EQDiva

I hold to that famous *yet edited for television* catch phrase... "It's not the size of the drum, but how the person uses it." Size doesn't matter, drums don't matter, but the bard who can twist and shout the night away as I've just learned to do is by far the most sought after comodity in groups today. There were 2 bards in a group when I logged in, I wasn't even going to adventure...and the leader said he was gonna kick out one bard to get me in the group. lol. He bribed me 100pp just to take the time and go with him, since his alt grouped with my bard a few days back. He raised it to 400pp, but I had to say no...lol, I had to ask if he was serious... He said probably the best words, and why I bring it up on this forum..."A bard with great gear and no skill is at best the weakest warrior/ranger you could never ask for in a group. You my man, pulling and twisting, and doing some good dmg in the heat of battle, is exactly the strength of the group that we all need every time out." He then told the 2 bards to get with me to find out what I'm doing to be the bard I am now. They both came and inspected me, and told him they had better gear than I did. He kicked em both out of the group before starting the adventure...lol. Humility goes everywhere, and pride is just that nasty quality that gets ya kicked out. hehe. So what should we learn from all this? Don't take pride in your gear, weaps, or espeically instruments. If you can't give the twist and shout as we all should but few really excell at, that guy from BB said it best..."A bard with great gear and no skill is at best the weakest warrior/ranger you could never ask for in a group". I don't boast about my instruments, but I do my job in the dungeons. That pays off tenfold. Can we talk about how to get bards skills talked about now and not the fairness of an item on the level of the character now? sigh. I still need to learn to fear kite, but I'm too afraid...I might be casting it on myself...lol. Fil

It all really boils down to EARNING your way through the ranks. Theres no "midlevel content" for drums any more. It's just creation of bard to second best drum in the game. It's not progressing through gear as you level like it should be.

I understand, but there is really no chart that people go by. This level should have this and that level should have that. Besides, if SoE really wanted it to be your way Paeros, they would have level required on every item, and every item would be no drop so they wouldn't be passed around. It's SoE who's to blame, not people trying to get better gear. I've personally never quested any of my armor. I equipped everything as I killed it, and it dropped, and eventually was able to buy things from traders. There's nothing wrong with that, I've earned everything I have on my bard. No twinking, just able to get better gear than others...made good decisions on sales and purchases. That's all. Does that make me the scourge of bards everywhere? Am I not a true bard because I have a TDoK earlier than some? no. The real game is what a bard brings to the group, or how he handles things solo. Gimme a basic drum, and put me against anyone with a close level and a TDoK. They can out run me, sure. SO??? I'm chanting down groups of 20 or more and did it with a walrus skin...lol. Or, put me in a group with same bard in a crawl. I bring it to the table, so to speak. I don't boast about what I can do, except here since most are on different servers, but I let my work on the floor speak for itself when I'm crawlin with a group. Don't hate me cuz I'm beautiful, and got mad bard skillz...8-) note....only got here where I am due to this site and the sharing of how to's I've printed and done my homework. Thanks EQDIVA!!!! Fil

When I was about level 20, I had gotten a Grifenne Charm and had a guildmate, a level 35 bard, who had the Darkbone Bracelet and she offered to MQ a Lambent Bracer with me. This was 3 years ago, folks. I had only a hand drum and she had a Nostrolo Tambourine. I ran with her through Nektulos thinking, OMG! What speed! I knew I had to have one of those tambourines! So I worked my butt off getting help from slightly higher level friends to get all 6 coins for the quest until I finally had that tambourine! It was one of the proudest accomplishments ever for me. At that point in EQ, the idea of having over 1000 plat was just a fantasy - NO ONE had THAT much money! The idea that bards are twinkes with Thunderous Drums at birth just makes me shake my head in wonder. Why play if you can start your character with gear you won't replace for 60 levels or more? I have 3 years of indescribably fun play invested in Steppy and a great deal of the fun is the progress -- getting better items one item at a time through hard fought battles and effort. I don't know. I'm not a devout anti-twink person -- trust me, one look at my alts will tell you that. I just wish more people could experience the game the way I once did. I don't think newbies today have any chance of every knowing what that was like.

A lot of newbies now days don't have the chance and almost as many don't want the chance. /sigh

Nostrolo Tambourine.... Boy did, love doing that quest.. I still have it, as my spare drum.. I'm thinking very few bards do this quest anymore.. drums with decent stats and mods are readily available in the bazaar.. for all the effort to get this, its much easier to get the plat and visit the bazaar and grab a drum there. But, boy do I love my Tambourine, one of the few quests that I loved doing.. that and the lambent quests (which I did ever piece, except for the second bracer) Ahh well.. would be curious to see if any new bards are actually doing any of these quests anymore. As for the TDoK I got mine from a guildie in my mid 50's and it replaced the Selo's drum I had won in my first naggy raid :)

I started the Tamborine quest, but got some cash together and paid the then going rate for Walrus Skin Drums, which I had until I got my TDoK. Note that I paid 3k for the Walrus, which is the going rate for TDoK now. So Tsol, would you do a quest for a VERY inferior drum if you were essentially handed a TDoK? Only for the pleasure of doing it is my guess. :cry: Sinfonian

Yea... thats my thinking.. if I get handed a TDoK.. why would I bother with that quest.. and as you said TDoK are going for 3k now.. /shrug take the easy way out.. and grab that drum.. as it seem most new bards are doing.. /sigh

You guys sound like old folks sittin around the "home" reminiscing about days gone by..."Well, when I was going across the Commons, it was uphill both ways." Every year there's a new wave of players, and every year, those with "seniority" seem to find a pride in doing things harder. I just am amazed this issue has gotten so much discussion, most of it being of fonder days of yesteryear, and lets sneer down our wrinkled noses at those who don't have it as hard. sheesh. The game is only 5 years old guys, it's not like anyone's been playing for 30 years and had to go crank the generator outside the outhouse to get the power running so they could plug in their antique WWII Supercomputer to play EQ.... I understand, today's players have it easier. More people are playing means more items are available and we are the microwave generation. I want it hot, and in one minute. No slow cookers for me. nosireebob. There's nothing bad about the way the game has gone, don't be bitter cuz you spent countless hours doing the lambent quests and now can do 2 hours of farming DSP for acrylia and sell them for enough plat to get the whole set. You don't see the newer players laughing at your miniscule efforts to get something now going for 3 pp in the bazaar. Well, not to your faces at least. Lets face it guys, things change and EQ is going along for the ride. You guys could have taken this "new players getting uber items at such younger levels are ruining the game" and gone to DAoC or SWG, but you're here. Funny thing is...most of those uber twinked youngsters are alts from guys JUST LIKE YOU THAT HAVE BEEN ON THE GAME SINCE DAY ONE!!!! So let's get off it already, check the depends, take some metamucil, don't forget the viagra, and go adventure already...whooooo..... Nothin but love to the old guys. Fil

Fil, I hope your post was relating to the one where I mentioned going uphill in the snow both ways. If so, I WAS JOKING! :o I sure hope you didn't take that post seriously. I realize things change, and yes, I sorta understand making things easier for new folks, but trading one time-sink for another makes no sense to me whatsoever, so I'm going to say so. That's all. :D Sinfonian

Fil :lol yea.. let me take that cane to you now... :D actually.. I started this game shortly after Luclin came out.. so I still consider myself a newb of a sort.. I only have one character.. I have no alts (unless you consider my Bazaar mule) but your right things move on.. things are different.. better possibly for the new players.. I consider myself a new player still.. since I didn't have to worry about the boat rides, I used the nexus.. at the time I started playing,, I could have gone the route of buy my equipment from the bazaar, but I did go the quest route.. :) and I don't regret it. it was the most enjoyable time I've had. That being said, these quests are still out there for the new players to do if they want.. nothing stopping them. Its up to the player to decide how to play there character. Its a game, and everyone has there choice on how to have fun. hehe damn this thread is getting ganked :lol TDoK go get it, for what ever reason.. its worth the cash. and you can move on to other things that time is better spent on instead of spending your time in a timesink. P.S. I did ride the boats (when they were working) just to see the sights... :)

I guess I'm one of those old timers too then. I well remember getting the coins for my Nostrolo Tamborine. Not to mention the thrill of going to the old Plane of Hate and getting all your planar armor in one session and everyone in your guild hates you :lol I agree with Steppy, the fun is in the journey, and the well-earned reward someting to take pride in. Having something handed to you just isn't the same.

Anyone remember when boats were down forever and the Translocators could never seem to translocate you to the right place? I remember having to take the boat to the Overthere around level 35 when the boats were down, and the darn TLer always punted me to the druid succor point. Being 35, I was scared, lonely, and helpless :P But yeah, that was a good time. Needless to say, I got my swimming skills up really quick! :D

Translocator? What were those? ;P I remember when if the boats were broken you got a port or waited till the next patch for them to be reset. Translocators pffft.

My point was totally missed. I'm not reminiscing about the good ol' days or complaining about the kids these days. I'm lamenting for THEM! There is something very cool, very exciting and very fresh about this game that I experienced and loved. Players who start now, buy 100K worth of twink gear, and PL themselves to 60 completely miss a huge chunk of the joy of discovery. You can make all the old fart jokes you want. I got to experience and enjoy something a lot of you never will. You can tease me all you want for comments, but that won't put the excitement of discovery back into the game for you.