When does Reaper become important (and other questions)?

[Oolou]

I'm still trying to understand reaper, so bear with me please. I've just started my second life (yay!) and didn't try reaper difficulty in my first life. What I've noticed from the LFM board, is that R1 difficulty is generally typical. I'm getting the impression that reaper is more important at end game. I'm thinking it was probably introduced to challenge the players who were DDO experts with amazing builds.

Should I bother with trying reaper in my second life?
Or should I wait until I have more lives under my belt?
Is it possible to enjoy the game without ever doing reaper?
Do you find it fun?

 

[PURPLETIMB]

First and most importantly, play at the difficulty level you find enjoyable. Try out a couple of quests on low reaper settings and see if you find the extra challenge fun. There are a few benefits to playing reaper, but none are game changing so play what you enjoy.

As you surmised, Reaper was added to the game to challenge the people that had been playing for years and wanted more of a challenge than elite quests could offer. It is totally possible to enjoy the game without ever playing reaper difficulty, and many people do.

Reaper gives a boost to quest XP, so many people, especially ones that are trying to complete many past lives, will play all their quests on R1 because that gives the maximum quest XP. However, for someone on only their second life there is already so much heroic XP in the game that you will not need the extra XP and doing reaper is going to level you past so many quests that you will skip large chunks of the game. For those of us that have played these same quests for the last 15 years that's usually considered a benefit, but for someone new I'd tend to disagree.

I did not do any reaper for years, then I started doing R1s for the bonus XP to level faster. I found it unfun and painful for the most part, with difficulty levels swinging wildly based on the randomness of what reapers and what champions happened to spawn. However, once I'd earned my first 10 or so reaper points I found that with the added power from the reaper trees R1 was generally as quick and easy to complete as elite.

Welcome to the game, I hope you are enjoying it and will stick around.

 

[Oolou]

First and most importantly, play at the difficulty level you find enjoyable. Try out a couple of quests on low reaper settings and see if you find the extra challenge fun. There are a few benefits to playing reaper, but none are game changing so play what you enjoy.

As you surmised, Reaper was added to the game to challenge the people that had been playing for years and wanted more of a challenge than elite quests could offer. It is totally possible to enjoy the game without ever playing reaper difficulty, and many people do.

Reaper gives a boost to quest XP, so many people, especially ones that are trying to complete many past lives, will play all their quests on R1 because that gives the maximum quest XP. However, for someone on only their second life there is already so much heroic XP in the game that you will not need the extra XP and doing reaper is going to level you past so many quests that you will skip large chunks of the game. For those of us that have played these same quests for the last 15 years that's usually considered a benefit, but for someone new I'd tend to disagree.

I did not do any reaper for years, then I started doing R1s for the bonus XP to level faster. I found it unfun and painful for the most part, with difficulty levels swinging wildly based on the randomness of what reapers and what champions happened to spawn. However, once I'd earned my first 10 or so reaper points I found that with the added power from the reaper trees R1 was generally as quick and easy to complete as elite.

Welcome to the game, I hope you are enjoying it and will stick around.

I am enjoying the game! You make a good point about levelling past many quests - which is what happened on my first life. I think I'll put reaper to one side for now and just focus on trying different quests and having fun. Thanks for your insights!

 

[rabidfox]

It all depends on what you enjoy and find fun. Some folks never do reapers. Some folks never TR (they just make alt after alt). Some run nothing but reapers. I'll run 1st lifers on reaper while soloing leveling because I enjoy it; others would hate it. There's no rush to do anything and when you want to up the challenge or change things up, give it go.

 

[Br4d]

Do HE this 2nd life unless you have a tight build that seems to rock. R1 next life and past because the reaper delving bonus is really good when you are looking at 3.8M XP to level 20.

 

[Quartis]

if you struggle with the game dont reaper.
Reaper 1 gives more exp, when you are able to beat it fast enough and dont wipe: Because then you need to reset the dungoen and now you get less than from just doing elite.

 

[Titus Ovid]

A good way to dip into reaper is running with a group. Observe and experiment while you have a backup crew.
It is not rocket science but with everything in life, it can suck out the fun if you feel overwhelmed.

You will be doing good in a while.

Cheers,
Titus

 

[Ying]

It's just a difficulty setting. Try it out. When you get trounced, then it's motivation to improved your gear and your build.

 

[Mordenkainen]

When you hit cap, do most of the quests you've just done on Legendary Reaper with perhaps an XP pot. The Reaper XP is nutty insane. Don't skip out on the opportunity.

This is for TRUE ressurection btw. The epic kind second time around won't do anything.

 

[festasha]

Reaper difficulty can put some people off wanting to try it again, so if you find you are not strong enough and not enjoying it, don't be discouraged about trying it again later. As you progress in the game you will gain more knowledge about quests, your builds, and playstyle and will acquire better equipment over time. There is a lot of great advice posted already in this thread.

 

[Mordenkainen]

But to your point, YES, Reaper is endgame and the vast majority of players in this game plays Reaper and rarely does any other difficulty (unless gear farming or whatever).

 

[saekee]

Just to add:

‘Endgame’ is when folks have massive character buffs from past lives, reaper xp, excellent gear etc.

‘Playing at cap’ means at level 32 (right now). Reaper xp earned in quests is DOUBLED at cap. Along with the quest level already making it worth more (a multiplier), this means for earning reaper xp, playing at cap is HUGE. At R10 with a first time bonus, you will get 6-9K+. People will have pots going too, and ViP bonuses etc.

The result is that a lot of builds posted here are for cap and handling reaper at high difficulty (‘R10’). Doing a quest on R1 in the harbor nets you a pittance; it is done for leveling faster.

At some point you will probably want to try it and earn points doing it. So whem things cool down a little, think about grouping with some strong parties at cap and let them know you are new. A single chain run that way will give you a crazy good start. Eventually aim for 21 reaper points in Grim Barricade tree which will net you a chunk of hit points outside reaper too.

 

[Lazuli]

Of course, the correct answer is to play the difficulty you like the most, but... my advice is that yes, try playing R1 in your second life.

Reaper is not that difficult, but it requires learning. So, don't get discouraged and play, knowing that practice makes perfect. At first they will kill you a few times, but you will soon get the hang of it.

Why do I recommend playing on r1? Because it is the most common difficulty of pugs, and if you want to group up you will have to play reaper sooner or later.

I play reaper with my first lifers. Can be done. Even in harcore server, with hardly any equipment and no tomes. But you have to learn the dynamics of that difficulty. So remember, it's a learning process. In a short time you will be an expert, but at first, they will kill you sometimes and it will be more difficult than it really is. But take it as a challenge, I'm really sure that very soon you will master the difficulty.

 

[Dandonk]

When reaper first came out I had trouble even in r1. It's OK to feel a bit overwhelmed. However I second the advice that you could try it in groups, to get a feel for it and earn the first few reaper points to make life a little easier.

 

[Lacci]

Is it possible to enjoy the game without ever doing reaper?

Yes.

Do you find it fun?

No.

Personally, I don´t find that it gives me anything. I´m a casual player, and in most cases elite difficulty is enough of a challenge for me.
It feels a bit like "OK, you´ve done the content, now try it again with one eye closed and an arm tied to your back"

But as so often: It depends on your playstyle and doesn´t hurt to try. If you want to play in PUGs, you basically have to run reaper or you will barely find any groups.
But in my opinion, no one should feel bad for playing on normal, hard or elite difficulty.

 

[Dandonk]

But in my opinion, no one should feel bad for playing on normal, hard or elite difficulty.

Very much this. Play whatever is fun for you. It's a game, we are here to have fun.

 

[DBZ]

They nerfed all the fun say what

 

[Guntango]

Reaper is my favorite part of the game. After you get your first 20 reaper points or so, which come pretty quickly, you start to notice the benefits of your reaper enhancement trees.

When you hit cap and put your endgame gear on, run a round of reaps on the highest difficulty you find comfortable. There are about 100 quests that you can hold aside while leveling for first time reaper bonus, earning the max reaper xp per life. Once you’ve done your first time reapers, tr, get another past life, and run reapers again at cap.

It’s fun and rewarding, you can feel the additional benefits of adding reaper to your routine almost immediately.

Welcome to the game!

 

[Dandonk]

They nerfed all the fun say what

Then we make our own fun... until that gets nerfed, anyway...

 

[Oolou]

Thanks for all the responses - it's good to hear the different perspectives. As I'm not VIP I am running on hard difficulty (second life) as I level and it's giving me sufficient xp so far. But if I see a R1 group on the LFM board, I may try joining in

I am having fun. Definitely.