Explaining the Dread Ring - the hard zone - Neverwinter

Okay, for once, its not a link to the Neverwinter website with some new in-game info! It's actually a review! Oh meh gerd!

Like Sharandar (level 60), you can see Dread Ring on your map when you are level capped and after you go see Sergeant Knox. Funny thing is, while in the Enclave, the map won't tell you that there is a new quest until you approach the guy - it figured you've learned by now that unless you see some NPCs in the events podium, you should go to Knox. Always go to Knox when something new happens, like a new zone added.

Although the level cap for Neverwinter is 60, Dread Ring itself feels like a level 61-65 zone. Unless you are strategic in every single aggro you initiate, you might find yourself drinking potions like you drink liquids during the day. Either that or while in a party, you disgruntledly tank half the damage (regardless of your class).

Who remembers the Orcs in Tower District? The Battle-tested orc? The ground turns red around them and they slash their arms equipped with axes a couple of times? And being a level 10, as you once were, you tanked the damage, experienced near-defeat (and near-death, mind you), drank a ton of Hit Points (health) potions, and ran away in annoyance?

No worries, Dread Ring isn't like that; it simply tests your knowledge of your character's powers. With Wizards, it's about Slowing, Arcane Mastery, Stacking, and Chill powers (or its equivalency in fire powers, thanks to that big patch last month). With Rogues, it's about Duelist's Fury and that new power, Disheartening Knife, a nice, sharp blade you sling to your enemy that causes him to deal less damage while he is still alive.

The game play in this zone is really fast-paced. As a Rogue, I stealth my way into aggros and use Path of the Blade, followed by Shadow Strike to refill my stealth meter, and then Dazing Strike to stun while I use Duelist's Fury and Disheartening Strike to deal some good damage.

Hey! Remembers those numbers on the screen you see when you fight? Here is what they mean:

Yellow = normal hits
Orange = combat advantage hits, flanking hits, attacking from behind/stealthed hits
Bigger numbers = crits with orange
Smaller numbers/ regular-sized numbers = normal hits
Does each number always reflect a single hit? = No. Often times, when using at-wills repeatedly, or multi-hit encounters/dailies, it will show the individual hits at first, then add them together to a total.
Green = healing/regeneration
Number with an arrow on the left = deflected damage
Red = normal hit BY THE ENEMY

Remember that RECOVERY decreases your encounter powers at cooldowns....very good for Rogues, I must say.

Taken from http://nw-forum.perfectworld.com/showthread.php?110411-Q-Colors-of-damage-numbers

Aggro = when you approach an enemy and they notice you. To aggro means to aggravate - when your character has this blue empty/clear bubble under their feet AND your hear the "da-dum" sound effect (for sound effect, might need to put your volume up).

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On another note, the "Wages of War" quest Knox gives you WHILE YOU'RE IN DREAD RING takes 3 days of doing the dailies in DR BEFORE you can turn it in TO KNOX while you ARE STILL INSIDE the Zone.

Always, bring potions with you. You slay to get the monies, now use them. That's what their for.

Did you know you can unbind enchants (even on companions) with gold/silver/copper instead of AD?

Did you know that the Dread Vault Dungeon is NOT worth the AD Rhix gives you? (i.e, when Lord Neverember gives it to you, queue during DD to do it, and remember....Yshiggol!)

- Mari