Flailing around in MMORPG hell !

[sskek]

Hi all,

I'm having real problems decided what game to play at the moment. I've quit AC1, AC2, AO, Eve, SWG beta (if you can quit a beta) and EQ over the past few months. I'm in danger of re-discovering a social life, so urgent action is needed !

More or less the only major game I haven't played of late is DAoC. I'm almost certainly going to buy it today so could use some advice. Here's a few starter questions...

What character classes are good at soloing right the way up to 50, and also trade skilling ? That can include SI chars as well.

I tend to lean towards melee/hybrid types but will try anything that works well I'd like to be useful in RvR as well.

Which server would be best for a UK based n00b?

Will I ever be competitive in RvR with the level 50s who have been around for ages? I'm not sure how significant the realm points are in terms of character power.

Any other advice would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Sskek.

 

[chretien]

This site should answer most of your questions as to what the various classes are about - the FAQ especially is a great resource for new players. I'd say pick the class you like the look of best and go with it. Some classes are frightening at solo PVE (Necros spring to mind) but generally there's a trade off and classes that are great at PVE tend to be less great at RvR and vice versa - most stealther types for instance have trouble getting groups up to 45 but rule in the frontier.
As to realm ranks and RvR effectiveness, then yes a higher RR player will usually win against a lower ranked opponent 1v1 but most engagements (unless you're an assassin class) aren't 1v1. Group tactics, individual player skill, who sees who first and blind luck are usually the determining factors in most RvR encounters so a reasonably balanced group of 50s can usually expect to do well no matter who they come up against.
All classes can learn at least one trade skill, if you want to do trade skilling then the trade you want to do will limit the choice of class (unless you make an alt specifically for crafting) Here is a reasonably comprehensive guide to how to do crafting along with the table of which classes can do which trade.
As for servers I'd recommend Prydwen, but if you already know people who play you'd be better off joining their realm and server.
Final advice, don't read these forums too much. You'll get a very skewed view of the game and on top of that we're all bastards.

 

[mirieth]

Originally posted by chretien
You'll get a very skewed view of the game and on top of that we're all bastards.

I'd recommend a Paladin if you decide on Albion, great in both PvE and RvR and has all the hybrid/tankyness you could ask for.

 

[Pin]

Originally posted by sskek
What character classes are good at soloing right the way up to 50, and also trade skilling ? That can include SI chars as well.

For the most part, the ones who are good at solo levelling are not the best for the end-game (though there are some exceptions). This is largely a good thing as DAOC is not a solo PvP game, it's group-based and realm-based. You need to work with other people in order to succeed (again with a few exceptions - e.g. rogues).

Trade-skilling in DAOC is not based upon class beyond a basic restriction of which class can do which skill - basically if your class can use the items you can start with that tradeskill (e.g. casters can't be weaponsmiths, etc).

Originally posted by sskek
I tend to lean towards melee/hybrid types but will try anything that works well I'd like to be useful in RvR as well.

Coming from Albion I would recommend a Reaver. One of the most fun and rewarding classes I have played.

Originally posted by sskek
Which server would be best for a UK based n00b?

I play solely on Excalibur so can't comment on this too much, except to say that Excalibur has generally a higher population than Prydwen, and could be classed as being a little over-crowded at peak times (at least in some RvR zones - though not all, and not all the time, etc).

Originally posted by sskek
Will I ever be competitive in RvR with the level 50s who have been around for ages? I'm not sure how significant the realm points are in terms of character power.

Realm points do make a difference, but player-skill and experience make at least as much. If you have taken time to learn your character well, learn how to work with other members of your groups and gain some experience you will be able to compete. But certainly don't expect to walk out the first day you hit 50 and win everything - this won't happen.

Originally posted by sskek
Any other advice would be appreciated.

I would advice against playing an assassin (or any solo stealth-class for that matter). After playing one for 9+ months I can say that this part of the game is completely shot to pieces - mainly due to everyone and his mother playing one.

 

[mib666]

Originally posted by sskek

What character classes are good at soloing right the way up to 50, and also trade skilling ? That can include SI chars as well.

Which server would be best for a UK based n00b?

Without a shadow of a doubt a Necro (Albion) is the best Solo class for PVE, not so hot at RVR but I have fun with mine.

TBH id suggest Excalibur, Prydwen is the unofficial role playing server and rather underpopulated.

Other than that welcome to DAOC

 

[old.TeaSpoon]

Re: Re: Flailing around in MMORPG hell !

Originally posted by mib666
Prydwen is the unofficial role playing server

And thats a reason to not play there why?

 

[rynnor]

On soloing I think the pet classes are pretty much the best soloers in each realm although the only classes that really struggle to solo are the stealthers - its certainly a lot easier to solo in DAOC than EQ for example.

Tradeskills - If you play a Tank/Hybrid your best trades will be Armour/Weaponcrafting/Alchemy if you go caster its Tailoring/Spellcrafting. Its probably better to start on one of the original trades as you can at least run consignments to earn the cash to craft - the new skills (alchemy/spellcrafting) dont allow this.

You should start on either Prydwen or Excaliber - speaking for Midgard our best soloer is the Bonedancer (SI) - generally speaking the SI classes of each realm are a bit more powerfull than the non-SI classes (except the enchanter ).

If you want a good melee class why not try the Savage (Midgard) or Mercenary (Alb) or Hero (hib) - probably in that order but thats just my opinion.

Welcome to Daoc anyway!

 

[old.Hardbein]

Re: Re: Flailing around in MMORPG hell !

Originally posted by mib666
Prydwen is the unofficial role playing server and rather underpopulated.

Other than that welcome to DAOC

Correction: Prydwen is the "non-zerg server"...where we use skill instead of numbers in RvR combat. Yes we have some roleplayers here but that just gives the comunity here something special.


Solo PvE chars:
Albion: Necro (sucks in RvR tho)
Midgard: Bonedancer (Solo RvR almost unkillable, Grouped ~average)
Hibernia: dunno tbh

^^ these r casters tho, for Hybrids I would suggest Paladin (Alb), Savage (Mid).

If u come Prydwen u should realy move Hibernia....they need more numbers and they have a very friendly comunity (well most of it).

And yes welcome to DAoC

 

[Aileanara]

If you fancy fighting for the under dogs come to Hibernia on Prydwen. We have the lowest population and could do with some new blood.

 

[szerena]

Ssek, Nice to see that I am not the only n00b to Daoc (if you decide to buy it, that is..)!.. Welcome!

Final advice, don't read these forums too much. You'll get a very skewed view of the game and on top of that we're all bastards.

LOL, True!! *s*

 

[old.Vae]

Prydwen was originally designated the unofficial roleplay server by the players. This does not mean that the server is all roleplay - in fact the roleplayers are in a minority with only a couple of guilds per realm or so. In practice this means that the population tends to be more mature and sensible than the excalibur servers which have a rep as being 1337. I think Nightchill has a nice quote from Damini (a forum mod) in his sig which nicely shows the difference between the servers.

Excal has a larger population though and thus more potential for RP earning. At one point they were earning the most RP's of all the servers in the world although how much of this is due to huge zergs in emain is another question


Edit - Found that quote:

"I find it rather depressing when you can tell the difference between an excal thread and a pry thread by the content alone. Please don't use our forums to call people retards."
- Damini

 

[mestoph]

I find it best to play both servers. For newbies its sometimes better to play on a bigger population server for a couple of weeks, just to get use to things. As you can really find it hard on pywd sometimes. I've gone for hours without seeing people out of towns and dungeons on pryd/hib. Most guilds on Excal have a branch on one of the pryd realms and so you can find your feet that way.

As for a class. If you want to group quickly make a cleric type. You'll get a group easy, but soloing is crap. On Alb, reaver/paladin are your best hybrid tanks for soloing as well as grouping. Pet classes are excellent for soloing, but make sure you have some tailoring supplies around coz, boy can it get boring sometimes. I soloed my wiz to 50th and i mean all the way with no hassle at all. It took about 8 days play time to get to 50.

 

[SilverHood]

most hybrids in daoc suck so bad its not even funny

exception being the albion pally and friar, the hibernian champion, and the midgard uhm, they don't have any good hybrids (Though Thane is fun to play)

have a look on the excal forums, they reflect well on the people who play there, ofc, the same can be said about the Prydwen boards

no characters are an incredibly bad choice for a first character, well, except assassins and archers