Stromm and the other English Language servers are scheduled to be down for another.. 3 1/2 hours, soo these forums will most likely be humming.
My main and alts are in a group of guilds that have the upper tier raiding guild starting at 51 and a lower level family style guild. The younger guild allows people to learn thier tunes, compare notes with and group with people their own level without doing Monster Missions. Anyway...
The other day, I had my level 57 druid main on and wasnt doing any thing important (kiting 4 DB mobs for xp) when one of the younger druids (Level 30ish) in the younger guild started whining in cross-guild chat about needing more plat, where can I go to get it, can someone help me get higher in level, etc. (The latter is begging. If he was in the older guild, he would have been kicked out.) A number of us asked him if he had his Circle spells, as you could almost stand in POK and ooc and someone would take druid ports to places like Grimmling, Dawnshroud, etc. Anyway, he says no and is quiet. We encourage him to go and get them, as they are not very expensive.
A few days later, I am on my 36 chanter, when he starts again, this time in guild chat, begging someone to help him out to get some plat and level up. I asked, "Where are you?". He replied "Dawnshroud Peaks." Cool. Great a level to XP in for both of us, and I could try out some of my spells I got for my new level. "OK, I am going to come help you out. Can you port to POK and then port us back to DSP?" "What is DSP?" SIGH, Grumble.. remind self this is a player who is still learning the game.. "You are in DSP, Dawnshroud Peaks.." "Oh. Anyway, I cant port you here. I dont have the spell." BIG SIGH in officers chat. Fortunately, the only one on at the time. "OK, I will run there."
Upon arriving in da peaks, "Can you invite me into the group while I run to where you are?" "How do I do that?" BIGGER SIGH. "Never mind, I will do it. Where are you at?" "By zone line to Greig's End." "Why are you there? You could get killed running and zoning out." "Someone suggested that I kill the tribals for plat." <Switch to group chat from guild chat.> "Why do you need so much plat?" "I need gear.." "OK, have you checked the guild bank?" "I dont have the expansion yet. I am getting it next week." "OK, some people dont. We try to help them out by bringing you stuff you need from the bank. BTW, why didnt you get those spells we told you to get? Had you have done it, you could have ported both of us almost right here." "I am spending all my plat on gear. I dont need those spells anyway." WTF, a druid without transportation spells is like a cleric without healing spells. "Ok, I am going to tell you this again. My druid got all his transportation spells as he leveled up. The day after I got Circle of Grimling, someone paid me 200 plat to transport his high level group to Grimling Forest so they could farm acrylia for plat. That paid for a lot of spells." <Pause.> "I need to get some of those spells." <DING DING, we have a winner.>
Conversation contiues after killing a few tribals and then my charmed zelniak. "OK, I am going to inspect you to see if we have anything in the guild bank that you need." Right-click inspect. <Jawdrop.> "Well, I see why you need plat, you have a sword and gauntlets that my level 57 druid would love to have. Plus a Coroded Girplan Cap my druid now uses. But why do you still have Glooming deep gloves, leggings and choker?" "Well, I saw <uber item #1>, <uber item #2>, and <uber item #3>. I am saving my plat for those." "Well, I guess so. My older druid would love to have them also. But he cant afford them." <OK, slight exageration, he could, but would have to spend the next two months paying my other alts back for breaking the combined bank. That would also mean no spell reasearch and jewelcrafting for my chanter, which has equiped some of my alts.> "Well, you need to spend your plat on spells you need, like the ring and circle spells. Do you at least have the ring spell for Dawnshroud?" "No, but I need to get it." "OK, I am now hearing from my guildies we are going to raid the Plane of Fear. I need to go."
While on raid, tell a few of the other officiers about conversation and how I felt guilty for chewing a newbie out. < Wondering if the newbie was a kid about 12, if I was too rough on him...> <Sigh, enough feeling guilty. Time to sacrifice myself to Terror. > After raid, take my chanter with buffed CHA at 212 to Abysmal Sea. Buy all ring spells and a few circle spells for around his level. Put in guild bank with his name on it. Send directed tell to him to check the guild bank for presents.
Next week, checking guild bank. Dang, those spells are still here. Send directed tell. "Did you get the expansion?" "Yeah." " I have some stuff in the guild bank with your name on it." "Oh, OK. I will get it when i have time."
OK.. long story over. Now for the question. Is it more important to have a few good items and mostly rotten stuff until you get high enough to afford better? Or, is it better to have well balanced armour similiar to what you could obtain in your level? And, is it important to have ALL the spells available to your level <exccept for maybe LDON ones>? Or, was I entirely off base?