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Posted by on 1999 Apr 30 |

Shapeshifter’s Advice for Questors

(The Provinces: 271 Moliko 357)

Are you headed for the Volcano? Recently, someone asked how many favors one should prepare in advance of facing down Migbluc. Would his nine favors be enough for this difficult journey?

Nine is enough. I like ten. A nice even number. Guardian Mages do not send people on quests intending that people with five favors will walk. Though of course the fewer the greater your chances.

I would consider these things…. Does your group have at least an empath and a cleric? Can that cleric raise? Can the empath stablize a few people in a pinch? Can you do things to increase your chances of survival? Are you the cleric or empath (and to a lesser extent a paladin or barb)? Most importantly how well does your group work together?

More General Advice

There are things you can do to help. Minimize being a target. If you’re the empath, trader, or moon mage, you probably shouldn’t expect to be leading combat. Protect your empaths and clerics. Learn how to get out of sticky situations. Have the group regularly cast group spells:

1. Paladins. Keep that courage going. Make a macro to cast antistun (The Surgeon Empath warns that being stunned is a direct contributor to death). Lastly, Paladins remember not everyone else is a tin can. Use Banner when it’s best for the group and not just best for you! Learn how long your banners last and be prepared to recast when you need to keep a room safe. Paladins should lead into combat. This doesn’t automatically make them the best organizers. Personally, I find that one of the semi- or non-combantants makes the best organizers. It’s hard to be focused on combat AND the needs of the other players in the group.

2. War Mages. Okay, the bad guy is a Fire Mage, remember that MES. Know both your own and the group’s threshold for thunderclap. Use Zephyr, Arc Light, and Swirling winds to help the rest of the group.

3. Clerics. Don’t underestimate Protection from Evil or Minor Physical Protection. Try and keep weapons blessed (it takes less time to bless a weapon then raise that deader). Don’t underestimate your combat ability.

4. Empaths. Work mostly on fresh wounds — make sure the party has and uses scar herbs. Assert your place in combat. Empaths are very skilled at quickly assesing tramatic situations. Monitor players, especially vitality and stuns. Monitor creatures and the combat situation in general. If you see someone who is getting in over their heads, let the group know (say Three critters on player, etc.). Empaths can drag! Empaths can hide! Empaths can use RF runes! Empaths are not useless in combat!

5. Barbarians. Face it you’re the janitors or the realms. Let the pals lead, you’re the one that going to have to kill evertying in the room in under two minutes.

6. Rangers. Don’t forget tracking. If you scout, it’s teleport back to the group. If you’re not scouting, set your track to the empath or cleric…you’ll be really sad to lose either. Don’t forget SOP and blend. Don’t forget ranged weapons will work when you can’t get close to the creature because of all the Varbs, WMs, and Pals in the way.

7. Thieves. You independent types sould be best at not dying. Can’t retreat go inviso. Hide and stalk. Help drag. Use ranged weapons. Don’t forget to bring lockpicks!

8. Moonmages. Face it….a lot of your spells just don’t work inside. You’ll find too many players will bash a ‘calmed’ creature waking it up. It’s eaiser to rely on mental blast, however very few mages can pull the mana to keep casting that spell repeativily. Use shadows to help people in danger hide. Use RF when scouting, when you can’t retreat, or even sometimes to get the jump on a first-strike critter. Use dazzle to freeze a critter to help others get possition. Use Tkt as your ranged weapon. Use shadow servant to carry back up equiptment.

9. Bards. Any group that doesn’t bring a bard is just foolish. Who else is going to bring the munchies. Honestly, the Rage, and the Lilt are very underestimated, as is a bard’s fighting ability.

10. Traders. I hope you’re going for the adrenalin rush. There’s not a single thing that a trader can add to a group that can’t be more then compensated by other players. Focus on your RP. Help manage the group. smooth ruffled feathers, help watch combat can call out suggestions. Yes you cn bankroll the group, buy them weapons, runes, scrolls, herbs, armor, etc. Then again so can anyother guild.

Buy runes, buy herbs, bring scrolls, bring ratskull necklaces and chicken legs. Defluff. Travel very light. And get healed before you start!!!

Even with all the above, it is entirely possible for you to die and there not be any help available. So do expect to lose a bit of exp, any items, and a few favors. Don’t take anything with you that you will be upset to lose.

Alishana’s advice about surviving an invasion is probably also worth a review for your preparations.


Do you have any other survival and preparation tips, or comments about this? Talk about that in the Preparing for War discussion.