Question about questing

bearbelly · November 2018

Long-winded Noob alert.
Also, spoilers for any who might be noobier than me.

I didn't do (and still haven't really done) a lot of research on the various questlines in this game before I just jumped in, and as a result I've been having a difficult time focusing on leveling because I tend to get distracted by something shiny, or a squirrel, and I just run off on a tangent. For hours.

I mean, I didn't even discover the starting quest in the main questline until I was at level 7 on my main, and that was after a couple of weeks of exploratory playing. And THEN,

because you die, and don't have any control over that happening,

I was convinced that I had stumbled-upon a nasty hidden side-quest that was to be avoided. I didn't know at that point that it was the beginning of the Main Quest. (I have since learned how silly my reaction was.)

The wanderlust has made a mess of my quest completion; it's all discombobulated.

My main is a Nord, so I had been wandering all around Eastmarch and the Rift, and I got the questlines of each all tangled-up with each other.
I reached a certain point in both of them a couple of weeks ago before I got distracted by crafting certification and then running dolmens and WBs during Witches Festival.

I went back this week and I [think] finished the Rift questline

(the Sinmur battle at Trollhetta)

which ended-up with me

progressing to Coldharbour.

And then while I was running around in Windhelm off-loading loot, I finally stopped at Thane Mera, which I am now assuming is the beginning of the Eastmarch/Ebonheart questline. Problem with that is, I had just

cured Jorunn of the poison

earlier that morning, which sounds like was supposed to happen later in that same questline.

I ended up setting-aside the continuation after that Windhelm bit, since I seemed to also be on the verge of completing the Eastmarch quest by

meeting Jorunn's brother.

And now, after finishing that, it sent me on to Shor's Stone in the Rift, which appears to be the beginning of the questline that ends with

meeting with Sinmur,

which I've already done.

Basically, it appears that I started both of these questlines somewhere in the middle of them, and I finished them before I actually started them.

My question is, since I'm now working on them from the beginning, what happens when I hit the point where I initially started, and have already completed?
Will it be as though I haven't done the later part of those questlines yet, and I'll just proceed as though I haven't already been there, or will the questline just stop at the point where I first came in?

VaranisArano · November 2018

You can't replay the questlines, so when you hit a point you've already done, it'll be done and you'll need to find the nest quest stage you didnt do.

And yes, you've basically played Eastmarch backwards, and the Rift chronologically happens after Eastmarch, but it isnt a big deal.

If that sounds confusing, its because originally all the quests were leveled amd you'll werent allowed to skip parts.

I suggest looking at this source when you need to look for the next quest stages. https://en.uesp.net/wiki/Online:Quests

And if you need the original order of zones: https://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/en/discussion/413807/what-order-should-i-do-esos-story-arcs-a-guide

bearbelly · November 2018

Thank you!!

VaranisArano wrote: »

You can't replay the questlines, so when you hit a point you've already done, it'll be done and you'll need to find the nest quest stage you didnt do.

I was hoping that was the way it works.

If that sounds confusing, its because originally all the quests were leveled and you weren't allowed to skip parts.

That makes sense.

I suggest looking at this source when you need to look for the next quest stages. https://en.uesp.net/wiki/Online:Quests

And if you need the original order of zones: https://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/en/discussion/413807/what-order-should-i-do-esos-story-arcs-a-guide

Thanks for those links; much appreciated. Adding them to my bookmarks.

I've been playing since August 27 and I'm just now starting to get a little antsy about not having at least my main leveled to 50 yet (I'm about to hit lvl 34), so I need to buckle-down and get some questing done.
In the proper order.

Nestor · November 2018

Unless your goal is end game (trials, dungeons and PvP) dont sweat not being L50. The game is scaled, so you can do any quest outside of the group stuff.

Also, Level 50 alone does not really do anything, its CP160 that is the gear cap. And, its Skill Points that you really want. You need 120 to 150 of them to make a viable versatile character that you can do something with. BTW, questing is the most fun way to collect those skill points.

Anyway, if your focus on the game is the story and quests, dont worry about levels and champ points. Just keep chasing the shineys.

Oh, this game will throw a ton of quests at you. I find that focusing on one, or two quests to comletion before doing another helps keep the stories straight. You can accept them, just hold off on working them.

bearbelly · November 2018

Nestor wrote: »

Unless your goal is end game (trials, dungeons and PvP) dont sweat not being L50. The game is scaled, so you can do any quest outside of the group stuff.

Also, Level 50 alone does not really do anything, its CP160 that is the gear cap. And, its Skill Points that you really want. You need 120 to 150 of them to make a viable versatile character that you can do something with. BTW, questing is the most fun way to collect those skill points.

Anyway, if your focus on the game is the story and quests, dont worry about levels and champ points. Just keep chasing the shineys.

Oh, this game will throw a ton of quests at you. I find that focusing on one, or two quests to comletion before doing another helps keep the stories straight. You can accept them, just hold off on working them.

Well, I'm assuming that leveling via questing is the most effective way of gaining levels and a significant number of skill points to unlock all of a characters skills and their morphs, which was why I placed the emphasis on it that I did.
I realize that max-level is not required in order to have an enjoyable experience, and I do know that character development doesn't stop when you hit lvl 50, but you can't avail yourself of that next stage until you hit 50, so 50 is an interim goal.

I may not ever (or, I may) get into PvP (I haven't ruled it out completely; it's just that the inception of battle.net way back with Diablo in '96 showed me just how toxic people can be, when they want to be [an attitude that people (though, not all) still gleefully revel in these days], and it forever colored my perception of PvP and multi-player, overall), but I would like to experience most everything that ESO has to offer, so I'm aiming for at least one post-lvl50, heavily CP-laden character, in order to have that flexibility.

I am also very much into story with these games, which is why I tend to keep to myself when I'm playing, just because I do tend to get side-tracked and just wander off. I can spend hours simply accomplishing not much of anything other than getting lost in my game-time, which I find very cathartic.

Thanks for your insights!

VaranisArano · November 2018

Leveling via questing is a great way to get exp and skill points, particularly from the main quest, the zone's main quest, and from skyshards you see along the way. It's a good way to get a well rounded character.

If you know what you are doing and are willing to hunt up some skyshards, running circles around Dolmens in the Alikr Desert is a faster way to level. I find it boring, but many people will pop an exp bonus potion/scroll and grind.

When I want to level quickly, I gear my character as a tank or a healer and run the Daily Random Dungeon with an exp buff running. Doing those quests will grant a skill point the first time as well.

bearbelly · November 2018

VaranisArano wrote: »

Leveling via questing is a great way to get exp and skill points, particularly from the main quest, the zone's main quest, and from skyshards you see along the way. It's a good way to get a well rounded character.

If you know what you are doing and are willing to hunt up some skyshards, running circles around Dolmens in the Alikr Desert is a faster way to level. I find it boring, but many people will pop an exp bonus potion/scroll and grind.

When I want to level quickly, I gear my character as a tank or a healer and run the Daily Random Dungeon with an exp buff running. Doing those quests will grant a skill point the first time as well.

Is there any particular reason why Alik'r is the seemingly preferred spot to run dolmens? I've been to Alik'r only briefly, once, just the other day with an alt. I was traveling around via boat simply to pop a wayshrine in some of the places I hadn't been to, yet, with any character (Rivenspire, Alik'r, a couple of others), so that I can go back and explore and pick-up skyshards later. (the 'Skyshards' add-on has been a blessing in that regard.)

Anyway, so I see Alik'r mentioned a lot as "the" place to run dolmens. Why is that?

And it hasn't been my experience that running a specific dolmen more than once a day grants a big slug of XP after the first run. I've noticed the same thing with WBs after the first run in a day (or maybe it's the first time per log-in session; I haven't tested that yet).
My favorite spot for dolmen/WB action, so far, has been Cambray Hill Dolmen, coupled with the Wolf Camp WB, because they are right next to each other, and very close to the Aldcroft wayshrine. But I don't see my XP bar move very much for either one after the first run of the day.
Is there something different about Alik'r that makes it a preferred place to level?

bearbelly · November 2018

After running all around Alik'r this morning with my main, I think I see why it has favored-status for running dolmens.
Since each of the three Alik'r dolmens is fairly close to a wayshrine, do people just travel a constant circuit between them to level?

That would get boring.

VaranisArano · November 2018

bearbelly wrote: »

After running all around Alik'r this morning with my main, I think I see why it has favored-status for running dolmens.
Since each of the three Alik'r dolmens is fairly close to a wayshrine, do people just travel a constant circuit between them to level?

That would get boring.

Yes, that's precisely what they do. I did it for most of an afternoon to finish leveling my Fighters Guild on an alt and it was sooo boring.

Mancombe_Nosehair · November 2018

The funny thing is that you only get a third of the experience if you do a dolmen more than once. They would be better off doing them in different zones.

TaliColdwater · November 2018

I literally did every single quest in Vvardenfell before even going to the mainland and doing any. I'd never played before and never researched the game. I thought the main storyline with Vivec was the game's main quest. I had no idea, lol. I made a friend in one of the delves and traveled to her once she got to Wayrest. Suddenly I was singing a whole newww worrrlddd with Aladdin.

bearbelly · November 2018

TaliColdwater wrote: »

I literally did every single quest in Vvardenfell before even going to the mainland and doing any. I'd never played before and never researched the game. I thought the main storyline with Vivec was the game's main quest. I had no idea, lol. I made a friend in one of the delves and traveled to her once she got to Wayrest. Suddenly I was singing a whole newww worrrlddd with Aladdin.

Vvardenfall was my entry point into the world of Tamriel, as well.

I started one quest there-- the one in which you talk to that priest's ancestor in the crypt --but couldn't figure out how to get into that one room, because I didn't open my map at first, but when I finally did, I saw that you had to take a circuitous route to get there; got ganked by an enemy because I was looking at my map and didn't realize that the enemies respawn after you kill them.
(I was so "new" back in those days).
(of September.)
(2018.)
I didn't have any soul gems at that point, so when I revived at the wayshrine, I wandered off to do something else.
(I have since finished that quest and got a little further into the Vivec questline.)

I did end up starting the Main Quest, somewhere, and my main being EP, I ended up on Bleakrock. I finished that then made it through the Balfoy arc before I went off-script again, and tried to figure out how to get to Eastmarch because my main is a Nord and I wanted to see Windhelm, which has pretty much become my primary base of operations for all of my characters (Grymharth's was my first not-free house).
I'm hoping that they will open up Solstheim one day, and give us a werebear-related quest and skill-line.

TaliColdwater · November 2018

bearbelly wrote: »

TaliColdwater wrote: »

I literally did every single quest in Vvardenfell before even going to the mainland and doing any. I'd never played before and never researched the game. I thought the main storyline with Vivec was the game's main quest. I had no idea, lol. I made a friend in one of the delves and traveled to her once she got to Wayrest. Suddenly I was singing a whole newww worrrlddd with Aladdin.

Vvardenfall was my entry point into the world of Tamriel, as well.

I started one quest there-- the one in which you talk to that priest's ancestor in the crypt --but couldn't figure out how to get into that one room, because I didn't open my map at first, but when I finally did, I saw that you had to take a circuitous route to get there; got ganked by an enemy because I was looking at my map and didn't realize that the enemies respawn after you kill them.
(I was so "new" back in those days).
(of September.)
(2018.)
I didn't have any soul gems at that point, so when I revived at the wayshrine, I wandered off to do something else.
(I have since finished that quest and got a little further into the Vivec questline.)

I did end up starting the Main Quest, somewhere, and my main being EP, I ended up on Bleakrock. I finished that then made it through the Balfoy arc before I went off-script again, and tried to figure out how to get to Eastmarch because my main is a Nord and I wanted to see Windhelm, which has pretty much become my primary base of operations for all of my characters (Grymharth's was my first not-free house).
I'm hoping that they will open up Solstheim one day, and give us a werebear-related quest and skill-line.

Oh goodness, yes! I quickly discovered enemies respawned, and quickly too if someone else happened to be nearby. I remember all the googling I did when I couldn't figure out a map or especially a puzzle because I didn't realize the hints would be right there.
I honestly still think of myself as "new" because I am just figuring out stuff as I go along. For instance, I'm only just now getting into crafting. I think I got the game around August 2018.
Such a huge game that can feel overwhelming at times but so worth it in the end.