Getting started as an engineer

Xori Ruscuv · Post by **Xori Ruscuv** » Sun Jan 25, 2009 7:36 pm

In the process of getting used to the game a bit, I've rolled several classes and raised them through the newbie island to get a bit of a feel. I've decided I like the Engineer.

Unfortunately, having a bit of trouble getting started with my Engineer. Primarily I'm having survivability troubles.

I've read the Engineer MK3 guide. There's some good tips there, such as skill/attribute allocation, and I've been following that closely.

I've been wanting to get a bot heal, I think that would be tremendously helpful. However, I can't seen to get it (even using clicksaver). I've blown many a credit trying to get a mission.

Even so, missions are causing me a problem. Even with the difficulty slider in the middle, I pop into a mission and usually get dead quick if I get more than a single mob pull...

I'm using the biggest bot that I can, too. Which doesn't say much, being that my gear isn't giving me stats. (I've found a couple implants that give me some T&S and matter creation.)

Any tips from fellow engineers?

Oh, and I see a lot of talk about blitzing missions. Is this a hint to roll a mezzer to do farming with in order to "support" your "main" character?

I'm kindof hoping to not have to use buff bots or beg for buffs around the general store or anything. Usually like to have my first character be a "self made" and "self reliant" thing, so I can learn the game. Adversity builds strength, etc etc.

Edit: Another question - do Engineers get self-heals at some point? Or are we relegated to chugging nano and healing packs?

Thanks.

Uragon · Post by **Uragon** » Sun Jan 25, 2009 8:38 pm

First of all, I'd skip bot heals for the start. They will eventually be useful, but it's a much better approach for the first 100 levels to try getting the biggest level bot as possible. For instance, while you could get a level 30 bot to survive a level 40 monster with pet heals, a level 50 bot might just tear the same mob to pieces without even getting low on health. And it's far easier to concentrate on Matter Creation/Time & Space skills than to raise Bio Met.

The only real heals that Engineers get come with the Shadowlands expansion, to be precise with the Bio Shielding perk line. So yes, heal packs will be your friends. But what you should be concentrating on is to get your pet to play the tank for you. If it's big and scary enough, you can even send it into a room and then follow after it as soon as everything in the room is dead. No risk for you then!

Xori Ruscuv · Post by **Xori Ruscuv** » Sun Jan 25, 2009 8:59 pm

Ah, hijacking my own thread: I'm attempting a mission, and I just saw "Mission chance of token reward upped to 75% due to your heroic effort."

What does this mean?

Ty!

Uragon · Post by **Uragon** » Sun Jan 25, 2009 9:09 pm

For a mission, you have a certain chance to receive the specified XP reward, as well as a token for your efforts. If you've chosen a side (Omni/Clan), then those tokens can be used to upgrade your token board (neck armor, very good at 1000 tokens). The chance to receive those rewards depends on the amount of adversaries killed in the mission. If you killed them all, you get a 100% chance to receive that reward.

Post by **Snakebite** » Sun Jan 25, 2009 9:20 pm

MC & T&S are EVERYTHING, higher those are, the higher lvl bot you can cast...

Do you have the expantions? BIG question...

Anyway, being self reliant for an engi is a problem, you WILL have to beg buffs if you want a good bot... & these are the ones you want...

Composite Attributes (assuming you have SL)
Composite Nano (assuming you have SL)

The MP Nano buff of choice, larger the better, Idealy Single MC & T&S Mochams (dependent on NCU of course)

A Wrangle from a Trader, it only lasts about 1min, but will allow you to cast & activate a much higher bot, then assuming you're not Over Equipped when it drops, the bot will listen to you...

What server are you on & what faction are you?

Xori Ruscuv · Post by **Xori Ruscuv** » Sun Jan 25, 2009 9:33 pm

Thanks very much for the advice!

Uragon wrote: If it's big and scary enough, you can even send it into a room and then follow after it as soon as everything in the room is dead. No risk for you then!

This seems to be the problem. Grinding credits is extremely slow, so I'm trying to skip a couple levels of bots... but my gear doesn't put me up to the skills required for that higher level bot.

I'm also having trouble with ah.... well, this sounds silly, but... having trouble with having too many IP. My T&S and matter creation are maxed, I'm level 12. I've been focusing on the abilitues in the MKIII guide. I just realized though - I should be ramping up things like Evade-ClsC, and Ranged Init, etc. yes?

Ukblizzard · Post by **Ukblizzard** » Sun Jan 25, 2009 9:42 pm

Gaining credits is down to how much time you can put into it, and as well how much luck you have.

On the whole, just knowing what to do with loot you pick up can be really the difference between how good your bank balance is.. that injected with the luck factor of something valuable dropping can make a nice difference

Some people play for years and never accumulate a "good" bank balance.. others in a short space of time figure the market out / or their way of gaining credits on Rubi Ka / in the shadowlands and can be really successful.

Xori Ruscuv · Post by **Xori Ruscuv** » Sun Jan 25, 2009 9:51 pm

Oh, to answer above questions - I'm a fr00b. I have been told by others that I should play the game for quite a while before buying expansions, etc. So... that means I won't be able to access game features that allow me to put my loot up for "auction", I imagine, too... right?

Ukblizzard · Post by **Ukblizzard** » Sun Jan 25, 2009 9:57 pm

Doesnt stop you selling it though, the Shopping channels can still be a good way to sell the more valuable loot to other players!

EDIT : AO Froobs also has a buying and selling forum : http://www.aofroobs.com/forum/index.php

Xori Ruscuv · Post by **Xori Ruscuv** » Sun Jan 25, 2009 10:01 pm

Ukblizzard wrote:Doesnt stop you selling it though, the Shopping channels can still be a good way to sell the more valuable loot to other players!

EDIT : AO Froobs also has a buying and selling forum : http://www.aofroobs.com/forum/index.php

Oh, nice, thanks.

That'll help once I figure out what is worth what hehe

Also - is there a reliable(ish?) way for me to get clusters so I can build some crazy T&S and MC implants? Looking at the premade stuff in the general stores, I don't have enough money to get some of these poor implants, and they're only getting my bot UP TO my level, let alone beyond it.

Ukblizzard · Post by **Ukblizzard** » Sun Jan 25, 2009 10:22 pm

Clusters do tend to drop in missions if you are really so in need of creds that you cannot afford to buy them from the stores.

Other than the premade ones, in the tradeskill department of shops, you can buy singular clusters to make your own implants.

Xori Ruscuv · Post by **Xori Ruscuv** » Sun Jan 25, 2009 10:43 pm

Ukblizzard wrote:Other than the premade ones, in the tradeskill department of shops, you can buy singular clusters to make your own implants.

Oh, nice. I didn't realize clusters were sold in trades department. TY!

Post by **Snakebite** » Sun Jan 25, 2009 11:52 pm

Still would like to know what server you're on, if it's Rimor, I can help out... (my main is a 220 engi & I have 2 lvl60 engi twinks (still trying to get it just right lol))

Xori Ruscuv · Post by **Xori Ruscuv** » Mon Jan 26, 2009 12:04 am

Snakebite wrote:Still would like to know what server you're on, if it's Rimor, I can help out... (my main is a 220 engi & I have 2 lvl60 engi twinks (still trying to get it just right lol))

Oops sorry I missed that question. I'm on Atlantean, Clan. (Sorta picked at random.)

By the way, can anyone give me some pointers about building implants? I'm going to try to uniformally boost my TS and MC a bit. I'm seeing all sorts of stipulations... can't be used with refined implants, the base implant has to be within 15% QL, etc... I don't want to waste my few precious credits and screw up an implant/cluster hehe

I'm going to grind some missions for money and see where I can get with this, get some implants made, I'd like to do it right the first time though.

TYVM for your help. This is a really great community, it's cool. I'm enjoying the game quite a bit btw. It's complex, I like that. It's also good to be away from fantasy. I hope the new engine cuts back on some of the eye-burn though

Niodemus · Post by **Niodemus** » Mon Jan 26, 2009 12:15 am

Warning: biased view on the topic!

Well... when I understood right you are 'just' level 12, that is unfortunately not a good level to think about getting a much higher bot. Sadly this also means you won't progress fast if you go alone.

What you can do at that level is asking for MC / TS expertises (general buff) or teachings (MP buff) to cast a higher bot. Personally I would not invest too much money in items for implants or implants themself at such an early stage - others might have a different opinion. But first character is usually too short on the cash front to make big steps early.

Basicly the point at which you can look at serious twinking is when you can equip a 3 Slot Belt ... with Comp.Literacy expertise... and equip a good set of NCU chips. This will give you the NCU space to collect good outside ability & treatment buffs to equipt a good set of implants - focus on MC & TS enhancing ones first.
With those implants and the according expertises you can launch a bot that is actually noticable higher than yourself. If you have the NCU space you can even ask a MP or Trader for support, but be careful to not get out of the overequip (OE) range... this range you can usually check using the command '!oe <your skill>' on most bots... eg. your organisation's bot.

Well... don't want to write a whole wall of text, so feel free to ask when you got questions remaining.

Nio

Edit: Don't get dragged down by my answer, I think Engineer is a great class to start collecting experiences how the game mechanics work. Also you can gain good cash with them rather early... well.. once you got a good bot that is.