Progress

[Erudite]

We're creeping Onnie closer and closer to the point at which our main group is at in the plot. Seoman and Xellany plowed through the first Shiverpeak mission last night with no problems. I think our NPC monk died once, but our thoughtful NPC elementalist used his resurrect signet almost immediately, so no harm done. Had to laugh again at the bonus and it's counterintuitive placement of the dwarven powder keg to open up the cavern.

I'm really liking my little warrior/monk (now 13th level) with his specialties in hammer mastery and smiting. All those riders (monks) and howlers (necromancers) that gave Raveneye and I absolute fits on the first couple of runs through that mission are practically trivial - most of my hammer/smite skills go off pretty quickly and knock my target on it's butt, so their healing stuff gets interrupted with regular frequency. (On the other hand, the ice elementals that Destrid's fire spells used to wipe out at breakneck speed present a bit more of a challenge.)

The second (and last) Shiverpeak mission in on the table for tonight, assuming Onnie and I can both make it. That will bring her to the Kryta mission arc, five missions behind us before our Thursday session.

Seoman has finished the Ascalon load of quests, except for Cities of Ascalon and Althea's Ashes (evil, evil quest). I hadn't snagged the Cities quest before running the Surmia and Nolani missions, so I'll need to rerun those. Anybody that still needs them (Caranthir?) is welcome to come along.

[Caranthir]

I'm probably not going to be back online again until Sunday at the earliest. I'll have a couple of decent weeks worth of play time then, then I'll be off to Vegas for a couple of weeks. After that I have the whole summer to play. :D

[Onnie]

Bixie needs those statutes for Ascalon, so I can run them through with her and Seoman if you want company. Last night I was almost getting home sick for my barb and Halas when we were running through the mission. Seoman makes a great tank but Xell had her hands full and trying to get Kitty to be of any use was a pain. In fact, on future missions if she's going to have her hands full, let me know if you happen to know and I'll clear out Kitty for more skill slots.

Though I think I'm at a cough point with the Mesmer and skills. Really, there's not much more that seems to be useful that she could be carrying. Or perhaps I'm just so used to her current set up which is perfect for her and kitty combo.

I can think of a couple of bow manuvers that I might stick on her if I dropped Kitty. However, those are useless if she has her hands full. On Mesmer spells the most I can think of at this point she could carry extra might be engery burn... she already has backfire up. Use that one on bosses otherwise it's just to time intense to really be effective much.

I'll have to relook at her skills to try and think up a good combo to run her without Kitty along. Last night though, I was so proud of Erudite. He out acted the Prince.

--Onnie

[Erudite]

Last night though, I was so proud of Erudite. He out acted the Prince.

My strapping young warrior has a manly-man voice! RAWR!

[Quervo]

How many people are play this now? I might come back I am just not sure yet... I am looking for something to play again besides Oblivion and I dont have to pay for. I could reinstall it tonight... also Is factions worth getting?

[GravenStone]

How many people are play this now? I might come back I am just not sure yet... I am looking for something to play again besides Oblivion and I dont have to pay for. I could reinstall it tonight... also Is factions worth getting?

Looks like three of us regularly (i.e. one scheduled sesion a week) with Onnie sprinting into range. Caranthir is also playing, but sounds to be of varying availability with life committments in the coming weeks.

[Raveneye]

Since I got Oblivion I've been treating Guild Wars as more of a quick time filler and once-a-week group gaming session. I think that's helped me not get bored of it too quickly. I have no plans to buy Factions soon unless I see it for fairly cheap someplace. I want to finish the current plot missions before tackling the new content.

Now that our missions regularly support 8 characters we can always use more actual players along instead of henchmen.

[Quervo]

Ok I have a toon now... Per searing as of now... Atrel Zyos. I am thinking Monk Warrior...

[Erudite]

Talked to Quervo for a bit in-game last night after LOST. He settled on a monk main, and is thinking of going with either elementalist or mesmer as secondary - both strong choices, I think.

Sorry, Quervo, if I seemed a bit distracted. Onnie and I were running the Frost Gate mission and were being overrun by dwarves and ice elementals during a few of our exchanges.

Seoman and Xellany successfully navigated said mission, including bonus. Knowing what you're doing makes these things go so much smoother. I remember this bonus taking us three or four tries the first time, between flat-out missing it and not clearing the path to the catapult first so the silly dwarf died.

I continue to be impressed with what an effective duo the two of them make. Between Seoman's hammer/smiting interrupts and Xell's anti-caster hexes (especially Backfire), opposing healers are easily nullified and eliminated. I'm also really looking forward to putting Xellany and Destrid in the same group - there's some serious AE damage to be dealt there! :lowrazz:

[Quervo]

I think I am going to go Mesmer, So i will complete the other add classes fast and get the free xp and try and get out of pre searing as soon as i can.

[Onnie]

There were a couple of healer's last night I was *(&#(*&$*(# about though. But it was only because Xell was getting knocked down so I wasn't getting the spell off. However, the engery burn was still taken because it was so close or, I had to Either Fest. I was watching that friggen blue bar getting "Not enough Engery." And grumbling because Backfire is still rebuilding but it didn't go through and now I'm waiting on a rebuild.

--Onnie

[Erudite]

We plowed through mission #7 tonight (the first Kryta mission). Had to restart once (when were all the way at the end, no less) because I thought we had a path still to clear when in actuallity we only had a few stragglers to mop up, and the end of the path dealt the dreaded TPW (because we didn't run like chickens when we should have).

We had very few problems with one of the mosty annoying bonus missions yet (find the shipwreck south of town that's actually north of town, and fight off tri-spawns of smoke phantoms all the way back with the ancient book).

We just may get Onnie caught up to us by this Thursday. Five missions to go.

[Quervo]

Yeah...

Made it to the real world last night... Level 7 Elem/Monk Syric Fane. Energy storage ... ummm good stuff.

[Erudite]

Energy storage ... ummm good stuff.

Yeah, there's a bit of an adjustment to be made when going from a 80-point energy pool to a 20-30 point pool. Destrid doesn't run out of energy unless he's chaining heals, whereas Durloth has to be a bit more careful about what/when he casts.

[Quervo]

Oh can some one get me guilded some time soon?

[Erudite]

Yep. I'll be on tonight, sometime between 8:00-8:30pm EST, for a few hours. Likely tomorrow as well.

[Quervo]

cool... I will try to be on around then.

[Onnie]

Erudite, does the person have to be online that you want to invite? I must of missed the message INC. that I had a guild invite. Didn't know until you told me. But I had just logged in when I got the message from you.

Either that or logged in, doggie needed out then came back and that's how I missed it.

--Onnie

[Erudite]

Dunno. You were online when I sent the invite - I checked. I assume you were AFK though, because you didn't respond to anything right away. I was halfway through Griffon's Mouth (from Beacon's Perch) before you got back.

Our next mission, D'Allesio Seaboard, is pretty straightforward. The bonus involves carrying an urn, but it can be done between events in the primary mission so it shouldn't diminish your effectiveness too much.

The one after that is a little tougher, especially the bonus. Gotta keep some villagers alive, and our NPC monk doesn't bother healing them.

[Onnie]

We have got to fire that chick. You'd think after all this time she would have learned. Must of been afk. Though sometimes it's that friends list disco thing. Has that happened to you yet? Or am I the lucky one.

--Onnie

[Quervo]

I guess I am to far behind to try catching up on the missions... I will try the first one soon, once i get some of the Old Ascalon quests out of the way.

[Erudite]

The first four mission (the Ascalon ones) are pretty easy to do with just henchmen. I'd imagine the Shiverpeaks mission would be fairly easy to do as well, although the bonus objectives start to get a bit tricky.

With monk as one of your two classes, just be sure to keep a rez spell loaded (spell, NOT signet).

[Onnie]

No you aren't. I'll come play with you. Just go, "Yo! Onnie! Git that Bixie over here." I'll have Bixie Slayer show up and we'll get you caught up. Sides I bet Xellany has some pretty nice things to give you. And/or can help you out. :)

--Onnie

[Caranthir]

My playtime's kind of irregular until I get back to Vegas (and get the sixteen papers we're supposed to turn in done), but Caranthir's a ways behind everyone too.

[Quervo]

Sorry about last night, every time i sat down to play.. I got a Hey Baby....???? So I Just logged out

[Erudite]

I don't think you missed too much, Quervo.

Xellany and Seoman got through the second Kryta mission last night (mission #8 overall), although we experienced our first hiccups - having to restart it twice. The first time, we aggroed the zombie warlocks as we rushed into the village to save Benji and start the bonus. Just too many minions being generated for us to overcome. The second, we got to Confessor Dorian at the temple, but he was already engaged with some undead and we never got him to move back to the Shrine of Mending. We made a fight of it for a while, but the waves of undead were coming in pretty quickly and once the first named showed up, we couldn't recover.

Third time's a charm, though, and it (finally) went flawlessly. Seoman got to cart the villagers urn from one pedastal to the next for bonus. Onnie always seems to take WAY too much pleasure in my prancing around carrying things.

Divinity Coast is up next, with the godawful annoying eye. The bonus will be rough without a PC healer to look after the Chosen, so I may have to respec Seoman to take care of that. After that, we're on to Maguuma Jungle!

[Onnie]

I still DO NOT understand how Stephan DIED!

We were all FULL health.... we are standing IN THE FRIGGEN healing ring or right there. I'm watching his bloody health bar thinking, "I've got time for some Troll Urg on this guy... geez..." Dead fighter.... What the?! Was the friggen monk chick in middle of rez before he HIT? SEESH.

--Onnie

[Erudite]

I didn't make it on until late yesterday, so I didn't have time to run the next Kryta mission with Xellany. Maybe tonight, although LOST is new again.

I ran a few short quests from Lion's Arch and the surrounding area, including the Hot Springs Murder quest that unlocked a new hammer knockdown for me. Crossed Seoman over into level 16 in the process. Opened up Bergen Hot Springs and Beetletun on my map, although I haven't done the death-zerg mission in Beetletun yet.

It looks like our next plot mission in in Riverside Province. Had I thought about it earlier, we probably could have gotten Xellany down there via a pitstop in the Temple of the Ages, skipping the in-between missions and going back for them between our regular sessions. Still a possibility tonight, I guess, depending on time constraints.

[Quervo]

Started having PC problems... see Tavern post. So i installed on the laptop, should be for now with it.

[Onnie]

I was wondering what happened to you. I thought maybe you logged because you thought I had left. The server disco'd me on the friends or across the game chat. i.e. I can talk to those around me in town but not to other people else where. I absoutely HATE that it doesn't tell you that has happened.

Was standing there in town chatting away on guild chat thinking.. seesh! They must be seriously busy. Talking more isn't helping... wonder if they are taking the sneaky private vote of, "Green Beer rules, we all know it. Let's just get rid of Onnie and we are home free... next, conquering The entire World of Guild Wars. Okay who's with me?!"

But no, I was smiply just talking to myself in guild chat and had to reconnect to the friends server. (grumbles) Then I got dropped and got back in then dropped again. I think I got a bye off to Erudite before I logged but it was one of THOSE nights in friends disco land.

--Onnie

[Erudite]

I got through the massive undead attack in Beetletun early in the afternoon yesterday. I did pretty well with it, not losing any party members until the last wave - but that last wave was just killer. It reacquanted me with my old pal, -60%. Nevertheless, the mindless hordes eventually went down and the quest completion unlocked a few new skills for me.

Sorry, Onnie. I didn't make it on after LOST at 10pm EST. I was wiped. I poked around on the computer for a few minutes and hobbled off to bed.

[Onnie]

No worries. I logged in but was reading and searching for stuff, just checking every now and then to see if ya's logged. Spending time with hubby and doing junk. With time off, I might try it... how many quests am I behind the main group? I might be able to knock em out just to hook up tonight if it's not too hard. Lots of people seem eager for groups on the one we are on right now.

--Onnie

[Erudite]

There are four missions between Xellany and the main group, as far as plotline is concerned. However, there are several primary quests that connect these missions that will also have to be done to advance via that route.

The other thing you could try is walking to Riverside Province. It's a hike from anywhere you've already unlocked, but if you're up for that route I'd suggest starting in Bergen Hot Springs and seeing if you can find a group that is heading to the Temple of the Ages. You can get there with henchmen - Destrid did - but it's a painful process. (Bergen Hot Springs to Nebo Terrace to Cursed Lands to The Black Curtain to Temple of the Ages). Once you get to TotA, you'll discover two very nice bonuses - all henchmen are level 15 there, and you're maximum party size is 8 at that location. From there, load up your party (or again, find a group heading the way your heading) and go from TotA to the Black Curtain to Talmark Wilderness to Tears of the Fallen to Twin Serpant Lakes to Riverside Province. (wiki map here (http://www.theamazonbasin.com/gw/files/GWMapMiniKryta.jpg)).

As I said, it's a long walk. And of course doing that skips some of the storyline, which you may want to experience.

You could also pay for a runner to move you from place to place.

[Onnie]

Heh, I refuse to pay runners. Xell, even though in heels, will just have to hike it. Okay I'll walk her because I really would like to do the quests. But just to invade on the little group party.... GATE CRASH! ;)

That way I can kick back play her with Seoman or play Bixie with the other's working their way up to the main group. I'm really having fun in the game, yeah you guys can't tell. It's a very nice causal thing. Don't feel any of that, "Ugh. If I don't log X night, X night, and X night I'm just letting EVERYONE down."

Geeez that was a wench in the EQ because of main tanking or area exploration. Not that I really minded, but it just isn't the earth shattering "Oh boy, am gonna let down X number of people if I don't somehow make it on" feeling.

--Onnie

[Erudite]

If you make it to Riverside Province and have some time, you might consider making a run to Sanctum Kay as well. The armorer on the beach outside makes the 1k/piece armor. It's the best stuff we'll see until after Ascension.

[Onnie]

What color is it? Heheh

I think Xellany has maybe 2k to her name but who knows by the time she's done getting there. Okay I'm definately walking now... new outfit.

--Onnie

[GravenStone]

I have no problem dedicating tonight to catching Onnie up with the rest of the crew, or anyone else who's about for that matter.

An aside, I anticipate having limited net access in a couple of weeks, for an indeterminate period as I settle into the new place and get access and such arranged. The downside to moving back to the country, not nearly as many broadand options...

[Erudite]

I got Seoman out to Temple of the Ages. He had a much easier time of it than I remember Destrid having. I think that's mostly due to his ability to interrupt the slower-casting undead spellcasters, especially the zombie warlocks, and thus not face a half-dozen extra minions in those fights. From there, I got him down to Fisherman's Haven and Sanctum Cay, where I was disappointed to learn that the armor crafter outside of SC doesn't have warrior armor. I spent my chunk of platinum at the armorer in Beetletun instead, and got some decent upgrades there.

I've finished every quest in Kryta now, except for Villiany. Planning on running Divinity Coast tonight with Xellany (much hate for the eye!), which will put us into the Maguuma Jungle missions. Level 17 and climbing now.

[Lycos]

I got Lorna out a little last night. She's level 4 now. Where do I get new spells in this game and bags? I am low on space, and I'm wondering how I upgrade my spells. I'm a monk right now, looking for the Warrior trainer for my secondary training.

[Raveneye]

New spells/skills are obtained two ways. Doing the quests will result in new skills freely given to you as rewards. The other option is skill trainers (post searing). For a skill point and some gold they will sell you skills. Keep in mind that most skills are obtainable free as quest rewards, so buying skills should be limited to those you cannot pick up anywhere else.

Later in the game you'll also get a skill called "Signet of Capture" that allows you to "steal" a skill from a dead boss mob. In this manner you can get skills a lot earlier than you'd be able to questing for them, and there are a few Elite Skills only obtainable by using a Signet.

Pre-Searing simply talk to every NPC you can find, many have quests that result in skill rewards. Some people go so far as to not choose a second profession until they've done all the "intro" quests for each profession, thereby unlocking the basic skills of every class.

Bags are easily obtainable. You can get a 5 slot pouch by turning in collectables at several different collectors. 5 slot bags can be purchased on the merchants. Runes of Holding will increase 5 slot bags to 10 slot bags. Keep in mind you can only ever use 1 pouch and 2 extra bags, and Runes only work on bags, so your max "extended" capacity beyond the backpack is 25 slots.

[Erudite]

I got Lorna out a little last night. She's level 4 now. Where do I get new spells in this game and bags?

Pre-Searing, you can only get a belt pouch for an extra five slots. By far the easiest way to get this is to collect five skale fins from the skales along the river just outside of Ascalon City. Just turn them in to the collector standing by the respawn point by the Ascalon City gate.

I'm a monk right now, looking for the Warrior trainer for my secondary training.

I *think* he's out in Barradin's Estate. You can check GuildWiki (www.guildwiki.org/wiki/main_page) to be sure, if you want.

[Erudite]

Keep in mind you can only ever use 1 pouch and 2 extra bags, and Runes only work on bags, so your max "extended" capacity beyond the backpack is 25 slots.

Oh, you also get a 25-slot bank Post-Searing - but those 25 slots are shared by all of your characters.

[GravenStone]

The initial warrior trainer is in Green Hills County, just beyond the zoneline from Lakeside County (first one you zone into from Ascalon proper). The warrior trainers for the other two skill groups are the ones in Barradin Estates.

[Erudite]

Logged on around 8pm EST and saw Onnie on, but she wasn't responding to anything (musta been AFK), so I jumped Seoman out to TotA and started the Villiany of Galrath quest. I was halfway through Kessex Peak when Onnie started responding, so she agreed to wait while I finished - except my connection burped on my right before I got to Galrath. All the hard stuff done, just gimpy little Galrath left, and I got dumped back to the Temple. *sigh*

So, Xellany and Seoman ran through the Divinity Coast mission (although I pushed a bit too far ahead and spawned a Chosen before we were ready to save him, so we only got four of them back and missed the bonus), putting them both into Maguuma Jungle. Onnie had to log after that, so Seoman took another pass at Galrath. Finished him that time, collecting my 4000xp. Then I ran the primary mission to move him to The Wilds for the first Maguuma Jungle mission, remembering my extreme distaste for those Maguuma spiders. Crossed over into level 18 with the completion of that.

Lots of new quests to do out in the new region, and I really need to get him out to Henge of Denravi. The armor crafters there make Stonefist Gauntlets, which add 1 second to all of my knockdowns.

[Erudite]

It was good to see Lycos on for a brief while last night! (Especially after watching our henchie monk run herself right up into a group of centaurs for the 4308708291 time trying to rez the mage and getting herself whacked, and knowing that Lycos plays a monk...)

Xellany and Seoman ran The Wilds mission last night and, despite a rather rough start - Xellany died three times before we'd finished the bonus - we knocked out the mission+bonus in our first run. It was still reasonably early, so we decided to give the Bloodstone Fen mission a try. Because Little Thom screwed up the bonus for Raveneye and Zyll and I when we did it, I swapped him out for Reyna (go Leather Chick go!) and we had a surprisingly easy time completing the bonus. The rest of the mission was pretty simple as well, although the backtracking for seeds is still annoying.

Funny cutscene moment when I threatened to run the Shining Blade chick through. With my hammer. That's a whole new level of hurt, I tell ya. :lowrazz:

If I'm on tonight, it'll be after LOST (so 10pm EST) and probably only briefly.

[Lycos]

Lorna is now level 5, I think. And I'm running her through her quests. No logic to them, but I am doing them! :D

[Onnie]

Whooohoo!

Believe me, you'll be a MORE than welcome addition with the Monk duties. Oh geez that hencie Monk chick is useless. Twice I died with Regen ON that was just barely slowing/stopping my hit points from friggen zero-ing out with starting health at like 250 or so when I poped it up on her. I'd really love to be able to drop that spell and put something else there.

Heh, George is level twenty. When I took him out for a spin just to see how he and I were doing on damage... with no extra kitty attacks, he swings for a base hit of 24 points.

RWAR!

Saw some higher hits from him, but that looks like his low end bare mini hit. Have Beastmaster pretty high on Xell. Think she's a level 8 or 9 in it. True Master in a attrib point is what? 10? Am only guessing because the base requirements on some equipment the highest I've seen on rates is ten.

--Onnie

[GravenStone]

You can take an attribute to 15 (in theory) I believe - although that would require a mix of base stat plus appropriate rune. I believe I have my two main stats at 13 currently.

[Erudite]

You can take an attribute to 15 (in theory) I believe - although that would require a mix of base stat plus appropriate rune. I believe I have my two main stats at 13 currently.

16, with a superior rune and appropriate headgear. I checked rune/headgear stacking a few days ago when I was upgrading Seoman's armor.

[Lycos]

I took some time off to play Max Payne 2, but I'm planning on returning either tonight or later this week. :D

[Erudite]

I finished up all of Seoman's Maguuma Jungle quests except for Through the Dark River last night, leaving him in Aurora Glade for the final Maguuma Jungle mission. He still has to get to Henge of Denravi for his Stonefist Guantlets, so I'll either walk him there later in the week or he'll end up there after the Aurora Glade mission. He crossed over into 19th level as well, so getting close to having two 20s.

Xellany helped Zyll get out to Elona Reach and we tried that Ascenion mission, but only had time for one run and got bottlenecked on a bridge, with a named and some melees blocking our path to the healer behind. Didn't adjust in time and picked up a few DPs, and Zyll had to head out to work, so we left it for now. We'll try again on Thursday with Raveneye, I guess.

[Lycos]

I'm post searing now! Woot! :D And level 7 with Lorna.

[Erudite]

Seoman finally pushed over into level 20 and finished the Aurora Glade mission and bonus. Tried it twice with henchmen, a few times with random pickup groups that kept blowing the bonus and quitting, and once with Xellany (we were close, but couldn't keep the henchmen in line with just the two of us).

Got a rather unorthodox pickup group tonight, though. 5 Warriors and a Ranger (two monk secondaries, me being one of them with only Heal Other and Healing Signet up), and ripped through it. Got to the three platform capture part - just sent two warriors and the ranger rushing the Demagogue and three sprinting warriors to handle the crystals. Lost three people, who all got rezzed by the cutscene, and coasted through to the end rather nicely.

Two more mission in Southern Kryta and he jumps over to the desert as well. Such fun. :lowrazz:

[Prescient]

I have my Assassin in Factions to lvl 12 already. Did all the Secondary Profession quests and got my profession insignia. You weren't kidding about quick leveling up with that half of the game. Prophecies should hopefully arrive in the mail later this week or first thing next week (free Amazon.com shipping). If anyone is interested in playing on Cantha in the mean time, let me know.

[GravenStone]

Once I get a regular online presence back, I have two Factions based characters who would be interested. One is 18th the other 11th and just having to choose a secondary profession before being let loose in earnest upon the world.

[Prescient]

Cool. I haven't done the main storyline quest after choosing my secondary yet. It's a group mission at Cho's Estate. I can wait for you and do some other missions in the mean time if you want. Let me know.

[Kiir]

Talia has just finished Cho's Estate it is fairly easy to solo, or solo with a couple of henchmen, it definately isn't a group required group mission. She is currently in Zen Daijun waiting to go through that mission before heading to the mainland, there is still one quest I haven't completed though because it involves rescueing someone from a group of 20+ mobs. She'll probably be on the mainland soon.

Anoe is level 17 and at Riverside Province currently I will probably get through that mission and perhaps the one after that tonight.

[Erudite]

Woohoo! Seoman made the desert tonight! Upgraded all his armor (again) and he's now a poor white boy (again).

I tried to run the Aurora Glade mission again with Xellany, but again we just couldn't control the henchmen well enough to fend off the White Mantle and maintain the platforms long enough to get the bonus (although I think we were close this time). Xell seemed to have a connection issue, though, because she got dumped shortly after our attempt.

I waited 20 minutes or so for her return. Got bored and scooted over to Sanctum Cay, got in a solid pick-up group and ran the mission and bonus off rather nicely. (For what it's worth, the last big rush that nearly wiped us and sent Raveneye scurrying to the boat to save the mission is the end of the Mantle waves in that mission. After that, it's just leading the ghost on up to the grave.)

Logged without doing any desert stuff, but excited to be there. ;)