The Art of Combat < The Art of Combat (Outpost of the Overlord) >

"Tayil N'Velex says I need to acquaint myself with combat. I am to speak with Trainer Darg Frostwind in the northwestern area of the outpost. He will be able to teach me about combat." -- Everquest II Journal

Steps[]

Speak to Trainer Darg Frostwind ( 27, -5, 140 ) Copy/waypoint 27, -5, 140 northwest of Sythor's Spire.
Attack one of the sparring partners just north of your trainer and defeat them in combat.
Return to Trainer Darg Frostwind and tell him of your victory.
Return to Tayil N'Velex to report your successful training and receive your reward.

Rewards[]

At least 37c

One of the following, depending on your class:

Journal Steps and Dialogue[]

Tayil N'Velex: "Ah, there you are, [Player Character]. I have been expecting you. There is much work ahead of us in establishing Freeport's dominance over this island. The Overlord's troops have secured the outpost, but there is a growing nuisance on the other side of the island that must be addressed. That is where you come in.
Player Character: "You were expecting me? Who are you?"
Tayil N'Velex: "I am Tayil N'Velex, attendant and confidante of the Overlord. I am here to ensure that our operation on this island is successful. You, on the other hand, will be assisting us with some field work to help prepare you for life as a citizen of Freeport."
Player Character: "Who is the Overlord?"
Tayil N'Velex: "The Overlord is the fiercely courageous ruler of Freeport. A statue of his glorious visage graces the pond in the center of the outpost. Though he is merciless to his enemies, he is generous to those who serve him. Pray you never do anything to fall from his grace, [Player Character]."
Player Character: "I will remember that. What can you tell me of Freeport?"
Tayil N'Velex: "Freeport is the center of power and commerce on Norrath. The city sits on the eastern edge of the continent of D'Lere. This grand city shall be your home here on Norrath, should you prove yourself worthy. If not, you can cower and beg for shelter at the gates of Qeynos."
Player Character: "What is Qeynos?"
Tayil N'Velex: "The city of Qeynos is the enemy of Freeport. It is a weak land ruled by an incompetent queen, Antonia Bayle. I've had my share of battles with her and her pet kerra, I assure you. Qeynosians try to spread lies about the Overlord and portray him as some kind of power-mad tyrant. Don't believe their propaganda, [Player Character]."
Player Character: "Thank you for the advice, Tayil."
Tayil N'Velex: "Remember to always keep the will of the Overlord foremost in your thoughts and you will go far. The City of Freeport is a power unrivaled on Norrath, no matter what you might hear from Qeynosian riffraff. You must pledge yourself to this power and become part of it. Do this and I will reward you handsomely."
Player Character: "I pledge myself to Freeport."
Tayil N'Velex: "Excellent! There is indeed much potential in you. I think it is time to begin your training."
Player Character: "I am ready to begin."
Tayil N'Velex: "You must be strong if you wish to serve properly. Northwest of here you can find Trainer Darg Frostwind. Speak with him about combat training and do as he tells you."
Player Character: "I will speak with him."
Tayil N'Velex: "In case you forget, I've written down his name and location in your quest journal.

I need to speak with Dark Frostwind. He will train me in the ways of combat. I need to speak with Dark Frostwind at Combat Clearing, northwest of Tayil N'Velex.

Trainer Darg Frostwind: "Greetings, [Player Character]. I've been stationed here at the outpost to teach new recruits the finer points of combat. After all, it's our duty to honor the Overlord by achieving legendary victories in his glorious name."
Player Character: "What can you teach me about combat?"
Trainer Darg Frostwind: "Well, what do you want to know? Something basic or something more advanced?"
Player Character: "Teach me the basics of combat."
Trainer Darg Frostwind: "Many different elements are involved in successful combat. I can teach you a few of the basics, such as how to begin a fight, the difference between a melee and ranged combat, and earning rewards for victory."
Player Character: "Tell me how to begin a fight."
Trainer Darg Frostwind: "Starting combat is easy. Just use your mouse pointer to left-click on an opponent. Its name will appear in the Target window in the upper left of your screen. You can also use the Tab key to cycle through nearby targets or the F8 key to select your closest enemy."
Player Character: "How do I begin the battle?"
Trainer Darg Frostwind: "If you are close enough to your foe and want to start hitting it with your weapon, either click your Melee Attack button on your hotbar or press the ~ key. Or you can begin by using one of your spells or combat arts to get the enemy's attention. Remember, you must be close enough to actually hit them."
Player Character: "So I can fight anyone or anything I want?"
Trainer Darg Frostwind: "You can fight most non-player characters and creatures that you find outside your city, whether outdoors or in dungeons. Many non-player characters in the cities are there to help you or give quests, so you can't attack some of them. If you try, you'll get a message telling you that they aren't valid targets."
Player Character: "Tell me about melee combat."
Trainer Darg Frostwind: "Melee combat means a toe-to-toe physical confrontation. It's a combination of auto-attack damage that happens automatically when you press the Melee Attack button on your hotbar of the ~ key and spells or combat arts that you use in close proximity to your foe."
Player Character: "What classes specialize in melee combat?"
Trainer Darg Frostwind: "Sturdy fighters such as Guardians, Berserkers, Bruisers, and Shadowknights stand at the front lines of battle facing the enemy. Crafty scouts such as Brigands, Assassins, Troubadors, and Dirges generally stay close to their foes as well, but prefer to launch attacks from the back or side where they're less likely to be counterattacked."
Player Character: "Tell me about ranged combat."
Trainer Darg Frostwind: "Ranged combat means that you put some distance between yourself and the enemy. This can be done with weapons such as bows or throwing daggers, or with spells and arts that can be cast from a distance."
Player Character: "How do I launch a ranged attack?"
Trainer Darg Frostwind: "If you have a ranged weapon and ammunition, you can initiate ranged combat by using the Ranged Attack button on the Abilities tab of your Knowledge Book. You can drag this key to your hotbar if you like. Remember, you must have a ranged weapon in the Ranged slot of your inventory window and the correct type of ammunition in the ammo slot."
Player Character: "What classes specialize in ranged combat?"
Trainer Darg Frostwind: "While most classes have the ability to attack from a distance, scout classes such as Brigands, Assassins, Troubadors and Dirges specialize in ranged physical attacks. Mages, priests, and shadowknights have spells that do damage to their foes from a distance."
Player Character: "How do I tell if I can use spells or arts form a distance?"
Trainer Darg Frostwind: "You can right-click on a spell or art's icon and select "Examine" to see its range of effect. In addition, if you target something and the icon for one of your spells or arts turns a dark red, that means the opponent is out of range of that ability."
Player Character: "What kinds of rewards can I earn in battle?"
Trainer Darg Frostwind: "Victory in battle can be very rewarding. Successful combat against worthy opponents awards you experience (XP) to help you advance your level, as well as the chance at coin, usable items, and other valuables."
Player Character: "What do you mean by "a worthy opponent"?"
Trainer Darg Frostwind: "You don't earn rewards for defeating foes that are too far below your level. If your target has a grey name, it means it is very weak and won't provide any benefit for beating it. Talk to Trainer Anna Winston for more information on evaluating your opponents."
Player Character: "Are certain types of targets more rewarding than others?"
Trainer Darg Frostwind: "The tougher a foe, the better its chances to provide a valuable reward. Though defeating enemies alone provides a nice treasure, defeating heroic enemies that require a group is even more rewarding. The very best items come from banding together multiple groups to defeat epic opponents."
Player Character: "Teach me more advanced aspects of combat."
Trainer Darg Frostwind: "You'll learn many advanced combat techniques over time. There's no substitute for experience, [Player Character]! I'd be happy to discuss a few of these advanced aspects, such as selecting the right opponent, knowing your surroundings, and using your abilities."
Player Character: "Tell me about selecting the right opponent."
Trainer Darg Frostwind: "Picking the right fight is crucial to victory. A weak opponent won't provide worthwhile rewards, while an overly powerful foe will result in your defeat. You need to keep your resources in mind as well as choosing the right target."
Player Character: "How do I tell if an opponent is too weak or too strong for me?"
Trainer Darg Frostwind: "Targeting an opponent will show you detailed information on its overall potency. Generally speaking, you'll find the best results from fighting opponents with blue, white, or yellow names. Talk to Trainer Anna Winston for more information on evaluating your opponents."
Player Character: "What resources should I be keeping an eye on?"
Trainer Darg Frostwind: "Starting a fight when you're low on Health or Power is a very bad idea. Your choice of targets also depends on whether you're alone or grouped with other players. Forming a group allows you to take on tougher and more rewarding challenges than you could face alone."
Player Character: "Teach me about knowing my surroundings."
Trainer Darg Frostwind: "Keeping your surroundings in mind is crucial to victory. Fighting in areas with lots of aggressive creatures is a bad idea, because they won't hesitate to gang up on you."
Player Character: "Anything else I should watch out for?"
Trainer Darg Frostwind: "Staying too long on the exact spot you just defeated a foe can be dangerous. Another enemy is likely to show up there soon after, which can be an unpleasant surprise if you're already in another battle."
Player Character: "Any other tips?"
Trainer Darg Frostwind: "You should be aware of what's going on around you. Using your mouse wheel to scroll out into third person and holding down the left mouse button allows you to move the camera around your character. It's a good idea to do this when fighting in dangerous areas to make sure nothing sneaks up on you."
Player Character: "Tell me about using my abilities."
Trainer Darg Frostwind: "Successful fighting isn't about turning on your autoattack and walking away from battle. Your odds of victory are much better if you're well prepared and are active during combat. You should use every spell or combat art that has a positive effect on your chances to win."
Player Character: "What do you mean?"
Trainer Darg Frostwind: "Before you begin fighting, make sure you and your allies have activated all beneficial spells, also known as "buffs," so that you're operating at peak efficiency. Buffs can add health or power, increase your rate of regeneration, enhance your physical attributes, make you attack faster or do more damage, and more."
Player Character: "What about during battle?"
Trainer Darg Frostwind: "Whether you're a front-lines melee type or someone attacking from a distance with weapons or spells, you should be using abilities that damage your foes effectively and efficiently. Right click on your spells and arts and select "Examine" to see details on their effects."
Player Character: "What else should I know about spells and arts?"
Trainer Darg Frostwind: "Using your highest-level versions of spells and arts will be more effective than using older versions. In addition, you should be upgrading your abilities to higher ranks to make them more effective. For more details on spells and combat arts, talk to Trainer Sythor the All-Seeing in the tower at the center of the outpost.
Player Character: "I am ready to fight."
Trainer Darg Frostwind: "Very well. The nearby sparring partners to my left are all looking to fight. They may hurt you, but they won't kill you. Return to me once you've bested one of them in combat."
Player Character: "I will return."

I have spoken with Darg Frostwind. I need to defeat a sparring partner in combat. There are several sparring partners just north of Trainer Darg Frostwind.

I have defeated a sparring partner in combat. I need to speak with Trainer Darg Frostwind again.

Trainer Darg Frostwind: "Have you defeated the sparring partner yet?"
Player Character: "I defeated one of the sparring partners."
Trainer Darg Frostwind: "Good. The stronger you are the more useful you are to us."
Player Character: "Is there anything else I can do?"
Trainer Darg Frostwind: "I'm sure of it! Go speak with Tayil N'Velex, she is just south of Sythor's Spire."
Player Character: "I will go speak with her."

I have spoken with Darg Frostwind. Now that I have completed my combat training I should speak with Tayil N'Velex. I need to return to Tayil N'Velex.

Tayil N'Velex: "So, [Player Character], are you ready to learn more about the outpost and perform your fist service for the Overlord?"
Player Character: "I am ready."

I have spoken with Tayil N'Velex.

After speaking with Darg Frostwind I defeated a sparring partner in combat. Now that I have performed my initial training Tayil N'Velex will have more opportunities for me to help out in The Outpost of the Overlord.