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LordCardiganWed 30-Aug-17 06:39 PM
Member since 30th Aug 2017
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#4782, "New player starting out! Lots of questions "


          

Evening.

Let me preface this by stating that I did play once, for a period of a few months ten years ago perhaps. Maybe longer. And I'm sure there is much that is different, there's probably much that is still the same.

So bare (bear?) with me.

First of all, I seem to be having "new character anxiety" in that there are so many options now, I haven't the slightest idea what race / class combination to play.

Sadly, the classes that I've read so far that are the most "newbie friendly" are those I have little interest in roleplaying as.

In the past, I experimented mostly with Rangers as the survivability was astounding. However it was definitely a crutch because I developed "wilderness anxiety" in that if I wasn't in the bush, I was freaking out. I felt limited.


In todays landscape, something like an assassin would be an ideal starting class - especially an Arial but my interest just isnt there.

The characters I want to build quite frankly, will land me at the temples far too often as a brand new player.

* 1) What are some recommended race / class combinations that are recommended for new beginners?
* 2) Is there a discord server where I can ask questions in real time?
* 3) I registered an account at QHCF but am still awaiting approval.
* 4) How beginner friendly are cabals? Is that an aspect of the game I should hold off until I have a couple characters under my belt? Are there some that are more beginner friendly than others?
* 5) What should I prioritize for learning? This might be a silly question, but the knowledge gap in gigantic and intimidating for a new player in a game with heavy PvP as this. I'm essentially jumping in and fighting people with 20 years experience on me. What areas of the game would you prioritize first?
* 6) With regards to #5, a source of stress for me is finding gear after dying. I remember that death usually meant my stuff would get taken (the goodie bits anyway). How far into the game will the beginners gear get me? (leather academy gear, rings from the castle area off the main road etc)
* 7) How much harder will I make it on myself if my first character(s) are empowered required classes?
* 8) lastly, can someone explain to me in simple terms, how empowerment in general has changed? I read not long ago that it's a bit less punishing when leveling up without empowerment and such. Care to explain?

Thank you and sorry for all the questions. This game is not an easy one to learn, but I look forward to dying to you.

-LC

  

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Reply Trains and Practices, Seriphax, 15-Sep-17 08:58 PM, #7
Reply RE: New player starting out! Lots of questions , Thaedan (Anonymous), 14-Sep-17 10:51 PM, #5
Reply Forget paths and virtues.., SPN, 15-Sep-17 08:40 AM, #6
Reply RE: New player starting out! Lots of questions , Seriphax, 14-Sep-17 10:48 PM, #4
Reply RE: New player starting out! Lots of questions , Demonwareltd, 12-Sep-17 11:49 AM, #2
Reply RE: New player starting out! Lots of questions , Kstatida, 12-Sep-17 12:53 PM, #3
Reply RE: New player starting out! Lots of questions , Kstatida, 31-Aug-17 06:38 AM, #1

SeriphaxFri 15-Sep-17 08:58 PM
Member since 26th Feb 2017
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#4791, "Trains and Practices"
In response to Reply #0


          

It is also important to plan out your practices & trains to give yourself as much HP as possible. There are things to consider like +1 to Str and Con(? Might be Wis I am not certain) when your chat reaches maturity, so maxing those stats out before then is a waste, especially considering that you can easily make up the difference with gear until you reach that age. Shamans and Paladins get abilities that become unlocked when their deity grants them, so plan ahead to have some practices left over to learn them. I'm not especially good at this yet, but after a few different characters I realize that this is one of the aspects of character building that is newbs fail to consider enough to optimize our build. Others perhaps can add more or better information, but it's something to start considering when you plan out your build. Not all skills, supps, spells are necessary, so try to learn as much as possible about the ability before hand.

  

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Thaedan (Anonymous)Thu 14-Sep-17 10:51 PM
Charter member
#4788, "RE: New player starting out! Lots of questions "
In response to Reply #0


          

>The characters I want to build quite frankly, will land me at
>the temples far too often as a brand new player.

If you want to list some builds you're interested in playing I could try to give feedback.

>* 1) What are some recommended race / class combinations that
>are recommended for new beginners?

People often say warrior, but I'm not sure I agree. Assassin gets mentioned a lot. I tend to think paladin and shaman are decent options. If you don't mind playing a support class, then possibly healer or transmuter. Transmuter is capable of much more, but if you're brand new you might not have the chops to pull that off. Possibly shapeshifter.

>* 2) Is there a discord server where I can ask questions in
>real time?

Can use the newbie channel in game for quick questions.

>* 4) How beginner friendly are cabals? Is that an aspect of
>the game I should hold off until I have a couple characters
>under my belt? Are there some that are more beginner friendly
>than others?

I would go for it. Just don't break cabal rules and/or chicken out and fail to defend against raids. That said, people will raid you with overwhelming numbers and will hit your outer to draw you into combat whenever they think they have the advantage. It's a fine line to walk between "being smart and not walking into traps" and "being a coward and not defending your cabal".

Fort and Empire are probably the most straightforward. As a newbie you probably won't be able to make full use of Outlander powers, but if you want to play an Outlander then don't let that stop you. Scarab might be hard to pull off. Tribunal seems boring to me, but if you really want to play ne then go for it.

>* 5) What should I prioritize for learning? This might be a
>silly question, but the knowledge gap in gigantic and
>intimidating for a new player in a game with heavy PvP as
>this. I'm essentially jumping in and fighting people with 20
>years experience on me. What areas of the game would you
>prioritize first?

Learn how to get around the game. Learn basic preps and detects to keep on hand. Figure out how to gather gold relatively efficiently. Figure out what gear is decent for your build. Know how your build's skills and powers work, and who you match up poorly against (and may want to avoid entirely).

>* 6) With regards to #5, a source of stress for me is finding
>gear after dying. I remember that death usually meant my stuff
>would get taken (the goodie bits anyway). How far into the
>game will the beginners gear get me? (leather academy gear,
>rings from the castle area off the main road etc)

The rings can last a while. The rest is usually replacable in the 10-15 range. Possibly using stuff you find on the ground, which may or may not always be there. You can search for basic gear at carrionfields.net now, which is helpful. On the plus side, the less impressive your gear is the more likely you are to keep it when you die.

>* 7) How much harder will I make it on myself if my first
>character(s) are empowered required classes?

Not that much harder. Empowerment isn't strictly required anymore. Your communes are just one level "waker" than normal if you're not empowered. I'd still recommend picking an active imm and getting empowered, though, because it's more fun and your character isn't fighting with one hand tied behind his or her back. Look at wizlist to see when people are active and who's dormant.

Put in a description and role at level one, and send your deity a note in game declaring your devotion to them. Gives them a heads up to look for you.

  

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SPNFri 15-Sep-17 08:40 AM
Member since 24th Oct 2004
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#4789, "Forget paths and virtues.."
In response to Reply #5


          

The biggest bonus to empowerment now is the 30% hp on healing. 60 hp instead of 40 on mend wounds, 100 instead of 70 on heal, and 200 instead of 140 on rejuvenate is HUGE!

You still get your dam redux without empowerment, but it really makes a huge difference in Mana efficiency. This is all the more true with low int/Wis races with tiny Mana pools.

I truly believe this is the real mechanical value in empowerment in the post empowerment required CF.

  

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SeriphaxThu 14-Sep-17 10:48 PM
Member since 26th Feb 2017
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#4787, "RE: New player starting out! Lots of questions "
In response to Reply #0


          

I am a newbie returnee as well, but I came back around February. As someone in a similar situation, allow me to impart some of what I have learned.

Re: Empowerment.
The help pages still say that empowerment classes are not recommended for newbs, and while that is still true, the reasoning has changed a little. Before, you could only commune your supplications after receiving empowerment of that level. Meaning that if you were empowered to level 30 only you could not commune anything that you learn after 30. That is different, as Kstatida explained. Now you can commune all of your supplications, but until you are empowered they are communed at a level below.

The other reason that I think empowerment classes are still discouraged for new players is the roleplay aspect. The raw newb is not only new to the game system, but also to roleplaying. If you are drawn to this game by RP, like I am, then you will probably do alright seeking empowerment. My first empowerment character was a shaman, and for me the empowerment was the easy part. I just finished playing a paladin, and that has been my favorite character to date. In fact, if roleplay comes naturally to you, I would recommend a paladin, as they are very well equipped to survive and explore with independence. That said, there are RP expectations as a pally, so a weaker role player might have a more difficult time maintaining those expectations.

Re: Areas.

My area knowledge isn't great, but it's coming along. I would say that knowing how to get between all of the cities is helpful, and will give you a good idea of where to go to get picked up for a group. Check out Isildur's Ranking Guide on the Help page, that will give you some places that are generally good to know, whether you are ranking or hunting. A couple of the areas on there have been since replaced but most are still around (Chessmasters tower is now Enpolad's Game Garden, etc.). For me, the world map on the QHCF wiki has been invaluable.

Re: Cabals.

Kstatida went over this fairly well, also. Fortress is pretty good for newbies, but there are some RP expectations there as well -as with any cabal. RPwise you will be more likely to encounter a helping hand with good guys, and you also have clear knowledge of who many of your enemies will be. That said, people will still help you out in the evil cabals, but you can be sure that no one in Fort will try to kill a cabal-mate and be able to get away with it. Still, true neutral characters will have the fewest enemies, depending on your race/class. Any time you join a cabal, outside of Herald, you are drawing a line in the sand and there will always be people on the other side of that line. Herald isn't a PK involved cabal, however, so you won't end up joining the cabal wars in general (There have been times in the past when this has been different, but it's a safe general rule).

Cabals are a good way to get into the game, though, and outside of Scarab and Outlander most are receptive to new players. Personally if I had it to do all over again I would consider Tribunal, but that really depends on the character concepts that you have in mind. Trib gives you a solid source of free income as well as guarantees that if you get attacked in a city where you have jurisdiction that the attacker will receive a warrant. Add to that the tentative alliance between empire and Trib as a bonus, because otherwise anyone not in the empire becomes an imperial target. Yes, outlander, Barons, and sometimes battle will be your enemies, but as I said outside of herald that is going to be a result of joining a cabal.

  

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DemonwareltdTue 12-Sep-17 11:49 AM
Member since 26th Aug 2011
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#4785, "RE: New player starting out! Lots of questions "
In response to Reply #0


          

I second many of the questions above - returning back to CF after a long layoff and want to find a way to avoid the frustrations of constantly getting PK'd this time around...

  

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KstatidaTue 12-Sep-17 12:53 PM
Member since 12th Feb 2015
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#4786, "RE: New player starting out! Lots of questions "
In response to Reply #2


          

I second many of my answers then, so I urge you to read through them first and then ask more questions

  

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KstatidaThu 31-Aug-17 06:37 AM
Member since 12th Feb 2015
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#4783, "RE: New player starting out! Lots of questions "
In response to Reply #0
Edited on Thu 31-Aug-17 06:38 AM

          

Hello, friend. It's nice to see you with us. Let me try to help you so that you reach my PK range as soon as possible.


>* 1) What are some recommended race / class combinations that
>are recommended for new beginners?

As you have mentioned, the most recommended combination is ranger or assassin. It helps you learn the ropes of game mechanics, learn areas, avoid most of PK you want to avoid. Issue with other combos is that you can't avoid PK if you're forced to it.

Mechanicwise, good option for a starter would also be a bard because it's so self-sufficient.

That being said, if you have a cool RP idea which involves a different class, people say it's best to try that out and learn the class hard way. I did it myself, but unfortunately, the cool RP class in my case was a ranger power combo. Just a lucky coincidence.


>* 2) Is there a discord server where I can ask questions in
>real time?

None that is publicly known, however qhcf folks sometimes talk about it. So even if there is, it's not well populated. QHCF Main board has info on IRC channel though, you may start there.


>* 3) I registered an account at QHCF but am still awaiting
>approval.

That's because admins there are lazy. I'm sure now that your question is posted here, they will check for the request queue and approve you.


>* 4) How beginner friendly are cabals? Is that an aspect of
>the game I should hold off until I have a couple characters
>under my belt? Are there some that are more beginner friendly
>than others?

Most newbie friendly is Fortress because they're goodie two-shoes. However, the easiest (i.e. automated) way to get into a cabal is with Empire, which is easy in easy out. You don't need to rely on leaders to get it, but you need to please leaders to stay. If you want to learn the game, I'd recommend Fortress, if you want to learn the PK and have fun - I'd recommend Empire. Your pick.


>* 5) What should I prioritize for learning? This might be a
>silly question, but the knowledge gap in gigantic and
>intimidating for a new player in a game with heavy PvP as
>this. I'm essentially jumping in and fighting people with 20
>years experience on me. What areas of the game would you
>prioritize first?

I highly recommend shapa method - prioritizing on learning PK. Because doing that will give you an upper hand with learning other things later. For that, roll a CE human assassin and levelsit through 18-28 levels. QHCF has a lot of more detailed info on that path.

Once you're fine with PK, you'll have no problems learning to explore, RP and whatever. Because you won't be stopped by being jumped by people.


>* 6) With regards to #5, a source of stress for me is finding
>gear after dying. I remember that death usually meant my stuff
>would get taken (the goodie bits anyway). How far into the
>game will the beginners gear get me? (leather academy gear,
>rings from the castle area off the main road etc)

Refer to http://www.carrionfields.net/itemsearch/ - the best thing Umiron has ever done in his life except for leaving staff for awhile. My experience is that you can be competitive solely depending on this unlimited gear search engine. This is proven by experience.


>* 7) How much harder will I make it on myself if my first
>character(s) are empowered required classes?

Make an Ishuli follower and your first empowered character experience will be terrific. Sorry Ishuli for setting you up.


>* 8) lastly, can someone explain to me in simple terms, how
>empowerment in general has changed? I read not long ago that
>it's a bit less punishing when leveling up without empowerment
>and such. Care to explain?

HELP EMPOWERMENT is your friend. Long story short, you can use all your basic supplications even if unempowered, but they are cast at -1 level. Which is a huge boost from before. There are certain other limitations, HELP file is specific about them.

  

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