Logged into F2P sevrers

[Menset]

when I had trouble getting into P99. I had been messing around with some of the older (LoY?) armor quests and finally made a piece. Compared it to kobold plate vambraces from the tutorial and the original high end cultural plate. The tutorial trash has better stats than the best crafted old plate and has better stats than the 1.0 epic weapons. Just reminds me of how dumbed down and trivialized SOE made numerous aspects of EQ. These days, it's like every other MMO with an overabundance of uber gear and a new level every 30 minutes. /sigh Just had to share.

Bone Mail Vambraces
MAGIC ITEM LORE ITEM NO TRADE
Slot: ARMS
AC: 7
STR: +3 HP: +5 MANA: +5
SV MAGIC: +5

Gloomingdeep Kobold Plate Vambraces
MAGIC ITEM LORE ITEM NO TRADE
Slot: ARMS
Stringed Instrument
AC: 8
STR: +10 DEX: +9 STA: +2 CHA: +4 WIS: +3 INT: +9 AGI: +4 HP: +9 MANA: +9 ENDUR: +8
SV FIRE: +1 SV DISEASE: +1 SV COLD: +1 SV MAGIC: +1 SV POISON: +1
Recommended level of 10.

Teir`Dal Adamantite Vambraces (Imbued)
AC: 14
STR: +4 DEX: +5 WIS: +4 INT: +4

[Cabkin]

... and I remember that uber charm that they handed out just for going through the tutorial. No matter how bored you were with the tutorial you had to do it for the charm.

I look forward to when you can make some of that Adamantite chain!

[Menset]

The cultural smithing will be Soon(TM)... I've spent about 100pp and just hit 91. Having to do sewing kits instead of skewers because I cannot buy from the merchants in Freeport. Looks like the enchanted (non-imbued) cultural chain is trivial at 155 and the plate at 213. The cultural chain is about same AC as banded but a lot lighter and has +INT. Besides the pp for materials, getting the shadow temper is one problem (essence of shadow is from L25 mobs) and finding a L49+ enchanter is the other.

With sewing kits, it's about 17pp per 40 combines with about a 25% skill-up rate.

44 points to 135 (sewing kit @ 1.7pp ea point) = 75pp
40 points to 175 (banded mantle/cloak @ 10pp ea) = 400pp (that's a lot of bone chips...)

Costs are actually a little lower as I get to sell back the successful combines. So chain should be very soon...

Then it's on to plate... fine plate bracers will take me to 208 at a cost of 33pts @ 108pp/pt 3,565pp and looting another 100 LQ pelts. At 190 (1,600pp) I'll risk the combines for enchanted cultural plate.

It's good to have goals.

[Menset]

Looks like enchanted cultural armor will be a no-go until after Velious because of the need for blue diamonds, which are very expensive (~3k each). Can still do the no stat versions.

[Cabkin]

What are the blue diamonds used for? It looks to me like the imbued armor uses sapphires (comparatively cheap at 100p).

(and my enchanter is agnostic, can't wear the good stuff... )

[Menset]

blue diamonds are drops off the planes. Pre-Velious, they are an ingredient to enchant the cultural metals. Players sell them for 1-3kpp each.