Cally's guide for new 80's

I get a lot of questions about what people need to do at 80, and see a lot of lost new 80s heading to raids or khitai zones that are simply way over their head at the time - either because they are under geared, or are missing some key quests or quest rewards that will save them a lot of tombstones if they do it or have it before taking the next steps. So this guide is here to be used as a resource or sort of a checklist for new 80s to utilize to make sure they are properly prepared to move forward with life as a level 80.

First and foremost you will want to start by setting your Alternate Advancement timer onto an ability that will help you and continuing to follow up each time the timer finishes; but I will make a guide for AA another night. For now, just remember to set your timer as a new 80 and be sure to thoroughly read each AA feat before setting the timers to avoid mistakes that could essentially waste hours of timer training.

Onto the guide! -

1. Some notes if you offline leveled to 80
2. Your claim inventory, trade post options, and Heavenly Weapons
3. The Conan Quest Line
4. Commons district accessories
5. Get some basic experience and dungeon gear
6. Your level 80 destiny quest
7. Continuing to work with Kalanthes (raid quests and preparations)

1. Some notes if you offline leveled to 80

First and foremost, check your skills, combos, abilities, feats and spells of all kinds. Make sure you are using the absolute most recent rank of every spell and combo, as offline leveling does NOT automatically update the abilities on your hotbars and combo bars like you may be used to having happen when you level the natural way.

Also scan for new abilities, combos, spells etc that may be completely new to you that you learned in between the level jump to 80 using the offline leveling system. You'd be surprised how many people miss out on important abilities they didn't even know they had because the offline leveled to 80.

Also, realize that offline leveling deprives you of vital experience with your class. I highly recommend spending time in epic wild lands or epic field of the dead to try out your new abilities in a safe setting. Test your damage when you do certain things. Try out your new spells. Rearrange your combos and see which rotations work for you (an ideal rotation has combos coming off cooldown as you are finishing up the end of the main rotation of combos). Test, explore, don't be afraid to rearrange combos and spells to raise dps, improve your rotations, and find what works best. You are already running blind if you've made the jump to 80 using offline levels, so give yourself a bit better insight and take the time to learn first.


2. Your claim inventory, trade post options, and Heavenly Weapons

As a quick reminder, depending on your subscription level and any special offers offered at the time of your subscription, you may or may not have certain items available that may help you, such as Ring of Dreaming Demons. Type /claim to bring up your claim inventory, and give it a quick run through to check for anything that may help you as a fresh 80.

Beginning as an 80, you will want some reliable, yet hopefully not too expensive, level 80 armors and weapons to purchase or ask for from the guild bank. The trader is a good place to look. Begin by setting the advanced option on (click the box) and selecting the blue 'Rare' option from the drag down quality menu. Select your desired armor type from the type menu, and then enter level 75 to 80 in the desired level option box, then hit search. Browse through the options and find gear that is of a decent aid to you without completely bankrupting you. You -may- want to splurge and buy the most quality non-raid/non-faction gear possible for your class, known as Culture armor. In which case, please consult with Callesta or Oduda (or our alts) before purchasing - we may be able to help craft it for you if you can help supply the expensive materials required for crafting.

Weapon wise, you do not need to spend any money on a weapon. There is a story quest chain involving Hwanung of Paikang province in Paikang, in which he forced 11 weapons using materials found in Heaven's Lake. If you obtain all 11 of these weapons via completing all 11 quests throughout Hyboria, you can bring them to Hwanung (no quest required) and he will forge for you a super version of the weapons your class can use - he gives you usually three options and you can only take one, so choose wisely. Which ever weapon you choose of the three options will be the best weapon of it's kind that you can get outside of the epic raid and khitai weapons - and in some cases, it is even better than some of the epic raid and khitai weapons. You can find a full listing of who to talk to for each of the 11 quests required by clicking here. You can do them in any order, but you must do all 11 before Hwanung will offer you the super version. When you've done all 11, you will need to go to Khitai, and head through the Northern Grasslands to Chosain Province, then further east to Paikang, and then up to Heaven's Lake once in Paikang to locate Hwanung hanging out in a gazebo overlooking the lake.

3. The Conan Quest Line

The first thing you will want to do as a new 80 is make sure you have done the entire Conan quest chain up until the final quest in which he asks you to fight Vistrix the Dragon (which is a tier 1 raid). This quest chain is important because it rewards you with rings and other accessories which are very helpful and likely much better accessories than you will find on the trade post.

This quest line can be first started upon speaking to conan after your level 60 destiny quest. It begins with tracking down 20 insignias in Atzel's Approach. Continue this quest chain by returning to Conan each time and picking up the next quest he offers after you turn in the previous quest. Once you get up to the quest that requires you to kill Black Dragon Magnus, you will need to find some friends to group with for help, as Black Dragon Magnus is an elite boss and a tough kill.

Once you receive the quest from conan that requires you to fight a dragon, you are finished with this part - save joining a Vistrix raid (which is what is needed to do this part) until later when you are more prepared to begin raiding. The reward for this final quest, however, is a cloak that everyone should keep in their inventory, so that they can swap to it in situations where taking heavy magic damage is killing them. It is also a MUST HAVE for anyone planning to tank or offtank at some point.

This chain will also reward you with various necklaces and/or rings (depending on your selections) that will likely be a big part of your equipment for quite a while.

4. Commons District Accessories

The next step you will want to take is to ensure you get the awesome accessories offered through questing in the Commons district in Old Tarantia. Begin by heading towards the gate to the Commons district and speaking to the NPC quest giver just before you enter the district. He will give you two quests - one to infiltrate the Wharf Rats, another to infiltrate the the Crows. You will need both quests.

Follow both quest chains from both the Crows and Wharf Rats leaders. They can become a bit lengthy, but this is your first real test as an 80 to see what you are capable of. Here you can learn the ins and outs of pulling and following quest directions from your quest log closely (if you haven't already learned this by now). As you work with each quest giver you will gain higher and higher rank with each faction in this district, sort of a watered down version of what you will experience in Northern Grasslands of Khitai - so this too is a very important experience in itself.

When you reach the end of the quest lines for each faction, you get a quest to kill Jovus inside a dungeon called The Crows Nest. This is an epic dungeon, albeit a small one. You will need a group for this part. When you have one, venture inside Crows Nest and after killing the final Boss (Jovus), the real version and not the imitation you first encounter, ask your group members to wait inside and hold the instance open for you. Run outside and turn in your quest to obtain a very useful ring - you have several options, so pick the one best suited for you. You will now have another quest option available from the same NPC. Pick it up and run back into Crows Nest to rejoin your friends. Once back inside, run through the cleared portions and collect the jugs of wine for your new quest. When you have finished, return to the NPC and turn in your quest for your new cloak reward - again, there are several options, so pick the one best suited for you. This cloak will likely not be replaced by anything that isn't dropped in a Khitai hard mode dungeon, so it is a key item in preparing for adventuring as a level 80.

5. Getting some basic experience and dungeon gear

Now that you have some more reliable accessories and gear, it's time to get yourself some worthwhile experience in groups to learn to play your part. At the same time, you'll be having a chance to earn some higher quality gear through the loot boxes that drop from the bosses.

My suggestion is to look for Atzels Fortress, Crows nest, Onyx Chambers and Iron Tower groups (check with the guild, most are usually happy to run such instances with guildies!). Running dungeons like this gives you vital experience for venturing into the world of raiding and Khitai while hopefully giving you some useful gear to make good use of in preparing for that next step.

In the age of offline leveling and power leveling, it is highly suggested that you spend time on learning your class. Find good combo rotations and continually tweak them to improve dps. Learn how your healing system is most effective and helpful for your groups, etc. Do not be afraid to learn or to take the extra time to learn your class. And by running these old world dungeons with friends, you can get vital advice and have a chance at improved gear - all of which helps you become a great level 80. And don't be afraid to ask questions!

6. Your level 80 destiny quest

When you are comfortable with your new level 80 class, geared a bit better and prepared to press yourself in a solo situation, you are ready for your level 80 destiny quest. Begin by resuming the quest line you left off on when you finished your level 60 destiny quest, and then visit Kalanthes in Kheshatta to learn more about killing the Grim Grey God. Pay close attention to the quest log and follow the directions closely - by now, you should be more than capable. If you have trouble, always feel free to ask the guild for help! But remember, this is your final test, your barometer of sorts, to gauge just how prepared you are for the real meat and potatoes part of being a level 80.

7. Continuing to work with Kalanthes (Getting your raid quests and preparing for raids)

After finishing your level 80 destiny quest, remember to speak with both Conan and Kalanthes thoroughly to receive any other quests they now have to offer. Kalanthes will offer one quest (even though he will NOT have the exclamation point above his head) to obtain the Vistrix dragon's tooth. You will now have two quests involving Vistrix, so that may be a good place to begin your raiding career. Track down a Vistrix raid group in search of your class, and join them. When the dragon is dead, be sure to get the dragon's tooth, then go turn in to both COnan and Kalanthes.

Kalanthes will continue working you through a lengthy questline with two quests in your log, one of them entitled 'Work with kalanthes'. Note that this quest will only be completed when you have finished all of his quest chain and that doing his quest chain is the all this quest is asking for.

When you reach the part of the Kalanthes quest line that asks you to find the altar, be sure to pick up all the items the quest asks for from the altar. Then check your inventory. In your inventory will be a page of paper, double click it to receive the final part of this Kalanthes quest chain, obtaining the Hand of Leviathus. Leviathus is the final boss of the final wing of Black Ring Citadel, which is the tier 2 raiding zone that contains three separate zones and raid instances. This is the quest that keys you for tier 3 raiding.

You can also find several good quests for raiding Black Ring Citadel that reward you with epic items such as swords, daggers, shields, polearms and even a staff. Speak to every NPC around Kheshatta city and near Onyx chambers to ensure you pick up as many of these quests as possible, and always ask friends or those in your raid group to share any possible quests to make sure you get them all - you don't want to miss out on any potential quest reward that could be an excellent epic upgrade for you.

---Now that you've read this guide, you should be properly prepared and ready for life as a level 80. This includes venturing out into Khitai, which brings with it a very rewarding experience, but can also prove very confusing to first time adventurers there. Please use my guide to Khitai and follow that in the same manner as this guide to keep yourself from becoming overwhelmed, and get yourself acquainted with all things Khitai. The guild can be found by clicking here.