User talk:Queen of Spades

I discovered this game in July 2005 because I needed something to do when the other remaining Return to Castle Wolfenstein (RtCW) player quit.... By that time, I had come a long way from a timid FPS single-player. When my teenage sons saw me play the multiplayer online version of RtCW, they said, "Dad! Get a grip! Stick to the single player. You suck!" At one point, I was rated #1 player of the Banimod version of RtCW. I was a First Person Shooter player all the way, and only one game would do me. (Talk to me on my user talk page about RtCW, Banimod and especially Bani's Instagib Goldrush version, which my clan and I rocked at!)

Now Guild Wars is my first RPG of any kind, whether online, computer-, video-, or board-based. And it seems to be taking that one-game-will-do-me role!

I LOVE the teamplay aspect to Guild Wars. The fact that, like in RtCW, you need players to fill different roles in order to accomplish your mission. I love playing the roles that many people either don't understand (Mesmer), or underappreciate (Monk) because they don't kill people and break things.

I LOVE the intellectual pursuit of learning to play my role better with better skills and combinations. I love learning to play roles I didn't even know existed. And I especially love that "Eureka!" moment when I learn that someone has put to awesome use that certain skill I had discarded as judged to be complete crap. The flexibility and tradeoffs that the designers of GW have allowed/forced are truly wonderful.

Bor Dammerung /, /
Bor was my first character. My kids said, "Dad, you won't understand how to play complicated RPG characters like casters. Just be a Warrior, you just run up and whack dudes with a sword." That made sense to an FPSer like me. The name sounds exotic, but I couldn't think of a good name when I decided to to try this game for the first time. I was just Bor-d, damn bor-d.

I picked War/Nec because my oldest son said, "If you are going to be a warrior, be a monk secondary, cause that's what everyone else does." ---> Yeah, right! We'll see about that. >:( I found my best damage combo with Mark of Pain and Flurry. I use Insidious Parasite for healing, Bonetti's Defense for...well, defense and energy regen, and Plague Touch to pass the blindness off to the baddies, and always have either Watch Yourself or Shields Up for team defense, because Bor Dammerung is always looking out for his teammates, not being that Leeerrooooy warrior/monk that we have all learned to hate. And I always throw in Rez Sig for good measure. "Plays well with others."

As far as I know, I started an industry from scratch--well, a niche industry. Specifically, leading PUGs through ascension missions for pay. From first hand experience, I knew how many times I had failed the same mission. Even when I learned how I was SUPPOSED to do it, I still couldn't seem to pull it off. Once my guild leader and I passed those missions with our first characters, we were called on to help other guild members and friends thru the same missions, meanwhile getting pretty decent at the missions.

Eventually I noticed how many people stand around in, say, Thirsty River mission outpost saying, "LFG that doesn't suck like my last 10 groups." (I figured there was a good chance that they were the pot calling the kettle black.) Or, "Please, somebody help me, I have failed this mission 15 times in a row, I am about to delete this crappy game!"

I had previously noticed that certain players would hawk their services "running" people through certain missions for pay. I figured there would be people willing to pay me to (a) LEAD, not run, them through the mission, and (b) TEACH them a strategy to beat the mission to help them play it better in the future. And I have made some pretty decent plats doing just that, and more often than not, get some great compliments after leading a PUG to victory that they had nearly given up hope of achieving.

, she's the one the guild always wanted for outings, that was until the flood of half-assed 55hp Mo/W everyone had took over. Still when we're doing a hard mission and they want a good monk she's called in :)

She has 2 sets of Ascetic's Armor (15k) one with minor runes and one with superiors for interchanging.

Luna has a Yakslapper, this was aquired on day 2 of the Sorrow's update being out, and hasn't left her fingers since. She also has a collecters 20/20 divine favour Holy Staff of enchanting for Blessed Signet.

Completed all the missions.

Space Vandal
Space is mostly confined to running and farming trolls, he's getting more action now though since he got Eviscerate.

He wears Gladiator's Armor (15k) with an Ascalon helm dyed light blue.

Space has a Sundering Spiked Axe of Enchanting, req 8, 9/10 sundering, 12>50, 15% enchanting, this was originally used with my monk before I realised how good it was ^^. Used to be Ebon.

He is in possesion of a Malion's Malign Hammer, but until he gets some hammer skills then it's useless. Capping Earthshaker soon :)

Skuld the Great
Skuld was my original character, though I rarely play him now. He is earth magic at the moment, but has been water and fire before that, and combinations of the 3.

He is kitted with Hydromancer's Armor dyed in a yellow and silver combination, he has a Flame's Eye of Superior Fire Magic and the same with water, with Stone's to be added to the collection soon.

His weapon is a Defensive Earth Staff of Enchanting, one of "Orrish" prestige ones. Great weapon, req 9, +5 defence, 18% enchanting and 8% skill recharge.

Lyra Forgerunner
Lyra is speeding through the game, she is ready to start the ascencion missions and will replace Skuld as an Underworld trapper.

Lyra switches between a Forgerunner (naturally) and a Sundering Shortbow of Defence, another weapon i'm proud of 15% whilst hexed, req 9, +5 armour and 9/10 sundering. She also has an Icy Recurve Bow req 9, 20% against hexed, but she rarely uses it as icy and recurve bows suck.

She wears Druid's Armor dyed blue with an extra Traveler's Mask with Superior Expertise rune on.

Luna Mindwrath
The other Luna is a PvE IW mesmer, not something i've ever heard of in roleplaying, but ner :P

She is wearing Ascalon 15AL armour at the moment, meaning she gets smushed in Kryta especially as she's melee :)

Her weapon is a Brute Sword of Enchanting, req 8, purple, 19% enchanting. Not the best but I do love brute swords :)

Clarissa the Smart
Clarissa has a playing time of 1 minute. Not much else to be said

Other

 * User:Skuld/Elite skills - My record of captured elite skills, hoping to get them all before Chapter Two :)
 * User:Skuld/Green items - Likewise, trying to obtain all the green items at least once ^^