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New TR with several questions
stridecolossus
Member Posts: 2 Arc User
Hello
Having always enjoyed the various Neverwinter-based games over the years, I decided to give the MMO a go as a FTP player to see whether I liked it or not. I'm a relatively experienced but casual MMO player (mainly LOTRO but also a bit SWTOR, STO, Eve) so I'm not a complete newbie, however I've still got a few questions. I'm starting to make a few friends in-game and may well join a guild soon which would probably answer everything, but in the meantime...
1. Zen / ADs
I presume I would need to spend Zen in order to:
- get keys for loot-boxes? (is it worth opening them at lower level anyway?)
- increase the max rank of my companions?
- Re-spec my class?
- anything else of importance that I've not mentioned?
How do I get wards other than the AH? Or is that the only way?
So far I think I've earned about 20K AD, but the prices to buy stuff on the AH or the NPC vendors is usually in the 100Ks at the least - how on earth does one go about getting that amount? e.g. I know I can rank up my companion but it's something like 300K (off the top of my head), I've no chance! Am I missing something?
Presumably the price on Zen-AD exchange thingy fluctuates? Should I keep my eye on the prices? Do people use it much (there didn't seem to be many transactions recently)?
2. Graphics quality, or lack of
I have an Alienware mx-17 with 16Gb, an SSD and a n-vidia GTX 675M GPU, which runs all the other games I play at max settings (some old, some new, standalone and MMOs) without breaking a sweat. However I was somewhat disappointed with the graphics for what is a new game when I first fired it up.
In the graphics options the little arrow thingies are a third / quarter to the left, i.e. at the <font color="orange">HAMSTER</font> end of quality/speed. I tried fiddling with the various advanced options and the game started to look better, but not exactly pretty. Also, every time I restart the game the settings are reverted to '<font color="orange">HAMSTER</font>'.
Anyone else had similar experience? Is there something dumb I'm missing? Note that my friend was going to play NW as well but decided not to bother as he had the same poor quality graphics, and he's a 3D graphics designer so you can imagine what his specs are like!
3. Too easy then too hard?
Largely soloing through the campaign the game felt pretty easy until I reached around level 40 when suddenly I started dying left, right and centre. The end-dungeon bosses (e.g. the one in Pirates Skyhold) were virtually impossible for me to solo unless I was very lucky. That quest was one level above me IIRC but I noticed that almost everyone in the zone was several levels higher than me, and in fact I had to get someone to help who was 5 levels higher!
Is this 'bump' at level 40 normal, or am I just being a wuss? Should I be over-levelling these harder dungeons if I want to solo them?
Apologies if these questions are answered elsewhere, I've had a good nose through the FAQs and these forums which have sorted out a lot of queries, but I couldn't find any definitive answers to the above.
Thanks in advance for any responses.
- stride
Having always enjoyed the various Neverwinter-based games over the years, I decided to give the MMO a go as a FTP player to see whether I liked it or not. I'm a relatively experienced but casual MMO player (mainly LOTRO but also a bit SWTOR, STO, Eve) so I'm not a complete newbie, however I've still got a few questions. I'm starting to make a few friends in-game and may well join a guild soon which would probably answer everything, but in the meantime...
1. Zen / ADs
I presume I would need to spend Zen in order to:
- get keys for loot-boxes? (is it worth opening them at lower level anyway?)
- increase the max rank of my companions?
- Re-spec my class?
- anything else of importance that I've not mentioned?
How do I get wards other than the AH? Or is that the only way?
So far I think I've earned about 20K AD, but the prices to buy stuff on the AH or the NPC vendors is usually in the 100Ks at the least - how on earth does one go about getting that amount? e.g. I know I can rank up my companion but it's something like 300K (off the top of my head), I've no chance! Am I missing something?
Presumably the price on Zen-AD exchange thingy fluctuates? Should I keep my eye on the prices? Do people use it much (there didn't seem to be many transactions recently)?
2. Graphics quality, or lack of
I have an Alienware mx-17 with 16Gb, an SSD and a n-vidia GTX 675M GPU, which runs all the other games I play at max settings (some old, some new, standalone and MMOs) without breaking a sweat. However I was somewhat disappointed with the graphics for what is a new game when I first fired it up.
In the graphics options the little arrow thingies are a third / quarter to the left, i.e. at the <font color="orange">HAMSTER</font> end of quality/speed. I tried fiddling with the various advanced options and the game started to look better, but not exactly pretty. Also, every time I restart the game the settings are reverted to '<font color="orange">HAMSTER</font>'.
Anyone else had similar experience? Is there something dumb I'm missing? Note that my friend was going to play NW as well but decided not to bother as he had the same poor quality graphics, and he's a 3D graphics designer so you can imagine what his specs are like!
3. Too easy then too hard?
Largely soloing through the campaign the game felt pretty easy until I reached around level 40 when suddenly I started dying left, right and centre. The end-dungeon bosses (e.g. the one in Pirates Skyhold) were virtually impossible for me to solo unless I was very lucky. That quest was one level above me IIRC but I noticed that almost everyone in the zone was several levels higher than me, and in fact I had to get someone to help who was 5 levels higher!
Is this 'bump' at level 40 normal, or am I just being a wuss? Should I be over-levelling these harder dungeons if I want to solo them?
Apologies if these questions are answered elsewhere, I've had a good nose through the FAQs and these forums which have sorted out a lot of queries, but I couldn't find any definitive answers to the above.
Thanks in advance for any responses.
- stride
Post edited by stridecolossus on
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Comments
You will need Zen (or AD converted to zen) to Re-spec your class. You can also wait and hope they will once again hand out freebies in a couple of months with the new module. They have in a past, with each new module, due to powers changes. With the upcoming radical changes proposed to PVP. I fully expect them to hand out freebies again, but it could be a month or two before then.
Companions can only be upgraded with AD, its not a Zen option. Its also not required. Its perfectly viable to level to 60 with nothing but a default white (rank 15) pet. Ranking up companions is largely optional. It will increase their survivability, some. But it wont turn a weak pet into a powerhouse.
Keys can be purchased in a number of ways. The zen store is the obvious one. But folks will also resell them on the auction house for AD. Some folks even use keys as their own currency and trade them for gold or other goods. On the whole, however, the boxes are not worth opening. They are a pure gamble, with pitifully low odds. There are those who can make a profit from them, generally by opening them in the hundreds, to even out the odds. But for the average player they are a money sink. If there is something you really want from the boxes. Its best to save and buy just that from the auction house.
you can get Wards from the Zen store, as well as the AH. Wards can also be purchased with trade-bars. Trade bars are a lock box currency. They function as a consolation prize. You might not of won the shiny you wanted, but trade bars ensure you don't come out completely empty handed.
You also have a VERY slight chance of earning wards from the invocation rewards. 7 Celestial coins can be traded in for a box with a chance of dropping both Coal and Pres wards (about 4% and 15%) as well as various enchants and low level refining baubles. These wards, however, are account bound and cant be sold
Up until you reach 60, AD can be hard to earn. After that however, and with the help of a few tips. Its not that hard to earn AD at a decent rate.
This is simply the best resource for generating in game cash available.
http://nw-forum.perfectworld.com/showthread.php?567591-Trace-s-Guide-to-AD-Creation-and-Wealth-Building
The exchange rate can change radically. And its far from static. Currently its holding at around 350 AD per Zen. It has gone up to 500 at least twice. Most recently when they offered the massive companion sale. It spiked up to 500 for a few hours before slowly dropping back down.
Its always wise to keep an eye on it. Knowing when its a good time to buy or sell Zen can make huge differences. Being able to see and plan for changes or trends will simply allow you to get the most from your AD or Zen. For example, its often best to buy Zen before major expansions or weekly sales. The price generally spikes afterwards as people scramble to buy the new shiny or discounted item.
Ive never had a problem with the graphics. Even on a fairly mid level PC. Only advice I can offer is to fully explore the video settings tab. Some of the options, like turning on DX11, can be hard to find. Some of the options are even hidden deep in the video troubleshooting section.
The level 40 bump is normal, everyone hits it. Skyhold is just one of those places that either you beat it, or it beats you. It has a frustrating combination of enemies that CC, heal their group, and tank well, all while splashing out big AoE attacks. The key to the area is target priority and staying mobile. Two of its three lairs (scalefather and scoundrels retreat) are widely considered some of the more difficult lairs in the game, even after they have been nerfed. There is no shame in asking for help or going in as a team.
The good news is, it gets a bit easier after that. At least until you hit Icespire.
Branch Lead
1. Companions. I'm a big sucker for companions, and I've bought far too many of them already. And yet, I don't need any of them, but they are fun to have around. They tend to keep some enemies away from me, do some extra damage, and even occasinally do some slight healing. Nothing I need, but all are nice to have. But what I have learned, and honestly surprised me a bit, is that they are handy in solo and completely useless in groups. In fact, I've been asked to dismiss my companions in several dungeons, as they did more harm than good. The reason is because they can draw aggro from unwanted enemies, making a fight harder than it should be.
As for what companion you should get, it's entirely up to you. I think white ones are a bit too weak at max level, so I'd go with a blue or purple. If you go with one at all, of course. Going companion-less is definitely an option. I think blue companions stay alive long enough to be of some use, and are useful enough to justify the price. Purple are better, but also more expensive. As for upgrading one, I wouldn't bother. You can spend your ADs much better on other things, including converting it to Zen to lower the cost of a Zen-store companion. (also, be sure to check in when there's a companion sale. You just might find your most wanted companion at a lower price sometimes.) Finally, there are usually companions in the AH. Maybe not the best ones, but useful for solo.
2. Difficulty as a rogue. First a fun fact: I've played dozens of MMORPGs, but so far I have only had a single character up to max level - ever. And that character? Trickster Rogue.
3. Lockboxes. When I first started playing the game, I spent quite a bit of Zen to open the lockboxes I found. In retrospect, I really wish I hadn't. All I got was a mount (the fiery horse), and it's not exactly any better than the free ones. Plus, if you buy a mount in the Zen-store, all your characters can get one. Or just get a horse. It might not be the most fancy one or best one, but you can get it for free. Pretty sure you can buy one with in-game money too, or at least AD. As for everything else in lockboxes, I haven't found a single thing worth spending real money on. You might as well spend the Zen in the Zen-store and get something you actually want.