Stalled Character Frustration

[Fhen]

I am looking for some advice about moving my character forward.

I have a skill at 70, one at 60 and a bunch in the 40's and 50's. It may explain my stalling but my play-style is generally go out into the world, run around, have fun. I've done a lot of favour grinding of course but little in the way of trade skills.

I have reached a point now where I'm spending my time in the same area's and not progressing to harder content. My issue I think is that my equipment is not up to it and I am not getting better stuff to replace it with. I also think that I don't have a solid grasp of itemisation and the mods on equipment. I started augmentation for example but I'm not 100% sure on how it works although have the basics down.

I generally solo and maybe this is an issue but I am sure there are players out there in the same boat.

So I am looking for advice on getting over this bump. I have started leather working so should I raise that and make my own stuff. Should I focus on just patiently grinding a particular area until I get better equipment and then go from there? The new dungeon is a bit tough for me for example and I can't farm something like the wolf cave beyond the general trash mobs.

I'm good at surveying!! Although at this point I think I have enough money to pay for my skills so I don't think money is the problem.

Any help much appreciated.

[Niph]

A general advice would be to become proficient in the Transmutation skill, it's a life changer. You can also identify which of your gear items are the weakest, and try to replace them with crafted equipment. You said you have started leatherworking, but doing it yourself is not necessary (although it gives you a good idea of the steps involved and raw materials to acquire). You can ask other players to combine for you, if your goal is just to overcome this bump.

[Fhen]

Thanks for the help. I believe I have started doing some Transmutation. I guess I'd like to do it under my own steam if possible. I thought that my issue was maybe that my equipment is just not of a high enough level/of a higher quality but maybe I should look at what I have and do some transmutations. I was thinking I should get some good equipment first and then Transmutation it but maybe that is the wrong way around.

[mrwarp]

Use your leatherworking/tailoring/whatever gear craft leveling to fuel your transmutation/augmentation leveling. Also level your industry along side of it.

[Niph]

You said you have a skill at 70 and the other at 60. I would only use transmutation on level 60+ gear, because it's quite expensive. You don't want to transmute something that could be quickly replaced by a simple drop, unless you can transmute everything.

[Fhen]

Thanks again. I guess the way to improve my character is to go to areas where 50-70 stuff drops and then use Transmutation but that is the part I am having trouble with. Maybe I am hitting up the wrong places.

[poulter]

There are quite a few people experiencing the same situation i.e. where do I go from here now that I have (a) level 70 skills, but am under geared?

My advice is to take the plunge and join Gazluk Keep (GK)) runs. With a few hours of grouping, you will have level 70 gear and be able to tackle /explore the Gazluk caves.

Most groups will take 1 or 2 fresh level 70s if the group has 6 people. (A group with 2 veteran players can carry 4 fresh l70s).
When joining a GK run, just let the organiser know that you are undergeared and ask whether a portal to GK is available (to avoid dying from the cold debuff in Gazluk).

This approach is even easier if you are in an established guild. If you are not in a guild at the moment, consider joining one.

Gearing up:
Run GK or gather the materials and ask in guild /chat if someone will craft you some gear (excellent approach if you solo a lot)
Consider leather winter or evasion sets if you want gear crafted

Augmentation:
Run GK to obtain l70 loot, gather the gems, etc. and ask in guild /chat for someone to extract for you. Use the NPC to fit it

Food:
Make or buy the best you can. You will need it and it makes a huge difference to survivability.
Many people under-estimate just how important food quality is in PG

Modification /Transmutation:
Maximum damage & healing require that your mods match the skills /spells that you are using. It is a huge part of current end-game. Sometimes you can have 10+ mods impacting one spell
If not matched, you die a lot, if matched you can 3 - 5 shot-kill most mobs (1 or 2 shot kill in max-crafted & augmented gear)
Level transmutation & learn to 'phlog' your loot drops

Attaining level 70 skills and gears allows you to change your emphasis from grinding favour and money to buy skills and spells to one of maximising your gear.
The good thing about PG is that once you have done so, you can repeat it circa another 20 times

[Fhen]

There are quite a few people experiencing the same situation i.e. where do I go from here now that I have (a) level 70 skills, but am under geared?

My advice is to take the plunge and join Gazluk Keep (GK)) runs. With a few hours of grouping, you will have level 70 gear and be able to tackle /explore the Gazluk caves.

Most groups will take 1 or 2 fresh level 70s if the group has 6 people. (A group with 2 veteran players can carry 4 fresh l70s).
When joining a GK run, just let the organiser know that you are undergeared and ask whether a portal to GK is available (to avoid dying from the cold debuff in Gazluk).

This approach is even easier if you are in an established guild. If you are not in a guild at the moment, consider joining one.

Gearing up:
Run GK or gather the materials and ask in guild /chat if someone will craft you some gear (excellent approach if you solo a lot)
Consider leather winter or evasion sets if you want gear crafted

Augmentation:
Run GK to obtain l70 loot, gather the gems, etc. and ask in guild /chat for someone to extract for you. Use the NPC to fit it

Food:
Make or buy the best you can. You will need it and it makes a huge difference to survivability.
Many people under-estimate just how important food quality is in PG

Modification /Transmutation:
Maximum damage & healing require that your mods match the skills /spells that you are using. It is a huge part of current end-game. Sometimes you can have 10+ mods impacting one spell
If not matched, you die a lot, if matched you can 3 - 5 shot-kill most mobs (1 or 2 shot kill in max-crafted & augmented gear)
Level transmutation & learn to 'phlog' your loot drops

Attaining level 70 skills and gears allows you to change your emphasis from grinding favour and money to buy skills and spells to one of maximising your gear.
The good thing about PG is that once you have done so, you can repeat it circa another 20 times

Appreciate the info thanks. I only play very of peak and due to some other things will probably only be soloing. I don't mind doing it all myself up until whatever point I am unable. Is there a gear upgrade path for example go here until you get good 40's gear which then allows you to go here to get 50's gear etc?

[Niph]

Thanks again. I guess the way to improve my character is to go to areas where 50-70 stuff drops and then use Transmutation but that is the part I am having trouble with. Maybe I am hitting up the wrong places.

To obtain level 60 gear the most efficient way, in my opinion, is crafted stuff. In the past it was to join Manticore groups and Labyrinth groups, but they don't happen as remotely as often than during the "glorious" days of level 60 cap.

You could try the new sewers in Rahu, but if you've hit a bump it will just be the confirmation that this is too hard for you too.

Gazluk Keep is the endgame gearing up, my feeling is that you're not at this stage yet. However, if you get an invite there, by all means accept it and keep the treasure.

[Mbaums]

Getting over that hump when you feel stuck in level ~40 gear but you are like... 60-70 is rough, and I was absolutely there. Getting gems and materials and then find a guildie to craft some level 60 gear is my first suggestion. I think I hit my first skill at 70 by farming the dinos in eltibule for skins. It was slow and painful. I probably should have ran around the early parts of the goblin dungeon and just looted chests once a day to try and get better quality gear.

Slowing down to put augmentation and transmutation on the radar is a must. These skills will let you stay in a dungeon and just keep on looting things. If you get stuff you don't need, you can break it down into prisms and beads. The prisms will sell well to players if you stay getting too many.

The daily quest from the casino are perfect for you. Try and do them multiple times even if you don't need the final turn in. And look out for groups killing manticores!

Next, gardening-->cooking-->gourmand, and just generally figure out whose favor you need to raise. I would probably recommend getting help from someone and unlocking augury. The lucky buff while inside Rahu Sewers is sweet. I think the goal you should have is, getting yourself ready for the rahu sewers, which is no joke. If you group up with 2 people who are in your same gear-boat, you should be fine in the sewers with minimal deaths, and that is probably the fastest way, but you'll need to rely on others a lot more.