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Discussion - spell purchases/choices while leveling up (1 Viewer)

ctsfinest

Member
Joined
Oct 11, 2022
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532¢
Are there any suggested guidelines as to what spells to pick while leveling up? I don't recall exact stats so I'll paraphrase (I play on Live for reference):

  1. How do I know what spells I should be buying each level? It costs so much money, especially with my wizard. Do I even really need to be buying a damage spell every level? Why are there some spells that do 2800 damage at level 60, but then the level 61 spell does 980 damage? (again just throwing out numbers to highlight my point of confusion on these spell choices)
  2. I feel like my spells get outdated every level, and I should be buying new ones every 5 or so and leave it at that?
  3. My bard seems to get their mez/lull spell too late. Like, Dreams of Ayonae is a level 58 mez spell but only works up to level 57 creatures? Why bother when I'm now starting to fight level 64 mobs? It doesn't seem like I'll ever get to mez anything above my level.
  4. I see that my bard gets a haste spell at level xyz, which increases melee attack speed by 30%, but then gets another one in one level that does 25% melee haste and +10 AC or something. When I click the tooltip in the merchant it doesn't show those stats, only after I purchase the spell itself. What gives? Is this just a dated mechanic of how spells worked back in the day? Should I just use the 25% one instead? There seem to be a lot of higher level spells that do less damage/less stat enhancement than their lower level counterparts. A great example I can think of are cleric spells - there are group ones that do like 5 buffs in one spell, but then there are single target versions for the next 10 levels that buff AC only, but still do less than the group one. Why are those even for sale?
 
I do not buy every spell for every level. I have learned many of them are not needed and sometimes the lower ones are really better depending on how you play.


I use Allah to look up my spells for each character and can kinda figure out ahead if there is going to be an upgrade that would be worth waiting for.

But another reason I like Allah is because it will also tell us if there is a quest available to do to get the spell or the stone/item to turn into a spell like





You can also cross reference in EQ resource cause its sometimes easier for me to understand


Personally most of my spells are what ever dropped off the mobs or that I could quest for and get thru a drop of some sort. For example:

PoR Level 70 Spell #3: Message to the Past :: Quests

Taelosian Geomancy Stones (GoD spells) :: Quests :: EverQuest

 
Are there any suggested guidelines as to what spells to pick while leveling up? I don't recall exact stats so I'll paraphrase (I play on Live for reference):

  1. How do I know what spells I should be buying each level? It costs so much money, especially with my wizard. Do I even really need to be buying a damage spell every level? Why are there some spells that do 2800 damage at level 60, but then the level 61 spell does 980 damage? (again just throwing out numbers to highlight my point of confusion on these spell choices)
  2. I feel like my spells get outdated every level, and I should be buying new ones every 5 or so and leave it at that?
  3. My bard seems to get their mez/lull spell too late. Like, Dreams of Ayonae is a level 58 mez spell but only works up to level 57 creatures? Why bother when I'm now starting to fight level 64 mobs? It doesn't seem like I'll ever get to mez anything above my level.
  4. I see that my bard gets a haste spell at level xyz, which increases melee attack speed by 30%, but then gets another one in one level that does 25% melee haste and +10 AC or something. When I click the tooltip in the merchant it doesn't show those stats, only after I purchase the spell itself. What gives? Is this just a dated mechanic of how spells worked back in the day? Should I just use the 25% one instead? There seem to be a lot of higher level spells that do less damage/less stat enhancement than their lower level counterparts. A great example I can think of are cleric spells - there are group ones that do like 5 buffs in one spell, but then there are single target versions for the next 10 levels that buff AC only, but still do less than the group one. Why are those even for sale?
It somewhat depends on what automation you are using, if any.

If you are using KA or the like, and you are not making your own INI files, then the spells you need can be determined from the INI file you download for the level. If it isn't in there (BUFFS, DPS, etc.) and you aren't casting manually, then you probably don't need it.

If you are tweaking your own INI file then you will need to research the spells per @Redmonkey anyway. And then buy what you are adding to the INI as you go.
 
I do not buy every spell for every level. I have learned many of them are not needed and sometimes the lower ones are really better depending on how you play.


I use Allah to look up my spells for each character and can kinda figure out ahead if there is going to be an upgrade that would be worth waiting for.

But another reason I like Allah is because it will also tell us if there is a quest available to do to get the spell or the stone/item to turn into a spell like





You can also cross reference in EQ resource cause its sometimes easier for me to understand


Personally most of my spells are what ever dropped off the mobs or that I could quest for and get thru a drop of some sort. For example:

PoR Level 70 Spell #3: Message to the Past :: Quests

Taelosian Geomancy Stones (GoD spells) :: Quests :: EverQuest

Thanks for the info! Aren't spells available from vendors anyway, why would I want to do the ones from questing?
 
I haven't really gone through and just cherry pick lower level spells as I'm grinding. I found it easiest to just go to the spell vendor in POK and run the Scribe mac or Lua and the toon will buy and scribe all missing spells up to his level.
 
Thanks for the info! Aren't spells available from vendors anyway, why would I want to do the ones from questing?
Because I am cheap and it is fun to do quests. Plus my chanter makes many of them. And in higher levels you may prefer questing or tradeskilling it to paying over 1 million for 1 spell.
 
  1. How do I know what spells I should be buying each level? It costs so much money, especially with my wizard. Do I even really need to be buying a damage spell every level? Why are there some spells that do 2800 damage at level 60, but then the level 61 spell does 980 damage? (again just throwing out numbers to highlight my point of confusion on these spell choices)
  2. I feel like my spells get outdated every level, and I should be buying new ones every 5 or so and leave it at that?
  3. My bard seems to get their mez/lull spell too late. Like, Dreams of Ayonae is a level 58 mez spell but only works up to level 57 creatures? Why bother when I'm now starting to fight level 64 mobs? It doesn't seem like I'll ever get to mez anything above my level.
  4. I see that my bard gets a haste spell at level xyz, which increases melee attack speed by 30%, but then gets another one in one level that does 25% melee haste and +10 AC or something. When I click the tooltip in the merchant it doesn't show those stats, only after I purchase the spell itself. What gives? Is this just a dated mechanic of how spells worked back in the day? Should I just use the 25% one instead? There seem to be a lot of higher level spells that do less damage/less stat enhancement than their lower level counterparts. A great example I can think of are cleric spells - there are group ones that do like 5 buffs in one spell, but then there are single target versions for the next 10 levels that buff AC only, but still do less than the group one. Why are those even for sale?
1. I don't buy all spells, I look them up in Allakhazam or EQResource, read comments, mana ratio...etc, making comparison before purchasing, that's also a way to know the class you are playing. Wiz case, Dmg 2800 vs 980, cast time differs, I only buy my Wiz fast cast fire nuke, skipped Cold/Magic from 1 to current 65.

2. When I go to a spell vendor, I look up all spells he is selling and buy all I want one time, for example 1-25 first time, 26-50 2nd time, 51-60 3rd time...etc.

3. @60 you get one mez up to 59mob, and @61 you get one lull up to 65mob, yes classic spell lines are messy, getting better after level 60.

4. Haste, there are V2 and V3, V3=over haste. Again, indeed, classic spell lines are messy, getting more regular/logical after level 60.
 
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As mentioned above, a big factor is dependant on which automation you are using. Also, are you using any sort of PL? Personally, I use CWTN Plugins and purchase spells every 5 levels or so if I am not able to handle the content i am fighting. As far as bard goes, I only cared about dream/lullaby and memory tells me they didn't go higher than your level until 70 ish.
 
As mentioned above, a big factor is dependant on which automation you are using. Also, are you using any sort of PL? Personally, I use CWTN Plugins and purchase spells every 5 levels or so if I am not able to handle the content i am fighting. As far as bard goes, I only cared about dream/lullaby and memory tells me they didn't go higher than your level until 70 ish.
I currently do not use CWTN - I want to, but as of now, my KA produces the same DPS as using CWTN (when using it on the test server). I don't think it's worth it just yet, but I may do it for my SK because it makes it so much easier.

No PL - 6 boxing at the moment. I don't really have trouble bringing down enemies, but since my bard can't really mez anything right now (I have the level 59 mez which only goes up to 58 mobs or whatever) it's hard to take down more than 2 mobs at once. I just go broke trying to buy spells and I think what I need to do is what others mentioned, do a better job researching the mana ratio etc. I think I will look at other KA .ini's and only buy those spells since they seem to work best for the given levels and what not.
 
Are there any suggested guidelines as to what spells to pick while leveling up? I don't recall exact stats so I'll paraphrase (I play on Live for reference):

  1. How do I know what spells I should be buying each level? It costs so much money, especially with my wizard. Do I even really need to be buying a damage spell every level? Why are there some spells that do 2800 damage at level 60, but then the level 61 spell does 980 damage? (again just throwing out numbers to highlight my point of confusion on these spell choices)
  2. I feel like my spells get outdated every level, and I should be buying new ones every 5 or so and leave it at that?
  3. My bard seems to get their mez/lull spell too late. Like, Dreams of Ayonae is a level 58 mez spell but only works up to level 57 creatures? Why bother when I'm now starting to fight level 64 mobs? It doesn't seem like I'll ever get to mez anything above my level.
  4. I see that my bard gets a haste spell at level xyz, which increases melee attack speed by 30%, but then gets another one in one level that does 25% melee haste and +10 AC or something. When I click the tooltip in the merchant it doesn't show those stats, only after I purchase the spell itself. What gives? Is this just a dated mechanic of how spells worked back in the day? Should I just use the 25% one instead? There seem to be a lot of higher level spells that do less damage/less stat enhancement than their lower level counterparts. A great example I can think of are cleric spells - there are group ones that do like 5 buffs in one spell, but then there are single target versions for the next 10 levels that buff AC only, but still do less than the group one. Why are those even for sale?
  1. Drop like 400k on your toon
  2. Buy invis potions in POK from baking dude
  3. Buy translocation potions from Bazaar
  4. Watch the Lua Scriber Resource here on forums...then update your plug-ins...re-fire mq and your instance
  5. Go to Guild Lobby
  6. Open refreshing adult beverage of choice and load your favorite streaming service
  7. Type in your chat window /lua run scriber > start scribing

Enjoy the show and return 30 minutes laters to have all your spells disciplines
The End

Pro-tip: Bots...don't bother with Rk II, Rk. III...only keep a small amount of spell runes for your main...either /barter or sell the rest for pp for Krono

Pro-tip 2: Take moment to buy Traveler's Boots in Solusek Eye for 6k while you're doing stuff from Marfen...i think...if you need faction (minimum apprehensive needed)...you can kill kobolds next door in Nagafen's lair

Pro-tip 3: Now that you have spells, sow for life (indoors and outdoors)...swing by POK and buy alacrity potions from the vendor near small bank.
 
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My bard seems to get their mez/lull spell too late. Like, Dreams of Ayonae is a level 58 mez spell but only works up to level 57 creatures? Why bother when I'm now starting to fight level 64 mobs? It doesn't seem like I'll ever get to mez anything above my level.
Bard mez kinda sucks for this at low levels. It gets better later. You'll eventually be able to mez "level appropriate" content, which is mobs like 3-5 levels higher than you and you'll get an AE mez. You really just gotta fight through the pain on this one.

I see that my bard gets a haste spell at level xyz, which increases melee attack speed by 30%, but then gets another one in one level that does 25% melee haste and +10 AC or something. When I click the tooltip in the merchant it doesn't show those stats, only after I purchase the spell itself. What gives? Is this just a dated mechanic of how spells worked back in the day? Should I just use the 25% one instead? There seem to be a lot of higher level spells that do less damage/less stat enhancement than their lower level counterparts. A great example I can think of are cleric spells - there are group ones that do like 5 buffs in one spell, but then there are single target versions for the next 10 levels that buff AC only, but still do less than the group one. Why are those even for sale?
There are three types of haste that affect the "haste" stat that you see in your inventory panel. In general, you can only have one of each of the three types.

1) Worn haste that comes from items (typically a belt at your level)
2) Regular Spell/Song haste.
3) Overhaste songs. Only bards get these and it's the only haste that stacks with #2.

If you look closely at the description for your song haste, you'll see a line that says something like "this stacks with most other forms of haste". That means it is type 3 and should be along with your highest type 2 haste. There's a brief time around level 60 that you can have up to three haste songs running at once, but the returns are fairly minimal and you'll fly past those levels anyway.

Again, this gets much easier later on. In fact, by 65 bards get the haste lines that they will have for the rest of the game. One will give type 2 haste along with some melee stats (ac, ds, etc.). The other will give type 3 and also give boosts to caster nukes. You'll use those two spells lines for the rest of the game. (You'll also get an aura that gives type3 and nuke damage, but it's typically a lower amount than the regular song. It's good to have the aura up so you have haste while bard is mezzing or whatever.)

Bards were really, really weird in classic, so a lot of the pain you have now is just based on that. Wait it out and they'll get a lot easier to manage.
 
At higher levels you get drops to turn in that give you stronger versions of vendor purchased spells. RKII for group, RKIII for raid. You can only use those if you are either subbed or have purchased the ability to use them with station cash.

Edit: Many you just click and choose from a list.
 
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