Yupa's Levelling Tips
Version 1.0, July 30, 2002

Contents
 A. Introduction
 B. Levelling
 C. Stats
 D. Finding Good Places for Exp
 E. Potions
 F. Grouping
 G. Attacking
 H. Wimpy
 I. Gremlins and Saras
 J. Tankers
 K. Exp Mode
 L. Duals vs. Advanced

A. Introduction

 - I'm just putting some random thoughts on paper here, mostly things I've picked
 up over the years, and probably do unconsciously.  But these are things that
 are generally good to know, so I hope this helps a bit.
 
B. Levelling

 - Let's face it:  levelling sucks.  It's a necessary evil we've all gotta do.
 You'll get tired of it real quick.  Killing the same mobs over and over gets
 boring.  But it's the only real way to get it done.  Bite the bullet, quit your
 whining, and get to it!

C. Stats

 - Keep your Wis and Con maxed whenever you level.  Use levelling gear if 
 you have to, or train your stats to max when you have the spare practices.
     ** Advanced classes:  Depending on your class, you may be able to push
        some stats higher than your racial limit.  Look into it, and if Wis
        and Con can be raised, then use levelling eq too.  If not, there's 
        really not much point.

 - Levelling EQ.  Piece of the Statue from Dragonnia.  Yoda Statue from
   Suburbs.  Training Potty from PreSchool.  Piece of glass...well, don't
   worry bout that one.  Dictionary from Tap...also something not easily 
   obtainable.  Just get what you can, or ask to borrow someone's levelling
   stuff.

D. Finding Good Places for Exp

 - Ask.  It never hurts.  Everyone's had to level at one point or another, and 
 most will have a good idea, or a foggy recollection (heh), of where a good
 place is to get exp at your level.  

 - Don't stick to the usual places.  EVERYBODY seems to do camelot, pacific, 
 zombies, Marsh, etc.  Try to find someplace new.  Hardly anyone did Centaur
 Isle when I first came back.  Now it's pretty much empty everytime I log on.
 Just don't do something stupid, like going to Calandra to level. :P

 - Don't be too eager to fight the big mobs.  The exp gain might be greater, sure,
 but it's not worth it if you're gonna die alot.  Consider doing slightly 
 easier mobs that give less experience.  It might take longer, but it's safer.

E. Potions

 - Bring em.  Lots of em too.  It may cost a bit in money, but it's worth
 buying a 100 or so ambrosias or teals when you go out to level.  Unless
 you have a healing character handy, this is the way to go.

F. Grouping

 - You can only group within a limited range, typically with others about
 15 levels above or below you.  This range can be extended by using CON gear, 
 even if your con is already at it's max.  Don't ask me how it works, it just
 does.  Don't forget, exp gained when grouped is split among the group, so you'll
 get less exp in a group than when you fight solo.

 - Exp Split;  When grouped, you have to share the exp a mob gives with however many
 players are grouped.  So yeah, while it's nice to do some levelling with other people,
 sometimes you're better off on your own; is it really worth going in a large group if
 you'll only get 1/4 the exp you would alone?

G. Attacking

 - If you've got a stun move, use it.  Better to take the chance of keeping
 the mob from attacking you.  Damage spells are better than nothing too, but
 are generally worthless.  Oh, and don't spam pum mob, or whatever attack type
 you're using...if mobs wander in, you'll be in a whole world of trouble, 
 because you'll attack them instead...then you'll be fighting 2 or more mobs!

H. Wimpy 

 - Wimpy generally is ok for levelling.  Set it to a reasonable level, depending
 on where you are.  But most levelling places, it's usually safe to flee.

I. Gremlins and Saras

 - You can get alot of exp from Gremlins and Saras...even in a group.  Here's the
 thing though:  they hit hard and they sac!  Unless you're in a group w/ someone
 who knows what they're doing, I don't recommend levelling on gremlins and saras.
 Sure, you can reap in alot of exp, but is it worth losing eq?

J. Having a tanker

 - If you've already got a character going, and you're starting a new one, 
 consider using the old one as a tanker.  Wear down the mob significantly, 
 then have the new guy rescue the old one.  A couple rounds and the mob will
 be dead, and your levelling char will gain lots of exp!  If you don't have
 rescue, an alternative is to have the tanker flee, or to have a 3rd character
 to cast calm.  More of a nuisance though.

 - If someone offers to tank, that's cool.  Take em up on it.  I don't recommend
 begging someone to help you level though.  No offense and all, but I personally
 find it annoying as hell, and helping someone can be really boring and frustrating.
 I've helped alot, and all sorts of crappy things happened...guy would just run
 off when they had to go, in the middle of combat....or when they were supposed
 to rescue, they didn't, so the exp was wasted.  All sorts of stuff.  It kinda
 breaks my main rule: Have fun, but not at the expense of others.  The tanker
 is generally not going to be having fun, so please take that into consideration.

K. Exp Mode

 - If it's on, take advantage of it.  Depending on the value it's set at (type
 sys to see if it's on, and how much), you can gain quite a bit more exp on the
 mobs you're used to fighting.  Now Exp doesn't mean you'll get more than your
 max....simply that the mob you're fighting gives that much more exp.  So if you
 used to fight mobs in narshe, but now they give only half the exp that you get
 from whatever you fight now, and Exp Mode x2 is on, that means those narshe mobs
 will give double exp, as much as you get fighting those mobs now.  That means
 you can go in there, and since you're much stronger now, can wipe em out real
 easy for the same gains you get as is.  

 - I wouldn't recommend begging for Exp Mode.  I'm personally not a high enough
 immortal to turn it on, but if I was, I certainly wouldn't turn it on just 
 cause people beg for it constantly.  It's that whole "Are we there yet?" kinda
 thing.

 - Don't use Exp Mode as a crutch!  I know lots of people who only would level
 when Exp Mode is on....and just sat around the rest of the time!  You'll never
 get anything accomplished that way.  We used to level in the old days without
 Exp Mode, and you can still do it the hard way too.

L. Duals vs. Advanced

 - Duals
     
     - You don't max out alot in the beginning.  But as you gain levels, the
     maximum amount of exp you get per kill also goes up.  But you'll also get  
     less for killing that beastly fido than before.  Find new places to go
     so that you can reach your new max exp per kill.

     - The first few levels should be a snap.  I hit some doldrums usually in 
     the teens, but I pick up the pace again fast after that.  You can get
     some really nice exp by the time you're high dual, I don't know the 
     exact maximum values, but easily about 15+ mil per kill.

     - You don't have to run to Bozo's everytime you get enough exp to go up a
     level.  You can actually just keep on killing, when the killings good, and
     just sorta stockpile a load of exp.  Then hit Bozo's and just train your 
     level up multiple times, depending on how much exp you got.  On the other
     hand, do make sure you level now and again, so that you can hit a higher
     exp max.  I mean, sure, you could theoretically stockpile enough exp to go 
     from a level 10 dual to 50/50 in one fell swoop, but it'll take forever to
     get that much exp when you max out at 10,000.

     - I personally prefer levelling up my primary class first, at least til
     it gets to the high 40's or so.  When you can make 15 mil exp a kill then,
     levelling up your 2nd class gets super easy.  Some people may prefer to
     level their 2nd class first, but I find it easier this way.

 - Advanced

     - Surprise!  Level 1 Advanced characters, your exp max just took a major
     dive from when you were a high level dual.  Major suckage.  But, like dual,
     as you level, your max exp potential will also go up.

     - Another surprise....once you get enough exp to level, it's automatic.  
     No more trudging on over to bozo's to train level w, it'll happen as soon
     as you get enough exp to reach the next level.  This also mean you can't 
     stockpile exp and do a mass levelling at one time.  Oh yeah, that also 
     means you should slap on any levelling gear you're needing before you kill
     that last mob that pushes you over the top.

     - If this is your first character, you're going to go WTF?! after finding
     out that there's an exp cap.  Yea, you start out at low exp max in the 
     beginning, just like dual, and that cap eventually raises, but once you 
     hit 7 million exp max, that's it.  Can't get anymore than that per kill.
     Sucks, no?  Well, suck it up and get used to it.  That's just the way things are.



					Lemme know if I missed any good nuggets of 
					wisdom.  Or if I just totally suck and bored
					you to tears.

							Yupa
