Should I buy TOA?

Erwan

Fledgling Freddie
Joined
Feb 3, 2004
Messages
9
Ok, I know I'm a bit late for this question, but I just returned home after about 6 months in school etc etc, and have reopened my DAoC account, so I am wondering... Should I buy ToA? Or isn't it that much fun? How is it? And can someone, in short, explain to me (so that even I would understand it) what is the artifacts, masterlevels and other new stuff?

Thanks in advance :cheers:
 

Lendan

Fledgling Freddie
Joined
May 25, 2004
Messages
148
Well seeing as it's only 99p go for it! (Check thread called TOA for 99 pence for more details!)

Master Levels are nice abilities you can get - some are useful in RVR, some are just fluff. You should check the realm specific part of freddyshouse to find out when master level raids are organised on your server and tag along. They aren't much fun usually, but it's generally one evening's playing time per master level, and you don't have to do much if you don't want to. (cough stick and afk ;) )

As for the artifacts these are magic items that start out really weak and rubbish, but become really good (well most of them anyway) after you level them. First you have to get the artifact themselves - most of them you need a full group of people to get - so helps to be in a nice guild. A couple can be soloed, and I can think of one that needs 2 groups to do. These encounters are usually quite quick to do, and can be fun (or teeth grindingly frustrating - tablet of atlantis argh!)

Once you have the artifact you then need to find 3 scrolls to activate it - to do this you need to farm certain mobs, which admittedly can become quite boring. You can also usually just buy the scrolls from merchants in housing zones if you have a few plats. (Although some can be had for as little as 10g - always check!)

Once the artifact is activated, you then have to xp it. Some level from RVR only - this is GOOD - they level super fast, and you should have it level 10 in no time. Some artifacts level in general PVE - like killing any mobs at night, or killing any mobs when in a group of 4 or more. This is OK and not too painful to level, as you can combine it with doing other stuff. Most artifacts however require you to chain kill several hundred of one specific type of mob eg. setians or giants - this is BAAAD and very boring indeed.

Some are worth all the pain to level though - they can let you turn into a panther or a cute doggie or even a little croc. You can also get some with uber procs that you can't get from alchemists. Others have charged abilities (that don't cost you any recharge money) which range from aoe unbreakable snares to pbaoe rez!

Apart from MLs and artifacts there are quite a few quests you can do to get some nice non artifact loot. And just going round exploring can be fun sometimes.

So in general with TOA it's "No Pain, No Gain" but it's maybe not quite as bad as people make out sometimes.

Anyway for more in depth info on TOA this is where it's all at: http://www.visionofsages.net/toa/
 

Asty

Fledgling Freddie
Joined
Jan 21, 2004
Messages
805
if you want to get anything out of daoc now you need to have toa.
 

Sissyfoo

Fledgling Freddie
Joined
Dec 22, 2003
Messages
2,814
If you want to stand any kind of chance in RvR you will need TOA. :p I never stood a chance in RvR before TOA came out so I see no point in buying it. :)
 

Addlcove

Fledgling Freddie
Joined
Dec 22, 2003
Messages
520
ToA is a *LOT* of fun... if you like PvE that isn't straight mob bashing. Its all about coordinated stuff and encounters with sometimes complicated steps for anything from a couple of people up to 100 or so for some of the raids.

When is it not fun?

Its not fun when all you want are the artifacts and MLS. You see it as a route to this and you will despise it. Almost without exception, the people that hate ToA only want to use it to increase their effectiveness in RvR and grudge the time. They grudge their time there because its time spent equipping their chars in an aspect of the game they don't like. My advice to these people is to go play Planetside.

Folk like me who like a little bit of everything enjoy it.

Nobody can decide for you :)
 

NeonBlue

Fledgling Freddie
Joined
Feb 1, 2004
Messages
924
If you like PvE and got weeks to spend getting ur artifacts...doing ur Mls..then go for it

Otherwise id stay away from it...its nothing but a big timesink...for mostly overrated items/abilties but if u want to RvR u cant be without them

Sadly its a catch 22 situation...which leads to nothing but headaches & frustration and not worth the effort

but thats just my humble opinion, hence why i quit ;)

Addlcove said:
They grudge their time there because its time spent equipping their chars in an aspect of the game they don't like. My advice to these people is to go play Planetside.

rather a narrowminded view of things...but each to their own opinion

now go back to ur PvE ;)
 

Oro

Fledgling Freddie
Joined
Mar 3, 2004
Messages
691
Sorry that was me that posted that. Forgot to log Addl off. He's snoring on my couch at the moment. Resisting the urge to get a wet rag and spoil his dreams of Wikings rampaging around etc :D

What a donkey. (Me, not Addl)

Neon, explain how its narrow minded. If someone grudges the time because they see it as only there to make their toons more effective for RvR its not my comment thats narrowminded but the attitude of the player. Or is that what you meant?

I know a lot of RvR focused players that see it exactly like this, you hear them complaining on these very same forums all the time :)
 

NeonBlue

Fledgling Freddie
Joined
Feb 1, 2004
Messages
924
Oro said:
Sorry that was me that posted that. Forgot to log Addl off. He's snoring on my couch at the moment. Resisting the urge to get a wet rag and spoil his dreams of Wikings rampaging around etc :D

What a donkey. (Me, not Addl)

Neon, explain how its narrow minded. If someone grudges the time because they see it as only there to make their toons more effective for RvR its not my comment thats narrowminded but the attitude of the player. Or is that what you meant?

I know a lot of RvR focused players that see it exactly like this, you hear them complaining on these very same forums all the time :)

TOA has introduced nothing of any use really...all its done has brought new PvE content...which some may say was needed & thats fine as there was only so much u could do before PvE wise. e.g Sidi..TG..Dragons & the like

RvR wise to me...was more or less sorted...except for the odd bug here and there, ok casters might argue that before TOA they didnt stand a chance in RvR but having played casters myself..i dont totally agree with that point.

So TOA introduces new "fluff"....like the artifacts and the ML abilites...did we really need them? ok some artifacts offer nice procs, cap increases, better weapon models etc But all realms have the same artifacts with if am right the same stats? only variation being the Classes spec lines

The Ml abilities, some are good ideas but to me put into practice very badly e.g the 28 buff grapple bug....again new toys which alter the way RvR has to be played ...which isnt a bad thing...makes ppl think more

Basically without going too far into it...coz i could rattle on for ages about my dislikes about TOA, that i dont think it was needed...its add nothing new to the game except the PvE side of things...every Realm has the same ML abilties...access to the same artifacts so whats changed besides u gotta think a little more in RvR and play alittle different...not much what i could tell

When u said those of the RvR mind were better off playing Planetside, i took it you meant coz we couldnt go and RvR as we had previously done before TOA, and now to be effective in RvR we had to spend weeks doing PvE which in truth most RvR ppl will admit they dont like (but for me its another reason aswell) that it was basically tough luck and to deal with it

Though reading it again...it could be perceived as you saying, you might aswell go play planetside if u want instant PvP action coz TOA is just gonna kill you time wise.

In a nutshell and this is my other reason i dont like TOA...that we was promised TOA wouldnt effect RvR...so therefore to me it was just gonna be a PvE expansion...which is fine...but when it arrived it was quite the opposite

So all them months i slaved and everyone else did too...getting their chars to 50...then farming to get their armour/weapons Sc'ed just seem to have been wasted for nothing, coz TOA landed with new "fluff" that you had to do ...to be able to play in RvR again on an equal footing (if u forget all the bug abusers) and all for what?...to bring new bugs....new exploits? and more money for Mythic (which was the main aim lets face it)

So overall i might of been wrong to call you narrowminded...just pisses me off i suppose when i think ppl dont see the "BIGGER" picture regarding TOA

Why try and fix something that isnt broken?...then spend the next months fixing what u broke because of the new content

apologises for the rant
rant off
gets flame proof suit ready ;)
 

Oro

Fledgling Freddie
Joined
Mar 3, 2004
Messages
691
Don't see it as a rant really mate. I know a lot of peeps don't like ToA. Yeh I was referring to the ability to get into PvP fights without much time doing other things. Planetside is perfect for that. Its a damned good game if thats all you want and Mythic are shamelessly stealing from it for New Frontiers (ok thats a whole load of separate things for peeps to argue about, lets not though at the moment).

I've never done ToA bigtime. Run a raid once in a while, help peeps get arti's they want, explore and hunt a little, sometimes farm. I play DAoC a lot. I don't play any particular aspect of DAoC constantly. I think this is why I've not got bored with it when maybe others have.

I love ToA. Best thing that happened to DAoC for PvE. Some of the benefits also suit how I like to RvR but those same things I like piss others off.

Its like I said in first post, nobody can decide for you :)
 

NeonBlue

Fledgling Freddie
Joined
Feb 1, 2004
Messages
924
Oro said:
Don't see it as a rant really mate. I know a lot of peeps don't like ToA. Yeh I was referring to the ability to get into PvP fights without much time doing other things. Planetside is perfect for that. Its a damned good game if thats all you want and Mythic are shamelessly stealing from it for New Frontiers (ok thats a whole load of separate things for peeps to argue about, lets not though at the moment).

hehe the rant thing was just a cautious thing u know how ppl get on these forums...all touchy etc

hmmm so for TOA they ripped off EQ and now for NF they ripping off Planetside....interesting


Oro said:
I love ToA. Best thing that happened to DAoC for PvE. Some of the benefits also suit how I like to RvR but those same things I like piss others off.

Its like I said in first post, nobody can decide for you :)

aye agree...if i was a PvE person...TOA would be great.

but u cant please everyone all of the time, so u would be right in saying noone can decide for you...coz everyone has different views on the game and especially TOA
 

klavrynd

Fledgling Freddie
Joined
Dec 22, 2003
Messages
336
toa is fun if you like

* more lootwhoring
* more raids to attend
* more obligatory mindnumbing pve
* see the game you once loved decay to smelly bits of poo
* want to spend money you could buy some decent cigars from
* want to see that most of your old friends have quit and the other ones have just gone bitter
* etc

don't buy toa, play a decent game
 

Vesania

Fledgling Freddie
Joined
Dec 22, 2003
Messages
262
Erwan said:
Ok, I know I'm a bit late for this question, but I just returned home after about 6 months in school etc etc, and have reopened my DAoC account, so I am wondering... Should I buy ToA? Or isn't it that much fun? How is it? And can someone, in short, explain to me (so that even I would understand it) what is the artifacts, masterlevels and other new stuff?

Thanks in advance :cheers:

Basically, think of ToA as a jar of marmite. You either hate it or you love it, but until you taste it, you won't know which it is.

Running to the bathroom to yak it up is of course optional.
 

Kreig

One of Freddy's beloved
Joined
Dec 24, 2003
Messages
484
Vesania said:
Basically, think of ToA as a jar of marmite. You either hate it or you love it, but until you taste it, you won't know which it is.

Running to the bathroom to yak it up is of course optional.

Twiglets anyone?
 

Shike

Can't get enough of FH
Joined
Dec 24, 2003
Messages
3,936
Oro said:
Sorry that was me that posted that. Forgot to log Addl off. He's snoring on my couch at the moment. Resisting the urge to get a wet rag and spoil his dreams of Wikings rampaging around etc :D

What a donkey. (Me, not Addl)

Neon, explain how its narrow minded. If someone grudges the time because they see it as only there to make their toons more effective for RvR its not my comment thats narrowminded but the attitude of the player. Or is that what you meant?

I know a lot of RvR focused players that see it exactly like this, you hear them complaining on these very same forums all the time :)

hmm... this is a weird way of looking at things really Oro...

in RVR to compete you _need_ artifacts today, you _need_ to cap spellrange, you _need_ to get the most out from it tbh, otherwise you simply dont stand a chanse in a rainy hell to win over someone kitted with TOAstuff.

I really tried RVRing with my NS with my old SCsuit, MPgear, capped stats, capped resists etc and tbh, it was a major pain in the arse to win anything at all. Try going up vs an equal RR infil using heaters and SoM with old preTOAgeared NS.. its not pretty, not even close.

RVR without TOA today is hopeless for most classes really, unless you zerg, but then you can pretty much wear Epic and it will still work. Mythic said TOA wont affect RVR, they said MLs wont affect RVR..

<looks at battlemastering archers and assassins, sojournerhealers and tanks with banelord or battlemaster>

right..
 

Klonk

One of Freddy's beloved
Joined
Jan 16, 2004
Messages
790
I am not a big fan of TOA, started out hating it, now I am just happy to be done with it. Or _am_ I done with it? If I were to roll a new char for some reason (experiment of thought) then I would have to go to 7-8 ML raids (at least, prolly more due to ml xp hell) and get artifacts that still are camped, and farm scrolls (or money for scrolls) and level artifacts and make a new SC that will be hard to cap/get decent (for most classes).

This is the biggest drawback with TOA, it has made the "entry cost" higher for a) new players and b) re-rolling players/players with more than 1 active rvr char.

I guess now someone will flame me for being so rvr-oriented (actually I am a bigger fan of pve than many of my online m8s) but come on, pve can be fun, but leveling a char to 50 is boring enough on its own when it's the 5th or 6th time, now you have to do the TOA routine too.. and it's not like there are more and more ML raids being arranged, rather less and less.

My 2 øre.
 

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