Posted by Proud Blade on March 3, 2000 at 10:15:44:
In Reply to: Equipment posted by Bishop on March 3, 2000 at 08:06:21:
If you know what you are doing, you can get some decent eq for yourself before you unghost. Nothing to write home about, but enough to get you enough extra hp/dam/saves/whatever to get by. Now, find a group- adventure a bit, and groupmates will often offer you spare gear when they realize that the battles will go faster if you are better equipped. Don't beg for spares- I know it pisses me off and makes me question why this person just joined my group. If you are lucky, your group will take down an enemy, and you can grab some loot. You can also suggest ranking in areas that have some decent items (Battlefield, etc.), and build a few good eq slots that way.
If none of that works, when your group is getting ready to split, see if they would swing by an area with good gear (Frozen Wastes, etc.) and take out a few of the mobs there for you. Often, they will want a few things for themselves, anyway.
The bottom line is that gear makes a small difference to your safety compared to:
(in no particular order)
1) Being with others you can trust.
2) Knowing what the heck you are doing in a fight.
3) Being prepared with a few potions/pills/whatever.
4) Having well-practiced skills.
5) Having a good role and sticking to it, which has huge other payoffs (cabals, tattoos, and the respect of others, among lesser benefits.)
6) Knowing the lands- where to hide, where to request if good, where to gather gear without others finding you, how to run even when blind. How to get from A to B before you unghost.
7) Having ZMUD color properly configured, so the damage verbs are red.
Yes, gear is probably the eighth thing, especially for fighting classes that don't have a good way to take a risk and take down someone big. Thieves and rangers can do a lot with little gear, but warriors and assassins (until 35th rank) are in trouble without at least a decent weapon and some +dam. And three half-naked people (or one Rager/Sylvan/Master) can whoop up on a half-prepared opponent any day of the week. Set a little ambush on someone who it is in your role to nail.
It's nothing to worry about. Whenever I notice a groupmate complaining about not having enough armor, a little "Newbie" light goes on in my head, and I adjust how confident I am in that person's ability to handle a tough situation. (I also do what I can to help that person out, so long as it is within my role.) If I'm with two newbie-types, I suggest ranking in some dark corner of Thera, even if the xp will be low. I definitely don't try to find PKs unless I know I can have numbers. If you do the other things right, you will be surprised how much gear falls into your lap.