Why do I see people always running heroic reapers at the base level of the quest?

[DrakmireTS]

Sorry, this is awkward to word, but hopefully not too confusing.

When I open LFG, I pretty much always see people limiting the level of character who can join a reaper quest to the same as the base level of the quest, rather than the actual level of the quest (+2).

For example, Death House is level 10 on normal, 11 on hard, 12 on Elite/Reaper. If I run it as a level 12 character for the first time on Reaper 1, then I get my bravery streak and 120% reaper bonus. As far as I can tell, I'd get these same percentage bonuses if I were level 10. However, I pretty much *always* see people capping the level of people who can join to level 10. That is, no one (but me) seems to run their reaper mode stuff when their character is the same level as the reaper mode quest level.

What am I missing? Thanks!

[xCataluna]

Reaper XP is based on the base level of the quest, not the modified level, as bravery bonus is.
You see the level lockout that you do, because you only get full reaper XP for running a quest at (base) level.

Running a quest two levels over base, as you are, results in a 50% penalty to reaper XP.

[Powerhungry]

yes, it's confusing. So much so, that even the devs were confused whether it was base level or quest level when reaper was launched. It was stated both ways by different devs. It ended up as base level and splintered the player base even more.

[hp1055cm]

yes, it's confusing. So much so, that even the devs were confused whether it was base level or quest level when reaper was launched. It was stated both ways by different devs. It ended up as base level and splintered the player base even more.

So everyone run heroics at base level = problem solved.
(Not trolling)

It takes about 1 life to adjust then it start to seem "normal".
Seriously, Reaper 1 at level feels like Elite on Bravery Bonus (+2) did 2 years ago - which is to say "easy".

[DrakmireTS]

Reaper XP is based on the base level of the quest, not the modified level, as bravery bonus is.
You see the level lockout that you do, because you only get full reaper XP for running a quest at (base) level.

Running a quest two levels over base, as you are, results in a 50% penalty to reaper XP.

Oooh, okay. So it's just the reaper XP that's affected, but not the experienced that's used to level the character class? That makes sense then! Though yeah, a little confusing.

I came back a couple weeks ago after being away for... several years, I think? When I left, level 20 was the cap and we were just doing epic Chronoscope for the end game raid. I picked up an old TR character and sent him back to level 1 as a warlock (after test driving one for a bit and loving how they play) but I have no reaper experience. I've just been doing stuff... well, as described. Reaper 1 with basically no reaper enhancements, haha. I don't think I could do a reaper dungeon at base level, not even at 1 skull : P Maybe next life!

Thanks for your help!

[C-Dog]

Oooh, okay. So it's just the reaper XP that's affected, but not the experienced that's used to level the character class? That makes sense then! Though yeah, a little confusing.
Exactly.

If you're only interested in maximizing regular experience, run quests on Reaper 1 at +2 Levels over base, and you'll get your Bravery Bonus XP plus a bonus for running on Reaper (best if Reaper for the 1st run that life!). And you'll get some Reaper XP as well, at a -50% penalty from the max.

If you're also after Reaper XP, then you want to run quests at level for 100% RXP, or +1 level over for -20% RXP (which is "tolerable" to some).

And from there, you can run higher skulls (R1-R10) for more RXP - but your regular XP doesn't change whether you run R1 or R10, just the RXP gained.


o https://ddowiki.com/page/Reaper_Mode#Experience


It takes about 1 life to adjust then it start to seem "normal".
Seriously, Reaper 1 at level feels like Elite on Bravery Bonus (+2) did 2 years ago - which is to say "easy".
True enough. Esp for casters, the "lost souls" are a huge boost to spell power - turn on Maximize/Empower for the big hammer and just keep grabbing the lost souls for more juice. For ranged, get ghost touch* and reapers melt. For melee, same, but more risky to get up close and personal. Early UMD for Raise Dead becomes important asap, which often means a (semi) static party that you can count on to have your back.


(* Easiest is the Mabar fest Ruby of Ghostbane (https://ddowiki.com/page/Item:Ruby_of_Ghostbane), but there are other solutions as well. FFor melee, several Ghostbane weapons drop in the Catacombs end-rewards (https://ddowiki.com/page/Catacombs#Reward_List) and quests (https://ddowiki.com/page/Battleworn_Sword).)

And there are other tricks - Fear and Plague Reapers are not much tougher than champs. You can largely ignore Fear if everyone is near them - their damage only effects characters (and hirelings!) that are not close by. Plague have a healing debuff - if you're hit by them, you won't get healing for a while.

Carnage Reapers are the "melee" reaper, and can one-shot almost anyone they can hit, so ranged is best for them (unless you fall into the 1% "almost" category). Famine Reapers are the "caster" reapers, and their spell damage grows with time - kill them fast and you'll be okay. Famine also have a "slowing touch" - if you're hit, you're NOT running away, or even kiting. Another that is best treated ranged, or by characters who simply don't get hit.


o https://ddowiki.com/page/Reaper_Mode#Reapers

[Thrudh]

yes, it's confusing. So much so, that even the devs were confused whether it was base level or quest level when reaper was launched. It was stated both ways by different devs. It ended up as base level and splintered the player base even more.

Yes, this is something I have asked the devs to fix numerous times.

It absolutely has splintered the player base. Not only do we have some running elite at level 12, and some running reaper at level 10, we also have some running reaper at level 12 because they don't understand the -50% penalty or don't care about reaper xp and are just looking for the 120% normal xp bonus.

I would like to ask the devs again to normalize this, and give us full reaper bonus at quest-level + 2, just like elite. Or at least reduce the penalty. 50% penalty is quite large for just 2 levels.

[Enoach]

I personally think some of this can be solved by simply making the Reaper Bonus to "standard xp" the same as Elite, thus the "Bonus" of running it on Reaper is limited to earning Reaper XP above what you would have earned on Elite.

But I do agree the running it at base vs running it at the adjusted level for Bravery is confusing at the start until it clicks - not that it makes sense, just that you understand how it works.

[Niminae]

Famine Reapers are the "caster" reapers, and their spell damage grows with time - kill them fast and you'll be okay. Famine also have a "slowing touch" - if you're hit, you're NOT running away, or even kiting. Another that is best treated ranged, or by characters who simply don't get hit.


The best reaction to seeing a Famine reaper is to immediately put on your spell absorb item. They can hit you with 4 spells in an instant and if the spell damage doesn't kill you then the DOT damage will.