EverQuest II expansions

Eleven full expansions for the MMORPG EverQuest II have been released, as well as three Adventure Packs.

With EverQuest II, Sony Online Entertainment introduced the concept of Adventure Packs. Adventure Packs are meant to be smaller "mini-expansions" to the game, adding a plot line with several zones, new creatures and items to the game via digital download. These smaller Adventure Packs come with a smaller fee ranging from US$4.99 to US$7.99. However, recently the development team has decided to release free zones and content instead of making adventure packs. Some recent releases include a new starting city, Neriak, with a new starting race, Arasai;^[1] and new high level dungeons The Throne of New Tunaria^[2] and the Estate of Unrest.^[3]

Expansions usually cost in the range of US$29.99 to US$39.99 and are shipped in boxes to stores, but can also be downloaded through a digital service. The retail versions often come packaged with a bonus feature such as a creature that the player can put in their in-game house. Expansions generally introduce many new zones with many plot lines, new features, many new creatures and items, new cities, and often come with a boost in the level cap or a new player race. While it may be easier to download the expansions digitally, traditional retail offers more content.

Adventure packs

The Bloodline Chronicles

The Bloodline Chronicles is the first Adventure Pack for EverQuest II. It introduced new areas, new items and new monsters.

• Five new areas, including the Tombs of Night, the Crypt of T'haen and D'Morte Burial Chambers.
• Experience new instances for soloists, large and small groups and raids.
• new creatures such as Vampires, Hellhounds, Fleshgoyles and Revenants.
• new quests with different storylines for good and evil players alike.
• ways to interact with the environment, including destructible walls
• themed content, including vampiric magic-based spells and items.
• Discover new Neriak items for players of all levels.

The Splitpaw Saga

The Splitpaw Saga is the second Adventure Pack for EverQuest II. It introduced new areas, new items and new monsters. The adventure pack allows characters to use moveable planks, crates and barrels in a series of event-based zones where they will face gnolls opponents designed for players between 20th and 50th level.

• 12 different solo, group and raid instances.
• 2 new dungeons with twelve additional instanced zones.
• Dozens of scenario-based quests.
• Foes scale to match the players' levels.

The Fallen Dynasty

The Fallen Dynasty is the third adventure pack. It introduced new areas, new items, new monsters and quest lines. It added new content for characters levels 55 through 70:

• Seven areas to explore
• New solo and small group quests lines, as well as heroic and epic encounters for levels 55 through 70.
• Brand new collection and tome quests
• new artisan rewards that assist in the crafting process
• Many new items, including weapons designed in the Fallen Dynasty theme

Expansion packs

Desert of Flames

Desert of Flames is the first expansion for EverQuest II. It features a new land mass to explore, PvP arenas, a level increase from 50 to 60, a new climb ability and the standard new items and monsters. The major quest line for the expansion is commonly known as "The Peacock Line" - This series of 17 or so quests culminates with a raid requiring the player to group up with his guildmates to slay an entity known as "The Godking".

Players can choose from a selection of rewards to be used in the weapon slot depending on their class, for example a mage would receive an item named "Wand of Second life" which can also be changed at will into a two-handed weapon - "Staff of Second life". This quest takes place throughout the Desert of Ro from the sinking sands to the living tombs and eventually the Silent City.

New zones include the Sinking Sands, Pillars of Flame, Clefts of Rujark and the dervish city of Maj'Dul. Also many instances such as Poets Palace and Shimmering Citadel are available with Desert of Flames.

Kingdom of Sky

Kingdom of Sky features a new region to explore, located high above the skies of Norrath, known as the Overrealm. It includes a new level cap of 70 for adventurers and artisans, new items and quests, new monsters to fight, alternate ways of advancing your character (achievement points) and the ability to increase a guild to level 50.

Purchase of the expansion granted each character in any account that bought the expansion an Aviak hatchling. If the expansion was bought in a brick and mortar store, the account is granted one Carnivorous plant. The Carnivorous Plant acts as a house pet which can be fed items from the world, and depending on what is fed to it, will yield a useful item.

The Overrealm is composed of floating islands which originate from the Plane of Sky. Transportation to the Overrealm works like in The Shadows of Luclin; when a player wishes to go there, he or she obtains a teleportation shard from the overseer of a wizard spire on the ground. The overseer NPC then grants to the player character a teleportation shard which flags the player as one wanting to go to the Overrealm. Every five minutes, the spires activate, sending player characters to the Overrealm. If a player originates in Antonica or the Commonlands, he or she will be sent to the Tenebrous Tangle. If a player originates in the Thundering Steppes or Nektulos Forest, then he or she is sent to the Barren Sky. If the player originates in the Enchanted Lands or the Feerrott, he or she is sent to the Bonemire.

As with both the original game and the first expansion, a new epic quest line is included called the "Claymore" line. The start of this quest line can be completed solo in the outdoor areas, however, it will soon require a group and many segments require large investments of time "camping" the required NPCs to spawn and gain quest updates. The last parts of this quest must be completed within a raid (a group of 7+ players), the first being in an area known as "Ascent of the Awakened" in which you must have two groups (12 players). The final part takes place in Deathtoll, a zone intended for four groups (24 players), and requires an epic access quest in itself to enter. In the end players got to choose from an archetype specific reward (in some cases there are multiple choices) which at the current time was some of the (arguably) best items in the game.

Once a player has installed this expansion pack and reaches adventuring level 10, a character is granted achievement experience through discovering new areas, finding precious treasure and status items, killing monsters with specific names, completing select quests, and completing certain collections of items.

Echoes of Faydwer

Echoes of Faydwer introduced a new playable race (the Fae), the ability for player characters to equip visible cloaks, a second equipable earring slot, and add adornments (player-made enchantments) to existing items, 24 new subclass specific achievement trees, two new secondary tradeskill professions, and the return of the gods to the mortal realm. It also introduced a new starting city, the tree city of Kelethin, along with new overland, dungeon, instance and raid zones. There are zones for all levels of characters in this expansion.

The expansion raised the achievement point cap to 100 and the guild level to 60. The expansion also included 6 new Heritage quests and new races to combat like the clockworks, kobolds and bugbears.

The boxed retail edition of Echoes of Faydwer includes the base game plus the first two expansions: Desert of Flames and Kingdom of Sky.

Rise of Kunark

Rise of Kunark is the fourth EverQuest II expansion pack. It introduces a new continent, Kunark; a new player race, the Sarnak; and raises the level cap for adventure, tradeskills and guilds to 80.^[4]

The Shadow Odyssey

The Shadow Odyssey is the fifth EverQuest II expansion pack. It contains content intended for levels 50-80. The expansion also gives access to all previous released expansions and adventure packs. The expansion introduces an additional achievement tree for each character class, 18 goal-based dungeons with a reward system for earning new equipment, new deities and raids.^[5]

Sentinel's Fate

Sentinel's Fate is the sixth EverQuest II expansion pack. It raises the level cap from 80 to 90. The expansion also gives access to all previous released expansions and adventure packs. The expansion includes 2 new overland zones, 12 new dungeons, 400 new quests, over 2,000 more items, and hundreds of new monsters.^[6]

Michael Lafferty from GameZone.com gave it a score of 7/10. "Sentinel’s Fate may well be that interlude between exciting new content and compelling story elements that has been released as an expansion. It is the sixth overall expansion for the game (Adventure Packs don’t count; neither do live updates), and while it does add elements, it is lacking in that sense of adventure that has marked some earlier expansions."^[7]

Destiny of Velious

Destiny of Velious is the seventh EverQuest II expansion pack. The expansion also gives access to all previous released expansions and adventure packs. The expansion includes 2 new overland zones, 10 new dungeons, 300 new quests, over 1,000 more items, and more than 30 new monsters. The expansion also introduces flying mounts.^[8]

Age of Discovery

Age of Discovery is the eighth EverQuest II expansion pack. In tandem with the launch of this expansion, SOE also converted EQ2 into a fully free-to-play MMO. Free players were restricted in what they could access and utilize, while players were able to upgrade to "Silver" level membership for a small one-time fee^[9] to get more access. A "Gold" membership cost the same as the existing monthly subscription plan, and gave full access to all areas and features.

The expansion itself added the Beastlord class from the original EverQuest, new Reforging and Tradeskill Apprentice systems, hireable mercenary assistants, and the Dungeon Maker system allowing players to create their own shareable dungeons.

Chains of Eternity

Chains of Eternity is the ninth expansion to EverQuest II. This expansion contains features such as level increases, the Guild level cap raised to 95, Player level cap 95 and Tradeskill cap to 95, prestige abilities and game items only available in this expansion.

Tears of Veeshan

Tears of Veeshan is the tenth expansion to EverQuest II. It features placing heroes among the dragon dead in the Eternal Broodlands.

Altar of Malice

Altar of Malice, the eleventh expansion pack, includes several new zones, one new playable race, several new avatars, new raids, and a raise in level cap to 100.^[10]

Terrors of Thalumbra

Terrors of Thalumbra is the twelfth expansion pack to EverQuest II that was released on November 17, 2015. The expansion offers max-level characters a new underground zone for exploring and questing, new signature quest lines for both adventurers and crafters, new creatures, a large contested zone, and new dungeons (six advanced solo, 13 heroic, three x4 raids, and one x2 raid). The expansion also has content for those below level 100, including level-agnostic dungeons (scaling from levels 20 to 94), a revamped deity system, new best-in-slot relics, and a new item infusion upgrade system.^[11]

References