There are a few potion "strengths" available for purchase, differing in the amount of time each one lasts as well as the percentage bonus given when you consume it. The one I went with gave me a 55% XP bonus for 2 hours, and it cost 2500 Station Cash — the equivalent of $25.00.

Spending so much on a potion made me not want to waste a single drop of it. As long as my main was logged in, she was going to be chained to that crafting station! This sounds like exactly what I was hoping for, except for one thing: Vitality.

At those levels, 100% vitality will only last a couple of levels. With my vitality bonus and the XP potion, I burned through them within about 30 minutes. Oh hey, look! I have this, which will refill my vitality once a week! That's another couple of levels down, woohoo! Wow, I still have a whole HOUR left on my potion!

…But the vitality is gone, with no way to refill it except to not play that character for a few days. Continuing to try and level with no vitality — XP potion or no — isn't exactly my idea of a good time.

And that's how I spent the last few weeks. I spent almost the entire time on my secondary characters (a Tailor and a Carpenter), running the daily tradeskill missions for fun and profit.

Here comes the best part:

Not only have those two alts gained just as many tradeskill levels as my main, but they've earned a boatload of plat AND earned max faction with their respective crafting groups. Buying that potion and doing my best to take full advantage of its benefits has left my main WEEKS behind in faction and coin — not to mention $25.00 lighter.

My advice? Don't purchase the Marketplace potions unless you have money — and time — to burn.

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You can learn more about this year's festivities at EQ2Players.com, and get some in-depth details about the crafting side of things over at EQ2 Traders.

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In other Halloween News, the Super Spooktacular in Free Realms is still going on. You can earn lots of cool costumes and prizes, and the quests to get them are short, sweet, and fun. Most of the festivities center around Sanctuary, although you'll find celebrators through Sacred Grove who will point you in the right direction.

This wasn't planned, but I noticed that my dog Moxy is dressed up as a Gay Pride parade! /thumbsup

1. Time's Fun When You're Having Flies (That's totally my Froglok Conjuror's catch phrase.) I can't believe...

I can't believe it's been a whole month since I've posted anything. It's not like I've been slacking, either…I've put in enough hours on a recent corporate project to warrant browsing for a laptop of my very own. Yvria, my Weaponsmith in EQ2, hit level 80 last week. Kharri, my Carpenter, finished her crafter epic yesterday. I'm steadily leveling up my combat jobs in Free Realms, one at a time. My Animal Crossing: City Folk town is still chugging along, and I log in daily to keep all my flowers watered and stuff.

With the weather changing from summer to fall, I've had a fibro flare-up or two that's slowed me down for a few days. Right now I'm suspicious of some intense coughing fits I've been having recently. If I feel myself passing away, I'll let everyone know well in advance. No, you can't have my stuff. :p

I've decided to move my guild's website from Dragonfly CMS to WordPress, since I've been really getting into making new themes lately. I'm even seriously considering making a WordPress port of Roster Master as a plugin, but we'll see how that goes when I have more time to concentrate on it.

I'm designing an AION website for an ex-EQ2 sig artist friend. It's going to be way cool and will be launching before the game is released later this month. The AetherNet — keep an eye on it!

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2. I hope you're feeling frisky… …Because Erollisi Day is coming to Norrath again! From February...
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Anyone on the Lucan D'Lere server is welcome to drop by for a visit! (You can see pics of our old guild hall here.)

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3. A Healthy Person's Introduction to Fibromyalgia This was posted on the PatientsLikeMe forums, and I'd love...

1. Halloween Hubbub I've been immersed in the EQ2 Nights of the Dead...
2. Time's Fun When You're Having Flies (That's totally my Froglok Conjuror's catch phrase.) I can't believe...
3. I hope you're feeling frisky… …Because Erollisi Day is coming to Norrath again! From February...

In the meantime, here are a few preliminary screenshots of the new Lavastorm goodies, plus a before and after of the new ice texture for frosty house items:

1. I hope you're feeling frisky… …Because Erollisi Day is coming to Norrath again! From February...
2. Halloween Hubbub I've been immersed in the EQ2 Nights of the Dead...

• I invite you to create an account.
• If you accept the invitation, you get a 14-day free trial account that includes access to all content up to and including Rise of Kunark.

If you convert to a paid subscription (basic account for just $14.99 a month) during or at the end of your trial, you get…

• A 300% XP boost when grouped with me (for 90 days after converting)
• An additional 10% XP boost when mentored by me
• Ability to zone to me at any time (for 90 days after converting)
• 1 Legends of Norrath: Oathbreaker Starter Deck
• 1 Legends of Norrath: Oathbreaker Booster packs
• Green Journeyman's Cloak (increases run speed by 25% when worn)
• Potion Pack
  • 1 Flask of Adventuring I (10% bonus adventure XP for 4 hours)
  • 1 Flask of Tradecrafting I (10% bonus tradeskill XP for 4 hours)
  • 1 Flask of Achievements I (10% bonus achievement XP for 4 hours)
• …Plus you get to keep the RoK all-in-one pack. No need to purchase the game! You get to keep it for free!

…And I get…

• 1 month of free gameplay added to the end of my subscription
• One of two mounts (Saryrn Deathcharger or Armored Pinto)
• 250 Station Cash (first converted invitee only)
• 2 LoN Oathbreaker Booster Packs (first converted invitee only)
• A 300% XP boost when grouped with you (for 90 days after you convert)
• Ability to to zone to you at any time (for 90 days after you convert)

It's a win-win situation for both of us. This is a great deal and a wonderful opportunity to jump into EQ2, so won't you allow me to recruit you? Comment here or drop me an email! (Be sure to include a valid email address that I can send the invitation to.)

Fine print: This offer is only valid for new accounts. Please, serious inquiries only. I only have a certain number of invitations to give out!

C'mon…help me play my favorite game for free for a little while. I even have a kick-ass guild (with a kick-ass guild hall!) that you're free to join!

***

EDIT: Here are the official super-important step-by-step instructions! Make sure you follow them to the letter, or neither of us will reap any benefits of this promotion.

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It took me about 15 seconds to warp Ria to Danak Shipyard once I logged in, and she made the rounds of Bathezid's Watch and Riliss too. All my alts now have shiny RoK faction recipe books waiting patiently for them in my shared bank.

As of right now, though, these three girls are the only ones high enough in their chosen tradeskill profession to actually scribe them, but I have a full set of crafters who will be ever so grateful for this new item flag once they reach level 70. I'm also going to be making use of this when it comes time for them all to do their Proof of the Pudding tradeskill epic.

You can't see it, but I'm doing the Snoopy dance right now.

1. Time's Fun When You're Having Flies (That's totally my Froglok Conjuror's catch phrase.) I can't believe...

It's worth noting that this quest is a LOT easier to complete with a crafter that also happens to be a high-level adventurer, but I'm sure that's been said plenty of times. Harvesting in the higher-tier zones is risky business, and lots of deaths are to be expected; you might as well unequip your gear now and have your Wand of Forgiveness ready! That being said, low-level adventurers can definitely complete this quest, but it will of course take more time and require a lot more care.

As of right now, Dio is on quest #7 and having fun dodging aggro (albeit green and blue aggro) around Tenebrous Tangle. Wish me dens!!

1. Time's Fun When You're Having Flies (That's totally my Froglok Conjuror's catch phrase.) I can't believe...