EverQuest II Echoes of Faydwer

EverQuest II has been around for almost two years now and the game shows little sign of slowing down in terms of evolving both the playing experience and the challenge. Coming soon, to a PC near you, is the latest update for the game, the third expansion overall, Echoes of Faydwer.

The expansion takes part in a place that may be familiar to those who played the original EverQuest, now referred to as EverQuest Live. In the EQ II expansion, the zone has been updated and Features 20 new zones, a new race (the Fae), a new starting city Kelethin (dwarves, fae, wood elves, high elves, half elves, gnomes can start there), new adornments, player cloaks, new items – horse mounts, treasure and new armor sets will be available. And, of course, there will be lots of new quests.

Sony Online Entertainment hosted a media tour of the zone, which was quick enough, but still managed to convey the essence of the zone. The fae are, basically, like fairies – tiny humanoids with wings on their back. No, they do not fly, per se, but hover and when they jump from heights, they glide down smoothly, not taking fall damage.

Remember Clan Crushbone and Crushbone Keep from EQ Live? It’s here, looking very nice – as do most of the areas. Not only has the game brought forward zones from EQ Live, but has also inserted a little tongue-in-cheek humor.

Where are the gnomes from? You will find out, and may even find the Department of Gnome-land Security.

New armor will be entering the game, in the form of a dark flame armor set for evil races, and storm armor. Transportation concerns? The Wizard Spires were once used as main source of travel for wizards and druids. Maybe, according to the guide, they will be used in the future.

New tradeskills will enter the equation – transmuting and tinkering. This promises to help create better gear with new and desired stats.

The game has done a few other things in regards to the graphics. The orcs have received a makeover and are supposed to look a bit more threatening. As was stated during the tour, the idea was that SOE was “really keeping EQ Live look” with 50% of the environments being very close to EQ Live in semblance.

There will be new NPCs, including vampires, werewolves, kobolds, and new clockworks.

One important note for this expansion is that the level cap will not be going up, but there will be content for all levels of players.

For example, Kaladim is a high-level zone. The Emerald Halls has an Alice-in-Wonderland (giant mushrooms) look but is very deadly, with epic x4 treefolk and Woushi, the dragon (entrusted to protect the Bloom of Growth). While we were told to prepare for Woushi’s appearance, nothing could really prepare one for the devastation inflicted on the party of sightseers. Woushi wiped out 10 level-70 characters very quickly.

Castle Mistmoore looks very good but sports level 72 mobs and will require a raid party. Klak’Anon is ruled by clockworks who will try to kick out any biological form of life. If you work through the zone you may encounter the Clockwork Menace, another epic raid encounter.

Another new feature to the game will be the deity systems. The prophets of the old gods of Norrath are recruiting and players can gain favor and faction with the gods. Favors can be used as a kind of currency for items and miracles and blessings – powerful spells that can affect a player or party.  

As stated, the look and tour ended much too soon, but Echoes of Faydwer is looking to be a marvelous expansion, taking the game in a different direction while paying homage to the past. EQ II fans will certainly like some of the new elements being presented.

The expansion will ship in early November and will retail with previous expansions.