Ascension...

[Raeshlavik]

So, not that I figure I'm anywhere close to ascension, but is there anything I should work on here in my 20's to prepare?

I've heard varying opinions on when a hatchling is ready for ascension: 35-ish, 50+, as soon as they can craft the materials, when they can solo it...

Anyone have an opinion on this? I figure I'm in this for the long haul so if I have to get to 80-something as a hatchling I'm up for it, but I want to ensure I'm not taking any shortcuts and actually earn it by community standards.

So, I guess I need to know what that standard is, or if there is in fact a standard.

Thanks for your time...

[Tcei]

You can start your rites as early as 30adv/craft (tho I think craft can be as low as 20 dont recall now) but its recomended that you wait till later as it'll be easier for you and you can assist more in the fights, or have to hunt down a crafting station and/or scales that give enough boost to craft the items that you need.
Most folks recomend waiting till 50ish as thats when you can also get some hatchling only scales that are kind of nice.

Furthermore, Im not sure on Chaos's customs when it comes to ascending, tho I hear they're fairly laid back, but on Order there are/were (havent played in a while) quite a few taht will give you flack for choosing to ascend pre-50.

[pevil2000]

Pretty much what Tcei said. On chaos there's a mix of us. I'm of the "wait til at least 50" variety, which was pretty much the viewpoint from Unity, simply coz at 30 you'll pretty much be watching others do the questing for you. Not that anyone will hate you for it if you go for it, you just may not get quite so much respect at first. However there are plenty of mid-30 adults around so don't be influenced by that!

You can start at 30/20 btw, though you will need more than 20 craft to do some of the items, I think 32 + scales is about the minimum. It also depends if you're going Lunus or Helian; the Lunus has more fighting and the Helian more crafting I believe, Helian is also supposed to be a bit harder (not done Helian yet so can't comment)

On Unity I did mine as 50/35 and had few problems; I got an ancient from my guild to help with the tougher fights but I could do a lot of it on my own in between the main bosses, plus got the hatchling scales which are very nice scales and should last you a long time (longer than a crafted lvl 50 chest scale would)

[Shian]

I waited until 50 and do not regret it one bit. The feeling of being able to take on some mobs during your ROP on your own is a wonderful feeling. I will mirror the "At 30 you're basically watching, not doing" opinion.

Well, scratch that. I kind of wish I had gotten to 60 crafter so I could do my own obsidian, but good enough. Gave my A'mea something to do. *grins*

I'm still wearing my 50 hatchie scale and some consider that to be the community standard.

Plus, face it. Once you're an adult you don't get free hoard anymore I've also found it has made my wing much more enjoyable. To have to get to 50 craft running around, then getting the freedom of flight is something well remembered.

I do miss my hatchling hop.

[Raeshlavik]

Thanks all,

It sounds like I should revel in my hoppiness till at least 50, and as I'm attempting to keep my crafting level even with my adventure level I'll re-visit the RoP at 50/50-ish.

Though, I do wish there was a bit more "craft" and a bit less "haul rocks around" but if everyone else can do it, so can I.

[LOVWYRM]

a good decision, Raesh

I sign what Pevil and Shian said
Being ancient on Unity, Flameus and me will not start RoP before the 50ties.

Maybe we do it together then?

[Shian]

Though, I do wish there was a bit more "craft" and a bit less "haul rocks around" but if everyone else can do it, so can I.

Crafting is *very* difficult if you do not have the patience for it.... but it is well worth it in the end. At the very least, you are still getting status points which will help your adventuring along. As long as you are able to keep *something* in your mind that will tell you it is worth it, keep it.

[Steelclaw]

I think the "wait till 50" is mostly for the "Simulated" scales, the last in the line of hatchling-only chest scales (adults and ancients can wear them, only hatchlings can get the quests to obtain them).

A better question is, "What do you want?". Some people play for the sole reason of being able to fly. Others play for a challenge and reward. Then there are some who don't really care about any of those and just want to make the level grind go faster. I probably missed a few categories, but hopefully you get the idea -- what is your motivation for ascending?

Obviously, if you just want to fly, start as soon as possible. At least in my experience, there is no shame in doing this on Chaos. Yeah, the older dragons will groan and mumble. As long as you make an effort to try things solo first and don't require constant attention, you'll get the help you need when you need it.

As for craft (DCRA) grind, I don't think flying helps much. If this is your reason for ascending and it trumps the challenge/reward, I strongly urge you to reconsider that. Flying will only help with travel from the machines, and to the machines, if you're using a flying disk -- and only under certain circumstances. (when there is no faster ground route with a road bonus and using a single-stack disk makes sense) If it takes you an hour to get 1/4 bar of experience without flight, expect flight to make it only slightly shorter, say around 45-50 minutes.

Craft grind can be made faster by minimizing your travel time by using dense fields with nearby machines, rich nodes, motherlodes, and big disks. Having teched scales to aid in processing and especially finishing helps a lot too, as does making products that give good xp/time.

For dragons, the sweet spot is somewhere around stone or single-ore metal scales, ones you're close to optimal on, say, 14:1. Once you hit optimal on one scale, you can stick with it till the next one comes into that range.

Gems are another alternative. You can't decon them, but you can fit more of them in a disk, and it's easier to be optimal on gems.

Don't waste your time on spells unless someone else is providing orbs or bricks/spell shards.

Oh! Uh... ROP, yes, this isn't about craft. Sorry!

So, that leaves the challenge/reward aspect. Well... how much of a challenge do you want? You can do most of your ROP solo at level 50. At level 70-75, you can easily do the whole thing solo -- if you are following the path of the Lunus. Once upon a time, you could also do the path of the Helian solo, however, that was a bit more difficult. I couldn't do it till I was over 90. Now, I think it's impossible with the aggro changes.

The difference between the two is a single mob: Kaa. If you're doing the Helian ROP and don't mind getting help with Kaa, then you can handle the rest of the mobs solo at 70-75 as well.

I can't speak for you or others, though I feel that my experience with ROP was very rewarding -- both finally getting to fly, as well as the attention a high-level hatchling draws. Be warned, though. Staying a hatchling /that long/ can lead to a bit of short-term depression once you finally ascend, especially if it's your first character.

[Lunarya]

Be warned, though. Staying a hatchling /that long/ can lead to a bit of short-term depression once you finally ascend, especially if it's your first character.

a short-term depression? Why?

[Steelclaw]

I spent almost a year running around as a hatchling, after I ascended, it felt weird. For starters, I couldn't see as much of the ground. Seriously though, it felt like I was playing a different character and couldn't go back to my old one.

[Spirit]

a short-term depression? Why?

It's strange.... I do miss the hatchling before; always had that distant sense of anticipation, progress and work to do. It's almost like now, being at work and missing school and learning when you were too young to be burdened with the realities of life (bizarre but true). With me it was, after finishing the rop, realising "sh*t... you've done it.". The end result is great, but it's like a post-Christmas kind of feeling.

The quest itself is also fun to do; one of the epic quests in the game. Perhaps it should be a lot harder, more taxing on the mind. Perhaps they could split it such that there is a:
- initial rop (like adolesence) ... where you do get a bit bigger, more powerful physical attacks and mental ability. Hell maybe the ability to claw your way up steeper slopes (Which brings me to a point that nerfs me... why don't the player models tilt when you run up or down a slope?? Wow does it pretty well as an example).

- Adulthood and ancient rop as we know, with the possibility of an elder rop if it was seen to be needed. Perhaps it could be further split up when there is a level 200 cap or something.

Anyway just my two-coppers worth.

Rakku