Plodding with Plods (200+ grinding question)

[velosi]

My crew and I are moving/have moved into the mythical land of 200+ melee/casting skills. The question has arisen about where/what to hunt. Some of the veterans of our guild have told us that there is really no option other than grinding Plods.

The question I cast out to the sages of the forums is: Is Plod grinding the only/best way to get from 210 to 250 as a crew? We run in a team of 3-6 most nights, and all of us have gotten our "main" skills to 201-230 and done sub-sets of other skills to 100-190 (I. E. The meleers have heal 190, casters have melee 150, etc.)

Is there -nothing- down in PR we can grind? (effeciently, I mean. I'm sure we could drop many things down there, but if it take 5-10 minutes per mob then it's invalid for our purpose)

Please forgive my ignorance.

Thanks,

Vitae (Everlost, if I could have a surname)

P.S. When I say "is there any other way" I don't mean ANY (in the literal sense)...I mean viable alternatives.

[clyne]

I am not sure about PR, never hunt there. I figure it rewards better XP and mobs have an extended HP as far as I am aware.

As a team of level range 200 - 225, Knichers in Void, Witherings would be the best choice. It only takes fraction of a minute and the XP gained is not too poor. But from what I am aware plods are the final choice for the 225+ levels, but if all the team members are in that range it shouldn't really take that much time for a plod. If I recall correctly a team of three, myself included was able to take out each plod (but ...in void) in more or less a minute.

I rarely go in to Prime Roots as I really cant seem to get attached to the environment. Too colorless for me. So I am sure others who are really at higher levels will be able to provide a better response

[gillest]

PR mobs of the same Lvl as mainlands for area 200+ have about dble HP compared to their mainland brothers, so it's kinda slower .

Also much more dangerous as you never know what is going to aggro you

After 200, if you want to avoid plods: those as well take ages to kill, the best way may be to split your party in groups of 2 or 3 players: make 2 teams and to train on Greats: Great Kiro, Great Najab, Great Kinchers, Great Jugulas and so on..
This is ok until 240 as you get over 2 to 2.5k XP.
After 240, better go back to plods cos the XP on greats become very low: on Great Jugs, approching from 250, I think was like 1.4k to 1.1k solo with healer out of team (hug Sasa )

But its true that plods at lvl 200-215 are not the best mobs

Edit: Hi Olca

[sehracii]

I personally faaaaaaar prefer shalah to plods. And some people like bolobi too.


PR mobs have double HP but are worth the same XP, so not good for hunting efficiently.


At 210+ you're looking at duos on the "Great" predators like Gillest said.
If you want to hunt in the big group of 6 one of the super herbs is the only option.
Don't do plods if you have slashing melee, such a waste

[totnkopf]

This is ok until 240 as you get over 2 to 2.5k XP.
After 240, better go back to plods cos the XP on greats become very low: on Great Jugs, approching from 250, I think was like 1.4k to 1.1k solo with healer out of team

Great Najab -> Great Kincher -> plods (optional)
with a decent team that knows what its doing, you get better xp per hour on kinchers than you do on plods. Plods are very slow and while you get 3k xp, the time you spent killing it could have easily been spent killing 4+ kinchers. At 249 you get 960xp per kincher, and with nukers and melee, they drop like flies.

[clyne]

I am not sure about PR, never hunt there. I figure it rewards better XP and mobs have an extended HP as far as I am aware.

Ok so I was partially wrong, I stand corrected.



(@gillest: *waves* )

[raisrev1]

Depending on Team Setup, while the xp drops to round 400ish, but can be fast and exciting, You can do Great Kinchers to 250 with team of 9, but it requires 2-3 high lvl healers going constantly to make it work, and of course at least 2 ele inthat mix as well. But the xp is pretty much continuous and comes in fairly fast. Team setup i would recomend 3 healers using max bomb heals, 3 ele with bomb nukes, and the other 3 can be mix of anything else, as long as one of them takes the time to quarter occasionaly to keep the spawns going.


I know many of you wont belive me.. but it does work, Done it several times. The best spot ive seen for this is Up by PSW in Void in winter i belive. The trick is to sit basicly bout half way down the hill, literaly in the middle of where they spawn. And I would recomend working on lower lvl/weaker mobs first to get the hang of it before trying the Kinchers.

*note you dont have to do it this way of course, its just a suggestion as a possible way to go*

[raisrev1]

Great Najab -> Great Kincher -> plods (optional)
with a decent team that knows what its doing, you get better xp per hour on kinchers than you do on plods. Plods are very slow and while you get 3k xp, the time you spent killing it could have easily been spent killing 4+ kinchers. At 249 you get 960xp per kincher, and with nukers and melee, they drop like flies.

Bah you beat me to it lol

[omsop]

You can do Great Kinchers to 250 with team of 9, but it requires 2-3 high lvl healers going constantly to make it work, and of course at least 2 ele inthat mix as well. But the xp is pretty much continuous and comes in fairly fast. Team setup i would recomend 3 healers using max bomb heals, 3 ele with bomb nukes, and the other 3 can be mix of anything else, as long as one of them takes the time to quarter occasionaly to keep the spawns going.

You can of course use this method for plods aswell, aslong as you have the heal/nuke power.

[johntf]

Great Najab -> Great Kincher -> plods (optional)
with a decent team that knows what its doing, you get better xp per hour on kinchers than you do on plods. Plods are very slow and while you get 3k xp, the time you spent killing it could have easily been spent killing 4+ kinchers. At 249 you get 960xp per kincher, and with nukers and melee, they drop like flies.

What annoys me is trying to get other people to understand that point at any level in the game that just because a mod says more xp per kill doesn't mean its the most profitable thing to hunt. I've tried to tell people at any 200+ level that they don't need plods but I'll be damned if basicly any of them actually get it...

I know it shouldn't bother me but damnit it does