaladim paladin chip quest. Bank pelts, save them, make the jump from 5-6 easier from doing a massive turn in instead of turning them in through the stretch of 1-5.

People wanting Cabilis faction will buy your bone chips. Just be patient. It does happen off and on. Save spiderling silks as well.

You CAN leave Kunark if you have courage, to cash in on that CB belt madness. Exit out of Cabilis into Warsliks woods, hook around the Giant Fort on the right side as you run for the Overthere exit at loc neg 300, pos 4000. Once in the Overthere, hug the wall to the ocean, run along the shore to the Evil city wall, jump in, swim, give the wall a LOT of room (there's a stupid Sarnak spawned near the wall in the water), swim over to the dock area, tread water, wait, then get on the boat by climbing up a barrel on the rear.

As you enter Timorous Deep, wait until the boat passes by the Graveyard of Ships location, let the boat travel 500 full loc past that, then jump off. Swim past the graveyard, then carefully make your way to the Firepot Room at neg 12000, pos 4400. If you jump off the boat early and try to swim in a straight line instead for the shortest route, a Fire gator might eat you. Go the longer way past the ship graveyard, cutting back in a straight line once past it for the safe way.

Once inside the Firepot chamber, Click on the brown wooden flame for Kelethin. You'll spawn in a spot outside of the PoD lift guards that might aggro you. So you'll be safe. Faeries in the zone pathing in certain areas WILL kick your ass though, so get a bind as soon as possible. I'd recommend camping the Wizard spires for a Wiz to give you a mercy bind near the Zone Wall by it.

[NegaStoat]

... And I mentioned money?

You can do the Stein of Moggok Quest with a level 4 Dark Elf Enchanter, just like it was possible on Retail. Here's how.

Make an Agnostic Dark Elf enchanter. Run straight to the docks of Freeport. Run under the docks, below the Sailor's Roost bar there and make your way to the rogue trainer. Do the Janam and Rebby note handoff quests 18 total times. This will put you a small ways into level 3, it will be boring as hell, but it also grants you a great amount of faction to buy / sell from the merchants, as well as be a key to something in a bit.

After doing this, level up to 4 the traditional way by kicking ass with a cracked staff. Save bone chips, sell them in EC tunnel, take the money for the next step.

Buy the spells of Invisibility, Illusion: Human & Half Elf, Gate, and your level 4 pet and level 4 nuke. Make sure you have about 3 plat and 5 gold on you. Now go to Ocean of Tears using the boat in freeport, stop in sister isle, jump off the boat, illusion up, go to the vendor, buy some kiola nuts, and gate out.

Now go get the Honey Jum by doing the quest steps for it. Honey Combs are best hunted in Kithicor during the day, and Illusion Half Elf works fine by itself in getting the Jum from Kizzie(no Alliance needed). give her the 30 coins first. you might get the jum without having to give her the honeycombs if it's still wonky (was bugged), or someone might have "primed" the quest for you by doing it wrong.

Run to Qeynos. Enjoy Invis and avoid undead and Gore hounds. Get to the temple of life, jump in the water and blow up a fish. Blow up 8-9 fishes (the drop rate kinda sucks sometimes). You may or may not want to use a mule for killing the fish. I didn't bother because who the hell cares about Qeynos? It's the armpit of Norrath. Remember to use Invis or your racial Hide (target & /con someone to make sure it works) so you can med for mana as needed.

Get on the boat for Erudin. Agnostic DE's are not KOS in Erudin, so jump off at the dock without a concern for that. Human Illusion up, get the Erud Tonic (no Alliance needed). Gate back home.

Finish the quest. The barkeep in Freeport will NOT need Alliance. Normally, he would, but you did all that faction work with Janam and Rebby, remember? Human illusion and your faction work will carry the day and you get the book. In Oggok, Clurg will NOT need Alliance either. Just like retail, basic Indifferent as an Agnostic DE is fine.

Yay. Free mug that is overfarmed is now yours. You might sell it for 300-350pp if you are lucky, but remember you can also hawk the thing in Gfay while getting belts or something.

Last but not least - if you're new and concerned about getting cash... Find a level 29 mage or higher and tip them well for some summoned dimensional holes or glowing backpacks (if you are lucky). Make a level 1 alt, and carefully ground twink the bags over to the alt and have the alt punch a guard in the face. Corpses STORE No Rent items for up to a week. Re use your bags, sell EVERYTHING you loot since you can carry the shit, and make more $$$. Just don't cry about their loss if the server burps and needs to be restarted.

[webrunner5]

Wow, I would hate to be a noob starting on here reading this whole thread. None of us "old timers" can't seem to agree on shit lol. [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

Being broke as hell as a Melee is no fun at all. Playing a Hybrid with the 40% or more XP penalty is no fun either. Playing a Pally or a Ranger to the end game ends up being no fun either. The reason they are the least played classes on here. [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

Just goes to show how really screwed up the original devs had this game going in Classic, Kunark.

But in the end everyone has a favorite class they like and that is what they ought to play even as a noob or a "old timer". It is all about the journey, and the groups, and the guild chats, and raids end game. So we all need to just slow down and have a good time, a lot of fun, and enjoy what we like and have on here. Its JUST a game folks. And a damn good one at that. [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

[Lyra]

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

I ran into a BIG issue very early. I mean, I love the idea of a guide intended for new players (especially one written BY a new player), but the "play a character to make money so that you can make the character you really want" is almost certainly bad advice.

It takes so much time in p99 to level up, to get gear, to make money, to do ANYTHING really, that you really should be playing whatever it is that you have fun with rather than doing something that is strictly a grind to try to do something else that's fun 3 months down the line. Etc.

I leveled druid first, she's 51. Then leveled a cleric. She's 57. It was a great strategy for me. I'm still playing after 8 months, unlike so so many that have quit.

[webrunner5]

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

I leveled druid first, she's 51. Then leveled a cleric. She's 57. It was a great strategy for me. I'm still playing after 8 months, unlike so so many that have quit.

I must admit I NEVER have crap for plat till I leveled up my Druid. But I am sort of a alt whore!! [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

[Laugher]

Step 1: as a nub: make druid, get to at least 39 for full portage options, 49 for optional buffage for donations
Step 2: port/buff until rich and/or well off
Step 3: make the class you actually want to play; give away a couple buffs and ports for free because you're now 99 ingame bourgeoisie

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

(Unless you want to be a druid, in which case just gear out and keep on winning.)