Are LDoN's going down the tubes..

Nanndas · November 22, 2004, 09:10:16 PM

Kinda of a letting off steam

I did an LDoN yesterday early in the morning. At first it was to be BB and I was in group. I'm in JPF and use a gate potion to get to PoK and then BB portal. I get there and my brother said forget it the leader invited someone to fill the 6th spot....duh I should have known this was going to be bad.

Portal back to PoK and the get another tell, that someone dropped out and to head to Nro. Get into group. leader was another 56 BL, along with my bro, a 54 cleric. 55 Nec, 52 Shammy and 52 War fill the group. Running to Oasis and the BL takes on a rescue. When in the dungeon (another indication), the BL keeps using potions to change into a Barb etc.

Okay off we go. Cleric pacifies second room and BL doesn't assist correctly and pulls the whole room. Zoned out to clear agro. Get a little deeper in and same thing. Zone out again and BL decides that he's had enough and disbands. Now down to 5, so we continue. Do a few rooms and again as the cleric calls for assist, the war pulls the whole room. This time we wipe, except the cleric got out and rezzes are quick. Now we lose the adventure, but will try for the booby prize. Then the shammy disbands and disconnects with all our plat. We try to continue as we get the "Help" notices on the screen. Cleric checks the next room and it's packed with 7 mobs. So we give up and zone out.

Lately it seems that not only are LDoN groups hard to get, but I can't figure out for the life of me how some players got to 50+.

Nan

I went on the that adventure because I need the points there for DPoC. It's rare that peeps go there. They usually want BB. I've had a hard time getting any LDoN group as of late. No one wants to go on one and there are rarely peeps my level in any one camp to make up a group.

Rkath · November 22, 2004, 11:08:33 PM

I know what you mean. My main is a 65 necro and my best friend has a 65 chanter. I also have a 58 druid and a 58 cleric on 2nd acct but we have been trying to level his wife's druid so we can do LDoNs together. Since I am sick of the PLing lol I have been levelling my 53 BL and have been looking for LDoN groups for a few weeks now and only been invited to 1 EF group. To me the LDoNs are the most fun in the game. Much better than a static pull camp and with the chances of augs then it makes it all the more fun.

Look me up sometime if you are ever looking for another to fill out a group.

Rkath 53 BL
Yisdaben 65 necro
Sadfellow 58 druid
Butta 58 cleric

Kashmiir Battlekat · November 23, 2004, 05:02:49 PM

Quote from: Nanndas
Lately it seems that not only are LDoN groups hard to get, but I can't figure out for the life of me how some players got to 50+.

Ill will simply say that the EQ of today is not the EQ of the past.

In the past it could take even the hardiest of hardcore players 2-3 weeks to grind out 1 level past level 40. Racial and Class experience penalties were harsh in the day...

Compiled on top of that a very limited 'xp' zones past 40 (Some Upper Guk, Lower Guki Live Side, Lower Guk Dead side and SolB)

Well laid out dungeons with mobs that seemed 'more' intellegent created either a dead character and party and now a well hated person OR you became skilled simply from time invested in 'the grind'.

Nowadays you can EASILY get to level 50 without any aid from anyone... there are so many zones and so many people playing its almost impossible to get a bad reputation... with so many zones with huge modifiers plus no more class experience penalties has dummied the game down to the point where anyone can obtain level 70 and 'think' they are 'skilled' when in fact they are nothing more then a n00b in level 70 skin.

Its sad really. The average EQ players 'skill' has 'decreased' rather then 'increased' due to the changes to EQ over the years.

I think they lost "The Vision".

Just my 2 cents :)

Jakhanna · November 23, 2004, 05:03:40 PM

I still love LDoNs.

In fact, been doing them recently with a group of 4 -- 59 chanter, 61 druid, 51 BL and myself (61 BL). Most would say this group is not even close to being competitive in a dungeon -- no holy trinity, no real tanks, druid for healing, etc.

However, ever dungeon we've done, we've completed successfully. Sure we're not the fastest group -- we usually finish with 15 minutes to spare so far, but no deaths, decent loot splits and lots of fun.

As long as everyone knows their role and plays it well, you can do LDoNs pretty easily.

Jakhanna · November 23, 2004, 05:04:57 PM

oops -- 59 BL is the other in the group -- not 51 BL

SillyWalrus08 · January 05, 2005, 10:55:04 PM

hmm considering ive done like 6 in the past 3 days i tihnk no, and i know my friends have been ldon-ing like crazy.

Shrouded · January 15, 2005, 08:47:27 PM

Granted, a lot less people do LDON's nowadays, but the reason you are probably mentioning something is because, with the advent of the LFG tool, people don't have to sit around in the camps to wait for a group or other people.

Oneiromancer · January 15, 2005, 09:58:28 PM

The LFG tool came out with LoY, which was the expansion just before LDoN.

Game on,

Tillath · January 17, 2005, 06:59:16 PM

I have to agree that LDoNs are in a downward spiral. I duo with a 65 druid and it is near impossible to get an LDoN group at any of the camps since OoW came out. Even though we look for LDoNs everytime we are on and I am in the LFG area a lot, the only time we are able to do LDoNs is with a guild group or a friends group - there is just really noone doing LDoNs on a regular basis anymore. Noone who has lfg up even wants to do LDoNs anymore - all they want is PoP, GoD or OoW. It gets very discouraging very quickly.

As far as the skill level of players, I have to agree - it has been going downhill a lot. I started playing when there were still only the first 3 expansions (before the Trilogy box set came out) and currently have 5 chars 51+ (beastlord, bard, ranger, warrior and shaman). All I have to say is thank god I have a partner with characters at the same level, because every time we go somewhere to group the actual quality players are few and far between. You can always tell who is an alt of a long time player (3-4 years+) and who is not by the quality of play. Those who have been around as long or longer than I have know what role each class plays and makes for a fun group. Then there are those that don't have a clue how to play their class much less any other. I have played every class there is (except a rogue and will be trying one of those soon) and it is now pretty scary as to how people play the game as to what it used to be. There are also those rare exceptions of newer characters who actually know what they are doing, or can at least admit that they aren't sure and take constructive criticism well, but in my experience they are few and far between - too many people just want to be at the end game now, regardless of if they know what they are doing or not. But I guess such is the evolution of online games where anyone who can afford an account can play and does.

Ah well, you can't win em all all the time - I just try and break even and cut my losses when I get with the idiots, and am very very happy when I meet a quality player that I can add to my friends list, so I have to deal with the idiots less often.

Just my 2cp

Shrouded · January 18, 2005, 05:02:35 AM

Quote from: Oneiromancer on January 15, 2005, 09:58:28 PM
The LFG tool came out with LoY, which was the expansion just before LDoN.

Game on,

Yah my bad, I meant that not a lot of people had LoY before LDON/platinum edition came out.

Oneiromancer · January 18, 2005, 05:07:50 PM

Hmm, good point. I had Gold edition (up through PoP) that I had tried January of 2003, and decided not to start a subscription. When I started playing again in October 2003, I think LDoN was out, but I didn't get it right away. But I did get LoY at that time, mostly for the maps. And considering all the time I spent in Torgiran Mines months later, I'm glad I did, hehe. Much more glad I got LDoN though.

Game on,

Grbage · January 20, 2005, 06:25:37 PM

I noticed the original poster had a 50's group going. To me, it seems that LDoN's are at their hardest in the low to mid 50's. Not sure why but it looks like mob hp/dps takes a jump in this range which means longer kills with more chance of a wipe. The toons I've run through 50's LDoNs generally win by a small time margin or lose by a small margin (Lost a kill 55 by one mob couple of days ago with a 52 toon).

As far as actually getting an LDoN these days. Only the aforementioned 52 toon is getting them. My 67bst hasnt gotten an LDoN invite since before OOW came out and my 65 war has had two LDoN's since OOW came out. The 52 necro has done some but it's not that common.

Soriab · January 21, 2005, 08:23:15 PM

FYI a Full Group of Levle 70s cannot get a "hard" LDoN anymore, only Normal but its Defaulted as "Hard" so just a FYI

bham · January 23, 2005, 05:54:57 AM

A normal 70 is equivalent to a hard 65. But then, that is true at every level increment. A normal is equal to a hard for a group that is 5 levels lower.

All I can is what a difference 5 levels makes! When I tried hard 65s at 65, we need a ele geared 65 pally to tank, and my cleric had to start a C-heal as the last one finished to be sure it landed in time everytime. Now I tank them myself, and need less healing. They are easily pet-pullable.

Dont think you need a full group to succeed. I have done many adventures with 3 or 4 man groups with no problems. That was at every level up to 45 and every level above 60. I guess I cant comment on 50s adventures being relatively tougher.

Even at level 70 a non-rading beastlord with decent (non-raid) gear and AAs can act as Puller (with pet), slower and tank. A decent druid can act as main healer, and I know a lot of beasts box druids. All you need is a good DPS class or 2 and away you go.

Sorien · October 29, 2005, 08:16:24 PM

LDoN'S are quite easy to get at about any time of the day, as long as there are peeps on the /lfg tool. Just gotta be a little more creative in your recruiting ways. When I was looking to get my pet focus, I would always look for any toons that would benefit from doing the LDoN'S. Rangers want the N.Ro LDoN because they have some spells that they need in that camp. Clerics are the same, they have spells at that camp that they need. Just about any pet class (Necro, Mage, BST) will be more than happy to have an LDoN. Pally's & Clerics like BB LDoN'S. Shammy's and Rangers like EF LDoN'S as well. Just gotta find out which class has interest in what LDoN camp and they sell the idea to them.

When I was setting up a N.Ro group, I would alwasy send a tell to the pet owners... 'Getting an N.Ro LDoN together for the pet focus. Wanna come along?' Or to Rangers... 'Getting a N.Ro LDoN together. You get your spells from there yet?'... etc., etc. Just gotta learn how to sell it to them.

Also, be creative in the group makeup. Now a days, you don't have to have a Cleric, Druid, Shammy, Paladin, Warrior, or Shadow Knight in group. If you have three pet classes, and the rest Rangers or Casters, then your pretty much golden. Or maybe just one or two pet classes, a few Rangers, and some casters, you are still golden, as you as a BST can pull and tank while you and the Rangers heal yourself., etc., etc.

As far as dumb toons, that is when I pretty much take control. I camp the group further back from the MOB'S as possible (two rooms mostly) and go pull myself with pet pull. If there is someone that is not paying attention, then he is either booted from group for let die without rez or whatever. While that person is running back to camp and collecting gear, I am finishing off the rest of the LDoN with the others in group. :)