Power Levelling - Zliz's EverQuest Compendium (2024)

Power Levelling

Power Levelling is the act of using extra items, spells and most often another character to boost the rate at which at new character levels. Several different methods exist, some more powerful than other.

The simplest method of power levelling is to get help from a character of higher level, from outside of the group with the twink(s). The help will typically be in the form of healing, buffing, and helping out in emergencies. You can group up to buff, teleport, etc., but in order to gain experience, the low-level character must either be solo (or with a mercenary) or with characters in the same level range.

There are restrictions in place to prevent very low-level characters from receive high-level buffs - Read about buff level ranges here. The restriction also includes healing spells. Still, even low-level buffs with provide you with a noticable increase in survivability and damage output. Focus on buffs that provide Hipoints, damage shield, Haste and Regeneration primarily, and also keep some healing spells ready. Some mounts also provide several hundred Hitpoints and some AC, and are usable at level 1.

Examples of some good low-level buffs include:

• Temperance - Cleric; +800 HP, +48 AC.
• Spirit of Wolf - Beastlord/Druid/Ranger/Shaman; movement speed increase.
• Shield of Lava - Magician; 25 point damage shield.
• Spirit of the Puma - Shaman; chance of proccing 154 damage on melee hit. One of the most powerful low-level buffs of all. Must be grouped to cast it on the low-level.
• Harnessing of Spirit - Shaman; +251 HP, +67 STR, +50 DEX
• Alacrity - Enchanter/Shaman; 40% Haste
• Chloroplast - Beastlord/Druid/Ranger/Shaman; +10 HP regen/tick

This method can be combined with all the above mentioned and exploits the fact that the character or group that does 51% or more of the damage to a monster, gets the full experience. As soon as the monster your low-level character is fighting gets below 50%, you can finish it off with your high-level, hopefully quickly if not instantly. Load up a fitting direct damage spell, if available, to make it as easy as possible.

The most powerful method for levelling a new character quickly abuses the fact that damage done to monsters by damage shields does not 'count' as damage, in the sense that the damage just reduces monster Hitpoints without taking experience credit. For example, if a monster has 1000 Hitpoints and one character does 900 damage via damage shield, another character can swoop in and do the final 100 damage and get the full experience credit.

To begin with, you will need a character that is high-level, durable, and has access to relatively large damage shields. You can start out simple, but for effective power levelling, you need access to at least one level 80+ character with decent gear and good damage shield spells. The more powerful the character is, the further you can take the low-level via power levelling using this method.

The strategy entails pulling a ton of monsters with your high-level character and gathering them in place. While the monsters slowly get whittled down by the damage shield on the high-level, the low-level character steps near the pack of monsters and fires off an AE spell in order to do at least 1 point of damage to each monster, getting the full experience credit in the process. In order to be able to do this, the monsters cannot be too high level above the low-level, so you need to execute the method in tiers, moving on as the low-level gains levels.

It is crucial that the low-level can do at least 1 point of damage to each monster in the pull, or at least the majority of monsters, or it will be a waste. A level 10 attempting to land a spell on a level 40 monster will have his spell resisted 99% of the time. There should be no more than 15 levels difference between the low-level and the monsters, or it will be fruitless attempting to land spells.

The AE spell should be of the type with unlimited targets, also called 'PB AE' (Point Blank Area of Effect). Targeted AE spells or Rain-type spells can only hit a limited amount of targets (3 or 4), and will not be any good. The following classes have direct access to a usable AE spell at reasonably low levels:

• Bard - Chords of Dissonance at level 2.
• Cleric - Word of Pain at level 9.
• Druid - Tremor at level 21.
• Magician - Fire Flux at level 1.
• Necromancer - Word of Shadow at level 20.
• Wizard - Numbing Cold at level 1.

If the character you're power levelling does not get an AE at level 1, simply power level him through regular means until the level where he gets the AE spell, or in the case of the Bard, either complete the first 'Jail Break!' tutorial, or go kill just a handful of monsters to reach level 2.

If your low-level does not have an AE spell at all, such as a melee character, there are other methods:

• If you have a spare account, simply start a new Bard along with him. Bards' level 2 song is by far the best AE spell for this method, as it costs little mana and is fired off every tick, even while moving. The Bard will eat some experience, but this is offset by the incredible ease of getting kill credit. This method is by far the easiest if you can.
• Clickies with limited charges exist that do AE damage. The two most well known are:
  • Holgresh Mojo Stick (Air) and Holgresh Mojo Stick (Fire), both dropped off the flying Holgresh monkeys in Wakening Lands in Velious. They drop uncommonly. Each stick has 5 charges of an AE spell.
  • Oil of Fennin Ro bought from Zordak Ragefire in Nagafen's Lair. He is located directly in Lord Nagafen's lair, and will thus be rather impossible to get to unless Nagafen is killed. Each potion has 4 charges of an AE, but costs over 1000 platinum per potion, making it an expension option.
• Several weapons with AE procs exist. I would only advise attempting this if your high-level has a form of non-damaging AE hate spell, such as Shadow Knights' Dread Gaze. The reason for this is that the hate mechanics of EQ are quirky, and unless the high-level has a firmly established grip on the monsters, they are very likely to turn their attention on a low-level character that simply gets too close.
• Blued Two-Handed Hammer - Procs at level 30
• Fleshripper - Procs at level 35, No Trade
• Painbringer - Procs at level 35, No Trade, Warrior only
• Fayguard Bladecatcher - Procs at level 35, No Trade
• Fayguard Parrying Dagger - Procs at level 35, No Trade, Ranger only
• The Golden Pick is a weapon that is the result of a quest in Crescent Reach. It will take an hour or two to complete the quest. The weapon procs 1 point of damage, almost unresistable, on virtually every swing and can thus be used to cycle through the pack of monsters and get a point of damage in on each on them. A cumbersome and dangerous method, although possible.

Don't stop as soon as you've cast one AE spell or procced your weapon once, as there will likely be resists. Keep casting or proccing until you estimate, judging your chat log, that almost all monsters have been hit.

The most crucial part of the strategy is buffing damage shield. If you're looking to power level to around level 70, you should at least be able to buff a 200 point damage shield; the more the better. You can get by with less, but it'll take more time.

Some key sources of damage shields include:

• All cloaks from level 80 and onwards have a damage shield clickie, for example Illusionary Spikes II.
• Bard songs, from another high-level Bard grouped with your high-level.
• Magician and Druid damage shields are the best; with Magicians being slightly ahead of Druids.
• Druids, Rangers and Shadow Knights have self-only damage shield buffs.
• Rangers can cast DoTs that put a beefy damage shield on the monster's target for a short while, for example Swarm of Hornets Rk. II. The Ranger will steal experience credit for the monster he casts it on, but this is offset by the huge damage shield that will speed up the rest of the killing.

Start by buffing your high-level to the teeth. Focus on defensive buffs that provide Hitpoints, AC, movement speed, Regeneration, and most importantly, damage shield. Make absolutely sure that your low-level is in a safe spot, then commence with the pull. Pull as many monsters as you can handle, and beware that you don't run so far away that the monsters start resetting. As you return to your camp, it is best to wedge yourself in a corner, with the monsters beating you in the direction of the corner, so that you don't constantly have to re-adjust your position.

When you've either established hate through non-damaging spells and/or the monsters are at around 50% health, begin AEing with your low-level character. Be very, very careful that you don't step too close to the pack of angry monsters or you might get killed from proximity agro. When you feel confident that you've hit the majority of monsters with AE spells, retreat to the safe spot and let the high-level finish off the monsters with the damage shield.

Rinse and repeat until you've exhausted the experience possibilities of the zone you're in.

The strategy requires a strict set of conditions to be met in order for a zone or area to be suitable.

• The area must have a large amount of monsters, and they must either be KoS or at least social. The higher agro/assist range the better, or pulling will be too much of a hassle.
• The monsters must be within a rather narrow level range. Many old world zones have a huge level spread and are thus unsuitable.
• Melee-only monsters are best, as they will melee and thus take damage from damage shields quickest. Spell casters will eventually run out of mana and start meleeing, so a few spell casters in the bunch are fine.
• The monsters should preferably not summon, but it can be dealt with.

Here is a suggested path for power levelling via damage shields:

• Level 1-5 - Start off by 'manually' levelling your low-level a bit in order to gain just a reasonable amount of hitpoints and levels in order to be able to land a spell against higher level monsters. Some classes will also want to level a bit in order to get their first AoE spell.
• Level 5-25 - Crescent Reach, the north part of the valley. Camp in a safe spot to the west of the little bridge leading over the river. Pull all forms of Nokk skeletons outside and in the cave. They have few hitpoints, so adjust your damage shields on your high-level accordingly so you don't kill them before the low-level has a chance to get his AE spells in.
• Level 25-35 - Blightfire Moors, at the bee farm to the east. Camp in a safe spot in the north part of the farm near a wall. Pull the KoS wasps and the occasional wandering KoS bixie. Don't bother attempting to pull the non-KoS bixies at the fields or buildings.
• Level 35-42 - Gulf of Gunthak, outside the entrance to Crypt of Nadox. The large temple is filled with monsters of a suitable level, and you can camp your low-level safely outside in the "pit" just to the east of the large ramp. Pull from inside the temple, all monsters are KoS.
• Level 35-42 - The Hive, the bee dungeon in the east of Blightfire Moors.
• Level 42-59 - Crypt of Nadox, west side of the zone. Just inside from where you did levels 35-42 is an amazing place to power level. The trolls in the east side of the zone are annoying as some of them gate to their bind point when low on health, so go invisible and travel to the central room with a bridge going over the lava. Just to the west of the bridge, near the north wall, overlooking the lava river, is a safe spot where you can camp your low-level. Pull the luggalds, pirates and other monsters from the entire west side of the zone.
• Level 50-60+ - Ruins of Lxanvom (Crypt of Decay).
• Level 60-70 - Doomfire, the Burning Lands (Plane of Fire).
• Level 60-75 - Infected Paw. The zone is filled with KoS elementals that are between level 64 and 70, and are easy to pull en masse. You will need a rather beefy high-level in order to be able to survive here. Paw can be pushed all the way to level 80, although it will get slow in the 70's.

Once you max out Paw, the damage shield AE gravy train comes to a stop, as monsters from now on have too many hitpoints and hit too hard for it to be viable.

When fighting monsters that summon, be careful that the high-level does not riposte or do too much damage otherwise, or he will start getting summoned, ruining the pull. It's almost a must to pre-buff with damage shields, so be careful that you don't let yourself get hit too much while pulling. Classes with riposte can equip two dummy weapons such as two Fire Beetle Eyes, in order to prevent ripostes from happening. Make bandoliers with your weapon sets for quick swapping.

The final monster in the pack might run away when low on health. Don't waste too much time hunting it with your low level; if it's too much trouble, just finish it with your high-level and pull a fresh batch.

If your low-level dies in the middle of a fight, you may attempt to resurrect him with an out-of-combat Cleric mercenary, or using in-combat 0% resurrection AA such as the Druid and Shaman AA Call of the Wild. Get up as quickly as possible and begin AEing again, as dying resets your experience credit for the monsters. If you cannot resurrect the low-level mid-combat, get the pull killed and start over.

Swarming is the act of gathering a large amount of monsters and whittling them down all at once, primarily via ripostes and damage shield. Shadow Knights are the unchallenged masters of this method, as they are a tank class, have many damage shield spells, and incredible survivability through lifetaps.

Swarming requires that the high-level is grouped with the low-level and thus cannot be done unless the two characters are close enough in level to be able to gain experience together. The formula for this is (level * 1.5 + 1) [30 level maximum range], meaning that a level 50 character can group with a level (50 * 1.5 + 1) = 76.

Read about swarming on evilgamer.net, and search their forums for many other threads about SK swarming.

Monks can also swarm to a limited degree, particular by using their Whirlwind discipline, which makes the Monk riposte all attacks for 12 seconds.

As swarming requires a high-level character with good gear, it does not really come into play until the low-level is close to level 60 and becomes eligible for grouping with a level 85+ character.

A form of pseudo-swarming that essentially works the same way is to just kill as much as your character is capable of as fast as possible. For example, a Monk might be able to round up 10-20 mobs at a time and kill them at once, benefitting from riposte and damage shield to speed up the kills.

Exclusive the Rangers, the Headshot AA gives the Ranger a chance of doing a huge amount of damage to humanoid targets when hitting them with an Archery skill based shot or spell. Headshot becomes available at level 60, although it is not viable for good experience gains until higher levels.

Like swarming, headshotting requires that the high-level is grouped with the low-level and thus cannot be done unless the two characters are close enough in level to be able to gain experience together. The formula for this is (level * 1.5 + 1) [30 level maximum range], meaning that a level 55 character can group with a level (55 * 1.5 [rounded up] + 1) = 84.

Read about headshotting on The Bow & Arrow.

While not a real power levelling method, this oldest of levelling methods deserves mention. Twinking means putting powerful gear on a low level character that has been bought or farmed on another, high-level character. Twinking is generally speaking most poweful on melee characters, as a powerful weapon and Haste makes a large impact on the damage done. Spell casters can only really be twinked to have more hitpoints and mana.

The 'importance' of twinking has greatly diminished over time, mainly due to the fact that mercenaries are extremely powerful at low levels. Twinking is thus mostly for fun, and not something that makes a big difference in levelling speed.

With the Luclin expansion, the concept of recommended and required level on items was introduced. Since then, almost all gear has required a certain level and/or been no drop, making them unusuable for twinking.

When twinking a character, you should focus on the following item stats and types:

For melee classes, the weapon makes a huge impact. Weapons with procs usually do not proc at low levels, but a few exceptions exist. Examples of good twink weapons include:

• Peacebringer - Monk only 2HB
• Blade of Carnage - 1HS
• Jade Mace - 1HB, not Lore
• Argent Defender - 2HS

Note that up until level 20, there is a slowly increasing cap of how much damage you can do with any weapon. At level 1, you can do a maximum of 20 damage per hit, for example.

For melee classes, Haste gives you a very large boost in damage output. Examples of Haste twink gear include:

• Cloak of Flames - 36% Haste
• Cloak of Crystalline Waters - 36% Haste
• Flowing Black Silk Sash - 21% Haste

Up until around level 20-30, there is an increasing cap on how much Haste you can gain from items. At level 1 the cap is 10%, but it quickly increases.

Regeneration makes a big impact on survivability and reduces downtime for low-level players. It is suitable for both melee and spell casters. The old classic, the Fungi Tunic, remains the best in the category by a large margin, and is the only regeneration item really worth getting. A few examples include:

• Fungus Covered Scale Tunic - +15 HP regen/tick
• Ceremonial Iksar Chestplate - +5 HP regen/tick
• Zlandicar's Heart - +5 HP regen/tick
• Rubicite Breastplate - +3 HP regen/tick

Many items usable at level 1 exist with plenty of AC and Hitpoints. Twink itemization peaked, so to speak, during Velious, where several items from raid bosses were both tradable and usable by level 1 characters. A few examples of some of the top Velious-era twink items are:

• Velium Encrusted Gauntlets
• Cowl of Mortality
• Flayed Barbarian Skin Leggings
• Ring of Lightning

Almost all potions are level-restricted and thus won't provide your twink with ungodly powers. The only exception is damage shield potions, which are very powerful at lower levels.

Read about Potions here.