Is the exp any better now? Talking to current PTS players

xephonics

I quit lineage 2 a while ago at around lvl 40.  The grind was killing both me and my wife - I don't like killing the same mob for 4-5 hrs at a low lvl to just lvl once, but that is beside the point, not trying to debate the exp rates here.

I know gracia just hit the PTS, and from reading the official forums it seems to be at a 1x exp rate.  So based on that assumption, how much faster/better is the leveling?  Is it a noticable difference? 

 

And I'm talking the base exp, not the VP exp, since the VP seems to run out quickly AND regen slowly.

 

So I guess my question is, if i quit solely based on the old slow/boring grind, would this update be worth me re-subbing to the game?

 

EDIT: and yes I know the grind gets hard later on anyways (past 60 is what the articles have said), but I don't mind near end-game grind, I just dont like grind starting in the 30s and 40s.

 

EDIT 2: I Know the official PTS forums would be better to ask this in, BUT as I have said, I quit L2 a while back, and you cannot post there unless you have an active account.  I don't plan on spending $15 just to ask a question :P

Ephimero

People have reported 1-20 in 1 hour, around 5 times faster than before? And there are multiple quests for those levels.

FastTx

The base exp? Well it's the same. However there are Newbie Guide quests that give you loads of exp, he gives you 5 quests, do them all gets you to level 20. It doesn't take long at all.

 

Now about VP running out quickly, the trick is SAVING YOUR VP. Kill the least amount of mobs as possible! Do exactly what the Newbie Guide tells you and NOTHING else. You can hit level 20 with full 4 bars of VP or perhaps very high on your 3rd bar.

Now once you hit 20, raid experience DOES NOT lower your VP. So if you have 3-4 bars of VP, you are gaining 2.5-3x experience per raid boss. Thats huge. If done right and in a good raiding group, you can hit level 40 in under 5 hours total. ALSO 2nd class change quest is EASY. So simple compared to before.

 

Basically levels 1-40 are faster if you DON'T GRIND. Your basically losing exp if you grind anytime along these levels. The only time you might want to grind at these levels if you aren't going to log in the next 2-3 days and want a quick exp bonus. If you can grind with full VP, DO IT.

VP will last longer at higher levels. It's reported in the mid20's it would take one level to wear out 1 bar of VP.

Also the Gracia patch after the one on the PTS is reported to have up to lvl 9 Vitality and up to 6x Exp, while including pets that can give basic max level fighter/mage buffs. So it's only going to get easier from here on.

xephonics

the base exp cannot be the same otherwise NCSoft lied in the press report

Quoted from the press release regarding gracia

"For one thing, experience rewards for killing creatures and accomplishing quests has been increased across the board. This means that you’ll gain a lot more for generally doing the same things you always do. Running out of quests trying to gain experience, or continual creature farming, is not nearly as big of a factor any more. Also, new repetitive quests have been added in each race village to help out players even further."

FastTx

The new repetitive quests added are actually a joke. The quests that are tied in with the Newbie Guide are the recommended ones. Across the board probably means several factors, Vitality, and more physical skills dealing Overhit exp. In fact, while leveling my dagger, mortal blow would allow me to gain 1250~ exp from a mob that would normally give 950~ exp.

Also other related changes that should improve leveling speeds are the 2 new Herb drops (Mortal Blow Power and Vampiric Rage). Also the herbs still drop as frequent as the 2 minute herbs now, except they last for 5 minutes. As long as your exping, you will have constant full herb buffs unless you are leveling really slow.

I have not run out of VP to actually compare the exp of several monsters. I believe there was mention that many of the mobs from levels 1-75 now use spiritshots/soulshots and their exp given has been increased to compensate for that. How much? I haven't tested.

xephonics

guess i should have added the next paragraph, so here they are together:

 

"For one thing, experience rewards for killing creatures and accomplishing quests has been increased across the board. This means that you’ll gain a lot more for generally doing the same things you always do. Running out of quests trying to gain experience, or continual creature farming, is not nearly as big of a factor any more. Also, new repetitive quests have been added in each race village to help out players even further.

We’re also introducing a cool new Vitality system. For one thing, you accumulate Vitality for not being logged in. You can also get Vitality points by staying in a peace zone, or by hunting raid or boss monsters (you’ll get a percentage of your earned raid points in Vitality points). New characters and existing characters before the update goes live also start out with the maximum number of Vitality points."

 

So they are saying the changed the experience given from monsters and quests, AND they are also adding the vitality system.

 

I understand that if you have not run out of vitality you would not be able to feel the monster exp, and unless you were just killing the lowbie mobs on the main server you would probably not notice a moderate change in their exp.

 

I guess I should have waited a few days then asked since most of the people will be out of or low on VP by then, and the base rates will be more obvious then.

Raven

i think you are confusing base exp, with mob experience, base exp is the experience you need to lvl from lvl X to lvl Y that isnt gonna change, if you re-read the letter you will see they have increase the exp rewards for killing monsters, thats no big news they do that every expansion, the only new thing is the vitality system and the increased XP you get from quests to the point its actually worth doing every single one of them to lvl.

Aldogo

Got from 35 to 40 doing one-time quests and class change quest.

The reward for the class change quests has increased alot (1mil xp for level 39 quest) and you get adena too now

 

PyroAmos

the update guide I saw said lv1-40 is much easier, so since your 40 already.... I don't know if it would really be worth it, since your already past the part they made easier, but, I havn't played it so, I don't know.

xephonics

I would be starting fresh on a new server, so I would be right in the middle of the best changes

 

Btw does anyone have a refer a friend thingie I could get so I could try the PTS out and/or post on the forums for more info ?