Returning after 4-6 years. What's new?

[Pah-uh-zahn]

I bought 8th age and played for a quick second then lost internet for a year. Now I bought 9th anniversary, and DL'ed kingdom reborn and love my game!! But I have some questions:

1) Where does everyone hang out now? Back in the day, you would see everyone in front of Brit bank or maybe moonglow. Where's the big hang out spot now??

2) Have all monsters been upgraded? the few weeks I played 8th age showed me that Liches, that used to be a new players benchmark for graduation, as well as a steady cash cow for those who didn't wish to risk much, were made stronger. Do they use just magery spells? Necromancy?

3) I have items from back in the day that I don't know what to do with. Along with Items with Night sight that will run out of charges, I also have other items that really have no functional use anymore (Felucca Moonstone anyone?). Hell do Fel stones even work anymore? 3a) Dothey still have items of invisibility? do they still run on charges?

4)Are treasure Hunters still worthwhile in this game? do they still have t-hunters in this game? Are any still for hire?

5) Do archers still suck at this game? They were so bad back in the day...

6) anyone have any hints for a:

a) Nox Mage
b) Archer/Macer
c) Swordswoman
d) Beggar/Thief

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Lugh Simaldinach]

Luna bank in the land of Malas seems to be the main hangout now. All the bank sitters left Brit when there was a big invasion and they never went back.

Some monsters are upgraded, some others, like mongbats, have called in their big brothers to help them. Some are pretty much the same as they've always been.

Fel and Tram stones quit working when they linked the Fel and Tram moongates. Seems like a big mistake to me because reds and factions camp the gates now, but that's the way it is. Everyone depends on public transportation now. But, once you survive the trip to where you are going, you can mark a rune and recall directly between facets. Some of the old stuff is probably collectable now. Other stuff like weapons and armor automatically update. No more supremely accurate, etc.
I haven't seen an invisibility item in ages. But, hiding seems to be a lot easier to learn than it used to be.

There are still T hunters, but the guardian spawns have gotten so insanely difficult on the higher level treasures that you can't survive without friends to help. On the other hand, there isn't any guardian spawn for SOS treasures, so a fisher can do nearly as well and have some hope of growing old to spend their fortune.

I have a lot of fun with my archers. On another shard, I have an archer scrolled to 120 archery and equipped with Shimanos best crossbow that can do pretty well at times. Still can't hit a barn from the inside half the time though.

Begger/tamer is a fun combination. I have a baglady char that goes around begging and randomly spams *pelts passing stranger with half starved cats* and sets a cat or two to follow a passerby. Because of changes to the rules, stealing isn't a very profitable profession anymore.

Mage/bard is a difficult char to develop but can be a lot of fun.

A necromancer can be fun. Seems that healers have a great dislike for reanimated beings and will attack them. So, you pick a fight with a number of critters and lead them to the general area of a healer before killing them. Then you reanimate the corpses and see how many it takes to kill the healer. Balor of the evil eye has a nice collection of brown robes.