That it's just not really possible for me to level up "fairly" and still expect to contribute to the guild.

I have, up until this point at least, tried to refrain from using macros for gathering/running skills or leveling up weapon skills by beating on fellow alliance people.

I'm thinking that this was a bad strategy becuase I see everyone else is WAY further ahead of me in terms of skills and gold.

So I guess I'm writing this for two reasons:

1) I caution new players, unless you're planning on sitting at your computer and playing 12-13 hours a day, just suck up your pride and use/work with other players to build your basic skills up. It's just not going to happen at PvE mobs legitly. You'll find that all the starter mobs are camped, or you're going to be fighting a mob and three others will spawn and you'll end up dying and losing your stuff. If neither of those things happen, you'll realize that every hour or so, a red player will run through the starter areas and slaughter everyone who is fighting the starter mobs and steal all their gold.

2) I plan on bugging some people into helping me build my rigor/weapon skills the next time I'm on and playing. (either tonight or tomorrow night). Oh, I also plan on bugging someone into teaching me how to install and run a macro so that I can work on various skills.

That is all.

Macros have been nerfed severly. About the only thing I macro anymore is magic.

Skills are best leveled in large PVE groups.

Ive been playing since beta, and day 2 of release. My weapon skill is only 65, archery at 60, and high levels in magic (which I don't use much yet in PVP). This game is alot more about actual player skill and experience in batte than it is weapon skills and such. Gear is important, but its easily gotten and lost.

Dunlop is right about that. Weapon skill, Magic and Archery are all aspects of the game that DOESN'T need to be maxed out in order to be effective in player versus player. This game is about player skill a lot more than people give it credit for.

There is, however, one LARGE exception.

Mana to Stam. You need to macro, or grind to it, ASAP - especially for smaller engagements ... can't tell you how many 1v1s i've survived because I'd continue kiting and using Mana to Stam. Even with the higher stam regen, mana to stam should be used constantly, even if your only at half stam.

I haven't macro'd weapon skill or defense. All of my skill ups have come in pvp or pve with the exception of 1 pt that I macro'd from 74-75.
If you are getting killed at a mob spawn you are farming you need to duo or find more to take with you.
We have people fresh into DFO that come to our highest lvl pve camps and make bank - someone joked their entire in-game net worth doubled with one split in a clan pve group.
These kgbers are not "geared" and do not have weeks of macro time in they are 2-3 days into the game.
Not to be critical of the poster but anyone who thinks they can come in DFO and solo their way is going to be somewhat disappointed that they are constantly owned out by themselves.
Even if you are out chopping wood - group up for common defense and stay near others so they know where you are and can help.
Tasho/Jaguar is going to be coordinating resource and farming groups as soon as his pc is put together - join his groups when you can.
I can also say people who are thriving in DFO and progressing well seem to be active in clan groups.
I wonder what the normal play time is for the poster?
See me in game I can help with some basic gear and can get you started in more successful farming areas.
Hang in there Keemosabi.

Hey Hare, anyone mind sharing those higher difficulty mobs that we can solo so easily? I hear of people doing this but they are not willing to share the info. *cough* REP *cough*

I think this info can really benefit the guild but several people are keeping this stuff secret so they won't have their spot camped.

You're right about skills. But attributes are really importants, and to get them I'd say that you should go archery after getting 50 (or 75) LM : you'll need arrows and to make arrows you need to mine and cut wood which are 2 good strength and vitality booster.

Another important spell : stamina to health. You can cast it a lot contrary to self heal.

Well the poster can only play a couple of hours at a time because he has a girlfriend who doesn't really like him playing computer games

I probably play 10-12 hours a week, which I know isn't nearly as much as others in the guild. I also generally get on for 3-4 hours at a time when I do play (because gf is working)


My problem is that I can solo well enough at goblins/bone knights/skeleton's by myself, but as soon as I really get into a groove, a group of 2-3 people comes and either runs me off, or they just poach all the kills and steal all the loot while I'm fighting mobs.

My weapon skill is only at 12-13 for polearm and around 18 for swords because of this.


My point was that in pretty much every other MMORPG, I've been able to just slowly get up to max level by myself or with small groups along the way, and it's been easy to contribute to the guild while doing this... DFO just doesn't allow someone to do that, you pretty much need to group up with a couple of people at all times if you want to make any real progress. More of a warning to new players then anything else.

Stam to Health is another Staple, fast cast, fast cooldown, 20+ HP

That spell + basic heal self + a pot is what the high end merc guilds do behind a rock to charge back out 15 seconds later with near full HP

You know, I have to admit it: For the past 12 years that I've played MMOs, I really wish there was at least one or two decent MMOs where you couldn't get your stamina back via some spell or potion; where you couldn't get a nice chunk of your health back via potion or spell; or where the word POT or POTION was never used because it simply didn't exist. I honestly wish that players would simply have to either:

A. Fight to the death
B. Use unit-battle tactics that revolved solely around substantial physics like melee or archery rather than based on how much food they ate or their potion count
C. Hit and run with the hopes of being able to replenish their energy/stam the old fashioned way: Mending & Resting.

When I enter an MMO and discover that I constantly need to check my pots/food/spells etc in order to remain competitive, about 50% of my drive to even bother playing has gone away. I guess I'm just a huge fan of FPS games, and it's a real pity there aren't any large-scale, good ancient or medieval-based FPS/TPS out there where you can conquer territory.

If you cycle basic heal self + stam to health, you can regain health in no time flat.

The least used, and most important tactic, however - is to continualty casting mana to stam, even when your at half stam, so your fights will last longer. Anyone who's seen Ky Ky's video, will notice that he starts using mana to stam VERY early, aka, 3/4th stam bar, so when it gets down to the longer end of the duels, he has tiwce as much stam as other guys who haven't been using mana to stam.

This is why, I think, why it may seem that some players (like the mercs) have infinate stam, when in reality they are just better at stam conservation and quick mana to stam.

If you set up your hotbars right, you can easily switch to your staff, hit mana to stam, then back to your weapon in under 2-3 seconds.

**

I need to level up stam to health and basic health, but I heard the combination of those, later on, is preety freeking uber. (like Derid said)

**

To Crim: I do feel you. I was hardcore FPS before and after Shadowbane dwindled down, but at the same time, the stam system the reality of the game. If there wasn't any stam or health conservation, then I wouldn'e be paying a montly fee for this game - because it wouldn't be an mmo it would be a single player game. As much as it may sound bad, keeping your stam and health up via pots and spells are the FIRST thing people should learn, even before actually fighting.

I really wish there was an easier pot timer, I never can count 2 minutes off in my head. Maybe it's time for a macro or something to keep track.

I know your pain Tonto, and fully expect that when I am able to play more regularly I will find I am having the same issues, however as has been said by others I think the key is to team up ftw, and join bigger higher end groups as a leech for gear, many of the more skilled KGB have often said in vent that they have more then enough junk or lower end gear to spare, it's usually the gold, matierials, and high end gear they want anyhow.

Another thing about combat, and don't know if it has already been said but you can't stress it enough : food.
Always be on food buff, to ease your management : eat before engagement, then eat again like 1mn later so you have 2 icon (only one bonus tho), when one disappear, eat.

They don't stack btw, so don't overdue it. The two icon thing is a bug, but what Arkh said it's right, good thing to time so your always eating food.

Plus, the final advice that's the bottom line - you need to go out and go on the offensive to get better at pvp. You are NOT going to get good by only defending or by going on sieges.(because they lag so much, you can't do much anyway)

Advice is good and all, but it's better to play and experiment for yourself. Nothing replaces offensive, PROACTIVE pvp.

<-- Guilty.

I am in the same boat Tonto ... if we catch up in game, I'd be willing to just hang out in town smacking each other around & casting to raise skills\stats.

THIS IS KEY!

Play the game, and your skills will rise.

Truth! I've just started, and have been grinding archery, but I only have it to the low 30's. Yesterday, I had just finished crafting a couple hundred arrows when the call went out that gankers were in town attacking macroers by the bank. I pulled out my freshly crafted newbie bow, and jumped into the fight. Within 30 seconds, I had 3 new kills on my list.

Now these were not solo kills, by any stretch, as other more skilled KGB members had already beat them down significantly, but even with my puny skills, I was able to not only contribute to the fight, but also to actually bring 3 people down, freeing up our more experienced fighters to go engage other targets.

Compare that to a game like WoW, where someone who is level 6 trying to hit a level 40 with a bow may as well be shooting spit wads for all the good it does.

This is a great game! My new routine will include keeping a a store of arrows and a new bow on me as I macro magic, and whenever the call goes out for city defense, I'll be there!

Plink!