Current AA rate?

[Prelgor]

Hello all!  I'm back to EQ from an extended break, and I'm contemplating whether AA's should be "now" or "later" in light of the new AA experience scaling.  I'm currently at 65 (up from 60, when I came back a few weeks ago). 

It used to be an obvious call.  At higher level, you could kill bigger monsters that gave more XP.  AA's flowed more quickly at higher levels than at lower levels for this simple reason.  The new scaling makes it less clear whether that is still the case.

Right now, at level 65 with Bazaar gear and all PoP (but not GoD) spells, I can solo in inner Grieg's End (a current hotzone).  If I get into my preferred rhythm, I can get about a full AA by the time the double XP veteran AA expires.  So, that works out to around an AA in 1 hour, unbuffed.  Is this good?  What solo AA rate are higher level folks getting nowadays? 

I am NOT asking whether I should go for AA or levels first.  I'm asking whether I am getting AA's any faster or slower than higher leveled folks. 

Thanks!  I owe much of my success in-game to these forums, so collectively, thank you! 

- Prelgor

[kindarring2]

I always say go to max lvl then aa. At 75 i get an aa every 30 mins without double exp aa and thats not trying. If i go to some zones like RS or Nest or a few new zones in TSS i can get an aa every 15-20 mins depending on if i keep it to solo pulls and spead manna out.

[Nusa]

Unfortunately, you're not going to find many people with first-hand experience at both lower and higher levels under current AA rules, and if you don't compare the same person and toon, you've got too many variables for a good comparison.

Me, I solo for quests and to challenge myself, not for exp, so I'm no help. For exp, it's far faster to get in a good group at any level.

[hokarz]

an aa and hour was the benchmark the Devs were shooting for. Depending on the group, I can get better than an aa per hour in Icefall, solo it's about....an aa an hour killing lt blues in the steppes. I've been leveling a paladin, druid and shaman in GE and I can get about an aa an hour there, too...as long as I can keep the mobs to myself. Before the exp changes in GE, at 70 on my beastlord, I was getting 2aa's an hour. Conversely, after the changes and with my beastlord at 72, I was getting...an aa an hour solo :) Get the aa's while you are lower level, it's more fun and people you group with will be amazed at how well you can dps or tank.

[Jkal_Shihar]

Remember its to have fun. My main I lvl'd up as fast as I could now I wish I took some time to enjoy a bit. My old main which I took out of the dust balls is 63 and I'm enjoying his slow lvl pace with aa grind.

[Haggatha]

Knock out at least a 4-5 AA and then make your decision. Honestly, AA come so easy now, you *might* be talking about saving a few minutes - not enough to really worry about. AA were rebalanced to be around an hour per AA, but I haven't seen it take that long anywhere (but I already had 160 or so AA when they made the change). Worst case scenario, you lose a small amount of time - maybe up to an hour, which in the long run, who cares?

I would suggest the double attack AA first - except maybe the 1rst level of melee crits for some eye candy. A little bit of eye candy goes a long way toward enlivening the grind.

I can make just a hair under 2 AA in an hour at 70 on the dark blue WoS murks. Sometimes a touch more, but normally a kill or 2 under. When I came back at 68, after time off, I was making about 1.6 AA an hour. But my weapons improved dramatically at 70 as well.

[Gunzak]

Im same with Haggatha I can make around 2aa an hour in WoS or 4aa with exp potions.  In an MPG group, assuming everyone is 74 or under I can do a little over 1aa an hour.  RSS is the same with people 74-75 or a little better with people under 73.  The new con changes that dink exp for the entire group make soloing for me a lot better.  The only thing I hate about murks is they are real boring but yeah the exp is great.

[rdahl]

My 73 Bst gets about an AA every 1.25 hours soloing while my 73 druid gets an AA every 20 minutes soloing.  The disparity is pretty shocking to me.

[Tardar]

I find that a bit hard to believe.  I'm not saying it's untrue, but I would like to know some specifics.  I'd like to see some Magelo's, zones, buffs, etc. 

[Fuzkitty]

ok, bear in mind, I have joined a raid guild and I like to do tbs missions.  Only reason I mention it is because the dps and pullers can be some of the best on server imo.  If I hit lotd right before the first mob dies in the hide and seek mission, I can ping 4-5 times before it goes off and we've cleared all of the pyramid or only have 1-2 mobs left.  If I'm giong to use pots, I will do the Flora 1 mission and we usually grind all the way to the name and ping 5 times in 45 min. (buff extension aa's affect the pots YAY!)  I really don't solo that much unless I'm farming so I can't help ya there, but iirc rcod lt blues give 3-4% aa a kill, but I can only pet cleric them (the names anyway), so not really that efficiant.  Also, it's early and I'm tired so I apologize if I ramble, and/or this is not exactly what you were looking for.


Fuz

[Prelgor]

Unfortunately, you're not going to find many people with first-hand experience at both lower and higher levels under current AA rules, and if you don't compare the same person and toon, you've got too many variables for a good comparison.

I do appreciate how varied playstyles, and thus play experience can be. 

Still, the consensus seems to be that AA's come at least as quickly at higher levels than I am getting them now (if not more so).  In other words, I'm not going to get AA *slower* by gaining levels, which was my fear. 

Thanks all! 

- Prelgor

[rdahl]

I find that a bit hard to believe.  I'm not saying it's untrue, but I would like to know some specifics.  I'd like to see some Magelo's, zones, buffs, etc. 

Who are you talking to?  If its about my druid (since your post immediately follows mine) she's probably under geared for her level, absolutely nothing special for sure, uses MP6 (is that the highest now?) from tribute.  She is almost totally self buffed, exception is she uses clarity X potion.  She charms mammoths in Icefall.  For instance, last night she got 3 AA within the duration of lesson (30 minutes).  Before the charm "nerf" (which was aimed at chanters) charming was no more efficient than root rotting, quadding or root and nuke.  After the "nerf" it is so fast, the pet beats on another  mob until its down to 20% or less then break charm and charm other mob, rinse repeat.  Occasionally (actually rare-ish) charm breaks so often she has to med every so often but usually continues for a couple hours without break (that's the typically the largest chunk of time I play her).

P.S. I just read Fuzkitty's post about buff extension AA affecting exp. pots so I'll have to check on their affect for lesson so I may be a few minutes off on this.

[Fuzkitty]

Yeah with SCR the pots last around 45 min = )

[sicshift]

Yeah with SCR the pots last around 45 min = )

dayyum! glad i read this before using them on my new druid bot. sic hasnt used em yet either. been waiting to use them when im ready to level. it doesnt work with the haste/clarity potions though right?

[Gunzak]

SCR doesn't affect haste or clarity potions which is too bad.  How are you guys getting 45 minutes from the exp pots?  I have SCR3 and mine only last a bit longer then 39 minutes.  Either way it isn't a big deal since they are not lore on FV and I plan to stock over 20 of them on my character before the 15th.

Getting back on topic with haste potions I made 5aa in WoS in about 80 minutes.  Some of that was travel time and some was traveling back to PoK when I was done.  The main thing I lack in mana preservation but I am gonna tribute it and see how well that speeds things up.

I have been bugging my guild leaders to do a PoF raid to get guildies flagged for experience purposes but no one who is flagged for fire has any interest in doing it.  I used to do PoF on Stromm and the mobs were very easy and I suspect they are faster AA then murks.  I know DB mobs went from 7% a kill down to 6% after the experience changes but PoF mobs are low hp, low damage, don't run and are almost all singles.