Tera Online News

Thanks for being patient all! Here are answers to some of the questions ya'll asked on the E3 Interview forum topic. Please note I didn't get to all of the questions you asked, but covered a good amount of them.

Q: Why does it look like TERA has aim-assist skills for certain spells? (Some mystic/archer skills seem to curve as the target moves.)
A: Early in TERA’s dev cycle, attacks didn’t have aim-assist. Once people started playing, we noticed there were a lot of people who couldn’t hit the target with the basic attacks because the control and targeting became very difficult. Because of this, we changed a few skills to instant timing, which is why some skills look like they curve. For these few skills the ‘hit’ is based on the reticle & target at the time of cast. We adjusted the lock-on for some skills and are happy with the results; it doesn’t spoil the non-targeting feel of TERA.

Q: Will mystics get more control over their pets?
A: In the latest build we have, the mystic pet has the ability to attack or follow by command. We plan to continue work on this, and it is quite high on our to-do list. The only issue is that adding a skill requires a lot of balancing¬ against itself and other class skills. We are always slammed for time in our dev cycles, so we can’t say exactly when we’ll complete this, but it is on our ‘high priority to-do’ list.

Q: When will there be guild housing?
A: This is something we are actively exploring. Initially, we had the plan to use the buildings in big cities as guild houses. Once we started looking more into this, we realized there was a conflict between what we could do with the existing buildings in the cities and what the player expectation was. Putting something unpolished in game can create incomplete content that satisfies no one (players or devs). We are currently looking at what we can do with guild housing so that it’s polished content and meets not only player expectations, but our own.

Q: Will there be player housing?
A: If we implement housing, then the order would be guild housing, then player housing. Right now it is difficult to say specifically if/when we will implement these. As I said above, we are actively investigating housing.

Q: Will the five-second PK rule be altered on PvP servers?
A: PK declaration time requires a very delicate balance that satisfies the majority of players. EME will begin our PvP server testing with a five-second PK rule, but will have external testing for these settings this fall and will adjust the final settings based on feedback and overall functionality.

Q: What do you plan on doing with damage scaling in PvP? PvP specific armor? Damage reduction in PK/BGs?
A: There is already a damage-scaling system in place, but the issue is balancing. There are PvP armor/weapon sets as well as PvP-specific skills and crystals. For now, we think the bigger issue is the balance between classes and the user’s skill in controlling a character rather than equipment. We are always listening to player opinions regarding balance, and as we go through external testing and CBTs, we will continue to monitor and implement feedback.

Q: Any news on updated racial skill balance?
A: There hasn’t been an instance where racial skill balance has been a big issue. We hear a lot more issues regarding class balance instead. Once the classes are more or less balanced, we think the next balance issue will be racial skills, and at that time we’ll start working on those.

Q: Any more/new options for character creation? ie hairstyles, faces, etc. (When will horns/ears be seperated from hairstyles?)
A: TERA’s current character creation has a lot of ways to make a character feel unique. Although it is better to have more character creation options, we don’t feel TERA’s at a loss here. As we come out with new content and updates, there will be a natural addition to character creation, but it won’t be something we add right away. We’ve got more content work to do first.

Q: Will there ever be any options to "physically" change your armor; rip off a sleeve, shorten the bottoms, etc.
A: Currently there is no plan to implement physical damage effects for armor. We reduced the customizable portions of a player’s armor/weapons so we could add more detail and polish to those pieces. If there is a high player demand for costume customization, it could be possible to add that feature into future development plans.

Q: Will there be any hair/face/skin-changing NPCs (hair salons, cosmotologists) which you could go to and pay in-game gold to change one of the desired features?
A: In the most recent update, we’ve added functionality so a user can change a character’s appearance.

Q: Will any substantial info be released on argons and their origins? Being the main antagonists, there isn't a lot of info about these metallic creatures from another dimension.
A: More information will come in time. We can’t reveal more about the story now because it would point towards our future content update plans, and we have to keep some things secret!

Q: Are barakas now constructs made from the giants, or are they a friendly clan of the giants? Lore is very wishy-washy; one says they are constructs, the other says they are relatives.
A: The barakas don’t have a home because we haven’t revealed it… yet. Their home is in a continent that we are planning on introducing in an upcoming content update, so stay tuned and learn more about baraka lore.

Q: Are there plans to enhance the guild leveling system?
A: We have a lot of ideas on ways to enhance guilds and the guild leveling system in TERA. Unfortunately we have a huge list of content we want to add or enhance, and all of it takes time, development, and testing cycles before it goes live. Please know we’re actively working on ways to enhance guilds, and you will see this in future updates.

Q: Will we get emotes for slow walking and sitting? If not, why? These little things support roleplay a lot.
A: We had a similar thought when we initially started working on TERA, and the development team shared that opinion, too. When we thought of implementing them, we came to the conclusion that those emotes would be cosmetic only, which goes against the HP recovery that sitting has in other current games. Because we want everything in TERA to have a reason that makes sense, we decided to leave these emotes out. We do recognize that emotes like this are a huge part in roleplaying, though, so these (and other) emotes have not been totally killed from a future dev list, they are just low priority compared to the other things we want to accomplish in the game first.

I hope these answers gives you all some good info and maybe a few more discussion points to talk about here on the forums. We're always reading and listening to feedback so please keep it coming!

Thanks,
-Chager

Filed by TERA Fans News at 8:53 pm under Uncategorized  Tagged Aim, Archer, Class Skills, Conflict, Control, Curve, E3, Expectation, Forum Topic, Game, Guild Houses, Hager, High Priority, Lot, Mystics, Pets, Target, Tera
No Comments

K-TERA Patch Notes | 3.31.11

[Class > Archer]

• Play Dead skill’s bug fixed.
  - Fixed a bug where the Archer’s play dead skill was canceled after being hit though the status icon remained.
  - The status icon of Play Dead will disappear once character is hit.
  - Tooltip for the skill icon was fixed.

[Zone > Monster]

• Monsters HP tweaked in Flaming Mountain.
  - Now you can hunt in Flaming Mountain with more efficiency.
  
  Burning Abysmal Flame’s HP was lowered by 14%
  Burning Earth Elemental’s HP was lowered by 15%
  Raging Hellfire’s HP was lowered by 15%
  Burning Shadow Viper’s HP was lowered by 10%
  Abysmal Hell beast’s HP was lowered by 20%

[ETC > Bug Fix]

• Archon Quest bug fix
  - Fixed an issue where relogging after being elected would disable the ability to do Archon only quests.
  
  
• Archon Guild’s White Warhorse skill bug fix
  - Fixed an issue where the White Warhorse skill disappeared after the server restart.
  
  
• Battleground resurrection bug fix
  - Fixed an issue when you had 1 sec cooldown on resurrection when you died in a certain situation.
  
  
• Climbing and relogging.
  - Fixed an issue where you would relog to a weird place after you climbed something.

Filed by TERA Fans News at 2:36 pm under Uncategorized  Tagged Archer, Battleground, Beast, Burning Earth, Cooldown, Efficiency, Flame, Hell, Hellfire, Hp, Monster, Monsters, Resurrection, Status Icon, Tera, Tweaked, Warhorse, Weird Place
No Comments

Chapter 9: Shopping Spree

Nothing could have brightened her day more than this. Steaming hot bread, minutes out of the oven, with sweet churned butter melted and soaking into the loaf. The baker eyed her suspiciously at first, and wouldn't sell her a loaf until she showed him the coins she planned to use to pay for it. On top of that, he charged her at least three times what a loaf would have cost in Velika. This, Cala attributed to the remote location, and lack of competition. With bread smelling like this wafting all over the Expeditionary Supply Base, this baker was doubtless making a large fortune.

The day was warming up nicely, the Eye of Balder sitting high in the sky. Cala continued along the row of red tents, casually surveying the wares of the merchants. Here an Aman vendor arranged twin-swords meticulously by size, weight and color, here a shady looking High-Elf laid out black cases which could only contain sorcerer-wheels. Another stall was run by a cheerful looking Elin girl, holding out rods with multifaceted crystals and shimmering panels of exquisitely shaped metals.

The archer stall was run by a shifty-eyed Castanic, whose outfit suggested he spent more time stalking large game in the deep forests than dealing with the public. He watched her approach, eyeing her bow and giving her the once over.



“Hello there.” Cala said, uncomfortably aware of his lingering look at her bow. There were nearly a dozen bows hanging on the inner panels of the tent, all of which looked meticulously cared for, polished, and oiled. She knew she had been neglecting her own for some time now, and felt a little ashamed.

“Hi. Thinking of upgrading?” he said, in the growly voice of someone who has spent years smoking Popori tobacco. With Castanic men, unless their hair has gone the white of the elders, age was a difficult thing to garner from appearances. Cala could tell, however, that he had many years on her, and felt assured that he knew a thing or two about bows by the obvious care that had been put into his wares.

“Not really, but thanks. I haven't got that much money, and this one is doing fine for me,” she said with a smile, as she slowly continued to walk past the stall, her gaze lingering on a particularly splendid bow of carved red wood, inlaid with a pair of red crystals on either side of the grip. The crystals seemed to dance with fire, even though they sat under the full shade of the tent canopy. More twinkling caught her eye as she glanced at other bows. Most had two, some had three, and one particularly lethal looking model even had four of these red gems, gleaming with some inner force.

Noticing her curious look, he rumbled, “Ahh, you like the crystals, do you? You know those aren't just pretty decorations.”

“I've never seen anything like them. What do you mean?” Cala asked, stopping, and approaching the bows with curiosity.

“Well, as morbid is this may seem, these crystals were all found on the battlefields beyond the dark-curtain to the north of here. Soldiers brought them back here and were selling them. Said when them critters die and flash away, these crystals sometimes just pop into existence and drop to the ground. Pretty wild, no?” He said, a crooked grin spreading across his scraggy unshaven jaw.

“So they can only be found here? You mean you made these bows since arriving here?” Cala said, incredulously.

“Nah, I had these bows with me. I just messed around with them for a while after some of the other weapons dealers started talking about the crystal's properties. I fashioned ports in my bows to accept crystals. They can be swapped out as you find better ones.” He said, retrieving a pair of bows from the wall, and placing them on the barrels that made up the counter of his store.

“What do you mean by properties?” Said Cala, curiously.

“It's the strangest thing. These crystals seem to focus the user's concentration in different ways, depending on the way the light dances in the gem. We haven't figured them all out yet, but we know this type,” he points to a circular swirling gem embedded in the grip of a yellow and black bow emblazoned by burnished metals, “causes the arrows to travel with much more force to the target, which is devastating if aimed at vitals. This one,” he points to a red gem with a horizontal light moving within, like a river, ever-flowing in one direction, “seems to allow the shooter to use less energy channeling to charge up a big shot or volley, meaning you can get that important shot off in seconds less. We don't know how they work, but they definitely do! Give it a shot, here try this one.”

He hands Cala the yellow and black bow, and points to a straw-backed target between his tent and the Axe vendor beside him. Cala focused on the center of the target, and began to channel energy into the bow, feeling the arrow begin to materialize. She instantly felt something was different. The shimmering shaft of energy slipped into being sooner than she expected, and took less concentration to maintain. Even as her mind raced over these thoughts, the arrow remained at her mercy, where a lapse in concentration before would have cause the energy to waver and dissipate in an instant. Regaining her focus on the task at hand, she fired the bolt of light at the target, and again her mind reeled. This didn't feel right at all. The arrow flew faster and with more intensity than normal, and she felt its impact on the straw target in her gut like when they fire the cannons on a ship.

“Ha ha, nice shot! See what I mean? These little red crystals completely change the energy flow and dynamics. It takes some getting used to, but it sure makes a difference.” He reclaimed the bow as Cala passed it back to him, grinning crookedly at her bewildered expression.



Cala considered her own bow. It was a fine bow, crafted of fine yew and copper by her own uncle, a hunter out of Castanica. She'd had it for several years now and knew its energy flow patterns like they were extensions of herself. Yet the bow she had just tried felt so much more powerful, and even more responsive... “How much are you charging for these bows?” she asked, a little afraid of the answer.

“Well... I was actually hoping to sell them the Federation army or government. They were really just designed as prototypes to demonstrate their potential.” He looked at his bow collection tentatively, taking one down from the wall and placing it on the barrels. “This one, I could part with this one. It's a good fit for you too, kinda matches your hair!” He said with a crooked grin. Indeed, the wood was lacquered in a dusty rose color, smooth and glossy and shining like the shell of a jelly-bean. The crystals were above and below the grip. The Rose of Castanica was emblazoned in bright red gold above and below the grip as well, and the stem, also of shining red gold, wound it's way to the very tips of the bow shaft, where they held the string. Cala drew in her breath.

“It's remarkable. There's no way I could afford this!” She said, reaching for the pouch of silver coins Elleon had given her.

“Well look, you seem like you're here to serve the Federation to the best of your ability. You're from Castanica, I assume. I'll let it go for fifty gold coins. I'd normally try to get two-hundred for it, but you have promise, and I know you'll take good care of it.”

Cala swallowed hard. Fifty gold! That kind of money could buy her food and lodging for an extended period... Medical aid in dire conditions... Entrance to specialized Academy training... But the bow, gleaming in the sunlight, sat calling to her. She took Elleon's pouch and upended it on the barrel lid. Her breath caught in her throat when she realized that only a few of the coins within were silver, the rest gleamed golden. She counted out thirty-four gold, and frowned.

“This is all I have for coin... I can give you my old bow, and,” she rummaged in her bag to see what else was in there and felt the amethyst leaf she had caught, “I can give you this, I caught it intact.”

The grizzled hunter looked at the leaf, nodding. He looked at her old bow, and nodded again. “I can work with that bow. Ok then Miss, you have a deal.” He extended his hand.

Cala smiled and took his hand, proud of her beautiful new bow, and excited to feel the effects of these crystals on her energy flow. She refilled her coin pouch and un-slung her bow, and handed them over to the merchant with the leaf. Then reached out to touch her new bow.

“One second please.” The hunter said, smiling. He pushed a small red-gold clip below the crystals, which raised them with a click out of the bow, and placed them in his pocket. “There you are, take good care of yourself now.” He said, handing her the bow.

Cala's heart sank. “Oh... I thought the crystals were part of the sale...”

“These?” His eyes grew large in shock. “These are beyond sale my dear... Until it is known how valuable they are, and how many will become available, I can charge the military hundreds upon hundreds of gold each... No, you bought just the bow. Sorry If I wasn't clear.”

Cala looked at her shiny new bow, saddened some by the gaping sockets above and below the grip. Nevertheless, she was in love with the bow, and knew she had received a good deal for it's craftsmanship, even without the crystals.

“Thank you.”

“Anytime! If you find your own crystals, they just click into place. Be careful though, they are as delicate as these purple leaves, and if you drop your bow hard, they can shatter.” He said, as she slung the bow and began to move away.

Filed by TERA Fans News at 8:21 pm under Uncategorized  Tagged Archer, Cala, Chapter 9, Coins, Crystals, Deep Forests, Elders, Elf, Fortune, High In The Sky, Hot Bread, Least Three Times, Metals, Shopping Spree, Tent, Tents, Twin Swords, Wares, Wheels, Whose Outfit
No Comments

Hello TERA Fans :D As you already know, the Korean Stress Test known as KCBT4 ended yesterday. Today, a CM took to TERA's NHN site promising the results of the test soon! From the results we can expect a Korean OBT schedule and maybe even a K-TERA release date O:

Until then, however, make sure you haven't missed any of the information the community gathered from KCBT4 with this compilation thread!

• The KCBT4 Video Thread
  - Maintained by TERA Fans staff member Locien! Almost 10 pages of videos and insightful comments! Join in the discussion and watch gameplay videos featuring instances, character customization, questing, crafting, and anything else you can think of.
  
  
• KCBT4 Class Reviews by the Renegade Angels Clan
  - Thanks to Italian guild Renegade Angels Clan, we have reviews of the berserker, lancer, slayer, mystic, and sorcerer classes.
  
  
• What we learned from the pre-OBT Stress Test!
  - A brief overview of some new features of the game since KCBT4.
  
  
• Neg0tti's KCBT4 Review
  - Neg0tti talks overall gameplay and the archer class!
  
  
• Cut-scenes from the KCBT4 Client
  - Four major cut-scenes from the KCBT client courtesy of TERA Fans member Cori! Thanks to TERA Fans translator Kalsteine, we also have short synopsizes of the subtitles in the scenes.
  
  
• KCBT4 Client Loading Screens
  - All the loading screens in the KCBT4 client, thanks to XoO member Kurushii.
  
  
• Tree's Tips!
  - TERA Tips from Korean CM Tree.

Also, if you're new to TERA, be sure to check out our new TERA Fans FAQ, maintained by TERA Fans member Ayzael. :3

Ho Ho Ho

As you can see, TERA Fans is all ready for the holidays! Thanks to an awesome, festive background by TERA Fans member StingDK, it's snowing in TERA Fans :] Thanks so much, StingDK!

Keep an eye out for a holiday contest with fabulous prizes too! I want to see your holiday spirit this month TERA Fans! :D Lets see christmas trees, santa hats, presents, menorahs, kinaras, and all kinds of holiday stuff in avatars and signatures!

Edit: If you don't see the background, press F5 or clear your cache!

Filed by TERA Fans News at 10:42 pm under Uncategorized  Tagged Archer, Avatars, Berserker, Character Customization, Christmas Trees, Compilation, Fabulous Prizes, Holiday Contest, Holiday Spirit, Insightful Comments, Kinaras, New Features, nhn, Obt, Renegade, Santa Hats, Staff Member, Stress Test, Subtitles, Yesterday Today
No Comments

This is the Archer gameplay footage thread! Please PM me with any video links you have that I don't!

• Inven.co.kr -- This is footage of an Elin Archer. You can see the Archer set up some traps and hop around on her pony!
  
  
  
  
• Inven.co.kr -- The G*Star group demo from an Elin archer PoV.
  
  
  
  
  
• This IS Game -- Another G*Star group demo from an Elin Archer PoV.
  
  
  
  
• This Is Game -- Elin Archer killing some normal monsters and one giant monster!
  
  
  
  
• This Is Game -- Some Archer gameplay featuring a female Castanic!
  
  
  
  
  
• Via Snuggs -- Another Archer PoV of the group demo.
  
  

Filed by TERA Fans News at 2:34 am under Uncategorized  Tagged Archer, Demo, Elin, G-Star, Game Demo, Gameplay Footage, Giant Monster, Inven, Monsters, Pony, Pov, Star Group, Traps, Video Links
No Comments

This is the Archer gameplay footage thread! Please PM me with any video links you have that I don't!

Inven.co.kr released this footage of an Elin Archer. You can see the Archer set up some traps and hop around on her pony!

Filed by TERA Fans News at 2:34 am under Uncategorized  Tagged Archer, Elin, G-Star, Gameplay Footage, Inven, Pony, Traps, Video Links
No Comments

Update: Inven.co.kr released footage of the group demo. Check it out below or on youtube!

Hi there TERA Fans! We've translated another article from game.chosun.com about the TERA press conference held this past Monday. This article details the features of both of TERA's G*Star demos, the party demo and the solo demo.

Check it out :D





On November 18th, TERA's G*Star 2010 booth will attempt to convey the glory of TERA to interested new players.

Two types of demos will be available. One of them will be a party play demo where players will be able to group with BHS developers and experience group combat. There will also be a solo demo where players will be free to explore any area available in the demo.

In the party demo, participants will be able to play as a Warrior, Berserker, Sorcerer, Archer or Mystic and the developers will take on the roles of Lancer and Priest. Once all the roles are filled, the party will head off to the demo dungeon and experience TERA's party play by fighting huge monsters.

*Group Demo



1. Learning game controls & defeating normal monsters.

When they first enter the instance, the party will see wooden practice dummies. The dummies are not harmful and are there for players to practice TERA's controls and familiarize themselves with their chosen classes.




Players will be able to see three large monsters standing behind the wooden dummies and once everyone understands their classes, it is time to move on to the big guys. The pack of monsters go down fairly easily if all party members work together focus fire them down.



Once these monsters are defeated, the party will move on to fight a medium sized boss.

2. Medium Boss Battle



Once the party defeats three elite monsters, they'll approach the medium boss, <Yal the Retributioner>. Because they're larger than regular monsters, the medium bosses have larger area of effect attacks.



The Lancer will constantly be working to hold the boss's attention, but players will still be able to be hit by area of effect attacks if they're not careful. Even if attacking the boss from behind, players will still have to watch the boss's behavior to ensure they are not hit. When the boss is about to use a powerful skill, its eye shines red.





For melee classes like Warriors and Berserkers, zooming the camera out all the way will help get a better view of the boss's eye.



Once Yal the Retributioner is killed, your party will be able to move to the next room. When you use an object called the "Crystal of Corruption", your party will be transported to the door to the final boss and a cutscene will begin.

3. The Final Boss

The final boss of the G*Star demo is called the <Master of Corruption> and it is huge. The Master of Corruption uses unique skills like summoning a large sword and dropping it or summoning minions.









The demo ends with the defeat of the Master of Corruption.




*Solo Demo

In the solo demo, players will be able to choose a characters that is level 35, 40 or 45. Players will then be able to play in azone corresponding to their chosen level. There are many monsters out in the field and in towns they can get quests from NPCs.





In other news, TERA will hold their server stress text between November 26th to 29th. You can learn more about the stress test on TERA's homepage (tera.hangame.com).

Filed by TERA Fans News at 9:27 pm under Uncategorized  Tagged Archer, Article Details, Big Guys, Boss Battle, Demo Dungeon, Demo Game, Demos, Developers, Elite, Experience Group, G-Star, Inven, Lt, Monsters, Participants, Party Members, Practice Dummies, Raid, Retr, Sorcerer, Translation, Wooden Dummies, Yal
No Comments

Archer Column: Reap Mob Basics

Hey folks! Cala takes a break this week we so can take a look at some of the tactics she used in Chapter 7, as well as some other basic principles of Archer gameplay. I won't be looking at skills specifically, but tactics that an archer will need to become intimately acquainted with very quickly after setting foot on the Isle of Dawn. I'll outline how to handle those pesky little clusters of mobs, as well as the bigger 'medium' sized mobs, and the variety of ways you can spell their doom.



Ok, so you're running around on the Isle of Dawn, you've popped a few Ghilliedhu, learned a couple new skills, and have made your way to the Expeditionary Supply Base (the one Cala is almost at). Outside of here, you'll notice Terons, groups of small earth spirits bent on your destruction – should you choose to pester them, and let's face it, you will! In an early article by EME, these mob clusters were referred to as Reap mobs, presumably because you swoop in just reap their little lootz.

Attacking a cluster of Reap mobs means one thing, a LOT of hate directed at you. If you've played an archer class in other games before, you may have had times when you accidentally stole aggro from the tank, or you may yourself have 'evade-tanked' on occasion. Archers in TERA are NOT tanks. I can't stress this enough. You won't be able to sustain a beating, meaning you won't be standing in the center of a cluster of Reap mobs letting them wail on you while you pick them off one by one. With the exception of Multi-Shot, and the post Isle of Dawn Penetrating Shot, you WILL be picking off mobs one at a time.



In every cluster of Reap mobs, you'll notice one who stands out a little taller, a little bolder, perhaps even a little more rude than the rest. This fella will be the one calling the shots. He'll be the one saying “Oh, what have we here guys, fresh meat!” and getting his followers to trun on you... He'll be the one granting buffs to the little buggers, and he'll also be the one tapping into the Titan's dream to replace the reap mobs you've previously dispatched! Clearly, there is reason to take the leader out first. My recommendation: unless the little guys are arranged in such a perfect ball and you can't resist opening with an AoE to watch them fly, open with a powerful attack on the leader first, and take him out fast.

TERA's archer class is all about evasion, just not the evasion you are used to in stat-based combat systems. You won't be auto-dodging any attacks, and you won't dodge better even if you did have an evasion stat, which you don't. You're dodging comes from your keyboard and mouse. Kiting and dodging are going to be your bread and butter, and the more proficient you become at this, the more challenging the obstacle you can overcome.

Two things to remember while kiting:
1.)Be aware of your surroundings! It won't help you to survive longer if you have a half dozen mobs on you and you run blindly into another pack of Reap mobs! Sure individually they might not hit hard, but when you have a bunch on you, things can get hairy!
2.)Kiting doesn't do damage, your bow does! Leave enough room between yourself and the mobs that every few seconds you can turn, fire, and keep running.



Kiting Reap mobs is not only your best option for survival, it's also an extremely efficient way of massing the critters into a 'chain' or 'ball', which makes your AoE (Rain of Arrows, Arrow Shower) or linear attacks (Penetrating Shot) more effective. If you were standing your ground, taking a beating, and firing your bow for all you are worth, a few things would happen. First, you would be having to swivel about to find a target, since they tend to surround you. Second, you'd run out of mana because you are simply popping shots off full tilt. Archers have the smallest mana pool of all the mana wielding classes, and it gets empty very quickly. Of course, it fills very quickly too, but not if you aren't giving it a chance to. Kiting – taking a couple steps, turning, then firing, repeat – allows time for your mana to replenish itself between shots, so you won't need to worry about hearing that dreaded 'out of mana' sound.

In Chapter 7, Cala balled them up by kiting, forced them into approaching a cliff, put them betwixt her and the cliff, then sent them flying. You can do this too! When you get Backstep (the basic Archer dodge skill, also known as Caelixian's FAVORITEST SKILL EVER!) you will be able to do some pretty slick and tricksy maneuverings to grant yourself the advantage. Train the Reaps towards the cliff. Once they are upon you, quickly turn your back on them, facing the cliff, and hit backstep. Waste no time charging your penetrating shot, and unleash it at the ball. Feel free to snicker at their pathetic little screams; chances are they would if it had been you going over! Knockback won't be very viable for an Archer in PVP, (the physics are excellent – a heavy target won't do much flying, but the little ones will!) but you can still use Backstep to quickly get behind your foe for a chance to knock them down. All of your back-attacks have a chance to knock down your target, so try to score them as often as you can. Oh, while we're on the topic, IF you score a knockdown in PVP, resist the temptation to approach the target, or continue attacking and use the opportunity to put a bit more distance between it and you, or charge up a powerful attack for big numbers.

There you have it, a Reap mob primer with minimal side-tracks. Hope this helps those of you who are only just dreaming of getting your hands on an archer, and find yourselves on the Isle of Dawn in the very same scenario as Cala!

Filed by TERA Fans News at 6:08 pm under Uncategorized  Tagged Archer, Archers, Buffs, Calling The Shots, Chapter 7, Clusters, Dawn, Doom, Earth Spirits, Fella, Followers, Fresh Meat, Gameplay, Hey, Little Buggers, mob, Mobs, Swoop, Tank, Tanks
No Comments

Chapter 6: Order of Operations

Cala had tuned Raskel out several dozen cobblestones ago. Since they had departed the glade of Ghillidhu, the ferret Popori had not stopped excitedly reconstructing the battle verbally. The Castanic archer was exhausted, hungry, and, since the sun had begun to dip below the horizon, cold. The Castanic people with their deeply bronzed skin were accustomed to the tropical climes and the high heat of geothermic venting, not mid-oceanic nights.

“...flames were just torching all of the trees near it! Did you see how burnt the grass and stuff was when we were done? I didn't know you had control over flame too, Ameera! Anyway, they kept coming at me, and the big one...” the Popori went on.

They rounded a familiar corner, and saw the scholar's tent standing at the fork in the road. Elleon himself was still outside, arched over his makeshift table with a magnifier lens in one hand and an oil lantern in the other.



“We have your samples sir. You could have warned us that they would ambush us and try to kill us.” Cala said, motioning for Raskel to empty his satchel.

With a grimace, he upended his stinking sack onto Elleon's table, where rotting branches and roots tumbled about in a sludge of putrid black sap. Cala almost thought she saw one of the roots twitch, though she dismissed it for her need to sleep.

“Ahh, most...excellent?” the scholar said, wrinkling his nose and letting his magnifier down a nearby barrel. “So they did attack you then? Tell me, what were they like?” he asked, looking up at the trio, his spectacles lowered to the tip of his nose.

Raskel burst into a monologue about the event with so much vigor it was hard to believe he had had the same day as Ameera and herself. While he went on...and on...and on, Ammera and herself sat near Elleon's fire and lounged. She felt sleep calling, like a gentle music on the edge of perception, bridging the gap between dreams and reality. The heaviness in her limbs overtook her, and the music pulled her gently along into dreaming.

She awoke sometime later to find that Raskel and Elleon were still discussing Ghillidhu, though Ameera was breathing slowly nearby. She got up slowly, stretching her limbs in a catlike manner. Her hair had tumbled recklessly about, and as she rose she fixed it and tucked a few locks behind a horn.

“Raskel, Warmark wanted us to return by nightfall, didn't he? Shouldn't we head back to the main camp?” She asked, hoping to save Elleon from Raskel's overzealous prattle.

“AT NIGHT?! Through that glade?! You have got to be kidding...” the sorcerer said, looking at her with eyes as wide as saucers.

“Please, by all means, share my fire. I have a plenty of resources here, you're more than welcome to some food and drink. It's the least I can do for your troubles. On the morning two of you can return to your unit. I still have need of one of you to run another errand, I'm sure your Commander will understand. This camp is a little out of the way, and I don't see many people willing to assist me.”

Though somewhat uncertain of how Warmark would react, she felt that helping Elleon would surely be less troubling than the Commander's unchecked glances and near-certainly perverted thoughts. “I'll gladly stick around to assist you Elleon. The Commander sent us here to help after all.”

Morning came far too quickly. Though warmed by the fire, the ground had been hard and lumpy, the grass slightly dew-laden. She slept fitfully, awakened on several occasions by Rakel's snores, and a few times by Elleon's snapping of the branches they had brought him. Every time she awoke, she noticed him still at his table with his lantern, by turns writing and examining the specimens. When the sun began to paint the sky dusky blue, she rose and offered to make breakfast for the four of them from Elleon's stores.

She was putting a pot of oats over the fire after having stirred the cinders some, when Elleon called her over.

“Private Taar, was it?” he said, looking at her above his glasses again.

“Yes sir, or you can call me Cala, if it please.” She said, assuming it was fine for a civilian to address her in such a manner.

“Fine then, Cala. I'll see too it these two get off to a good start. I'd like you start as soon as you've broken your fast – I have done some preliminary research on the Ghillidhu samples you brought back, and I need you to take it to Vespasia at the Expedition Supply Base. It's located at the base of the giant purple tree,” he points above, where even here to foliage covers them, “and it's where my research expedition set up their shop. Some of the tag-alongs who followed our vessels have set up vendor booths, and there are trainers among them who might be able to show you a thing or two about your bow there.” he said, pointing at her back. “Vespasia can probably use you too, if you don't mind. Before returning to me, make sure she has everything she needs. Thanks again, Cala. Take this, you can use it I'm sure – I remember how much they paid me in my military service.” he said with a chuckle, handing her a small but jingling red pouch and his research journal.



“Thank you sir. I'll take care of it.” she said, placing both into her small backpack. She didn't know if accepting money in exchange for service she had been ordered to perform was acceptable, but she wasn't about to complain.

After breakfast, she said told Ameera she'd see her again soon, and told her to tell the same to the still sleeping Raskel, then headed off in the direction of the giant rotating tree trunk. The morning was brisk, fragrant, and, she suspected, laden with surprises.

Filed by TERA Fans News at 4:08 pm under Uncategorized  Tagged Archer, Bridging The Gap, Cobblestones, Ferret, Gap, Gentle Music, Glade, Grimace, High Heat, Monologue, Oil Lantern, Order Of Operations, Popori, Satchel, Scholar, Sludge, Spectacles, Tropical Climes, Twitch, Vigor
No Comments

Chapter 5: If A Tree Falls...

The trio set out from Elleon's camp towards the path they had just taken with a new regard for the dead-looking trees that lined the edges.

“I still can't believe there are this many Ghillidhu in one place! Every few years in Popolion we hear about a woodsman who goes missing, or is found dead, appearing to be half-consumed by the roots of trees... They always said it was the Ghillidhu. So hard to tell them apart from normal trees, I suppose the woodsman didn't know any better!” Said Raskel, looking rather tentative and hiding somewhat behind Ameera.

“Just what exactly are these...Ghilli-things... anyway? I've never heard anything about them in all of my studies.” The priest said, glancing down at her fuzzy tag-along.

Cala, leading the group down the path, turned her head to hear Raskel's answer.

“I have NO idea! Hehehe! Well, I know the legends, something about how the spirits of those lost in the forest come to rest in trees. For hundreds of years the souls shape and twist the tree into a whole new creature...” he shudders, “I just think they are creepy!”

Cala looked incredulously at the tree before her, as she pulled her bow off of her back. The bark wasn't the rich lichen spotted brown of the evergreens she was familiar with, nor the smooth green or silver of the deciduous she knew. This bark was lifeless and dead; no mosses or lichens grew upon it. The color was a dull and scaly charcoal gray, wrinkled and layered like plate-mail. Cautiously, she approached the tree with an outstretched hand, reaching for the nearest branch. She prodded the branch tentatively with her gloved finger first, backing slightly, awaiting some kind of response.

“Maybe this one is just a tree?” Said the ferret Popori, with forced optimism.

Cala reached again for the same branch, and gripped it firmly with her hand. With a quick twist, the branch snapped off, leaving a jagged and splintery stub of decaying wood behind. The scent of rot and death assaulted her nose as a black and oily sap began to ooze from the broken limb.

“Ugh... what kind of tree smells like that?” said Ameera, covering her nose with a sleeve.

Casually tossing the branch to Raskel, who placed it in his satchel, Cala remarked, “I guess this won't be as difficult as we thought.”

The scent of the broken limb hung around them in the air, reminiscent of a battlefield bog, filled with the decaying dead. As Cala prepared to take a piece of the tree's root, she noticed the oily sap was now gushing from the break, splashing onto the base of the tree, and onto her boots. She turned away in disgust, intent on trying another tree rather than continuing to bask in the putrefaction.

A sudden creaking groan filled the air all around them. All three took a back-step closer to each other, as the trees as far as the eye could see began to shimmer with blue light. Cubes the color of Azure through electric blue spun about each of the trees. While the dazzling color shifted and spun, the trees began to change shape, contracting in on themselves in one instance, with new appendages jutting forth the next. The single trunks began to split into two neatly defined legs, the roots into rigid bark covered talons. The upper branches became either heavy spikes, jutting from the central body in all directions, or became one of two bark-armored arms, ending in dagger-like claws. The most horrific feature of all though, was the yawning mouth at the center of each creature.



Around them, the Ghillidhu began to snap open their yellowed eyes, and as one seemed to turn towards the trio, now huddled back to back to back. Terrible crackling shrieks assaulted their ears, as the beast closest to them began to take lurching steps towards them.

“Looks like it's time to put our training to the test... Raskel, I hope you know some fire spells.” Said Cala, readying her bow, and beginning to focus.

Raskel's disk was already in the air in front of him, spinning and glowing. A tongue of flames lashed out at an approaching tree, the flames dancing up it's legs. Yelling to be heard over the creature's screams, he replied, “Oh yeah, wouldn't ever leave home without them!”

Cala took aim at the nearest Ghillidhu, drew back her bowstring, and let loose a bolt of pure energy with a thrum. The arrow's impact knocked the former tree back several feet, giving her the opportunity to gather her energy anew for a second bolt, this one striking it between it's amber eyes. The creature lunged at her, swinging it's clawed limbs wildly, intent on tearing her apart. Dextrously back-stepping out of it's range, she placed another arrow at the top of it's head, knocking it to the ground. She turned in time to see Raskel scream.

While he had been focused on trees further away from the group, and Ameera was occupied sending rippling waves of flame across a wide swath in the opposite direction, a Ghillidhu had lumbered it's way next to the Popori, and gracelessly threw itself on top of him. Cala put all of her focus into her next shot, the energy glowing and crackling, shaking her arms and her bow. The release of the energy propelled her backwards, but she caught herself and landed with cat-like agility in time to see the fiend who had attacked Raskel burst asunder in splinters. The beam of Cala's energy continued into the distance to smash into another Ghillidhu who had been approaching behind the first.

Ameera turned at Raskel's high-pitched shriek, and was shocked to see that his shoulder had become impaled by a splintery spike. Raising her staff, a green glow began to consume the ferret, whirling around him like an emerald tempest. The spike worked it's way out of his flesh and robes, and fell to the ground, while his furry flesh re-knit itself.

“Thanks! That hurt...” he said to Ameera, his smile hiding his obvious terror.

“Ok guys, they are still coming, lets grab what we need fast and get out of here!” Cala called to the others from where she stooped, ripping loose a root from the leg of the first tree she had felled. The group quickly set to work tearing pieces from the fallen and charred beings, while still more of them slowly lumbered their way closer. At least they're slow, thought Cala, calming herself.

Ameera kept watch as Raskel and Cala took inventory of the roots and branches, counting out three of each and putting them into Raskel's satchel. The stinking corpses of the Ghillidhu lay about them in a ring, with more approaching. Some had begun to smoulder with blue flame and blue smoke, and others were fully consumed in the glowing blue cubes they had seen when the creatures first began to change shape.



“Come on, let's get back to Elleon, I think we can make a run for it.” Cala said, pointing down the path she knew would take them back to Elleon's camp. The group ran between the lumbering Ghillidhu, keeping a wide berth from them but sticking roughly to the trail.

Filed by TERA Fans News at 8:28 pm under Uncategorized  Tagged Archer, Cala, Charcoal, Evergreens, Ferret, Hundreds Of Years, Legends, Mosses, New Creature, Optimism, Outstretched Hand, Plate Mail, Regard, Roots, Shape, Shudders, Spirits, Trees, Woodsman
No Comments