Ten Ton Hammer - Taking MMO Gamers to the Next Level!

And he'll stay at full health until you destroy all the bone piles.

Just like in every other MMOG out there, the bane of my existence resides in the form of spiders. Not only are there spiders, but there are big *huge* spiders. Not content with simple spiders though, the development team saw fit to include spider eggs. Not just as decoration, but as actual hatching spider eggs that spew forth a swarm of the creepy crawlies to come feed on you. They're not hard to take out and admittedly, the art team could have made them creepier if they'd been mean, but still... I *hate* spiders. Other than the eggs bursting around you for added horror, the web isn't too hard to gather for Sven and this section goes by quickly.

Upon your return, Sven says he has great news, but claims you're not strong enough to help him. If I hear this from one more person in the game, I think I'm going to snap. Sadly, there's no other choice than to go out and start cranking away. Fortunately for me (and you), Natali has a doozy of a final request.

First up, she needs some life magic samples from Forest Snakes and Battle Warthogs at Mugwort's Hollow. The objectives (and some of the targets) of this instance can prove to be beyond frustrating at first. During my first few attempts, I thought getting the bonus objective of completing the area in less than 10 minutes was literally impossible.

By the time I'd run through far more than once (it's a long way to level 20), I was able to complete it with anywhere from three to four minutes to spare. You're going to do this zone (and this quest) a lot if you want to crank out the levels to get to 20. Once you set that in your mind though, the loot alone is very much worth it. Not only do you finally get to look cool (some of the robes are *sweet*!), but you'll make quite a bit of cash from this area.

There are a lot of tricks and traps in this one so rather than spoil any surprise, I'm going to leave it alone. If anyone truly gets stuck though, feel free to send me an email here and I'll be happy to give you some tips. This is the most challenging instance I've gone through in the game though in terms of strategy, so take some time to try it out.

The second item Natali needs is some undead magic from the Grave Elementals in Blackspore Swamp. While the concept of this battle is easy enough, the execution is not. When you spawn the Grave Elemental, you must immediately begin destroying all the bone clusters on the ground because he'll draw strength and health from them as long as they exist. Completely ignore him as you go running around destroying the bones and (unfortunately) drinking health potions. After the last set of bones have been destroyed, dig your heels in and get ready for a fight with the Grave Elemental. It's not going to be quick and painless, and be prepared with enough potions when you go in. Did I forget to mention the roaming columns of purple flames that roam around also? Best to avoid those if you can. As long as you pay attention to your health, mana, and potions count, you should be fine.

When you've completed all these steps, return to Natali for a very welcome experience bonus and start the process all over again... if you're crazy and are trying to grind your way to level 20. Just as a reminder from my own experiences, this is *not* the way the game was meant to be played. I strongly suggest taking time to do other things in the game as you make your way to level 20. You'll thank me for it later.