(N)EverQuest Scrolls

I am currently at around 550 AAs, at 66. My camp spot is BoT Courtyard, which, with mainly Time gear now, gives me 1.7 – 1.9 AAs/lesson, which is the best I have had since 51. There are two problems; the first is relatively simple, which is that at 67 ALL of the turkeybees turn light blue, which means that my exp rate will drop to 0.9, which isn’t great. The second problem is the abandoned expansion problem (AEP for short).

This AEP problem has hit before, but not to such an extent, and for each previous expansion, SOE has made some sort of fix. Kunark: drop spells become increasingly rare as the content is abandoned – the fix: LoY research for most of these spells, and hot zones that refresh the content. The same problem has hit Velious and Luclin, but with the same fix. PoP/GoD: spells obtained from parchments and runes, mainly fixed with DoD/TSS research – although I still don’t have Blade of the Kedge! Next comes the part that hurts: Omens – I can buy Lesser, Minor and plain Muramite Runes, but Greater and Glowing are a problem (I have one Greater, from an epic kill). These spells are researchable, but only rarely show up in the Bazaar; and to skill up my research from around 230 to the needed 300, at 10k+ per point, isn’t going to be cheap. Obviously I can commission them from researchers, and I probably will.

Affected spells:

69: Elemental Fury, Desolate Summoned, Burning Earth, Renewal of Jerikor, Bulwark of Calliav
70: Circle of Fireskin, Child of Earth, Star Scream, Star Strike, Elemental Simulcram
(Ignoring 70 Ancients: Nova Strike, Veil of Pyrilonus)

These are all researchable, so the problem isn’t great. However, spells from later expansions aren’t, which is a big problem.

68:
Burning Aura: DoD spell arc 68.5, The Rage of Kelliad.
69:
Summon Molten Orb: DoN progression, hits for 700.
Fickle Fire: DoD spell arc 69.4, Rescue Cicero.

70:
Raging Servant: DoD spell arc, 70.5, Into the Shadows.
Spear of Ro: PoR Devestation spell quest (9 skins)
Iceflame Guard: PoR Skylance 3, The Laboratory
Rathe’s Strength: PoR spell 3, Message to the Past

This means that I will be missing almost all of my 69/70 spells, including one that is the real killer, Raging Servant; unless, of course, I can get a guild group to complete the 70 spell arc.

So my plan, as it stands at the moment, is to level rapidly to 71, and work on TBS pirate faction to buy the Rk I spells. I don’t think that there are any faction or quest issues with the TSS spells for 71-75, only the rare drops.

This means that I won’t have most of the AAs that I was planning for 68-70. However, I have already levelled from 66 to 67 with stored 30 AAs and spent them, then deleveled to earn another stored 30.

Reevaluating 67-70 AAs:

Each level to 70:

Reflexive Mastery/Defensive Instincts – defense 5/5
Expansive Mind – mana regen cap raise 5
(Silent Casting 5)
Chaotic Potential – stat cap raise 5
( Discordant Defiance – resist cap raise 5)
( Delay Death 3)

Total 20 per level

Then from Omens/DoD at 67:

(Heart of Ice 9)
(Origin 7)

Total 0 – already purchased

68:

Gift of Mana 6
Destructive Fury 6
Companions Gift 6
Replenish Companion 6
Elemental Swarm 3
(Heart of Vapor 9)

Total 20+27

69:

Replenish Companion 9
Advanced Pet Discipline (no cast) 3
Elemental Swarm 6
Heart of Stone 9

Total 20+27

70:

Gift of Mana 9
Destructive Fury 9
Elemental Swarm 9
Heart of Flames 9
Companions Gift 9

Total 20+45

DoD at 70 only:

( Precognition/Thick Skin (defense) 5x(5+5) )
Elemental Ferocity 3/6/9
(Eradicate Summoned 9)
Extended Burnout 3×5
Guardian of Ro 3/6/9
(Innate See Invis 9)
( Prolonged Mortality 5×5)

Total 51

Of all these, I would place priority on:

Gift of Mana 15
Destructive Fury 15
Replenish Companion 15
Heart of Stone 9

This above the per level AAs. So it looks as if at 71 I will have GoM and DF, ready to earn GoRM, then replan AAs for 71-75.