Greetings all,
I'm a new player to this server, and very excited about the format. I don't have the time to hardcore raid/camp anymore but I miss the EQ experience - so a server like this that is tuned with players like me in mind is a wonderful idea! Many thanks to Control for the effort.
I played from the original release date in 1999 until roughly halfway through Velious [EMarr server]. As a result, I am really in the dark when it comes to the current UI, the current world, the new races/classes, and frankly how to even get to my first newbie area for some xp. I have some questions below that i'm hoping to get some help with, and my thanks in advance for your responses.
1. Client UI
Can anyone recommend a clean, efficient, general UI that is useful/compatible for this server? It would need to work for casters, hybrids, and melee classes.
2. Newbie Areas
Back in my day (gosh I feel old) new characters started in their respective capital cities. On this server I seem to be in a zone called Plane of Knowledge, which is new to me. I saw some other players using /say commands to travel, but I don't know the syntax, the destinations, if you need reagants, etc. Can anyone give me a resource or a crash course on where I should go first to level (if not my racial home city), and how to get there? I feel kinda silly asking this. :)
3. Starting Out
Similar to question #2 above, I seem to remember starting with a letter to my trainer in my inventory which resulted in some newbie gear and a few initial quests. I don't seem to have those types of starting items, but I do have "a mysterious staff", "a mysterious dagger", and some kind of clicky charm.
Are the newbie quests/trainer elements basically obsolete and moot at this point? Can someone point me in the right direction of how to make use of the items I started with?
4. 2-Boxing
I plan to be largely solo, and I have never used more than one client in my EQ career. However, it seems I might want to eventually make use of two clients on this server to tackle some medium-weight targets as I get leveled up. I am a total newbie to 2-boxing, can someone point me in the right direction of a guide? Is there some software that manages your client windows and simplifies some commands - or, do you just have 2 clients running, /follow a lot, and alt-tab a lot? :)
5. Class Choices
I thought about playing a Vah Shir Beastlord, because I've never played the race or class, and the description of the class in the EQ client sounded like it's a well-rounded solo class that can also help in a group. EQ class descriptions can be, well.. misleading though. :) Can someone weigh-in on how that class fares overall on this server as a solo character?
I also considered a shaman, as I've read that they can solo all sorts of ridiculous content after they get their epic clicky DoT. Still true? Do Mages and/or Necros still own the solo world? I don't really want to play a bard, as the constant click-fest of twisting would drive me insane.
I'd love your advice on what some powerful/reliable solo classes are for this server, and also what might be really effective duo combinations.
6. Other Advice
Any other advice that folks might want to offer me about what zones to level in (maybe a guide from 0-30ish?), what items/gear to specifically make use of at lower levels, or any other advice for a total and utter newbie to this server and these EQ expansions. :)
Thanks all! Can't wait to get grinding again and to re-live some of my old adventures.