Hello and welcome: newcomer seeks advice

Manjusri

Hello, I think I may just be moving here from Achaea because I find the RP there very lacking.  However, I do have an interest in combat as well and would like to at least be able to hold my own 1 on 1 (or better).  The types of characters I like to play are those that are generally "good" that work for a higher purpose.  For some reason I am attracted most to the cities of Hallifax and New Celeste.  All of the archetypes appeal to me except Bard and Wiccan.  Any suggestions?

Silvanus

Guardian/Wiccan classes are probably the best 1v1 fighters, but most fights that happen in Lust are based around group combat, you'll rarely find 1v1 combat outside of the arena, unfortunately.

Also, there really isn't a generally "good" organization, they all have their own demons and bad sides.

I would say your best bet is Institute probably, has a big effect on group combat and is pretty hard to kill 1v1.

Xenthos

One organization does have more demons than others, though.

That is one of the great things about Lusternia; all organizations are "gray" in that respect.  You shouldn't pigeonhole them (if anything, Hallifax is as "evil" as Glomdoring as both are extraordinarily pragmatic end-justifies-the-means places).

The organizations that are generally perceived as being "good" would be Celest / Serenwilde / Gaudiguch, but all have very dark aspects as well.

PS: Even the evil organizations here tend to work for a higher purpose (both Glomdoring and Hallifax are about sacrificing the individual for the greater good, though in different ways).

Manjusri

Is that similar to a Priest in Achaea?  Which classes in general have good group combat utility?  Perhaps a bit more about the type of character I wish to play.  I am thinking a stoic, disciplined, but happy and peaceful sort of warrior-philosopher-monk. (not a monk in the sense of a monk class per se but in the sense of a monk in real life either eastern or western devoted to the contemplative life but fighting for what is important). 

Xenthos

Gaudiguch probably is not the place for you in that case (you could try it, but it just is not really that atmosphere).  Celest would be an all right match.  The forests would be possibilities as well, maybe with a slight tilt towards Seren, and Hallifax goes with stoic / disciplined / peaceful (some members of Hallifax find happiness, despite all odds, too!)

I don't really know priests in Achaea, so I cannot compare that for you.

Cyndarin

Manjusri said:

Is that similar to a Priest in Achaea?  Which classes in general have good group combat utility?  Perhaps a bit more about the type of character I wish to play.  I am thinking a stoic, disciplined, but happy and peaceful sort of warrior-philosopher-monk. (not a monk in the sense of a monk class per se but in the sense of a monk in real life either eastern or western devoted to the contemplative life but fighting for what is important). 

Healing Celestine in Celest seems as close to this as you're going to get to Achaean priest, IMO. I'm not really sure, your requirements are a little vague for Lusternia. Shikari is big on Discipline but he's in Glomdoring, for example. Lusternia is not "traditional" good v bad like Mhaldor vs Targowhatever.

 

Also, we can't be friends because wiccans are awesome.

[-(

Kaimanahi

Welcome to Lusternia!

Celest is the "good" org in so much that the core philosophy is grounded in values like justice, honour, compassion, hope, and harmony. Celest's identity is also closely tied with the opposition to the Taint, which they'd consider an evil and corrupting force.

To generalize, Celestines are the priest-like characters and they traditionally drive the religious aspects of Celest, whereas guilds like the Paladins and Tahtetso are more anchored in discipline. The Paladins have close ties with traditional Celest religion ("the Light") while adhering to a militant feel and Knight code. The Tahtetso are defined by servitude through humility, discipline, and sacrifice, and they have a neat philosophy of self growth and reaching inner harmony ("Lumosis"). Cantors, the bard class, are similar to the Celestines but have a more whimsical feel.

For good group combat utility, I would probably suggest a guardian or bard class, or a warrior with Tracking as the tertiary skill. Mages can create demesnes that are pretty essential to group combat, but it doesn't sound like that class aligns very much with your character ideas. Also focusing on group combat is the way to go, since 1v1 is virtually nonexistent in Lusternia; all of the major conflict events are group-based.

It sounds like your best fit may be in the Celestines or Institute, as others have indicated. From a personal perspective, I am sorely biased towards Celest, and Hallifax has some great RP.

Karlach

Every org has their positive and negative aspects in terms of good vs evil, there really isn't a "good" org in Lusternia. If anything you've 6 different bastards all with their own brand and flavour, yet they all have their redeeming qualities.

The perspective of each org is often skewed from a player position depending on where they play, whereas one person may see compassion, justice and honour, others will see blind zealotry and constant attempts at genocide. Ultimately the best place is where you enjoy the feel, culture and story suits the character you want to play best.


I'd actually suggest from the style of character you suggested a Kepheran Shofangi would be rather suited. You've the aspect of harmony while being part of the last "pure" forest, an existence to protect nature against a world of cities and the Wyrd that spreads from Glomdoring. Of course, again, it's not an entirely goodie goodie org, xenophobia and racism will occur, elitist attitudes over city dwellers (that's a commune thing) and a few other darker aspects that really haven't been played out in some while (partially due to Seren's reputation as a home for the snugglers. Please feel free to change that perspective.)


Personally I play in Glomdoring, I wouldn't advise for the character you want to portray that there's anything suited. Happy and peaceful are not two words I'd use to describe the Merciless Forest.

Manjusri

Oh I think you guys misunderstand I was not looking to be a priest type character necessarily in fact I relate more to monk.  I was just asking if they were similar.  It's more about finding a class that is survivable and can go on the offensive when provoked and be useful to my organization when allowing the flexibility for the roleplay I enjoy

Rialorm

Celest, Serenwilde or Hallifax sound like your best choices. You could make a character in each to explore them to see what fits best. To suit your roleplay, I'd say a warrior or monk class, possibly a guardian / wiccan. Bards may be great for group support, but I don't know how they fare on their own. They are however excellent influencers, if the idea of fighting with words would appeal to you. 

Personally I think Tathetso would suit you best, thus being a monk in Celest. But as a monk player I admit there might be some bias towards the class there Still; I find them to be a good balance between standing on their own and working in a group. 

Steingrim

Manjusri said:

Oh I think you guys misunderstand I was not looking to be a priest type character necessarily in fact I relate more to monk.  I was just asking if they were similar.  It's more about finding a class that is survivable and can go on the offensive when provoked and be useful to my organization when allowing the flexibility for the roleplay I enjoy

Guardians are priests in the more pagan sense of the term. Celest guardians are more like achaean priests. Mag has Nihlists more like Apostates. Hallifax you could say priests of Order, Gaudi have Illuminati you could say chaos priests, but chaos more in the sense of Achaea Occultists. Overly simplifying, all guardians are a bit of a mixture of Achaea's Priest, Apostate, Shaman and Occultist classes, in the sense that they heavily rely on one or more ent and make 'pacts' with entities.

All classes have good group abilities, not all groups have great synergy and off all groups bards and guardians tend to have the most group utility. Magi are a sort of possible exception to this depending on how you view them. Critical to groups but often off by themselves.

If you define good as 'work for a higher purpose', honestly that's pretty much any org. Luslernia is inherently more political than Achaea. All orgs have their goals, what differs is more how they believe they can achieve their goal.

If you were more at home in Shallam than Ashtan pick New Celest, If you liked Ashtan more, pick Gaudiguch. Hallifax is like like Cyrene, but Cyrene ran by bureaucrats. Serenwilde is a bit like oakstone while Glomdoring is like Oakstone's Evil Star Trek twin. Mag is your dark city.

Best advice start two or three and don't play a twit, but play someone who's not prefect and see what reception you get.

Manjusri

For whatever reason Hallifax and Celeste in that order appeal to me the most.  So just for clarification when I saw warrior-philosopher this person does not have to be a physical combatant per se.  I would consider a character like Gandalf from LOTR to be in this archetype for example and in fact the archetype of the Magician appeals to me greatly.  Hallifax appeals to be because of it's focus on Time and also it's seemingly communal nature.  Like a neutral borg collective "we will assimilate."  Which archetype is best for influencing/bashing?  Which is best for group combat/PvE?  

If this helps the classes I liked most in Achaea were Blademaster, Magi, and Monk.  Classes that are good at bashing, have good combat utility, and can be played as a "serious"/intense type that aspires to individual excellence.  I like Magi for being kind of esoteric and the rituals and so forth, but I do not want to RP a "bookish" type.  I like blademaster/monk for playing an honourable/stoic type.  Does that help refine things?

Also, any skill tree progression ideas?  I have heard that one can study the "wrong" skill tree and end up with an odd mish-mash of skills that do not work very well together.

Manjusri

Ok reading more on the history and descriptions, Hallifax definitely appeals to me more.

Elanorwen

For influencing, you can't go better than a trill symphonium (Highest natural charisma possible). That said, there isn't a class that is 'best' at everything either. Each has its own pros and cons.


EDIT: As far as group combat goes, I'm personally quite biased toward mage, but then again, that's more a case of personal opinion. I'd recommend picking something that appeals to you as far as mechanics, fighting style goes and going with that as opposed to trying to figure out what would work best. There are plenty of tactics to employ as any archetype.

Manjusri

Ok what would you pick in hallifax primary focus group combat/pve/pvp secondary focus bashing/influencing?  Matrix Research institute and Aeromancers interest me most.  For race, hmm Trill or Lucidian

edit: sorry didn't notice part of your advice, where can I get an idea on combat mechanics?

Elanorwen

Manjusri said:

Ok what would you pick in hallifax primary focus group combat/pve/pvp secondary focus bashing/influencing?  Matrix Research institute and Aeromancers interest me most.  For race, hmm Trill or Lucidian

edit: sorry didn't notice part of your advice, where can I get an idea on combat mechanics?

Most cases, it's best to ask straight in game. Someone answers your questions, more questions pop up, you ask, someone answers, and so on. But to give you a basic idea... Aeromancers rely on their demesne (domain) or meld as it's more commonly known. It's essentially an area where they can have effects, starting with abilities that hinder and hurt enemies and going to abilities that assist allies. Granted, more often than not, you want one mage holding the meld while the rest run support by preventing enemy mages/druids from breaking said meld and/or breaking enemy melds. They do have another specialization which has less effects that need to be raised, and less area of effect type abilities (Aerochemancer) where you pretty much carry your own mini-meld wherever you go with you.

Researchers, i.e. institute - the guardian archetype rely on entities, something you might be familiar coming from another IRE - The occultists. In the case of the researchers, though, they use charged gems that they set orbiting about them, some of those granting buffs and/or healing, while others damage or afflict enemies. I'm personally not much of an expert as far as researcher combat goes (There are plenty of people who can explain how it goes), but they are a class that is heavily based on Aeon and warping time around their enemies.

Manjusri

Ok, I decided to go Institute as a Trill because it sounded the most interesting to me.  Wish me luck!