norrath

Norrath is the fictional world of the EverQuest franchise.

EverQuest
EverQuest II
EverQuest Next
EverQuest Online Adventures

EverQuesting: Returning to EverQuest II’s Guk (for the first time)

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In my last EverQuesting, I mentioned that I had not participated in much — if any — of EverQuest II’s The Shadow Odyssey content. I’ve since realized that TSO added dungeons all around Norrath, dungeons that I have delved and explored; I just haven’t touched anything related to the expansion’s zone, Moors of Ykesha. That includes all things Guk. And as luck would have it, Daybreak has focused its newest content update on just that! The just-released GU107 Return to Guk is meant to entice players back to The Shadow Odyssey content. So guess who is going to be checking this out?

Perhaps I am more excited to dive back into Guk because I have never experienced it before, but I am sure I am not the only player who hasn’t seen it. If, like me, you missed out previously, you might also be eager for your max-level characters to Return to Guk… for the very first time. Fair warning, however: Guk refers only to a set of dungeons. Dungeons you access from the Plane of Magic in the newest expansion, Planes of Prophecy. So if you’re hoping for a hook to return you to the Moors of Ykesha, you’ll be disappointed. As much as I am interested in revisiting older content, I think Daybreak missed quite an opportunity here.

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EverQuesting: Ranking our favorite EverQuest II expansions

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I was recently asked which EverQuest II expansion was the best. The best! I didn’t know how to answer that really: I am not especially great at labeling something as such because tastes differ, so my answer wouldn’t be the same as another player’s. And more than that, there are 14 of them (17 if I stretch it to include Adventure Packs) to think back on over the last 13+ years. That’s a lot of info that can kind of blend together as you adventure throughout Norrath.

But it got me to thinking: What are my favorite EQII expansions? Which expansions stand out, and which ones slipped away from memory? Which ones do I like best, and why? Do I prefer best bang for the buck or better features? Those are questions I set out to answer this week, so please join in this not-really-a-ranking discussion of the best of EQII’s expansions.

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The Game Archaeologist: A history of EverQuest’s expansions

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I don’t know if EverQuest holds the crown title for the MMO with the most expansions, but I’m sure it’s among the top three if not at the number one spot on that list. It’s astounding to count them up and realize that two dozen expansions have come out for that game between 2000 and 2017. That averages to a little more than one per year!

Today I want to pay tribute to the 24 expansions of EverQuest by going through them, one by one, and seeing how they grew and enriched the game over the past decade-and-a-half. I would also love to hear testimonies in the comments as to which EverQuest expansion you enjoyed the most!

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EverQuesting: A guide to EverQuest II’s new Oceansfull Festival

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So there was an update in EverQuest II recently. It was major enough it had a real name. But honestly, that barely garnered a blink from me. Then devs announced a new Othmir-centered Norrathian festival, and I am all excited! That’s right, throw a party with otters and I am so there. And that’s exactly what the Othmir are doing: partying. They are shaking their tails, tossing up fireworks, and dancing like nobody’s watching. What they aren’t doing is offering any involved quest hoops for players to jump through to join them. (Yes, the game has officially eschewed its name for this event.). They are just being chill and enjoying themselves, and they invite the rest of Norrath to do so as well.

Wait, what? No quests? This is EverQuest II: How will I know what to do? you may ask. That’s where this guide comes in handy. Find out the what, why, and where right here. Just be sure to jump in before 2:59 a.m. EDT on Tuesday, June 19th, because that’s when the party stops. If you’d rather see a video guide walkthrough, we also have that too!

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EverQuest II debuts its otterly adorable Oceansfull festival

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Is it ever too late in an MMO’s lifecycle to introduce a new holiday? We think not! EverQuest II is jazzing up June with a festival that’s all about otters. Oh, you laugh, but give it a few seconds of thought. Who wouldn’t want to go to an otter festival? They hold hands when they sleep — and when they party!

“Although this began as an othmir celebration, pirates, sailors, fishermen, and other ocean-folk have caught on quickly, joining in the reverie and praising the Ocean Lord,” EverQuest II said. “Now, they have decided to expand the festivities even further — for the first time, they have decided to open the celebration to all of Norrath and anyone who may want to join in on the festivities!”

This festival, which runs through June 18th, takes place around certain bodies of water and encourages players to go on a clam shell hunt to earn titles, complete collections, and grab several new ocean-themed rewards.

Source: EverQuest II

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EverQuesting: Seven must-dos with your free EverQuest II level 100

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We are smack-dab in the middle of the free level 100 giveaway in EverQuest II for all existing accounts. If you haven’t made your character yet (perhaps you are having trouble choosing between all the races and classes EQII has to offer), you have until Thursday, June 7th, 2018, to do it. And make it I would! Don’t miss out on this opportunity: Now is your chance to see and do things you may never have before, especially if you’ve you’ve been away from the game a long time and/or have never had this high of a level before. This is even a good opportunity for current players who don’t own the latest Planes of Prophecy expansion thanks to the sneak peek period.

OK, so now that you are making one, what can you do with a newly minted level 100? Sure, it may not be the best idea to immediately take it into a max-level raid; you might want to get a good feel for what the skills and abilities are first before some hard-core play. But there are a number of activities that are perfect for your fresh-from-character-creation fighter/healer/scout/mage. Here are seven must-dos to experience while you have the chance!
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The Stream Team: Visiting EverQuest II’s Far Seas Distillery

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When MassivelyOP’s MJ and crew spent time working through Heritage Quests, the rat got all of the attention. But only the Fury can enjoy the higher-level content! It’s high time for that tiny Arasai to stretch her wings and finally poke around the Far Seas Distillery. She waited a long, long time to be able to go there, but she got distracted! Today, nothing will keep her away. MJ will introduced herself to some Broken Skull pirates. There’s certainly no harm in that, right? Join us live at 8:00 p.m. for the Far Seas adventure.

What: EverQuest II
Who: MJ Guthrie
When: 8:00 p.m. EDT on Tuesday, May 1st, 2018

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EverQuesting: An EverQuest 19th anniversary retrospective and party planner

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There are MMOs that have been around a while, and then there is EverQuest. It’s so old school it is old enough to be out of school! Yup, EQ turned 19 years old yesterday. That’s 19 years of the iconic music, 19 years of Qeynos, and 19 years of Fippy trying to storm that gate! So much has happened in Norrath between March 16th, 1999, and March 16th, 2018 – more than one single restrospective could cover. So we’ll just look at a single year!

As is tradition, I’ve sat back and looked over the previous year, remembering the highlights and goings on of the game. How did the 19th year play out for one of the oldest MMOs? Sadly, this year was of the leaner variety; not much happened across Norrath. You wouldn’t know that by all the anniversary offerings, though! Take a stroll down the cobbled lane of memories, but don’t get lost in the nostalgia; there are oodles of anniversary quests to fill your schedule with during the celebration, going on now through Thursday, May 10th, 2018.

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EverQuesting: Take a swig of EverQuest II’s Brewday festival with this guide

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A festival dedicated to getting sloshed? No, this isn’t college life — it’s EverQuest II’s Brewday! Every year near St. Patrick’s Day, a celebration dedicated to libations runs throughout Norrath. There are drunken quests to do, pink elephants and talking cabbages to collect, tons of themed crafts to make, and plenty of drinks to partake of. This year’s festival runs from March 6th at 3:00 a.m. EST to March 20th at 2:59 a.m. EDT.

While it is disappointing that Daybreak has not added any new content to the festival for 2018, that doesn’t mean that there’s nothing to do. And there are a couple new items to acquire — namely a spiffy griffon mount and the next crafting recipe book. Here’s a guide to get you through the weeks of revelry. You can also get a visual walkthrough of some tasks by watching The Stream Team festival escapades from 2015, 2016, and 2018.

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EverQuesting: EverQuest II is a packrat’s paradise

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While some consider the acquisition of stuff to be distracting to gameplay, others of us know that it is actually a vital part of of the experience. Everyone needs a friend who is a go-to for whatever you need, their bags bursting with everything you can imagine, from obscure stuff collected forever ago to bushels of crafting materials. And I am that friend.

Hi, I’m MJ — I am a packrat, and I am proud of it!

And with all the talk lately about hoarding, I’ve come to better appreciate just how nearly perfect EverQuest II is for someone like me. EQII is truly a packrat’s paradise! Here, you are free to stock up on all the essentials (and you can decide what is essential) and non-essentials alike. And all this without having to resort to any microtransactions! Sure, there are a couple things that would make it even better, but I hold this MMORPG up as a model of item management. If only more games aspired to this.

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EverQuesting: Frostfell blues and end of the year news for EverQuest II

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Snow? Check. Good cheer? Check. Catchy tunes everywhere? Checkity check. Goblins and gigglegibbers in goofy get-ups? Great big check. New guide? Er…

Yes, it’s Frostfell time EverQuest II. And right about now is when I offer a guide to this wonderful winter event. Unfortunately, this year I won’t be. Actually it’s more of I can’t: I’m not being stubborn, there just isn’t anything to guide you through that hasn’t already been covered between the 2015 and 2016 guides. When the devs were passing out 2017 content, Frostfell was unfortunately skipped — or maybe it was out back recovering from too much celebrating last year! Whatever the scenario, there isn’t anything new to do, though there are a few new things to acquire or buy (eight new items at Santa Glug, five new ones at Gerbi Frostfoot, and three crafting scrolls.)

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The Stream Team: A first peek at EverQuest II’s Planes of Prophecy

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Norrath has expanded! EverQuest II’s Planes of Prophecy expansion launched today, and Massively OP’s MJ just has to explore it. Can she find her way into Solusek Ro’s Tower? It’s full of fire and lava, and you know that MJ loves fire. Then there’s the Bastion of Thunder, which is claimed to contain four aspects of storms. Storms too? This just gets better and better! Join us live at 8:00 p.m. for a first peek into today’s expansion.

What: EverQuest II
Who: MJ Guthrie
When: 8:00 p.m. EST on Tuesday, November 28th, 2017

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EverQuest II takes you inside a volcano base for next week’s expansion

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What would it be like to live and work inside a base located at the center of a volcano? Hot, you think? Probably hot. Air conditioning would be a concern. Yet in none of the pictures of Solusek Ro’s Tower in EverQuest II do we see sweaty mobs slumped on couches in their undies and fanning themselves. No sir; they are committed to wearing full armor and dying of heat stroke, it seems.

This look inside the volcano lair is but the latest of a preview series for EverQuest II: Planes of Prophecy. “The tower’s foundation lies deep,” Daybreak writes, “with lava flowing steadily throughout, forever altering and adding to the massive structure and filling every space with unbearable heat, making it inhospitable to any foreign entities who are not fully prepared to venture to this treacherous place. [It] may prove itself to be the most dangerous place you’ll have to go if you want to save Norrath.”

Planes of Prophecy is due to release next Tuesday, November 28th.

Source: EverQuest II

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