Old, old player pondering a tentative return

[Chlodwig]

Back when SL was young, I was young too and I was playing AO. Now I wanted to give it another try, though I am unsure whether this is a sensible idea.

Mostly I remember from my younger days that AO was an "old school" MMO. Groups required for much of the content, which is absolutely what I love about MMOs (seriously, if I wanted to play alone, I could do so and save 15 bucks a month), but it makes playing in a top heavy MMO, which is what all old MMOs are, rather difficult as a new or returning player. I remember playing a doc, a doc that could keep anyone and anything alive, but couldn't take down even a grey mob by himself. I like extreme characters, with an extreme focus on group play, and back then it worked like a dream. Everyone wanted a doc, we cut through Hecklers like they were made of butter, and in the downtimes I squeezed the plasma out of mopas. Good times.

My fear now is that this won't be the case anymore. Sure, the newbie area is populated to some degree, but it already tends to get rather empty towards the end when you get to walk out to the beach areas, and given that I'm in Europe, my expectations to find groups at whatever level I'll be at when I leave aren't too high.

Which would be less of a problem if it wasn't for what I remember from the TOTW. And here especially the deck and the NCU upgrades that drop in there. They were damn good. So good even that I remember still using them at level 130ish. Despite having a 180-200ish OE equipment otherwise, simply because nothing remotely similar was available. And solo the TOTW... unless something changed significantly, I doubt that you'll get even to the first chamber (at least not if it's still the way it was). And IIRC level 60 meant you get kicked out. So what's the verdict on this today? Do comparable belts/NCUs drop elsewhere, or can they be crafted now? Or do I have to stop getting xp for a few weeks 'til I can somehow assemble the people required? Or should I even succumb to multiboxing just to get a group for the content where you need one on the lower levels?

So what's the situation today? Is it viable to play a group oriented character in lower levels, or am I pretty much required to stick to the 2-3 classes that are able to get stuff done solo? And yes, a guild would be nice, but the problem is that a) there's little I can offer, b) there's nobody playing anymore that I know (my guild, hell, my SERVER doesn't exist anymore!) and c) Why and how should they, who will most likely have a bunch of 200+ chars going, aid me get the gear I need from instances that are level locked?

[haxi]

Many people have twinks for places like ToTW. It is common to see the temple wrecked by a solo toon, though a team shouldn't be that hard to find there. I can't imagine using a 5 slot belt until 130, especially on a casting toon. Some of the items there are useful though, rings and shoulder pads in particular. Either way, I doubt people would turn down a doc in the team if that is what you intend to play.

I mostly play solo, I only go to places like ToTW for fun. I still enjoy the chaotic nature of the place. You should find a team there, froobs and paid alike play around in there.

Euro prime time is where the population is most concentrated, don't worry about your time zone.

I think there are more profs that can solo effectively now than those who struggle...any prof should be ok, though some will be better. I like an MA to relax, Shade to be constantly smashing keys, Keeper can be relaxing, so can soldier. Crat can be really engaging, lots of fun to play with CC, pets, nice aura's, etc. Agents can be anything you want. Try them all

As for Orgs, they run the gamut from super casual to serious. Much of the elitism is gone from AO with regard to level requirements, paid status, etc as it applies to orgs. Of course elite super pvp'r orgs do exist. You will find a fit.

Good luck in AO.

[Chlodwig]

Well, started a doc again (and promptly found out that the old trick of "I don't fight so I can use the treatment nano-regen" doesn't work anymore. So many things that really need patching and this is what they changed. Bah) and found a fellow player who agreed that he'll level an Enfi with me. So I have a 'crat now for the times when he ain't around and play the doc whenever I get that big Enfi to stand between me and those pesky mobs.

MA is boring. Sorry. Totally not my class. 'crats are fun to play, so much variety, but I really hope the pets I get when I leave the noob island have a higher chance to keep the mobs they hunt entertained. Or is the idea behind the 'crat that the mob you charm is doing the tanking? Never actually played one 'til now, last time around I was mostly Doc and Fixer.

[Aeliniyah]

The old health and nano labs are still in game though and they work just like before, so as long as you're personally not in fight you can use them. The old stuff can't be bought from shops anymore but they can still be found in RK mission chests etc. Might be rollable too, but not sure about that.

[Chlodwig]

Right, I dimly remember that the noob-treatments worked differently... it's slooooowly coming back now.

So the old school treatment labs don't exist anymore? Can they still be built, i.e. do the vendor parts still exist that you can TS into treatment/nano tools, and you can squeeze a mopa for plasma to build them? Or is pharmacy now completely useless (unless I want to turn mopa into something sellable)?

Then again, as a doc I'd rather have nano rechargers. So, time to whip up an Engi to refine notum pellets or do the semi-finished parts not exist anymore either?

[Aeliniyah]

Right, I dimly remember that the noob-treatments worked differently... it's slooooowly coming back now.

So the old school treatment labs don't exist anymore? Can they still be built, i.e. do the vendor parts still exist that you can TS into treatment/nano tools, and you can squeeze a mopa for plasma to build them? Or is pharmacy now completely useless (unless I want to turn mopa into something sellable)?

As far as i know, all the old tradeskill kits and parts for them are still in game and craftable. And like i said, you can still find the old treatment and nano labs from rk missions (and the SL coils and spindles from static dungeon chests and SL mission dungeons).

Then again, as a doc I'd rather have nano rechargers. So, time to whip up an Engi to refine notum pellets or do the semi-finished parts not exist anymore either?

While the new sit-down kits can't be used when someone in your team is in fight, they heal both your nano and health considerably more than the old labs.

Same thing with the new stims. The new stims in decent QL's can heal your health and nanopool almost as much or more than the old sit-down labs used to with similar skill requirements. And that's why i don't bother with the old kits anymore. As a doc, there's easily enough first aid skill to use a decent QL stim to heal the nanopool if needed.

And yeah, monster parts can still be made in to plasma for the tradeskilled treatment labs and stuff or shopfooding to tradershop for creds, however perfectly cut pearls fetch a much better price as shopfood.

[Chlodwig]

Yup, I just saw that all the half-finished packs are still for sale. Now, I won't really sell any HP kits for sure, since, well, anyone who'd need them can only use them out of combat. But I do think that the sit down nano packs might come in handy, IIRC they're on a different cooldown than the stims?

Besides, I just LOVE crafting stuff. Back then I even went out of my way to harvest notum crystals in the PvP areas (alone, since nobody was insane enough to go hunt for crystals when you could buy complete nanos for a few pebbles more creds). Took way more creds (and IP) in the end than it was worth but, say what you want, self made nanos taste better.

So I guess there's a doctor in the house again.

[Chlodwig]

One other quick question while I have your attention, is there any more or less current guide for docs? Most of what I read is from a time when I was still around and, well, games change over time. Is it still "put your IP into nanos, then a few into pistols, get old English second-handers and bore mobs to death while healing yourself and hope you get picked up by a group passing through"?

[Aeliniyah]

Don't know about any new guides, but there's some good new gear that let's you do even some damage while healing. Like the new dog of war pistols from the new area "The Reck" (also new dailies on the lvl 90-170 range in there) which is accessible from Tir if you're a clanner and somewhere else (don't remember where exactly) if omni. It drops from the Wardog boss. Bring a higher level friend along if you want it at lower levels. Level 130+ can most likely solo it depending on skill + gear quite possibly even earlier.

The doc nukes also hurt a bit nowadays so spamming those is at least something to do when there's nothing to heal. Malpractice can also be used on mobs.

Nano init, Nano pool, body dev, Stamina (heal delta tick and max hp trickle) and Psychic (nano delta tick and max nano trickle) are still the important skills on doc. Nanoskills you need enough to cast best possible heals and getting as much BM+PM as possible helps you to land your init debuff better.

Of course if you want to just heal and max your healing ability, you could still use soft pepper pistols, the int+psy pistols or other old school stuff to just boost your nanoskills or psychic for higher nano regen rate.

[Avari]

One other quick question while I have your attention, is there any more or less current guide for docs? Most of what I read is from a time when I was still around and, well, games change over time. Is it still "put your IP into nanos, then a few into pistols, get old English second-handers and bore mobs to death while healing yourself and hope you get picked up by a group passing through"?

As a doctor you should definitely check out daily missions. You won't be bashing mobs for xp as much like back in the day and especially not as a doctor. Most missions require some sort of task to be carried out and you get a reward at the end besides the xp for any killing required.

On the topic of doctor guides, then yes, push nano skills to cast higher heals/dots/init debuffs and slap on some pistols. Several weapon guides for pistols are around since several professions can benefit from using pistols while leveling. You can take a look in advie/engi/crat forum for example. They are all common pistol professions.

My best recommendation for you is to get in an organisation. As you said, it's an MMO and you'll get bored with the game without anyone to help you out once in a while and to be social with. You might even be able to help out someone else