Kingdom of Sky - Beta Impression
Kurt "Akira" Scheuringer - 02/08/2006
The Kingdom of Sky will not be an expansion which will be tucked under the covers like some of those from Everquest I. From my experiences, it is just as original as Desert of Flames with all the aspects such as original lore, features, and graphics. This expansion is going to be a must-purchase item for Everquest II fans as players will now be able to advance to the new level cap of 70, discover the workings of the new achievement system, and explore the new dungeons and raid areas.
No Fabled Required
From my past experiences with Desert of Flames, I have learned that fabled gear from the prior tiers is a must-have before you even head into new expansion areas. With Kingdom of Sky, I feel that this type of gear is not required as much in the beginning, but it will of course give you an advantage. At this point in the new expansion, it seems to be extremely easy to level up and I have even gone to some of the hardest heroic dungeons in the game with just a full level 60-65 group. Not only do I feel this might be too easy, but the loot that drops from monsters is insane. Just a few days ago, a couple friends of mine were able to take down a few heroic named creatures in the famous dungeon "Halls of Fate" and a wooden chest dropped. Surprisingly, the goody inside happened to be a wrist item with many stat attributes reaching over the twenty mark and the incredible effect of power regeneration, yet it was ONLY treasured!
Achievements Abroad
With my good luck, I managed to remember that the expansion had its new achievement system only days after I started playing on beta. I quickly hit the "L" button, which brought up my skills window displaying this new system. Reading over them excitingly, I was enthused at the many choices I had and the benefits my character would receive once I started gaining achievement levels and distributing points between the various abilities. One of my Wizard's abilities gives the permanent effect of an extra 2.4 out-of-combat power regeneration per point I put into it, up to a maximum of 8 points. I started reading how I can gain achievement experience and found out the best way is by just exploring and killing like I normally would. Just as I thought my excitement had peaked, it rose even more when I found out that players can start earning and distributing achievement points as early as level 20.
Islands Galore
At first glance, I thought the expansion landmass was huge and massive. With so many floating islands to adventure on in the expansion's three overland regions, one would think that this would be the biggest land addition to Everquest II yet. As I started roaming around and flying to these islands using the handy cloud transporter, I was shocked to discover that the islands are quite small. I tried to investigate further and it seems that most islands are no bigger than one or two monster spawn camps. In my opinion, having more then two or three full groups on an island would definitely cause overcrowding. Yipes! I cannot begin to think about how many people will be cramming these areas when the expansion goes live on February 21st , especially considering the additional players from the server merges!
Dungeons Win this Round
One thing you will not be worrying over in this expansion is the amount of dungeons. With over 10 dungeons ranging from static to instanced zones covering all the categories from heroic to epic, you will not lack monsters to kill in these regions even if your server becomes overpopulated in the overland island areas. Not only have I personally seen the vast amount of creatures that inhabit these dark lairs, I have taken particular notice of the intricate design work the artists used in all corners of these dungeons. The most intriguing aspect of the expansion is that everywhere you adventure, dungeon or mainland, each nook and cranny is perfected with a sharp looking graphic or feature. For example, you will now have to keep an eye out for climbable walls in unexpected places. They are not as recognizable as they were in Desert of Flames and can be easily missed! Lastly, you might want to watch out for certain effects on the ground; it could be a dangerous trap!
That wraps it up as far as my adventures have gone to this point. Kingdom of Sky will be yet another grand expansion for Everquest II with something for every player to enjoy. This expansion now awaits the approval of the rest of the Everquest II player base. I wish you happy hunting in your new endeavors and will write as I discover more in this immersive new expansion!
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