Transferring from Aetolia - Classes?

Jaskar

Hey all, (I'm sure everyone is tired of these threads so thanks in advance for your help)

I used to play Aetolia for a few years before getting bored and I'm thinking of making a fresh start here on Achaea. I'm looking for some class / org advice more than anything as I have spent the last few days trying to decide between classes and getting absolutely nowhere.

I've about narrowed it down to Sentinel, Shaman, Jester or Magi. A couple questions:

1) How are each of these in PvP (1 v 1 and group both, though I'd like to be able to stop people running away from jumps / marks (those are assassination contracts here right?))?

2) Which is least/most artifact dependent and if so, which artifacts would be the best utility / power / survival?

3) Which has the best PVE (I don't really like bashing but I accept it as a necessary evil, and I read that getting to 80-85 is good enough for combat)

4) I just retired a bunch of characters and have around ~5500 credits to use; I don't know if learning here is the same pace as Aetolia and depending on how useful arties might be for whatever class I go with, I'll probably buy lessons anyway but is there an estimate on how many lessons/credits are needed to be viable in combat?

5) Any particular orgs restrictions / benefits / things to avoid ?

6) Am I likely to get 1 v 1s or is group combat the paradigm?

Hope to be joining you all soon.

Kiet

1) All very strong 1v1, Sent/magi/jester amazing in groups, with shaman good but not as amazing. Jester mostly a support class in groups though, don't expect the glory.

2) Jester/shaman least artefact dependent, magi doesn't need arties but benefits a lot from being able to damage pressure better (and it helps in groups), sentinel good without arties but a lot better with since it's a weapon-based class. There's a thread already recently about what to get if you had 14k  credits and that gives a good list of basic arties, though obviously you can trim some out. Shield of Absorption + some con/bracelets all you need as jester/shaman. Magi would want sash/collar/diadem, sentinel would want diadem/arty axe/arty spear or trident.  All four would benefit from a SoA/con of course, but magi/sent want offensive arties too

3) Jester has the best bashing by far of those once artied for it (though then you're getting bashing-only arties). Unartied probably sentinel is best bashing. Shaman good but has willpower issues (maybe? Might be better  now with spiritlore), and magi is average as far as I know.

4) You'll want tri-trans + survival at the least,  with avoidance a definite before getting any arties, and then maybe riding if you don't go jester/sent.

5) Sentinels can only be rogue or eleusian. Everything else is unaligned.

6) Achaea has plenty of 1v1, as far as I know it's the IRE game with the most 1v1. Less than it used to have, though, and sometimes you cant find anyone to duel around your skill level.

Jaskar

Meant to add:

7) Race/class combinations, stat priorities? How important?

Kiet

Depends on class. Jester/Shaman have no real stat priorities other than getting as much con as possible but sent/magi need as much str/int as possible, respectively.

Jaskar

Thanks for quick and informative responses. Probably going to make a few alts and try each of them out. Sentinel is sounding like most fun tho.

Jonathin

Shaman with Aelkesh attuned and trans philosophy isn't too bad on the willpower drain. Especially if clotting is turned off. Then again, clotting is a bashing killer for any class that uses wp to hunt.

Khel

Jonathin said:

Shaman with Aelkesh attuned and trans philosophy isn't too bad on the willpower drain. Especially if clotting is turned off. Then again, clotting is a bashing killer for any class that uses wp to hunt.

I dunno if it's still true, but ditch bleed swiftcurse and go invoke Arius instead. You'll swing slower but do significantly more damage, and dps-wise it lined up almost - bleed was a LITTLE better, but I could only clear Qurnok at like level 90 before having to go meditate if I used bleed, with Arius I almost never had to stop. Trans philo and perma wp regen tattoo, as well.

Xinna

Sentinel would probably be best at jumps. Shaman/jester will have trouble holding the person down. Magi can do it with retardation but otherwise would probably also have trouble.

Aegoth

Magi's not a great jump class unless you do a good job of preparing a few rooms. It's more methodical and thoughtful than the other classes in that regard, but if done correctly, it's -really- hard to escape a magi gank

Ryzeth

Shaman willpower usage is negligible at worse now. See this post:
http://forums.achaea.com/discussion/comment/294211/#Comment_294211

Even has double bleed now, and can use damage reduction attune. Like the post says, 0 lessons in philosophy, not even a circlet/megalith.. Think I ended up clearing about half of dun fortress, and only using ~600 willpower tops. Just don't bother with swiftcurse and you'll be fine. Normal curse got sped up quite a bit.

Morsul

Arius Roar is better than basic curse bleeding, but bleeding with swiftcurse up is better than both. Their willpower costs line up the same (more costly to use swiftcurse than roar, and roar costs more than regular curse).

The nice thing about Roar is that it bypasses shield, and it's way simpler to use than fiddling around with a swiftcurse-curse script (plus a bit more if you want to add in using battlerage for when the target shields, because curses don't go through shield).

Cooper

Ryzeth said:

Shaman willpower usage is negligible at worse now. See this post:
http://forums.achaea.com/discussion/comment/294211/#Comment_294211

Even has double bleed now, and can use damage reduction attune. Like the post says, 0 lessons in philosophy, not even a circlet/megalith.. Think I ended up clearing about half of dun fortress, and only using ~600 willpower tops. Just don't bother with swiftcurse and you'll be fine. Normal curse got sped up quite a bit.

Use queuing while bashing.

Jaskar

Have been kicking around as Sentinel / Shaman for a few days across a couple of alts in different cities and houses. Absolutely loving the game though slightly conflicted now if anything by the city/house choice. Anyone have input on Ashtan vs Mhaldor vs Hashan in terms of RP / combat scene?

Kiet

Mhaldor is going to be ahead in the combat scene, and either ahead or tied at worst with Hashan in RP scene. Ashtan is unfortunately really tiny right now and was never exactly a bastion for RP, but now it's not even a bastion for combat. Hashan would be the middle of the road combat scene, I'd say.

Of course these are subjective-ish , but Mhaldor's always been one of the hardcore-RP hotspots and right now both top marks for instance are Mhaldorian (among a lot of other top tier fighters), so I'm not sure anyone would really argue it.

Citrus

Ashtan is small unfortunately as its undergoing a change becoming the Seat of Chaos, however I think that strengthens our RP from just being the Bastion as we have set ideals now.  Combat is a big thing in Ashtan.

Mhaldor is the hardcore military "you are meaningless and just another cog" RP mindset. Never expect leniency or mercy. Combat also pretty important.

Hashan is the easy going stay out of everyones way and keep to yourself city.  Not a big combat city.

Klendathu

Citrus said:

Ashtan is small unfortunately as its undergoing a change becoming the Seat of Chaos, however I think that strengthens our RP from just being the Bastion as we have set ideals now.  Combat is a big thing in Ashtan.

Mhaldor is the hardcore military "you are meaningless and just another cog" RP mindset. Never expect leniency or mercy. Combat also pretty important.

Hashan is the easy going stay out of everyones way and keep to yourself city.  Not a big combat city.

Hashan is moving up in the combat stakes, eclipsing Ashtan.

Qwyn

From a new transfer from Aetolia's perspective, I'm rather enjoying Hashan. There are lots of opportunities for combat and to get involved, but I don't feel pressured into it either - though if I do want to participate, there are a lot of people willing to help out. Being a smaller/underdog city is nice in that regard, and I feel like I'm helping out even by just spamming star tarot. 

RP in Hashan so far feels kinda like Bloodloch's -  in public it's mostly says/premotes/one-liners, with the focus on more practical stuff like hunting/economy/combat, but you can find some more in-depth stuff on a more individual scale. I've not encountered the more long-form style like in Aetolia, yet.

Ahmet

Qwyn said:

From a new transfer from Aetolia's perspective, I'm rather enjoying Hashan. There are lots of opportunities for combat and to get involved, but I don't feel pressured into it either - though if I do want to participate, there are a lot of people willing to help out. Being a smaller/underdog city is nice in that regard, and I feel like I'm helping out even by just spamming star tarot. 

RP in Hashan so far feels kinda like Bloodloch's -  in public it's mostly says/premotes/one-liners, with the focus on more practical stuff like hunting/economy/combat, but you can find some more in-depth stuff on a more individual scale. I've not encountered the more long-form style like in Aetolia, yet.

Eleusis and Mhaldor have a lot of that at times. Targossas has some but not as much. Not sure about Ashtan nowadays.

Klendathu

Ahmet said:

Qwyn said:

From a new transfer from Aetolia's perspective, I'm rather enjoying Hashan. There are lots of opportunities for combat and to get involved, but I don't feel pressured into it either - though if I do want to participate, there are a lot of people willing to help out. Being a smaller/underdog city is nice in that regard, and I feel like I'm helping out even by just spamming star tarot. 

RP in Hashan so far feels kinda like Bloodloch's -  in public it's mostly says/premotes/one-liners, with the focus on more practical stuff like hunting/economy/combat, but you can find some more in-depth stuff on a more individual scale. I've not encountered the more long-form style like in Aetolia, yet.

Eleusis and Mhaldor have a lot of that at times. Targossas has some but not as much. Not sure about Ashtan nowadays.

Wat is an Ashtan? (yeah, I went there)

Dochitha

Cyrene is so good with RP, lore, rum, soaps and baths.
Cyrene is also earning it's own tier in combat, the Cyrene-tier.
Cyrene is also super solid in group defenses, see past CTFs.
Cyrene is also super smart in Trade with a huge coffer.
Cyrene also has one the best hunting support.
Cyrene also has one of the best houses that will give you the combat training you need (less the factioned houses obviously).
Being a Cyrenian lets you walk into all cities too.
Being a Cyrenian gets you all the pitches of other cities wanting to convert you.
Cyrene also has one of the highest population of all cities.
Cyrene also has the best exploration houses.
Cyrene also...

The list can grow very long if all Cyrenian pops in and start extending this.

So yeah, you want PvP/PvE/RP/Trade/Rum/Ships/Explore, join Cyrene.

Sarathai

Dochitha said:

Cyrene is so good with RP, lore, rum, soaps and baths.

I went to Cyrene once to investigate the RP.

In the space of five minutes, I was hugged by six people, propositioned by one, and given a handout of some pastry-based food along with an entire bottle of champagne.

Qwyn

Sarathai said:

In the space of five minutes, I was hugged by six people, propositioned by one, and given a handout of some pastry-based food along with an entire bottle of champagne.

I've had nights like that...

Khairt

All cities have their arpee folk down for paragraph emotes and their AFK and OOC demographics. It really just boils down to where you want to play the character you'd like to be.
Mhaldor is a militant blood for the blood God type place. Ashtan  is getting back on its feet after a huge shake up but the cult of the end times has fun possibilities.Targossas feels like crusade-y Jerusalem but with two vengeful gods of all that is light and good. Hashan is a city on the rise for sure, it used to mostly be about secrets and politics but an influx of new blood and recent changes have made it very attractive of late. Eleusis is a treetop village of Savage environmentalists who want to see all the cities pulled down. Lastly, Cyrene is a slice of life type that seeks to avoid any major conflicts with anyone else. The focus there is social drama and productivity. None are any better than the others in terms of roleplay, they just differ in their particulars.
Combat culture is probably similar in all but cyrene, however, even cyrene is coming around to a more fighter friendly state of mind. That all said, Rogue life is obviously best life.

Aegoth

Can't wait for Cyrene to start raiding peeps

Khel

Aegoth said:

Can't wait for Cyrene to start raiding peeps

Their minipets will blot out the sun.

Khairt

I mean, a cyrene raid would probably consist of buying every credit off market then paying anyone who isn't completely attached to you to make raspberry sounds whenever you speak or your name is spoken. Aegoth is heretofore achaean Meg Griffin.

Dochitha

Cyrene raid is probably a huge hunting party. 

Citrus

Sarathai said:

Dochitha said:

Cyrene is so good with RP, lore, rum, soaps and baths.

I went to Cyrene once to investigate the RP.

In the space of five minutes, I was hugged by six people, propositioned by one, and given a handout of some pastry-based food along with an entire bottle of champagne.

Sounds like most college parties I ever went to.  Brb joining Cyrene.

Kiet

Qwyn said:

From a new transfer from Aetolia's perspective, I'm rather enjoying Hashan. There are lots of opportunities for combat and to get involved, but I don't feel pressured into it either - though if I do want to participate, there are a lot of people willing to help out. Being a smaller/underdog city is nice in that regard, and I feel like I'm helping out even by just spamming star tarot. 

RP in Hashan so far feels kinda like Bloodloch's -  in public it's mostly says/premotes/one-liners, with the focus on more practical stuff like hunting/economy/combat, but you can find some more in-depth stuff on a more individual scale. I've not encountered the more long-form style like in Aetolia, yet.

Longform RP is pretty rare in Achaea, but some people do do it in private. Mhaldor does it in public for events, too, but I'm not sure if any other city does. Mhaldor, for what it's worth, is also the only city that I know (never tried Targ seriously though, so can't comment there), where people actually stay IC in public at (almost) all times. Clans and party talk and combat testing get blatantly ooc for other cities in general.

Jaskar

Not much mention of Eleusis here. Honestly kind of disappointed that Sentinel is so pigeon-holed into one citizenship

Kiet

Eleusis has some cool rituals sometimes, and some of the people are really good roleplayers. A lot of their best are semi-active these days though, but there's still plenty of RP opportunities there.

PK-wise, Eleusis gets a ton of action, though! Most of their best fighters are dormant now, but most of the city seems to be okay with occasional offensive raids, and they do get raided a lot by Mhaldor.