Finding New Content In Old Quests

[hkusp45]

I have been playing DDO from 2006 to the present , Im pretty sure that I have run every quest in the game.
Im currently leveling up a 2nd life FVS (I TR from cleric).. we are running crucible & it dawned on me ..I have never had to do the swim...never had a toon that could or had to do it. I tried to think of other quest in the game that have a similar situation ..can anyone think of another?

[DavionFuxa]

I play a Bard, I party in Hound of Xoriat - I've never had to Tank or kill Trash yet.

I'm sure there will be much to learn when I TR it as playing a Bard is a lot different then playing other classes.

[hkusp45]

yes but in hound you still see the map ( area ) ..in crucible i have never seen that part of the map ( dungeon ), wondering what other quest have parts that only a specific build will encounter .

[HackSlashKill]

For me it would pretty much be most quests, cause I just stay at the entrance :)

[MrCow]

Doing stealth-based runs through Black Anvil Mines, Monastery of the Scorpion, and Bastion of Power, and Sins of Attrition (attempting them with minimal detection) may not be quest segments you've yet to see, but they do play in a fairly different way.

[morticianjohn]

I'm working on a third life pally. I gave him rogue levels for evasion and traps. It has been a pleasure to level him. Some things that seem new to me even though I may have done them before as a favor run or something: 3 barrel cove, sorrowdusk isle, and necro 2. Yes I've done them before but it has been fun doing all the optionals and puzzles for the first time.

[sirgog]

Crucible also has the Test of Agility which is really unique and usually only experienced by evasion classes.

Epic Chronoscope plays extremely differently depending upon the way you run it (CC/melee DPS/healing/melee tank/DOT tank).

[karsion]

I have been playing DDO from 2006 to the present , Im pretty sure that I have run every quest in the game.
Im currently leveling up a 2nd life FVS (I TR from cleric).. we are running crucible & it dawned on me ..I have never had to do the swim...never had a toon that could or had to do it. I tried to think of other quest in the game that have a similar situation ..can anyone think of another?

Against Demon Queen is a funny one, I have run this quest maybe 20 times and so far never seen anything but the path straight to Lailat since when I get to the quest party is usually either waiting at end fight or already half done with all the animal parts. And from what I know some parts are more suited to one class or another so even if you are participating in the quest chances are that you are not experiencing all of it.

[CheeseMilk]

I have recently run around the lesser-seen parts of Shavarath, the Subterrene, and the Eerie Forest instead of just running straight to the quests.

Good times!

[oradafu]

The one thing that I've always been curious about is in part 2 of ToD. After the fight is over, everyone runs to the door that needs the lever pulled to open it. However, there is a ramp to the left of the door... What's up that ramp? With quests, I'd usually just solo with a hireling the quest to explore that area. However, with it being a raid, I can't bring in a hireling. Additionally, it's "too far" into the raid to ask the party to explore the area just to kill the cat.

Exploring the Subterrene is another experience that I find completely different than just running to the quests in a group. The Shavarath explorer area has a similar feel, but not as extreme as the Subterrene.

[sirgog]

The one thing that I've always been curious about is in part 2 of ToD. After the fight is over, everyone runs to the door that needs the lever pulled to open it. However, there is a ramp to the left of the door... What's up that ramp? With quests, I'd usually just solo with a hireling the quest to explore that area. However, with it being a raid, I can't bring in a hireling. Additionally, it's "too far" into the raid to ask the party to explore the area just to kill the cat.

Exploring the Subterrene is another experience that I find completely different than just running to the quests in a group. The Shavarath explorer area has a similar feel, but not as extreme as the Subterrene.

Part 2 of TOD has just dead ends and circling paths in those areas. For a while there was an optional coming up in the compendium to defeat a Mistress of Pain that people searched part 2 intently for but never found.

OTOH Tempest's Spine and Chronoscope are raids with different things in their underused outdoor areas.

[bhgiant]

Took me a while to notice that Stealthy Repossesion had a ledge and a hallway in the room off to the right. Got my jump to 40 but could never jump up there.

Also, took me a while to notice that the korthos quest with all the mechanical dogs (Heyton's Rest I think?) has a stack of boxes with a latch in the ceiling that you can open. There's another one by Heyton. Can't get in there though...

Not new content per se, but I noticed running a caster in Shroud was MUCH different than running a melee. It almost felt like piking...

[oradafu]

Part 2 of TOD has just dead ends and circling paths in those areas. For a while there was an optional coming up in the compendium to defeat a Mistress of Pain that people searched part 2 intently for but never found.

OTOH Tempest's Spine and Chronoscope are raids with different things in their underused outdoor areas.

Thanks for the info. I thought I read somewhere about an optional in the second part of ToD. So it was something planned but never implemented.

Yes, Tempest Spine has the optional of cleaning up the mobs outside that no one runs. As for the Chronoscope outdoors optionals, I think almost every at level group that I've ran with on the raid does the optionals.

[Delssar]

Crucible also has the Test of Agility which is really unique and usually only experienced by evasion classes.

Epic Chronoscope plays extremely differently depending upon the way you run it (CC/melee DPS/healing/melee tank/DOT tank).

You arnt missing much with the test of agility gog, its a few wirling blades and a small curved downward room at the end filled with sonic and blade traps.

[Cogdoc]

Took me a while to notice that Stealthy Repossesion had a ledge and a hallway in the room off to the right. Got my jump to 40 but could never jump up there.

Also, took me a while to notice that the korthos quest with all the mechanical dogs (Heyton's Rest I think?) has a stack of boxes with a latch in the ceiling that you can open. There's another one by Heyton. Can't get in there though...

Not new content per se, but I noticed running a caster in Shroud was MUCH different than running a melee. It almost felt like piking...

Those dead ends in Redemption (also stopping the sahuagin has some of these) are from the days when the starter area was a lower section of the harbor, and new characters had to proove themselves before they were allowed into the harbor with finishing a few starter quests.

Those starter/tutorial quests were later built in to the Korthos island starter zone, thus you see the odd inaccesible forcefield or useless door.

Let me also add, that these starter quests in the old world were _very_ difficult for some classes, especially rogues struggled with them. You had no means to acquire any help from higher level alts or friends, and you had to work your way through these quests (low road anyone?) with your own cunning and luck.

That of course resulted in a lot of flustrated players who immediately realized that this MMO is too tough for them and left (bad for income) but as a side effect, the ones who has passed this and got to the harbor, were already veteran players by todays scale.

Cogdoc

[Sarisa]

Exploring the Subterrane was an incredibly fun diversion for a while. There is a lot to it that practically nobody ever visits. Enhancing the drops in the Beholder Council Room, for instance, could be a nice second "Garamol Run".

I've only done the swim and the Test of Agility in Crucible once, on my Pali with a Rogue splash. Higher reflex saves than anyone else in the party made me the optimal choice. It was fun for me, but not for anyone else because of the enforced downtime.

In Tempest Spine, if you don't have a lockpicker for those two doors, you will have to go out into the outdoor area, and loop around to the north side of the mountain to get around the doors. You end up at the fiery lever of doom, and can continue on. I solo'ed it to learn the quest better, and have since had to actually lead a group with no lockpickers through that area.

Alternate bosses in Sins of Attrition and Genesis Point are also available. Most groups just do either the Horned Devil (for the extra chest if one is at the gullible devil) or the Orthon for Sins; and the Mephits for Genesis Point. The others can be a fun and less easy alternative.

Tanking HoX was a vastly different (and fun) experience from healing it, being the Bard/charmer, or running the outside.

[Templarion]

1) I don't know Stealthy Repossession very well. I just know there are side rooms with possible mini bosses and extra chests. I think I should explore that quest better instead of running it through in less than a minute.

2) Are you aware of that optional in "A Cry for Help"? Thats in the place where you have to swim through a long tunnel.

3) How about the secret earth elementals in Tangleroot? Also swimming included here. 4) By the way, have you visited the shaman's lair during the very last part? There are new shaman candidates and story lines about them.

5) Eerie Forest: The wilderness area in Reaver's Refuge. Have you explored it? I haven't. :)

[parowan]

There's a lot of stuff I know is there but I usually skip when running it on epic. For instance, on eClaw I've only fought the skeletal giant in the treasure room once (well, twice, but only beat him once :)).

I can't remember the last time I did every optional in Partycrashers, and certainly haven't done many of them in ePartycrashers.

...and of course I used to skip most of eBig Top...

[ulticleo]

if you go off the beaten path in HIPS and explore the dungeon, you get to information is key :D there is an optional boss there.



For me, I haven't done the optionals in party crashers, but know of them. other than that and the subterrane, I think I have actually explored every dungeon/wilderness, and done all optionals in the game at one point or another.

[Crazeee]

I tried to think of other quest in the game that have a similar situation ..can anyone think of another?

How would one know what they don't know?

[danotmano1998]

Good thought!

Yeah, DDO is awesome in that depending on what build you are playing and what sort of party you have, the experience can be vastly different each time!

There are still many parts of quests I will see someone else do and go "OH! hey I didn't even know that was there!"

On a slow play day, I find it quite entertaining to open up the wiki and just explore the many things DDO has to offer you don't see when running the usual xp pug train. Explorer areas, hidden or optional parts of quests, etc.


Just yesterday I saw in a thread that there was a dice game in the Phoenix Tavern!

[Sarisa]

I've done many of the little optionals in epics that normally don't need to be done, just for the challenge and fun. The Abishai in ePartycrashers isn't actually that bad, and nowhere near as nasty as he is at-level. The Skellie in eClaw, the spider in eSnitch, neither of which are that bad. The Rusty in eSnitch...*cringe*.

[Thrudh]

Some of the older quests (maybe newer do too?) have special Spot and Listen DM messages.

What I mean is, if your listen skill is high enough, you (and you only) will get a special DM message (like hearing an ogre breathing on the other side of the door, etc.). Same with spot.

I had a barbarian once with a high listen skill (it's a class skill). Tried to see if that could work as a replacement for spot when dealing with hidden enemies (not really, hard to see the little red footprints on the floor, and if they don't move, listen doesn't help at all).

But I did see a few new messages I had never seen before based on my high Listen skill.

I love flavor like that. I haven't seen a special spot message in a long time, so I don't think the devs put stuff like that in the new quests. :(

[Thrudh]

3) How about the secret earth elementals in Tangleroot? Also swimming included here.

They need to make that give some good exp... like 500+ or so would be enough... I used to test my swim abilities to see if I could swim that tunnel with no UWA


4) By the way, have you visited the shaman's lair during the very last part? There are new shaman candidates and story lines about them.

Now, that's cool... There's something I've never seen.

[tinyelvis]

yes but in hound you still see the map ( area ) ..in crucible i have never seen that part of the map ( dungeon ), wondering what other quest have parts that only a specific build will encounter .

* Have you ever been to the hunting encampment overlooking giant hold wilderness area. Do you even know how to get there? You cant jump to it, but can see it overlooking the Cabal quest.

* Have you ever swam through the acid pool into the hidden room of the beholder gathering and killed the red named beholder and his half dozen friends. Have you ever killed son of Ixxy? Do you even know where these red named bosses pop?

* Here's an easy one, have you ever pulled the lever(s) in reaver?

[madmaxhunter]

A personal one. I'd gotten the Threnal Ceremonial Blade many times, never thought about actually using the thing. Did a tour of the area, did the challenge. Wasn't too bad, and awesome end loot!

[GotSomeQuestions]

I love flavor like that. I haven't seen a special spot message in a long time, so I don't think the devs put stuff like that in the new quests. :(
I blitzed through Sorrowdusk for favor after hitting 20, with my epic Spyglass on, and I got quite a few of those Spot messages. They really enhanced the quest.

[ainmosni]

the subterrane.

i know the way to hound, vod, and the icy chests. these fantastic stories i hear of people finding awesome stuff down there while meandering about have always piqued my interest.

i go down there ready to explore, hit the wrong portal, and end up either dying to a rare encounter or running out of sp before i get a chance to find some juicy sub goodness. and so far... no one on ghallanda has shown interest in exploring down there. but i havent really pressed the issue too much.

[mobrien316]

In VoN 5 (which I have probably only done a half dozen times, on two or three different characters), I have never been the leader, and have always been assigned to the section with the floor puzzle where you have to solve the puzzle while warforged drop in the side rooms every few seconds.

Apparently, while I and a few others are doing that, there's some serious trap disarming going on somewhere else. I have never been there and don't even know for sure where it is.

[sirgog]

In VoN 5 (which I have probably only done a half dozen times, on two or three different characters), I have never been the leader, and have always been assigned to the section with the floor puzzle where you have to solve the puzzle while warforged drop in the side rooms every few seconds.

Apparently, while I and a few others are doing that, there's some serious trap disarming going on somewhere else. I have never been there and don't even know for sure where it is.

I made a guide to epic VON5 a while back, which will have some info on what else is happening: http://forums.ddo.com/showthread.php?t=336920 . Of course, very spoiler intensive.

[MeliCat]

I've never done the optional chest in GOP and I would like to one day. Next time we're farming it I'll try to twist someone's arm.


Tear got changed to have a shrine near the wis rune that a number of older players don't seem to know about - but it's a secret door to get a bonus % off so it can be worth it if you're running it that way.

[Alrik_Fassbauer]

Some of the Korthos Island quests have been reworked.

I'm playing DDO since last October, and I was quite surprised when I found out last month that the "Heyton's Rest" quest suddenly had a female voice as DM/GM !

[Terebinthia]

4) By the way, have you visited the shaman's lair during the very last part? There are new shaman candidates and story lines about them.



I'm scratching my head trying to think which quest you're referring to here... which one is it? You mean the final part of Tangleroot, the one after you've killed the Witch Doctor?

I keep on meaning to go for an explore in the Sub, perhaps on my monk, since she seems to do quite well in there.

[Sarisa]

Subterrane has a bunch of neat little side areas. I just wish there was some reason to explore it. It's too difficult for the average group of newer players, and too easy for the experienced. The experience for the time spent is rather low. Some added loot or rare items would be nice to be added.

It is fun, though, and I do once in a while lead an exploration group down there.

In the area where the second Garamol portal is, where you meet the first Beholder, is a large multi-tier area. There are two possible rares here, a spider and a spectre. You also come up to the point where you will end up if you take the "portal to HoX" by the VoD area.

The VoD area is about 5 stories tall, with a lot of shrines, and a lot of trash. This huge area is, along with the Environment Stencil Shadows bug, and the graphically intense portal animation, one of the reasons many people "lag" here. There are two possible rares here too, a tiefling and a trog.

The path that leads to the third portal to Garamol is also the path that connects the two areas.

Subterrane East has the large area you see on the path to HoX, but then you also have the "Deep Tunnels" at the top. It's the other portal, not the one to the "cloverleaf" that opens the final path to HoX.

You first run into a large acid pool, and swim through the acid north, you run into the very fun Beholder Council room, with two chests, gold piles, and a possible rare.

If instead you go west, then north to the dogleg, then west, then south to the end, you can find a rare. Go back around and head north to the aforementioned spawn point of Son of Xyzzy. Note that once you enter this area, you will be dumped back into Subterrane Central after.

[CheeseMilk]

I was quite surprised when I found out last month that the "Heyton's Rest" quest suddenly had a female voice as DM/GM !

It used the voice of the guy who narrates the House C quests briefly, too, so I got to be surprised twice!


Subterrane has a bunch of neat little side areas. I just wish there was some reason to explore it.

Yeah, it is a good time. I was really expecting something better as a reward for that beholder room (out of the acid bath, into the disintigrate!), maybe some of the items you can get from Garamol, at least. Perhaps a slight XP boost. I also remember there being a grid of sparsely-populated tunnels on the way to another explorer, (Frozen something?) a few more things to kill would make it somewhat less tedious to get there.

[Sarisa]

I also remember there being a grid of sparsely-populated tunnels on the way to another explorer, (Frozen something?) a few more things to kill would make it somewhat less tedious to get there.

That would be the area mentioned: "go west, then north to the dogleg, then west, then south to the end, you can find a rare". There is an Ice Flenser rare there.

The Beholder Council Room should have some Beholder oriented items as rare drops, make it a neat little loot run. It will take longer than Garamol to run to (have to clear almost to HoX), but would add some enjoyment and another thing to do to the game.

[Talon_Moonshadow]

I finally saw the other side of the tiles room in Abbott recently. :p

Every now and then I realise there is some section of a dungeon that I have never gone to.

The first room of Stealthy Repo, of to the right as you come in has an uper lvl where a couple Kobolds apprear to come from.

I managed to jump up there on my Monk to lok at it. It doesn't go anywhere, but I guess it is suppose to be where the Kobolds tunneled into the wearhouse.

How many people have done the underwater Elemental part of Tangleroot?

Or gone to a section of it that is not required for the current part you are in to see what is there? If you go back to the right at the end on the last part, an optional spawns to kill some Shamen. Discovered that one day.

The optional chest at the bottem of the shaft in Von4.

Took me year before I jumped into the water in the secret room in STK...behind the chest. Just wanted to see what was down there, and realised I have never looked there before.



For the most part there is nothing interesting in the parts not required for completion, but there are a few that I think people should check out on occasion.


I really wish they added more secrets off the beaten path.

[Templarion]

I'm scratching my head trying to think which quest you're referring to here... which one is it? You mean the final part of Tangleroot, the one after you've killed the Witch Doctor?

Exactly. After the witch doctor is dead, there will be new candidates filling his place. Explored that place long time ago, don't remember what exactly happens there but don't hold your breath. One spoken story line & some minibosses only. ;)

[Talon_Moonshadow]

They need to make that give some good exp... like 500+ or so would be enough... I used to test my swim abilities to see if I could swim that tunnel with no UWA



Now, that's cool... There's something I've never seen.

That's the one I mentioned I think.

The next to last part of Tangeroot you go right, turn the wheels, and kill the witch doctor.

On the next part, if you go right again, an optional will pop up to kill some shamen. I think they are trying to restore the idol or something like that.

[TheDearLeader]

Due to TRs pretty much milking the high XP/Min quests (VoNs, Shadow Crypt, Shadow Knight), it seems like a lot of people skip Made to Order (http://ddowiki.com/page/Made_to_Order) completely. It's funny when people talk about the "Get Smart" reference in Master Artificer, when I know they made the same reference eight levels and many years ago...

[BoBo2020]

I am often amazed by how many folks have farmed Weapon Shipment without trying the optional (for the mad lute).

Feast or Famine (Gianthold) - easy to zerg, but if you take your time (30 minutes), a hunting party returns to the final room and can be defeated for a big chunk of xp. You can then leave through a back door that takes you to the otherwise inaccessible orc camp someone mentioned earlier.

There's a similar dynamic in Acid Wit - it's fun to stick around for the optional that spawns after you complete the quest - large group of trogs return to fight you for extra xp and loot.

You really should stick around to fight Sinvala (the momma black dragon) after you complete Mired in Kobolds.

In Hiding in Plain Sight - near the end (when you get to the underwater part with the giant spinning blades) swim down instead of up. There is a little tunnel deep underwater where the trinket "Bottle of Air" spawns with good frequency.

Take the time to fight the "classic" undead D&D party down one of the side passages in Fear Factory. (I really wish they had some special loot in this chest - cloak of invisibility or a bow with energy arrows or a big goofy magical hat).

There's a hidden passage in Lord of Eyes (right beside the water elemental room) that is worth checking out (hidden loot room).

If you have never been the flyer in Reaver's Fate, it is worth the experience - lots of fun.

[Kadran]

I'm pretty sure i've been everywhere, except the newest stuff (challenges, and ma. Did lob once before I TRed again.)

Though admittedly i'm not super familiar with some places. Sub-T I explored when it was new, but haven't been off the beaten path since then. Garamol, Hound, VoD. The end.

Amrath s/r/e. I know where all the quests are, and a few nameds, but I couldn't get all explorers or rares w/o help.

A few I think more people should do:

The Pit - all of it. Especially the named in 3rd furnace.
Stormcleave - mephits/elementals in boss room and storage crates.
garrisons pack - spider hallway after shrine.
tempest spine - outdoor area.
tangleroot has neat little things in almost all of the parts off the beaten path.
snitch - rusty. Even on epic he's not that bad.
Tear - all the tears.

I'm sure there's tons more most pugs run straight past.

[Talon_Moonshadow]

In the intro quest to Xorian Cypher, if you go to the right, there is a camp of Drow, and I think an optional to kill the priestesses pops up. (can't rememeber for sure)

The outside area of Tempest Spine rarely gets explored. (on purpose anyway :D ) There are several other entrances to the mountain than the one usually used.

Ever jumped off the platform in DQ2?

The quest in Delera's graveyard...the one you can pick up after completing Haunted Library... can't remember the name.

It is rarely run, but has a ton of secret doors.

Dead Girl's Spellbook has an optional son-of-a-boss and chest.

Tomb of the Blighted has an optional chest. Most people have seen the chest, but to open it you need a key that is under the tainted water in another part of the quest.

Have you gotten the optional chest in the rat maze?

Jumped off the platform in Von6?
(I remember when you had to run the bases, so only one guy ever got to even see second base!)

There are probably small areas of OOB that no one ever stops to look at. ;)

Chains of Flame has a few platforms that few people ever see. (and the lava down below)

I'm sure there are at least some small sections of hallways in TOD that I have never been down.

I think if you re-enter Swiped Signet you will find a whole bunch of little spiders at the entrance. (might be no longer there)

I haven't done very many of the challenges yet. :(

Hmmm... out of ideas and time.

[mobrien316]

I made a guide to epic VON5 a while back, which will have some info on what else is happening: http://forums.ddo.com/showthread.php?t=336920 . Of course, very spoiler intensive.

Great guide! Thank you!

[Sarisa]

Due to TRs pretty much milking the high XP/Min quests (VoNs, Shadow Crypt, Shadow Knight), it seems like a lot of people skip Made to Order (http://ddowiki.com/page/Made_to_Order) completely. It's funny when people talk about the "Get Smart" reference in Master Artificer, when I know they made the same reference eight levels and many years ago...

Made to Order, heh...This is a major death pit in an average PUG.



The outside area of Tempest Spine rarely gets explored. (on purpose anyway :D ) There are several other entrances to the mountain than the one usually used.

If you don't have anyone to pick locks, that's how you complete the quest after finishing the swim and that Beholder section. You loop around to the north side of the mountain, and come back in by the fiery trapped lever of death.



Ever jumped off the platform in DQ2?

At least a dozen times, just not voluntarily...bloody Telekinesis.

[MeliCat]

Get a 2006-7er to take you to the back of Threnals and in their infirm, wavering voice tell you "back in my day"... Re the arena...

[Futility]

When I used to play DDO and solo epic Wiz King, every time I'd go to Tomb's basement to pick up the fire seal.
And every time I'd be looking forward to meeting my mephit friend - Habib the Torch Keeper.

If you hang around him a while, there is some useful information he can give you, like
which tower wing has which boss. He says something along the lines of: "Habib needs to go to the West Wing and dust Haphiz Tomb."

Besides useful info, the mephit also has some flavor text. One of my favorite lines of his is: "Habib needs to find a new job... Ahh... but Habib lacks the skills employers require" :)

[countfitz]

I have been playing DDO from 2006 to the present , Im pretty sure that I have run every quest in the game.
Im currently leveling up a 2nd life FVS (I TR from cleric).. we are running crucible & it dawned on me ..I have never had to do the swim...never had a toon that could or had to do it. I tried to think of other quest in the game that have a similar situation ..can anyone think of another?

I just posted this yesterday on the thread about how much the Crucible sucks! I smell a plagarist! ;) But seriously, did you know there were gnolls on the other side?



I've also never done the crystal or even pulled in Shroud.
I've never run Abbot. Seriously, the flagging for that needs to be toned down!
I never got to do the original Island quests from pre F2P (I think they reused the map for Cove, correct me if I'm wrong).
Until recently I'd never done all the bosses in PoP, but finally did that.


Last, I've NEVER completed Prove Your Worth in 3BC. I once spent 3 hours attempting it, and almost threw my computer screen out the window. I was on a capped FvS, btw, with wings, and every clicky/potion you could imagine.