More bias inEQ toward raidersFollow

I am looking at all SoD charms available (search mode on Allah's) to the caster class (wiz, nec, enc, mag) and of course it starts out with the raid type charms and works it's way down to the worst. At first I ignore the raid charms and look at the group charms. Most are the usual hokey ones. Multiples of 3 coins, multiples of 3 armor or traversing an area. All the types I don't like to wear because they are variable.

Frustrated, I look at the raid ones and most all of them are based on attributes like Int or Cha. Are you kidding me? They will already have the armor with the highest attributes on them and they make most of the charms based on high attributes? What a joke!

Sorry about the flame but I just get tired of the bias towards raiders on this game. It just always ends up groupers get the crap and raiders get the cream.

It always cracks me up when someone implies that raiding equals hardwork and grouping invloves no work.

What Boom is getting at is that the raider charms seem to depend on something that the raiders will have anyway. Since raid gear will get you to maxed stats, the charm requires you to have maxed stats.

The group charms are dependent on some additional action by the player instead of just equipping it and using it. Like works at night, carry a certain amount of coin, learn all the languages, work on your alcohol tolerance, don't get it wet.

While none of those are horrible to work around, the fact is that groupers have to work around it where raiders seem to be able to plug-n-play.

I have given up on charms. I base it off the "worst case" scenario for the charm, and go with it. I don't care if stats are maxed or not.

https://everquest.allakhazam.com/db/item.html?item=77914

https://everquest.allakhazam.com/db/item.html?item=78746

https://everquest.allakhazam.com/db/item.html?item=77810

https://everquest.allakhazam.com/db/item.html?item=79757

Here you go, 4 easy to get group charms that are easy to get to their max and maintain them at their max. 2 of them are just equip and forget it, the chances are that you'll already be at max by the time you can get these or close enoguh that it doesn't matter. There are a lot in the group game that are like this, just ahve to do some research.

Edited, Jan 14th 2010 7:50am by Cilrail

Yep. I seen this one. Just working on the faction get the mission. Thanks for the link though.

You're kidding, right? You cannot be serious.

Look, I'm a person who believes raiders should get better rewards, if only because of the typical loot split (meaning, you're not even going to be eligible to receive loot from every boss kill. You have to do encounters several times to get even close to a full set of anything). However, I'm not going to act like one side is somehow more hard working than the other. Heck, with my character spread and playtime and commitment, I could join any of two handfuls of raid guilds farming hard Tower or better (I've been offered enough times). But I "grew up" in Velious and Luclin raiding. Back when guilds competed for spawns. The first time I entered Vex Thal, I was there for almost 12 hours because if we left, another guild would clear what we didn't (which often meant Aten, ultimately). I don't like the small raid time windows guilds go with now and I don't like the 'oh, we've been raiding for 2 hours. I need to log' that goes on either. I also despise coattail riders (which can often comprise half a raid force, even in so-called 'cutting edge' guilds nowadays).

As I said, I have nothing against the current raid centric mechanic for dispensing superior gear and rewards. It's what I did for the vast majority of my time in EQ (roughly 2000-2006 with a few more recent returns that taught me how times had changed). But this whole 'raiders work harder' thing is complete bulls....crap. Some do, yes, but I'd say the vast majority most certainly do not.

All that tells me is that one side works LONGER for a suitable reward. It doesn't state or imply that it's HARDER work. If you equate time spent at an activity an automatic indicator of difficulty or merit, then anyone who 'only' works a 40 hour week is a lazy bum. After all, there are people pulling 60-80 hour weeks all the time.

Now, where exactly in my post was I whining, eh? Lemme answer that for you: nowhere, because I'm a proponent of the raid-centric mechanic. I just don't like people trying to put on airs when most people in that environment aren't nose to the grindstone, hardcore determined people. They're casual, just like the much-maligned group player. The only difference is, they can log in for a few hours a few times a week at an appointed time, and follow orders. If that somehow makes them better than folks who put in more time overall, just not in fixed blocks, well, we'll just have to agree to disagree.

I think it's just a poor choice of words on your part. Either that or you really think that people's work ethics are somehow determined precisely by how much time they spend at an activity.

I hadn't looked at this thread until now because raids don't interest me anymore. The last raid I did in EQ was plane of sky. By day 3, I don't know what island we were on but people were starting to drop like flies. At some point, the leader of the group I was in logged out and I was standing there, alone, and no one would invite me (people were tired, groups were full, it doesn't even matter). I just jumped and wound up in Freeport Harbor (how cool is that!?!)

3 days and I had gotten nothing. It wasn't even fun, even if I hadn't been there hoping for a drop I could use. Tedious, boring, and a waste of time.

I don't think people that enjoy (single) group play can ever reconcile with those that feel that raids are the ultimate sport. I'm not even sure there should be a reconciliation between the two - they're essentially different games. I pity the dev that has to "balance" group vs. raid geared people.

Anyway, seeing this is the only decent thread to post in to get a rate down, I wanted to pop in and say hello.

BTW, for nostalgia, it was Innoruuk, and we were there to get a drop for someone in Spirit of the Moon... epic 1.0 I assumed. I never knew if she got it but I sure hope so. Hail to the Moon!

The real issue isnt raiding vs grouping, its that the charm slot has always been pretty lame (for groupers and raiders, Tower charms are pretty awful for melee and are a minor upgrade to MMM).

Variable stats are awful and I hate them in any form.