It probably came about because we referred to the first two sets as Qvic and Tacvi.  But once in PoD we needed a way to differenciate between the two sets available in that zone.  

Also, it is not necessary to max out the skills in order to make the GM items.  Some folks don't even skill up to 100.  You'll have some fails, but if plat isn't an issue, it's much faster.  I got all mine to around 150 and didn't fail a single GM combine.

Correct, pets buffing players won't work during the event cause I have code that replaces the pet code in order to make the Halloween Event work. I could mix the two into one big sloppy spaghetti code but would take me a 100 hours to do and I don't have time.

Anyways, during halloween event, you won't be able to hail pets for buffs.

Extremely small price to pay for this fun event.

+1

Sorry for the double post but I'm getting a glitch trying to modify the existing one and I forgot a couple points.

The permanent waypoint is probably being requested because of the 15 minute cooldown on the waypoint summoner.  During a Cazic fight you'll be zoning a lot and battle rez may or may not be an option.  That being said, the instance is there for our convenience, and if we choose to use it, we get the restrictions and limitations thereof.  Don't know if it's worth Hunters valuable coding time to allow us to be more anti-social than we already are.    

Another thing I'm remembering is that the halloween event reverts to an older code set to function properly.  Unless Hunter's updated it, for the duration of the event our pets will not buff us.

T1 bosses are fairly easy...think PoTime boss

T2 bosses hit harder but one groupable with only epic 2.0 or so.  Soloable with 3.0 and good augs and armor.

T3 boss (Cazic Thule) was ramped up last year since he was still the highest level and peeps had 4.0's and tier 4 armor.  So we can't really compare him to his original form two years ago.  More HP, hits harder, probably need a couple groups of 3.5 - 4.0 toons to take him out effectively.  I was able to solo him for a while last year with one group of all 3.0 in full T2 armor, no special augs other than Angry Nerd IV's on warriors.  Group make-up was War, War, Pal, Pal, Rng, Rng.    I got him down to about 20% when my system became unstable from all the zoning and one of my warriors crashed.  Without two I couldn't keep up with the Death Touches since my Pally's couldn't hold up to him.  In all the fight had already lasted 30+ minutes when I lost the warrior.

So, to sum up...the event is for everyone.  Even if you're a total newbie and can't take out a T1 yet, there will be bunches of them popping and dropping.  Familiars, disguises and low level epic books will be rotting like crazy.  Just ask and most folks will tell ya "go ahead and loot."  I know I always do.  

Oh, and THANKS HUNTER for the return of the best event in EQ!

Lots of attention has been paid to weaponry and augs for dps.  So a quick word about armor.  Once you progress into Qvic and beyond, armor is going to be very important for survivability.  Qvic, Tacvi, T1 and T3 armor are specific by type...ie plate, chain, leather or silk.  So if you have a lot of plate wearers and no leather or silk, you're going to be farming longer to get what you need to outfit your team while you watch all that leather armor rot.  T2 and T4 armor are specific by class.  So if you opt for three paladins in group to do your healing, again you'll have a lot of rot before you finish up.

Some overlap is unavoidable.  Plate wearers by far have the best survivability.  But some balance will be helpful.

Might want to mention that 2-handers that have been changed to their 1-hand alternative and ranger bow need to be changed back to their original forms prior to hand-in, otherwise epic vendor will reject them.

Send an email to Hunter (his address is probably on the site somewhere, but it's also in the MOTD in game) requesting that he make a guild, include the guild name and the name of the toon that you want to be the guild leader.  He usually takes care of guild creation on the weekends.

you missed the qualifier....to get pgt in Highpass.

The zone Highpass doesn't exist in SoD, so they moved the mob.  But if you have Titanium, he's still in Highpass.  I can only assume that he is less camped in that zone, so Appren keeps Titanium handy whenever he needs a PGT and hopes to avoid buying an instance.

everyone remembers their first fondly.

Good suggestions to limit problems, but this one might be best left in administrative hands.  Anything the players get to do will eventually be abused in one way or another by some.  I'm certain we'll have guild name issues, followed by complaints about the guild name nazi's when people bring them to Hunter's attention.

It's been so long since I did that quest I can't remember if he ported me or not.  In any case, you can always just go over to the non-custom zone teleporter and have her send you.

You don't have to make the highest tier for it to be useful for RoA.  Even the first tier stuff is better than Dulak armor (highest level drop armor in the game without a level requirement).  Seems to me you can make a whole first level set for under 500k assuming you farm your own components.

Is it a one time only check per engagement?  I've heard some speculation that there's less chance of him shadow stepping if you kill him faster.  I kill fairly slow and the most I've had is 4 steps, and the fewest is zero.  That's in a fairly small sampling including one chase this weekend where he stepped three times before I got him. 

MoW is difficult with a single group of 1.5's in LDoN armor.  It requires good healing and quick shifts to the adds to take them down without spawning more.  I'd say that if you have yet to equip a toon with a 2.0 MoW is usually a two group fight.  As you add 2.0's you get to the point where you can single group him more easily.