Ghost levels

[nibel]

Every MMO have their ghost levels. That vaccum place where you can't group with totally new people, and neither can group with everyone at the level cap. Basically, is a place where you have to learn to be self-sufficient and solo most of your XP. For most MMOs, this is all the game besides the level cap. In DDO, because of the TR mechanic, we have a good influx of veteran players always leveling and willing to group with others.

This do not mean DDO is free of the ghost levels. At the moment, it sit at level 11-16.

At level 11, veteran TRs take off a big bunch of their shiny toys from the TR bank (Shroud equipment, Minos, RR +6 stats, RR 30% striders, RR Greater false life ring, etc), and most start to solo, since the quests start to be more brutal, and dragging an unknowledgeable (yes, this is a word now) person around bring... issues.

At the same time, this is the time where self-healing become an issue for first lifers that do not play a self-healing caster. Potions start to heal less and less, you start to get equipment that rocket your HP bar up, and the monsters start to deal a lot of damage because they know some classes get a bump on self-healing by now (Radiant Servant II, Heal, Death Aura, Reconstruct).

So, new players usually hit a wall on grouping by level 11, and it get worse all the way up to level 16. At 17 you can group with capped people without an XP penalty, and the problem lessen a bit.

With the new level cap, I believe this vacuum zone will turn out to be the levels 11-21. There is a problem that one of the NEW levels will already born as a ghost level.

I suggest 2 small changes to lessen the problem with those levels:

-Heroic content will cap everyone to 20. So, if you are running an heroic quest/raid (like Shroud or Amrath), you will be trated as being level 20 for XP calculations.
-Epic Content will have no power leveling penalty. You can run at level 20 with level 25 people and not receive 0 XP because of it.

I know some people would vote for the XP to those levels could be twinked (both at XP requirements and quest XP) a bit to be shorter and faster on second and third lifes. The problem is, in the long term, this would just turn the ghost town effect worse.

[Habreno]

With the new level cap, I believe this vacuum zone will turn out to be the levels 11-21. There is a problem that one of the NEW levels will already born as a ghost level.

I suggest 2 small changes to lessen the problem with those levels:

-Heroic content will cap everyone to 20. So, if you are running an heroic quest/raid (like Shroud or Amrath), you will be trated as being level 20 for XP calculations.
-Epic Content will have no power leveling penalty. You can run at level 20 with level 25 people and not receive 0 XP because of it.

I know some people would vote for the XP to those levels could be twinked (both at XP requirements and quest XP) a bit to be shorter and faster on second and third lifes. The problem is, in the long term, this would just turn the ghost town effect worse.

If it was not already fixed, I would /sign to this, However, being over level 20 simply counts you as level 20 for XP purposes- the Devs *did* think ahead here and fixed this.

[Matuse]

dragging an unknowledgeable (yes, this is a word now)

No, it's not.

The word you want is "ignorant".

[nibel]

If it was not already fixed, I would /sign to this, However, being over level 20 simply counts you as level 20 for XP purposes- the Devs *did* think ahead here and fixed this.

Last time I checked, it was something bizarre involving heroic levels + destiny level, and they were talking about using straight total levels later. When it changed to cap at 20?

[Habreno]

Last time I checked, it was something bizarre involving heroic levels + destiny level, and they were talking about using straight total levels later. When it changed to cap at 20?

I remember reading it in BETA forums, but can't quite find where right now.

[PinkDragonJr]

just pointing out that there are five pure solo quests at lvl 2-3 and then nothing until that quest in the dreaming dark at lvl 19. maybe a solo quest pack with a ton of solo quests from lvl 10 to 15 may help.

[Xynot2]

No, it's not.

The word you want is "ignorant".

While Unknowledgeable and Ignorant have the same meaning, Unkowledgeable simply sounds like a lack of knowing where ignort sounds like you're calling some one stupid. Remember, we Americans are an unknowledgeable lot. XD

[PinkDragonJr]

As a pretty much pure first lifer, I do not think I have ever found an XP drought. Usually because I grabbed a hireling and ran these quest on casual so that I could learn them.
And before you start moaning about your bravery bonus, If you have to go and learn new quests just to progress any further then it is pretty much useless to you anyway.

Just FYI. my only multi-lifer. (a 3rd lifer) has never been to the vale, Amarath or necro II or IV. in fact with the exception of Necro III I have never seen any of those places with any of my toons yet. There are plenty of quests now to run with all of the added content. Enough that getting past that lvl13 hump is possible.

However, if you are not inclined to do any of that I still maintain a few Solo quests at around lvl 12 - 15 will give you the extra XP you need and not harm your bravery streaks.

P.S. unknowledgeable has been a word for a few hundred years now. Sorry you can't claim props for inventing it. Well at least it has been around in the English language. I wouldn't know about the American permutation, though considering this page script does not recognize it i understand why you would think otherwise.

[Inferno346]

Quasi-knowledgeably and knowledgeability are words, too, at least according to dictionary.com.

[nibel]

Bumped because I was called ugly names when running shroud in my 21st level artificer.

[BananaSplit]

Remember, we Americans are an unknowledgeable lot. XD

We in the United Kingdom don't think that about you!

[Talias006]

We in the United Kingdom don't think that about you!

Usually, we are our own worst enemies (Americans).
I love my country, but find the inane antics of the multitudes a bit trying day after day.
And then I remember something key: People are stupid.

[morticianjohn]

This is a good idea. I'm not sure exactly how I would implement it.

[Vellrad]

We in the United Kingdom don't think that about you!

Well, you do, but you're too **** polite to everyone, so you just don't say it.
Meanwhile, the rest of the world is not so nice, and will state their thougths outrigth :P

[Uska]

If it was not already fixed, I would /sign to this, However, being over level 20 simply counts you as level 20 for XP purposes- the Devs *did* think ahead here and fixed this.

Wrong did a shroud today and got zero xp I was 18 and we had a lvl 23 so my xp penalty was enough to do it so they aren't being counted as 20 was only 2nd time doing shroud for that character

[Habreno]

Wrong did a shroud today and got zero xp I was 18 and we had a lvl 23 so my xp penalty was enough to do it so they aren't being counted as 20 was only 2nd time doing shroud for that character

I posted this before the update, it *was* supposed to cap at 20 for XP penalties. I do see it has not and therefore....... not as they said they would be.

[Uska]

I posted this before the update, it *was* supposed to cap at 20 for XP penalties. I do see it has not and therefore....... not as they said they would be.

Sorry was just a little frustrated by it and didnt read the date of you post(wasnt frustrated by your post but by the xp hit)