Almost level 50... need some advice

[kamikazees]

I've almost got my first character to level 50 (!) and I have a few questions about gear and setup. From levels 1-45 I was a pure int mage. I loved it, but then in AO2 and AO3 the mobs were hitting really hard so I switched to a 142 str pally. That has been great for surviving, but I do miss the damage (sometimes).

I've been saving as best I can, but I see that lvl 50 gear skyrockets in price (100k for armor!?). I have almost enough to afford one set, and I think I'm headed for the sewers next, or maybe Cyber quests. So here are my questions:

1. Is level 50 the time to splurge and spend my "life's" savings on a rift or cosmos set?

2. Assuming I can only afford one set, are rift pallys or pure int mages more desired for sewer and VL runs? My playstyle fits either and I want to be liked and not booted, but I will have to choose.

3. Should I bother with the cyber quests, or just buy now and go straight to sewers? The Cyber eq looks slightly better than other lvl 50 eq but I hear is a pain to get.

4. Assuming I will have to farm (and I am sure I will) for eq later, do people generally prefer pallys or pure ints for that?

5. Any other advice I need as a noob going into these levels? I've read the BS and VL guides...

Thanks in advance.

[Plasticuproject]

Well, I prefer pure int, but that's just my preference. I had a rough time staying alive in AO but survivability gets better past lvl 50 IMO. I say do the cyber quests, you get XP in AO3 all the way up to lvl53 so why not? By the time you are done with them you will be looking to get sewer gear anyway. As for a set to buy either farm/buy cosmos or maybe check the shadow gear out and see what you like. You can always resell......

[Wbto-Angeluscustos]

Might be a lot to read.. but its my 2 sense.. if you know what i mean.

Well level 50 is a pretty good time to not spend your lifes savings, but spend a considerable amount. for pally and mage the best sets are hate and shadow, but again the hate set is about 600k just bought it for my pally. so i suggest you go for cyber, but only if you will have a good team that can support you through the whole thing, because it s just a waste of time if you dont, i finished two cyber sets in 4 days but that was when everyone was doing it before the update (lvl 55 one). But if you do get a set it should support you through all the way to lvl 55 or 56 then you should think of buying some sets. And for you being a pure int or a pally.I have a pally but, because they are mages and not pure bears they autommatically are not as good as bears and they cannot tank. I would suggest that you full int because when you get to level 55 the mega mage set would be amazine, and i think its the best set for any character right now. Plus people like the buffs and like you said you like the damage better right now. Im not sure if its that great advice.. and sorry for not elaborating more im at school and wrote this quickly.

PS. I think i have some random rift and cosmos set parts.. not sure.. might though..

[Arterra]

Let's see... I think lv50 int gear is cheaper, but being a pally in sewers saves a lot of problems life wise.

You could be dual...

1) buy either rift or cosmos, if you can afford it try rift over int.
2) in your decked out pally do the cyber quests for the int/str gear (opposite of what you have). Should get the set nicely before lv53, where you stop getting xp at ao3.
3) with the money you get farming ao3 constantly for totems buy in and str booster gear so you can dual spec the rift and cyber cosmos!

Remember, rift compared to cyber rift is much better than cosmos compared to cyber cosmos. Also when in cyber cosmos, just better to use a keeper staff instead of the one they give you. Aoe damage, facemelt proc and just better.

[Wbto-Angeluscustos]

Yeah you defs would get a lot of money from doing totems and shards. but what i mean is that if you are trying to solo it or dont have a reliable team to do the cyber quest it will really be useless to start. it will take to long. If you get a good team though its easy to finish it, but yeah you got to put a lot of time into it. and i got bored of the game so i started PvPing hence my twink but i would gladly help you do cyber quest cause i get a lot of time on my hands.. i usually go to bed at like 2-3 am so i can help.. plus you get plenty of money while doing it.

[Arterra]

Ps you could go for the cheap rift version: limbchopper of destiny, Jacob helm and kite shield. Maybe cyber rift set might have better stats then, but limbchopper is one of the best damage one handers for lv50.

[neko]

Until you reach 53, you'll find leveling up in AO2/3 much better for three reasons: 1. The maps are generally easier, 2. Much more regular drops, 3. You won't encounter as many game boots from higher level players, which can be demoralizing after a while.

For a map like Crush the Keeper, you can earn on average 1500-2000 gold after liquidating your drops, not including any pinks. Even then, pinks tend to drop much more often in AO2/3, even though their overall value aren't nearly as high as a BS pink. But then keep in mind that you can go for dozens and dozens of runs in BS and never receive a pink. And further, at best you might pick up two or three non-pink drops per run. That's not much to go on if you're trying to earn/save gold as you're leveling up. The other added bonus of leveling in AO2/3 is that you can also do your Cyber quests while running those maps. Given all of the above, that's the route I suggest you take.

Although my mage is a dual spec STR/INT, I tend to spend 95% of the time as a Pally. Yes, its damage is definitely weaker than a pure INT but I find that a Pally's role is quite versatile. I'm flexibile enough to round up maps, reasonably powerful after a warrior pot (whenever needed), and a good help to the team spamming heals and reviving the occasional death. Runs can go really swift if teamed up with a couple of pure INT mages or DEX birds. But if you're looking to deal massive kills, I suggest going back to a pure INT mage. It's all entirely up to your playstyle.

[kamikazees]

...in your decked out pally do the cyber quests for the int/str gear (opposite of what you have)....

That is a very interesting idea. I can buy the rift set and keep playing as a pally for now, then quest for the cyber mage sets. Maybe by that time I can decide to stay as a dual, or switch over to mage full time. Honestly I love mage damage, but hate getting 1 and 2 shotted. Great advice!

Until you reach 53, you'll find leveling up in AO2/3 much better for three reasons: 1. The maps are generally easier, 2. Much more regular drops, 3. You won't encounter as many game boots from higher level players, which can be demoralizing after a while.

Looks like I'll be in AO3 for awhile anyway.

So I guess now I'll poke around the Trader's Market for someone selling a rift set with overlord helm and scimitar...

[Furyteddy]

sorry for the noob question: what does the cosmos set consist of?

[JaytB]

sorry for the noob question: what does the cosmos set consist of?

If you're referring to a set bonus, you'll get it with following setup:
* mirage robe of the cosmos
* overlord helmet of the cosmos
* mirage staff of the cosmos

When equipping these items you get a so called 'set-bonus'. You'll be all sparkly too

It won't be easy to survive because of the low armor, but it does decent spell dmg.

Sometimes people call following a set too (although you don't get a set bonus):
* mirage robe of the cosmos
* laser wand of the cosmos
* gurgox eye of the cosmos
* laser wand of the cosmos

This gives you better survivability at the expense of spell dmg.

[Nytesdawn]

* mirage robe of the cosmos
* laser wand of the cosmos
* gurgox eye of the cosmos
* laser wand of the cosmos

Umm....
I think you see the problem

[JaytB]

Umm....
I think you see the problem

Oops

That 2nd one should've been: 'Overlord's helmet ofthe cosmos'.

Thanks for letting me know

[Necrobane]

I know we've past this, but I think you mean it's your "2 cents"

[Tamino]

Ehm. There is also a Keeper Cosmos set:

* Jacob's Helmet of the Cosmos
* Mirage Robe of the Cosmos
* Keeper's Staff of the Cosmos

It is a set, because gives you an additional +10 DMG, +7 Armor, + 3 M/s over the gears stats. Until I reached 53 I preferred this one to the Mirage Cosmos as a max-DMG config, while my preferred max-Shield config was Cyber Cosmos:

* Cyber Skull of the Cosmos
* Cyber Armor of the Cosmos
* Laser Wand of the Cosmos
* Cyber Doll of the Cosmos

Even this one gives a bonus: +5 Mana, +1 M/s, +6 DMG, +5 Armor.

Starting from lev 53, a mix of yellow/green/purple items in BS overclasses these sets.

[kamikazees]

Ehm. There is also a Keeper Cosmos set:

* Jacob's Helmet of the Cosmos
* Mirage Robe of the Cosmos
* Keeper's Staff of the Cosmos

..., while my preferred max-Shield config was Cyber Cosmos:

* Cyber Skull of the Cosmos
* Cyber Armor of the Cosmos
* Laser Wand of the Cosmos
* Cyber Doll of the Cosmos

....

These are what I am using now, at lvl 52. Keeper for dmg when there are sufficient tanks, Laser for defense when there are not. Might also be worth noting that these sets will cost about 100k each for the robe and laser wand. The cyber stuff is free, but requires a LOT of questing.

Using these sets, I have as good survivability in Sewers as just about everyone else if I play smart.

[Feges]

These are what I am using now, at lvl 52. Keeper for dmg when there are sufficient tanks, Laser for defense when there are not. Might also be worth noting that these sets will cost about 100k each for the robe and laser wand. The cyber stuff is free, but requires a LOT of questing.

Using these sets, I have as good survivability in Sewers as just about everyone else if I play smart.

At the level 50, I used Cosmos Set II