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AC in 2013: Review, Guide, Help Topic.
Spector88
Member UncommonPosts: 112
For some you this topic may be redundant if you are familiar with AC. Some of you have been away for years, while other's have never stepped foot in Dereth.
I have recently come back to Asheron's Call again and would like to make a topic here with some information for those looking for a good MMORPG, or looking to return.
Who am I? I have been playing AC off and on since 2000, and played almost every MMORPG on the market to date. I'm 24 years old. I was formerly Darkness Reborn of Harvestgain, and X-Legend of Darktide (2002-Present). If you would like possibly a patron or a guild you can find me as Science Fiction, on Frostfell.
Pro's and Cons:
Pros:
- In depth customization system. You can raise strength, endurance, all your base attributes as well as specialize in many unique things such as run, jump, and other abilities that you can literally level up unlike other games.
- Open world: Asheron's Call has a large open world (with portals to speed up transportation) and hundreds of quests/dungeons. AC wikki can help with that information, but it is a massive world.
- Player Housing (Decorate your house with trophy's, armors,weapons. Own an actual plot of lot on the ground in the world of Dereth, one of the best housing games out) /house recall to it at any time.
- Guild Housing /house mansion_Recall, great for buff items, and meeting
- Monarchy system. You can have up to 12 people sworn under you with a pyramid building effect. You can get a % of passup experience from direct vassals, (people under you) which thus can help you level faster, no other game has this.
- PvP: Darktide PvP is great if you can get passed the initial harsh community and learn the ins and outs. Never knowing when someone might come gank you or getting your guildmates together to go raid a dungeon
- Loot: Armor/Weapons with +20 to skills/dmg over anything you can cast. Set piece bonuses, etc. You will always be on the lookout for a profit ! There is always something better to find, or mega rare items people will go crazy for.
- Population, at times especially lower levels the game will seem low population, many people are in /marketplace, or at their guild housing. The game primarily starts at level 150+ and there is several leveling tips to level up fast, so at low levels the game won't seem very active.
- Macroing, Asheron's Call was one of the first unattended macro heavy games. Several people (large %) still UCM or macro their characters in dungeon for loot/levels.
- Graphics, obviously the biggest turn off to some is graphics, however as a guy who's played them all, the game is worth the downside.
- UI/Combat : It will take a while to get used to the UI being outdated. But once you see how much skill is involved in the PvP and combat, and how in depth end game is with augmentations, loot generated elemental weapons, and armor it will be amazing.
Picking a Server:
There are currently a handful of servers.
Darktide is a full drop, signature PvP server. It is one of the most unique PvP experiences you will find in a game to date. It is the original unforgiving die any time any where game. Guilds are very tight knit, the community can be very harsh if you are new. Leveling, getting gear, etc. Is all harder on Darktide, but the pay off can be a very rewarding competitive, PvP full drop experience. (Usually 300+ people online daily)
What if I don't want to play on a PvP server?
I would suggest Frostfell. Frostfell is the highest population white server (non-PK) followed by a few that you could also play if you really want to, but if you're looking for shear numbers of players. Frostfell is the best options (200-300+ online daily)
From what I hear, Harvestgain (my original server) and others are still doing well, but you won't find as many people.
What class should I play? (Max Level 275 with augmentations, and other options)
Good question.
The easiest class to learn, level, macro, play and PvP is a melee.
The fastest leveling class in the game is 2 handed, it cleaves multiple monsters down at a time, in Asheron's Call you can now respecialize and move attributes a few different ways. Many people level up as 2 hander to level 230+ and then switch to their desired actual class. In dungeons you will use less spell components and level faster.
Bow/Missile is good for PvP, and my favorite class. It's fluid, fast, and good range, I find it very relaxing to run around on a bow guide sliding around gunning arrows at people. Bow's now have prismatic arrows if you are specialized in fletching, which can be purchased and change elements with the type of bow you're using. Previously you had to have different arrow elements made up for each different bow element you had.
The long time favorite for PvP and many players is Mage / War Magic.
It's a very powerful class, capable of soloing just about anything. In PvP a good mage requires skill, and there is special casts people train themselves on to dominate other players. It is a difficult class to master. You can youtube 'Rookie on Darktide' and find some casting videos on how much goes into a good mages cast (Requires slide casting etc)
- Classes are fairly balanced in A.C. and any of them are fun.
Dual Wield / Heavy Weapons is good
Missile Bow or Crossbow is good
Mage is good
Void is good, there really is no terrible class if you know what you're doing.
Character Progression
In A.C. there is many ways to progress.
First XP, - Reaching Level 250+ is a good start (Max 275)
Augmentations (you can learn augmentations a few diff ways, most have a 1-2 week timer) augmentations can make you have more health, increase buff durations, decrease amount of loot you drop on death, etc.
Luminance augmentations - a second form of experience you can earn after lvl 200, that allows you to further augment your character cit chance, overall dmg output, and some other things.
Attributes/Skill Points - obviously tie into XP.
Society / Quest Factions and grinding quest / colloseum tokens, items and rewards.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~*
Final Thoughts:
The UI and Graphics can be a turn off to a total AC noobie. The game starts to pick up after 150. The housing, guild system, and PvP is well worth it and as good as any game out there. If you like lore, exploration, and loot. AC is a game you should check out.
The game is vastly different from even 2-3 years ago. Now with Void Magic, ( a DoT/Warlock type spell mage) Dual Wielding, Shield Skill, Level 8's, Epic Cantrips (+20 skill points over regular buffs can possibly provide on armor/weapons)
-Science Fiction of Frostfell
Comments
Thank you for this guide, I'm a new player and a little lost on some aspects of AC, but this helped clear a lot of confusion.
I'm thinking of going crossbow. It should be a good way to learn the movement and camera controls efficiently too.
And I'll be playing on Frostfell. :-)
allways good to see new players, i suggest finding a active guild it will make your experience alot better. I have found most people in this game are very helpfull especially to new players.
I'll search for a guild, sounds good and i need the help! Thanks :-)
I'm going to really sink into this game later today, try and learn the bits and pieces of it. I'm really excited, I haven't played any good MMOs in a while. I didn't really care for GW2 (Though I loved GW1). Anyway maybe I'll see any of you in game ;-)
/Scopedog
http://asheron.wikia.com/wiki/Player_Killer_Lite
You can go full on PK on the white worlds, and there are a few people who do it, but most don't bother with that.
I will say I fully disagree with saying the game really starts at 150+. The only way that is true is if you are the type of person that only looks at getting the absolute max/best loot in which case it is really level 180+ anyway. I thoroughly enjoy the lower levels and there is probably even more content in those lower levels as well. AC has never been an endgame focused game outside of PvPers wanting to be absolute max to destroy those PvPers who aren't. AC has always been about the journey which is one thing that sets it apart from the WoW generation games which are truly about rushing to endgame where "the real game starts".