Kudane's Journal 3 - New & Different

[Kudane]

EQ2 introduced some new mechanics and functions to the game that we have not previously seen. I am going to try and point out a few.

Solo or Grouped Encounters
All fights now are called "encounters". This partly because mobs now come in two forms, "solo" and "grouped". Yes, just like us some mob group up to do things. When you attack a grouped mob, all his group-mates no mater how far away will jump in. The good news is, when you target a grouped mob, you will see a target ring on all his group-mates so you can see how many you got. The mobs will say "group" or "solo" when you target them.

Locked Encounters
While some hate this, others love it. Basically when you (or your group) starts an encounter, its yours. No one outside your group can buff, heal, kill-steal, or affect your fight in anyway...unless you use the function "Yell for help" (see below). Then you can get healed and mobs killed. Some guards won't even help unless you "Yell for Help". As others have pointed out Kill-Stealing is a thing of the past, BUT mob stealing is even easier, since you can just lock 2 or 3 in a row and kill them at your own pace.

"Yell for Help"
This Button does exaclty what it says. It tells the world your in trouble. The other thing is does is break the encounter so you get ZERO XP, and other people can finish off the mob(s) that you were losing to.

Upside: This is a very clear way of letting people know you need help, and/or the guards.

Downside: If you hit this by accident, you and your group gets NO XP, even if you finish off all the mobs by yourself.

Sidenote: I have had many newbie casters/priest hit this not realizing the full function and thinking it has the same function as /Y in EQLive. I recommend moving this button away from your normal hotkeys, and making sure everyone understands how it works.

Spawn Point Agro
Mobs now only agro around the area they are suppose to be in. So If someone runs past you with 10 mobs on them from the other side of the zone. They will not attack you unless you are either right by the spawn they came from OR you attack them as they walk back to thier correct spot. Trains are a thing 500 years in the past (aka EQLive).

I will add more if I think of them. These were the basics that I could remember at almost 2am. Sorry its not more of a "Journal" But I am going to make a new character tomorrow to re-test the newbie levels. I have heard they added yet some more content. Will post something after.

Added 10/18
Death & Death Penality
When you die you are given a choice of places to resurface, or you can lay there and wait for a rez. If you release you take an "XP Penality" this is shown by a red bar on your XP bar. Also your equipment takes a 10% reduction in its "repair state" (which can be fixed easily at any repair person, and its really very cheap, for newbies its in copper). When you get back to where you died, you will find a ghost of you laying on the ground. this is your "shard" and when you click it, well over 1/2 of your XP debt is paid. there is no "looting" of a body any more.

Sidenote: When in a group, the entire group shares and equal percentage of the penalty of any deaths suffered by group-mates. I have heard of 1 person dying in agroup and having NO penality after recovering thier shard (ie 1/6 of the penality was less than the shard paid back). there is a lot of controversy over "shared XP Debt" but over all I think it will be a good thing. but that is my humble opinion.

/bow

Kudane