It's easier to deal with hostilities, when you hone up your abilities. -- Bonzz
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Abilities / Skills are basically innate talents.
Some of these Abilities / Skills are only available to certain classes / races. Some are Abilities / Skills that can be skilled up so you become better and better when using them, while other cannot be skilled up and are pretty much just an Ability, more so than a Skill.
These particular talents do not fall under trade skills, offense or defense, per se.
One could argue that Taunt is a battle skill, I suppose, but I had a hard time listing it as an Offensive or Defensive battle skill, so I listed it here instead (after all, it does not inflict damage, nor does it prevent damage).
Generally speaking, when new Levels are added to the game, so are new Levels of may of the skills below. As a result, you have to skill them back up to "maximum" when new Levels are added to the game.
These skills can be seen in you Skills Window (see image below), along with many other skills. In the Skills Window there are three columns, that can be sorted b y clicking on the column header / name. The first columns is the Skill Name (#1 in below image). The second columns is your worded "Rank" in each skill (#2 in the image below). These ranks generally give you an idea of how good or bad you are in a given skill and really, otherwise, have real relevance. The third column is your skill level in each skill represented by two numbers. The first number is your actual skill level, while the second number is the maximum skill level for a given skill. In some cases there can be a variance in the first number exceeding the maximum or is boosted above you actual skill level, due to various things that can boost them up. If so, that first number should be green in color.
Some Abilities / Skills require a Hot Key to use. These Hot Keys can be created from your Actions window (Alt M) from either the the Abilities Tab (Control A) (see below image, #1) and / or the Combat Page Tab (Control C) (see below image, #2), by right clicking one of the (6) boxes and clicking one of the options you see in the window that pops up. The button on the Abilities page has a related number. After you assign a skill to a button, you cam then use a the button, or a typed command to activate it (/doability X, where 'X" is the number of the button).
NOTE: While some skills have maximums based on class or race, many abilities / skills can be leveled up 5-plus per Character Level. Some skills can also be improved upon by way of Alternative Advancement.
NOTE: To avoid confusion, Hot Button & Hot Key are often confused with one another. The terms are, for the most part, interchangeable... but there are (2) types of Hot Keys / Hot Buttons. One is an icon on your screen, while the other is an actual key on your physical keyboard, that can be used to activate on-screen Hot Keys. When Hot Button or Hot Key is used below, unless otherwise specified, it means an icon on your EQ Screen, not a key on your keyboard.
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!!! QUICK LINKS !!!
Alcohol Tolerance Begging Bind Wound Brass Instruments Disarm Traps Fishing
Foraging Hide Inspect Mend Open Percussion Instruments Pick Lock
Pick Pocket Remove Trap Reveal Trap Safe Fall Sense Heading Sense Traps Singing
Sneak Stringed Instruments Swimming (and using Canoes) Tracking Wind Instruments
Other Skills / Abilities
Attributes Bonuses Defenses Magic Offense
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All classes get Alcohol Tolerance.
This is your ability to imbibe alcoholic spirits and tolerate their influence. Alcohol can and will make you drunk, but it takes more of it at higher Tolerance levels.
When you get drunk, you will have a hard time seeing things clearly (graphics will become stretched and blurry... see image below).
You will also have a hard time making your way around, as you will not be able to walk in a straight line. In fact, even if you sit down, you will slide back and forth on the floor. If you are on a mount, you can even fall off of it!
Your speech, no matter the language, will become slurred, mumbled and unintelligible to others (literally... you may type "Hello," but others might see something like "shxlu.").
Your charisma and other attributes will be affected to the negative. The more you drink, the more negative your stats will go. As you sober up, they slowly return to normal.
However… alcohol is also known to increase "boldness and bravery."
Thus is some limited way, you can benefit from some alcohol consumption because it is temporary strength and stamina enhancement.
For example, it can also help you run faster (because the strength increase lightens your load, combined with the "strafing" effect of running drunk). This is especially useful if you are encumbered and wish to move faster, to run faster or to better flee a MOB on your tail... or simply as a temporary boost your stamina.
HOWEVER... at higher levels with Heroic Overcaps... you may not see any affect from alcohol other than just getting drunk (as the Overcaps all ready boost your Strength / Stamina to maximums)!
You may also find it useful when battling certain MOB's, as they have a spell effects that can render you "drunk," unless you have a certain level of Alcohol Tolerance.
Alcohol will wear off... very slowly. Tolerance is what allows you to fend off the negative affects, to work them off faster and / or to basically tolerate them better. If you want the effects to go away faster, the only way to do this is to die and get rezzed!
To max out this skill, you simply have to drink and drink and drink. There is a limit as to how drunk you can get, so once you are completely sloshed, you will have to wait to drink more!
To speed this up, take a load of alcohol to the Arena with a friend tagging along. Then drink as much as you can and have your friend kill you (melee kill, do not use DoT's... this way you don't loose any XP... you will lose XP if you are killed via DoT's!). Then take a rez or a call (a mercenary will do for this) and you will reappear sober. Repeat this process as many times as needed.
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You can learn/train this at Level 1.
You can generally increase this by 5-per-level, with some limitations.
To use this skill, you need to create an Ability Hot Key (see top of page).
Begging seems useless on the surface, but it can be used to some advantage, to include its necessity in one or two quests.
You can not use this skill while on a mount.
First off, if you succeed in begging from an NPC, you might get something. Unfortunately, I have never gotten anything more than a stern comment, a single copper coin... or a sword up side my head! That is right, if you beg too much from an NPC, you can actually enrage the NPC and the NPC will actually attack you… especially if your faction is all ready low with them.
However, it is here that a measure of advantage exists! You cannot Beg while fighting, but you can use Beg as a form of aggro! This is especially useful if Taunt fails, or in conjunction with Taunt… such as before you break a mezz (taunt, beg, then break mezz)! While you cannot Beg while you are attacking, you can use a hot key to turn off attack, beg and then re-attack.
The MOB I have found to get the most regular skill increases with, is a caravan guard' in Blightfire Moors (he is at the Quest camp by some other NPC's at a cart). He is non-KoS and will never aggro. To save some button clicking, you can create a Hot Key to Beg five (5) times in a row, based on your Beg Ability Hot Key (see image below).
Another reported option is to beg off pets of AFK players in the Guild Lobby and placed 'pets' in Halls & houses... but I have found this does NOT work very well.
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You can learn or train this at Level 1.
You can generally increase this by 5-per-level, with some limitations.
To use this skill, in addition to some type of bandages, you need to create a Hot Key (see top of page).
Bind Wound (aka Bandage) is a first aid skill. You can render first aid to yourself or someone else. You simply have to carry around (or make, or summon) your own bandages (any kind).
When you bind a wound, you heal the targeted player for a few hit points.
When doing this, you will kneel down (automatic) and stay down until the process is complete... or until you are interrupted (such as when a MOB attacks you… the player moves… you move...). And yes, the targeted player must also stay still or it will fail!
Annoyingly enough, Bind Wound does not seem to take any less time as you go up in the skill, but it does heal for a few more points as you get better and better. The type of bandages you use also seem to have some influence on the number of points healed... but that also seems pretty negligible.
You level for which you can heal another player or yourself (i.e. 50% of Health) is limited based on Character Level & Alternative Advancement.
To get this skill up, I suggest taking stacks of bandages and heading to Direwind Cliffs. Up near (below) Ashengate, where there is a lava river. Jump in and you will take significant damage each tick. Jump out before you die! Then bandage yourself up as far as you can. Repeat this process as much as needed.
You can save some button clicks You can make a Hot Button connected to your. To all five (5) lines of the Hot Button add /pause 130, /doability1 (or whatever number is relevant to the button you assigned the skill to).
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This is a Bard skill.
This is a Bards skill in using Brass Instruments when playing Bard songs. The better the Bard is, the better the effect.
Using and leveling up this Skill is as simple as equipping a Brass Instrument of some type and playing songs!
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This skill is Bard & Rogue only.
If a trap is sensed (see Sense Traps, below) and / or revealed (see Reveal Trap) in your vicinity, you can use this skill to try and disarm that trap. If there are multiple traps within range, your attempt to disarm will be directed towards the closest one. If successful it will remain disarmed for a short time.
To use this skill, you need to create a Hot Key (see top of page).
When using Sense Trap (see below), any message other than you sense that an object is trapped, such as you not being able to tell if the object is trapped, there is a good chance the trap is "Magical" or "Cursed." If a trap is Magical or Cursed, spells (that certain classes like Clerics, Necromancers and others have) are needed to Disarm the trap. Otherwise, the trap is "Mechanical" in nature and you can try to disarm it.
Skilling up this skill is done by Disarming Traps. However, you need a Trap to Disarm, so where to go? In Solusek's Eye (aka Solusek A) there is a swinging pendulum trap. In Nagafen's Lair (aka Solusek B) there is a falling block trap. Either one is a good place to spam Disarm Trap for potential skill ups.
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Fishing is your ability to Fish.
Fishing is also a Tradeskill, but in this case, it is used as an Ability.
Using this ability, however, will also Skill up the your Fishing Tradeskill, as well.
To Fish, you will need some type of a fishing pole (equipped like a primary weapon), some type of bait (in your bags) and make a Hot Key (see top of page).
You can fish anywhere there is water, but you have to be on the edge of water (not in it, and not too far away from it).
When you fish, you bait will get used up and you can potentially break your fishing pole, as well.
If you manage to catch something, it can be more than just various types of fish, like a Tattered Cloth Sandal, for example. When you do catch something, it will appear on your cursor and you can choose to drop it on the ground or drop it into your inventory (bags).
This is your ability to "live off the land," as you can find food and drink type items. You can also fins things that are useful in tradeskills or needed for quests. Other things you can find are what at least one GM has called "flavor" items... since they have no use or purpose, otherwise.
This is primarily a Ranger / Druid ability. However, all other classes can get this skill via Alternative Advancement (at Level 51), but can only get it to a skill of 100.
To use this skill, you need to create a Hot Key (see top of page), or from the Alternative Advancement Window.
You cannot forage while in battle or when you are on a mount.
You can max out this skill simply by foraging, over and over... anywhere!
If you succeed with a forage attempt, the item(s) you find will appear on your cursor.
You can also set up a Hot Key to automatically forage and then auto-inventory, and then, tie the Hot Keys your keyboard movement buttons (or whatever keyboard buttons you use often, while playing EQ).
If you do not know how to do this, seek assistance from others. Basically, it is the /useability & /autoinventory commands used in conjunction with (2) Hot Keys on one of your Hot Bars, which is tied to your Left & Right movement buttons on your keyboard (or whatever keys you want), via your Options Window (Alt O, Keys tab).
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This skill is a Rogue skill (Level 3), but Bards (Level 25), Rangers (Level 25), Shadowknights (Level 35) also get the skill, but with a limited maximum skill level (40 to 75).
Hide is sometimes called Stealth.
Additionally, Dark Elves, Wood Elves & Halflings, of any class, also get the skill at Level 1, which is immediately capped with a Skill Level of 50. Reportedly, this racial version of Hide does not work versus undead.
To use this skill, you need to create a Hot Key (see top of page).
This ability allows you to hide in plain sight, so to speak.
Hide is sometimes called "Evade," but that is a deceiving term. Rogues an Alternative Advancement (Nimble Evasion) that works with Hide to Evade during combat.
Using it during combat can reduce aggro (it does not eliminate aggro), so the MOB will hopefully turn it's attention away from you.
This skill must be used while standing still. Once you Hide, successfully (watch the emotes) you are essentially invisible to most MOB's in the game. However, if you move, you cease to be hidden (invisible).
If this skill is used in tandem with Sneak (see below) -- that is Hide then Sneak -- you can move and remain hidden.
Some players call the Hide / Sneak combo "Rogue Invis." In fact, even Players may not see the Rogue, unless the Rogue is in their group.
This combination is quite useful in getting to "scary" location for a quest update (location update), a ground spawn (such as collects or quests items), dragging corpses from a dangerous area, scouting and so forth. This combo often referred to as Rogue Invis, but is is not infallible. There are some MOB's that can see through Hide / Sneak, as well as effects (traps, AoE's...) that can break your Hide / Sneak.
To skill up this skill, simply use it. Anywhere.
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Inspect is the ability to, well, inspect other players (or yourself).
To use this Ability, you need to create a Hot Key (see top of page), target another player (or yourself) and use the Hot Key.
You have to be in close proximity to the other player to do this.
You can also use the /inspect command to do this.
When you inspect another Player, you will be able to see what gear they are wearing. However, you will not be able to view the gear so you can see the stats. All you will be able to do is see what their gear looks like, what slot they have it in and the name of each item. If you want so inspect any of the gear deeper, you will need to ask the player to link it to you.
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This skill is a Monk skill.
This skill is the ability of a Monk to mend himself / herself.
To use this skill, you need to create a Hot Key (see top of page).
However, this skill can critically fail (does you harm), fail (no harm, no heal), succeed (25% heal) or critically succeed (50% heal).
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Open is the ability to, well, open things (like a Chest).
To use this skill, you need to create a Hot Key (see top of page) and you have to be in close proximity to what you are trying to open.
You can also use the /open command to do this.
This ability does not always work, such as when a Chest is locked.
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This is a Bard skill.
This is a Bards skill in using Percussion Instruments when playing Bard songs. The better the Bard is, the better the effect.
Using and leveling up this Skill is as simple as equipping a Percussion Instrument of some type and playing songs!
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The Pick Lock skill is exclusive to Rogues (Level 6) & Bards (Level 40).
This skill allows them to unlock and open locked doors, chests and other things.
To use this skill, you can create a Hot Key (see top of page).
In order to use this skill, a set of Lockpicks is needed. Basic Lockpicks vendor sold and / or crafted, but I recommend the Mechanized Lockpicks (made with Tinkering), since they provide a 2% bonus (Max 8) to the Pick Locks Skill. To use Lockpicks, simply put them on your cursor, while standing near and / or having what you are trying to Pick Lock targeted (if you can), then hit the "U" key (for Use) on your keyboard.
A good place to skill Pick Lock up, is in the Plane of Tranquility, where there is a large floating book over a table. That table is seemingly locked and you can use Pick Lock on it.
Pick Lock Table in the Plane of Tranquility.
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The Pick Pocket skill is Rogue only (Level 7).
To use this skill, you need to create a Hot Key (see top of page).
This skill allows a Rogue to steal coin and maybe items from NPC's / MOB's. You can not Pick Pocket "magic" items or equipped items, for instance... but you can definitely steal things like gems and coin.
It appears that successful Pick Pocket may only work on NPC's / MOB's below Level 51 (you can still try on Higher Levels NPC's / MOBS' -- but you will not be able to actually steal anything).
It is also said that you can only Pick Pocket "humanoid" and living (not undead) NPC's / MOB's.
If successful, the Rogue will acquire whatever they managed to steal. However, if the Pick Pocket fails, there is a chance the NPC / MOB will notice, take offense and attack.
Rogues can not Pick Pocket other players (except in situations of PvP) or while actively attacking.
To work this skill up, you, of course, risk being attacked, so be prepared for that. With that said, try to Hide / Sneak (see elsewhere on this page) and then Pick Pocket Vandimakir the Poet in Crescent Reach.
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Example of a placed trap.
The Remove Trap skill, with a maximum Skill Level of 1, was given to all Classes with the Prophecy of Ro expansion.
Prophecy of Ro allowed some classes to place traps (via a spell / disc). There are also a few click items in the game that allow players to set a trap.
Traps can be seen by everyone, one placed (see above image).
Even though every class was this skill, not every class has a need for it, nor can they actually use it.
To use this skill, you need to create a Hot Key (see top of page).
Remove Trap can not be used while on a mount and you must have a trap targeted.
These traps will remain in the area it was placed until it is triggered, disarmed, expires or is removed by the player who set it. That's right, only the player who set the trap, can Remove Trap. Thus, the many classes, while they have a Skill of 1 in Remove Trap, can't use it, since they can't set traps.
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This is a Rogue Skill / Ability.
To use this skill, you need to create a Hot Key (see top of page).
Reveal Trap can allow a Rogue to determine the "type" of trap, after a Trap has been Sensed (see Sense Trap).
Knowing the type of Trap will allow you to decide what options may be best to Disarm the Trap, either using the Disarm Trap Skill / Ability or Spells that some classes have.
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Safe Fall is a Monk skill. Bards & Rogues also get the skill, but with a limited Skill Level.
It is also given to Vah Shir of any class.
This skill enables you to take reduced damage from falling from higher places (with no levitation). Such falls can cause you major damage and even death. The amount of damage you suffer is related to your overall weight (gear, etc.) and how far the fall is.
With Safe Fall at higher Skill Levels, this damage can be reduced significantly and Death avoided. However, even Safe Fall can't save you from falling from truly serious heights.
This skill is automatic and does not need to be activated. To level up this skill, simply run about areas with hills, such as Butcherblock Mountains, with no levitation and no mount.
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Sense Heading is your ability to tell direction... north, south, east, west and the points in between (southwest, etc.).
To use this skill, you need to create a Hot Key (see top of page).
In the old days, you had to advance this skill intentionally, by using it (via a Hot Key).
Players also learned a few tricks in figuring our direction as well, with other methods. Such as dropped swords always pointed in the same direction when lying on the ground (North) and clouds always flowed in the same direction (south to north). There was also a spell called "True North" that would spin you around to face North.
Now EQ gives you an automatic 200 skill as well as an on-screen compass (Alt D).
So in reality, Sense Heading is no longer an actual skill or ability or even needed… it just is... a relic / remnant of the past.
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Sense Trap is a Rogue & Bard skill.
To use this skill, you need to create a Hot Key (see top of page).
Using "Sense Traps" is then a matter of just clicking the Hot Button, wherever you may be, to "sense" if there are any traps in the vicinity. If so, you can then use "Disarm Traps" to try to disarm the trap.
A suggested route on increase this skill is in Echo Caverns. In that zone you will find these tentacle-like things that hand from the walls and ceilings. If you get too close they will damage you / DoT you. The idea is to get close enough to "Sense Trap" without setting them off, to get skill ups from them. If you do get too close and set one off, find another one (as they do need time to reset).
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This is a Bard skill.
This is a Bards skill in using just his voice and sing Bard songs. The better the Bard is, the better the effect.
Using and leveling up this Skill is as simple as not equipping a musical instrument of any type and singing songs!
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Sneak is primarily a Rogue skill, but it is also given to Bards, Beastlords, Monks & Rangers. It is also give to Halflings and Wood Elves of any class.
Sneak prevents many enemies from "hearing" you, if you are behind them. In fact, sometimes, otherwise hostile quest NPC's and Vendors can be utilized by sneaking behind them and then transacting with them. It will not work if you can be "seen" (front). When successful, an enemy or NPC will not detect your presence, but be aware that it can fail.
To use this skill, you need to create a Hot Key (see top of page).
When using Sneak, you can target and consider (/con) an NPC / MOB to see if they are "indifferent." If they are not indifferent, your Sneak has most likely failed.
Sneak reduces your movement speed. It is also important to know that Sneak can (and will) fail. You should always verify it is working at lower skill levels. You can do this by:
Sneak is most useful when used in tandem with Hide (see above).
To level up this skill, just use it. Anywhere.
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This is a Bard skill.
This is a Bards skill in using String Instruments when playing Bard songs. The better the Bard is, the better the effect.
Using and leveling up this Skill is as simple as equipping a Stringed Instrument of some type and playing songs!
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You can learn/train this at Level 1.
You can generally increase this by 5-per-level, with some limitations.
Swimming is simply a necessary skill. This skill not only makes it a bit easier to control your movement in water, but it helps you swim faster, fight better in water and hold your breath longer.
There is water everywhere (as well as lava or any other liquid environment, for that matter).
There are zones that are completely underwater (i.e. Kedge Keep).
There are other zones that have very little land and you may have to swim to such locations in that zone (i.e. Timorous Deep,
Swimming is faster and easier than using the canoes that you see about the shorelines (see below).
It is not faster than levitating and simply running above the water (in zones that allow levitation and in areas that are not fully underwater).
To increase this skill you simply need to swim!
A good way to do this is with an enduring breath (via an item, via a buff, from Alternative Advancement...). Simply jump in some water and then swim and swim and swim. If you have permanent Enduring Breath, a good place to do this is in Shadowhaven... jump into the water/pool at the zone in, swim downwards into a corner (using the number lock key to keep swimming automatically) and check back in once in a while to see where you skill is at.
ABOUT CANOES: Having mentioned canoes, you may be now wondering if you can actually ride them. The answer is YES! Simply get on a canoe (you have to jump onto it), then right-click on the canoe to "take the Helm." Now all you have to do is use movement keys to "sail" about the water (which can be a little buggy). Of course, they aren't fast boats by any means, and you are limited as to how far you can travel in them and usually the water areas are not very expansive. There is rumor that the distance a canoe can sail is limited and that they will simply stop once you reach that point). If you leave a canoe somewhere other than where you found, after a short time they will tether back to their original location. One interesting (and unverified) rumor is that is you have aggro, getting on a canoe and taking the helm will lose that aggro. To get off of a canoe, you have to right-cl\ick it again to "relinquish" the helm.
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Tracking is primarily a Ranger Skill, but is also given to Druids & Bards, who can't track as well (as far) as a Ranger can.
It has been said that Tracking distance is a multiple of the Tracking Skill (Rangers x12, Druid x10 & Bard x7).
The Tracking Skill allows a player to see what MOB's are up, that are in range of their Tracking Skill abilities. They can even use their Tracking Skills to find and lead others to a specific MOB and they can even tell what MOB's have just spawned (to included named / rare MOB's). They can also track Players and NPC's. Some "objects" can also be seen on track as well (i.e. Chests).
What cannot be seen on Track are corpses (Players or NPC's).
You skill up Tracking by simply using it.
To bring up the Tracking Window, you need to create a Hot Key (see top of page).
If you are a class that can Track, this is one window I would think you would want to keep up at all times.
Utilizing the Track Window is generally straight forward (see below image), by just choosing your options / settigns and then clicking the "Track Button (#8 in image below).
- (1) You can select or unselect NPC / MOB Levels... or better, consider (/con) Levels of NPC's / MOB's by clicking or unclicking the boxes (RD = Red Con, YL = Yellow Con, WT = White Con, BL = Blue or Dark Blue Con, LB = Light Blue Con, GN = Green Con & GY = Grey Con).
- (2) NPC's MOB's within your tracking range are listed in the main section of the window, sorted in the manner you chose.
- (3) You can select to Update the Tracking List automatically (constantly), or only when you hit the Track button (#8).
- (4) This window (see indicated inset) allows you to select how you want to track... Normal (newest spawns on top), Alpha (alphabetical), Distance (closest / furthest), Consider (Red Cons first), RAlpha (reverse alphabetically), RDistance (furthest / closest) or RConsider (Grey Cons first).
- (5) This window (see indicated inset) allows you include Players on your track list (Off = No Players, On = All Players, Group = Only your Group Members).
- (6) This box allows you to chose to track pets, or not.
- (7) This box allows you to chose to track Mercs (Mercenaries) or not.
- (8) This button activates Tracking.
- (9) This button cancels (stops) Tracking.
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This is a Bard skill.
This is a Bards skill in using Wind Instruments when playing Bard songs. The better the Bard is, the better the effect.
Using and leveling up this Skill is as simple as equipping a Wind Instrument of some type and playing songs!
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If you note any errors, misspellings, item name errors, misinformation or anything that needs addressing on this page -- PLEASE let me know via an in-game EQ Message (Bonzz on the Bertoxxulous server), or post on Bonzz's Discord Server!
This Page Last Updated December 5, 2023
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