View Full Version : A-Questin' We Will Go
To test out the extent of the questing system in Pocket Legends, I have set out on an experiment to play through all of the campaigns in order, finishing the quests in one area before moving on the next, and not stopping to "grind". Does simply completing the quests provide a thorough play-though of the game, or is level-grinding necessary?
I am not using any "XP elixirs".
I chose to go with a pure INT mage because I find them the easiest to play.
Two general caveats:
1) I will typically finish a level after completing a quest in that level, unless the pick-up-group I'm in has basically already fallen apart.
2) "Go to the next area" quests that require a minimum level can be skipped until the required level is achieved.
The Results (An Ongoing Saga)
Starting Area: Beginner quests brought me up to level 2.
Forest Haven: Got me to level 9. I might have been able to make it by level 8, but finishing levels got me extra XP. Had to skip the "message" quest to Dark Forest until I hit level 10.
Dark Forest: Quests got me to level 13, again skipping the "message" quest for Balefort for now.
Balefort Castle: Quest central! The addition of the goblins quests actually pushed me up to either high 21 or low 22, I forget. Thankfully, the "Tomes" quests are much easier now, or I would have probably level-capped before I finished them.
Fathom Crypt: Compared to Balefort, not many quests. Only up to level 24.
Lost Expedition: Finished the main quest line just as I hit level 28. 1st dilemma... Should I move on to the swamps, or grind to level 30 to open up the Frozen Nightmare quests? Since the FN quests are attached to LE, I chose the latter. 2 levels of grinding later...
Lost Expedition / Frozen Nightmare: Currently in progress. Hit level 33 with about 530 yeti pelts and 220 snowballs collected. Which means a lot more time questing here with no more XP gain. And my Kills/Deaths ratio is taking a huge beating. Oh well, that was the choice I made...
-----------------
Launching test #2 with Questius, another INT mage. Basics are the same as above, with a few minor tweaks. Ground rules:
1) Complete all quests, in order, before moving on. Exception: travel quests requiring a minimum level can be skipped and returned to later.
2) Must play all (instances) map in each campaign at least once before moving on. This means all of the bonus dungeons, but not the respawning tunnels, et. al.
3) Move on as soon as #1 and #2 are completed.
4) No use of the Stash. All items must be found, purchased, or traded for.
5) Will do Ancient Swamps quests before Frozen Nightmares this time.
6) As before, no XP elixirs.
The tale will be told this time through screen caps: http://s166.photobucket.com/albums/u119/kevkrom/Questius/
drewcapu
01-25-2011, 01:07 PM
At least FN is pretty doable at the intended level now that pots are allowed.
Are you trying to make sure you're always in a full group to get max xp per run?
FN pretty much requires a full group -- at least 4 -- especially if you're grouping with other 30-somethings. I rarely pot up in FN, because by the time I need it, it's too late. :P
Royce
01-25-2011, 01:22 PM
He means health and mana pots are now allowed, and it was not too hard before. It's actually too easy now for an "elite" campaign IMO. I made a level 30 twink just for FN and will probably not play it much if at all any more, just a sad joke and example of how great content always gets dumbed down eventually for the mindless hack and slash whiners.
Anyway as far as questing goes, my experiences are pretty much as you describe, though I do sometimes go on with groups to more maps even after my quests are completed (when I find a fun group I like to stick with it), so I got a couple more levels at each campaign, basically nearly maxing at all of them and maxing at balefort.
I'll update the OP later, but I've capped out at level 33 with appx. 530 pelts and 220 snowballs collected.
Great Idea Duke!
I will be anxiously awaiting your updates and progress notes.
Keep up the great work; this will definitely be a benefit to new players.
Question: Will a guide or Are you making a guide as you do this? Like quest line/order. Equipment used/found off certain bosses/areas or anything comprehensive like that?
Question: Will a guide or Are you making a guide as you do this? Like quest line/order. Equipment used/found off certain bosses/areas or anything comprehensive like that?
Hadn't thought of doing that, actually. Not a bad idea... I may have to do that with a fresh character, and change the "rules" so that I can't get any EQ from my stash, either, i.e., everything I use has to be honestly earned, traded for, or purchased in the CS.
krazii
01-27-2011, 05:35 PM
just a sad joke and example of how great content always gets dumbed down eventually for the mindless hack and slash whiners..
Ain't that the truth!
davidis57
01-27-2011, 06:47 PM
I grab all quests I can than complete all lvls in a map. Result I xp and quest all at the same time. Quests offer money and items otherwise I would skip them. Quests would be more attractive if they gave xp. The people who drop after completing a quest to me are missing out.
Added the second test run (by the name of Questius) with screen caps. Questius has completed the Ancient Swamps and has gone back to Frozen Nightmares, but I haven't uploaded those pictures yet.
Okay... the test is basically over, for now at least, for a few reasons:
1) The Sewers expansion and crafting gives me more incentive to play on my mains. :)
2) The changes to the XP curve make some of the conclusions outdated, unless I go back and repeat them with a fresh "Questius"
3) There is a huge gap between Ancient Swamps and AO3 for quests.
Summary/conclusions (some of which may be obsolete by the 1.7 upgrade):
Starting Area: Tutorial-level play, should get you to level 2.
Forest Haven: Playing through all the levels and completing the quests does a good job of leveling your character. Expect to be at level 9-10 if you're reasonably efficient. The quests are pretty much given in the levels, typically to be turned in at that level or the next.
Dark Forest: If you're doubling or tripling up on quests whenever possible, you can get through these quests fairly quickly, meaning you can be done by level 13 or so (12-14). All quests originate and end in townes.
Balefort Castle: Assuming again that you're being efficient with your questing, you can make up for the weaker set of Dark Forest quests here. Just questing, without any grinding, will get you to level 20-23, likely 21 [this is likely to shade closer to 20, maybe 21 with 1.7]. Balefort probably has the best mix of "towne" vs. "dungeon" based quests, and has one quest target that doesn't have the tell-tale "?" over her head, plus one quest that takes you back to Forest Haven to finish. With 5 quest slots now, this might be done even more efficiently.
Fathom Crypt: Introduces a new type of quest, which is: "kill the next boss and come back here". (Technically, there's ones like this in the starting area and Forest Haven 1 and 2, but those aren't bosses). Like Dark Forest, you can get through the quests fairly quickly, with a target of about level 23-26 [guessing more like 22-24 in 1.7].
Lost Expedition: Quests go back to being towne-based again. Given that you're on the low end of the level range, and the amount of grinding required for some of the collection quests, you're looking at level 28-29 being the most likely ending point [maybe 25-27 in 1.7]
Ancient Swamps: A fair number of quests, but very linear in progression, plus a few trips through the farms. As such, you don't need to spend a lot of time in the swamps to finish them all, meaning you're only going to gain 1-2 levels. So level 30-31 is the target [28-29 in 1.7?]. Note at this point, we're now pretty much 5 levels behind the "expected" end of the campaign. Of course, we can always level up a little more at...
Frozen Nightmares: Better get a good team, because while this is the only questing area really open to you, it's tough without help. A group of level 30-somethings should be able to handle this if they're balanced and work well together, but that's hard in pick-up groups. You'll cap out at level 33 long before you finish both quests, even with the steeper XP curve in 1.7.
At level 33, you should be ready to handle Alien Oasis, part 1. Unfortunately, there are no more quests available until Alien Oasis, part 3. And you're going to have a hard time there unless you're well into the 40s (preferably 45+). So, now it is time to grind for XP without the benefit of quests to hide the fact that you're grinding. And so ends the tale of Questius.
For now.
I'll likely re-do Questius' noble journey if additional quests are added to AO1 and AO2, and to see how the XP curve changes affect the results.
General Findings/Additional Notes:
Except for some fairly early Forest Haven quests, quest reward equipment was generally inferior to what Questius got from drops. The major potential exception here would be the top quest rewards from Balefort (1024 Tomes and Goblin King) and there's a decent pink helm for DEX characters in Lost Expedition. As it was, Questius got a level 21 Bad Mojo staff drop in the Wyldwood, and that was the weapon used all the way through Lost Expedition. I eventually broke down and bought some Frozen Nightmare pinks from the consignment shop when Questius was doing the Swamps with gear 10 levels behind. The only other quest reward that got serious use was the Redbone helm from Fathom Crypts.
The quests are a little uneven. Forest Haven, Balefort Castle, and to a lesser extent Lost Expedition do a reasonably good job giving you all the XP you need, just from questing (Balefort more so than average, but it makes up for a weak Dark Forest set). Because of the weaker sets of quest, Dark Forest, Fathom Crypts, and Ancient Swamps feel more like "filler" levels between the main ones. And, of course, the huge gap between Ancient Swamps and AO3 for quests.
Questius never bought any potions, relying only on the looting of potions to the 25 potion cap, typically having 20-25 potions in inventory (though down to single digits on occasion!)
First death was in Forest Haven (the shame!) in Meathead's Deli -- Brom Daddy's room.
Updated photobucket with remainder of Lost Expedition and Ancient Swamps. I think the Forest Haven crafting quests are in that set as well.
One of these days, when i have time, I'll try to get the collection sorted properly (it added the latest batch to the front of the album, not the end).
Also, thanks to Physiologic for the link/credit and text breakdown in the Pocket Legends Enemy Boss and NPC Compendium (http://www.spacetimestudios.com/showthread.php?18229-Pocket-Legends-Enemy-Boss-and-NPC-Compendium) thread.