Adding Image of Current Ranking

Just trying to add in the picture I've got of my character. It seems to have worked - but I might toy around with it some more.

Drops? What are those?

For all those who knew me before I took my break - you know that people tend to call me lucky in terms of the number and type of drops I get. The day before yesterday - I got 3 drops over the course of collecting 100 lioner tails. Yesterday, I collect a bronze crusader helm, another blue goni shoe and an Oaker Shouldermail top over the course of 5.5% at Lusters in Cloud Park VI. The helm and the top were both above average in defense. The Blue Goni was below average in defense so I just NPCed it. My other set of Blue Gonis are up for sale on Basil along with 5 or 6 other things.

In other words - last night was pretty good for drops - I even got a second dark crystal ore, a few golds, a couple of power crystals and a wisdom ore. I'm staying at Lusters at the moment since I need the wisdom and power ores for the level 55 cape quest - and they seem to be doing fairly well for me for experience - although it still doesn't really show.

I earned about 25% over the course of 3 hours last night. If that was all straight training, that would be pretty sub-par - but I did a fair amount of moving stuff to my mule, trading with people for stuff that I sold through Basil and so it cut into my training a fair amount. Sitting a little better than half-way through the current level - I might be able to finish off level 58 this weekend.

After all of that, I spent some quality time with my wizard and finished off Luke's quest and got an Emerald for my time. I just needed the salad and stirge wings - so I was pretty much done anyway. I then spent a little bit of time at evil eyes and later on Green mushrooms at HHG. I'm at about 88% to level 29 - so he's close to making 2nd job - which would be nice.

On Basil, I've been picking up some top and bottomwear scrolls for cheap as I find them. Most of them are 10% - but I'm not particularly picky about how well the tops and bottoms are scrolled anyway. I do want to pick up a few more shield scrolls - but since those are 10 times more expensive, they actually require a little bit of planning. I also put up a bunch of auctions last night - since I noticed my equipment was getting a little over-full. I may even need to see about selling off a bunch of ores - since I seem to be gaining them faster than using them... Maybe I'll make a set of level 60 shoes and gloves - or maybe even lower ones and try to sell them for a profit... I'll have to look into that...

1 handed sword warrior guide

A "well-known" 1-handed sword fighter has posted a guide on why to go 1-handed that is reasonably well written. Registration at Sleepywood.net is required to view it:

http://www.sleepywood.net/forum/showthread.php?t=1062924

I still think it is possible and reasonable to completely tank-out a warrior while still maintaining a high degree of damage. As I'm looking ahead to higher avoid monsters though, I'm definitely going to need to come up with accuracy I don't currently have. If this means dumping more into Dex than I have currently remains to be seen.

It does enlighten me a little that perhaps I should focus on getting a decent set of snowshoes/warrior boots with dex/accuracy built in. Right now, with a sniper pill, I'm at 106 accuracy. The next reasonable level to get to is 139. 33 points from a helm, cape and boots is probably a little too much to manage, but I definitely want a full attack glove - so that's pretty much my only option. The only other place would be an overall - but that means taking a fair amount out of my defence.

I'll have to give it some more look - and also take into account that the higher level gloves and boots add accuracy as well.

Lioners, Lusters and Little Balls of Fur

I spent my night in 3 different places last night. I started off getting my last 30 or so hector tails and another 1-200 jeti skins. At that point, I was itching to head back to Orbis to do Lusters for a while - so I did.

In Orbis, I killed a single star pixie and it dropped a wisdom ore. Since I'm in need of around 15 or so - that was a nice surprise. At that point, I diverted course and decided to give big kitties a try once again. I fought with them to get a total of 100 horns and 100 tails and decided that they were still not very effective for me. Of course, in that time, I did get 2 red starlights from the jr. lioners - so it wasn't a complete loss.

I finished off my night by hitting Cloud Park VI again. That screen is probably one of my more liked screens - so I will probably frequent there quite often until I'm ready to take up residence at zombies. I didn't play long there, but I did get an average pair of blue goni shoes.

I got a few trades done last night. The person who had won a mokbi auction actually bought my second set of mokbis and a set of kumbis - so I'm down to just one set of kumbis now. I've also started collecting reasonably priced top/bottom scrolls for level 60. I'll also need to pick up a few shield scrolls, but since those are so expensive, it will be a slow trickle to get them all.

I made decent leveling progress, earning about 20% or so. Considering that was over the course of 2 1/2 hours isn't very good - but I really spent a lot of time trying to get some trades done - so I probably trained for a total of less than 2 hours. I'm sitting at about 30% right now - so there's still quite a few more sessions before I make it to level 59 - let alone 60. I'll keep on plugging though.

Okay - really Level 58

Well, its been a few days - a bit more than a week I think since I last advanced. Last night, I finished off the remaining 4% to level 58 and gained even another 9% beyond that. Not a lot of progress - but some nonetheless. I did do the Orbis tower scroll quest again - so that slowed things down, and then I also got my shield - so I spent some time for that.

I don't think I got any drops of note last night, though I did do some tradeins before heading down to El Nath. Nothing special there either. I spent a little time at Jetis, Hectors and Yetis - and I finally finished my first 100 horns from yetis. I'll have to go back up to Orbis fairly soon since my ETC is already almost full - but that's the way it goes I guess. I'll probably get 2 full sets of hector tails first though.

I'm just about set for level 60. I'm still looking for a decent pair of snowshoes and a decent attack glove - but otherwise - I'm pretty much good to go.

My wizard is still at level 28, though I think he's about at half-way. He's taken a little longer this level because I was collecting necki skins, but that's all done now. With my recent push to try to get to level 60- he might have to be put on the backburner for a little while.

I still haven't decided if I'm going to sell the two sets of Kumbis I've got right now. If I do decide in the future to make a sin - they would be nice to have. The fact is though - that I'd either have to get rid of my mule, my wizard or make a new account - so I just don't think its likely. The extra ~400k I'd be able to get from them isn't enough to drive me to get it done right now though.

I think I pretty much need to leave the Disposed Garden forever now. While it still tantalizes me with possible great rewards, I think the exp rate is just too slow now. With Cloud Park VI - I think I've found a suitable replacement for training while I'm up in Orbis.

I might return to Victoria soon to work on killing Mushmom some more - perhaps camping there for a few training sessions to see if I can get anything good or worthwhile. If not there, I might have to return to the sanctuary areas of the dungeon and finish the quest to get the spirits. This is all leadup of course to staying at Zombies for a very long time starting around level 60...

That's pretty much all for now.

Level 58

Yeah - not quite...

I started the night off at 88% and finished at 96%... but I'm ALMOST there...

I took the wife out to dinner last night, so we were out for a while and then watched The Weatherman (with Nicholas Cage). I was a little surprised by the movie, and while it had some funny moments, it really was pretty forgettable. I did my best to follow it - but in the end I think it just wasn't what I was looking for.

In terms of the game, I got yet another set of Mokbis and a couple more power crystals but nothing more. I spent the entire time that I was on at Lusters/Lunars. I find that I like the map a lot more than jetis - mostly because I don't get annoying people just passing through.

The first night I was there, there was a vaccer on one channel - so I reported him and moved on. Every once in a while some one else will come on to the map, but they usually leave once they see that someone else is already there.

The map itself is decent training - though I bet Jetis are still better for me. The upside to it is that I think I'm generating more cash because of the lesser amount of damage I take. Bumping a jeti costs me 80-90hp; bumping a lunar is 60-65 and bumping a luster is ~110-120. However, the way the map is set up enables me to avoid being bumped except on the bottom row - and there things are set up really well for slash blasts. I've probably earned 20% there so far and only used ~10 unagi, 80 white, 25 mana elixirs, 25 blue and 15 lemons.

I've gotten a few decent drops - the mokbis I mentioned above plus a pair of the strength boots for thieves (below avg) and maybe 1 or 2 other things. Mostly NPC stuff - but it still helps my profit.

I'm still having trouble finding the seller of the shield I'm trying to get. I don't need it until level 60 - but it would be nice to have now rather than later.

Tonight, I should have no trouble finishing off level 57. Once done, I'll probably stay at lusters/lunars for a while longer - as I still need a few more power and wisdom ores. I might go over to big kitties and try them for a short while as well. Of course, if I return to El Nath, I'll be forced to do more jetis and I might even finish off my first 100 yeti horns (up to 85 now I think). Big yetis are good for a change - but they definitely aren't good training. I'll probably give zombies another try when I hit 60. I think right now I want something a little closer to a resting point (even though I do have Dead Mine scrolls if I ever wanted to make it quickly out there...).

Well that's about it for now.

Good Weekend, Bad Weekend

Well, it was a good weekend for a number of reasons - not the least of which was my brother's wedding. My son was the ring-bearer and he did his job excellently - though he did have us worried.

Other than that - on Sunday we went with a bunch of my family into Boston for a Duck Tour. I had never been on one and the kids were so excited - they even got to drive for part of the boating portion. For anyone who comes to Boston (or lives here to begin with) - take the time to go on one. It really is worth it.

For Maple Story - I've been playing my warrior mostly - and he managed to get himself a second Nependeath's honey - so his money just about doubled (or it will once I get to sell it). Unfortunately, late on Sunday, I erased 9% of his experience gains by dying. It happens - but I do want to get to level 60.

In terms of work - I'm at an all time low. With Lindsay being so injured and things so tough with the kids, it is making me wonder just how much longer I can deal with a job I don't like - even if I can't make my bills now and I won't likely be able to find a job to pay as well to start. If Lindsay were working - things would be much different I think - but that is probably still 3-4+ weeks away. Its been a very rough month. In fact, Wednesday marks a full month since the accident happened.

Sorry if my tone is a little low today. I'm working through it - but I do wish that things would start to get better...