Hmmm,

I don't think I switched to an all instrument attack until I was level 18.
At 18 you can play Chords of Disonance, Hymn of Restoration and Dennon's
Disruptive Discord to great advantage.

Hand to hand caps much lower than our either melee skills. I believe that
the max gain is 3 points per level. Thus, at level 11 your 1 h slash will
cap at 60 but your hand to hand will cap at 34.

If you are going to do an instrument attack, I suggest going against mobs
that do not dot you. Avoid spiders and asps. Stick with Young Kodiaks, Giant
Scarabs and Orcs (if you are staying in the Freeport vicinity) At level 12
you gain Brusco's Boastful Bellow and you may want to consider taking on
wisps. Wisps are magic only to hit, but in a an all song attack, that's not
a problem. (try to pick up magic gloves though so you can punch the wisps)
Wisps are great exp and good loot, just be careful because they hit hard at
lower levels.

Draelon Stormsong
Bard of the Tribunal

-----Original Message-----
From: Webber, Jessica [mailto:webber@...]
Sent: Wednesday, May 17, 2000 9:12 AM
To: 'eqbards@egroups.com'; 'tunare@egroups.com'; 'Sisterhood'
Subject: [eqbards] ...but it's still easier than playing a rogue

Greetings all!

I tried my first all-instrument attack last night. I was battling blues in
the Southeast corner of West Commons and the Southwest corner of East
Commons. First I tried a giant spider in WC. It took me down to two
bubbles, but I won. And I got hand to hand up to 3! Woohoo! So I tried
another spider, which also took me down to two bubbles, and got hand to hand
up to 4. Then a ghoul showed up so I moved to EC and attacked an asp.
Well, an "asp" got whooped alright, but it wasn't the snake.

LOADING, PLEASE WAIT...

So I retrieve my corpse and try another asp. I show my wisdom by zoning
before I die, but display my lack of intelligence by not leaving myself
enough HPs to survive the poison. I loose consciousness the minute I hit
WC, never getting Hymn started.

DONG! You have lost a level! Welcome back to level 10, dummy!
LOADING, PLEASE WAIT...

So I retrieve my corpse and ditch the instruments in favor of my FS 1H
slasher and kite shield (don't I feel twinked <g>) and look for some more
spiders. I attack one and another joins in. I swear this is the first time
I've ever seen a giant spider assist another. I mean I know spiders are
like that, but I've just never seen it happen. I've also never noticed
spiders stunning me before. I just BARELY make the zone.

Back on the EC side I try my luck with another asp. Wicked close, this
battle. I loose consciousness twice, but survive. I search for another
snake but instead find a lesser mummy. So I head back to WC.

An asp is there waiting for me. I fair better with this one. It's still a
close call, but I don't loose consciousness.

DING! You have gained a level! Welcome back to level 11! Be more careful
this time, silly!

More careful? Me? Heh. It occurs to me that if I can get my H to H skill
(currently at 5) up to where my 1H slash skill is (57) that I might just be
able to kick some asp. WC is empty, so I zone back to EC and find another
serpent. The battle commences but is not looking promising. So I ditch the
lute mid-battle. Victory! Woohoo! I find another asp. I reequip my lute
and this time don't stop playing until about 2/3 of the way through the
battle. Victory! Woohoo! I find another asp. I reequip my lute and this
time stop playing the moment I switched to 3rd person view and discover I've
actually found a nest of asps. Run away! Woohoo! I equip my drum and get
my asp out of there.

Back in WC I spy a spider creeping along. I reequip my lute and this time
don't stop playing until...

LOADING, PLEASE WAIT...

Back in Freeport a guildmate accuses me of hanging out at the tavern
drinking. Why anyone would assume I'm at a tavern just because they keep
seeing me in Freeport is beyond me. But anyway, I run back to WC and
reequip my lute just long enough to bonk myself on the head with it, then I
put it away in favor of more conventional weaponry.

Another dead spider, another dead asp. Things are looking up. So I start
thinking about that hand to hand skill again, wondering how much damage I
*could* be doing. Well...

Little miss bard
did her shield discard
and picked up her lute to play
along came a spider
with poison insider her
saying "Minstrel, this isn't your day"

LOADING, PLEASE WAIT...

I retrieve my corpse and equip my drum. This time I don't stop playing
until I reach the tavern.

Peace
Evulia, bard of 11 missed notes, Tunare

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