TSS RocksFollow

Thanks Sony for the TSS expansions. I started a level 1 druid (now up to 49) and have stuck to TSS zones (except to buy spells). I am very very happy with the first 4 zones of TSS. Crescent Reach - BRILLIANT... The Moors - just as good though the flickering torches of the tower quest need to drop (oh well 1 quest that went undone). Stone Hive - well awesome idea but a bit too tough for the levels it is supposed to be used by (brought along some low 50s toons and had a blast but that would have to be considered "substantial outside help"). Goru`kar Mesa so far is very good (except that the tradeskill quests have a final trival of 170 and apparently 190 instead of 70 and 90 which would be appropriate for level 40s drops - especially the tailoring quest with a tailoring trivial of 170 that goes beyond Wu's Armor).

TSS is wonderful. I hope they don't just abandon TSS as they seemed to do with the progressive servers. If they continue to support these areas they will flourish over time (though without advertising its possible that even this won't be enough).

Anyways one satisfied customer here that is just enjoying TSS.

You should have stuck with the Drakkin Froglo. I too was underwhelmed by the Crescent Reach newbie experience. No huge design flaws, but just kind of ordinary.

Blightfire Moors is where this expansion really shines. It is a fun zone. Lots of quests, lots of different areas to hunt in. It can take you from level 15 to 40 without getting boring, there is that much variety in the zone. The area around Crescent Reach is the lowest level and as you radiate out from there you mobs get tougher.

There are armor quests for every class that begin at level 20. The armor is available to every race, not just the Drakkin. There is a second set of armor that is wearable at 45 that you acquire in the next zone, Goru'kar Mesa. The TSS armor sets are generally high in stats and low in AC. Focus effects and regen are included on many of the pieces.

My gnome cleric has a full set of the level 45 armor and it rocks. I started him on a new server so there was no twinking. He is now level 48 with FT8!! Yes, that is correct, an untwinked level 45 with mana regen 8. Six from the level 45 armor set (Fire Sanctified for clerics) plus one from Sphere of the Ancients plus one from Earring of the Solistice. Plus Improved Healing III and Mana preservation III on the armor.

I was fortunate to have an Iksar Berserker Club drop for me within 5 minutes of arriving at Kurns. I went there desperately seeking a weapon because there were not many available in TSS. There may be some quests or drops that I have missed, but there are not a lot of options for weapons below level 30 in this expansion. There were two quests for 1HB's that I found around level 20, but neither were usable by non-meelee classes. Things change around level 30. There is an excellent quest involving the bixies that involves Scout Ethaniel and Scout Verrin in Blightfire that yields a decent weapon. You can choose between 5 rewards for this quest, so each class gets a usable reward. The weapons originally had no dmg/delay but that was fixed in the last patch. I've completed the quest and he looks really cool is his new armor and weapon.

SoE has done nothing less than totally redefine the low-end experience in EQ with TSS. High prices in bazaar? Who cares. The only purchase I have made in the bazaar was the items to fashion the Earring of the Solstice (3K). The money was made by selling leather padding made from the skins that dropped while doing quests in TSS.

Other than to acquire weapons and spells, there is not much reason to leave TSS before level 50. I can not comment on the plus 50 since my character is only 48 right now. All-in-all I think that this expansion is a good thing for EQ. New players will have the opportunity to acquire decent gear while having fun. And new players can only bode well for the future of EQ. I just hope that is it not too little, too late.

I too have been very impressed with TSS so far: with the variety of quests, things to hunt, items that drop, etc.

I have a 32 Paladin that I duo with a friend and a 22 Wizard I've been soloing and other than to pick up spells, I've not had to leave the TSS zones at all.

Well, I didn't HAVE to leave the TSS zones, but on my Wizard I did CHOOSE to go do a bit of roaming around as I'm interested both in tradeskilling the drakken cultural armor and in researching (both of which you need to hit the older expansions for...I've yet to see a jade shard or wizzy research componant drop in TSS.

Ah yes, I almost forgot what originally prompted me to post here

You don't actually need to leave TSS to get a decent caster weapon for the early levels. There's an awesome quest The Dark Heart that you pick up on the third floor of Crescent Reach at level 10. It has similar dps to the iksar berserker club, no proc, but significantly higher stats and all you have to do is go beat up an alchemist

TSS is the first expansion that was sold as download only.