Heroic Characters Coming Next Week!

Heroic Characters ("instant Level 85" characters) will make their EverQuest debut on Wednesday, March 12, 2014:

Heroic Characters give players the opportunity to select any class and start out in EverQuest with everything they need to be successful! In response to both former and current player feedback, we wanted to provide an opportunity for players to return to play EverQuest without worrying about an overwhelming level gap. We've also been asked for a way to let players try out high-level classes before committing valuable time to leveling one.

Players should find it much easier to begin their adventures in Norrath when they start at level 85 with a full complement of gear, Alternative Advancement Abilities, and a unique mount. Regardless if you're a veteran player that wants to try a new class, a new player that wants to get caught up to your friends, or a player that hasn't visited Norrath in a long time, Heroic Characters are a great way for you to get in the game!

And do you want to hear the best part? You can have one for free.

Players that create an EverQuest Heroic Character between Wednesday, March 12 and Wednesday, March 26, 2014 can have one completely free of charge.

In addition, if you decide you want more than one Heroic Character we want to make that easy for you also. Heroic Characters will be priced at 3500SC.

New Race and Class Combinations

In celebration for the 15th Anniversary of EverQuest, we're adding two new Race and Class combinations to the game. For the first time ever, players will be able to explore Norrath as a Wood Elf Beastlord or a Froglok Monk. These choices will become available to players when creating characters starting Wednesday, March 12, 2014.

Rolling a new character and getting them caught up to your friends can be a lot of work. If you don't want to start one of these toons from scratch, you can opt to start one as a Heroic Character.

So what are you waiting for? Pick your class and play for FREE at www.everquest.com

Comments

Post Comment
Dying
# Mar 15 2014 at 11:42 AM Rating: Decent
Will we be able to change the color of our Armor on the heroic characters ?? It looks like a sea of green in the guild lobby. I have tried dying the armor but it won't let not even the armor I have won for the new char ??
thank you
Stuff of legends
# Mar 10 2014 at 8:00 PM Rating: Decent
Scholar
47 posts
I have been with EQ since the start. I don't really like the idea of auto 85 characters really. But only because I think so highly of the sub 85 level zones. I don't mind that others roll 85 chars from the get go, I just won't do it because I like the spice of crushing Droga or Dalnir, Crypt of Nadox, or Harbringer's Spire. There are too many well designed zones to name them all. Just a little story behind each of them, but it sure is a whole lot of content missed.
Question
# Mar 09 2014 at 8:32 PM Rating: Good
So if we create a heroic character on the test server, to test them out. Will that in turn use up the one free try we'll get starting this Wednesday on the live server, or are they separate uses?
Question
# Mar 10 2014 at 2:11 AM Rating: Good
Scholar
*
199 posts
"Players that create an EverQuest Heroic Character between Wednesday, March 12 and Wednesday, March 26, 2014 can have one completely free of charge."
What if?
# Mar 09 2014 at 6:19 PM Rating: Good
Scholar
41 posts
I hope this is silly question, but what if you have a level 82 toon that is fully HoT t2 geared, as 82 allows, and you choose to "make it a hero" to skip 3 levels of grinding? Do you suddenly find yourself in abstruse and fearful reverie again?
What if?
# Mar 09 2014 at 6:46 PM Rating: Excellent
Scholar
48 posts
I tried this on the test machine. Strip off all your goodies, armor weapons all slots. Convert to get the level and the autogrant aa, then reequip as needed goodies from your saved stuff, best of both worlds, right? Some of the stuff they gave was surprisingly good. Don't forget to move your augs!

Bottom line for me though, is that I will just create a couple of porters and a cleric to back up my regular teams, otherwise, business as usual, my regular alts will sojer on. I like the leveling, the hand-crafting of my toons (soloing, moloing, grouping and boxing if needed), and there is still a lot of content out there! I am here until they turn out the lights.

Good hunting
What if?
# Mar 09 2014 at 6:19 PM Rating: Decent
Scholar
41 posts
delete double post

Edited, Mar 9th 2014 8:22pm by Foradlen
On Test now
# Mar 09 2014 at 12:46 PM Rating: Good
*
85 posts
You can make a heroic character on Test now. The server is overrun with them to the point that most zones are lagging. Lots of grouping going on too.
Just make a tool
# Mar 09 2014 at 8:06 AM Rating: Good
Sage
*
75 posts
As a 13 year vet, I see nothing heroic about starting a lvl 85 toon. I see EQ just creating a bigger EASY button for everyone. Everything is easy now. I play because of nostalgia, nothing more.

As for this freebie, well - I'm going to make a wizard on my 2nd account to port my main toons around. Then I'm going to create a mage on my main account and level him up for the goodies they bring me. It won't effect my regular play other than now I have a way to port around easier for my dailies. Thanks Sony. HA
The Rise & Fall of EQ
# Mar 08 2014 at 10:43 PM Rating: Decent
EQ has its highest population back when it was considered a 'Hard' game.Only those that put in the work were able to enjoy the best parts of the game & this is what made it so addicting..wanting to be 1 of the elite.As they made the game easier the population grew smaller & now its at its pinnacle of dumb mode.New players??What a joke,what person between ages of 12-25 that never played EQ would decide to start playing over console games? Or even the hundreds of other free games.Im not sure where SOE did this polling or what poll their smoking but EQ is now just a shade of its former self.RIP EQ
heroic charachters
# Mar 08 2014 at 4:53 PM Rating: Excellent
6 posts
I think that leveling up is what makes the game interesting and fun. You have to learn to be patient with yourself and others as you learn new skills and meet new people along the way. It should be interesting to see how this all works out.
more players-reward the older ones!
# Mar 08 2014 at 3:37 PM Rating: Good
If it brings in more people to the population thats great! You never see people lfg anymore as the population has dwindled. If you want to make the people that have been playing forever and earned every stitch of exp and aa happy, grant them special, unique things that show they have been around and earned that stuff the old school way. (Like vet rewards but not lame like them, because its a slap in the face to get summon personal tribute or banker or permutation peddler)!
more players-reward the older ones!
# Mar 09 2014 at 7:21 AM Rating: Good
Scholar
Avatar
**
483 posts
I gotta agree with you. What worthless vet rewards. Maybe its the zone i have been in but i have never been able to use the banker or personal tribute guy when i needed them which is less then 3 times total since i have gotten them. I have used the peddler twice to sell stuff saving me the time from moving one zone over to sell things.

In regards to the heroic characters. This was a long time coming. I knew they would eventually do something like this. Its no surprise. If they think it helps with revenue then they know better then i do. Everyone seems to think they know whats better for business then SoE without actually seeing any of the $ figures.

When i saw this news post i figured i was going to see at least one post about the end of Everquest or how it was already dead and at least one other person that said they would be cancelling what ever account memberships they had. Not surprised to see its true. Typical when it comes to Everquest news. EDIT: Removed both names.

Edited, Mar 9th 2014 10:31am by Rickymaru
more players-reward the older ones!
# Mar 10 2014 at 3:33 AM Rating: Decent
Scholar
Avatar
*
132 posts
Quote:
What worthless vet rewards. Maybe its the zone i have been in but i have never been able to use the banker or personal tribute guy when i needed them which is less then 3 times total since i have gotten them. I have used the peddler twice to sell stuff saving me the time from moving one zone over to sell things.


Rickymaru, regarding the summoned clockwork bankers and other 'pet-like' veteran rewards...

1. they require a buff slot

2. You can't have a pet or even a familiar when you summon them or you'll get the 'you can only have one pet at a time' message.

3. You can use other peoples' summoned clockwork banks / merchants.

4. In zones where buffs do not count down, they will remain until you zone or the player clicks the buff off.

You *might* be able to suspend minion and cancel your familiar if you need to summon a clockwork merchant / banker, but lower level characters with a fully equipped pet OR higher lvl characters with an active pet AND a suspended pet are unfortunately required to kill it in order to summon these clockwork-type veteran rewards.

Rather strange, but if you are a petless class, these type of vet rewards are more useful because you don't have to worry about killing your fully mage-geared pet to get the clockwork to appear.

And I agree with you in that most vet rewards stink. They need to be revamped. The clockwork-type vet rewards should be some of the first you get, not the last. The permutation peddler needs to be removed and replaced with something that helps you in combat.

Edited, Mar 10th 2014 5:39am by zirumkin
____________________________
If you can't do something well, learn to enjoy doing it poorly.

My Rathe / Prexus characters:

Bigbronze Bloodyaxe, 62 Ogre Berserker
Verbeeg Bearfang, 62 Ogre Beastlord
Glabrezu Spiritcaller, 62 Ogre Shaman
Zirumkin Zenomorph, 62 Gnome Wizard
Korgulon Soulwraith, 76 Ogre Shadowknight <Shining Alliance>
Incarnadine Summoner, 65 Drakkin Magician

Bristlebane characters:

Zalkahriz Ebonscale, 64 Iksar Necromancer
Gnomorre Gniceguy, 55 Gnome Rogue
Whytfire Lonewolf, 55 Woodelf Ranger
more players-reward the older ones!
# Mar 10 2014 at 12:14 PM Rating: Decent
Scholar
Avatar
**
483 posts
ah cool. Thanks for the info zirumkin. Must have been the rallosian battle figure i had up at the time. I always keep the buff but i dismiss the pet itself usually. Or i guess full buffs.
more players-reward the older ones!
# Mar 08 2014 at 6:36 PM Rating: Good
**
654 posts
a slap in the face??? i guess if you have never had someone bring one out during a long missoion when your bags were full and you needed to sell or bank and if you never ran out of tribute during araid because you forgot to go visit a tribute master that day, then you would not understand the value of these. Personally, i am looking forward to my account being old enough to have these and i will be highly disappointed if the devs were to decide they were trivial based on your post.
____________________________
Success comes when preparation meets opportunity -- and EQ is no exception.
Who?
# Mar 08 2014 at 12:53 PM Rating: Good
Scholar
48 posts
I was just kind of wondering why the nay-sayers think only green newbies will be creating these Heroic characters, and why they think that an old timer would not take his 'creation' out solo/molo and play it awhile to learn its capabilities? I am sure there will be newbies, of course, but I think the trick will be to see who is a green newbie, and who is an old timer, well experienced in the game, who knows to exercise the character a bit to get comfortable with it.

From another point of view, there are still 15 levels of struggle to go before getting to 100. It would seem to me that if the player, green or not, has not learned his toon in 15 levels, then it is unlikely he would starting from level 1. And how is buying a toon at 85 any different from paying someone to PL a toon to 85? The owner starts out just as dumb, doesn't he?

As for disrupting guild play, the criteria and reputation for getting into a high level guild won't soften particularly, admittance will still be based on good play, experience, reputation, or the good-old-boy network, that is not nor should not change. Existing guild members might use this gimmick to create toons for a particular purpose, but everyone would know about it. After others in the guild help drag the new toon up 15 levels, the kinks would be worked out.

So the only danger in all this would seem to be in the pickup-grouping game, but hasn't that always been risky? You never know what you're getting when you invite someone, that's why they have had boot options since day 1.

So after the knee-jerk negative reaction, I gave it some thought, and realized that some green newbie or veteran starting a character at 85 is no different than eBay, or inheriting your brother/father/sister's account, or a totally inept 'boxer.' These players have always been there, a steady minority, but always something you have to look out for. Nothing has really changed, except maybe EQ will last longer.

Just my 2 bits.

I went out on the test machine, and converted an old test toon sitting out there. The mechanics are simple, there's a green button you push to convert your toon, and another green button you push to create one from scratch. When you push the button and create your toon, both buttons go away. If you don't have an empty slot, you have to buy one. Again not a problem for most, you can buy three in the market place and three more from the loyalty gal. Otherwise you need to delete a mule, I guess. It's not a problem with brand new accounts, of course, because you start out with 8 slots, even though no plat and no loyalty chips. The toon gets a full set of equipment, jewelry, weapons but no plat. He gets the 'auto-grant' AA and maxed out skills in about everything (ie, no tradeskills, etc). I converted a BST, he had spells going back from 85 into the low 70's at least, before I quit checking. An interesting problem, with no plat, you can't pay your merc, so he immediately goes to sleep.

The question I have not found an answer for is how they define 'household' in the nov/13 rule. There seems to be something about if you started your account after nov/13, you only get one freebie per 'household.' I see how that might help keep down a flood of total newbies, but the question was asked by someone, what is a 'household' and I have not seen any answers yet. That was on the EQ boards. I am still watching for an answer. Any info on that?

Good hunting, all.
Who?
# Mar 08 2014 at 6:24 PM Rating: Good
**
654 posts
the "per household" is based on the ip address. so if you are using the same internet connection as someone else in your household, you would not be able to make extras. however, if this works like on eq2, then for the first free toon it is per account. if you have more than one account, you can create more than one. or raise more than one.

the only time the per household applies is when you wait until after March 8 to make your account- so if you are planning a new account, get it made now.

Edited, Mar 8th 2014 7:29pm by iyeni
____________________________
Success comes when preparation meets opportunity -- and EQ is no exception.
Who?
# Mar 08 2014 at 2:36 PM Rating: Excellent
Guru
Avatar
**
610 posts
Numantic wrote:
The question I have not found an answer for is how they define 'household' in the nov/13 rule. There seems to be something about if you started your account after nov/13, you only get one freebie per 'household.' I see how that might help keep down a flood of total newbies, but the question was asked by someone, what is a 'household' and I have not seen any answers yet. That was on the EQ boards. I am still watching for an answer. Any info on that?


I was wondering the same thing..

My guess would be that "household" refers to ip address ..to make it less attractive for boxers to flood the zones with heroic characters. The down side to that is, in a case where a husband and wife team play (I know one such couple in real life and another couple in game ) separate accounts from one ip address they would only get one heroic character.

If it has anything to do with owning a house in game...I would be down and out.. As in almost 9 years of EQ I still have "no place of abode" or no home - in game lol.
Who?
# Mar 13 2014 at 8:46 AM Rating: Decent
Scholar
24 posts
I still have not seen an adequate answer given to this question. If a household has two accounts, be they husband/wife, or father/son, or whatever, does each account have the ability to create a Heroic character? It would be a shame to see people penalized because both wanted a Heroic toon on the account they are paying for, regardless of being under the same roof.
Who?
# Mar 13 2014 at 9:02 AM Rating: Decent
Scholar
24 posts
Never mind. I have now found the answer I was looking for, and feel silly. :P
you know, we heard all the "down" stuff on eq2
# Mar 08 2014 at 11:05 AM Rating: Decent
**
654 posts
However, not much changed. the free toons were a novelty and we enjoyed making them. but in the end, people still pay for pl and people still start level 1 toons and learn to play them to the max, and people still enjoyed all the things they did before the heroics came out, including the xp potions. so sad that every change has to be met with such depressing attitudes.

just like when they came out with stuff that everyone thought would nerf the need for krono and that we wouldn't be able to sell them anymore. on my eq2 server krono now sells for 3 times as much as it did before. change doesn't have to be bad nor does it mean the end of anything.
____________________________
Success comes when preparation meets opportunity -- and EQ is no exception.
heroic blah
# Mar 08 2014 at 10:35 AM Rating: Default
now one more thing off the list of things players could make a little plat on helping lvl a toon either solo or in groups . no more exp potions . no real use of the research skill any more . i only have 2 accounts but i have removed auto renew subscriptions for both i have been beaten up enuf :-(
Heroic Toons
# Mar 08 2014 at 9:41 AM Rating: Good
Scholar
24 posts
I am looking forward to creating a level 1 Wood Elf Beast Lord on the 12th, and enjoying the experience of leveling up. I intend to go through the complete tutorial, which I have not done. I also still have a number of zones never visited at any length that I can explore while gaining experience. I would not enjoy the character as much if it were given to me as an 85 with full gear and abilities.

I believe this is something akin to what WoW did when they introduced the Death Knight character. It did not win raves from the majority of the player base who had put in the time working their characters up level by level. But then, we already have a large portion of the EQ player base playing PL'ed toons that they invested little time in actually earning the skills and experience, so I guess it is pointless to debate against the Heroic addition. It does disappoint, however.
Heroic?
# Mar 08 2014 at 8:27 AM Rating: Good
Scholar
***
2,600 posts
Ironic name.

There is nothing "heroic" about such toons. Cowardly might be more accurate.

Such toons were not progressed through heroic battles and adventures, nor did they become skilled toons (players) by learning the class -- but by entitlement for the short attention span theater.

I suspect the idea is to increase revenues. I sense this will actually work short term... long term it I believe it will backfire (short attention span players who come and go, will always come and go to the next "new" game).

If there is no challenge, there is no adventure. If there is no adventure there is no fun that comes with the sense and pride of accomplishment. Like most console games, buy it, see it and/or beat it, put it aside, never play it again.

I understand that EQ, after all these years, is still their big game. Why the sabotage? There are better ways to attract attention and retain players long term. There are better ways to increase revenue.

Advertising is one huge way. Appearances at non-Sony conventions need to be game specific (EQ not All-Sony) and more fun/player oriented than a sales pitch/presentation. Even if it is "Meet the Dev's," "Q&A with the Dev's." "Players helping Players with EQ Secrets," or "How To in EQ."

There are a lot of things that still need fixed, improved or changed (pathing, targeting, warping, broken quests...). And stop nerfing! If it is added to the game and players figure out a strategy to use it to advantage -- so what? Strategy is a big part of the game...

It isn't cheating. An expansion or two later, the issue will probably be self-correcting anyway (...doesn't work at higher levels, or new MOB's are made resistant/immune to it...).

I fail to understand the idea of opening content "X" expansions old. After all, you can just about go back and beat it all, alone, at Level 100, with little trouble.

What would make more sense would be to eliminate certain reasons to have to do it over and over again (other than helping other players). Example, Rank III spells 15+ levels back could be made researchable. Or at least tradable.

However, as contradictory as it may sound, there are many things that have been added to the game that are good.

With the trouble people have finding groups (actually, its more like finding a group doing what they want to do, but hey), mercenaries are awesome and allow you to do some solo adventuring without boxing. Things that actually increase play time versus "getting there and setting up" are also great (re: Fellowships). Housing is awesome, to show off and store those hard earned trophies (notice I didn't say free things). The trade skill recipe windows are big time savers. Handing in stacked items was long overdue.

Things such as this are ways to improve the game... not by handing people something on a silver platter, but by actually improving game play and reducing time syncs on certain truly monotonous actions.



Edited, Mar 8th 2014 9:28am by GOMN
____________________________

Heroic toons
# Mar 08 2014 at 12:20 AM Rating: Good
49 posts
Smiley: rolleyesSmiley: oyvey not overly thrilled about these. it is just going to give us a new influx of higher level people who dont know how to play a toon. Its the new Monster Missions!
Character Limit?
# Mar 07 2014 at 9:43 PM Rating: Good
Scholar
Avatar
**
313 posts
I already have 14 toons. Will I have to delete one of them to have a Heroic Character? Is the number of characters an account can have increasing? Is 14 still the max. limit on number of toons?

Thanks for any insight on this...
____________________________
-----
Henrian Illinoid -
80th Level Half Elf 4000AAs/Epic 1.5
Ranger of Tunare - The Rathe
http://www.magelo.com/eq_view_profile.html?num=437223
Character Limit?
# Mar 08 2014 at 9:07 AM Rating: Excellent
Avatar
****
4,580 posts
bschenk wrote:
I already have 14 toons. Will I have to delete one of them to have a Heroic Character? Is the number of characters an account can have increasing? Is 14 still the max. limit on number of toons?

Thanks for any insight on this...



In EQII (where they piloted this) you get the prompt/option on every login to upgrade any character to heroic status.

I expect this will be the same in EQ, meaning you could (if you have one) boost an existing sub-level 85 character up to 85 rather than deleting one.

If all your characters are above 85... then try a new server was a good suggestion.
Character Limit?
# Mar 07 2014 at 10:09 PM Rating: Excellent
39 posts
Make the new character on another server... problem solved. :-)
____________________________
Chappy & Zzorb on Povar
Post Comment

Free account required to post

You must log in or create an account to post messages.