Speedy Gonzales

So I am thinking about ETR(Epic reincarnation) for Grousemot my first life monk and looked at his favour and realised that he hasn't got the favour he should have so I have started to catch up on the favour first. But the last thing I really wanted to do was spend time grinding favour so decided to see just how fast I could do quests using hirelings including gold seal. And first up was Delera's which normally takes about 80 minutes or so actual dungeon run time. At best is abut 65 minutes but I can't ever remember completing this under 60 minutes.

I am sure someone will beat this but I impressed myself

BUT we have a monk that moves like grease lightning. Who dances with the wind and flows like water. So fire up elite and lets go... and go... and go... and go! I have to admit I have never tried to flow this fast before and okay all the abilities a maxed out monk with thunder and lightning handwraps it was more than easy. And in total 37 minutes. Next chain I hadn't done on elite is Tangleroot Gorge, this was a bit more of a stroll as I wanted every treasure chest so it was dragged out a bit at 49 minutes. On the plus side for a quick blast through it was okay on the plat side dropping 12k.

Not bad for a first lifer

Something strange though this urge to get favour, I have unlocked everything, I run VIP and I have bought tomes to boost my characters so why do I drive myself nuts for maybe a little in the way of turbine points? Certainly the spells the houses offer and even the Deneith ammo doesn't offer enough to drive through but over the years on every toon I have felt an urge to get the favour up even though I have 2 toons with over 2,500 favour. Part of the enjoyment along with experience and reflects that I have done most quests in the game. The only low level quest I never do is stealthy repossession which I guess I could do now, just a bad experience with it about 5 years ago and haven't touched it since.

Not bad for a little run

left it way to late for this to have an impact

But one of the reasons I am now going to ETR is the fact I need to get out of my comfort zone. It has been too easy just leveling in Heroic and grinding Devil's assault and the wildernesses to reach 28 so time to shut up, pull up my big boy pants and get out there to find new challenges. My completionist has stalled at level 9, my master magic user is close to start his new life but this is all heroic so time to step up and try something different. I have never got my head round epic reincarnation so I know some reading is in order but with the new year I will see a new style of playing.

Happy Festivult

Grousemot

Slip Slidin Away

So I like playing in the morning most of the time and always pop on around 10am UK time which is 5am on the East Coast so not going to be many players on and I have just reincarnated Grousemerlin for his 12th life and 3rd as a Warlock. Cool it is all good until I need to do Misery Peak and I am protecting a Bravery Bonus. So apart from a first level cleric hireling I go to the DDO store and decide to be very safe by getting some extra hirelings to make sure I don't lose the bonus.

Who made a big mess?

So 2 clerics, a barbarian, a paladin and a sorcerer and myself. I have had some bad experiences with a certain low level Wizard hireling so chose the golfing Sorcerer Parfour and set off to run across Kothos to do that well paying quest (picked up 7k on it). And I ran into the exact same problem that I got with Rita. Now I am certain there are some Developers sitting there laughing their heads off knowing exactly what I am referring to. But to those who haven't got it yet I am talking about the Spell Grease.

Stop laying down on the job

Believe the spell wording is:- Covers the ground with a layer of slippery grease, forcing targets to make a Reflex save or fall. Grease slicks will sometimes be set ablaze by area of effect fire effects, dealing 2 to 12 damage per two caster levels fire damage to all enemies of the caster in the slick every few seconds, as well as the caster of the grease spell. A successful (DC 10+spell level+ability modifier+items+feats) Reflex save will reduce this damage by half. Slicks that have been set ablaze will quickly burn away.

So we have a spell that can send creatures flying but what the description neglects to inform us that everyone can be affected including the caster and allies. And there in lies the problem especially in Misery's Peak where you have objectives that are quite high up following narrow rising paths and drops from a great height. The whole thing turns farcical when everyone in the party is falling over along the opposition. Why oh why Devs? Not one caster I have ever come across uses Grease so why do the low level caster hirelings use it?

Made it no thanks to a certain caster

So pro tip for anyone thinking of getting a caster at low level DONT, get an extra cleric. After almost losing the whole party off a ledge while disputing a route with some Ice Spiders I disabled the hireling and just dragged him round as an extra target.

And yes I did think of several of the songs from Grease but this title seemed oh so much more appropriate.

A slightly miffed Grousemerlin