DAOC: Uthgard Revamp

[Cookiefist]

I remember when DAOC came out during EQ generation. Lots of my guild mates quit so we had to recruit more members to raid. A month later most of them came back lol.

Anywho, How does the PVE aspect suck and the PVP shines? Usually its the other way around...

[Erasong]

new to DAoC. i stayed with eq when this originally launched and i lost a few eq buds to it. would really like to give it a try now.

[Scrooge]

For those who missed this info:

There's currently some difference of choice as far as which realm we'll be going to, I though we all wanted to go Midgard, but some are leaning towards Albion and Hibernia as well.

So if you guys want to level and/or pvp with our group right from the start, just specify what you would play in all 3 realms as a first/main char. Some people intend on playing 2 classes too, one with the group, and one when the rest aren't around, so as to stay within 3-4 levels of the rest of the group.

So if we end up going to a realm other than Midgard, we can plan ahead which class roles we want to fill like so;

Midgard: Augmentation Healer (battle healer) / Skald (bard type)
Albion: Armsman (pure tank) / Minstrel (bard type) / Sorceror (main CC of Albion)
Hibernia: Mentalist / Warden (battle healer type)

If you need more info on what classes can do, this char builder is most compatible with Uthgard (with exception of the [C] classes, those won't be available.)

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We're going to need volunteers for the following group/guild slots, regardless of which realm we'll go to:

Primary Healing:
Secondary Healing:
Primary Crowd Control:
Secondary Crowd Control:
Primary Bomber:
Secondary Bomber:
Primary Shield Tank:
Secondary Shield Tank:
General Melee DPS:
General Caster DPS:

Main Healers: Druid/Hib, Cleric/Alb, Healer/Mid
+Druid Regrowth Spec
+Cleric Rejuvenation Spec
+Healer Mending Spec

Main Buffers: Druid/Hib, Cleric/Alb, Shaman/Mid
+Druid Regrowth Spec
+Cleric Enhancement Spec
+Shaman Augmentation Spec

Main CCers: Bard/Hib, Sorceror/Alb, Healer/Mid
+Bard Music Spec (are also Hibernia's primary speed class)
+Sorceror Mind Spec
+Healer Pacification Spec
+All 3 of these classes come with mana-regen spells/songs.

Main Bombers: Enchanter & Eldritch/Hib, Wizard/Alb, Spiritmaster/Mid
+Enchanter & Eldritch Mana Spec
+Wizard Path of Ice Spec
+Spiritmaster Suppression Spec

Main Shield Tanks: Hero/Hib, Armsman/Alb, Warrior/Mid
+Requires 42+ Shield Spec for Slam (9s anytime stun at L42)


Main Bombers = PBAOE damage casters = strongest and fastest damage output in the game. Provides not only for fun PvP but also very fast leveling, for those familiar with the EQ bomb groups, it's very similar but without the AE stun (except for Mids, Midgard Healers get AE stuns.)

[Scrooge]

I recommend everyone who's new to the game, or hasn't played in a very long time, to check out the official site for Classes/Races and what they can do, etc.

Classes & Races,

I'll reserve this post for the list of names in this thread who'd like to give this a go, if there's anyone missing let me know. "Name - Class choices"

Scrooge - Mentalist (hib)
Weekapaug - bard/hero/ranger/druid, cleric/merc/minst
Caridry - ?
mrgoochio - ?
foxxhound
Ugrask - dps
Lyrith - CC/Healer
Scikala
Zade - primary healer/dps, his friend - ?
fishingme - scout, valewalker/animist/enchanter, bonedancer/thane
Leeyuuduu
phacemeltar - CC/dps/utility
Sssleeve
Nihilist_santa (mid)
Erasong - ?
Cookiefist - ?

[Scrooge]

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

I remember when DAOC came out during EQ generation. Lots of my guild mates quit so we had to recruit more members to raid. A month later most of them came back lol.

Anywho, How does the PVE aspect suck and the PVP shines? Usually its the other way around...

Unlike EQ, DAoC was made around the aspect of 'Realm vs Realm' PvP, so those people trying the game for the first time and coming from EQ, will find the PvE to be much simpler. I wouldn't say that DAoC PvE sucks, it's just different in it's own way.

There are 3 different Weapon damage types, like Slash, Crush, and Thrust. Certain types of mobs (pve) may be either weak or strong to a certain damage type, you can see it like 'You hit a skeleton for 8 (-5) damage," which would mean there's a penalty for using such a weapon against such a mob type. Most of the time it's just simple logic, using a hammer to crush a skeleton's bones.

This is also true for PvP, certain Armor is weak/strong against certain Weapon damage. It may seem complex at first, but it's quite easy once you learn the works. This kind of knowledge can have quite an impact on what types of weapons to use in what kind of situation, be it PvE or PvP.

The RvR (pvp) can only be done in RvR enabled zones, such as the frontiers, Darkness Falls (dungeon), as well as the 3 frontier dungeons, 1 per each realm's frontier.

The RvR system however is quite complex; every realm has it's own frontier, and each frontier is made up of 4 zones. Though unlike in EQ, there are no zone lines in the open world, you only have to "zone in" to dungeons, or if you're teleporting to an outpost located in the enemy frontier. Each realm also has it's own keeps, which can be taken over by the enemy and claimed for their guild, the guild's banners will be shown all over said keep. There's actual siege warfare in this game, where you can 'craft' siege rams to break the doors, catapults, ballistas, etc.

There are 7 keeps per frontier, as well as 2 Relic keeps - which house 1 Relic each per realm, 1 Strength Relic and 1 Magic Relic, when every realm owns both their relics, there's a neutral balance. If you take 1 enemy Strengh Relic, your entire realm's melee damage will go up 5%, and 10% if you take both.

Also, whichever realm owns the most keeps, will open up access to the PvP Dungeon called 'Darkness Falls,' it's a very large dungeon, and a very popular place to XP/RvR in.

When we'll be leveling up, there are these RvR zones separate from the open realm, the battlegrounds (BGs.) Each BG has a level range, like L20-L30 for instance, and a keep in the middle of the zone. Whichever realm owns that keep, will grant a realm-wide 25% XP bonus for that level range. Certain zones also have their own passive XP bonuses, and the keeps taken in the frontier grant some bonuses as well, all those XP bonuses stack.

So if Darkness Falls has a 25% XP bonus, and we own the BG keep for our level range, we'll have a 50% XP bonus just like that. That's why I don't consider Uthgard XP to be that difficult like some people say, there are always ways to make the experience go faster if that's what you want, although I personally prefer to XP in various zones, and the BGs, to keep things interesting.

[Scrooge]

The PvP system in this game has it's own XP bar, filled by killing players obviously, but every bubble of XP you fill (10% of a level), you gain 1 RA point, which is the equivalent of EQ AAs basically. There are lots of different AAs; some are unique to certain classes, others can only be obtained at certain PvE levels, and then there are those which have pre-requirements of having other RAs (the new RA system did away with things like this, but from what I've read about the revamp - the old RA system is making a comeback.)

Some people will tell you that a certain class has to have this and that RAs just to be able to PvP, but that's mostly BS, it all comes down to your personal play style combined with prioritizing certain RAs over others. I tend to invest points into something which helps me not only PvP better, but PvE better too, like if you're a caster. a healer, or even a hybrid class that uses mana, then passive mana regen is a must imo, think of it like Flowing Thought or that other AA whose name I've forgotten.

There are 5 levels of passive abilities, every level costs more points than the one before it, and even if you were to obtain as many RA points as the game allows, you'll never be able to have ALL the abilities. That's one of the major differences between EQ and DAoC, in EQ you can max out all your skills and AAs over time, but in DAoC it all comes down to choices; choosing which skills you'll have from leveling and which skills you'll have from RvR.

[FoxxHound]

^^ DAoC has always been about making wise choices for your playstyle. Even when ToA came out artifacts had cooldown timers like RAs. You have to choose the right time to use them when they are needed.
Hell even with stats you are making a choice. It's not like you can have +500 str. So you need to try to hit cap, and then figure out what you want for your next stat or resist cap. Yay for DAoC min-maxing.

[Scrooge]

It's true that stats are important, but some people go crazy with the min-maxing, when there's really no need. One other thing I need to add to the gear/stat sphere, is that there is a limit to how much benefit each stat can gain from item stat bonuses, that limit is 75 on Uthgard @ L50. So if you have enough gear to have +100 str, you'll still only get the benefit of 75 max, that's why the initial stat placement on char creation, will affect how far you can take it later on.

Every level your item/buff stat bonus cap is increased, that cap is also there for stats from buffs, so if you're being buffed by high level buffs, you won't get the full benefit either. The only buffs that give "full benefit" regardless of target level are non-stat buffs; POM (purity of mind, aka clarity), Haste, Resist buffs, and Songs/Chants.

[backman_66]

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

Friend of mine has created a poll for US players who'd be interested in playing Uthgard 2.0 once it's up, to see which realm the US players would prefer to start out in. He chose Hibernia, but he might change his mind if we have a bunch of us going to one realm together.

So pick whatever realm you feel like going to, regardless of where we'll be going so we can see which realm will have the most US players at the beginning, those of us who actually read the Uthgard forums anyway.

In which realm are you going to play?

I'm still unsure about which realm me and and the rest of my friends will be going to, it'll probably be Hibernia also, but it could be Midgard too...not all of them are US players either! My individual choice will be for Hibernia! for the time being, but if I had to say which realm on Uthgard I enjoyed the most community-wise, in all the years I've played there prior, I'd have to say it was Hibernia.

Also keep in mind that the revamped Uthgard will feature classic style RAs, so each realm will have it's unique class appointed abilities (e.g. Bards get Amellorating Mellodies, Skalds get Anger of the Gods, Minstrels get Speed of Sound.) So before you make your choices, look up the info for the classes you intend on playing, so you'll know what to expect.

There's also a possibility of changing the realms if we're not enjoying our original choices, so if we pick Midgard and end up not liking what we see, we'll reroll into another realm if need be. Leveling on Uthgard isn't hard at all if you're xpin with friends and people you know!

Let us know what realm and classes you'd prefer in this thread, regardless whether you vote in the poll at the Uthgard forums.

Hey guys, I'm the one that made the poll on Uthgard that Scrooge was referring to. I'll be playing on Hibernia no matter what (Sorry), I just want to experience my favorite realm from the start of a fresh launch and it's gonna be the best experience possible for me to have in that realm.

Not sure which classes I'm going to roll first, I mained an Eldritch on Uthgard previously, which is a ton of fun, but it's a tough class and I'm not the very best micro-manager in fights. They have a lot of duties to perform, but they have tons of utility and so much potential. I was thinking of maybe rolling a def tank like a Hero, or maybe a BM. Dunno yet. I don't really like playing a dedicated healer role in DAoC. Warden is a possibility, but they are pretty looked down upon at 50 RvR since they can't spec into Shields.

I'm in CST timezone and my playtimes would vary depending on if I'm working that day or not. I plan to make Uthgard my new home for the next couple years in the gaming world. Really looking forward to this fresh start and being able to be on par with everyone from the beginning. I really hope that we can get a solid guild formed up with lots of members.

If you haven't tried DAoC before, this is your chance to get a perfect introduction to the game. This would be similar to a P99 wipe and fresh start. It will be a unique experience that you don't want to miss out on.

[Nirgon]

Turns into a private 1v1 or group v group club every single time. No thanks.