Underfoot

EverQuest's sixteenth expansion released December 15, 2009 (early access December 8, 2009).


 * Rasper's Repository's Underfoot section
 * Allakhazam's Underfoot category
 * Underfoot Gear and Progression spreadsheet - Created by wizdons of the EverQuest Grouping site
 * Underfoot factions
 * Underfoot emblems

Details
Early word:
 * Brell Serilis Underground Layer
 * 12-15 zones.. and bonus content to launch later in April
 * achievement tracking.. to track progression (more intuitive progression tracking)
 * twice as many weapons as any expansions
 * focused targeting window.. so you can monitor health of friend or foe.

From http://www.everquest.com/ - Underfoot:

"At a time when the ancient gods laid their claim to Norrath, Brell Serilis, the Duke of Below, turned his focus to the Plane of Underfoot and claimed it for his own. Here, Brell sealed Underfoot off from the world's prying eyes, filling it with amazing creatures sculpted by his own hands and discarding those that didn't meet his flawless standards. The plane itsself is a network of glowing caverns, living caves and burning lava flows twisting and turning deep into the world.  Now, a sinister figure is growing in power and threatens to overthrow Brell and disrupt the perfect world he's created."

"Enter the underground lair of Brell Serilis, one of the most fabled and mysterious beings in all of Norrath, uncover the epic challenges around every corner and solve the mystery of the silhouette lurking in the shadows."

Feature set:


 * Massive amount of content - Includes the new expansion pack and all 15 previous expansions and content.


 * Amazing new zones - Dig into 12 new zones throughout the realm of Brell Serilis that will take you through dozens of new quests and missions


 * New AAs - Optimize your character's power and strength with all new alternate advancement abilities


 * New weapons and armor - Outfit your character with some of the hundreds of new options


 * Master your tradeskilling - Create powerful new weapons, armor and more with thousands of new recipies


 * Extended target window - Track friends and foes with greater accuracy


 * Achivement System - Display and manage your progress through the world of Norrath


 * Mark of Brell in game item - Teleport directly into the Underfoot zone [one per account, non-tradeable]

Levels
"'No. There is no level increase for EverQuest: Underfoot' - Elidroth Renato (Doug Cronkhite, Game Designer, Sony Online Entertainment, LLC)"

Zones
Here is a list of the zones in Underfoot:
 * Arthicrex
 * Brell's Arena
 * Brell's Rest
 * Brell's Temple
 * Fungal Forest
 * Kernagir, The Shining City
 * Lair of the Fallen (Dragoncrypt) - This zone can only be accessed for a mission. The mission can only be gotten with a Legends of Norrath (EQ card game) item.
 * Lichen Creep
 * Pellucid Grotto
 * The Convorteum
 * The Cooling Chamber
 * The Foundation
 * The Underquarry
 * Volska's Husk (Stonesnake)
 * Wedding Chapel - Non adventuring zone for in game weddings.

Tiers
Underfoot has basically four "tiers" of content.

Common naming is to call them tiers 6 through 9, with the concept that the Seeds of Destruction tiers 1 through 5 are the first step to being able to play here. However, the in-game Achievements window calls the achievement needed to access the higher level zones as tiers 2 and 3. There are also "raid tiers".

This has been pointed out to SOE that they have caused confusion with their tier naming system. No response has been heard from SOE as of this date.

Tier 6
 * Brell's Rest
 * Pellucid Grotto
 * The Cooling Chamber

Tier 7
 * Arthicrex
 * The Foundation
 * The Underquarry

Tier 8 (Tier 2) ''To enter tier 8, you must do one group task in each of the tier 6 and 7 zones. In your Achievements window, it is the achievement "Appease The Gatekeeper" and listed as what you need to access "Tier 2".''


 * Brell's Temple
 * Fungal Forest
 * Kernagir, The Shining City
 * Lichen Creep

Tier 9 (Tier 3)

''To enter Volska's Husk, you must complete four separate group tasks, one in each of the tier 8 zones. To enter The Convorteum, you must complete the "Kill the Hatchlings" (a/k/a "Kill the Greken Hatchlings") task in Volska's Husk.''


 * Volska's Husk
 * The Convorteum

Difficulty We want the each tier to be notably harder than the previous, with the expectation that at least some "gearing up" will be needed to cross a from one tier to the next. Gearing up would include gaining spells and getting some AAs as well as gear from the previous tier.

Tier 5 is Korafax so you need to be fully SoD Tier 5 grouped geared before playing in Underfoot with any relative success.

Links to Underfoot maps

 * Ormus' Underfoot maps
 * Rasper's Underfoot maps - From Rasper's Repository
 * Mapfiend maps download page - Choose UNF for Underfoot maps]

Progression

 * Allakhazam's Progression Through Underfoot
 * Rasper's Repository Underfoot Progression

Progression in Underfoot is fairly straightforward. Originally you are limited to just Brell's Arena, Tier 6, and Tier 7 zones. To move beyond this into the Tier 8 zones you must appease The Gatekeeper located in Brell's Rest. At any point you can say "enter" to him to get a message telling you the next zone you need complete and who to talk to. You can complete the requirements out of order, he will simply tell you the "easiest" zone uncompleted. The steps are:

1. Brell's Rest - Don't Fear the Destroyer

2. Cooling Chamber - Tasnise Underbelly

3. Pellucid Grotto - The Seeding Frenzy

4. Foundation - The Search for Saunk

5. Underquarry - Scent of a Woman

6. Arthicrex - To Serve Sporali

Each of the above is an instanced mission with their own task requirements for requesting, however for progression you need simply attend and complete the missions provided at least one person can get it. After completing all 6 zones' mission or raids you will be able to use the teleport pads to enter the Tier 8 zones. Additionally you can do all the tier 6 raids, but it is not known yet if you can mix and match, i.e. if you do BR raid but all other zone's missions will that count.

Once in Tier 8 you will again need to complete each zone in order to move forward. This means completion of the following missions:

1. Kernagir - The Silent Schism

2. Fungal Forest - The Fungal Bloom

3. Lichen Creep - Bonfire of the Adherents

4. Brell's Temple - Fire In The Hole

Again, each mission has requirements for requesting, but only participation in winning the missions is required to become flagged. You can alternately complete the Fungal Forest, Lichen Creep, and Brell's Temple raids to be flagged. Completion unlocks the first of the Tier 9 zones, Volska's Husk. To access to The Convorteum you will need to complete the Volska's Husk mission, Kill the (Greken) Hatchlings.

Spells

 * Rasper's Underfoot Spells
 * RaidLoot.com spells

Druids and Wizards can buy the port spells to Brell's Rest from Marie Fay in Brell's Rest at neg 670, pos 72.

Currency

 * Main article: Alternate currency

Underfoot has added four new types of currency. Silver Tokens, Gold Tokens, Bayle Marks and Brellium Tokens.

Armor

 * Rasper's Repository - Underfoot: Visible Armor
 * Allakhazam's Underfoot Armor Guide

In Underfoot the visible armor is fairly straightforward. Each group named, in addition to its normal drops, has a chance to drop a piece of "clay". Each tier has a specific name, Stellite for tier 6, Celestrium for tier 7, Vitallium for tier 8, and Damasite for tier 9. Additionally the clay has a type which determines which slot it is for, such as Tarsal for Feet or Brachial for Arms (the slot is also listed on the item itself so there is no need to try and memorize the slot names). Each named has a specific slot it drops most commonly but there is a smaller chance for any other slot.

Once you obtain a clay you will next need to obtain a "template" which matches your class and the specific slot you are making. For example a Warrior making some arms would need a Vanadium Plate Vambrace Template and a Monk making hands would need an Immaculate Leather Gloves Template. These templates are player made using tradeskills (trivials well over 480) and tradable.

When you have the clay and the matching template, head to Brell's Rest up near The Gatekeeper. You will find the "Useful Automated Vendor" which sells "XYZ Bonding Agent". Each Agent has 2 classes listed, such as Warriors and Rogues on Martialism Bonding Agent, for about 1050pp each. Buy the Agent which matches your class and then combine the Clay, Template, and Agent in a Kiln (one is available beside the "Useful Automated Vendor") to create your armor.

Shadowknights, Shaman, Necros, and Beastlords may then combine their wrist armor inside a Box of Latent Energies (also sold by the "Useful Automated Vendor") to change the focus on it.

Weapon Reforging
These tasks allow you to exchange two raid weapons for a single weapon from the same tier.
 * Weapon Reforging: Palladium - Brell's Rest, Cooling Chamber, Pellucid Grotto, Arthicrex, Foundation, and Underquarry raids.
 * Weapon Reforging: Iridium - Fungal Forest, Lichen Creep, and three Brell's Temple raids.
 * Weapon Reforging: Rhodium - Volska's Husk and Convorteum raids.

Road to Underfoot
'''The "Road to Underfoot" was a way to gain early access to Underfoot. It is now over. This section has been left in for historical purposes only.'''

From SOE: "The busy gnomes of the EverQuest® team are putting the final touches to the 16th expansion to the EverQuest franchise, Underfoot,  and we couldn't be more excited to unveil it to you! In anticipation of this EverQuest  milestone, we're rolling out the Road to Underfoot  events to give you a taste of what's to come and the opportunity to get there early!"

"If you participate in all three of the Road to Underfoot events and pre-order and purchase the Underfoot expansion, you'll receive early access into the expansion*! The first event will begin in August, the second event will begin in September and the third event will begin in October. Check back here for the latest news about each event, new concept art, screenshots and to find out when SOE will start accepting pre-orders!"

Players have until December 1, 2009 to participate in all three Road to Underfoot events and pre-order the game to gain early access to EverQuest's 16th expansion on December 8, 2009.

The first event in the Road to Underfoot is Giants, Giants, Giants!.

The second event in the Road to Underfoot is Ancient Heroes.

The third event in the Road to Underfoot is Breaking the Seal.

See also the External link to the Official SOE Underfoot site below.

Checking your Road to Underfoot progress
SOE has put into place a way you can check your progress. The link describing it is here: http://eqplayers.station.sony.com/news_article.vm?id=51695

SWG was a failure all the way auonrd any change to that was just a struggle to make it work. I don't think that anyone was delirious enough by 2005 in SOE to think that SWG could ever compete with WoW. They were mostly trying to just be relevant enough to make money. Granted they were delirious in other ways, not really sure what they were thinking with their changes but still I still think you are off. Yes, SOE was aware of WoW and was trying to compete with it, no doubt about that. SOE was trying to compete wtih everyone. Heck I remember when EQ2 was announced, their feature set was talked about at the time to have been taken from AC2 (which oddly enough was a really strong influence on WoW). Whether they were trying to compete with WoW or any other game is not the point. At the time, no one thought that WoW was even going to win. Fans, critics, and I am sure SOE included all thought that WoW was just the next Horizons, or Anarchy Online all hype, no meat. I am not entirely sure why SOE would have made  sweeping changes in their design period years before WoW was even successful just to be like WoW. You are giving WoW far more credit than it is due. Nobody saw what happened coming.