Steady level up as opposed to niobium rush. Your ideas on the matter?

[Dobri 55]

I've been pondering something for a while now in SP. Keeping in mind that a lot of people visit darkmatters, and a lot of people use SP as trial by fire, for fun, or just don't play online, I think this is an interesting question.

 

Would you rush difficulties in SP to get to gold, platinum or niobium and start exploring there? Since online you don't really need to complete a difficulty, just to reach a specific level, this pretty much concerns the people who play softcore or hardcore in SP...

 

Here's my reasoning:

 

Generally, if you setup a lot of + XP per kill stuff you can easily level up to max level of each area in each difficulty as long as you feel like it or have the time, and it practically works well since you can go well over double XP for enemies in just about any difficulty. For example, my current HE is at 139% XP per kill and level 47 in the elven lands (48 level is the top for mobs there) and gaining levels is just a matter of minutes, not hours. However, mobs on higher difficulties are better, give better drops and yield more experience. So this tactic seems as much prudent as time-wasting...

 

On the other hand, you can easily opt for numerous + all skill stuff (equipped and/or socketed) and just rush through silver and/or gold and/or platinum all the way to niobium... Or stop somewhere in gold or platinum, or even niobium and start exploring, hunting and doing quests there. The better xp there should offset the XP per kill bonus on lower difficulties, which in many cases is good - you don't really need to waste money to do multiple gears which you have to upgrade as the levels go. And besides, even if your equipment start to fall behind in levels, the + all skills stuff you get/buy can easily compensate for that.

 

I will add a small poll to this topic. I think it will be useful to the people who would just give a vote rather than give specific reasoning for their decision, as well as to people who would just like to check out the general opinion without reading through everything - although I think it will be helpful to check what other people think. Sharing experience on a subject is what makes us better, isn't it

 

NOTE: I will not add bronze difficulty to the poll, since it's optional.

 

NOTE 2: The poll is also based on my observation in the ladder rankings. I see players change difficulties as soon as they get to the required level. In SP this is the way to do it.

 

EDIT: For all I see this poll can quite easily be transformed from SP to MP. Since the prerequisite to go to a higher difficulty is achieving a certain level, things are pretty much the same

Edited February 7, 2009 by Dobri

[sirpennywise 0]

I really dont see any sense in trying to push for a harder difficulty, to me they seem the same except for the levels of the mobs and possibly some items that drop,

 

But in the end im more about just running around the game and exploring, I dont really want to hit the max level or get close to that, When you do reach that hardest difficulty, or max level... whats left.. I played fallout 3 .. and ended up getting to the max level WAY before I was even close to finishing the game, so pretty much it felt worthless, like I was running around and killing stuff for no reason at all .. kinda bummed me out and the game lost its appeal, I understand that this game is different.. but I dont really see hitting max level as a goal, if I hit it .. thats cool .. and I'll prolly be proud of myself.. but then it would leave me with an emptyness..

 

In single player the only person you impress with your high level toon would be ... yourself.. or any friends / co-workers or whatever that tend to play the game .. IMO I say just take your time, exploring and leveling in whatever difficulty that you are on ..

 

Let me know your idea's

[gogoblender 3,071]

NIce topic. I'm gonna have to read over the choices again, because lately after I saw the ladder a about two weeks ago...my life changed I'm very very much into getting Clan [D.a.r.k] into the top twenty. I think it's a pride thing for the clan and something I just want to have up there. I will say though that leveling in the game goes awfully fast. I like to make my toons put out as much damage as possible and because of that, they tend to level quickly. Playing Dryad doesn't hurt either I don't really do any quests at all in MP either... I'm so taken with constantly micromanaging my toon, that it seems like I never have time for anything else. I think I was very much into just taking it easy when I first got this game, but lately all I want to do is level level level...addicted!

 

Niobium....

 

 

You will be mine

 

 

gogo

[Dobri 55]

To my mind, single player is a trial by fire. In addition to that, I cannot find the time to play online consistently. This means I'll have to test a char of my liking in single player and if that char does well I'll use it online as well when the time comes. I never show my face in public unprepared.

[gogoblender 3,071]

I never show my face in public unprepared.

 

 

One of the reasons I love playing MP so much...no need to gel up the hair

 

 

gogo

[Dobri 55]

LOL, Gogo... Good reasoning. I like that

[claudius 104]

I don't like to think about "I should be in the next land....or I could get more xp"....Usually what I am thinking is "hmm that area is dark I haven't explored it yet...lets go! Or hmm question marks! yay time to do another quest! Or whoa I can't go through the gate to the next land I still have 10 quests I haven't finished in the elven land"

 

That about sums it up. I guess if I was actually higher level than my opponents I might move on. Its especially different scene if you are interested in questing because once you outlevel the elven lands by xping then you can't finish those quests. I am more interested in seeing 50% quests completed than I am seeing 200 level.

 

I am playing the multiplayer pretty much as single player. I will team up if someone wanders in my campaign and wants to team up. But I kind of worry that they are going to steal my chance to kill bosses. Question: If someone comes in my game and we are on our own and they kill the kobold chief or the white griffon or some other boss I don't know about will I lose the chance to do that too?

[Spock 271]

I guess I'm just a turtle. I like to explore every area to the max. If my character is high enough that the enemies don't bother me, that's a plus. Levels are only an end to my desire to explore.

[gial 2]

My approach is closest to No, no rush. But not exactly. I take my time at the beginning, do many quests explore and in general get comfortable. Then, in campaign mode, I rush all the rest of the levels, trying to see how low a level I can be to complete each difficulty -- at least that's how I played S1 and plan to play this game as well. In free mode, I try to play for the company anyway, so levels are irrelevant, except insofar as minimum level to move to the next difficulty.

 

If going slow is wasting time, then even playing the game is wasting time. Gaming is a pastime -- intended to spend time away from tasks and work and chores. Having fun is never a waste of time.

[stubbie 21]

I'm in no rush to play in niobium.....that's for elitist players which I am not one of.

 

I was trying to do the main campaign online but kept dying (I only play HC) so I have given up on that.

So I am now doing the main campain offline in single player as the game is much more responsive in offline.

 

I now play in silver online purely for the fun of partying up with people.

I would like to reach gold level eventually online and then explore the whole world of Ancaria.

 

I'm in no hurry to reach plat or niob though. If I make a toon that can survive in gold I will be happy enough.

Edited February 22, 2009 by stubbie

[Schot 407]

For SP I like to just stroll along slowly and enjoy the ride. But for MP it's rush rush rush to the top! The reason I rush in MP is because I want to reach a high level. In higher levels is where you really get to see the character you've been working show it's stuff. In the higher levels execution speeds are near peak which makes for a dazzling show.

[Arperum 3]

Question: If someone comes in my game and we are on our own and they kill the kobold chief or the white griffon or some other boss I don't know about will I lose the chance to do that too?

 

if this happens, you won't be able to kill them in that specific game anymore, but the white griphon will be back the next time you start any server (I think), kobold chieftain will only be redoable in a freeplay game if you were originally playing in campaign mode (because he's tied to a quest).

[FrostElfGuard 9]

I've never rushed a game in my life. I like to explore every nook and cranny.

 

In S1 I was in Plat SP before I decided to try online. And then, in a server with 8 other people I quickly found that the game was deadly (monsters tougher, starting quests completed... which was very very tough on a BM!)

 

So. I'm a slow leveler.

[Dobri 55]

I, personally, find it sort of hard to look under every nook and cranny for 4 times in a row - silver, gold, platinum, niobium

[ScoobyDouche 0]

I, personally, find it sort of hard to look under every nook and cranny for 4 times in a row - silver, gold, platinum, niobium

 

 

exactly my thoughts too.

 

thats why I rush at least gold now on new toons. plenty of time to smell the roses from gold and up. silver just feels too easy.

[Dobri 55]

So far playing through each difficulty gets the cake People in this forum seem to be quite thorough and methodical. Admirable

 

Not like me... Lazy...

Edited February 25, 2009 by Dobri

[Spyrus 0]

Some observations about rushing:

1)I am finishing silver at around level 37 with ease (can hardly die)

 

2)I am entering gold where there mobs are starting at level 41.

At Wasteland I was at around 52-55 and mobs at 66. The things are tough and if I survive there, I can easily be killed by end bosses.

 

3)Nevertheless, I entered platinum at level 52-55, where mobs are at level 71.

 

So, if someone is doing main quest, meaning going to all bosses, I highly doubt can survive at late gold and early platinum,

unless he reaches level 60 at least...

 

Since I have not go to niobum, I can tell that level 90 should be the minimum to there, correct?

Edited April 25, 2009 by Spyrus

[Dobri 55]

Well, Viper did it and has a niobium shopper level 77

[Katran 0]

and I know a noter player that is at level 42 and he has Plat access. Soon he will have niob.

[Spyrus 0]

Did he got alone there or by another character?

[D-molisher 9]

Ah well nice topic .

 

Anyway I spend most of my first 6 weeks online last year doing evil then good campaign with 2 friends. October / November 2008. And 500 ++ quests both good and evil.

So I really dont feel like doing all every char, I killed over 150 chars to now. I get nightmare thinking of doing all on every char I soon kill.

Besides I like making stupid builds and test them against Banshee.

So now I just want party funn; Free or campaign doesnt matter.

And uhm mostly silver - Because noone to party with in gold / I kill my chars usually as max level 75 .

But I will admit I wanna make a trader go platinum as level 45 - without any other help than party funn.

And already killed 2 trying - but in another 100 I prob give up. He he soo many more tries to go.

 

Besides I need kill some chars now and then or SIR Knuckles get ahead of me, that isnt good.

Edited April 28, 2009 by D-molisher

[Knuckles 904]

lol....I gave up trying...you're just too good (or bad?) for me

 

I don't think I've killed a toon in 2-3 weeks

[Spyrus 0]

I am at platinum now at level 57 ... with SW ... mobs are at level 79!

So, it is hard there, but that what annoys me is that the XP I get is similar to level 66 (capped mobs of gold difficulty)!

 

That is really unfair... if I can kill 22+ level up I could expect 3x-4x the XP I got from my similar level.

So , there is no point going there , is it?

 

I am at orks now. With the way I am doing the main quest I can assume I will be at max 65 before entering niobium,

and I could tell that minimum level for niobium is 91.

Edited May 22, 2009 by Spyrus

[Chareos Rantras 0]

I do the same as in Sacred 1:

 

level to 35-40, check if you enough runes (not so much of a problem in Sacred 2) then hit silver and do EVERYTHING ( = exploring, dancing, drinking, side quest,...),

then rush Gold, then do EVERYTHINg in Plat, then try to survive Niob if not get back to Plat.

 

In MP I just grind my way in Silver then when I got the right level move on to Gold etc...

Nowadays I stick to MP, will probably play SP through on Bronze for the Storylines of individidual Characters.

 

cheers!

Chareos Rantras

[Krieg 0]

I had gold at 32 :\ plat wont be for a while im doing some achievments in gold now that ive gotten this sw build down pat.