Thursday, October 22, 2009

Free Trial is Over, Crafting Choices and An Overall Update

Recently I started to level a Templar and I must say I am loving it. They are much more durable than a Gladiator and there isn't much down time. Its a decent change of pace and has me finally appreciating low leveling again. Because you know how so many people do not want to run the same content over again. His name is Siroco, still on Yustiel and is a proud member of Pluto Kiss. So if you see me in game, say hi or if you're a fur back... please don't kill me! jk

I'm going "balls to the walls" on this character. Leveling Vitality Gathering and Aether Gathering like it is no tomorrow. Even though I'm only 12 right now with him (laugh I know) I have Aether Gathering to 40 and Vitality Gathering to 52. Not bad for a day of little leveling and lots of looting resources. With my main, "Deilax" being a Cook I'm wondering what I should do with Siroco. I'm finding my self interested in Armor and Weapon Smithery but I hear Handicrafting is very profitable and I know I would benefit greatly from Alchemy. I'll probably go Armor and Weapon Crafting with this character and give Alchemy to Deilax and my Cleric, Laia, can take Handicrafting and Weaving. Only time will tell though! Only time will tell...

So last night as I log off I check my e-mail before I'm urged to go to bed by my Wife to see an e-mail saying. "Game Account Expired." I was horribly confused because I was just playing and didn't see any notices or anything. With out hesitation though I logged into my master account and quickly reactivated my account. I then looked at the time stamps to see I logged out on 12:55 MST and got the e-mail at the same time. Since NC Soft NA is based in Seattle they are on Pacific time so it was quite a refreshing to see how close that all was.

On to the point of the ending of the free trial now.  To me this is a time of where all the players that started on release that bitch, moan, complain, etc etc about the game go bye bye. Servers stabilize and everything gets quiet. Now I'm not hoping for the game to go so dead that no one is on anymore, I'm hoping those ass hats that compare everything to World of WarCraft leave and trust me nothing will get you faster on my block list than talking abut World of Warcarf on a different game. I'm hoping the Gnome, Dward and Brownie population will drop to almost nothing as well. It will hopefully be a golden age in Aion! GOLDEN!!!

Along side Aion I picked up Fallen Earth. I'm not going to lie, I'm somewhat disappointed with it and should have waited for Border Lands to get my post apocalyptic fix. It does however make a great distraction for the time being while I cool down on Aion or my Wife plays it. I will not though be playing past the 30 days and most likely sell my account for $20 if anyone will take it.

If you on Yustiel, hit myself up if you get the chance and add me as a friend. Always nice to talk to new people.

Friday, October 16, 2009

NC Soft comes through for its players!

You must admit, Aion had a "less than graceful" opening to most players. Coming from an MMO veteran who has played over 30 from F2P, P2P to Micro Payments there were only two things that stood out. The overall large queues for logging in and the ridiculous amount of RMT (Real Money Trade) spam through out chat. Besides that, I was honestly amazed to see they didn't have numerous bugs and translation issues upon release.

NC Soft however has taken the best efforts that they can, at this time, to better the Aion experience for all there players. They have instituted a Chat filter to avoid spam and are slowly cranking up the machine for 24/7/365 GM support as well as numerous little fixes that are updated as you play the game, but do not become active until it is shut down and started up again.

To show there appreciation for there players for exhibiting patience (which some people did not at all) players were rewarded with 5 Lodas Amulets in there mail box. If you don't know what they are, a Lodas Amulet is a usable item that increases EXP gain by %20 for one hour and had originally only been obtainable with a pre-order of the game. This is an unexpected gift from NC Soft, so next time your log in check you in game mail box to see your gift.

Note: The item is in fact not in your in game mail box. It is part of a survey you take upon logging in. Once it is finished you are rewarded with the 5 Lodas Amulets. 

It was a very rough start NC Soft but Aion is finally settling down for the long haul. Thank you for supporting your community to the best of you abilities.

Now get Patch 1.6 out for us so we can get that %500 EXP boost on quests! JK

A quick update on our happening here at Pluto Kiss. We are still very wary to recruit at this time and do not believe "zerg" inviting is appropriate for our group.  Currently Moni and I are trying to come up with ideas on how to gain entrance to our Legion. We are also seeking out alliances with top ranked Legions on the Elyos side as well.

Also, this weekend per request of several YouTube watchers responding to my video of the NA Collector's Edition unboxing I will begin a "starting up" video of Aion. Not sure how long this will take me to get done.

Monday, October 12, 2009

First Experience in the Abyss

Moni here with a log update;

I finally got to 25 and entered the abyss for the first time last night. The experience wasn't as smooth as I had hoped it to be.

After gathering orders, I went out a bit to explore the bordering islands near Reshanta. I met up with a legion-mate to train with.

As we began dueling with the local undead, an alert came over that Asmodian soldiers were on their way towards Reshanta.

We decided to join a group in an alliance on their way to meet them. We flew out further than I had originally planned into unfamiliar territory and I met a sight I did not really want to see.

Ghosts. I hate ghosts, they're not like normal beasts or monsters. They come from out of nowhere and I never seem to be able to keep my eye on them.

All while trying to help track down the Asmodians, I was constantly ambushed by these demons. It wore down my stamina and by the time we had found them I was unable to keep my health in order. What's worse is that I didn't even die by an Asmodian sword, I was felled by a golem.

One of my fellow alliance members was not very happy with me and was very vocal about it and it is true that I let down my comrades, but I have to admit I was not ready for the harsh environment that is the Abyss. It is very apparent to me that I need to upgrade my load-out and I need to train more before I go back. The Abyss is nothing like how it is on land and I should've heeded the trainer's warning more closely before I decided to venture out.

My armor right now is currently all leather. This did me very little good at this point in my progress as I was unable to avoid any lethal blows that were dealt to me. I'm going to need to reequip myself with chain and socket defense manastones. I also need to put away my staff and stick with a shield and mace until I become stronger. Managing heals on not only myself but allies as well is not an easy task when the confusion of battle ensues and I think the best tactic in this situation is damage prevention instead of damage repair.

I'm going to be taking a few days off while I take care of some things IRL. Hopefully after I rethink my battle strategy the next time I meet the Asmodians on the battle field that it will go a lot better for me and my team.

Thursday, October 8, 2009

Addressing the RMT Issue

Gold Spam vs. Complaint Spam; What's Worse?

Unless you're new to the nuances in MMORPG culture, you know that no matter what pay-to-play MMO you immerse yourself in that there are going to be gold sellers, aka "RMT" or Real Money Traders, spamming away in the chats and mail systems of the game soliciting the exchange of real money for in-game currency. (That is, usually with the exception of free MMOs like Mabinogi where you purchase point cards to buy in-game items. In that case, you just give your IRL money to the company and in return you get free access to a game with poor graphics and customer service, but that is irrelevant to this article. The acronym "RMT" will be referring to any illegal or illegitimate real money trading that happens outside of the bounds of the EULA for the purposes of this article.)

However, if you are new to the scene it can come as quite a shock. Logging into the game to have tells/whispers coming at you from every direction of '1million = $27.50 24/7 customer service' can really confuse a newbie desperate to get into good gear and, unfortunately, I am sure that many get sucked into the ploy as well as many other similar scams that not only take your money but also your entire game account. Illegitimate RMT isn't as innocent as trading real life money for in-game currency, there is a whole ring of illegal Internet fraud activity surrounding RMT which includes credit card theft. It's a lot of bullocks is what it is and whether you are a newbie or not we can all agree on one thing: Underground RMT needs to go to hell!

Since Aion is brand new in the western world and it has released with a lot of hype, good reviews and a demand even NCSoft didn't expect, it only makes sense that the RMT would follow en suit. It also makes sense that this game would bring a lot of new gamers into the MMO culture. That being said, I'm sure many newbies will want to vent their frustration at the realization of the presence of gold sellers in the game, and that's okay. But, I'm starting to notice that the RMT aren't the only ones spamming the chat channels.

We've established that RMT spam sucks, we all realize that, and if I were to see you complain right now I would simply assume you are a newbie and I would then inform you on how to use the "Block"feature. But, if your reply were a long the lines of "I'm no nub ya moron! I just hate them!" I'm going to use that block feature on you as well. There is no need to cry and moan about something we all know is going to be there no matter what we do, the best thing we can do is just quietly and calmly address the issue with the most effective tool we have to do it with. It is a very simple process that I think calls for review right here in this article.

Step-by-Step Instructions to Block a PC in the Aion Chat
  1. Take a deep-breath and let it out, preventing negative energy from taking over your mind.
  2. Hover your mouse cursor over the offender's name.
  3. Right-click on their name. If the chat is moving, scroll up and the chat will stand still until you scroll back down to the bottom.
  4. Select "Block"
  5. The block window pop up asking you to enter the name of who you'd like to block. Voila! The offender's name is already in the field.
  6. Click the "Block" button.
  7. Confirm the perpetrator has been blocked by reading the confirmation dialogue on your screen before it fades away after a couple seconds.
Now, that wasn't so hard, was it? The problem is that if I happen to be in a group with someone who complains a lot I am unable to block them since I need communication with everyones. So, please be considerate of other players and your team mates and be mature about it. Don't mention the RMT spam, just quickly block them and continue playing.

The 'rut' of the Problem

Yes, I know this does not directly address the problem of RMT, but if you should be mad at anyone honestly you should be mad at the people who feed the industry. RMT is a black market in the several virtual worlds/realities there are to be found in the form of an MMORPG. There is no way NCSoft can prevent RMT operations from purchasing the games and creating accounts unless they have some sort of super-hero tracking down RMT IRL and destroying their computers and workstations. NCSoft has said they are working to eliminate as many bad accounts as they can through the use of GM moderation, but I hope they will take a more serious approach: Targeting accounts who use RMT services.

I'm going to use EVE Online as case study. One of the things I loved about their attitude towards RMT when I was playing EVE earlier this year was their attitude towards the people who use underground RMT services. The GM who addressed the RMT issue in this article wrote, (concerning the RMT of EVE's currency ISK)
"...we will mercilessly remove ISK bought for real money from ISK sellers, and we remove tens of billions of illegally purchased ISK every day. If the illegally bought ISK has been spent, then the wallets will simply be put in the negative, making any form of market activity impossible...."
This is the kind of attitude I hope the good folks at NCSoft have concerning those accounts who use the services of RMT and I hope they are either acquiring or developing technology to address the issue in this manner. If the devs and CCP can work this out, I expect the devs at NCSoft can as well.

Satisfying Demand

There can be no denying that there is a demand for easy money, even in a virtual reality. I personally do not think it is that hard to earn or acquire Kinah in Aion and I've been able to use the Warehouse feature to save for leveling and new load-outs. However, I have a few friends who find themselves constantly having to pay for Soul Healing and are barely able to stay afloat. (They also happen to be spellcasters, so there is a matter of tactics on their part as well. I could also tie some political theme into this, but I'll save it. Real life politics and games don't mix. I play games to escape from all that crud.)

EVE Online has developed a program for those who need extra in-game currency who don't want to do it the old fashioned way (like mining and crafting, or selling loot taken off of dead fools). In this program, you can trade EVE Time Codes for in-game currency. The EVE Time Code, or ETC, is an alternate approach to directly paying the monthly fee. Much like buying a time card for Sony Station games at local retailers and then applying the card code online, you can purchase an ETC from an ETC retailer and then use the ETC to play the game instead of using a credit card (which is the whole reason this transaction style was created).

CCP took it a step further and created the Secure ETC Trading System in which you could pay real money to ETC retailers, obtain an ETC, and then trade that ETC in for in-game money. The brilliant part of this business model is that the ETC is never wasted. Since that time has been paid for, they will then apply that time towards an account of someone who could use a few extra in their pocket IRL so they can then play the game with the credit applied by that traded ETC. This not only creates growth for the game and makes it easier for those who are on a tight budget to enjoy the game, but it also satisfies demand both in-game and out. (Not to mention this is a completely legitimate business model for the company to make extra money!)

I would absolutely love to see NCSoft develop a similar program to help address the RMT issue. Though EVE Online has been unpopular with those who prefer fantasy themed games more like Aion, WoW and EQ, CCP has shown its merits in the way they run their business even while dealing with the RMT issue. They should be held up as a prime example of business ingenuity and creative problem solving with the creation of their Secure ETC Trading Service.

Conclusion

As a player and paying customer, be mature and quietly use the block feature for spam (that's why it's there). Understand that NCSoft doesn't have Batman ready to go round up all the bad RMT people and that they're working on a solution, it just may not be going as fast as we'd like but that is business. Also, DO NOT be tempted to use RMT services. You are ruining the game for others by bringing in more spam. If you feed the RMT operations they will only grow in number as the demand grows for RMT services. Make money in-game legitimately by taking advantage of the broker and the personal store and grind in groups so you don't die all the time and have to pay for Soul Healing. (I personally think Soul Healing is a great deterrent to NOT die!)

To NCSoft, again, I hope you will keep to your reputation as a solid company (which is how it has been in my personal experience with you) and will address this issue quickly and efficiently. I hope you will look to CCP as an example of how you may better address both sides of the issue and not just spend all your time deleting accounts. There is a legitimate way for your company to make more money while satisfying the demand of those who are willing to pay real life money for in-game currency without creating economic chaos within the world of Aion. Continue deleting accounts, but be the competition. If you were to implement a program like CCP's, you'd make it possible for the less fortunate to enjoy your games while keeping balance in and out of the game.

What's your take?

Did I miss something? Please speak your mind! These are just my opinions concerning this issue and I don't believe I am always right about everything (that would be rather pompus of me if I did.) Post a comment and let me know what you think about CCP's Secure ETC Trading Service and if you think that business model could be appropriately applied with not just Aion but all NCSoft games. And most importantly, would you use a service like this if NCSoft did implement a similar program?

Until next time ;)

Nochsana Training Camp Walkthrough

Deilax here again and I’ve recently been running through the Nochsana Training Camp instance with in the abyss! I actually have done it three times so far, and plan on doing it one more time before I hit 29! Because I have done it three times I have learned a few tips and tricks to help you power through this awesome dungeon.

This dungeon is also only available for characters 25-28. Once you reach level 29 you are no longer able to teleport to the training camp. You can however level to 29 in there and there will be no problems such as forced ejection.

Tip 1:
You do not have to be in a Legion to participate and gain the same reward. You just need to participate in the attack or the defense of the Artifact and Fortress. The gold is also sent to you via the in game mail system.

Tip 2:
This is a Group quest. Going in here on your own is sheer suicide because most of the enemies are Elites and Bosses that will kill you extremely fast.  You will need a Templar, Sorcerer and a Cleric for this one.  The other 3 classes should be DPS of course. I have done it with Spirit Masters, Gladiators, Rangers and Assassins and we all extremely careful.

Tip 3:
If you can help it only attack enemies in pairs of two. This is very easy to do because most of the mobs are linked in pairs of two. Sleep, Tree and other CC type spells should be used on the second target. This will increase your percentage of win.

Tip 4:
Watch our for patrols! They run rampant through out the entire area and are usually in packs of two and are Elites. Most devastating one is the large group of 4 Recruits (easy) and 1 Recondo (elite) that come out of the gat as you get near. All three of my parties have wiped here because they failed to notice the large group of ass whooping coming through the door.

Tip 5:
Spread out! All of the Bosses in this area have some sort of devastating AoE attack that can stun/knock back/kill people in your part. Any melee DPS should be in a cross pattern on the target, one front, back, side and left.  This will avoid people getting hit by there AoE attacks. To Spell Casters and Healers you just need to stay back. You do not need to be grabbing the tanks ass to heal him or be picking the enemies nose to do damage.

Entrance to the dungeon:
The entrance is located just to the left of Teminon Landing on a series of small islands. You will need to fly/glide to the Portal Statue which is currently being dug up by several construction workers. If you were to talk to some of the construction works they mention how they are worried for there lives because they aren’t immortal like Daevas.

Just simply hover your mouse over the statue and you will see the activate item “cog” appear. Double click and you will begin to use the portal statue and once the activation time is over you will teleport to the Nochsana Training so be ready!

The Top Path:
Once your entire group has ported to the instance, designate your tank leader so he can mark the DPS target so the casters know what to sleep and tree.  Get your buffs started and head to your right and you will see a path going up. Follow this path, while illuminating the enemy, to a small Artifact.

Once you get to this Artifact you will notice there is a Boss at the center. Leave this one for last or you are in a world of hurt. Have your tank “harpoon” and pull the groups of two to a safe spot away from the artifact that is out of range of the Boss protecting the artifact. Once you have eliminated the enemies around the Boss and artifact you can now attack the Boss.

Remember, spread out the melee and back up the casters.

Have your tank pull the Boss and lay down the hurt. There is really nothing special about this enemy other than it is harder than your standard Elite. Take your spoils of war and approach the artifact.

You have two choices here. You can either  save the artifact for the next boss and send someone back to activate it and be down a man for a few while they make there way back. Or you can just use it now. I have done both ways and the 60 second, 3000 DMG soak buff is not really worth being a man down on the next boss.

The First Castle Wall:
Once you have taken care of this Boss and chosen to use the artifact or not continue past it down a bath towards the first castle wall. At this wall there is a gate and a large patrol will walk through it as you get close as mentioned in tip 4. This patrol itself is very easy to dispatch, but it will kill you if you are not paying attention and begin fighting another group. So dispatch this patrol, wipe the area in front of the castle wall

Once you have taken out this patrol and the ones around the gate, you can ignore the one on top of the gate as he won’t agro unless you go up there. Becareful though as you are marching your way up to the second gate because the second Boss, a fire Drachen, is right in front of the closed gate.

The Fire Drachen:
This is where if you had saved the artifact you would send someone back to activate and begin battle before they make there way back and join in the fray.

This boss has a very large AoE attack that causes massive damage. All casters must stay back a generous distance or they will be knocked down and/or killed. Melee should spread out in the cross pattern for this one as well. You Cleric should used there Summer Circle spell to give the entire party some added fire resistance to help out. The tank should not “harpoon” the target either, you will bring the fight to him. This way your casters are at a safe distance. Spirit Masters should also switch to there Water Spirit for added damage and resistance. Melee should simply lay down the pain while not breaking the cross formation surrounding the target.

The Second Castle Wall:
You will notice as you pass through this wall that there will be a Balaur on your left and right. Eliminate them one at a time and to your right (point of view as you pass through the gate) you will see a ramp that will lead to the top of wall. Make your way up and across killing the 6 Balaur, slowly, that are on top.

Now you may ask yourself, why not the other ramp? Because there is a boss at the top and she has a special trick to her.

This boss is a bit more difficult than the one before. She has the nasty ability to cast a shield that will soak an AMAZING amount of damage.  She will cast this shield at the start and right before she is dead. Since you have eliminate all of the other Balaur on this bridge go shit bat crazy on her.  It shouldn’t take long to remove her from existence and continue on.


Release the Battering Ram!:
Once you have defeated the Fire Drachen, kill the Balaur and Drachen around the gate. Here you will notice several chests for the Prototype Weapon Quest, four in total if memory serves me correct. Don’t worry though, there is a metric shit ton of these chests inside the fortress.

Once you have the area cleansed begin attacking the gate door. If you are your party members have a Siege Weapon have them deploy it. This will take down the door much faster than your entire party can. Be ready though, once the door falls 2-5 Balaur will run out in defense. So as the door falls, immediately fall back and pray only 2 will come out. Take out this worthless defense and continue forward.

Almost there:
There are two Bosses in this area, the General and the Teleporter. The General, who you can’t miss is a total beast and is the style of enemy you will encounter when attacking fortresses. The Teleporter can be a nuisance if you do not eliminate her before attacking the General.

Now lets get to business. Slowly eliminate all the enemies in this bottom area, including the two in front of the General. Don’t worry though, they are not linked to the general.  Loot all the Prototype Weapon chests in the are and than head up the ramps to the right (as if you had just entered). Eliminate all of these enemies as you go around the outer wall until you make your way to the Teleporter.

The Teleporter will summon Reservists, who are very easy like Recruits, in an attempt to defend her self. Do not even bother with them. Simply Sleep or Tree them and continue bashing on here because they will disappear once she has been eliminated. She is a fairly easy enemy, nothing special about her besides the fact that if you attack the general before her she summons Reconodo Balaur to kick you in the face as you are trying to eliminate the General.

Final Fight:
Once you have eliminate the Balaur at the top of the bridge thing in the area simply glide down to the door and prepare yourself, because you are in a wild ride.

There is a trick that a Cleric showed me the other night that will help you out a ton because this guys AoEs are massive. Remember how the Teleporter was chilling on that ledge? You should do the same thing with your healers and casters! This will allow them to avoid to AoE effect while still being able to attack and heal with out taking damage. Spirit Masters can’t do this though because it will mess up there pets. The party members that are on the ledge need to be on the same ledge and almost on the edge.

After you have placed your squishy party members on either the right or left ledge, you decision get ready. What you will want to do is drag the General as close as possible to the ledge your party members are on. This way they can attack him an heal you. Make sure all melee DPS create the cross pattern around the General.

The Templar as he begins the battle, will be “harpooned” himself by the general. He should just simply walk back, which will increase his parry and dodge, to the wall. If he wanted to he could continue to walk back into the wall to continue to receive this stat boost the entire fight. This will come off as difficult because he will knock the Templar down or stun him as he is pulling him towards the wall, but its really is not.

Now that he is at where you want him to be simply attack, attack, attack some more, so on and so fourth. He will eventually fall with a loud thump, you will get a massive amount of EXP and the satisfaction of having taken down something that big. Go you!

When looting him remember what ever blue item he drops, if any, is bound upon receiving it. It can not be sold to the Broker or the Vendor, so if you do not need it don’t be an ass and roll for it.

The End:
Congratulations! You just finished your first major instance, got tons of EXP, excellent drops and got a taste of what attacking a fortress was like. Now go out there, kick some ass and take some names!  Hopefully this helped you out and if not gave you a good laugh. Expect more like this in the future!

If you’re in game send myself an in-game whisper! I’ll add ya to my friends list and we can chit chat away! We’ll be internet buddies!

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Transcendences - Tips for PvP in the Abyss as a Gladiator

Last night while in the Abyss I learned a nifty little trick that will save you a lot of heartache when PvPing.

Even though this list is being put together by a Gladiator for a Gladiator and other Melee classes I think all of them can be applied to basic PvP. These are just guidelines, or tips and tricks, they are not must dos and must haves. They are in fact the most efficient way I have discovered through my own experience, as a player.

Tactics:
Important Tactics in PvP are essential.  Don't just expect to charge someone head on with out encountering some kind of fight. I personally high recommend the "aerial drop" method of attacking from the top and removing your wings. This is a great suprise tactic that will increase your chance of success.

Still targets are more than likely not aware targets. They are either locked in battle with an environment target or are resting or could even be harvesting. Strike at this time and get the preemptive attack. This will get them off guard or even better at lower health.

Flight battle is fun, but it can be difficult especially with the timer. If you are chasing someone do not forget this. More than one occasion have I run out of time while I was very high and got myself killed. Just remember in the Abyss flight is not unlimited, the Aether rings just allow you to recharge your flight time by 7 seconds a ring that you pass through. As you level though you will get access to better wings at 30, 40 and 50. Save your Kinah though, they are EXPENSIVE.

1 on 1 PvP vs Spellcasters and Rangers:
Gladiators and other Melee are at an extreme disadvantage in 1 on 1 PvP against Rangers, Sorcerers and sometimes Spirit Masters. Because of this, avoid them when they are in groups or around other players. They will snare, sleep and do other capture spells just to upset you and put you at a huge disadvantage.

Potions are going to be your best friends in this kind of situation. Not just normal Life Potions but Healing Potions which are on there own separate timer. These Potions allow you to break any root or snare spell quickly. If you have these on hand, even if a Spellcaster or Ranger’s “huge advantage” against you is quickly lost and it will allow you to get within striking distance.

When you are able to be being skill weaving on the target you will constantly disrupt there spells. Be ready for a Spellcasters’s teleport spell where it will move them back 15 meters from you. They can only do this once in a battle because of the long cool down but if you are not ready for it, it can be devastating. I’m just waiting for one to warp back and fall off the side of a cliff, to there death.

To insure that you are as successful as possible it is best to “air drop” them and if you notice any root skills to use something such as Arial Launch to get a %100 disruption rate. This has worked remarkably for me against Rangers.

1 on 1 PVP vs Healers:
It is very easy to distinguish which kind of support class you are fighting by there weapon. If it is a Chanter they will be using there staff and a Cleric will be using Mace and Shield. If you encounter a Chanter it can be a tuff battle because they are able to heal themselves, but even worse when fighting a Cleric who has more powerful heal spells at there disposal.

Because of these healing skills it is very important to chain your skills as much as possible to insure as much disruption as possible. This will allow you to get your chance to dispatch them. Skills like Aerial Launch can you help you disrupt these healing and kill them a quickly as possible.

The key to killing a Healer as fast as possible is to… well kill them as fast as possible. A Melee class  needs to dish out the hurt like a buffet during dinner time. This will of course, kill them quickly, but will allow those oh so important interruptions to take place.

Group PvP:

A Gladiator is at there prime when doing PvP with others. This gets rid of the Gladiator’s weaknesses and you get the oh so important teamwork, aka other targets for people, to take place. Just like in PvE the team leader should be marking targets for people to concentrate DPS on. This is better suited for a Templar who has less Chain Skill as the Gladiator and can concentrate on numbering targets as you battle. Of course any competent multi-tasking Gladiator could do this as well.

Where do you sit as a Gladiator in the party? You are not the tank, you don’t heal, you don’t support other players, what are you Gladiator? WHAT ARE YOU!? You are the ram, the vanguard unit when it comes to DPS. You are after all the famed reliable and best DPS in the game. Why not put you to use? You’re best suited to attack and attack some more. Just follow the team leader or leader you team effectively and you’re bound for success.

If you do what you are meant to do as a Gladiator, which is just to make thing, your whole party can prosper even when fighting other groups. You will be able to even take down much higher level groups and players if done successfully.

I will do a full article on Group PvP at a later date but this small tisp and tricks is/was meant for Gladiators.

Party vs Legion:
Simple tactic, easy application but you just need to be quick about it…run. Its simple as that, many times in a party have I been hunting Asmodians with a party to have an entire legion strike us down like the sword of god falling from the sky.

Well that is all for now, expect more articles to come that can help both provide you with more information, entertainment and a great gaming experience in Aion.

Don’t forget to join Deilax, Moni and the rest of Pluto Kiss on Server Yustiel!

What is Pluto Kiss? An Introduction.

An Introduction--

Hi there, I am Moni of the legion Pluto Kiss. Deilax and I started this legion as a way of bringing together the more tactical minded Daevas in Elyos. We believe in promoting small, tight-nit and well balanced groups who work well together. We see this legion becoming a small special operations brigade with closed recruiting, meaning, we will only recruit PCs who we have personally grouped with and talented Daevas who have shown strong traits of leadership, patience and maturity. We hope to team up with larger legions who are waging expansion campaigns in the abyss to ensure Elysea will always control the majority of the abyss.

What is Pluto Kiss?--

This name holds a few different meanings for us, the first being a reference to the alternate reality/universe of .hack (if you are unfamiliar with this project, go here: http://dothack.wikia.com/wiki/Project_.hack ) The story of .hack has been a favorite of ours over the years as we have experienced different MMORPGs since the first MMOs were made (even up until the release of Everquest, I was playing Multi-User Dungeons through telnet game servers). Though "The World" was a fictional MMORPG in an alternate reality, the background story has always intrigued me as I watch gaming technology evolve year after year, which brings me to the name;

From the .hack wiki:
"Pluto's Kiss (冥王の口づけ) is a catastrophic event that took place on December 24, 2005. On that day, all computers connected to the Internet crashed simultaneously around the globe. Additionally, all networked computer and communication network control systems were shut down.

In the United States, the automatic retaliatory systems malfunctioned, in a short time reaching a point of crisis. 77 minutes later, the global network was able to recover itself from the incident but the resulting chaos caused the United States' nuclear defence and automated counter-strike systems to be armed.

It was later discovered that the virus creator was a ten-year-old elementary school student, living in Los Angeles, California.

The incident was so damaging that United States President, Jim Stonecold, later resigned from office in January 2006 after taking full responsibility for the incident.

Ever since then, ALTIMIT OS has been the only major operating system in the world; this is credited to its remarkable stability."

Aside from the apparent reference to this virus in the .hack alternate reality, the deeper esoteric name of this virus must be pointed out. IRL, I am a student of symbolism and it is apparent that there is an astrological significance to the name which I find quite appropriate for.

In Astrology, the planet (or dwarf planet, whatever camp you happen to fall into) is considered to be a catalyst when it moves through the different houses of the zodiac.

From the about.com article-- ( http://astrology.about.com/od/advancedastrology/p/Pluto.htm )

How does Pluto influence and change society in general?:
During its long journey through a constellation, the essence of that sign becomes a kind of change-agent. With transiting Pluto in Sagittarius, a fire sign, other fire sign planets will be lit up and inspired to fulfill their potential. There is a burning away of falsehoods, so that truth can rise like a Phoenix from the ashes. Sagittarius is the clear-sighted visionary, and the one that shakes off heavy emotionality or dense physical concerns to evolve in a speedy way. Intuitive leaps can be made on a collective level that are life-affirming for all of humanity.

What is the meaning of Pluto in Astrology?:

In the birth chart, Pluto shows the area of life where you'll personally face the intense powers of creation and destruction. It's the doorway through which volatile compressed pockets of self, spirit and primal energy lies hidden, which are released either by our own efforts or by provocation from the outside world.

Pluto's energy will not be suppressed but its power is often feared. This can put you in a showdown between your greatest fears of being destroyed, and the pursuit of the deepest longing in your heart. The Ego holds to its defenses, but Pluto tries to urge you to let go, and surrender to become a new person.

Pluto rules Scorpio with its province being death and rebirth. There's a Sufi saying, "Die many times before you die," and Pluto's lessons hold out promise of emerging from the flames a new person. When chaotic events shake us at the foundations, it could be Pluto provoking change at the fundamental level. We might not think we exist without the ground beneath us, our sense of who we are, but if we're brave, we come to discover there is life after this kind of ego-death.

Pluto also governs power itself, including struggles between people and countries for domination, and of course, personal power. It shows up when perfectly capable people end up under the thumb of someone else's control. Facing down the control and manipulation of others, especially parents, can make us weak in the knees. But once we do this, we are changed forever.

You can either be at the mercy of Pluto's provocation to change, or you can take matters into your own hands. It can be humbling to look soberly at the area of life in which you feel powerless, worked over, dissed by the Universe -- but by doing this, you can try to understand and alter your own reactions. You still might be brought to your knees, but while there you'll rest assured that Pluto's dark and punishing face is that of a tough, but loving teacher, leading you toward a more authentic experience of yourself.


We, as a legion, hope to be a fundamental element of change wherever we may find ourselves on the battlefield. The war in the Abyss cannot be won by brute force alone, there must be a balance of all the talents the different classes of Daeva's have to offer. This blog is to offer tactical insight to our legion members as well as those who may be interested in joining our ranks and to also give a glimpse of the greater experiences there are to be found in "The World" of Aion by joining a quality legion like Pluto Kiss. Though we demand a lot of our members, the primary purpose of Pluto Kiss is to ensure you have a more enjoyable experience than you would playing solo or with an over-sized legion with little to no order. We expect our members to maintain common Internet etiquette and to maintain a drama-free environment.

Deilax and I will update with our personal experiences as well as topics of discussion in order to open up a platform for a free exchange of ideas, be it from battling in groups, upgrading your loadout or improving your craft of choice. We hope this will be a thought provoking portal to immerse you deeper into Aion.

How do I join Pluto Kiss?--

One does not simply walk into a position of influence; if you are on the Yustiel server and are interested in joining Pluto Kiss, please contact either Deilax or myself and we will set up an appointment to see if you have what it takes to be a part of our ranks. We look forward to meeting you!

P.S. (If you are wondering, WE ARE NOT A ROLE PLAYING LEGION, though we also do not look down upon it either. We realize that there is a life outside of Aion and we understand having a healthy balance of spending time in-game and out. We also do not want to ignore the fact that you are your own person outside of Aion as we believe your personal traits also contribute to the legion as well. We also realize that you may have several alts that are different gender than you are IRL, and we don't expect you to have to act the gender of your character.)