What? Me? PK? Never (again)!

People ask me what my stance is on PKing and specifically PKers in Abyss, and for the most part, maybe surprisingly, I don't have a problem with it.  However... (you knew there was a caveat right?)

What I don't condone is the farming of kill points off of unwilling combatants.  An unwilling combatant is someone who's in Abyss pretty much just to grind or farm mats, they're not there to PvP other players.  They'll pretty much just keep their head down, their mouth shut, and go about their business.

Of course I fully understand that technically, the Abyss is NOT a grind map, several CSRs have stated this fact quite bluntly, and that's fine.  I take that risk myself quite often when I'm leveling up characters below 80.  Again, I'm never in Abyss to PvP, I'm there to grind.  Period.  If I were there to PvP, I wouldn't be in a map 20 levels higher than my current level would I?  What threat do I pose to someone 30 levels higher than myself?  Zero.

Yes, I've been PKed before, did they know it was me?  I couldn't say for sure, it's not like I ask them.  If I happen to get killed, I just click out or wait, I don't say anything to the PKer, what's the sense?  Me, personally, I'm never one to announce who I am when I'm on an alt.  People figure it out sometimes or ask if I have a main, but it's not something I generally disclose.  Honestly, I'd rather people not know since I'm better able to see who they truly are without some kind of fake mask they put on to talk to me.

But anyway, yeah, I don't think the farming of kill points is at all something to be proud of or to hang your hat on.  But that's me.  People have different values, different reasons for doing or not doing things, and that's perfectly fine.  You do what you do, I'll do what I do.  Just don't expect me to forget.       ^. ~

Have I ever considered being a PKer?  This may surprise some of you, but yes at one time I did.  I have a 5x Fighter named HeavensVengeance.  After I acquired my Rage of Cainance, I thought maybe I might try my hand at PKing.  Afterall, I swung the biggest stick in 4x.  Keep in mind that this was in late 2008, early 2009, my 'main' Fighter, WinterLace had already out leveled the use of that Rage of Cainance, so I made another Fighter solely for the purposes of PKing. And of course, nobody except a few of my closest friends knew that was me.  I had complete anonymity, so why not right?  No damage to my reputation if nobody knows this is me......

I found out a few things about myself as I sat there, reputation-less, completely anonymous in 4x Abyss:
1.  I'm not a hunter.
2.  I was really bored.
3.  This wasn't for me, it's not who I am.

I'm not a hunter.  You know, I tried.  I really did.  I actually ran around 4x Abyss hunting players.  I'd enter the room they were in and see them grinding there.  They'd see me and have no idea what the heck kind of weapon I was holding since the ROC was extremely rare back then, and of course we had no silly Cabal weapon skins.  So I'd look at them... look at my Axe... then leave.  I just couldn't bring myself to do it.  Why ruin someone else's day?  Why impose my will on someone simply because they were in the wrong place at the wrong time?  I did kill a male Archer once, I think I may have 2 hit him... he just gave me a  "  = (   " and it killed me.  So after that, no more hunting.

I was really bored.  Yep.  Since I refused to hunt, all I would do was sit at the entry-way and wait for others to attack me.  Most people I just ended up chatting with instead.  Or they'd ask for a 1 Vs. 1, which I accepted.  I'd often wander into 5x also since it was a little busier back then.  I fared well there since my ROC was basically the equivalent of a GOC Axe, there were no +10s back then.  So yeah, hours of sitting there, scrolls burning, a few people to chat with, but nobody I'd consider a 'friend'.  I did the same with WinterLace later on at 76 and 86, but it didn't last, the boredom forced me to level.

This wasn't for me, it's not who I am.  That's the truth.  It's just not in me to be a PKer in that sense.  As I sat there mostly watching others, since nobody wanted to fight me, it all just kinda disgusted me.  The people there would kill some poor newbie then laugh in her face about it.  They'd chastise her and denigrate her until she gave up and left.  They'd do hideously juvenile things like tea-bagging the corpse.  Then the PKers would all huddle and laugh about it.  What kind of person does that?  And do I really want to, anonymously or not, ever be associated with these types?  Nope.  I felt more of a connection to the poor soul that was forced to leave the map than to the PKers.

So now that you've heard my moral spiel on PKing, when do I think it's acceptable? 

In Abyss, if you're fighting another willing and ready combatant it's perfectly okay.  You're probably pretty evenly matched and of course both of you want to be there to test your PvP skills.  Go for it!

In Abyss, if you're fighting over a grind spot, that's perfectly okay.  Some of the best grind spots are highly limited in the Abyss, think the two large rooms in 5x and the large rooms in 6x.  Then yes, you're competing for an area to grind in, that's fine.  If they want that grind spot back, come fight you for it.

Now, there's also this whole "PKK" movement which is basically like a vigilante-type system.  Some people have banded together to try and take down the PKers, which I guess is fine too.  It's basically example one above.  Everybody's there willingly to fight.

So why don't I take this route?  Well, again, it's just not in my nature.  I can be competitive, but not to the extent that the Abyss Residents are.  I don't think you can be a 'casual' PvPer in this sense, you just won't be able to compete with the Residents.  So why feed their egos?  Why subject myself to the ridicule and sophomoric behavior of the typical Resident?  I don't and I won't.  I enter Abyss, go about my business and leave.

That's where I stand, but again, I have no problems with people playing and enjoying Fiesta in whatever way they want.  Just remember actions speak volumes.

Germans - Help Me Out!

A couple of times now, I've received comments from German folks that can't view my videos on Youtube because of the restrictions on the background music and that, for me, presents a problem.  I really do want you guys in Germany (and everywhere else) to be able to view my videos, but how?  And is this a problem in other places of the world?

I'm still going to choose music that I enjoy for the background and upload those videos since primarily my audience is from North America which doesn't have any such restriction.  So how do I handle the Deutsche?  Would you prefer that I upload with no music?  If I do, the video will be completely silent as the audio is removed when I speed up the playback.  I can't post real-time since a lot of the recorded footage is 30-40 minutes long, and really, who wants to watch me play for 30-40 minutes!  A 5-7 minute, sped up version is much more tolerable.

Project: Tank - The Level 60 Promo

A youtube commenter asked me to shoot a vid of the level 60 promo quest for Fighter.  I hadn't planned on doing one, but since it's not that hard to make a video, I went ahead and did it this evening.

Video's pretty straight forward, nothing too revolutionary for this, it's pretty simple.  For purposes of this video, I used some T2/T1 scrolls and got an HK buff.  I probably needed neither, but got them anyway.

Notes via annotations on the video itself.  Please view the video from my channel.

Social Media CONQUERED! Event Results!

First off, I wanted to thank everyone that participated in my little mini-event, especially those that maybe checked out my blog for the first time.  It was nice reading the comments you left and hopefully you went away happy with either a prize, or maybe just a good feeling?  lol.. yeah I know, we all wanna win, and if my pockets were deep enough, I would have rewarded you all, but sadly, they aren't.

So who were the winners?  You can see them all listed above, but here are the numbers from the Random.org website:

I will be contacting all of the winners via Twitter while I back-check that you guys are indeed "Following" me... if I happen to come across a winner that doesn't have me listed, I will disqualify that person and draw another number.  Once I notify you by Twitter, please message me back letting me know what prize you would like.

If for some reason, you don't want the listed prize that you won, you can opt for anything else in the store as long as it is the same price or cheaper than the item you won.  Please don't ask me to spend more SparkCash for your prize, I'm already being generous enough don't you think?  xD

So anyway, again thanks to all the participants and a special thank you again to the GMs who made part of the prize pool a reality!  Look for another event in the coming months!

Project: Tanker - Mini Dragon KQ

Alright, another update for Project: Tank!  Today we go behind-the-scenes to follow FatalRemixed as she successfully dominates the Mini-Dragon Kingdom Quest!  Well okay, maybe that's an exaggeration, but it was a successful run highlighted by two competent tanks dueling for aggro for most of the KQ.

That in itself was pretty unique and kind of a first for me on this character.  Without any fanfare, I typically take the lead in the KQ more so because nobody else wants to step up.  However, this time, there was another player willing to do the dirty work:  JAZMYNE6969.  It's kinda funny because she even went so far as to call me a "nub" when I was Kicking the Minibosses she was running!

To be honest, I didn't even realize that she was talking to me on the Grave Robber Boss, until she called me by name and told me I was a "nub" when we were pulling Robo.  I turned off Fraps at that time so I couldn't get a screencap of it, rats.  But anyway, lesson to be learned here is to not underestimate the others that are around.  She was more capable than I thought, and I was definitely more skilled than she imagined.  Maybe we all just automatically assume the worst as far as the skill level of other players, but there are times when yeah, you can be surprised.

Conquering Social Media - Grand Prize Awarded!

So as not to miss out on Ramy's arrival via Cool Catch, I went ahead and awarded that prize about 5 minutes ago.  I printed out all 52 comments and numbered them from 1-52, with CreepyCookie's comment being #1 and alice_bunny's comment being #52.  I went over to random.org and put a range of 1-52 into their randomizer and voila!

Out popped #15..... and #15 belongs to.............. xchampagne!

So congratulations xchampagne, and thanks so much for supporting all of my social media outlets!  You should already have it in your premium inventory.  If it's not there for some reason, please contact me.

The remaining prizes will be awarded some time this weekend or Monday.  The results will be posted on Sunday.  If you still haven't entered, you have until Saturday to do so for the remaining prizes.

Project: Tanker

Those of you that have been following my Twitter feed and my Facebook have known that I've been leveling up a Tank recently.  I was inspired to create this character by a forum thread by realmatic called "The Lost Art of Tanking".  Basically, it was a plea or more of a "WTF happened to all the decent Tanks?" type of thread.  And having experienced all of the early level KQs through my Trickster, I couldn't agree more.

Time and time again, it was my Trickster, DaydreamBeliever, forced to step to the fore and tank end bosses.  Over and over, Tanks just wouldn't properly Mock, wouldn't spam aggro generating skills like Kick, so I would simply out-damage them and wrestle aggro away from them.  Of course, I did my best to do this as a Trickster.  I enjoy testing other people as much as I enjoy testing my own limits.  I constantly put pressure on Tanks and Clerics, never to the point where I'm surely going to die or where they or are party are put in serious danger, but just to test how skilled they truly are.  As far as the low-mid level tanks of Bijou go, it's pretty poor.



^--- Tanking Honeying KQ - (the annotations cut off, view in full screen) ---^


There are a small handful of decent ones and a ton that talk a good game, but really are more bravado than truly skilled.  I was hoping that by making a true Tank, maybe it could inspire some people to make that choice, to get in and do the dirty work rather than opt for the more glamorous damage dealing route.  I remember listening to a couple of Fighters go on and on about their damage, bragging back and forth and measuring their manhood by their damage range, only to see them both go splat when KKP jumped.  Of course I laughed like heck offline when it happened, but went about my business and got the KQ done.  Players that want to boast like that typically aren't very skilled, a knowledgeable player can see right through it, so I just let em continue to spout their nonsense, my eyes endlessly rolling in my skull.

As you know, I already have a 9x Fighter, WinterLace, so I am extremely comfortable in playing the class already so honestly, I'm mostly just powerleveling myself at this point when I get on at home.  I do participate in Kingdom Quests though just to test myself, meet some people, and have some fun.  The only failed KQ so far that I've been a part of was a Honeying KQ in which we had no Clerics from the start, we did make it to Giant Honeying, but ran out of time as we were killing the mobs surrounding him.

At this point, I'm pretty proud of myself, I've gotten a lot of compliments from partymates as well as others in the KQ, so of course that's pretty good validation for this whole project.  I'll continue to make videos of the KQs that I participate in since I think that's a better training tool than having other Fighters or other classes directly observe me, they really can't tell what I'm doing and why for the most part.  At least through video, I can show it and post some notes via the annotation tool.

So anyway, hope you enjoyed this entry, I'll continue to update Project: Tanker in the weeks to come.

New Mini-Blog - Where's Fatal?

Happy Saturday everyone!  Well I decided to create a sort of mini-blog for my Where's Fatal postings.  I wanted it to be a daily sort of trivia thing, so I'll be posting them here:  http://wheresfatal.blogspot.com.  So please head over there to follow this contest.  I will be awarding a small prize every two weeks for the player with the most accumulated points over that span.  More details are on that mini-blog so go check it out!

Thanks again everyone for supporting me and my efforts, your comments here, on the OutSpark Forums, and in-game really help to keep me motivated to post and interact with you all... I truly appreciate it!

Yeah, the new blog is a little plain, but over time I'll spruce it up... give me a break will ya!?  ^. ~

Screenshot of the Day: Where's Fatal?

Alright readers, here's a beautifully scenic spot... sadly, I'm alone!

But anyway, here I am, but where's here exactly?

*** Special Friday 2 for 1!!!! ***

Well since it's early, and a lot of you answered the first one correctly, how about a Round 2 for today?  Here you go!  Where am I?

Screenshot of the Day - Where's Fatal?

Okay map sleuths.... where oh where am I today?

I won't be approving comments here until there are several correct answers... so make your guesses!

100,000 Hits: Help FatalLace Conquer Social Media!

Wow, just about a year invested in my blog and I'm probably less than an hour away from eclipsing 100,000 hits!  When I started this blog back in May of last year, I had no idea that it would be this successful and have such a loyal and interactive following!  So, 'Thank you!" from me to all of you....

Without the support of readers such as yourself, I wouldn't have the success I've enjoyed.  I've tried to give back as much as I could through educating, enlightening, and hopefully entertaining you guys over the last 13 months... but I wanted to do a bit more!

As most of you noticed, I've set up accounts on YouTube, Twitter, and Facebook.  Thanks to all that have encouraged me and have so far subscribed and interacted with me through those other channels.  My blog will continue to be my focus, but I will continue to use those other platforms.  Twitter and Facebook will be mostly conversational, mostly more of a what-goes-on-in-her-crazy-mind kinda thing.  I'll also highlight and promote my postings there.  I've also given some shoutouts via Twitter to those I've met and (successfully) partied with in-game.  I had fun playing with you, so why not broadcast it right?

So anyway, as a thank you, I wanted to hold a mini-event with some SparkCash items as prizes.  Obviously if you're a Gamigo or (ahem) p-server player, this kinda excludes you, sorry!  I just yesterday picked up a $20 SparkCash card from GameStop (yay for GameStop Hawaii for actually carrying them!) and intend to divide that up to award some stuff.

So what's the event?

It's really simple!  But in order to help me "Conquer Social Media", I need you to be my army!  You will be my minions of darkness that will lay waste to all that-- .. oh sorry, getting carried away.  *ahem*

Anyway, here's what you have to do... simply comment on this blog posting, subscribe to my Twittter account, and also "Like" me on Facebook... The comment here has to include your SparkID, a link to your Twitter account (I don't care if it's not active), and also a link to your Facebook page.  If that's too much to ask, then well, you just made everyone else's chance of winning a little bit better!

All comments must be entered by 11:59pm PST (OS Time) on Saturday June 25, 2011.  At that time I will number all legitimate and complete comments from 1-XXX in chronological order and then use the random number generator at random.org to draw my winners.

So what are the prizes?

First off, I would like to thank the GMs at OutSpark who have helped contribute half of the prize pool.  Without their support, well, we'd have half the prizes?  Haha just kidding, but seriously, they do a lot of behind the scenes work for all of us and really are our only lifeline to the developers to push for the changes and improvements we always request.  So much thanks and aloha to them as well.  You guys continue to keep an open dialogue with your player base and I truly appreciate that.

With that said, here are the prizes and wow(!) there's 16 of them!

Grand Prize:  Permanent Ramy Mount (1 Winner)**

Second Prize:  Angel or Demon Set (2 Winners)

Third Prize:  Traditional Tagalog, Nightmare, Joker, Maid, Colada, or Cosmo Costumes (4 Winners)

Fourth Prize:  Any 665sc Dance of your choice (9 Winners)

** The winner of the permanent Ramy mount will have to wait until the actual item becomes available for either normal sale or Cool Catch.  If it comes on Cool Catch, I will do my best to get it for you.  If you do not want to wait, you can opt for any of the other permanent mounts currently available for sale.  (But Ramy is like waaaaaaay cuter)

Screenshot of the Day: Where's Fatal Today?

Another day, another Where's Fatal?  So... where am I today?

4 Comments so far, all got it right!  I haven't approved them yet, so they don't show... Keep guessing everyone else!

Ask Fatal - Dragon's Tomb Edition (Sub-Tanking/DD Fighter)

Now to be honest, this isn't really a facet of gameplay that I have a whole lot of experience with.  If I play as a Fighter in Dragon's Tomb, I'm typically the Tank.  While I have a DEX heavy Damage Dealing build (40 DEX, 65 STR), I always carry a Tank-like mindset.  So let's see where this goes....

Q: Fatal, what are your thoughts about Sub-Tanking?
A: As prefaced above, I really don't have much experience with it, but this is how I see it.  To me, the "Sub-Tank" should be another Damage Dealing Fighter capable of taking hits from Cornelius as well as other mobs should the main Tank go down or lose aggro to Fear or Stun.

Q: So you would only want a Fighter to Sub-Tank?  Why?  Other classes can take hits too.
A: For me, ideally a Sub-Tank should have aggro generating skills that can be quickly cast to generate aggro as I stated.  I do see a lot of players, like Archers for example, claiming they can Sub-Tank.  While it's true that they can probably take hits from Cornelius, the problem with them, and any other non-Fighter Sub-Tank, is that they have difficulty generating aggro on non-targeted mobs because they don't have specific skills made to do just that.

By the time a Fighter reaches Dragon's Tomb, he has four really good aggro grabbing skills:  Sneering Kick, Mock, Demoralizing Hit, and Slice and Dice.  As a DD Fighter, you still maintain three of those four, unless you're extremely quick to weapon swap from an Axe/2h to 1h.

While I'm not saying that other classes aren't capable of Sub-Tanking, they're just not set up, skill-wise to be as effective as another Fighter would be.  In other words, it's not an ideal situation to have a non-Fighter Sub-Tank, but if you're put into it, you adapt.

Q: So is a true "Sub-Tank" really necessary?
A: Some people seem to think so, I'm not one of them.  Again, for me, the pillars of the DT party will always be Tank, Damage Dealer, Healer.  The other two spots can be filled with whatever.  However those other two slots can be filled to make up for some weaknesses in the party.  This is where players need to come to grips with their own skill level in game.  If the three pillars are highly skilled players with good enough gear to survive a few hits from Cornelius, then the last two positions can be considered luxuries.

As a party leader, if I'm confident in the pillars, I'd look to add an Archer, I wouldn't say out of pity, but let's face it Archers, you're typically the last class parties look for.  If my party is already solid, then by all means, join up and bring a friend!

If the Fighter and DD-Mage are exceptional players, an additional Cleric isn't necessary under most circumstances, just one is sufficient.

Adding an additional Mage, or two(!), is always a nice luxury, DT runs can be remarkably fast with three Mages.

Q: So what are some reasons why Fighters Sub-Tank?
A: Typically it's because of their build, gear, and playstyle.  As a Fighter, I cannot resist doing aggro grabs, no matter the situation.  It's just in my nature to always want to pull aggro and defend my party, that's why I have a difficult time, and don't really have much experience Sub-Tanking.  If a Fighter lacks the defense to step up as the main Tank, then life as a Sub-Tank is their next best bet, but to accomplish that, it's best to fulfill that role as best you can.

Q: So in your opinion, what are the essentials for a Sub-Tank?
A: As a Sub-Tank you do need decent enough gear to withstand taking aggro should the need arise.  If you can't take the hits with just armor alone and Axe in hand, be extremely quick about switching to 1h/Shield to make up for your lack of DEF.  The Sub-Tank/DD should have a +9/+10 two-handed weapon, either 2H or an Axe.

As the Sub-Tank, you need to be cognizant of your Tank's playstyle.  Take some time early on to observe how she pulls and how well she maintains aggro on ranged mobs in particular.  You also should stagger your Devastate so not to overlap each other.  I would allow the Tank to cast that first Devastate and then time yours afterwards.  There's more on the plate for the Tank, so your role as support becomes a bit easier.  Let her cast first, then you follow when the Stun has worn off.

The Sub-Tank/DD should also immediately target mobs with the highest threat level to the backline players (Clerics, Mages, Archers), those being in order:  Nerpas, Krugers, Caravans, Flame Spirits, Fire Shellas, and Gargoyles.  Read the Tankers guide if you're unfamiliar with the status effects the mobs can inflict on you and your party.

Q: What are some options for the Sub-Tank/DD?
A: If I were put into this role, I would pretty much handle the job as a straight line DD, while keeping a watchful eye on the others.  Meaning I would Might VIT, and run a Gabriel Set at all times.  Just be careful as always when to equip your Mighty Set.  If the Tank is exceptional, it won't matter and you can equip/un-equip at any time, but just be aware your defense drops tremendously.  As far as the Gabriel Set (55 Jewelry) what it essentially does is it allows you to have an "endless" Vitality.  The cool down and duration with the Gabriel Set, so long as you have 5 points empowered in Vitality's CD and 5 points in its' Duration, will overlap each other meaning you can recast.  I think there's a slight window without the Gabriel Set, I'd have to double check to be 100% sure.

Q: So how do I handle the final fight with Cornelius?
A: As far as positioning goes, I would try to position myself on the sides of Cornelius, opposite the Cleric.  What you don't to happen is for you to get aggro when the Tank is feared and then having Cornelius immediately launch into an AOE killing you and possibly the Cleric.  So stand off to the side if possible.

Now this part, I'm also unsure of, but what I would do is I would cast Kick and Demoralizing Hit every-so-often.  I wouldn't spam it as I don't want to pull aggro from the Tank, but I want to ensure my aggro level remains higher than that of the Cleric and any of the DDs.  I'll have to field test this later with a decent Tank.

Again, if anyone else has some thoughts on this, by all means leave me a comment!

Screenshot of the Day: Where's Fatal Today?

 

Off adventuring today... any guessing where this screenshot was taken?

Dragon's Tomb Solo - Mage's Revenge

Whoops!  Forgot to post this... Well anyway, those of you that are subscribers to my YouTube Channel probably already saw this, but this was a follow up video to my earlier Dragon's Tomb - Mage Solo Video.

This was my first recorded solo kill of Titan.  Again, these runs were done without SparkCash.  No Extenders, Charms, (beneficial) Costumes, Weapon Skins, etc.  This was also done without the use of Blue (Set) Armors.  This Mage is still wearing the same equipment she had in the last video.

So yeah, enjoy the video, stick around for the outtake!

Ask Fatal: Dragon's Tomb Edition (Damage Dealing - Mage)

Since our last Ask Fatal: DT Edition had to do with Tanking, let's explore the next job, Damage Dealing.  I set this one up more like a Q & A... maybe it's a bit more interesting this way? At least it's conversational =)

Q:  So what about Damage Dealing in Dragon's Tomb?  I just blow $#@!$ up right?
A:  So to speak, yes, but there's more to it than just that.

Q: But I'm a Mage, I drop Nova, I drop lag-hell (Inferno), and I'm done aren't I?  I AM MAGE I KIIIIIIIIIIIIIIILLLLLL STUFF!
A: Here's where it gets a bit more complicated than you realize.  Yes, the primary job of the Damage Dealing Mage is to unleash torrents of hell on the mobs, but the Mage also has an often overlooked secondary role, defense.

Ask Fatal: Dragon's Tomb Edition (Tanking)

After generating some interest in Dragon's Tomb with the release of my Mage solo videos, I decided I'd tackle some questions that I've been asked a few times.  Due to the length of these answers, I'll break these up into several postings.  Look for them in future posts.

Q: What makes up the ideal Dragon's Tomb Party?

A: That's not really as black and white as you think.  There are 3 pillars to every successful Dragon's Tomb Party: the Tank, the Damage Dealer, and the Healer.  Mindblowing right?  Of course not, we all knew that already.  But here, it can't be stressed enough.  Admittedly there are times when one player can fill multiple roles, such as Tank + DD, and that's typically a charmed, extended Mage, but per the norm, the above three roles are your foundation. Much of the success of your party is determined by everyone's awareness and ability to carry out their defined roles.  Those that are unable to can be a significant detriment and danger to the party.  While I wouldn't say to immediately kick them, it can be a time to educate them, tactfully.

Follow Me On Twitter!

Yep, your favorite Warlock is going bird-mode and signed up for Twitter!  Now I don't know how popular it will be, hopefully it will be, but anyway, I figured it was just another simple way to communicate with you guys without the formal structure of a blog posting...

Does that mean blogging will slow down?  Geez, I hope not!  I figured I'd use Twitter for just everyday stuff related to Fiesta anyway... nothing so important that it would warrant a full-blown blog post.

So anyway, let me know what you guys think, if you have a Twitter account, please let me know so that I can follow you too!

So visit me there!  Twitter updates will also be posted in the right hand column of my blog...

http://twitter.com/fatallace

Trickster Chronicles - Another Milestone Reached

Well it took me longer than I expected, but DaydreamBeliever reached level 80 this morning!  I was sort of milking the KingKongPhino Kingdom Quest for a while, before finally deciding to go ahead and level up.
I still had the 7-day HP/SP Extender, 7-day Blessing of Teva, and 7-day 100% EXP Boost from the level 56 and 66 Mystery Vaults (Thanks OutSpark for the freebies!  Gotta love a free 7-day Elite Bundle!), so I went ahead and activated it and figure I'd put in the time and claw my way to 80.  Thankfully I still have about 36 hours remaining, so I'll see if I can progress much further.

I am sad to be over KKP though.  It's a really fun KQ, especially for a melee character.  You get to stick you nose into everything, and if you're like me, you always try to compete to pull aggro from the tanks.

I've done that KQ so many times and probably 30% of them was without a Cleric in my party, and yet I still pull aggro, and don't mind tanking at all.  Yeah, I burn through a lot of T3/T4 HP pots, but I dunno, I see it as kind of a badge of honor.  Maybe that sounds hokey, but I dunno, I think it's kind of cool.  I'm proud to say that none of the KKP KQs I participated in failed, whether there were Clerics around or not, we always got it done.

It's funny to see how many people will bail out of KQ the minute they realize there are no Clerics participating.  Getting to the end, there's always a few non-believers who think that the KQ is just doomed, that there's no way it can be done.  I always tell them to have faith, that we can get it done, just hang in there.  It's funny, all of these non-Cleric scenarios, there was never EVER a Fighter to step up and tank KKP at the end and I really can't explain why.  Use some scroll, use some pots, is it not worth the 600k EXP and the reward chest?  Not to mention the respect and admiration of those that stayed?  You're not losing any EXP by dying in KQ, so you may as well give it a shot!

We were the final two remaining and we succeeded!

So what's next?  For Daydream, I really want to do a lot of Gordon Master KQs as this is also one of my favorites, and hopefully, it can net me a 70 Blue Claws or Dual Sword!  I also want to do some Dragon's Tomb runs, hopefully getting into parties there won't be an issue.  I could always dual log and wipe out the minibosses with Dharalyn (89 Mage), just getting the shirt requires other people...

Anyway, stay tuned for more updates in the future, the Trickster Chronicles aren't over just yet!

Trickster Chronicles: Giant Harpy Rematch!

I posted this on my YouTube a couple of days ago and didn't want to take attention away from my Archer Rebalance post, so I withheld posting the video here.  Subscribers may have already seen this.  But anyway, after my last failed attempt (due to outside interference), I decided to take a crack at the Giant Harpy again.  At 79, she wasn't hard at all, even when the extra mobs spawned nearby and were pulled in early in the fight.

Not a huge accomplishment, but I was happy to avenge my losses.  Hope you all had a great weekend!

Daydream's at about 50% to 80, maybe we'll see some Trickster action in Dragon's Tomb soon!

Another Chapter of Rebalance & BoE - June 1st Maintenance

There's a saying that goes: "The journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step..."  That couldn't be more fitting considering the plight of Fiesta's Archers.  After a 24 hour delay and much anticipation we received our weekly maintenance update!  The GMs hinted that we were in for something big and they didn't disappoint.  While not everything in the patch went over smoothly, for the most part, I think the majority of the players are happy this week.  Thankfully Archers did see a bit of attention this week, but I remain confident that OutSpark and OnsOnSoft aren't done tweaking the arrow flinging class just yet.

So here's a breakdown of this week's patch:

Even After 3.5 Years, We All Can Have Noob Moments

 

I couldn't help but laugh and share this picture when I realized what I was carrying in game.  A couple of things bother me about this picture and the ramifications as to why I even have this....

As most fighters do, I carry around both a Mighty Set as well as a Slash Set.  Typically after hitting a boss with a stun, you whip out the Slash Set to apply Fatal Slash to that boss further diminishing his defense.  Problem is that yeah, you actually need both pieces of this set to get the darn thing to work!

So... I don't know how long I've been carrying this around and I'm curious where my actual Slash Armor went because it's nowhere to be found in my inventory.  This character pretty much never leaves the Uruga/BR area. so I don't even know how I got the darn thing.  I'm afraid I probably NPCed the Slash Top at some point perhaps mistaking it for this?  I dunno.... I'm confused by it all.

So.... how long exactly have I been running DT, trying to Slash Set minibosses using a Hide Armor????  *groan*

More Archer Rebalance?

Hmm could it be?  More efforts to bring Fiesta's most unloved class to the fore?  Check out today's OSKI for details.

I'll have a review after maintenance.