On Tue, 15 Jun 1999, CMai wrote:
>
> I am a lvl 17 bard trying to find a good place to hunt. I am mostly around
> Oasis but willing to travel for exp and loot. I need a good place with
> decent amount of plp to group with. I tried Unrest, and Highpass. It seems
> that no one wants a bard because we attract too much attentions. Please
> give suggestions.
17 is an awkward time. You've just gotten dual wield so
you've ditched that shield thus lowering your AC and getting
beat up more. Your dual wield skill probably stinks, so you
are not doing much more damage than if you were wielding just
one weapon. Your new song probably isn't as effective as
elemental rhythms (I didn't compare the two until 19 and found
the two to be identical in magic resist and AC bonus then).
I'd agree with the others that most of the places you can hunt
are wide open places you can solo. In addition to the
Karanas, the kodiaks and young kodiaks in West Commonlands
were pretty good fighting. You can pounce on any wisps that
wander by to collect a fair amount of loot while you're doing
this too. Just be careful of the hill giants and griffins,
and Kizdean Gix and the other dark elf (they have set routes
you can avoid once you learn them). Unlike the Karanas, the
griffins are not normally aggressive unless they see you in
combat or you stand next to them too long (/con threatening).
Every once in a while there is a werewolf, which you should
probably run from; but if you don't mind kiting, you can try
to kill it because they carry some really good loot I hear
(skin sells for about 100pp).
If you do decide to go to Unrest or Highpass or other "tight"
areas, make sure you have a good healer in the group. You will
be taking a lot of damage without a shield and with most
everything fixated on you. But 17 was about the time I really
found lullaby to become very effective at controlling trains.
My friends love me for that, and keep getting themselves
killed taking on more mobs than they can handle at once when
I'm not there. Try to get into banded ASAP if you haven't
already.
And dare I mention it, Crushbone is pretty good in the L16-19
range. It is usually total chaos in there, but you are high
enough that most of the trains that form there won't bother
you (some of the legionnaires will leave you alone). And with
a good group you can take on the warlord, Lord Darish, and
Crush himself (all sometimes carry special items that can sell
for a lot of platinum). The royal guard always carries at
least one bronze weapon too, which sells well (do NOT turn
your back on him, I've been backstabbed for 82 (yes,
eighty-two) points). The loot on the other orcs usually
stinks, but they come fast and furious and make up in quantity
what they lack in quality. It's an outdoor zone so you can
kick in Accelerando and run if Dvinn sticks his head out (if
you think your group can handle him, give it a shot as he
carries that wonderful wonderful 6/23 dirk).
--
John H. Kim
kim@...