Just Reached Level 80 - What now?

Hi,

I recently reached level 80 on my Bear Shaman however it's been many years since I've played and I'm not really sure where to go from here. I completed my level 80 Destiny Quest and have now started doing quests in Khitai but I've avoided committing to any of the factions as I'm not sure which ones I should join as a Bear Shaman. I looked on http://aoc.is-better-than.tv but it looks like both factions I choose between offer gear for the BS so I don't know if one is better than the other.

I'm also not sure what type of feat build groups expect. I've been using the one linked in the Bear Smash post here, is that still considered standard? I have no idea where to put my AA points either.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated! :)

If you have crafted culture armor, then start looking for T2 raids on the Global or LFG channel. Otherwise, you may wish to start with common T1 raids and gathering crafted materials or money for the crafted armor (look for it at the trader: there must be level 78–79 medium-armor pieces). I would also recommend searching for a good crafted weapon in the 2-h blunt category at the trader.

You can also continue with Xibaluku and Iron Tower HM runs, PVPing in minigames during the breaks.

Use your AA perks at your discretion: there is no strict rule for those. However, most people prefer critical rating perks coming first. For PVP, go for protection perks.

Do not be afraid and choose any faction you like. I would always choose DPS and critical rating over other attributes in factions. You may choose anything else you like.

Do not forget that cloth or light armor can give you an edge in DPS too! You can wear those pieces if you see your damage increase.

the standard spec for groups is this. however, with a poorly geared character, you may have some problems questing with that spec, in that case, you may want to try something like this


about factions:

tamarin tigers vs. scholars: tamarin, for armor.
bb vs. shadows: bb has a good survivablity ring, shadows a good dps ring. i'd take the bb ring and get dps rings from t4.
yellow priests vs. yags: you can pick yags, if you want a protection/heal rating armor, but it's not really needed.
hyrkanians vs. wolves: hyrkanians have a good necklace, wolves a decent blunt. i'd go for the blunt, but it's quite expensive.
last legion vs. scarlets: scarlets, but i'd do nativity and get the cloak from there, instead of the faction one.

Thank you both for the advice!

Apart from factions, a few other things you can do:

1) Get Vanaheim expansion, and farm it for the rings. They're the best you can get for BS before the legendary ones from Raidfinder. (If you get the better version, you will also get a swift bear mount that takes you anyplace you wanna go without ever getting knocked off by adds... great for running through the gauntlets or crater in Kara Korum.) Don't need great gear for the place... although it may take a bit longer to complete a run at first.

2) Fight your pets in the arena. Easy way to farm up two necklaces and some useful runes, especially if you can find times when not busy there.

3) Try to find a group to farm House of Crom. Not so popular anymore, but was a great spot to farm rare trophies without needing all the AAs for Khitai 6-mans

4) Some won't agree, but do the world boss at least once every month... takes 12 months to get a cloak, but worth it, imo. Some will farm it for gear, but I don't recommend that.

5) There's also raidfinder which gets you the shards for the legendary ring, plus the chance for T3 & T4 relics. Please don't do until you have some possibility of contributing to the success of the raid... too many losers there already causing endless wipes.

6) Finally, check up on your achievements. With 1,000 points, you get fast port to main cities; 1,500 get fast port to any map; 2,000 gets you an archetype pet (though rogue pet is only one worth getting, imo), and 2,500 gets you a racial rune (will be either Cimmerian or Khitain depending on race you picked for your BS). (May have the rune and pet levels reversed... it's goes one way or the other though.)

One thing for sure... you won't run out of things to do for the near future.

GL

Quote:

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Originally Posted by GeneralFear

Apart from factions, a few other things you can do:

1) Get Vanaheim expansion, and farm it for the rings. They're the best you can get for BS before the legendary ones from Raidfinder. (If you get the better version, you will also get a swift bear mount that takes you anyplace you wanna go without ever getting knocked off by adds... great for running through the gauntlets or crater in Kara Korum.) Don't need great gear for the place... although it may take a bit longer to complete a run at first.

2) Fight your pets in the arena. Easy way to farm up two necklaces and some useful runes, especially if you can find times when not busy there.

3) Try to find a group to farm House of Crom. Not so popular anymore, but was a great spot to farm rare trophies without needing all the AAs for Khitai 6-mans

4) Some won't agree, but do the world boss at least once every month... takes 12 months to get a cloak, but worth it, imo. Some will farm it for gear, but I don't recommend that.

5) There's also raidfinder which gets you the shards for the legendary ring, plus the chance for T3 & T4 relics. Please don't do until you have some possibility of contributing to the success of the raid... too many losers there already causing endless wipes.

6) Finally, check up on your achievements. With 1,000 points, you get fast port to main cities; 1,500 get fast port to any map; 2,000 gets you an archetype pet (though rogue pet is only one worth getting, imo), and 2,500 gets you a racial rune (will be either Cimmerian or Khitain depending on race you picked for your BS). (May have the rune and pet levels reversed... it's goes one way or the other though.)

One thing for sure... you won't run out of things to do for the near future.

GL

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Thank you, GeneralFear. I didn't even know about some of those.

https://goo.gl/Q3ibrK

this spec is better for groups and raids than the one Yawgmoth proposed. you don't need extra 5% critical damage rating until you get some dps-centric gear and AAs.

learn to support and play how best you can:
so I would also try and use this for questing also, as there really is no need for bubblespec if you play the class right. take a look at the last page in the bear smash guide, I put some basic advice in there.

understand that the spirit manifestions pulse of -10% damage (with ursine spirit feat) to affected targets is unique for this game and should be used for what it's worth! (it's the difference in my and Yawgmoths spec)

as for approach to the game: don't spend time in the pet arena (at all, unless you find the afking suiting), and don't farm raidfinder/worldboss more than once per week/month.
instead
do all the amazing dungeons that are out there (xibaluku, crow's nest to khitai (a lot of good dungeons), unchained, and the expansion pack stuff: ardashir fort and coils) try and find some regular friends to do stuff with, a guild and eventually real raiding (not the raidfinder)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Lurvi

https://goo.gl/Q3ibrK

this spec is better for groups and raids than the one Yawgmoth proposed. you don't need extra 5% critical damage rating until you get some dps-centric gear and AAs.

learn to support and play how best you can:
so I would also try and use this for questing also, as there really is no need for bubblespec if you play the class right. take a look at the last page in the bear smash guide, I put some basic advice in there.

understand that the spirit manifestions pulse of -10% damage (with ursine spirit feat) to affected targets is unique for this game and should be used for what it's worth! (it's the difference in my and Yawgmoths spec)

as for approach to the game: don't spend time in the pet arena (at all, unless you find the afking suiting), and don't farm raidfinder/worldboss more than once per week/month.
instead
do all the amazing dungeons that are out there (xibaluku, crow's nest to khitai (a lot of good dungeons), unchained, and the expansion pack stuff: ardashir fort and coils) try and find some regular friends to do stuff with, a guild and eventually real raiding (not the raidfinder)

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Hi Lurvi, thanks for the reply!

I had opted for Ursine Spirit over Brutal Walker already and I used the spec while leveling and continue to do so in Khitai without issue. No worries there.