Beginner guide? - Phoenix Freeshard

Hey everyone, I'm new to the game although I played a really long time ago. I don't remember anything at all about the game. I'm doing fine so far, but I feel like there are a lot of game mechanics I still don't understand, simply because I haven't encountered them yet. Is there any kind of beginner guide or summary to read up on for someone who is basically brand new to them game? Something with frequently used terminology, tips, and general rules of thumb for item/equipment usage and what to do with money.

Thanks!

Wed 6 Feb 2019 7:15 AM by Koljar

Don't think there is a general guide but I'll try to put some stuff together:
Equip the best stuff in each slot, QOL changes on Phoenix made equipping your char a lot easier. Lots of stuff drops, sell it all then later use the gold for some crafting and/or items from housing.
Don't start crafting right away - try to get used to the actual playing mechanics first, extra activities later.
Don't spread your points out (e.g. don't put points in crush, slash AND thrust as a paladin - pick one; feel free to respec on your way to 50 if you find a new/better weapon of a different dmg type tho...). You get free respecs until lvl 50 or RR3 (whichever you reach first).
Stick with one line as a caster (check the charplan above and search the forum for a general idea of what is most useful for which caster).
Let your groupmates know that you don't (yet) know what you're doing - most groups have at least one player that has a better idea of the game. It'll also warn them of weird actions of yours in advance

Read through the forum, search for a spedific class if you've chosen one. Also ok: Look up OLD daoc posts in other forums. They usually give you an aidea of what classes where played like back in 2003 (or so).

Some classes are easier to play than others (think of swiss army knives vs. baseball bats...). Ask 10 players and you'll get 11 different answers on what the swiss army knives are and which classes are mor like baseball bats

Wed 6 Feb 2019 1:04 PM by benderrodriguez

Thanks so much! I have some follow ups...

Koljar wrote: ↑
Wed 6 Feb 2019 7:15 AM
Don't think there is a general guide but I'll try to put some stuff together:
Equip the best stuff in each slot, QOL changes on Phoenix made equipping your char a lot easier.

As a mentalist, how do I know what is better than what? For example, I see the term "acuity" and can't for the life of me figure out what that means. Or when an item says +1 to all spell skills (or whatever), what does that actually mean? What does that do for my character? And then there's a utility score for each item...is that good to go off of? How valuable are defensive stats for a caster? Etc...

Koljar wrote: ↑
Wed 6 Feb 2019 7:15 AM
You get free respecs until lvl 50 or RR3 (whichever you reach first).

what's RR3?

Wed 6 Feb 2019 1:27 PM by Koljar

Ok, you're THAT new to the game

Just ask stuff and ppl should be willing to answer.

Concerning your menta questions:
- You want con (for more HP), dex (faster cast speed) and int (for more dmg/mana).
- Int, along with pie, emp and cha is what gets raised by acuty (all of them equally). Depending on the char you're on it either helps you (like int for your menta) or it doesen't (like the other 3 for your menta).
- A +1 skills does exactly that. It either raises a specific skill or all melee/magic lines. +1 to a skill your class does not have doesn't help you in any way.
- Utility is calculated by the skill and stat boni on the piece of equipment. The higher, the better but not necessarily more usefull for your char as it is modified by what you actually need. +50 acuty when you only need +10 has a lot of wasted utility which is still stated.
- Defensive stats like what? +Parry doesn't help you (as said above), +con and +hp along with +resists helps you.

--> All Stats and skills have a cap:
- Skills are capped at lvl/5+1 (resulting in +11 @lvl50)
- Stats are capped at lvl*1.5 (resulting in +75 @lvl50)
- HP are capped at lvl*4 (resulting in +200 @lvl50)
- Manapool is capped at lvl/2 (resulting in +25 @lvl50)
- Resists are capped at lvl/2+1 (resulting in 26 @lvl50)
Not sure what I forgot here.

RR3 is realm rank3. You get RP (realm points) for killing enemies and/or completing realm vs realm related tasks. The more you get the higher your realm rank raises. You get sub ranks such as rr 1L2 and get a point to spend on special realm abilities for each sub level. You can use those to increase your stats, hp and/or get special active abilites that you wouldn't get normally.

Start playing and ask the people in your groups whatever you want to know. That and trial by error should help you a lot.

Wed 6 Feb 2019 5:08 PM by benderrodriguez

Koljar wrote: ↑
Wed 6 Feb 2019 1:27 PM
Ok, you're THAT new to the game Just ask stuff and ppl should be willing to answer.

Yes! That's why I was wondering if there was a guide, because I feel like there's so much info I just don't know about yet.

Koljar wrote: ↑
Wed 6 Feb 2019 1:27 PM
Concerning your menta questions:
- You want con (for more HP), dex (faster cast speed) and int (for more dmg/mana).
- Int, along with pie, emp and cha is what gets raised by acuty (all of them equally). Depending on the char you're on it either helps you (like int for your menta) or it doesen't (like the other 3 for your menta).
- A +1 skills does exactly that. It either raises a specific skill or all melee/magic lines. +1 to a skill your class does not have doesn't help you in any way.
- Utility is calculated by the skill and stat boni on the piece of equipment. The higher, the better but not necessarily more usefull for your char as it is modified by what you actually need. +50 acuty when you only need +10 has a lot of wasted utility which is still stated.
- Defensive stats like what? +Parry doesn't help you (as said above), +con and +hp along with +resists helps you.

--> All Stats and skills have a cap:
- Skills are capped at lvl/5+1 (resulting in +11 @lvl50)
- Stats are capped at lvl*1.5 (resulting in +75 @lvl50)
- HP are capped at lvl*4 (resulting in +200 @lvl50)
- Manapool is capped at lvl/2 (resulting in +25 @lvl50)
- Resists are capped at lvl/2+1 (resulting in 26 @lvl50)
Not sure what I forgot here.

RR3 is realm rank3. You get RP (realm points) for killing enemies and/or completing realm vs realm related tasks. The more you get the higher your realm rank raises. You get sub ranks such as rr 1L2 and get a point to spend on special realm abilities for each sub level. You can use those to increase your stats, hp and/or get special active abilites that you wouldn't get normally.

Start playing and ask the people in your groups whatever you want to know. That and trial by error should help you a lot.

That is all super helpful. Thank you! One more quick question - what skill or stat specifically helps you not be interrupted when casting? Is it just the skill level of the spell you're casting?

Wed 6 Feb 2019 5:30 PM by Fensus

As a caster, you'll always get interrupted if you are hit while casting, that's just how casting mechanics are implemented in DAOC. Every pure caster has a "quickcast" ability that lets them get in a single spell cast while under attack but then is on cooldown for 30+ seconds.

As a caster your job is to kill stuff before it gets to you, or to try and "kite"(i.e. root/stun/mezz the enemy then put distance between you so you can cast more) enemies without letting them hit you.

Thu 7 Feb 2019 6:57 AM by Koljar

And then there's the realm ability moc (master of concentration) that lets you cast uninterrupted for 30 seconds but with a dmg reduction dependant on the ability level. You can still get mezzed or stunned tho so it actuately isn't fully "uninterrupted" unless you have the according immunity timers.