Favorite quests?

[elraido]

Invaders! - I think the main reason why I liked it so much was it was such a challenging mission when it was first released....and I always played my Paladin who did fairly well against the beholders. When everyone was running away from them, I was running at them!

Threnal - I loved this quest chain, with the exception of the escort mission with Coyal. If it wasn't for that one mission, I figure more people would run it. Retribution is a fairly decent level 6 item (I want an epic one!)

Giant Caves - It was like playing the lotto each time you ran in there to loot the chests!!!

IQ - It was just a nice refreshing change of pace when it was released. New monsters. Nice shorter missions that one can solo (a first for higher levels). Taking something old and making something new out of it....reversing it to how the first place you land in the game is now one of the last place you go.

Chrono - Excellent way to relive the past event of the tent blowing up!

[Zion_Halcyon]

I think for me, as a general rule, my favorite quests are ones that have the following:

1. Immersive story - Key example of this is Von 6, when you are just floored for the first time going in there, and seeing this Dragon launch into the air, voice booming at you. Another great example of this is Delirium, where you aren't just doing standard faire, but you interact w beholders and objects in a unique way that is way off the beaten path, but that helps keep things fresh and the mind active.
2. Great Loot - usually this pertains to raids, but a great quest just doesn't get run, especially at high levels, when the loot sucks. Usually when you are grinding up, if casual you hit everything once, if a TR or a new roll from a vet, you hit the most XP efficient places to run and if a level 20, you won't bother with anything other than for favor unless the loot is good.
3. Objectives that flow with the narrative - What I mean is, Its better when the objectives you have to achieve work within the natural flow of the quest. Nothing is worse to me or jarring than having to run to one part of the map, complete an objective, then go to the opposite side of the map for basically one objective, then go back to the first side or a completely different side of the map to continue the quest proper. I think thats why I hate coal chamber so much. If you are going to take someone to a different part of the map entirely for a follow up objective, give that part of the map some purpose other than just filling an objective; make sure a leg of the quest is done in that section, so it doesn't feel jarring and keeps mindlessly jogging between points already traversed to a minimum.

Those 3 things to me make a great quest.
Although, with Crystal Cove, I think more creature voiceovers would be HUGE to livening up old quests - immersion is one of the key factors in getting people to want to repeat quests, rather than forcing them to repeat the grind (in their minds)

[cforce]

Can I put all my votes for Shan-to-Kor? I suspect this one gets low on the list now because it gets passed over by so many people who start at level 4, but I still feel like it was the best designed quest chain in the game:

- Just the right length for forming a dedicated PuG to run all three parts (when actually run with level 3’s)
- Daisy-chaining quest entrances really make you feel like you’re tunneling deeper and deeper into the earth.
- Nothing beats the first time you see the big mushroom staircase for establishing an “finding an underground city” setting.
- The Fire Room trap was the reason I ended up with a Rogue as my main for the first two years of DDO. (I hate that they moved the boxes!) Best “oh, crap” trap in the game, still. Nothing else even comes close to making the same first impression.
- Old, tougher guardian was a true tactical challenge at-level – the first guy that felt like a “raid boss” before there were raid bosses. (New, weaker guardian is also a huge disappointment.)
- At launch, dropped some real good quality gear.

Hm – can I vote for “StK ca. 2006”?

The shame is that I never run it anymore. Starting characters at level 4, I jump straight into Tangleroot for power-leveling. I’m keeping my fingers crossed for Epic StK – maybe the guardian fight will be fun again!

[brian14]

Giant Caves - It was like playing the lotto each time you ran in there to loot the chests!!!

What is Giant Caves?

[Sarisa]

What is Giant Caves?

The side quests in the Ruins of Threnal. They don't appear on your quest log because these three, the Threnal Arena, the Hall of the Mark, and The Grotto/The Voyage are the only quests in the game to currently give no favour.

[Kmnh]

Chains of Flame, Devil Assault, An Offering of Blood , VoN 3. I've been running theses quests on epic every time I can get a group for them, it's the most fun I've ever had at an MMO


Proof is in The poison, A Small Problem, The Pit, Spies in the House, Prove your worth, Taming the Flames . Variety is always nice, pugging those quests on a lowbie is so entertaining...


Rainbow in the Dark because it's the coolest zerg run in the game

[The_Rocking_Dead]

Thanks for all the feedback, everyone! It's always great seeing which quests our players enjoy running the most and why they like them, because it encourages us to make more like them.

DDO is a rare project, where we get to try out a lot of interesting concepts and we're quickly able to respond to what our players enjoy and don't enjoy with new content catered to those tastes. We also have the benefit of catering to many different tastes - Some people love traditional hack and slash dungeon crawls, while others can't get enough of puzzles, traps, and skillful jumping segments. Chances are, in DDO, that there's plenty of content to suit your particular taste!

[der_kluge]

Your feedback is very helpful, especially when you tell us why you love these.

That means we can make more of things you like and less of things you don't.

I think the main theme is "teamwork, diversity and challenge!"

Church and Cult, the Pit, Rainbow in the Dark, VoD, etc - all embody those ideas.

[der_kluge]

What is Giant Caves?

He might be referring to the three "non-quest" quests in the Threnal wilderness area.

[Gratch]

DDO is a rare project, where we get to try out a lot of interesting concepts and we're quickly able to respond to what our players enjoy and don't enjoy with new content catered to those tastes.

I should note for the record... that a few of us requested Trebuchets for launching ourselves into the thick of a mighty lair a few years ago. We had up Trebuchet images... rules-proof that a character with 60STR could haul a real one around. Mostly we wanted to launch stuff with a Trebuchet!

Thanks for Framework whoever listened.

The Rocking Dead... more deadly AND insidious traps please. If that is still your specialty.

[fredericko]

The Lordsmarch Plaza quests are really great. They feel epic, you feel instrumental in their development, and they are beautiful and expansive with some amazing storytelling / oh snap moments. The first time I did Diplomatic Impunity, my jaw dropped to the floor when I saw the invaders gathering at the beach, with the music helping to build the momentum.
Frame Work is a blast from beginning to end. A big map, plenty of enemies -and humor- to dispatch, the customary boss fight, and the "phat lootz".
Most raids are also remarkably well designed: they tend to offer a distinct role from everyone, their mechanics vary greatly from one to another, and they usually suck you in and demand your attention. ToD, HoX, VoD, Chronoscope, I even like spartan epic Demon Queen.
Twilight Forge could be on the list, but running it at endgame (aka no challenge) and risking failure because of bad PUGs really mar the enjoyment. Tempest Spine is also interesting, but a no flag raid PUG at that level is like russian roulette -you never know which spot might be holding a bullet...
There are lots of great low to mid level quests too. The first time I ran Caverns of Korromar and thought "Are we really going to fight that beholder?" was also a remarkable moment in a varied and well designed quest. The encounter straight after getting out of the sewers is also very imposing the first time you run it. All those undead rising and incorporeals materializing around you... *shivers*
I still enjoy running Redwillow, Gwylan's, Stormcleave Outpost, and Tear, even after countless completions. Nice quest design, variery of environments, expansive, they feel epic, and to top it all off they usually offer a good XP per minute balance.
The Storming the Beaches quest in House D chain also is a fresh change of pace.
At endgame, I like many of Amrath quests - especially the fact that they each have their own personalities, generaly don't feel cookie-cutter, and that they are really a challenge on elite.
VON chain has some great moments. The first time you see Velah rising over the vault is a moment you are bound to remember. DDO has some great climatic boss fights to think of it. From the guardian of Shan-to-Kor, to Caverns of Korromar, the dragons at the Tor, Velah, Chronoscope, Barnzidu of New Invasion, bastion of power and of course Stealer of Souls. SoS has always been one of my favorites: each part feels distinctly different and Sor'jek fight is always entertaining. I think we need more timed quests.
Some vampire quests/fights, like the Church and the Cult and the Cursed Crypt (Necro 3 end quest) are also nice. Catacombs has some great moments but repetition really hurts its appeal.
I enjoy quests that have tough and interesting optionals, the dragon in mired in kobolds for instance. I particularly like that encounter.
Delirium might have its moments, but I am not a big fan because of the overuse of beholders in this game. I think beholders should be treated like the special enemies they are - like in Korromar or Ghosts of Perdition, not make them a dime a dozen like in Invaders.
Finally, I do like tough quests at level, especially on levels chock full of content - that includes Proof is in the Poison.
I am beginning to think I like this game a lot more than I thought...

[Mr_Tank]

Foundation of Discord for the party killer trap behind the hidden door .

[Kza]

I like good smooth high xp/min quests :-). (Plz more of em!!)

[sephiroth1084]

The Tear of Dhakaan - It has a lot of side areas to explore, some big, dangerous hack 'n' slash fights, some really cool rooms (specifically the main "city" room with the waterfall), worthwhile optionals (tons of XP) requires some real group play for weaker groups (due to the size of the fights and the number of really dangerous opponents), but is zergable by strong groups. Not thrilled that the shrines were opened up, as it also used to be one of the earlier quests that really emphasized both the value of having a rogue without it being a necessity (you can get through the quest without using the shrines) and for a caster to really pace themselves.

Rainbow in the Dark- Not so much the quest itself, but the dark/light mechanic. I'm not thrilled about having to equip the light source, though that isn't too bad, but I love the mood of the dungeon and the way it forces the party to stay closer together or to wander blindly. I really wish more dungeons featured these mechanics.

The Crucible - The swim sucks on elite, but the quest as a whole is pretty awesome: it offers a variety of challenges: hack 'n' slash in easyish fights, tough fights (lots of casters, and particularly casters with annoying CC), mario skills, communication skills (the maze and wheels on top of the maze), swimming skills, and provides some of the only reasons to bother with ranks in some social skills and Swim. It is also one of the few quests where you can actually alter pieces of the quest due to other actions you take (breaking the floor above the canal beforehand, weakening the end bosses).

STK - In particular part 2, which really delivers the experience of running through another creature's underground civilization pretty well: you have natural tunnels connecting to manufactured city areas, scattered inhabitants and obvious defense forces in semi-realistic positions (not as many hobgoblins just hanging out on ledges for no reason). I'd love for this to get a pass one day where the devs inject it with all of the new atmospheric "tech" they've developed (giving it a more lived-in look with furniture and maybe arranging some of the mobs in more natural starting locations, like performing rituals or sleeping). I also really like the kobold workers wandering about.

The Titan Awakes - Again, not so much the quest as a whole, but the over-arcing mechanics: working with a few people to control a complex machine in order to deal with a threat that is beyond your normal means. It feels less contrived than, say, Vault of Night with the requirement to break pillars in order to enter the vault area, and is more exciting, as you have to deal with positioning and timing, and can get squished by falling pillars or blasted by the laser yourself if you aren't careful. I just wish the quest was a little more forgiving of simple mistakes/lag/glitches and actually incorporated more than 3 party members into the event.

The Ascension Chamber - Not thrilled with the quest as a whole, but I enjoy the fact that the Abbot moves and is actually poses a very real threat to the whole party. He teleports (why do so few of our bosses actually get up and move?), fires off dangerous spells (Disintegrate, Disjunction, Dispel Magic, Fireball, etc...) while also tossing some non-standard, high-threat attacks that interact with the unique mechanics of the quest (use the ice wands to avoid Inferno, which is very dangerous; use the rocks to break party members out of Encasement), yet allow for alternate solutions--at least in the case of Inferno where you can choose to heal through the fire, use Divine Intervention to hop in the water or use the Ninja Spy's water walking ability to get off the platform.

...more to follow.

[wgperi]

Sins of Attrition. Lol on all that encounters

:-D

[SolarDawning]

My favorite quests:

Tomb of the Tormented

The Crucible

The Pit

Spies in the House

Generally, any quests that are long and puzzle-centric.

[sephiroth1084]

Gianthold Tor - The "main" part of the quest is kind of fun, albeit not that interesting, and the paths to the dragons are kind of repetitive and not all that exciting, but DRAGONS! DRA-GONS! Three of them! And not dragon sock puppets like Velah, but real dragons that move and do stuff. The fights are fun and different enough to not get stale going from one to the next. Each has its own challenges, and I especially like that the white dragon's giant companion dispels frequently enough that parties are actually subject to the slippery ice effect in the room--it saddens me to no end that all that ice in Korthos isn't slippery. As annoying as it is to go sliding around everywhere, it adds some much needed depth to the game and keeps the fight from feeling like every other similar encounter in the game. Also, looting big-ass piles of gold, even when you get a lot of junk, is supremely satisfying! Of my few RL friends who stuck with DDO long enough to get to, and past, Tor, this was their favorite quest bar none!

Blockade Buster - It's atmospheric, not too long or really too short, has several routes to victory, supporting stealthy play, hack 'n' slash, split-the-party, CC and run... and has some pretty cool moments.

Undermine - It has some really cool areas, some real comedic spots and a rather interesting, albeit linear, path to completion.

Siegebreaker - Ditto, but with more of everything. Not a fan of the end fight, though. I dislike the mechanic of having to resolve the puzzle every 30 seconds or so and puzzles that can get screwed up by NPCs running over them are NEVER fun (except in the case where Sannyasi kills himself by inadvertently solving his own puzzle).

[Saravis]

Framework: Such a wonderful non-linear quest, where you're presented with an area and no specific path for getting to the end point. The catapults are a ton of fun. The design of the fortress makes for some interesting combat, with the various buildings providing great height advantages for ranged characters and hit and run tactics for melee.

[sephiroth1084]

Framework: Such a wonderful non-linear quest, where you're presented with an area and no specific path for getting to the end point. The catapults are a ton of fun. The design of the fortress makes for some interesting combat, with the various buildings providing great height advantages for ranged characters and hit and run tactics for melee.

I really liked this quest as well, for most of the same reasons, but found that I was rather disappointed with the inability to actually get up on top of things that the badguys couldn't. I found that most of the minotaurs could simply run up to the top of most of the parapets.

[bkasavan]

On a lv 6+cleric, Deleras, love zerging ahead of the party, and letting them follow my wake with dead undead, still red from my bursrt

Otherwise... UNDERMINE!!!
It Is War.
I woudlnt suggest permadeath ppl play it.