Some tips on Everquest 2 platinum making

How to get the most in-game currency of Everquest 2.

This is based on the experience I had on the several MMO's I played, and each of it I always managed to have enough in-game currency to not feel broke.

For instance, Everquest 2. It's been a while since I played EQ2 regularly, but when I did I would have no big issues making platinum. And since SOE implemented the mercenaries (computer controlled group member), things went even easier. 

First and foremost, you need to have a good soloing class. In my experience I used either a Shadowknight or a Bruiser, but I also did some solo runs with other classes. But for a new player one of those two would be the best bet. When it finally is level 90 at least, just look for a friendly crafter and ask him to craft you some average player-made armor and you should be set to do it. After that, get an healer mercenary. I would recommend the Inquisitor in Freeport, heals nicely and cures a lot. 

I would start to make a run to the easiest dungeons like The Erudin Library in Stonebrunt Highlands, The Forge in Lavastorm or Obelisk of Azkul at Moors of Ykesha (be aware that Obelisk wont scale to 90 as The Forge so when you zone in, I think most will be gray for you, unless you mentor). Since we are running for the chest with platinum in the zone, it really doesn't matter what level the mobs are as long as they are 80 up. Before mercenaries, for me it would be a bit of a pain doing this, since the Key mob that we need to kill for the chest, usually would cast on me mind control and would just kill me. Now with the mercenary, it will just cure it off. Also, any master you happen to drop, if they are level 86 up they might worth some platinum on broker, so hold to them. Below that level well, check it, otherwise get your muting skills up and mute them for materials. Same thing for gear, just mute them all. If things go smooth on this 3 dungeons which can be done in like 1 hour or so, you will probably stash around 20 platinum. Not much for a long time veteran but good for a new player. And considering you can reset most dungeons (except Obelisk) after 90 minutes, you can grind it a bit. Plus the gear drop and such, you might be able to do some platinum easily.

Another zone, this one slightly more complicated, and only possible thanks to the mercenary, is doing the raid zone, Shard of Hate. You will need a bit more gear then for the dungeons, but after you feel you are ready, you can go here and do at least the first 3 bosses for more 20 platinum. 

I usually, when enter, do the boss on the right side, Dreadlord D'Somni. Basically put yourself in a corner to avoid the big knockback and burn it down. Second one Demetrius Crane, you go back to the entrance and take the left side. Pass under a arch and go up a stairs, he is there alone waiting. Tank, spank, but he will swap to your mercenary, due to mechanics of the fight - heals aggro - just don't let your healer die and you will be fine. The third one, Master P'Tasa, this is the hardest of the three I do. And sometimes things go wrong on this one. He will, most of the times, cast a curse on you and your mercenary which will decrease your health progressively. It wont be cured, the best bet will be for you to die before your mercenary and if you are lucky he will resurrect you fast enough for you to recover and still save the die. If you mercenary dies  too soon, you better just reset the fight, unless you manage to kill it. The first two are easy, this third one is a bit harder, but doable anyways.

Yet another zone, is Protector's Realm, but this zone requires you to have a player healer with you to resurrect an Npc  The mercenary won't work. If you can box a second account, you could use it for this. Be sure to talk with the npc's at the room where you need to resurrect the other Npc  and grab the shard. If you noticed there are 4 rooms before with some skeleton statues. Since you have the shard now with you, if you enter any of those rooms they will come alive and start kicking you. 3 of them are fairly easy, the 4th one, the first on the right when you enter, could pose more problems. The other 3 just tank and spank and try doing it on a corner, cause they have annoying spells and knock backs. The hard one, well the bastard has a one shot spell that usually will kill most tanks. The best class for this fight is the Bruiser since it has a lot of protection spells that work great on this fight. I don't have any timer on my game, but there are timers out there and you could control when the mob would make the one shot skill and try to protect yourself over it. With an Shadowknight, if you manage to have 3 persons in your group, you should be OK thanks to Bloodletter. That done, go back to the room where the Npc's are and again interact with the Npc's. Wait inside the room while they leave, and get ready to fight the big snake which is lying on the floor. Again put yourself on a corner and burn it down. That done, continue further in until you find the pack of Npc's but this time they are hostile. Just be ready for a fight with a lot of mind control, aggro reset and a lot of knock back. The order which you should kill is Frogloks, Blorgok, Jracol, Meldrath and Ludmila. After you kill these, you will get a Staff of Sounding, which is important for the last fight. You will need to use to clear the passage for the last boss, Imzok's Revenge. This fight again, would be adviceable to tank on a corner due to knock backs. Also at 35% the boss will go immune and 2 pillars will pop up. You will need to get near those pillars and use again the Staff of Sounding. Be aware that it might not work at first so you might need to use a couple of times. That done, burn it down to the ground. If everything goes right, you should have stashed more then 100 platinum on this run.

Oh and I nearly forgot, whenever you open a chest that contains platinum, be sure to suspend your mercenary unless you wanna split the spoils with him :p

I would like to make a few videos of it, if I got the chance. If I do I will post it here and on Youtube.

EQ2 Iceshard Keep

I've done this zone already a lot of times, but i think it's still useful to put off some info on it, for future references.

It's the first zone from the three in Kael Drakkel. The other two are, Throne of Storms and Temple of Zek, which i intend on giving a few strategies on them.

This zone, compared to the other 2, is easier, but still have some names that can give to some troubles, to less geared people.

The map of zone is marked with a number referring to each named. Note there is no specific order on names.

As soon as entering the zone, we will face the first named (1) Krindem Sigmundr. Until few time ago, this named had some knock back, which would need to be tank at a corner, by entrance. But since it was removed, it can be straight burned out.

Proceed in but be careful, at top of first stairs. There are 2 guards standing, and on each 2 patrols that can be easily missed. Pull the guards, if you can avoid the patrols first. Giants can be mezzed or charmed.

Proceeding in, go for named (2) Sjurd Randskeggr. It will stand on top of a platform. You can use the elevator to get it, or simply do a pet pull if any available. The named itself is a standard tank and spank fight. I assumed you cleared all giants in rooms before pulling names. ;) Shard chest is in this room between barrels.

Going back now to named (3) Grundr Kolfrodr. The room of this one, is the same as the previous one, although the fight has a small difference. When fighting the named, he will spawn on ground some embers, which everyone must stand clear of it, before they go off, or they will hurt, and in some cases even kill one or two. Besides that, nothing more to had.

The named (4) Vilmen Riggandr, can present some difficulties to some tanks. First off is advisable to tank it between beds in the room, to avoid the massive knock back. Secondly the named will be constantly doing some memwipes, so it will probably present some problems at times. Those are the main concerns for this fight. Also the key mob rooms this room, between two beds (* symbol).

Halkon Tormax (5) is probably the hardest named fight on this zone. It's set with 2 adds linked, that will need to be killed before named. The issue here is the great amount of damage on tank if less geared, and the big power drain that the group can suffer. Also there is a random teleport on a member that doesn't seem to give much problems. I usually tank it below the weapon rack and ask the group members to stand by the table chair in front of me.

The last named (6), Praefectus Kriegr is a slighter easier fight then the previous one. First off be sure to tank the named at some wall to avoid knock backs. Then during the fight, the named will pop adds. If you have good dps, just burn out the named, otherwise it's better to kill them or they will buff the named and make your job much harder.

And that's about it, zone itself can be done really fast, if with a high dps group, but still has a lot of trash that needs clearing. Be careful pulling trash, cause giants are social, and you can easily have an entire room on you if you badly pull one giant.

Hope you have fun doing this zone! :)

Hold of Rime: The Fortress Spire

I'll be posting the strategies on different dungeons either group or raid from Everquest 2.

Today we have Hold of Rime: The Fortress Spire.

This zone is of middle difficulty. There is at least one hard boss fight but the rest is quite doable. Mind the epics while heading for this named!

Agna Icespear - It's basically a tank  and spank fight, although the name will port on timer. Just wait till he stops porting and get back on him. Mind the frontals and keep always near him.

Dockmaster Jit'coel - Tank and spank, whenever someone is in a ice cube, destroy the cube.

Abelbrown the Bookie and Quanth Coldblade - Have MT tank Quanth when he gets up (80% from Abelbrown health) and make them go steady at the same time to 0. Anyone can tank Abelbrown. Just be sure they are spread away from each other or they will heal themselves. Oh someone be ready to put up 1 plat to start this fight! :p

Bouont Crushingfist - Named and 3 adds, mezz the adds, tank the named. Kill one add at a time while name is imune to damage. If you can take all 3, even better, just burn the adds. After adds, tank named, the named will port to a platform, need to do 3 clickies at the same time to make him come down. Rest just dps. It's the hardest fight here.

Grand Restorer Lingwal - In this arena, there are several platforms all around. Just have your group standing there, while tank tanks the named near middle. Randomly the name will port to middle, tank runs to group on platform to avoid some AoE. Easy fight.

Et voila, this was a fast run down over the fights on Fortress Spire. Grats on loot! ;)

PS: This post can also be found on my other blog: Bibora at the "MMOsphere"

First pack of tips for Everquest 2

Since it's the game i play the most at the moment, it would only seem natural i start on this one.

So my first batch of tips will go for those who are just starting the game.

- There are 4 starting zones at the moment, for good or neutral Greater Faydark and New Halas, for evil and neutral Darklight Wood, Timorous Deep. For evil my pick would be Timorous Deep, for good New Halas. Those offer the best experience for a new player in my book;

- Since EQ2 offers a huge number of different classes, it's better to just give a small list of what's easy or not. So here goes:

• Easy: Conjuror/Necromancer, Shadowknight/Paladin, Inquisitor, Wizard
• Medium: Fury (as DPS), Coercer/Illusionist, Warlock, Mystic/Defiler
• Hard: Troubador/Dirge, Guardian, Fury/Warden, Brigand/Swashbuckler

Note that not all the classes are here, since i don't have feedback to all type yet, but this should give you an idea;

- If you get one adept book for a spell below level 10, which is not your class, sell it on broker. Lots of players are trying to raise there transmuting skill and rather then grinding the stuff needed, some might just buy off broker;

- If you, however, want to raise transmuting, mute everything you get, it won't be enough...;

- Get those AA! I know you are tempted to reach the cap level as soon as possible, but don't forget a level 90 character with 100 AA is near useless. Any quests or name's with star you can grab, do it;

- Use the chronomasters! Mentor can help you doing lower level stuff, for AA and experience. Mentor low level players also;

- For a melee class, time your auto-attacks with combat abilities in between;

- Grab anything you can, either to sell it on vendor or broker. Every penny counts;

- If you into crafting, the first thing you gonna need is raw materials. There are two ways, grind all the way up, or just join a guild. Most guilds have an hall that will allow you to access their material depot, that will save you a lot of work. If you end up going for gathering, be sure to get also the Gathering Obsession quest line from Island of Mara;

- Races are not important, but a Ratonga is always cool; :p

For help, just leave a comment here, i will contact you the way see fit. Just know i play on Splitpaw.

Purpose of this Blog

The general purpose of this blog will be to share tips and strategies for any MMO i play. This type of info will be posted here, and share with you all.