All By Myself: A Guide to Goin' Solo in Hyboria!
Whether you are a completely social creature who happened to log in at the exact
moment all your friends had to log off, or are the sort that enjoys the quiet
solitude of single player adventuring, chances are everyone will end up playing
solo at some time.
There is no shame in soloing. Yes, yes I know. There is a
distinct "multi-player" ideal in the concept of MMOGs, but being a part of
the community as a whole doesn't always mean you are never allowed to venture
out onto your own and enjoy the pride of tackling difficult feats on your own
merit. If you can't find a group, or just don't want to, your playtime
should still be filled with enjoyment and soloing can be just as rewarding as
any other style of gameplay.
Many find soloing be very different than
grouping , but there are some basic
elements that when grasped can make soloing not only possible, but very
effective! These elements not only apply to Age of Conan specifically, but
many will be applicable regardless of which MMOG you choose to play. This
guide will cover the basics that will hopefully help you along or maybe give you
some of your own ideas on how to make the most of your in-game alone time!
Not All Classes Are Created Equal
I stand by my long time stance that all classes can solo. I will
concede though that some will do it better than others and some require a much
steeper learning curve. So how do you know which classes make the best soloers?
src="http://www.tentonhammer.com/image/view/41706"> |
|
|
Word on the street is that the
Guardian has a survivability that
can be quite impressive. If you take the Guardian's natural ability to
take a hit and spec your feats for damage, you have the potential to burn
through mobs and come out fairly unscathed.
Another good solo class is the
Necromancer. Pet classes have long been
heralded as excellent solo classes across games and it continues to hold true in
Age of Conan. It's a difficult class to get the hang of in the lower
levels, but once you get a little higher up there you should do okay.
Healers such as the Bear Shaman,
Priest of Mitra, and the
Tempest of Set all
do quite well once you get into your damage and self healing groove. Be
sure to point some points into your damage abilties to boost the typically
lessened damage output of healers.
Even if you don't play a stellar solo class you can still rock
Hyboria all on your lonesome...
Know Thyself!
A major factor in how well a player solos is how well they know their class.
No, I'm not talking about the quality time we know you spend with your topless
Aquilonian. I mean learning what your class can do and what it cannot do in detail.
Each class is given the tools to be successful in game.
- Combos and Spells: Know what they do and how it helps you.
Some do more damage than others and debuffs can be awesome at crippling your
opponent when you need it. - Skills: These are often overlooked until you need one. Keep up
with these and allocate those points! - Feats: These are a strong ally for any player.
Study various feat
builds and find what works for you. These can very easily be the
difference you need to make you a better soloer.
|
src="http://www.tentonhammer.com/image/view/44239"> |
|
|
Gear is in game to protect your character and boost your stats. I'll
often spend hours scouring the Trader looking for better or more useful gear.
Don't be afraid to put out a little coin to get something you need now, even if
you are unfortunate enough to get the same item as a drop shortly after.
It happens, but having the best gear you can afford will do a lot for your
solo-ability.
Go Where The Action Is
As a solo player, I rarely grind. If I do, it is only to get myself
high enough level for the next wave of questing. Quests generally yield far
more experience in the same amount of time than standing around and killing
stuff. Plus, it's far less tedious.
A lot of MMOGs these days are aware that quests are an important part of the
gaming experience. Questing in Age of Conan is encouraged with the flow of
storyline throughout the game, NPC icons to note quests in your level range, and
map waypoints that make finding what you need just a little bit easier.
Utilize all these tools and take advantage of online assistance such as Ten Ton
Hammer's Quest Guides.
Everyone's questing methods are different, but I prefer to keep my questing
organized. I go to each area, gather all that I can and I return when they
are all done. Many quests found together within the same camp will require
the same mobs or lead you to the same enemy area, so it's just more time
effective to do it this way. Make a note when a quest sends you to speak
with a NPC at another camp. These will end up being new questing hubs that you'll want to revisit soon.
Not
all quests will be soloable. There will always be grouped-geared content
that you just cannot do, and that is okay! Either save that stuff for when
you do have a group, or just skip it. Keep in mind though, just because it
is marked as being a group quest, it does not mean you can't solo it. I've
stumbled upon quite a few in AoC that lead you to a more dangerous area, but
were completely doable with a little patience.
Which leads us to our next topic...
Get Creative!
Getting it done is all that really counts here, and sometimes you have to get
a little bit creative with that. Do play within the rules of the game
(exploits are a no-no!) but sometimes it really helps to think outside of the
box.
What do I mean? Well, for example; you need a specific mob for your
quest but you can't solo through all the riff raff. Is there another way
of getting at the mob? I've been known to find ways of getting around
areas, rather than going through, to get what I need. Obviously every
situation is different, but if you find yourself stuck on something, try it from a
different angle and look for the less mainstream solution. It will
sometimes take a little longer to accomplish things when you're playing solo,
but it is so very rewarding when you finally nail it.
Regardless of how you play, the point is to have fun! Please take these
tips with you on your soloing adventures to help make the most of your
valuable gaming time.
To read the latest guides, news, and features you can visit our Age of Conan: Unchained Game Page.
