Hi All,

I haven't played DAoC since about a year after ToA was released. After hearing about Camelot Unchained, I have had this unrelenting itch that could only be satisfied by playing DAoC again. That is how I found Uthgard.

I created a nature druid last night, as I am familiar with soloing as a cave shaman (but wanted to try a new realm). My only real reason for this post is a noob question: What can I do from the start to develop myself on a new server? Would it be wise for me to start a crafting profession as a means to be self-reliant or will this drain too much funds for a new player?

I've read through the Hibernia Leveling Guide at the top of this forum, and plan to follow it closely. Any and all advice for my endeavors are welcome. I look forward to seeing you all out in the frontiers.

Thanks

First character I created a tailor and the plan all along was to become self reliant and use him as a foundation to fund other characters items/professions. Tailor is cheapest Craft and can salvage all of the things.

Will crafting drain most of your funds? For me it did because it was my goal to get to be self reliant asap. Rolling a supporting character helps (Although Nature spec, some groups may wrinkle their nose at that). I rolled Regrowth/Nuture druid and never bothered to spend money on uber gear because as a support you are just hanging out back and can avoid aggro if you manage your heals right. All my money went into crafting. Around 700 I started seeing a return on my investments. I am now LGMT and have started pouring money from my tailor to fund other crafts/characters.

It took me about 2 months to get to LGMT and I currently sit at lvl 44. I'm sure there are those who could do this in a week, but my time is limited.

Just what I was looking for. Thanks for the response. I assume I can look up a Tailor leveling guide on the most cost-effective materials to craft/salvage, but any advice is welcome. Also, are there any crafting notes that are Uthgard specific I should be mindful of?

Thanks again

Leveling up Tailor:

grind it out from 0-500 until you get access to padded leather and thick cloth. (Start your tailor early as possible because you get tattered drops like crazy from lvls 1-9. Keep those to salvage later for mats and to lvl up skills.)
Be sure to level up your metalworking skill each time you achieve new tailor title. Woodworking is optional.

Once padded and thick open up

rotate between making normal cloth glove/boots to thick cloth glove/boots. Don't bother crafting pants/jerkins/sleeves/hats.

Save a ton of money this way as gloves and boots use the least amount of mats.

Salvaging DF loot
Emmies you can start around 600 , but get more return on salvage around 750
Sapphires, also 700, but better returns around 850-900
Diamonds start at 800, better returns 950-1000 +

I always buy the 2 handed weapons. they seem to give the better ROI. Someone else correct me if I am wrong or have a better suggestion.


Crafting Notes: Nothing I have run into that I can think of. Again, I have only created this tailor to make money and not actually craft anything for my characters...yet.

Thanks a lot!

Being new myself as well (couple weeks old), the most important thing I went for was: group all the time, even if you're not getting the "ultimate xp", meet new people, as many as possible and form a friend/relation network. In that optic, don't be afraid to ask (even if you could just google it) because asking/answering questions creates a relation, while googling everything doesn't.
That's why I wouldn't go pure nature personally as a druid, because with that, you can solo but you can't really group proper. Go nurture/regrowth and suck it up on greens/blues while you're soloing. Remember that people in your level range are usually NOT new players but rerolls. That means that when meeting them you actually meet folks who have been on this server for a long time, have ressources, relations of their own, etc.

Money wise, tailoring might be good for salvaging what you find, which usually yields more cash than just selling. To that end, when soloing, focus on areas where they are item drops. For example, badgers (near Mardagh) early on drop TONS of scythes and Luminashees (good money drop and reinforced armor) as well (same area), once 15+, dergans (behind roane maidens East of Mag Mell, around the lake) drop armor/weapons (scale you'll be able to wear, or salvage).
Once 20+, farm koalinth when solo and try to group down there as well when DF is closed. This place can set you up in gear all the way up to 30 then you go for DF gear (farm as MANY seals as you can BEFORE level 33, when you become green to 50). As a new player, this will make money issues less relevant.
Once in your 30s, it's hard to bring people out of DF but there are some very nice spots few people use, both inland in out in the frontier and away from being killed by invaders. Don't forget Braemar (from 20 to 35) and Wilton before Thidranki to get some very handy RAs.
Once 39+, keep an eye open for SH raids (Summoner Hall) in the LFG channel. These are open raids happening couple times a week in the evening (EU time from what I saw). These raids will get you up to 45ish in no time, then just camp Thidranki and suck it up, or rush to 50.

Thanks Kemor. I've been leveling pretty fast soloing oj/yellows with my DoT, but it does get boring soloing, and I take hits because my armor is blue/green. I may consider respeccing at lvl 20 to regrowth/nature for the benefit of grouping. I play USA EST time however, and I haven't been actively checking server populations, but when I was playing last night there were only ~110 hibs online, so grouping may NOT be my best option for leveling. I'll have to consider it.

I've started crafting and have tailoring/leather/wood/cloth/metal over 200 atm. The other added benefit of soloing I see is not having to share salvageable loot. With your advice on mobs with decent drops, I should be able to take advantage there.

Any other input/suggestions for me? Thanks again for the responses

I also play EST and sometimes its feast or famine on getting groups. It picked up for me with my druid once I got to 20. So maybe going Nature spec til 20 isn't such a bad idea. I usually play around 9 pm and by then its a ghost town.

Ah yes, US times...Being in EU, I can't quite comment on that and I didn't have much trouble finding groups as EU peaktime easily see around 1000 people on the server (so I guess 1/3 on hibernia).
Guilds might be an answer here, specifically US based guild such as Hatred I believe (but there are probably others). And in your case, sticking to Nature till 20 or even 40 line respecs might indeed be a solution.

I really, REALLY suggest Koalinth Cavern all through your 20s though. Great place for both loot and money, rarely anyone there (unlike DF) and wide level range. If your salvage is up to the task, you should be able to make quite some cash in there.
That said, once 30/31, farm plated fiends non stop in DF till 33 so that you can set yourself up in full orange DF gear. If you stick to Nature, you'll be destroying them easy and if as you say the population is low, you shouldn't have much of a competition then.
Once you get 34ish and still solo, get into Treibh Caillite. This place can set you up in gear, xp and money until your 40s I think, at which point you can move out to Coruscating Mines and go deeper as you get higher. Once 45ish, you can start heading into Sheeroe Hills and farm glimmerings and ghouls. Drop rates are quite high, respawn is crazy and tons of farm.
If you're looking for 100% pure xp, RvR zones is the way however, especially past 30.

The fact that I don't have much experience during US peak times limit my advices though

Some links I found while coming back that might help:
http://masterofdragons.com/camelot/xp.htm (gives you an idea about your xp rate and if a spot is any good).
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=21610 (currently active quests on the server, might not be updated proper).
http://nixianplay.com/index.php?page=charbuilder (Utghard specific charbuilder, so you don't get confused with Live patches).
http://camelot.allakhazam.com/db/mobsbyzone.html (helps in finding mobs to hunt, useful drops, etc).

Good luck in any case!

Hatred guild member here too. 90% of my grouping up is with guildies in one form or another. We seem to be absorbing most of the US EST HIB player base...