Asherons Call: Ok, Orion Rocks!

Using only the Level 1 buffs that are afforded at creation we set out about doing the Lou Ka outpost quest. We managed without a death and wandered back to Lou Ka for our reward. After finishing this the real test was on.

We cruised the roadway toward Hebian-To along what is now conidered the 1-20 newbie areas. We ran into some maddening encounters with Great Mattekar, Laigus Lugians and Blood Shreths. We ran around in circles a lot to keep a monster tied up while the other character blasted away with an Academy bow or spells. We made the run to Hebian-To and then hunted from the ledge of the library for a while. I went through 3 250 stacks of arrows before we sold at about 150 burden and we upgraded to 50 AL armor. We then left for the Newbie areas of the Gharun'dim desert. We hunted here for a good long time running through and taking on the Shadow Children Tumerok Scouts and Uber Mosswart spawn guarding the runed chest outside og the Yaraq Newbie border.

All tolled we hit level 10 in under 2 hours, we accrued some fine wealth including a +90% +4% Melee D bow for me and a suit of roughly 87 AL armor. Things went very well and there were times that I was harried and died and times when I was launching arrows into oincushions. By the time that we hit level 10 most if not all of the content was within our grasp without fear of death. The Wumpus upgraded to all level 2 spells in that time as well. I have a nice necklace of Pierce Pro 1 and that is about it. But I do have 10k in pyreals after buying up some healing kits and other necessities. We call it a day after testing to level and outfit our characters to 25.

Tuesday March 11, 2003

Today saw some refitting of weapons on creatures some renaming and some other fun things on old friends. The Wumpus was busy testing something else that I can't really talk about but it took him the greater portion of the day so the testing was left up to me.

Today's focus was on Low Level hunting. Starting location Khayyaban.

Level 25
Strength: 80
Endurance: 80
Coordination: 170
Quickness: 150
Focus: 60
Self: 30
Health: 100
Stamina: 125
Mana: 30
Arcane Lore: 115
Bow: 204
Melee Defense: 200
Item Magic: 94
Healing: 130
Fletching: 163
Magic Defense: 78

Equipment:
Leath Coat AL 87 Covering Upper Arms, Chest and Girth.
Chain Basinet AL 92
Chain Gauntlets AL 50
Chain Leggings AL 50
Sollerets AL 100
Bow +90% Damage +4% Melee Defense
Level 2 Item Spells (Blood Drinker 2, Swift Killer 2, Defender 2)
5 Treated healing kits and 50 each of Greater Fire, Armor Piercing and Frost arrow heads.

Khayyaban, the lovely desert town surrounded by desert rabbits and lifestones near convenient hunting. I run through town and hit the lifestone at the top of the valley that leads to the valley oasis. Always was good hunting there and I want to see what the redistribution has done.

I buff the bow and head down the valley. I see level 44 Lich Lords and wonder if I (Level 25) can handle them. I fletch out 100 Greater Arrows (Down to 32 stacks of Greater Fire heads. Hrm fletching is still very low. Kicking myself for not actually hunting to 25 to at least find level 2 critter jewelry.) Wield Up and open fire.

Kill Lich Lord in a few arrows. It's level 44 I am level 25 I hit about 60%, not bad. I loot and find a +90% +5% bow. Upgrade. That 1% isn't much but it helps.

Next on radar level 53 Risen Knight. Yikes! Oh well gotta test this.

Start firing. At edge of radar miss, miss, miss. He starts moving crit 32. Uh-oh he has a shield and a cestus. This bodes poorly. He closes I get him for a total of 63 when he reaches me. Clobbers me in the lower arm for 68. Owee! Hit again and he's at 30 some odd %. He hits me again and again and lifestone. *grumble* Time to exact revenge.

Run to body collect. Repeat attack. Get a lucky shot in on his run in. I crit for 36. He closes and I kill him. Vitae halved and I loot finding Bow 3 shoes. Now this is more like it. Wear the shoes. I'll sac the AL for these fine shoes at the moment.

Next up Sotiris Hollow Minion. Craft Frost arrows. Again horrible return oh well. Begin assault. He is level 44, me level 25. Plink miss, miss miss miss, hit 11. Not good. He closes. 48 in lower arm. Owee. Second hit in chest for 8. Managable. Try to heal. Heal 43, he hits in chest for 12. Again I can handle that. I get him for 55 from 5 hits of 11 and I miss about 50%. He kills me with a single crit for over 70 ouch. No revenge there.

I tried these guys again. Didn't like them. Conclusion: Too much health. I am hitting fairly well but I can't deal damage fast enough to keep up with them, then again I am hitting them far below when I should.

Hunt continues. After 1 hour I have made 3 trips back to town at 150 burden. Made over 100k in pyreals and upgraded my armor all from loot drops. I now have Coord 3, Regen 3, Blade Pro 2, Pierce Pro 2, and Bow 3 available to me. I also found and killed one Lord of Decay! Only one though. But that is what I wanted to see. :-)

Time to move. Head out to Arwic. Run up the hill and stone. Look around. Drudge Lurkers. Time for some drudge love.

Plink. Hit, miss, hit, hit. They are level 44, I now have Coord 3 and Bow 3. They close. Doing well. Spells starting to come in. Resist 1 in 10. Hmm. Not bad. Kill one 2 others spell me down. Return to lifestone. Clear spawn move on to grievvers.

After another hour I hit 26. Still no Armor 3 this sucks as I spend a lot of time running and healing but it makes things interesting cause I am obviously hunting above my level. At the same time I am killing things fast enough to see the bar move more often then I die. Good session.

Earnings were well over 100k during this part of the adventure and I'm out of arrowheads. This is not good, but on the other hand I now have a choice lockpick or alchemy. I take alchemy.

Conclusions: Huntin at low level is harder than at newbie. I can get places that I want to go and survive without all my life buffs but it is very dangerous and I am finding that the lifestone hunting area is more than enough for me. Good spawn rate and plenty of things to find. Sotiris Hollow Minions need further adjustment, not a lot just enough to curb them from electric can openers to hand can openers.

Tomorrow: Mid and High level testing.

Hope this gives you a feel as to what things will be like for you archers. I'll get another one up tomorrow with The Wumpus' details as well.

For now,