Hi Everyone
Thought I'd try and consolidate all the information available on the forums on the Ring of the Ages (RoA) quest. I've found that there seems to be bits of information all over the place and not particularly useful when you're looking for info in a hurry. Thanks to all who took the time to reply to people's posts and provide the basis of what I'm laying down here.
What is the RoA?
This is the reward given for The Prestige Quest, which begins in Surefall Glade (just outside the room with the Buff and Teleport bots). If you hail the quest giver in Surefall she will give you a detailed account of how the quest works. In a nutshell - you hail her (once you're level 70), get a ring (with no stats) that you'll give back to to receive a ring with stats (See below for a list of the stats on the Rank 1 ring). Apon returning the ring to her you will be immediately delevelled to level 1 and will need to work your way back to level 70 before you can hand your ring in again to get the next rank. Before you submit the ring you also need to remember to unequip all items and ensure that you're AA points are turned off.
What stats are on the ring?
The Rank 1 ring has minimal stats on it. They are as follows:
RoA Rank 1AC = 1
Skill Mod: Baking 99%
Effect: Ethereal Rune (must equip)
Recast delay 15 sec
Str, Dex, Sta, Cha, Wis, Int, Agi = +1
HP = 100
Mana = 100
SV Fire, Cold, Disease, Magic, Poison = +1
Shielding +1%
Stun Resist =+1%
RoA Rank 50AC = 200
Skill Mod: Baking 99%
Effect: Ethereal Rune (must equip)
Recast delay 15 sec
Str, Dex, Sta, Cha, Wis, Int, Agi = +50
HP = 10,000
Mana = 10,000
SV Fire, Cold, Disease, Magic, Poison = +50
Regen = +500
Shielding +6%
Avoidance = +50
Stun Resist =+50%
Required lvl = 65
RoA Rank 100AC = 300
Skill Mod: Baking 99%
Effect: Unknown Spell (must equip) 10k Rune
Recast delay 20 sec
Str, Dex, Sta, Cha, Wis, Int, Agi = +100
HP = 25,000
Mana = 10,000
Endurance = 10,000
SV Fire, Cold, Disease, Magic, Poison = +100
Regen = +500
Shielding +10%
Avoidance = +100
Stun Resist = +100%
Dot shielding = +100%
Haste =150%
Required lvl = 70
Notes:
Levelling the ring from Ranks 51 – 100 will be done without the ring equipped (due to the lvl requirement placed on the ring at level 50).
Levelling from 51 – 100 occurs in the standard fashion with the following exclusions:
59 – 60 You will need to hand in a Master Baking Trophy + RoA Rank 59 to receive the Rank 60 Ring.
69 – 70 You will need to hand in a Master Brewing Trophy + RoA Rank 69 to receive the Rank 70 Ring
79 – 80 You will need to hand in a Master Tailoring Trophy + RoA Rank 79 to receive the Rank 80 Ring
89 – 90 You will need to hand in a Master Blacksmithing Trophy + RoA Rank 89 to receive the Rank 90 Ring
99 – 100 You will need to hand in a Master Jewelcrafting Trophy + RoA Rank 99 to receive the Rank 100 Ring
*** See http://www.eqtraders.com/articles/news_page.php for detailed information on how to get those items. You may want to get two of each item as you go to get your flag to get into the Crafter's Guild on the server.RoA Basic Tool KitBefore you commence this quest, there are some things you’ll need to have as a basic starting point (especially if you are planning to do the levels as quickly as possible). Minimum tools are as follows:
- 1.0 epic (2 if you can duel wield)
- Noobie lvl1. Charm (To help teleport yourself)
- Druid Lvl 70 with 3.0 and Druid Regen Spell (From PoD)
- Shammy lvl 70 with 3.0 (clicky adds 10k hps)
- Any lvl 70 character that can mass pull in an exp zone to PL you from 47 to 70 (probably holding a 2.5 epic or better)
- Membership in either Fighters or Casters Guild.
Optional Tools for enhanced play- Druid with v II of the Regen spell (drops in T3)
- Shammy 4.0 with Kraken (spell drop from T3 - vendor purchased for 1 Mill plat) 4.0 will add 25k HPs to the equation (3.0 adds 10k)
- lvl 70 Mage or Bard (enhanced DS -- Bard use requires some getting use to)
- Blue Diamond Armour (Crafter made - adds 25k HPs)
FAQ on the tool kit and levelling:
1.Do I need to work on getting armour from Dulak to wear while levelling?
a. No. You can pretty much level from 1 – 47 in 30 mins with the above basic tool kit without needing any items or equipment aside from the ring, 1.0 epic and the noobie charm.
NOTE: Using the advanced tool kit will decrease the time it takes you to level. Players using a Bard/Shammy combo can level from 1 - 47 in about 10 mins.2. What do I do with the druid?
a. Use the following buffs on the toon doing the levelling: Steeloak Skin, Spirit of Eagle, Nettleskin and the regen spell you got from T1.
3. Where should I go?
a. Any zone that is primarily lvl 20 to 50 with lots of mobs (eg City of Mist, Mistmoore, Maiden's Eye and Gunthak are quite popular for RoA). Some people use a combination of zones that also includes The Grey post lvl 41.
4. How many mobs can I pull with those buffs on?
a. This depends on the ring level. The higher the stats on the ring, the easier it is to level (obviously levels 51 to 100 are the default as you can’t wear the ring while you level because your HPs will be quite low). As a general rule, I try to pull no more than 2 mobs (that con red) on the first pull. This will usually level me to about 9 when they die. Second pull (now with more HPs) I’ll try to pull about 3 or 4. By the time you’re about level 20 you should be able to pull up to 10 mobs. By the time you’re 30 you should be able to pull about 15.
By the time the ring is at rank 10 – your first pull of reds can be up to 15 mobs. Thus as the ring gets higher the quest becomes easier (until the level cap).
5. How long do the buffs last?
a. The Oakskin, SoE and Nettleshield will last long enough for you to level to 47 if you’re pulling fast. The trick is watching the Regen. Usually you find out it’s dropped the first time when you death pull. I’ve found that getting into a rhythm of pulling 3 times and then redoing the regen works best.
6. At what level does the ring become useful in the quest?
a. I’ve found that by the time the ring is at level 5 it really starts to make a difference. By level 10, your first pulls can be with 10 to 15 mobs at least.
7. At what point is the ring useful in general?
a. Again, with the added HPs and Mana, the ring is really useful from about lvl 5 onwards.
8. Why do you recommend being a member of the FG or CG in the tool kit?
a. Once you’ve levelled back to 70 you’ll find that all your base melee or casting skills are less than basic (mainly because it was DS that did all the work in the lower levels – and PL that got you back to 70). Using the trainers in either guilds to max out your stats means you’ve really lost nothing in doing the quest.
9. Do I need to have all my AAs before starting this?
a. No. They are helpful only in a minor way. At the end of the day it is about the buffs that you have on when you do the lower levels that make all the difference.
10. What about Sharman/Bard combo?
a. This combo has really become the method of choice on the server. A Sharman with a 3.0 (or 4.0) will certainly make a HUGE difference to your overall HP’s and their Kraken means you hit a LOT harder. The Bard DS is also insane but comes with a cost. It lasts for about 16 seconds which means you need to pull, group with the bard long enough for the DS to land, then degroup (so the bard doesn't steal all the exp). It takes a while to get the routine right but really a very fast way to do RoA.
11. What’s the best character to use to PL from 47 to 70?
a. Again, a lot of discussion on the forums about this. It really comes down what your most powerful toon is that has the ability to mass kill quickly. Personally, I like using either a War (with Anger Vs) holding a 4.0 or better or a BL (or any Pet class that can kill as it goes). Some recommend Mages in Pofire due to the fact that their AE doesn’t aggro bosses and the use of a pet with warewolf illusion is stackable with a mage epic 2.5.
12. How long does a typical RoA rank take with this toolkit?
a. I can usually level from 1 to 47 in about 25 mins. Using a 3.0 War on the back end (47 to 70) takes about 25 mins (level 59 seems to take the longest). Total time = 50 mins. NOTE - with the more advanced tool kit a total round trip for RoA can be about 25 mins.
