When did your favorite character stop being fun to play?

[GoldyGopher]

Recently, okay over the past four months, I have really stopped playing my main character. She is on her Sorc life with 8 heroic and 6 Epic past lives already done working towards completionest.

I have really struggled to play this character, even after deciding at 20 she is quickly TRing into something else, rather than complete another Epic Past Life.

It's not that I don't like playing Sorcs, one of my primary alt is Multiple TR Sorc/Wizard who currently is enjoying his latest TR run. Rather something about my mains Sorc life really bothers me and makes it extremely difficult to play.

I easily pounded out my first 12 levels or so. It was at that point she started becoming less useful to play. Her spell damage wasn't high enough, couldn't find equipment, and mob damage against her was enough she became a walking soulstone. By 16 she was completely useless in most quests. I stopped her bravery streak (approaching 5,000 Elite) and tried running her just in normal. I tried pugging. I tried forcing my guildies to drag her piking soulstone through quests. Four months later I had enough XP to take level 18 and I did without banking in hopes I could make her slightly more useful to play. It's been a drag.

So when did you main character stop being fun to play?

[sk3l3t0r]

I only have two, rest are bank toons...to answer the question. Never, in fact when I do put my main on hold while I TR and level up my backup I can't wait to get back to my main. I don't think I touched my backup toon (parked at level 29) in at least 6 lives. Some lives are less fun to play than others, but even under those conditions I still manage to TR every 5-6 weeks from 1 - 30, or every 4 weeks from 15 - 30 for my iconic lives.

[Cantor]

I still have fun on my main, but my primary alt which is 2 lives (sorc and arti) from completionist is in a sorc life at 12 and it sucks. Mainly just the total uselessness of primary (aoe) attacks against evasion type mobs. Evasion is great I have it on every character that doesn't have a shield, but man is it punishing on a direct damage caster that's not maxed out.

[caberonia]

Recently, okay over the past four months, I have really stopped playing my main character. She is on her Sorc life with 8 heroic and 6 Epic past lives already done working towards completionest.

I have really struggled to play this character, even after deciding at 20 she is quickly TRing into something else, rather than complete another Epic Past Life.

It's not that I don't like playing Sorcs, one of my primary alt is Multiple TR Sorc/Wizard who currently is enjoying his latest TR run. Rather something about my mains Sorc life really bothers me and makes it extremely difficult to play.

I easily pounded out my first 12 levels or so. It was at that point she started becoming less useful to play. Her spell damage wasn't high enough, couldn't find equipment, and mob damage against her was enough she became a walking soulstone. By 16 she was completely useless in most quests. I stopped her bravery streak (approaching 5,000 Elite) and tried running her just in normal. I tried pugging. I tried forcing my guildies to drag her piking soulstone through quests. Four months later I had enough XP to take level 18 and I did without banking in hopes I could make her slightly more useful to play. It's been a drag.

So when did you main character stop being fun to play?

Roughly when the cap went above 20 and they continued to whittle down the number of viable spells. The end goal was wizard on my main and the more they have changed since then the less motivation i've had to finish the TR grind for completionist for him. I now play once or twice a week on a good week.. once or twice a month on bad ones. Add in 10 alts and each TR life is now taking 6 months give or take. I'm in no rush since the end goal isn't what It was when i started the grind. (Pre-Motu when lvl 20 EPICs were end game). I get the blanket immunities for insta kills at high levels.. but it has gotten to the point where you have less viable spells per level than spell slots.

[KoobTheProud]

It's all about expectations with me. I just finished 3 Warlock lives in a row with a couple of Epic pasts built-in and I got used to a certain pace of play. Big mistake. My FvS is doing fine in heroics but I've had to readjust my expectations in the process and face the fact that I'm not just going to Elite streak all the way to 20 the way the Warlocks lives did. Now I'm going to replay some favorable quests and skip some not-so favorable ones. I'll play everything on Elite but I'm going to avoid escorts like the plague because the FvS just doesn't have the DPS to down champs fast enough to save an escort.

So I guess the answer is that any time I am playing a very simple character with middling power levels the interest is going to ebb some. The high power characters stay interesting because progression towards the goal is constant at a fast pace. the lower power characters get judged against that standard and unless they are doing something very interesting they're going to seem less fun.

[Impaqt]

I think you need to step back a second and ask yourself a question.

Is that really your "favorite" toon???

Cause it sounds like your just grinding out past lives in hopes of building a new "favorite toon" eventually.

I'm sure there are a few people that find grinding fun... But I'd confidently say most people do not.

[Enoach]

Still has not happened. But that might be because I play 6 different characters and don't have a time table on getting them to specific goals.

You mentioned that part of the issue is that you don't feel your spells are hitting hard enough, and that mobs are hitting you hard in return. From your description from the outside it sounds like you are suffering more a gearing issue on your character.

Some options that might help you get out of this situation...

1. Cannieth Crafting - If this is an option, look at what this can provide you for level 18 as you stand right now.
2. Farm gear that is useful for this character with your other characters. There is gear that is not bound to character on acquire that you can get at higher difficulties that would benefit you at this time.
3. Vendors - Sometimes spending time looking through these such as in Amrath and Eveningstar can turn up some gear that is useful
4. Standard Auction House - Look here, not all players gouge when they post items. Sometimes you can find good deals.

Next, what type of Sorcerer are you playing? Enhancements are much easier to reset then they were years ago, so switching to a savant that works best for you is a possible option. Such as at level 18 the Fire Savant might not be the best choice (It can work but not as well as one of the others). It is helpful to have a Dragon's Blood so you can do a deeper spell switch then 1 every few days.

Another thing is that while many Sorcerer's spend a lot of time working on Spell Power they sometimes forget about DCs. Sometimes boosting your DCs can be equivalent to boosting spell power when you can move your DCs to a point that reduces the number of saves.

[KoobTheProud]

I'm very attached to my main. She was one of the first characters I built in 2009 after coming back to DDO. She's always going to be my favorite character because I knew exactly what she was when I created her. I wish the TR system didn't exist because I'd do what I do in other games and make a lot of alts but the game is what it is. I also wish that the number of past lives was set at a reasonable number but again the game is what it is and the odds are there will be another set of lives to get before I'm finished with even my first cycle through the heroic lives.

[Renvar]

I think a lot of players have experienced what you are describing. A PL that you are getting just for the benefit of the PL/path to completionist where the build just isn't working for whatever reason.

I don't think it is that you have stopped liking your favorite character. You aren't really playing your favorite character, because you aren't playing your final build.

I get this more often on my melees when i'm doing a caster life. Because all their GS is khopeshes and such. Or on my casters when doing a melee life. Because most of their TR cache gear just doesn't fit. New CC has helped that some. I've been able to craft generic HP and defense gear for various level ranges that can get passed around now. So all my characters have some basic level of competence in gear.

[nokowi]

U22, when they broke agro/stealth.

The entire period of duping.

After U28, when content was too easy relative to player power on my Tier 2 build.

10 anniversary lag-fest (data center move)

U33, when they broke agro again, and still have not fixed it for any quest with oozes/scorpions/spiders.

U34 when they ensured that anyone wanting to play at cap would not have an active pool of players that remain at cap.


So basically that changing game mechanics ensure the build you enjoy will not be enjoyable for large periods of time.

[Gljosh]

When my main (well only) character gets boring, I TR. That is the real genius of this game in that you can replay through as virtually any character. My last long life, Pure ML Arti-worked towards 20 ADQ Raids (mostly solo). That life when through 5 ETRs. So I got to kinda change it up a little bit with each run through, but towards the end I really missed a Q-staff melee. So I TR'd into a Warlock/Rog, a lot more fun not as safe as ranged.

My main has the following PLs (Druid X3, Arti X3, Ranger X3, Cleric X1, Fighter X1, Wizard X1, Sorc X1, War X1, FvS X1, Monk X2, Rog X1, Barb X1, Bard X1, ML X1, SDK X2, BF X1, PDK X1, Div X9, Mar X8, Arc X8, Pri X9), each life is just different enough to keep it fresh.

[Mofus]

I would have to agree, the sorc life was one of the worst for my main toon while doing completionist. Wizards, I love to play, Build necro and enchantment with spell pen and your good to go. I'm not sure why I struggled with sorc, I see lots of other people doing well with them. I think I took an ottos box at 12 to just be done with it

[Amundir]

I personally don't have a favorite. My main is usually a rollercoaster ride every life. Starts out fast and its all fun. Some where around lv 16 and beyond the fun dies down a bit. 20+ it picks up again with destinies. But shortly after I'm starting to think on what I want to do next life. Granted I haven't yet been able to build a build that cranks out the big damage numbers. When that happens it may change.

[scipiojedi]

When I TRed him into a Sun elf Warlock cleric - man that was bad I hated playing that build. But then I TRed into a gnome bard and I'm happy again.

[Qhualor]

So when did you main character stop being fun to play?

When I did warlock past lives and played in off destinies for karma.

[Memnir]

I've never really had a favorite/main, and none of my characters have stopped being fun to play.

But then again, I know I'm something of a rare-bird in that I don't grind past lives, karma, gear, etc. I just do what I find fun and ignore the rest. It's made the game a lot more fun and persistently playable since I stopped always running for some nebulous finish line, and just focused on why I enjoy the game. it might not be "optimal", or how the game is "supposed" to be played - but I've been here since 2005 and still having fun most every day, so I'm at least doing it right for me.

[scipiojedi]

but I've been here since 2005 and still having fun most every day, so I'm at least doing it right for me.

[vms4ever]

When my favorite toon stopped being squishy.

All was well, I died regularly. Until I TR'd into warlock. Somehow about the time I hit level cap I stopped being squishy and it started getting boring. Now he is a borelock and I would rather play other toons.

Unfortunately, I feel locked into running him on the guild raids to support the guild.

[Early on in epic he was still satisfying to play, dying just like he should: First quest on reaching 20: LE Search and Rescue, 46 deaths and #2 in kill count (full party). A true and entertaining glass cannon. Note that the rest of the party wanted me to bring that toon to see what would happen.]

[Whitering]

When I tred them to move down the completionist train...

To date my favourite character has been Axel's battle Cleric, but I haven't had too much experience with any other style of play yet. Barb has some nice promise for me though, but it's hard to beat Aura and heavy armor.

[Wipey]

Anytime I tred into a class, split or race despite knowing ahead that I was going to dislike even the smallest thing about it.
Play only what you like to play. Doesn't matter how good or bad it is in comparison, where it stands on the "food chain" or what other people tell you to do, unless you really want that advice.

Funny enough, sorc was the last that I put some effort into and something close to godmode began in teen heroics.