Mob disbalance

A few weeks ago, I returned to the game to see what was up. I rolled a new character, and by level 30 I realized one thing.

Some mobs are completely unreasonable for leveling, while others are a very obvious choice. Allow me to give an example. Gruok do quite a bit of damage, have a nasty bleed, in contrast with any sort of beetle which is quite a safe kill. I remember, in my mid 20's i was killing level 35-40 frost beetles with ease, simply because I would buff my weapon for fire damage, and smack them for 200% damage. The fights were about as difficult as a normal ulmus beetle my level, however, many times more rewarding.

In a different experience, I was with a druid and I was on my crossbowman. When we hit level 35, we decided to try the level 56-60 Ice beetles, since the frost beetles were proving to be unchallenging. At this point I had all points dumped into crossbow and dex, and he had all points dumped into nature and focus so we could land as much as possible on these much higher leveled mobs. I would pull, and use all of my abilities while running away from it since its still at a distance. At which point, he would throw his fastest casting stuns/roots on it, going from fastest to slowest for obvious reasons. If a plain Root spell landed, I would gain a bit of distance, sit there and wait for both of our cooldowns to be over. Then we would repeat until it died. We got to mid 50s from our 30s in very short time (in comparison to what the normal speed would be), experiencing only several deaths.

I quickly got bored of this. I remember as a noobie back a few years ago, I really enjoyed all of interesting mobs to keep leveling interesting. Now, it's ruined due to my discovery of the invalidity of a lot of monsters due to the entire beetle experience.

My suggestion, nerf beetles (more specifically, frost/nix/ice/snow beetles) AND the skulk hunters while you're at it. :cool:

As an added note, I feel like its unfair the dragons only have to level one ADV school to 100 while bipeds have to level several schools to 100 to get a similar effect.

I hate fighting beetles. I consider Aegis easier and more fun to kill. No, really-- I have much fonder memories of getting repeatedly steamrolled by T6 skeletons (it hurts! it hurts!) compared to that awful time when I was trying to convince some T5 beetles to part with their tech comps so I could get my scales made.

I am very vaguely sorry that you seem to have figured out what your mealticket mob is so fast that you don't get to spend as much time painfully flailing about, but I'm not sure that's really bad, let alone the fault of the beetles. From my standpoint, one of the few redeeming qualities of Istaria's combat system is that there's a meaningful difference in the difficulty of various monsters depending on what your character's strengths are. Once you get used to combat and start paying attention, it becomes clear what mobs you're strong against and which will consistently wreck you or just take too long to kill. A system that rewards the player "leveling up" sounds good to me. ;)

Anyway, might I suggest that if you're bored you go fight less boring things? You can fight things out of your bracket (if you're 42, go fight 45-50 things!) or fight mobs you're not as strong against for practice, or heck, go fight Aegis! The Aegis are very rewarding if you can handle them, and it sounds like you might be able to.

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Originally Posted by Beridrith

A few weeks ago, I returned to the game to see what was up....

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You've been away while many many changes were implemented.

You have to use the correct type of "attack" damage modifier to successfully hunt beetles.

For ice beetles (any level), use fire damage. So either Flame Attack spell, or a blighted weapon which converts damage to Flame.

For Flame beetles (any level), use ice damage. So Either Ice Attack spell, or a blighted weapon which converts damage to Ice.

Various other creatures have similiar setups: High resistance to some damage types, but high vulnerability to others. One example I can think of is some of the high level automatons are almost immune to slash, spirit, but vulnerable to flame and primal. Something along those lines is all you ran into. Be creative, work with others and you can hunt them.

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Originally Posted by Beridrith

As an added note, I feel like its unfair the dragons only have to level one ADV school to 100 while bipeds have to level several schools to 100 to get a similar effect.

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See above. Dragons have to follow the same things to hunt those creatures as you will need to, (unless it happens to be slash vulnerable).

Thanks for the response both of you.

In response to Guaran, I realise the attack damage modifiers. I was saying that flame attack makes hunting any ice beetles way too easy since you do 200% damage. I guess my response to both of you, is that my point is that there is no real reason to venture out of your comfort mob unless you need a drop, but that's not for leveling reasons. I suppose it could be the games intentions that you should stick to whatever mob best fits your character and playstyle..and I feel like its a bit boring. On an unrelated note, the T2 fyakki have seemingly disappeared, they aren't outside of the deadpool anymore (or in it), and I have looked in all of the other various T2 WA zones, and can't find them.

I don't see how giving creatures weaknesses and resistances is a problem.
Hey, you found their weakness? Great! Here's your reward: slaughter them all or enjoy more xp by fighting things 1 tier above you.

Please look at some of the rant threads about how difficult it is to fight creatures that people are fighting using their resistance damage.

This makes the game far less boring and rewarding by fighting smarter. Why in the world would you want all creatures the same?

Being that I 'm currently playing quest catch-up after a 2-yr absence, and thus working on quests that involve fighting much lower level critters- For kicks and a bit more challenge, I'll sometimes unarmor myself (fighting "regimental", lol), yank out the crystals on the weaponry and disable the COT and any armor-up perks.

So if you ever see a naked, grey-haired Saris clubbing to death or firing arrows at some baddie, stop by and say "Hi" ;)

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Originally Posted by Yarsgo

Being that I 'm currently playing quest catch-up after a 2-yr absence, and thus working on quests that involve fighting much lower level critters- For kicks and a bit more challenge, I'll sometimes unarmor myself (fighting "regimental", lol), yank out the crystals on the weaponry and disable the COT and any armor-up perks.

So if you ever see a naked, grey-haired Saris clubbing to death or firing arrows at some baddie, stop by and say "Hi" ;)

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I would just like to add to a point you've just made there.

As easy as some monsters might become for those wary and knowing, it seems that the flip side for this is, anyone who isn't so wary or knowing of their monsters, could face a real up-hill battle. I'm sure other noobs can vouch for the times they have died! :)

Are there elemental based monsters in NT, Less Aradoth and Sable Shore that might be making people's lives alittle harder? :P

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Originally Posted by phoxytwicks

Are there elemental based monsters in NT, Less Aradoth and Sable Shore that might be making people's lives alittle harder? :P

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Perhaps bringing back some of the agressiveness in a certain FEW mobs would help? Since my return, I've noticed numerous critters that no longer "attack on sight" or "help a fellow critter being attacked", as before.

Lots of mobs are social and aggressive - Undead, Wolves, Skulks, to name a few in the T1/T2 regions. Beetles, Gruoks and Treants for the most part aren't. Also, if you are a lot higher level then the mobs may not be very aggressive to you as their aggro radius goes down the higher your level above theirs.

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Originally Posted by AmonGwareth

...if you are a lot higher level then the mobs may not be very aggressive to you as their aggro radius goes down the higher your level above theirs.

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Well, that would explain alot of it, haha! Thank you again, Amon. :)

I thought something of this nature was going on... it's only logical. :)

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Originally Posted by Yarsgo

Perhaps bringing back some of the agressiveness in a certain FEW mobs would help? Since my return, I've noticed numerous critters that no longer "attack on sight" or "help a fellow critter being attacked", as before.

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In NT perhaps, though the upper areas likely dont need changing me thinks.

Whereas Lesser Aradoth just seems fraught with Skeleton bosses and other swarmy type mobs. Dust Grinder is a PITA and so is Tsunami, right on the coastal road to Sslanis :-)

Died so many times here there.

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Originally Posted by Beridrith

Thanks for the response both of you.

In response to Guaran, I realise the attack damage modifiers. I was saying that flame attack makes hunting any ice beetles way too easy since you do 200% damage. I guess my response to both of you, is that my point is that there is no real reason to venture out of your comfort mob unless you need a drop, but that's not for leveling reasons. I suppose it could be the games intentions that you should stick to whatever mob best fits your character and playstyle..and I feel like its a bit boring. On an unrelated note, the T2 fyakki have seemingly disappeared, they aren't outside of the deadpool anymore (or in it), and I have looked in all of the other various T2 WA zones, and can't find them.

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Well, once you figure out the vulnerabilities the hunt is easier. But when you are not sure, it also presents challenges. If you are bored hunting beetles, try something else. There should be quite a bit to pick from.

As far as t2 fyakki, I think this critter changed in classification somewhat (aegis contruct iirc, from originally being "animal", or something like this) so it's home might have moved. To be honest I am not sure where any are myself. Check from the spire down to south march (north edge to south edge), from the beach east of Chiconis to Sable Shore (east edge to west edge. Sable Shore is just west from Bristugo). This continent area is t2. Don't forget to check Abandonded Island as well.

There aren't any tier2 fyakki currently in the game. Curious though why you are looking for them?

One thing I'd like to add is that some mobs are a little too ridiculous for leveling.

Yes, beetles might be a little too easy, but then other mobs are a little too hard for their level too.

Wolves come to mind. I can understand ramping up the challenge at late T4 and up, but seriously, when T2 wolves can tear you apart even if you're starting into T3 is a bit over-the-top. The constant miss miss miss miss miss, the bleeds, the social nature of the mobs, make them a "hunt these for comps with an alt, Only" type mob.

Spiders aren't too bad, except for their ridiculous dodge chance (do they really need that high of a dodge when they got bleeds, stuns, and are social?)

I won't say anything of Aegis mobs, because I understand that they are supposed to be "elite", so it is mainly spiders and wolves that I think are a little too powerful. Nobody in their right mind would ever hunt these stupid things (unless they need comps or a quest) when you got things like golems and beetles around for easy XP.

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Originally Posted by Dhalin

One thing I'd like to add is that some mobs are a little too ridiculous for leveling. Wolves come to mind.

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I disagree. Wolves were MUCH easier for me than beetles, by a landslide. (Gruok were only worse because they liked to be harder to get in groups I could manage.) They were never as easy as my favorite punching bags (golems) but I never had undue difficulty taking down wolves when I needed to. Similarly, spiders were obnoxious, but if I was careful and clever they weren't what I'd call "hard".

I still think everyone claiming beetles are the way to go is nuts! :p

Amon, I'm looking for T2 fyakki for the sake of T2 blighted gear drops, since it seems automations (at the observatory) are the only T2 mob that drop them.