Sunspears Title Track for non-elonian characters

Cherrie

Cherrie

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Jun 2006

Echowald

Marked by [Fury]

Me/

Well here's my two cents about exploring Elona with non-elonian characters, I'd appreciate your comments (CONTAINS SPOILERS).

I was possitively impressed by the fact my character arrived to Elona quite early in the storyline (so I wouldn't miss too much comparing to Elona-borns), but soon came a spoiler for my happiness.. Firstly, heroes that joined me right after getting to Kamadan were same lvls as Elonian characters get them to join... 2 lvl Koss? I thought "omg, Ill HAVE to train them and it will take ages... $#%#". Ive decided to carry on with the primaries and rely on other people heore's if they are required for mission. I got to the continent, secured Sunspears Sancuary... and BANG - "A Hero Shall Lead Them" (or smthng like that) primary quest - get Sunspear General rank. Quick look at GuildWiki and... WTF?! 2500 points? I had about 200 than from following primary mission. For Gods' sake, Im Tyrian born! I havent been following the storyline from the beggining like Elonian borns, I dont get a chance to get sunspear points all the way I lvl up from mobs at Istani! When they get to Sunspear Sanctuary, they usually have above 1k sunspear points already (or even more), and what are non-elonians supposed to do? Go farm 2k mobs on the continent? I felt like in a wrong game, honestly...

Really, I think that quest should have lowered requirements for non-elonian characters, its just sick... I know I have some quests around Sunspear Sanctuary that give Sunspear Promition Points, but I doubt they give close to 2k points... Its really unfair as it means extra farming for non-elonians (as Elonians can get sunspear points following storyline at Istan) and is REALLY irritating... Its not Lineage, for F.. sake....

Other thing is that, I dont find giving non-elonian characters the heroes at lvl 2 (or 8 even) quite fun because of the same reason - its really EXTRA work for them to lvl them up, because - unlike for Elonians who lvl up ALONG with their heroes - newcomers from other continents have to dedicate extra time to get their heroes to reasonable lvls. How about them being 11 lvl from the start? Or 15? Noone is ment to get to Elona at his lvl anyways, Canthans reach Kaineng near lvl 20, Tyrians should be around 15 by than and they have to face 24-28 lvl mobs at the quest... Lvl 2 Koss and others at lvl 8... Uh no, Id rather not...

What are your oppinions on this matter?
Please keep it flameless

Mahanaxar

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Oct 2005

Italy

Lupus Et Agnus

R/

2,5k point require a couple hours of questing and killing the mobs on the way, with the priests' blessings, for non-elonian chars.

And at the beginning I was disappointed with Koss' level too, as he is required in some missions. Just set him on defensive mode, heros gain exp very fast.

Franco

Franco

Banned

Join Date: Jul 2006

England

VoB

Me/

My opinions on this matter is, my Warrior took about 2 or 3 hours just doing quests and got the 2500 points, I have more then 3000++ at the moment,

What do you want, beat the game in 2 hours instead ?

Oh and Heroes level really fast...

Cherrie

Cherrie

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Jun 2006

Echowald

Marked by [Fury]

Me/

I just hate "kill xxx ammount of mobs" quests, they irritate me.
And my problem is, Elonian-borns dont need those (as you say) 2 hours of (pointless) mob-farming. I don't mind General rank when it comes to my Paragon, because I get them "along the way" while doing quests. My Tyrian char needs farming and this sucks, imho.

Hanok Odbrook

Hanok Odbrook

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: May 2005

Tyria

Real Millennium Group

Mo/N

Quote:
Originally Posted by Franco
My opinions on this matter is, my Warrior took about 2 or 3 hours just doing quests and got the 2500 points, I have more then 3000++ at the moment,

What do you want, beat the game in 2 hours instead ?

Oh and Heroes level really fast... I think what Cherrie's trying to get at is that GW was never intended to be one of those XP grind games of old. One of the original intents was to eliminate repetative grinding, but there are distinct portions of the game that force this type of grinding (including the mission system by not having rez shrines or save points). For those who have the necessary time to dedicate to this grinding, it's not a problem, but to the casual player who may only have a handful of hours to play per week, it's really unfair. For the casual player, leveling up Koss might in reality take them a week or two of available play time, where for others, it's just a small portion of one day.

Since GW was also originally intended to be a game geared for the casual player, situations like this need to be looked at and tweaked so that the non-power gamer has an opportunity to get through the game in a reasonable amount of time with the least amount of grinding necessary.

Hanok Odbrook
Real Millennium Group Guild
Truth * Knowledge * Peace

O R A N

O R A N

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Sep 2006

florida

The Assassins Creed

A/

i dont care about points, i care about fun!

broodijzer

broodijzer

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Jan 2006

void

Mo/

yeah I hated that part as well. I grinded them at yohlon haven (sp). lots of insects @ 3 points each. and with the new AI behaviour, they all attack the warrior henchie and not koss, he was lvl 15 when I got 2500 points there, and he's lvl 20 now.

Hanok Odbrook

Hanok Odbrook

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: May 2005

Tyria

Real Millennium Group

Mo/N

Quote:
Originally Posted by O R A N
i dont care about points, i care about fun! As do I, but I don't find forced repetative grinding to be fun - I would much rather be playing a new part of the game with that time. A perfect example are the two non-elonian heroes. I picked them up for my Assassin so I can have a chance at getting the Master's for the Factions missions, and have grown tired spending half of my available time each day just trying to join or form a group.

However, those heroes are both level 15, which is fine for Kryta, but just as usless as the henchies of old for the Faction mainland and anything beyond the Maguuma jungle. So instead of spending all my time in Elona today, I spent the better part of three hours just getting them to level 18 so I could test them in the first two KC missions (and now a few more minutes here bitching about it ). Upon reaching Elona with my A, I will then have to level up the Heroes there, who start at n00b levels. That will be more hours spent doing that instead of enjoying Elona or trying to complete Factions sometime before Campaign 8 hits.

An easy fix for this is just to have the Heroes match your character's current level when you pick them up. Therefore, starting Elonians still get the level 2 Koss, but a Level 20 Canthan will be able to pick him up at level 20.

Hanok Odbrook
Real Millennium Group Guild
Truth * Knowledge * Peace

skretth

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Jan 2006

Australia

u can get rank 7 sunspear and rank 2 lightbringer clearing the same zone only 4 times..

just gotta find the right zone

Feminist Terrorist

Feminist Terrorist

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Nov 2005

Oh Noes! The 'burbs!

Let me repeat what I said for much of yesterday: I HATE grinding for sunspear points!

I wanted to get as far as possible as soon as possible, but this requirement is seriously slowing me down. And it's not fun.

Kelsey Cain

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Sep 2006

Quote:
Originally Posted by Feminist Terrorist
Let me repeat what I said for much of yesterday: I HATE grinding for sunspear points!

I wanted to get as far as possible as soon as possible, but this requirement is seriously slowing me down. And it's not fun. No grinding required - explore all the areas you visit after landing on the mainland (visiting shrines of course) and do all the quests and you'll be at 2500 at about the same time as the 'leader' quest comes up.

Ranger Rog

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Jan 2006

UK

[TOG]

I thought it was going to be a grind but I just made sure I talked to all the NPC's at the res shrines and just got on with the quests and I was pretty much there, I just had to do 3 or 4 runs outside Yohlon haven to barrage some insects to death to finish things off.

Cherrie

Cherrie

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Jun 2006

Echowald

Marked by [Fury]

Me/

Thank you Hanok, thats exactly what I mean - compared to Elonian characters, Tyrian have more work to be done and I dont see the reason for this personally.

4thVariety

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Jun 2005

European Union

ADL

E/

I quickly advanced to the Sanctuary, then I gave Barrage and a bow to my non monk heroes and started clearing the areas around the sanctuary.

with the quests given by the priest I quickly advanced to general and my heroes to Lvl20. Now I am going to fetch Koss and do the same with him. As long as he is forced to use a bow it doesn't matter if he is lvl1, he will stay out of trouble most of the time and the xp will rain down on him.

Dragasa

Dragasa

Academy Page

Join Date: Jun 2006

where you least expect



i got this far by talking to every priest along the way, and killing everything i saw (using a tyrian character). and i've been doing all of the side quests too, not just the primary ones. the last region i was in gave 4 points for every kill. i can only hope that number will go up as you get further in the game. the real problem i've been having with the game is err7's. sometimes i get trapped in a town, every time i try to zone or change districts i get an err7 and have to try again. there err7's have helped me get more sunspear points because it's happened several times while on a quest, and i had to start the quest all over again, killing everything i killed the last time. at first it seemed like a bit of a grind, but as long as you talk to every priest you meet you won't have any problems.


* possible spoiler *

the double xp also helps level up the heros pretty fast. i didn't start using koss until after the rescue koss quest. he was level 2, fighting level 20+ mobs, and he wasn't being targeted, but i was (playing my warrior). at one point i had 2 mobs focusing on me, one of them with a boss, and i died while koss barely took any damage.

supaet

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Jul 2006

There should be a heads up in game that tells you to visit shines and killing mobs along your way while questing. I'm lucky that I read before I play, I read that I need 2500 points, so when I bring my tyria character to elona, whenever I quest/travel, I always visit shines and kill mobs along the way. Note that I did not wipe out the whole map, I just kill mobs along while questing. But I did have to do that command post side quest which requires 3 quests, I got to 2450 after completing all but two side quests in command post. Then I just went out and kill a few things and that was it. Good luck

Unkemptwolf

Unkemptwolf

Academy Page

Join Date: Jan 2006

I was excited to see this, as it gave me the ability to level up my heros while completing part of the story line. If you want my opinion (which I know you dont ) that might be why they put it in there. Elonian characters wont need to quest/grind, and their heros will already be level 20. Tyrian/Canthan characters need to quest/grind, but it is also the perfect chance to level your heros. I managed to get all of mine to at least level 18, which I thought was good and useful. Just my two cents.

The Great Al

Forge Runner

Join Date: Jun 2005

ALOA

E/Me

2500 is overkill...it took me long enough to get to 1500

Malice Black

Site Legend

Join Date: Oct 2005

I found a nice spot on noob island which takes about 5mins to clear and gives 40 points every trip...granted its not a great deal but the kills are only lvl2 so all I have to do is bring koss and cast blood wells to keep him going.

Edit: prob going to farm all 2500 points before hitting mainland

Hanok Odbrook

Hanok Odbrook

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: May 2005

Tyria

Real Millennium Group

Mo/N

Quote:
Originally Posted by supaet
There should be a heads up in game that tells you to visit shines and killing mobs along your way while questing. I'm lucky that I read before I play, I read that I need 2500 points, so when I bring my tyria character to elona, whenever I quest/travel, I always visit shines and kill mobs along the way. Note that I did not wipe out the whole map, I just kill mobs along while questing. But I did have to do that command post side quest which requires 3 quests, I got to 2450 after completing all but two side quests in command post. Then I just went out and kill a few things and that was it. Good luck There is a sort of heads up as the scouts have an exclamation point over their heads until you talk to your first one. However, I have noticed that the bulk of them offer bounties on creatures that are not in the general vicinity (such as one offering a skale bounty but only plants and insects are around), so I have to run to each shrine to try to activate all the bounties before killing anything so I don't waste the effort.

Another part of the problem is that once you get past the Jarin Plains, you're running into mobs that will easily overpower any lvl 5 or below characters. I have spent the last two days leveling my Necro to 6 and have just now finally been able to clear out the Cliffs region without getting slaughtered. I don't even want to attempt Zehlon until level 10 at least because during the Preview weekend my level 8's were continually getting slaughtered in that area. So I will have to perform some grinding within the next few days. It's just like coming from Pre-Searing or hitting the mainland in Factions - the jump in mob abilities from the tutorial areas to the main areas is just to wide of a gap for a lot of new players.

I think they just should have bumped up the XP rewards for the early quests, like they did in Factions. It allowed you to reach a decent level without having to grind XP just to avoid getting overwhelmed. I really don't care about the survivor title (but it would be nice to have ONE character achieve it), but I hate dying nonetheless - I have flashbacks to the classic RPG's where death had meaningful penalties, including potential loss of the character, but at least it was damn hard to get killed. Here, the DP is an annoyance, and a grind inducer, but I hate the fact that there are quests where you are practically guaranteed several deaths until completion (Captured Son, anyone?).

Short story long - I just hate grind!!

Hanok Obrook
Real Millennium Group Guild
Truth * Knowledge * Peace

Beau Nolan

Beau Nolan

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Mar 2006

[Jedi]

W/Mo

I'm not as far as everyone else is, where they are needing to be a General. But, I'm milling around, doing the side quests, the shrines when I see them, etc and I'm enjoying myself. I guess once I get that quest we'll see how far off I am. But for now, Its all part of the game and I think its been incorporated very well. I like having to work for titles, lvls, ect. Gives a sense of accomplishment. If everyone could get them so easy, why would it be special?

cosyfiep

cosyfiep

are we there yet?

Join Date: Dec 2005

in a land far far away

guild? I am supposed to have a guild?

Rt/

lets see....my opinion. sunspear points, ok for the locals, but hard on the foreigners-----I have 4 tyrians and 2 canthans....now multiple that by the heros, and the extra time to level them up.....(and add in the 2 non-elonians) and you have a sh*tload of wasted time getting these bums upto a reasonable level. Was happy to see that dunko and the devrish didnt start at 2 like koss (wont be using him unless absolutely necessary---and then he will have a bow and troll to keep him alive).......with 14 heros each for 8 characters, thats just lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots.....yeah you get the idea, grind.
Havent even gotten my monks or rit to elona yet!
Well this will probably be the last chapter I buy, or I will need to start retiring (permanently) some of my characters.....8 is just too many to grind up. Its fun for the first few characters, then its just way toooooo repeatative. I am still loathing the idea of redooing that dang flamingo shooing quest with more than 1 character.

Kidney Licker

Kidney Licker

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Aug 2005

Europe Server

I started with my Tyrian necro and thought it was okay, though I was surprised at the 2500 at first. Just a matter of finding the priests when you enter the area and its double rewards (exp + points) for kills.

But it looks like they changed the sunspear points earned from 3 to 4 so hope every1 is happy now. I thought 3 was okay.

Voltaire

Voltaire

Academy Page

Join Date: May 2006

Chicago-ish

Everlasting Sacred Path [ESP]

A/

I had no problem leveling heroes. They're surprisingly durable, even Koss at level 2. If they started getting hurt, I'd just switch them to defensive and we'd be just fine. Actually now that I think of it, my only level 20 hero is Zenmai the assassin, and I haven't had one die on me yet. As for Sunspear points, I only had to "farm" the last 300 or so points (which took me 20 minutes tops). I got 2.2k by merely doing available nearby quests, and talknig to every priest I met and killing whatever monsters were in the way. Not in the area mind you - only what was directly in my way. As for the quests, a lot of them have great Hero character development, as well as unlock new services for the Sunspear Command Post area.

This was with my assassin, by the way.

Edge Of Malan

Edge Of Malan

Academy Page

Join Date: Jul 2006

USA

New England Terror (NET)

W/N

If it hasn't been said, there's a quest in LA that gives you a lvl 15 necro hero called Gain Orias

draxynnic

draxynnic

Furnace Stoker

Join Date: Nov 2005

[CRFH]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Hanok Odbrook
Another part of the problem is that once you get past the Jarin Plains, you're running into mobs that will easily overpower any lvl 5 or below characters. I have spent the last two days leveling my Necro to 6 and have just now finally been able to clear out the Cliffs region without getting slaughtered. I don't even want to attempt Zehlon until level 10 at least because during the Preview weekend my level 8's were continually getting slaughtered in that area. So I will have to perform some grinding within the next few days. It's just like coming from Pre-Searing or hitting the mainland in Factions - the jump in mob abilities from the tutorial areas to the main areas is just to wide of a gap for a lot of new players. Don't worry, Zehlon got toned down.

If you're like me, the part of Zehlon you would have been having trouble with are the groups of 3 lances (2 preying and 1 grub), especially in clumps where you usually cop more than one group at once? Now, most of those groups only have a single lance accompanied by two L7 termites - only a small change in total levels per group, but it does seem to make them considerably less nasty.

Div

Div

I like yumy food!

Join Date: Jan 2006

Where I can eat yumy food

Dead Alley [dR]

Mo/R

If you do all the side quests (even if you don't kill everything along the way), you'll easily get those 2500 points.

Guildmaster Cain

Guildmaster Cain

Desert Nomad

Join Date: May 2006

Guildmistress Eve [Me], Guildmistress Azura [N], Guildmistress Azumi [A], Guildmistress Jaina [D]

Guildmaster Aeron [Rt], Arthas Ironfist [W], Guild: The Tyrian Templars [TTT]

Dont see what ppl are complaining about... Took me maybe 2.5 hrs to get it. While I was getting it, I killed loads of bosses, got green drops, got skills capped and some gold unlocks.

Any complaints?

Hengis

Hengis

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Apr 2006

London

Better Than Life (BTL)

R/

Quote:
Originally Posted by Edge Of Malan
If it hasn't been said, there's a quest in LA that gives you a lvl 15 necro hero called Gain Orias I have to have him!

Is there any precondition on you getting this hero other than you having a Tyrian char, for example any earlier quests or missions? Do you have to be a certain amount through the game?

Who gives the the quest?

Cheers

fatmouse

Academy Page

Join Date: Jul 2006

Quote:
Originally Posted by Guildmaster Cain
Dont see what ppl are complaining about... Took me maybe 2.5 hrs to get it. While I was getting it, I killed loads of bosses, got green drops, got skills capped and some gold unlocks.

Any complaints? Yes, we're complaining about that 2.5 hours. Which part didn't you understand?

Voltar

Voltar

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: May 2006

My dog let's me crash at her place.

POB

R/

i'm trying bonding the crpa outta them and sending them into the middle of the minotaurs in elona. then i'm hitting alt-tab and reading this forum.

after a couple, koss is 11. probably a good start but too much hassle to keep up beyond this.

Hanok Odbrook

Hanok Odbrook

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: May 2005

Tyria

Real Millennium Group

Mo/N

Quote:
Originally Posted by Hengis Stone
I have to have him!

Is there any precondition on you getting this hero other than you having a Tyrian char, for example any earlier quests or missions? Do you have to be a certain amount through the game?

Who gives the the quest?

Cheers The same lionguard who gives the quest to reach Elona - forget his name, but he is on the docks near Jiaju and the Canthan Ambassador.

Hanok Odbroook
Real Millennium Group Guild
Truth * Knowledge * Peace

cataphract

cataphract

Forge Runner

Join Date: Aug 2005

Ashford Abbey

Hey Mallyx [icU]

Mo/Me

I don't consider 7500 sunspear points to be a grind. So far I have gathered 6000 points by questing and killing mobs. As I explore the map fully, killing mobs and getting 4 points for each kill was not a problem. Neither was leveling my heroes. I have unlocked that Whisper guy and he has like level 18. It took me 30 minutes of questing/hunting to get him to 20. Also, scrolls were used. You can get them in exchange for Kournan Necklaces. Today I'll be leveling my Zhed "the four-legged ele" Whatshisname. The only grind I see is getting to 15k points and maxing out Lightbringer title - there's not much elementals around, but it's still doable and within reach.

Terra Xin

Terra Xin

Furnace Stoker

Join Date: Mar 2006

New Zealand

Me/R

It took me a couple of days to get to 1800... if I added up the hours.. I'd say... 3-4 hours?

If you take your lvl 2 Koss with you on the high level areas, its just like power leveling hijm. Just put an order to avoid combat and you dont have to worrya bout him. Make him a monk secondary and equip remove hex/purge conditions if you like. He's very effective at hex removal if its the only skill on his bar^^

Oh a GW forum

Oh a GW forum

Banned

Join Date: Oct 2006

W/

What did you just want everything handed to you like your mommy used to? If there wasn't any work involved, then there would be no feeling of achievment at all.

Yea you're probably right, this is the wrong game for you. If you want a game where everything is easy and requires no work or thought at all, try playing candyland or something.

qazwersder

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Apr 2006

I'll be looking soon

E/

Im a tyrian character and i've had no problems with sunspear points or hero lvls, I have just explored a little bit and done all the side quests

Cherrie

Cherrie

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Jun 2006

Echowald

Marked by [Fury]

Me/

Quote:
Originally Posted by Oh a GW forum
What did you just want everything handed to you like your mommy used to? If there wasn't any work involved, then there would be no feeling of achievment at all.

Yea you're probably right, this is the wrong game for you. If you want a game where everything is easy and requires no work or thought at all, try playing candyland or something. uh, when I read ppl like you, I feel sick. Spare some time to read the topic first to get a general idea on what it's about and what people have on mind before you show off your me>you attitude. And no, I don't.

Anyways, where were we... ah. Well it doesn't take so much time after you get the general idea where the shrines are located etc, so I'm done with that quest for quite a bit now. Still I think that outlanders have more extra work involved than elonian-borns and some players might not like it. Just my oppinion.

gabrial heart

gabrial heart

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Jan 2006

Las Vegas

Beautiful Peoples Club [LIPO]

Mo/Me

Here's what i did. I got koss, dunkoro and melonia to about level 15 doing the first mission about 3 times with no hench. Took me about an hour and half. Did the primary and some sidequests and was around 2500 sunspear points. Took about 3 hours. The harder (IMO) is lightbringer, although i may be missing something, there aren't that many whispers to offer lightbringer points. It did take me quite awhile questing and killing mobs to get to level 2 and from what i can tell level 3 is a must for most of the missions past a certain point.

I really don't have any complaints, it think each new thing going on in nightfall is a real plus. I love not having to go to someone to changes secondaries, the drops, armor, runes and insignias have been good to me. Most of the missions are fun, the story is deep and rich, even the quests are amusing. Most of my guild started new characters and I'm already very near the end, without rushing, with my tyrian character. 4 greens so far, tons of caps, a few gem drops all level 20 heros up to norun (mesmer), so yeah I'm pretty thrilled.

Only thing i don't like is they took out the hippos... Not sure the story behind that, but i think it sucks.

Lykan

Lykan

Forge Runner

Join Date: May 2005

StP

R/

Im not impressed with having to grind points for every character. I dont think I will be taking more than 2 characters through this game. Dunno why it cant be account based tbh.

hui33

hui33

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Oct 2005

W/

After getting Rank 8 (Sunspear Castellan) The priest stop give the 4 pts bonus per kill.


Anyone have ideas how to continus getting rep to 15k beside quest? Since quest only give such little compared to 15k target you need to reach...