It’s just a point of view… when I played EQ I would have to play for hours to feel like I accomplished something, and to get into a good group you’d sometimes need hours. Once in the group and grinding it is a social game, because it has to be to hold interest.

I love that world but what I really loved about it was the community and my friends and later my guild. Seeing content and raiding was the icing on the cake.

I’m looking forward to trying Naggy and Vox, and I’d like to take Trak down, we never managed that the first time since he was never home.

As you say — if you’re going up against end-game bosses, even if they are 10 expansions-ago end-game, resists matter. I think resists are a ton easier to get now though, and even two years ago they were manageable for those guilds working a couple expansions back (as we are likely to be).

I went on a couple extremely unprepared raids which took a couple HOURS to get moving. It was awful. However, the idea of raiding and crawling as a group is definitely interesting to me and I find myself drawn to the “big kill”. I love taking down named and all that goes into it.

I also know that this group will be prepared for whatever we try and I’m thoroughly excited about the future. Like I said before… I’ll follow Nostalgia wherever it decides to tread!

/em looks around for his gnomish fast-deploying parachute for when he follows Star’s “directions”…

You should realize, that killing the dragons *is* a raid, and you will need to prepare. We’ve seen time and again that our better gear is not an automatic *I WIN* button. These dragons will strip your buffs and fear you into monsters who will thump you.

The Hole is *also* a raid once you get deep enough. In fact, almost every regular zone we explore is also partly a raid zone. There wasn’t a hard division between group content and raid content in old EQ, and there could be a time when we’re exploring Old Sebilis or Karnor’s Castle or Kedge Keep and come upon something that spits us in the eye, and we decide we want to spit back.

Though once we get past level limited mobs like the old dragons, usually the bosses are killed casually by higher level people. So we might never get the chance. And we will never be a raid guild, but we might well be a guild that raids on rare occasions.

I fully agree with Loredena… I was never much of a raider. Too much time to get things set, too many people trying to do their own thing, and everything else that came with them.

No matter what, I’d try anything with this group of folks. (well, except maybe going to The Hole with Star…)

TGINF!!! (Thank Goodness It’s Nostalgia Friday!) Cya tonight all!

So, while it IS odd to see the low level gear in comparison to what was once a big deal to get (I had a Dark Ember in the bank that isn’t being used because a Defiant drop was better), it’s not particularly upsetting to me. Nor is it surprising, as I remember watching it happen with every expansion (and WoW’s BC expansion practically defined mudflation!)

Urtog: “I thought ‘e was s’posta be red…why’s he look greener thin I ‘member?”

Tipa: “You always have crap coming out of your mouth, maybe some of it got in your eyes.”

Stargrace: “No…I think he’s right, he definitely looks more green than he used to…”

Urtog: “An’ I’m rilly not ‘memberin’ ‘im havin’ a beefy arm comin’ oot th’ middle his back like that!”

Stargrace: “I see consummate V’s…I think we should leave. Now.”

*The dragon stirs!*

Trogdor: “FOOLS! YOUR DEFIANT GEAR MAY HAVE GOTTEN YOU THIS FAR! BUT YOUR DEFIANT ATTITUDES WILL BE YOUR UTTER BURNINATION!”

Nostalgia the Guild was Burninated into oblivion like so many thatched-roof cottages that day, they were never seen again.