How to no longer be a N00b

[Kale_Hagan]

Step 1.

Play a straight melee to cap without piking.

Step 2.

Play a specialist or spellcaster to cap without piking.

Step 3.

You're no longer a newb. Now build your dream character.

My reasoning - you play a straight, no frills fighter type that can actually survive a couple hits in order to learn the game. Don't sweat the build stuff yet - you need to know how this game works. After you do that, THEN you worry about builds.

You then pick a specialist or spellcaster, or something else. At this point you will have a good idea about the game and what roll you want to play. Bring this toon to cap as well.

You are now no longer a newb. Build another toon, this time the one you really want to play, now that you know the game and understand build tactics. Once you have capped this third toon, go back to your original two and lesser/greater/true reincarnate them.

Ta-da! No more newb.

[M0nk3yClaw]

hi i am a noob to the forums, but i've been playing ddo since launch in 06. what is piking? i've always wanted to know and this seemed like the thread to ask in.

[Kale_Hagan]

piking is joining a party, then basically not doing anything and letting everyone else finish the quest. A good example - you enter the quest, and sit at the entrance while the rest of the party completes. You get the xp, and the treasure (most likely) but don't contribute at all to the completion.

[M0nk3yClaw]

thanks i didnt know, that sounds alot like what my lvl 15 bard does. but he atleast provides some fighting music, and wand whipping :)

[alcmaeon]

You know how, in Reaver, you just need a tank, a healer and maybe a caster, and the other 9 guys are just taking up space? The other 9 are pikers even if they don't want to be. They are not tanking, healing or killing airs and unless they solve the puzzle, anyone of them was interchangeable with any other Reaver ready toon on the entire server.

[Eladiun]

piking is joining a party, then basically not doing anything and letting everyone else finish the quest. A good example - you enter the quest, and sit at the entrance while the rest of the party completes. You get the xp, and the treasure (most likely) but don't contribute at all to the completion.

You can stay with the party and 'look' useful and still pike an entire quest. Although that's only taught in classes for advanced piking...seriously though sometimes it's unintentional. A 28 point newb running with 5 vet TR's or twinks can end up being pulled through a quest on the wake of the others and actually never learn how to play the 'right' way. You can see this a lot in Delera's...

[mws2970]

You can stay with the party and 'look' useful and still pike an entire quest. Although that's only taught in classes for advanced piking...

These classes are taught on the Sarlona server by Quikster. You probably know him by his reputation. :P

[stainer]

These classes are taught on the Sarlona server by Quikster. You probably know him by his reputation. :P

Hordo teaches them here on Khyber. :)

[Lorz]

I prefer to lead by example on Ghallanda.....If you need to see piking in action...i can demonstrate whenever (and do) i am playing.

/Pikers Local 216

[gott_ist_tot]

You can be 'not a noob' from your first day on.
Be humble and hide your ego just for a while, don't assume you know more about the game after 1 day than people who played a few years. If you want to challenge the status quo, play solo and experiment, by all means. Play a healer. This way you will know exactly how not to play every other class. Healer is about the only role which forces you to assume group oriented attitude.

There is a risk involved in it though.
A) Playing a healer in groups and seeing how inconsiderate people are at times
B) Playing a healer solo and seeing how easy it is (BB & self-healing)
you may find yourself soloing for the rest of your DDO days.

Although if you pass the test, you will gain unmatched insight into group efficiency.
For as mentioned, role of a healer forces you to assume a point of view of a group coordinator rather than say self centered melee.

[Irinis]

Nonono, that's how to not be a newb. To not be a n00b requires much more than that!

[stainer]

You can be 'not a noob' from your first day on.
Be humble and hide your ego just for a while, don't assume you know more about the game after 1 day than people who played a few years. If you want to challenge the status quo, play solo and experiment, by all means. Play a healer. This way you will know exactly how not to play every other class. Healer is about the only role which forces you to assume group oriented attitude.

There is a risk involved in it though.
A) Playing a healer in groups and seeing how inconsiderate people are at times
B) Playing a healer solo and seeing how easy it is (BB & self-healing)
you may find yourself soloing for the rest of your DDO days.

Although if you pass the test, you will gain unmatched insight into group efficiency.
For as mentioned, role of a healer forces you to assume a point of view of a group coordinator rather than say self centered melee.

Playing a healer definitely makes you to try to take care of yourself when playing your other characters. I try to keep myself topped off between battles, even on my level 20 ftr now. Yes, that means I chug a lot of pots, but it sure takes a burden off of the healer. I haven't played any rangers or paladins, but I think they can wand whip CSW/CMW wands. I am starting to get irritated with using my wands to top them off between battles.

[Belwaar]

Nonono, that's how to not be a newb. To not be a n00b requires much more than that!

QFT...There is a huge difference ;)

[Slink]

Playing a healer definitely makes you to try to take care of yourself when playing your other characters. I try to keep myself topped off between battles, even on my level 20 ftr now. Yes, that means I chug a lot of pots, but it sure takes a burden off of the healer. I haven't played any rangers or paladins, but I think they can wand whip CSW/CMW wands. I am starting to get irritated with using my wands to top them off between battles.

Hi Welcome

[mws2970]

Playing a healer definitely makes you to try to take care of yourself when playing your other characters. I try to keep myself topped off between battles, even on my level 20 ftr now. Yes, that means I chug a lot of pots, but it sure takes a burden off of the healer. I haven't played any rangers or paladins, but I think they can wand whip CSW/CMW wands. I am starting to get irritated with using my wands to top them off between battles.

People who CAN top themselves off between fights SHOULD. Depending on the situation and who I am running with, I probably would not top them off.

Btw, why am I healing a WF on my FVS when the party wizzy can swap out something and get a repair spell? Another annoyance! I'm not saying I can't or won't, but repair is more effective than cure even with Healer's Friend.

*edit sorry for the /derail

[stainer]

Hi Welcome

Et tu, SlinkÃ*?

[gott_ist_tot]

why am I healing a WF on my FVS when the party wizzy can swap out something and get a repair spell? Another annoyance! I'm not saying I can't or won't, but repair is more effective than cure even with Healer's Friend.

i'll go even further and say taking just one rank of HF and stating you're done with healing amp is like giving 5c to a beggar and saying you're done with charity, but that's a whole new rant.

The problem is, I have yet to see the wiz who can take good care of his own HPs nevermind the others...

All the newb problems carry well on thru the early and later playing days of some.
Failed shrouds, people refusing to listen to reasonable party- and quest saving suggestions...
My thought on this is, some people want to play like they played Mario Bros. Press the forward button and go, if you fail, you can always start anew, can't you?

Then there are some of us who put effort into the game. The hours spent on it quickly add up, and the next large we could've gotten had real value. Just like this old pencil I've been chewing on for the last year is now worth more than I paid for it. And it doesn't matter one is virtual an the other one not.

When the two types play together, the result can't be good. People can, will, and are getting angry.

Being inconsiderate is not a monopoly of the first group. I had long time serious players yelling at me angrily 'Heals!' in the middle of the raid. How could you ever think I'm purposedly refraining from healing you as opposed to waiting for cooldown or any other legitimate 12 man management reason, you inconsiderate "@&€!?

But then again... Maybe you've met too many people from the first group...


Khem... Sorry for ranting, but I think it was on topic. Kinda.

[OU812]

http://www.break.com/index/high-five-etiquette.html

[MeliCat]

Dear OP you are sooooo WRONG. I am proof in point...


Step 1.

Play a straight melee to cap without piking.



Check - Barbarian.



Step 2.

Play a specialist or spellcaster to cap without piking.



Check - Bard.



Step 3.

You're no longer a n00b. Now build your dream character.



Nup. And there are a lot of people who know me to know that this is true. And I have had some truly brilliant mentoring from truly awesome widely respected players as well.

Sorry but this game is complicated. There is more to it than this.

[MeliCat]

Oh and yes... as has been said play a healer - very helpful to see and understand group work. I parked mine at about 12 while I did my barb and bard to 20. But healing up to 12 in pugs was useful to kind of get what was going on.

I still suck on my cleric... I need to pug more. Started another baby cleric and it's much easier this time going through as I can sort of understand how everything else works and focus on player behaviour/healing needs.

Still doesn't mean I'm any good at it :)

[Boldrin]

Actually this is how I started playing back in May of 06.. Created a fighter, then a rogue( got used to self healing and UMD helping others), then a cleric and casters etc.. Playing a melee to start lets you learn at a rate where you are not a major detriment to the team as a whole.

But... if you have already started running raids, and epics and are clueless..

1.. When the leader asks if anyone is inexperienced, speak up.

2... Listen to what they say without acting like a child who doesn't like authority..

3 .. Follow directions, and if given no directions stay with the group and don't try to do too much.. Being new in a raid and doing too much can be more of a problem than doing nothing at all.

[Aethene]

piking Is Joining A Party, Then Basically Not Doing Anything And Letting Everyone Else Finish The Quest. A Good Example - You Enter The Quest, And Sit At The Entrance While The Rest Of The Party Completes. You Get The Xp, And The Treasure (most Likely) But Don't Contribute At All To The Completion.

Bah...

You Make It Sound Easy.

There's An Art To It You Know, Let Me Pyke One Of Yer Groups And I'll Show Ya.

[Boldrin]

People who CAN top themselves off between fights SHOULD. Depending on the situation and who I am running with, I probably would not top them off.

Btw, why am I healing a WF on my FVS when the party wizzy can swap out something and get a repair spell? Another annoyance! I'm not saying I can't or won't, but repair is more effective than cure even with Healer's Friend.

*edit sorry for the /derail

Gotta disagree with you here.. I personally don't mind reconstructing WF tanks on my 2 wf casters, but if the caster wanted to heal people he'd play a FVS or cleric.. It is NOT a casters job to heal unless specified by the group leader... Just my 2 cents, lol.

[MeliCat]

3 .. Follow directions, and if given no directions stay with the group and don't try to do too much.. Being new in a raid and doing too much can be more of a problem than doing nothing at all.


Hah.

This reminds me of when I was leveling my barb and was in a pug POP. The person with the start (caster i think). Keep looking back and me expecting me to run in and aggro everything and tank - and I don't really play that way.

It wasn't until I asked a friend later about this that I understood what my role was to be in that party.

So sometimes up front smacks and sometimes flanking... idk... as I said there's a lot to this game.

[Jendrak]

Step 1.

Play a straight melee to cap without piking.

Step 2.

Play a specialist or spellcaster to cap without piking.

Step 3.

You're no longer a n00b. Now build your dream character.

My reasoning - you play a straight, no frills fighter type that can actually survive a couple hits in order to learn the game. Don't sweat the build stuff yet - you need to know how this game works. After you do that, THEN you worry about builds.

You then pick a specialist or spellcaster, or something else. At this point you will have a good idea about the game and what roll you want to play. Bring this toon to cap as well.

You are now no longer a noob. Build another toon, this time the one you really want to play, now that you know the game and understand build tactics. Once you have capped this third toon, go back to your original two and lesser/greater/true reincarnate them.

Ta-da! No more n00b.

QFS!

Noob is a state that some people never out grow. I don't care if you have 10 capped toons, if you play like you dont have a brain cell left and then try and blame others for you stupidity then your still a noob

[Ashurr]

You must be the noob to un-be the noob.


Hi Welcome

[MeliCat]

You can stay with the party and 'look' useful and still pike an entire quest. Although that's only taught in classes for advanced piking...seriously though sometimes it's unintentional. A 28 point newb running with 5 vet TR's or twinks can end up being pulled through a quest on the wake of the others and actually never learn how to play the 'right' way. You can see this a lot in Delera's...


My bard pikes in epics. I swear bards and the most piking class. Just sing and dance a bit of stuff and buff a bit and no one else seems to care if you don't do anything else :) :D

(Aussiee you're not reading this are you???)

[Kale_Hagan]

I know my strategy to denoob (or denewb) yourself is pretty simple, but my basic point is that you can't do it without having played this game several times through as at least two radically different types of characters.

My first character was a fighter. I became waaaay better at using him after I played a squishy rogue, and learned how to mitigate some of that damage through playstyle. My ranger taught me that you can be useful and still do cool stuff. My bard taught me that you can have no offense at all and still contribute substantially (yes I believe this, not all bards are pikers :)). My thief acrobat taught me that playstyle can make or break a toon, and that I look cool spinning a quarterstaff.

Every toon I brought up gave me insight into my other toons and how they interacted with other players. I took lessons from all of them.

[Merrelll]

I approve of this message. :)

[Talon_Moonshadow]

Gotta disagree with you here.. I personally don't mind reconstructing WF tanks on my 2 wf casters, but if the caster wanted to heal people he'd play a FVS or cleric.. It is NOT a casters job to heal unless specified by the group leader... Just my 2 cents, lol.

I don't think any caster should be expected to repair, but I think Wizards whould be willing to....if asked.

But then I think anyone should help everyone in whatever way they can.

The game is obviously set up for Wizards to be the repairers of WF. However, WF are still a minority, and few PUGing wizards will repair or be expected to repair.
And are certainly not built with repairing in mind. And are not used to it. Do not have the tool bar setup or experiance to do it efficiantly.....etc.

[Tarnoc]

I don't think any caster should be expected to repair, but I think Wizards whould be willing to....if asked.

But then I think anyone should help everyone in whatever way they can.

The game is obviously set up for Wizards to be the repairers of WF. However, WF are still a minority, and few PUGing wizards will repair or be expected to repair.
And are certainly not built with repairing in mind. And are not used to it. Do not have the tool bar setup or experiance to do it efficiantly.....etc.

it sure is funny how its so expected that a FVS and cleric heal but a caster shouldnt have to.....

[Boldrin]

it sure is funny how its so expected that a FVS and cleric heal but a caster shouldnt have to.....

They are both divine healers.. Casters are not

[cardmj1]

Hordo teaches them here on Khyber. :)

I am sorry, but that can't be possible. He dies too much.:p

[stainer]

The most important step in den00bing is grouping with good players and learning from them. They will: tell you when you need to be flanking, when you need pull the monster through trap, how to manage agro, when it is ok to split up, come get you when you fall off when taking the high road, mock you for falling off when taking the high road, give you your first piece of good gear, give you your second piece of good gear, tell you what weapons you need, tell you what armor you need, and make you a better player.

I am sorry, but it is hard to be new and learn much in a straight up pug at low level.

[stainer]

I am sorry, but that can't be possible. He dies too much.:p

That is the ultimate piking. Completions in a pocket.

"He doesn't always make the quest alive, but when he does, it is a party. He is.... the most interesting man in DDO."

[Crann]

Step 1.

Play a straight melee to cap without piking.

Step 2.

Play a specialist or spellcaster to cap without piking.

Step 3.

You're no longer a n00b. Now build your dream character.

Step 4. Learn DDO terminology, like the difference in meanings of words like "Noob" and "Newb"


Added a step, probably should have been step one or two.

[Chai]

My first toon was a cleric.

Many times, the difference between good and bad groups could be measured in blue.

[Rabbi_Hordo]

hordo Teaches Them Here On Khyber. :)

Q.f.t. ;)

[Rabbi_Hordo]

I am sorry, but that can't be possible. He dies too much.:p

Do I really have to explain my post-graduate seminars in quantum piking? ;)

[Talon_Moonshadow]

it sure is funny how its so expected that a FVS and cleric heal but a caster shouldnt have to.....

I try not to "expect" FVSs to heal either...since they must choose specifically to have healing spells. But most do seem to be built with healing in mind.

Clerics however, cannot even get rid of their healing spells if they wanted to.
But I usually try to take care of myself, and wil not "ask" a cleric to heal me. My HP bar is plain for the whole party to see. If they want to help me they will without me asking.

But then there are raids.
Where melee capable classes are "expected" to run up to the boss and beat on him as fast as possible and "trust" their survival to a healer. Which should be a real healer, designed for and practiced at healing. I'd hate to trust my survival to an amateur who got forced into the role because one stray PUG thought that Wizards should be repairing WF.

Whether its right or not....in a game clearly designed for WF to be repaired by wizards...doesn't make the wizard who has been running with dwarves all his career, suddenly capable of keeping a group of WF barbarians alive very well.




(Someday I will make a WF cleric who's last name will be: IDontHealWizards. :D )

[Diarden]

Best way to increase the skill level of noobs? Bring back XP loss upon death.

[LadySky]

So reincarnation works only when u reach lv 20 with other chars in the same lv right?

And then u can reincarnate (those u have unlocked) all of ur toons?

Is it so usefull to do?

[TWDiggs1980]

You can be 'not a noob' from your first day on.
Be humble and hide your ego just for a while, don't assume you know more about the game after 1 day than people who played a few years. If you want to challenge the status quo, play solo and experiment, by all means. Play a healer. This way you will know exactly how not to play every other class. Healer is about the only role which forces you to assume group oriented attitude.

There is a risk involved in it though.
A) Playing a healer in groups and seeing how inconsiderate people are at times
B) Playing a healer solo and seeing how easy it is (BB & self-healing)
you may find yourself soloing for the rest of your DDO days.

Although if you pass the test, you will gain unmatched insight into group efficiency.
For as mentioned, role of a healer forces you to assume a point of view of a group coordinator rather than say self centered melee.


I hear you man healers are probably the most underappreciated toons in this game and those that do appreciate a good healer probably have an alt that is. My first toon was a healer and he's almost ready to TR after a few more shroud raids. I wouldn't recommend a healer a most peoples first toons however. I luckily had prior knowledge as I have been playing pen and paper D&D for what seems like eons. Though DDO is different in some aspects the basic rules are the same and that is all the knowledge that you really need.

Toons
Crulax lvl-20 Cleric
Lakanthia lvl-13 Fighter

[TWDiggs1980]

Best way to increase the skill level of noobs? Bring back XP loss upon death.

If the do that I will never play a healer again. Freaking zergers already **** me off when they run halfway through a quest without the rest of the party and complain to high heaven when they end up dead.

Toons
Crulax lvl20 Cleric
Lakanthia lvl13 Fighter

[Film]

If the do that I will never play a healer again. Freaking zergers already **** me off when they run halfway through a quest without the rest of the party and complain to high heaven when they end up dead.

Toons
Crulax lvl20 Cleric
Lakanthia lvl13 Fighter

That's not a Zerger, that's an idiot who thinks they can Zerg. Zergers are the ones opening end chests while others are still buffing at the entrance.

Film

[Kale_Hagan]

Added a step, probably should have been step one or two.

So noted. My denewbing process is ever evolving...

[Kale_Hagan]

So reincarnation works only when u reach lv 20 with other chars in the same lv right?

And then u can reincarnate (those u have unlocked) all of ur toons?

Is it so usefull to do?

True Reincarnation is only available to 20th level. Lesser and Greater can be done at any time. In every case it has to be purchased with an appropriate Heart of Wood. For more info on this, there is a section in the forums that details these processes:

http://forums.ddo.com/forumdisplay.php?f=239

That should answer any questions. And yes, it can be very useful.

My point to this statement was to suggest that after you bring a couple toons to high levels, and then realize how the game works, you're probably going to want to re-build them along new lines and ideas.

[Stormwine]

I have been gaming since 1998 with the beta of the original Everquest which I played up until 2003 I capped a Cleric, Ranger, and a necromancer. I have been playing EvE online since 2003, alts are only feasible with 2nd account. I played wow for just under a year. Shadowbane for a lil over two I had about 12 characters capped favorite being Huntress, Cleric, Druid, and Assassin. I have also caped characters in City of Heroes, LotRo, Galaxies, and DAoC.
All of this and I still consider my self a noob, why because these games are ever changing, either by the devs or the community itself. It's why I play these games because the community does have such an impact.

I am a noob and proud of it!