01
May
2013

I’m Famous!

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While I haven’t hit the new content yet, I’ve heard the first mob in Siren’s Grotto is named Caella.  Which is close enough to Caela. What’s an extra L :)  I’ve used the nickname Caela since 2000 and EQ1. I’m Caela on the official EQ2 forums – and pretty much anything EQ2 related if there is a Caela, it’s me.   I’ve had a Caela in every game I’ve played – and I’m the only Caela in Guild Wars 2.  I also use various forms of Caela for most of my alts…

Caela – the original warlock, born in Nov 2004.

Caely  - the wizlock

Caelia – the necromancer – She seems to be missing from the Census

Caelila – the troubadour

Caelynn – the dirge

Caelien – the inquisitor

Caelix - the wizard with the added X due to server merges

And those are just the ones on Butcherblock!

So, I’m famous!  Ok, not really – I’m sure SOE was not thinking of me when they named their mob.  I do hope everyone pronounces it right – it’s like “Kay-la” – with a hard C sound.

 

Category: Caela, General EQ2  Tags: ,  Leave a Comment
30
Apr
2013

My Birthday Present!

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I’m sure SOE did this just for me.  Game Update 66 – it happens to be going live on my birthday.  Which means I don’t even get to play with it on the go live date.  I’m celebrating my birthday by going to a Texas Rangers baseball game.  Yu Darvish is supposed to pitch.  Should be a fun game.

But I’m fairly excited about the game update.  New heroic zones for my guild group to explore.  A new raid zone for the raid alliance to explore.  New crafting quests for my crafters (and I have several now!).   And my conjuror got some love.

Siren’s Grotto is the new dungeon – advanced solo, group, and challenge.  And it has a daily mission, which should add some variety – or at least a reason to run the zones.

The crafters got a lot of attention with new quests and apprentice recipes.

But I think what I’m most excited about are the class changes.  Conjurors will no longer have to spend 10 minutes buffing their pet every time it dies.  The buffs now go on the conjuror and are persistent like other group buffs.  And we can now cast our pet while moving – which will help a lot in some fights.  There are fights you can’t stay still for very long – and if my pet goes down, I’m petless for the rest of the fight because I can’t stay still long enough to summon her.  And then there are the dumbfire changes.  I don’t know if that will help or hurt my dps, but at least I won’t have wasted spells now.

So, this is going to be a GREAT birthday!

In other productive news – I got Flea to lvl 95 crafting and did some respecing on her to give my pet a little breathing room.  Still raiding with the Butcherblock Guild Alliance – we are starting to make some progress.  They seem like a really great group and I love the atmosphere.  I look forward to killing more pixels with them.

 

Category: Fleabeaux, General EQ2  Tags: , , , ,  Leave a Comment
22
Apr
2013

Be Careful What You Whine For…

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My chosen class is a conjuror.  I played a magician in EQ1, which conjuror is about the closest thing to that.  It took me a while to embrace the class.  I started off in Norrath as a warlock.  But never found my stride with her.  On a lark, my husband and I decided to create two ratongas and betray them – he wanted a ratonga swashbuckler.  And it all started out great.  I created a ratonga necromancer, hubby created a ratonga assassin.  Since I was not intending to play the toon full time – just doing it as an “alt”, I took the first name the random generator gave me – Fleabaux.  How perfect was that for a rat?

As we completed the betrayal process, Flea became a conjuror and my husband’s assassin became a….  ranger.  He was not happy, and abandoned the toon.  But I kept playing Flea.  Got her up to level cap.  Even raided with her.  She became my main.

While I’ve had other “mains” for a while – a dirge and a wizard – I keep coming back to my conjuror.  And this last time, I was pleasantly surprised at how well she was performing in groups.

I did a lot of reading up since it had been a couple of years since I played her.  I learned that no one casts dumbfire pets because they suck.  They die too easily, and don’t do much damage.  So those spells were deleted off my hotbar.

Recently, the EQ2 devs asked the players what would make their class more fun – what needed fixing.  Dumbfire pets were at the top of everyone’s list – but when the changes were announced, the pet issue wasn’t addressed.  So much whining ensued.  The dev actually said that if the dumbfire pets worked as they should, we would have too much dps (and let me state, I think conjuror dps is fine – I don’t think we need more than we have right now).  But why have a spell that the devs don’t want to work???  That was my main gripe.

So, the devs made a change.  Dumbfire pets would work better, but we lose our main pet proccing.  This ends up about 30% less dps for summoners that depend on their pets for about 50% of their total dps.  And then there was more whining.

I have not had a chance to check it out on Test yet.  But, I think the general consensus is that it’s going to be ok.  I sure hope so.  I really like to be at the top of the parse.

But I’m keeping my wizlock on standby just in case.

 

 

 

Category: Fleabeaux, General EQ2  Tags: ,  Leave a Comment
02
Apr
2013

The Pink Cash Cow

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Everyone loves the meatbeast.  It has taken on mythical proportions at this point.   And then, to make it a mount.  Oh my.  And then to make it pink!

I don’t think anyone realize just how much players really wanted to ride around on a pink spotted cow.  But I know I wanted one.  I was waiting until April 1st to buy my limited time pink meatbeast mount.

And then I found it would cost me $50. Normal price for a mount is under $20.   Deflated.  I just couldn’t spend that amount of money, no matter how much money I have, on a bunch of virtual pixels colored pink.  I know, I’v said in the past I would pay a premium for certain items – like the Nature Essence I paid 100 plat for (I think you can get it for around 1 plat now).  But that wasn’t real money.  And it wasn’t dictated by a corporation.

What SOE did was give the players what they really wanted.  They dangled something tantalizing in front of them.  And then took them to the cleaners for it.  Sure.  I bet plenty of people bought it.  Though I have not seen it in the wild yet.  But this could have been a great PR move for SOE.  Giving their players what they wanted – instead of gouging them for the right to have slightly different colored pixels.

This pink cow didn’t actually cost SOE anything extra to create it.  Maybe 10 minutes of time to recolor it.  Except now it has cost them a ton of good will.

To make matters worse, SOE let the player base stew all day long on April 1st.  Then, issued a statement late Tuesday that this was intended as new premium pricing.  Talk about your slap in the face.  Give your players what they want, but price it at a premium.  That will go over real well.

As long as SOE continues to try out this “premium pricing” I won’t be participating.  I would rather my 18,000 sc rot than support this new model.

 

 

 

 

Category: General EQ2  Tags: , , ,  Leave a Comment
25
Mar
2013

As I meditate on what I did wrong…

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I had fun in raid today. And I’m still raiding on Flea – as she is so much better than Caely could be.  I think I was just born to be a conjuror.

 

The raid could have been very frustrating, but it wasn’t.  We were trying to kill Oligar of the Dead in challenge mode.  And the first three times we tried, someone was dispelling him and making it easy mode.  Now, I may not be the sharpest mage in the raid, but I know what Absorb Magic is.  And I was not clicking the button to cast it.  But after three times, I was afraid it really was me doing it – so I just stopped fighting when he put up the red text.  And it worked.  So then I was convinced I was the one being the noob.

Raid leader was very patient though and didn’t get angry at anyone or anything.  No minus 50 DKP going on (that link is a hilarious raid video, but it has really bad language – very much not safe for work or British school children).  Even after we got the mob to challenge mode, it didn’t go well.  We got close several times, and then went on to Drinal – who we didn’t kill.  It just wasn’t our night – and we had killed Drinal before.  So who knows what was going on.  But everyone was very cool.  I really like the raid force – they seem very “professional” – it starts on time, ends on time, we have reasonable breaks – and everyone is nice and stays on task.  So, even when things go wrong, everyone has a good attitude – the raid leader stays pleasant – and it stays fun.

When the raid was over, I started pouring through the logs, trying to figure out if I was the noob dispelling Oligar – turns out I was not.  I am cleared of all wrong doing!  Well, that wrong doing anyway – we won’t count how many times I wasted Elemental Toxicity by throwing it right after one of the two necros in the group.

I did get a shiny new toy today (ok, I got two new toys – one in game, one out).  I’m not eligible for raid loot yet (2 more raids), but, I was able to do the locket quest from Melanie in HE.  So I am now wearing Melanie Everling’s Impeccable Locket.  And I slapped Greater Cogent II on it – my first red adornment.

I reforged some gear the other day – and my dps seems to have gone down.  But I don’t know how to prove it – or see where I went wrong.  Just once today did I make the top 5…  usually I was around 7th.  I’m not sure if everyone was just better than they had been, or if I slipped some how.

And my other new toy?  I convinced Hubby to give up his cell phone upgrade so I could get a new Google Nexus 4.  It’s pretty!  I love new tech gadgets.

Category: Fleabeaux, IRL  Tags: , , , ,  Leave a Comment
17
Mar
2013

Getting Back

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The past two weeks have been sorta crazy for me.  I signed up with the Butcherblock Guild Alliance in order to raid a little.  They seem like a good bunch.  But right after I signed up, I found out my dad was very sick.

He has had Lymphoma for the past year.  Did 6 rounds of chemo and was pronounced cancer free.  But his back started hurting shortly before Thanksgiving.  Doctor did all sorts of tests and said the cancer was not back.  Then in January, they did even more tests and said that yes, the cancer was back – and started up on chemo again.  But by the beginning of March they said the cancer was just too aggressive and was terminal.  He had 3-4 months to live.  That was on a Wednesday.  By the following Tuesday he was in the hospital again, this time, barely able to function.  I spent every day up at the hospital for over a week.  He got sick very quickly.  Within just a few days he was unable to stay awake but for a few minutes, hold anything, or talk.   On Thursday March 14th he died.  His funeral was this past Saturday.

Up until today, I didn’t really know if I was coming or going.  And I tend to stress eat – so I had large amounts of chocolate.  But I managed to go on my first BGA raid today with Fleabeaux.  Raiding seems to be a good stress reliever too.  The time of the Sunday raid works out really well – 1:45pm my time – I’m usually not doing anything on Sunday afternoons.  The raid leader was good – no nonsense – explains things well, and gets the job done.  The other members seem really nice too.  Not a single one called me a noob.  But I think I held my own ok.  Keep in mind, I don’t have any raid gear.  I have nothing with red adornments.  My best gear is the Steward gear.  I didn’t top the parse by any means.  But I was frequently 4, 5, or 6th on the parse.  I don’t know what I’m supposed to be parsing – but I think given my gear, I’m doing ok.

But the main thing is, I had fun.  It was a new experience – got to see some encounters I had not seen before.  And eventually I might be able to upgrade some gear.

Hopefully things will settle down a bit and I can get back to normal.

 

 

 

 

 

Category: Fleabeaux, IRL  Tags: , ,  Leave a Comment
04
Mar
2013

The Mortal Champion: Fleabeaux!

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I have been so slacking at updating the blog.  Partly because I used to update it at work, and now I actually have to work at work  - and weekends are getting busier.

But Flea finished the long ass signature quest and got the cloak! So that makes her happy.  She’s also parsing pretty dang good these days.  Well, when I’m not trying to eat dinner that is.

In other news – I took Caely the “wizlock” out for a spin tonight.  She sucks now.  To think, at one time she was the one that did all the dps.  Now it’s Flea.  When I was on Caely tonight, it was like casting through molasses – it was just so slooow.  I’ve also taken Caelila the “dirgedour” out the other night.  She also sucks.  She’s going back on the shelf.

And now, to add to my misery that is the long ass signature quest – I am doing it on Caelien – the inquisitor (and she’s always been an inquisitor).  She also sucks.  But I was hoping to get her some better gear.  But I’m too scared to actually heal in a group.  It’s one thing to pretend you can be a scout – but  you can’t pretend to be a healer.  People die.

So that has all made me appreciate Flea all the more.  I really feel comfortable playing her.  And I honestly think, if all other things were equal, I would do more dps on Flea than another toon.  I know conjurors are not supposed to be the best dps – but I think skill has a lot to do with it, and apparently I’m just better at playing a conjuror.  I’ve decided to give raiding a shot with Flea – see how it goes.  Found an alliance group where you don’t have to leave your guild.  They raid mostly on weekends, which is perfect for me.  Except this weekend.  Going to see Hannah at a winter guard competition.

But on weeknights, it will be guild groups.  I very much enjoy going out with the guild.  One thing we have noticed is that SOE has run out of Spirits and Essences.  We are drowning in Obols.  In fact, sometimes the chests would drop two obols.  We’ve done two  nights worth, with 6 zones – and no spirits at all.

 

 

 

Category: Caelila, Caely, Fleabeaux, IRL  Tags: , , , , , , , ,  Leave a Comment
24
Feb
2013

The Booby Prize

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I may be the last person in Norrath to still be doing the daily tradeskill apprentice quest.  I don’t really have a need for the gear from the recipes, but I do like a few of the potions:

By far my favorite is the Potion of Progress.  This makes crafting fast and fun by increasing progress by 200.  I use them when leveling up my tradeskillers, and when doing the tradeskill missions (which are great xp from 50-70).  I also use them when doing writs – I can usually get through about 3 writs with one potion.

Second favorite is the Potion of Innovation.  These will instantly complete a combine at the end of the first tick – so it takes 6 seconds to create something.  If you have a good UI (I recommend DarqUI) in which you just have to hit enter twice to repeat the recipe, you can complete 3 combines for one potion.  These are great for those 3 combine writs (which is why I hate to do alchemy writs!).  But these potions seem to be more rare than the others.

There are other potions:

The bountiful harvest is nice when you are out looking for rares.  But the other potions are not of much use.  The hastened learning only gives a little boost to xp, and I haven’t found either success potion to have a meaningful effect when creating items.

There is of course the occasional reactant – I think I’ve gotten 4 colossal reactants in my lifetime.  Other tiers are a little more generous, and I have several in each tier.  And the gear they make is still relevant, especially if it is experimented on.

But the thing I get the most is the booby prize!  Twenty of the same tier common.  All too often I get some sort of food item, and I’m not even sure why.   I do the quests in hope of getting one of the good potions, but I will

EQ2_000052

usually get the booby prize instead.  A “thanks for playing, here is something that’s not really good, but hey, you got rewarded” prize.

There are some days that I go through all gazillion of my apprentices and get nothing but boobies.  But just when I think that’s all I’ll get, I’ll get something good, like a potion of progress.  I covet those potions of progress so much, I’m actually disappointed when I get a reactant!  Oh, #firstworldproblems.

 

Category: General EQ2  Tags: , ,  Leave a Comment
17
Feb
2013

Flea Fails

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Whew!  It’s been a while since I made a post.  I’m still playing EQ2 – nearly every day – though that’s slowing down a bit.  I’m getting into one of our busier times of the year.  But still manage to log on nearly every night – but don’t always get to do a group.

With Flea being my new main, I’ve decided to do the stupid, long ass, mostly solo CoE signature quest. (Why you ask? Because I want the cloak!)  I am up to Shades of Drinal: Puzzle Pieces - which is doing a series of instances that can be done either solo or with a group.  Specifically, I’m on Wurmbone’s End instance – and Flea keeps getting her butt kicked by All-Blocker Mohngu.  Which is weird.  I don’t think he’s supposed to be that hard.  I can find precious little about him, and what I do find says “kill him” – basically a tank and spank.  But what keeps happening is that 3 other mobs, from down the tunnel behind him  (can’t even see them when I start fighting) come running in to help him.  I tried by-passing him so I could kill the other mobs that keep joining in, but he would agro every time – so it appears I have to kill him first – which brings the mobs.  I’m sure I’m doing something wrong.  There is a reason I don’t solo…  I don’t remember him from when I did the zone on Caely.  I did the advanced solo zone with a friend – and we had some trouble with a few mobs – but he wasn’t one of them – is he new?

But at any rate, Flea is working through the quest line.  Hopefully she’ll be able to finish it before the next expansion.  Speaking of finishing before the next expansion – Flea was not on the radar to play back during the DoV expansion, so she did none of that content.  But, it became clear I needed the mount that comes from Underdepths.  So I did the Sky Shrine quest line on her and just need to do the UD zone to get the mount.  Hopefully I can get that done soon.

But Flea failed in other ways this past week as well.  Hearts a’Flutter is kicking my butt (on all my toons – so apparently, it’s the driver).  This is a race around Antonica or Commonlands to gather up hearts.  There is a new achievement for getting 100 hearts.  I long gave up on that.  Eighty hearts will get you a nifty red rose topiary - but I can’t even get that.  The best I have done is around 68 hearts.  I’ve used all the tips I could find.  Make  yourself larger – I put on an  illusion – but the illusion drops once you get on the special race mount.  I increased my ground mount speed – but it seems the cap is is 150%.  The one thing that did seem to help was to get the quest, and then wait before beginning it until the hearts start to show up.  That, and running the race when no one else is on.  But still 68 is my max.  I did manage to get the other achievements, which were crafting related.  And on Caely, she’s giving out roses – she’s on the quest to give out 1000 roses and has completed the Romeo’s Got Nothin’ on Me achievement.  I’m not sure what you get when you complete the 1000 quest.

purple disk

Last night, a guide came to Butcherblock and activated the Aether Race in Thundering Steppes.  That race gives out the purple C.R.A.S.H. disk.  Just what Caely needed to complete her purplishness.

Flea did get some new equipment – she’s mostly in all Steward Obol gear.  Her crit is up to 397% unbuffed.  And she parses pretty good on named fights.  Trash, and AoE fights she still does pretty poorly – but if the fight lasts more than a few seconds, she really starts to shine.

Next up – I think I’ll try once again to decorate a house.  Flea has a nice New Halas house, and lots of things to decorate with – along with a sale on furniture in the marketplace.

 

Category: Caely, Fleabeaux  Tags: , , , , , , ,  Leave a Comment
25
Jan
2013

Meet Jumjumm!

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jumjumm

Jumjumm is the baby of the family with the lowest level.  She was born on December 16, 2011.  I’m pretty sure she was made on Butcherblock while I waited for my toons on Freeport to transfer back home.  She gave me something fun to play.  I’ve always wanted to play a healer, and I heard defilers are pretty good.  I don’t play Jumjumm very much – but I hope to level her up one day and learn how to play a healer – so I really don’t have much history for her.

Jumjumm is a halfling defiler, growing up in Enchanted Lands with the other defiled halflings.  Her trade is Jeweler.  But her passion is apparently making wine.  Being a halfling, she of course loves to eat – but she also has really gotten into wine making.  Jumjumm’s favorite colors are orange and yellow – which is reflected throughout her home.

She makes her home in the Halfpint Vale – which was decorated by Nakishia – she did a wonderful job capturing Jumjumm’s personality.

Take a tour of her home!

EQ2_000043

 

The Bedroom

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The Reading Nook

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The Kitchen

EQ2_000045

 

The Brewery

EQ2_000047 EQ2_000048

The Farm

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