Willowpaw

And quite often, if you manage to outlevel those contacts, then the next set of contacts will try to start you off with "Talk to the Security Chief" for whatever the next higher level zone is.

I've had quite a few instances where my current contacts all insist I go see the Steel Canyon Security Chief. Then I manage to outlevel them and go on to the next set of contacts. Lo and behold. What is the first thing they want me to do (before offering anything else)?

"Go talk to the Boomtown Security Chief."

Those missions absolutely need to be changed so that either Council or 5th Column count. With the 5th everywhere in Steel, I now find trying to get the Bonefire arc at level 10 a major tedious chore.

Why is that?

Well, most times, the contact for it will make you go through all three of his Hunt Council missions first. And 2 of those missions have to be in Steel, where the 5th seems to have nearly completely taken over.

Because of this, Bonefire is now the last non-Hollows arc I try to get in that level range. Fortunately, it is only 9 merits anyway, whereas the Vahz Pollutant Plot is now 21 and the Clockwork Captive is 13. So if I do end up missing it, then no big loss anyhow.

Don't forget...

/macro FIND "target_custom_next Aspect"

I can't recall ever failing this one either solo or duo. Then again, I have done it enough to mostly remember where each glowie is. If you don't have super speed, then get some other form of stealth (either an IO or from a buffing station), and keep sprint turned on. Bots that may inadvertently see you may get off a shot or two, as you streak by, but they won't follow. Then once you get near a glowie, thanks to the apparently increased click range we have now, it should be fairly easy to click it from a spot where you won't be seen as your stealth suppresses. And if you do get spotted, go ahead and take the few seconds to beat down the droids attacking you then go back to clicking your glowie (or pop 2 or 3 purples to lessen the chance of being interrupted).

The only truly annoying thing about this mission is that even if you do win it, you still effectively lose, because Tina then informs you that one of her other teams who was doing the same thing in another lab was not so fortunate, so whatever bad thing would have happened had you failed was going to happen anyway.

That right there is just plain poor writing and plot design I think. At least you do get the satisfaction of completing a mission that was not meant to be completed, and can then raise a middle finger in Tina's direction afterward.

As for the Fir Bolg misison, that one is easy, whether you are strong in the controls or strong in damage. First thing to do is make your way toward the goal while smashing any pumpkins you encounter along the way. Then start smashing more pumpkins while you wait for the first group of runners. Take them out then go beat up more, etc etc etc. Sure some may escape, but if you keep up a steady kill rate, eventually there will not be enough pumpkins left in the area to make failure even possible.

However, I do agree that the number that must be stopped should be scaled up for team size.

Personally, I feel that dropping this one is a waste of a mission drop (same with dropping the 'Talk to PvP rep" missions. Because as soon as you drop, then you get a mission that you really wish you could drop now instead of having to wait 3 days (like a "click the glowies simultaneously" mission, or yet another "Hunt X enemies in Zone Y... where the enemies are mostly +3 and +4 to you).

My one drop I always do in Croatoa is Salinger's final mission. Sure, it is not too difficult now that I know how it works, but it gets pretty tedious and boring when solo. On a big team, it's a blast, but if I am finishing up Crotoa by myself, at this point I just want it over and done with.

Are you taking into account the value of the salvage needed to craft some of these items?

For example, say there is a recipe that sells uncrafted for 2000, but one of the components is a Platinum, which may be currently valued at 5,000,000. Would the crafted recipe then selling for over 5,000,000 still anger you? Or would you be angered if the crafted item sold for 2,000,000 (due to the seller foolishly taking the risk by listing for well under what it cost to craft)?

Personally, if the last 5 show that an item is not worth my investment to craft (at least if the uncrafted version is ultra low), then to the vendor it goes. And with salvage (common and uncommon), if players are not willing to make a better offer than the in game vendors, well then, too bad so sad. Transaction slots are not unlimited, and those get used for things that are worth my time. Rares get hoarded in the vault and in the storage bins, since I am always needing a wide variety of those anyway.

Too many major story arcs, that is. There is a limit of 2 open major arcs, and so far, no known limit on minor arcs. To tell which is which, mouse over the book icon, It will say major or minor.

Also, if you have outleveled a contact and he or she is still in your active tab, they may be wanting to introduce you to a new contact. After that, they should go to the inactive tab.

Okay. When I get to that one, I am going to treat the whole thing as just a really lame dream sequence (sorta like Highlander 2, I suppose).

Then again, my VEATs have no actual loyalty to Arachnos. They are just using the spider training and equipment to advance their own agendas (like providing needed heroing service for the Isles...for fun and profit).

If you try to buy the pack from the vendor when you already have one, the vendor will take your 10K inf, but not give you a recharge on the pack (so you are out 10K). Definitely delete the old one first from your powers before trying to buy a new one.

So you didn't take a look at the reply that was posted a couple hours before yours? You know, the one that links to a thread about the Halloween event which gives the date it is supposed to start (pretty early in the thread even).

With my two PBs, I didn't really see that as a problem. Why? Perhaps I was just lucky, but no zombie was ever able to get close enough to lay a decayed hand on me. And I do not seem to recall having trouble with the zombie barf either.

I was actually happy to fight Vahz at such a low level, since they have an XP bonus, that meant faster leveling. And if you take out their chaperones fast (Reapers, Morts, and Eidolons, the rest are pretty easy pickings since they lose interest in you fast.)

Didn't PvP get whittled down to where all that stuff doesn't seem to matter anyway? I was under the impression that PvP was effectively turned into Rock Em Sockem Robots.

One thing that does seem to set the PBs apart from the Warshades (and I think this is pretty significant), is that the PBs are pretty well self contained. Their buffs and heals and whatnot come from within, whereas Warshades require a good supply of victims (or their victims' bodies) to do many of the same things.

I personally enjoy both equally, and they definitely play differently from each other.

I know Buck Salinger's final mission is droppable. In fact, I usually go ahead and drop that one every time, just because it is so tedious. The final mission in Vendetti's arc is also droppable (Defeat the Council Vampyr).

In fact, I am quite certain that as long as the final mission does not award a badge or a temp power (upon completion), and is not timed, then it can be dropped.