Frzphnx

Are there any active merchanting channels? Would love to pop into one to ask about the recent huge [bleep]e in rune scimitars, among other things. I've checked the clan channel listings, without too much luck =/

The tradable rares already fit that, via cost to obtain. As for the nontradable ones, lots of things happen/come to pass to people that are just in the right place at the right time in real life, other games, etc. Fairness in all things isn't necessarily a right in life. Could do what WoW did, make discontinued/seasonal achievements not count towards achievement points, whereas other achievements do, but RS isn't WoW, and I would have no idea how to implement such a thing.

Very common problem in many many games, not just RS (Cough honor points) Just get your opponents to notice em, or try to shame em into doing something.

My thoughts exactly. I have played on an off since I believe the reindeer hat came out. I have some of the holiday items (chicken costume, hood, santa suit, maybe another), but I missed out on the cornucopia, cape, and of course all that came before. While I think some things are Uber cool, such as the Easter Ring, I know I wasn't around, and I'm cool with it. As for the tradable rares, I have 1, Green H'ween, cheapest of the wearable wears. Being f2p, I take pride that I was able to get it considering the limitations of f2p and the fact that f2p doesn't really have many shinies (understandable, but take away rares and the most valuable item I think would be a Corrupt Dragon Battleaxe based off of GE prices). At risk of sounding like a pixel hugger, I'd hazard the guess that a good number of people like and wear their discontinued items precisely because they are rare/discontinued. It is an accepted fact that in most MMORPGS, those who started earlier usually have an edge, be it in shinies, stats, whathaveyou. Having joined late to at least one MMORPG, of course I would love having that rare mount/item/title/toy that older players had, but would rather not take away their value for others. The cash compensation is an interesting idea, but in my eyes would simply lead to massive amounts of inflation and likely other detrimental effects.

I'm f2p, so a bit more conservative on the cash side, but perhaps consider a mask set or a santa or the like? Prices a bit low at the present, and would kinda fit the bill of something you could wear.

Skill? Hmm, how bout one already in a large large number of mmorpgs: Riding!

Same here.

High alch and Varrock Teleport for me

All the time, with that one tip it addon thing for firefox. It helps shape my strategy in FoG and helps deal with liars.

Similar viewpoint here, but I'd like to add a few cents. At least one very popular mmorpg that is very much focused on the endgame (Possible to max level in a few weeks, time to take to max gear...quite possibly infinite if you lack the skill) has gradually reversed course and made the endgame much more accessible. (ie dumbed down) I'm just wondering, if RS does decide to begin catering to the truly endgame (Say, boss requires combat 136 to face, etc), what would happen? Ideally people would have more reason to finish grinding, and high level players would be satisfied. However, I would predict there to be a backlash eventually and you'd end up with a base more broken then it started out as. For me, RS has always been about the stat advancement process. Most RPGs have it, but some merely change it to gear progression after a certain point. In my humble opinion, making gear tiers accessible only via progression unlocked at the highest levels would keep most people busy enough without taking away the leveling process that is the core of the game.

Mine coal in the guild. Find a world that isn't too crowded, and you'll be fine. Gold is nice, true, but I just found mining coal a lot less stressful since the bank is so close and the rocks are plentiful.

I'll throw in my two cents. As 100% f2p, I might have a different view on rares. Background: Rare prices are falling, this is true. I myself possess the cheapest of wearable rares, the green h'ween mask. I'm a very on/off/spotty player (took a break from g.e release abouts to this january, probably played for 4? months before that). I alway thought that the green mask would go with green dhide well, so I decided to go for it really early (like lv 15 or something, brand new to the game). Via some low key merchanting, skilling etc, I got some (t) and (g) and whatnot, nothing big. I left the game due to picking up something else, and eventually found my way back recently. I check out the new stuff, check out the bank, realize that things like wiz(g) have jumped from about 300k (as i recall when i bought them, might be hazy) to ~1.3 mil. So I sold the stuff and bought my mask. 10mil is no big deal to members(gwd, green dragons, nats, etc), f2p merchants (at least pre-trade restriction), p2p merchants, etc, but for basically all of f2p, it's still nice to have and fairly uncommon. My thoughts on rares vs skill capes: Some skill capes I find really really awesome (prayer for one), but others, well, I've seen enough wc capes to completely stop caring. I guess the big difference for me is that when I see a cape, my brain says "time!" instead of "wealth!" (aside from construction). As for jagex nullifying the value of rares: I wouldn't be terribly surprised if that were the case, but I've never really had to think about that, because I really really doubt I'll go p2p (I tend to play more than my time ought to allow when paying for games). They didn't want a past mistake to set the tone for the economy, so they've come up with various ways to nullify them without outright destroying them. Personally, while it's true that Blessed Spirit shields, third age, etc, far outstrip most rares aside from a handful, I just don't really ever think about them as a major status symbol due to existence of entry into the population. The other game I played probably slanted my views as to the meaningfulness of godswords, spirit shields, etc. CB = small raid boss in my eyes, though I do commend those who have put in the time and effort to get to the point where they can kill him (execution wise, I've seen much much more technical boss fights). But it's merely part of the fundamental nature of rs, where the endgame (for definition's sake i'll define as lv138) isn't the primary focus of the game. I guess I'll end with an analogy: The game I was most familiar with wasn't too big on having things tradeable, but something very similar to the RS situation being discussed came up. There was a mount released that was available after a very very long quest chain open to whoever finished the quest first on that realm/server, as well as those who finished the quest within an hour (The quest was *significantly* longer than While Guthix sleeps-was 20 days before first person, backed basically by several hardcore guilds and contributions from an entire realm's worth of players, finished). As every server eventually had a person finish up the quest, this mount ceased being available. Period. Even before all servers were finished, it was basically the ultimate symbol (it still is, after quite a few years). To compete with this mount were other mounts. Fantastically rare mounts which had <1/5000 chance to drop (a drop rate many times lower than the most powerful weapons in existence), at least one of them from an extremely difficult endgame boss requiring a decked out 25 person group with amazing coordination. These mounts would turn heads, for sure. I'd guess most servers only saw a handful of these mounts. But NEVER NEVER NEVER did/would those mounts every come close to the prestige of the discontinued one. Ever. This view I share is commonplace among that game's player base, which I believe is quite significant, and is what shaped my views on RS rares. I hope I haven't offended people, and I'm sorry if this was too long. I'm going to sleep now.

F2P here so most of this discussion I don't really have to worry about, but I did find this quote =D Like the gladius, the pugio was a stabbing weapon, the type preferred by the Romans. Of them Vegetius says[2]: A stroke with the edges, though made with ever so much force, seldom kills, .... On the contrary, a stab, though it penetrates but two inches, is generally fatal. ... the body is covered while a thrust is given, and the adversary receives the point before he sees the sword. This was the method of fighting principally used by the Romans .... Edit: But then again these were Romans, who carried darts, dagger, sword, multiple spears....

Because it totally went like this: "Hey, you wanna unban some innocent players today?" "Nah. I just finished feeding Bob the cat, broke the game for pkers (lulz), and now I'm gonna work on a new hp bar" "Why can't you use your time to unban innocent players? Do you not care?" "no. If they didn't want to be banned, they shouldn't have gotten banned in the first place." I lol'd hard. Although I agree with you. I doubt Customer Support and Development team are the same people. Because every MMO is chock full of babies who are against any form of change just for the sake of it. In before "omg now runescape is RUINED" BABIES! I've heard that it's polar opposite: "ZOMG NERF ROGUE" "LULZ HEALERS R OVERPOWERD" "ARGH BLIZZARD CANT YOU DO ANYTHING RIGHT" Lol, I remember this ^ Good lord...most complaining in RS is tame compared to some of the arena whining >.< (Not to say I didn't hate every lock player >.<)

This mage seems to disagree Hmm, but did he solo MC up to that point? Just wondering.

=/ I had ~2k+ baron kills before achievements came out, and about 60ish after, never saw the thing >.< though it paid my way through everything. I've seen the bindings drop twice...of course this wasn't from solo play, so I didn't win them =/ (Mages can't solo MC still =/ )

Formerly Frzphnx of Shandris Highest arena rating: 1850 =/ Only serious push I made really...then my partner went on a cruise for 2 weeks >.< Raid Progression: Didn't raid too much, and quit about when Naxx 2 came out, but has done nearly all pre-bc and bc, aside from BT and Sunwell Reason for leaving: time constraints, lots of things Thoughts: Very very engaging...but the time requirements get...aggravating. Other thoughts: Probably will get flamed, but I sincerely believe that high level play in WoW requires far more skill than in RS, but then again, the game is oriented around the endgame, rather than the run to the endgame. Also, the playerbase is older-I couldn't image what RS ventrilo would be like >.< <3 Shatter combo

yeah...used ignore list for the very first time >.< though on the other hand I'm quite willing to lend to nice people who ask politely =D as opposed to every few seconds...

I'm a very on and off player, and finally saved up for a green mask (which I don't plan to resell)-really like the color. However, it seems like every person who isn't asking to borrow it accuses me of borrowing it from someone else. Not a major rant, but just got on my nerves a tad.

Currently my combat stats are: 42 attack (forgot to check style at flesh crawlers :( ) 76 strength 40 defense 67 hitpoints 60 ranged 43 prayer 63 magic 70 combat level Currently the only combat stat I am actively leveling is magic, with the occasional strength/hitpoint gain from fist of guthix. I'm wondering if this is a good path to take, or if it's too late to really bother changing combat orientation. Also, since I'm at 43 prayer, would 45 be worth it? While it's a long shot, I want to hit 85 magic without leveling other stats.

Teleblock + mage interface changes? nice. Maybe they're trying to make f2p less melee based?

I say flesh crawlers. Virtually autopilot, occasional gems, controllable randoms (sorta), and body runes (not amazing but stackable). Zombies in the room above for steel arrows in loads.

I really don't really like the cabbage tele method for airs. I haven't personally found any difference, and frankly, I just like to click less. RC gloves do really help though.

Fist of Guthix Additional Tips-F2P perspective (In Progress) There is already an excellent FoG guide in the Archives of Wisdom, but I feel that a few additions would not hurt. Someone stated that the writer of that guide is gone now, so his guide won't be updated, hence the reason I've written this. The guide is the only FoG guide in the AoW, so it shouldn't be hard to find. As far as I can tell, this is merely additional thoughts/information, not an entire guide to FoG in itself. I do not play FoG nearly as much as some people, as I merely play when I need something from tokens. However, I feel that a few tips could go a long way. This will be from a F2P perspective, but I'm sure at least some will be applicable to p2p. I will assume you know at least where FoG is, what's available there, know what you are given, etc. Table of Contents: I. Pre Battle Considerations II. Once Inside: General III. Once Inside A. Offense B. Defense IV. What I use V. Long term Considerations I. Before you ever step in: Considerations. 1) Don't ever bring a shield. Ever. When you need it, you'll be wielding the stone. 2) Quite a few items don't weigh very much. Amulets, certain gloves, boots, etc. Min maxing as the situation dictates. Examples: -fighting and leather boots weigh a combined .3 kg (which rounds down) switch freely as needed -Amulet of Power and Amulet of Magic weigh 0 kg, switch to Magic when maging, it's worth it. 3) For comparable items that match in weight, pick only the one that most fits you, unless that's not possible -Because I never range in FoG, I only take rune gaunlets(0kg) and runecrafter's gloves(1 kg). The rc gloves give the same mage def as green d'hide, and are the best f2p mage offense gloves to boot 4) Enter immediately ready. By that I mean either fully in defensive gear, or fully in offensive gear. 5) Very carefully consider if you want to use heavy armor. In my experience nearly anyone playing can range or mage with some competence, usually paired with a seconds style, which is flexible. Range and mage really do cut through rune. While you can throw on different armors, you'll always be burdened with the weight (random note skirts weigh less than legs), which will hurt you for sure as a hunter, as well as when you're hunted (less so as a hunted if you're a center defender, though) 6) Turn chats off. The fewer distractions the better. II. Once Inside: General Do pay attention to your opponent whatever position you are in for the first part. Sure you know your opponent is named XYZ, but learning their combat level, what color their name is, etc takes only a second and will save you much grief if they're using less than perfect crowd shielding. III. Once Inside: A. When on Offense: I feel the most pressure is when you're first and on offense, since unless you are supremely competent in your survival, you are running against the clock, not with it. As the hunter your options are very limited. YOu must find your prey, and you cannot nearly influence what your prey does as much as the prey can influence you. I highly suggest wearing full distance offense gear to start with as the hunter. Only use melee if they are either non-moving or if it's vastly superior to your other combat abilities. Strategies for actually locating your prey are covered in great detail in the other guide. One thing to note, on heavily crowded worlds, often your field of vision on the minimap is of a much smaller circumference than it normally is. Work accordingly. Also, try to maximize your run regeneration. When dealing with wall huggers, remember this: Yes they can be a PITA to kill, but they are gathering charges very very slowly. When dealing with house huggers: Know that they know that hunters generally quickly run to another house. Take comfort in the fact that they aren't getting charges and are taking damage faster than others. When dealing with "Strategists": Counter guess their guesses as best you can. Get good with your camera so you can start auto casting *right* before they teleport away from that edge into the maelstrom in the center. Use fast weapons to counter prayer flashing. Utilize the offensive prayers. Thoughts on Binding: Binding is nice, but vs a moving target, I really do like to just keep auto-casting/shooting. Not against binding when a good opportunity shows itself, though. B. When on defense: I feel that overall level plays a bigger role when on the defensive. You have more prayer, defensive armor options, overall magic level, etc if you're higher leveled usually, which really does make a difference even though your stats are reduced. Get used to running. A lot. Sure that stone is ridiculously heavy, so you'll have to hit the center when possible, but running is good. However, one thing very important to consider: more reward for more "risk". I've won a fair number of matches just immediately teleporting to the center and being a competent center defender. The fact that the amount of charges gained in the center is just so much higher than anywhere else cannot be ignored. Learn to recognize attack style changes and switch armor/prayer effectively. That one extra free hit they don't get in can be the difference between bandage and death. Always make your opponent work. So you've been doing fine near the center, but you're finally out of food and low on prayer? Just run to one house, loop it, then run to the opposite house, and loop it. You'll likely get another center charge while crossing, perhaps a charge while looping each house, all the while squeezing out whatever you can out of that run energy that would otherwise go to waste if you just took the final few hits. IV. What I use/bring (Trimming Optional): Offensively: 1x Rune Scimitar 1x Amulet of Power 1x Elemental Staff 1x Amulet of Magic 1x Runecrafter Hat 1x Runecrafter Gloves 1x Runecrafter Robe 1x Runecrafter Skirt 1x Explorer Ring-3 Defensively: 1x Team Cape 1x Leather boots 1x Fighting Boots 1x Rune Gauntlets 1x Green D'hide Body 1x Green D'hide Chaps As you can see, my offense is mage and melee based, defense is primarily anti-magic. I am indeed weak to melee and range, but I feel that less weight allows me to avoid melee fairly well with movement oriented strategies when used in conjunction with prayer. As for range, I really don't see many people ranging offensively. Perhaps I'm just lucky. Also, I'm not sure if lost arrows are truly lost (i.e. do arrows that don't appear on ground lost forever in the game?) If they're lost, FoG can become a fairly costly proposition with little monetary compensation. I am no fan of degrading gear, hence my choice of RC robes over say druid or combat robes. V. Long term Considerations 1) Level magic, it's the only stat that provides both offense and defense. 2) Raise your overall and combat levels. More tokens, and a higher level does make things a bit easier combat wise. 3) Gather the cash needed to equip the best you can within reason. Will add as time permits me.

You can't have doubles of alot of FoG stuff, like gloves and such. But gl getting the rest. Haven't gotten to the gloves yet aside from the ones I burned en route to 50 rc :( I'm pretty sure I have 2 charged rune gauntlets though :) ps: And thanks for the encouragement :)