Questing vs grinding

SameMeteor26

So I’ve always leveled up all my toons through grinding. It’s not something I enjoyed but it’s something I wanted to get done. I always always thought grinding was the fastest way ( and probably is). But I’m leveling up a toon rn and I decided to quest him instead of grinding mobs. And I’m actually surprised. Leveling through questing really doesn’t feel that much slower. It’s not as fast as grinding but for me, it doesn’t feel too far behind. And the nice thing about questing is that’s its relaxing, enjoyable, and you get a constant change of scenery.

There’s no real point to this thread (sorry to dissapoint, I’ll probably get some comments saying how useless this thread is) but I just felt like sharing this. Anyways that’s just my 2 cents.

LordGavus

I find it best to mix it up. When levelling a new character I'll grind some dolmens, the do a few quests and then a random dungeon.
You still level pretty quick but don't go insane from doing 100 dolmens back to back.

MehrunesFlagon

LordGavus wrote: »

I find it best to mix it up. When levelling a new character I'll grind some dolmens, the do a few quests and then a random dungeon.
You still level pretty quick but don't go insane from doing 100 dolmens back to back.

usually under 50 I do the undaunted and mages guild/fighters guild.during the event my stamden has leveleld relatively quick with minimal effort.

Riejael

Dolmens if DPS. Dungeons as a healer (primetime only) or a Tank (anytime).

OutLaw_Nynx

I always tell people who are new to to game to quest first. I enjoy questing and I also kinda enjoy grinding.

SFDB

I grind dolmens only because it's faster (even after Morrowind, the character I did grinding with was much farther than the questing one after a single ambrosia), and since XP boosts have a time limit it's just more cost effective. I would prefer going through quests, but that's the way things are.

Plus there is the advantage that I can level all my skills since dying in a zerg of dolmens is unlikely and even if it happens has no negative impact really. So questing is the most fun way, but grinding the more efficient way.

Recremen

I found the questing hella fun the first time through, but I've totally been skipping it with all my subsequent characters. It's an extremely rare game that's set up in a way that repeating story content is rewarding to me, and I just don't think it's feasible in an MMO (again, for my own personal enjoyment, not in general). Great stuff, but I'm glad that grind spots exist for my massive stable of alts.

thedude33

SameMeteor26 wrote: »

So I’ve always leveled up all my toons through grinding. It’s not something I enjoyed but it’s something I wanted to get done. I always always thought grinding was the fastest way ( and probably is). But I’m leveling up a toon rn and I decided to quest him instead of grinding mobs. And I’m actually surprised. Leveling through questing really doesn’t feel that much slower. It’s not as fast as grinding but for me, it doesn’t feel too far behind. And the nice thing about questing is that’s its relaxing, enjoyable, and you get a constant change of scenery.

There’s no real point to this thread (sorry to dissapoint, I’ll probably get some comments saying how useless this thread is) but I just felt like sharing this. Anyways that’s just my 2 cents.

What a crazy concept. Playing a game because you enjoy it. That's just crazy talk.

You're supposed to grind until your eyes bleed, then post on the forums how boring the game is and you are likely gonna quit.

Kraynic

I guess I have come to believe that the amount of experience your character has is not the primary way to measure progression. Because of that, I don't think of grinding as being faster. Unless you have a very narrowly focused build you are working towards, you will still need to do the main quest chain of multiple zones, collect skyshards, complete public dungeon group events, and complete group dungeon quests.

So many things are interconnected in this game that I have eventually decided most characters are starting to come together after acquiring 200 to 250 skill points. Grinding just won't get me there, but I will still get plenty of XP while collecting those skill points.

Brrrofski

Grinding is a lot faster. Which is stupid, how running in a circle, spamming a bow then AOEing zombies is more rewarding than actually playing the game.

Questing for the first few characters is best though. It's enjoyable the first few times. You learn a lot about the classes too. But by you 10th or whatever, questing is horrible.

Find a good grind spot, put some music on, drink a few beers. It flies by then.

SugaComa

Fastest way to level up is use XP scrolls n do random dungeons from the dungeon finder also gets you extra skill points

MLGProPlayer

Questing is tedious if you've already beaten the game once. It was great the first time, but I can't do it again.

zaria

SameMeteor26 wrote: »

So I’ve always leveled up all my toons through grinding. It’s not something I enjoyed but it’s something I wanted to get done. I always always thought grinding was the fastest way ( and probably is). But I’m leveling up a toon rn and I decided to quest him instead of grinding mobs. And I’m actually surprised. Leveling through questing really doesn’t feel that much slower. It’s not as fast as grinding but for me, it doesn’t feel too far behind. And the nice thing about questing is that’s its relaxing, enjoyable, and you get a constant change of scenery.

There’s no real point to this thread (sorry to dissapoint, I’ll probably get some comments saying how useless this thread is) but I just felt like sharing this. Anyways that’s just my 2 cents.

this is true, i grind a lot now taking all my low level alts up some levels doing dolmens and public dungeons.
This is also part getting the masks and stuff.
Guesting is as you say far more fun, note that you can skip stuff even zones mostly.

The primarly quests to level is main quest, each stage give an skill point, magic and fighter guild, faction quest lines, this give good xp and skill points they also unlock stuff.

Another fast way to level is daily random normal dungeons, the random bonus+ dungeon quest + mob killed will take you around 2 levels with double xp.

Riejael

MLGProPlayer wrote: »

Questing is tedious if you've already beaten the game once. It was great the first time, but I can't do it again.

Pretty much this.

If I want to read a story, I'll read a book. If I want to watch cutscenes, I'll watch a movie. I'm playing a game to play something.

Anyone remember when the story even in a 'RPG' was in the manual, 'cutscenes' merely showed which player was up, and dialogue was 'Thank you' for completing a world, and 99% of the game was actual gameplay?

Or when MMORPGs involved choices and consequences? RPG used to mean you made your own story, now it means reading someone else's.

Malacthulhu

In my opinion, and this is not easy to say bc it really is not nice. Every single last quest in this game sucks to the point that it is just another grind. If I were to rank the questing in this game 1 being the worst and 10 being the best.

Immersion 2
Story 1
Content 1
Impactful choices 2 (you get to make choices but they dont matter)
npc characters 4

I really hope they rework and make the questing more meaningful. For me it is just a grind patch I choose for skill points and certain set pieces.

TheShadowScout

SameMeteor26 wrote: »

...Leveling through questing really doesn’t feel that much slower. It’s not as fast as grinding but for me, it doesn’t feel too far behind. And the nice thing about questing is that’s its relaxing, enjoyable, and you get a constant change of scenery...

...and that's why we who like to have fun in the game don't grind, but quest.
Yes, its a bit slower, but not that much... and it prevents brain cells suiciding out of sheer boredom!

MLGProPlayer wrote: »

Questing is tedious if you've already beaten the game once. It was great the first time, but I can't do it again.

A valid point, it -does- get tedious, like any repetetive action. But whoever would think repeatedly killing the very same mobs over and over and over and over again is not MORE tedious???

And sometimes even repetetive playthroughs can be fun, with those quests where the choices you can make actually affect things a little bit... or when trying different classes against different opponents (like, "Oh, I remember that boss, my stamblade had real trouble with him, let's see how my templar does...")

Riejael wrote: »

Or when MMORPGs involved choices and consequences? RPG used to mean you made your own story, now it means reading someone else's.

...and that one is something many of us here wish for.
Choices that have decent consequences.
Playthroughs that are -different- depending on character.
Many, many "multiple paths" questings, not just "railroad through that one plot".
Many different reactions depending on your character choices.

Oh, well...

MLGProPlayer

TheShadowScout wrote: »

MLGProPlayer wrote: »

Questing is tedious if you've already beaten the game once. It was great the first time, but I can't do it again.

A valid point, it -does- get tedious, like any repetetive action. But whoever would think repeatedly killing the very same mobs over and over and over and over again is not MORE tedious???

Not really since you can get it over with in a few hours. It's also mostly muscle memory (no need to follow quest markers around, you're just running in a circle killing trash mobs).

TheUndeadAmulet

Grinding? Whats that?

But seriously, I prefer questing to grinding, it feels more natural for me.

menedhyn

I don't grind. I get no enjoyment through rushing something for the sake of getting to a particular point or stage. My game, my choice. Also happy to enjoy the questlines several times, even with alts. RP really helps to break up periods of repetition for me. Regardless of that, to each their own I say.

SameMeteor26 wrote: »

There’s no real point to this thread (sorry to dissapoint, I’ll probably get some comments saying how useless this thread is) but I just felt like sharing this..

I think it is far from useless. Thanks for sharing - have an awesome

mirta000b16_ESO

Riejael wrote: »

Pretty much this.

If I want to read a story, I'll read a book. If I want to watch cutscenes, I'll watch a movie. I'm playing a game to play something.

Anyone remember when the story even in a 'RPG' was in the manual, 'cutscenes' merely showed which player was up, and dialogue was 'Thank you' for completing a world, and 99% of the game was actual gameplay?

Or when MMORPGs involved choices and consequences? RPG used to mean you made your own story, now it means reading someone else's.

So I take it you either didn't play Skyrim, Oblivion and Morrowind more than once, or at all?
I'm used to Elder Scrolls offering even LESS choice when it comes to questing, most of the time your only choice being "I either do, or don't do this sidequest".

zaria

Riejael wrote: »

MLGProPlayer wrote: »

Questing is tedious if you've already beaten the game once. It was great the first time, but I can't do it again.

Pretty much this.

If I want to read a story, I'll read a book. If I want to watch cutscenes, I'll watch a movie. I'm playing a game to play something.

Anyone remember when the story even in a 'RPG' was in the manual, 'cutscenes' merely showed which player was up, and dialogue was 'Thank you' for completing a world, and 99% of the game was actual gameplay?

Or when MMORPGs involved choices and consequences? RPG used to mean you made your own story, now it means reading someone else's.

Has any MMO quests involved choices and consequences? Outside of quest reward?
ESO has some who tend to have npc reactions, some in Rawl'kha is still pissed on my main character for some choices.

On the other hand you long back to 1980 gaming with no story.

But yes its easy to get questing overload in ESO, the quests are pretty good but its lots of them. You got pretty bored of the Oblivion and Fallout 3 quests to.

Rawkan

Grinding always makes me burn out on the game before I get to cap. I honestly don't understand how people do it.

Riejael

mirta000b16_ESO wrote: »

So I take it you either didn't play Skyrim, Oblivion and Morrowind more than once, or at all?

I did a full play through of Oblivion during a deployment to Egypt about 10 years ago. Nothing else to do for 12 hours a day when I was on shift. Internet at least civilian internet wasn't a option. I prefer multiplayer games over singleplayer. But I'll make due with what situation I'm in. Right now I have near 100Mb access to the net so I want all the multiplayer I can get.

I don't mind story and lore either. But I rather it be something that I can digest when I want to when playing a game. Or even read about it outside the game. And obviously when playing a MMO I prefer that my character has their own story that -I- can tell. Not a premade main story that is static.

zaria wrote: »

Has any MMO quests involved choices and consequences? Outside of quest reward?

Everquest.

Most quests involve a faction and when you complete a quest it raises your standing with that faction, and potentially raises with allies of that faction and lowers it with enemies of that faction.

For example in Neriak, the Dark Elf city. Raising faction with the Queen and her Necromancers and Shadowknights lowers it with the King and his Warriors. Picking a side makes it interesting walking through the city as the consequences can mean NPCs will attack you on sight.

In Qeynos, in one of the human cities, there is the guard and the corrupt guard. The only way to tell which is which is to sort of remember the names of each and when you realize you've become Kill on Sight, you have to avoid the ones you ticked off. Here's the kicker.. they're all still guards. Attacking or being chased by one set will cause the others to join in if they see it. They maybe working against each other in secret, but they won't let an adventurer stir up trouble in the open.

You can also become non-KOS. The frequent one is for Ogres to work on their trust and faction within human cities. It allows them to pass the guards and even use the merchants.

For an 18 year old game, there's a ton of depth in that system that I wish modern MMOs would return to.

In addition you could play your character how you wish. Could be a hero, a villain, or something inbetween.

Vizier

When you consider the time you do need to spend doing the main and alliance quests for skill points then it's just as well to start of questing instead of grinding. Starting out quests are pretty tightly packed and you get xp for kills as well as turning it in. I find the levelling is pretty fast and it's not so boring as grinding. I make training gear for the character every 10-15 levels. And switch out skills when turning in quests to level them and the skill line faster. Once I reach Level 35 after I've probably completed the main quest as well as the fighters and mages guilds, I'll grind Cold Harbor with XP scrolls and the training armor super fast levelling. And If I do this during an event that gives an xp bonus like is going on now the levelling is crazy fast.

Tannus15

These days I tend to grind to 50 and then start questing for skill points and sky shards etc.

Mostly this is due to drops and mats. If I'm going to be questing in Bankorai then I want any spriggan drops to be cp160. Few things are as depressing as picking up that purple ring of spriggan at level 32 or a level 16 infused dagger.
Treasure chests are exciting and drops can be worthwhile, if not for this character then maybe one of my alts, or even just to put on a trader. At this "stage" of working on an alt I always make sure to have the treasure hunter passive unlocked for this reason.

Because of mats once I hit 50 I'll respec and pretty much max out the crafting tiers for wood, smith and clothing so that all the pick ups are cp150+. This is also when I start doing writs on an alt.

Doing it this way I feel like my character is improving again as I collect sky shards and skill points and unlock their combat abilities and passives so I still feel rewarded for doing the content.

This also gives me a chance to level up skills I neglected while grinding.

Runefang

Tannus15 wrote: »

These days I tend to grind to 50 and then start questing for skill points and sky shards etc.

Mostly this is due to drops and mats. If I'm going to be questing in Bankorai then I want any spriggan drops to be cp160. Few things are as depressing as picking up that purple ring of spriggan at level 32 or a level 16 infused dagger.
Treasure chests are exciting and drops can be worthwhile, if not for this character then maybe one of my alts, or even just to put on a trader. At this "stage" of working on an alt I always make sure to have the treasure hunter passive unlocked for this reason.

Because of mats once I hit 50 I'll respec and pretty much max out the crafting tiers for wood, smith and clothing so that all the pick ups are cp150+. This is also when I start doing writs on an alt.

Doing it this way I feel like my character is improving again as I collect sky shards and skill points and unlock their combat abilities and passives so I still feel rewarded for doing the content.

This also gives me a chance to level up skills I neglected while grinding.

This. On your first character all new gear is better (unless you have nice high level crafter friends). But once you hit 160cp then all new characters just feel gimped in dropped gear. So it's a grind to level 50 and then start having fun.

krachall

I ran nothing but quests on my first character to 50. The quests are average at best but most are horribly written. Bethesda/ZOS should spend some time playing some older MMOs that had great, deep, detailed, interesting quest lines.

You could write 90% of ESO's quests with a RNG.

Talk to NPC 1 who tells you to talk to NPC 2 who tells you that X is going to destroy the world if he/she's not stopped. To stop him/her, talk to NPC 3.

NPC 3 tells you to destroy/shatter/consecrate/light/douse/close/open/bless/summon each of the 2/3/4/5 crystals/shards/artifacts/braziers/doors/valves/portals/fires/statues/urns/sigils/glyphs. That will summon X, who you then kill.

When complete, talk to NPC 3 who tells you to talk to NPC 2 who tells you to talk to NPC 1 for your reward.

Really Bethesda? That's all ya got? Weak.

RoyalPink06

I always quest to level up, even though it's sooo painfully boring after doing the same quests over and over again for all 9 of my characters. I don't find it takes that much longer than grinding, you get to know your character better, and you get to avoid the internet-breaking eye cancer that is dolmen zergs.

As someone mentioned above, I also make a point to avoid low-level questing in zones were valuable gear drops (Bangkorai, Rivenspire, etc).

ProfessorKittyhawk

I've been working on my 12th, 13th, and 14th characters during this event and been questing for it. Grinding is dull, monotonous, and tedious in my opinion. Which I'm sure many find questing to be. How many times can one do the same zone quests without getting bored? I admit I skip most quest dialogue but sometimes I find something new I hadn't noticed before. Like a quest in Glenumbra where you go back in time and a guy's gender changes to a woman. Something I hadn't noticed before after all this time. Little details like that are why I quest instead of grind.

Morgul667

I used to do the grinding but I now go for the quest that provide skill points. At the end of the leveling phase your toon has enough skill points to play. I prefer this option

Vapirko

Main quest line because it’s quick and for skill pts, random normals as soon as I can along with guild dailies, and then a mix of pvp, dolemns while I’m skyshard/lorebook grinding and occasionally some straight grinding.