Item Mall question

almerel

I was just wondering if item mall items were "special" or if they are things you'll find in game? My wife and I recently tried the game and we seem to be enjoying it. I just want to make sure we aren't gonna waste time on a game that will require us to drop coin just to be viable. Not that we might not buy something from the item mall, we just don't want it to be mandatory.

Gravarg

several things are item mall only.  At level 20 (if I remember right, may before) I recieved a 7day warrior package in my mail, along with 2 power potions.  I think this was because of the game's launch, but I don't remember if new players got this from the GMs too.  As far as I know (I'm level 106), the only way to get power potions, liscenses, and most things from the item mall are to buy them on the auction or market (usually market) with ingame money, although the items usually cost alot.  Almost everything in the item mall however is not dropped by any mob to my knowledge .  Other than the new Jewel of Anastasia, there isn't really anything in the item mall that interests me anymore, as power potions are nice, but they only last for a single level if that, at my level.   I just want a snow tiger mount from the Jewel hehe.

 

Short answer, not exactly.  I know early on in a couple of quests you will recieve liscenses that have to be used before level 30, but after that, you do not recieve any as drops or quest rewards

 

PS The items in the item mall, do not impact your gameplay THAT much.  Teleport Liscense can make your life easier in longer travels, but you can easily do without, since you can teleport to towns (just easier later on, since dungeons can get pretty long.) Power Potions are probably still the best buy.  The 50% exp bonus and the 50% attack bonus are the only things you will find in the item mall that really impact your gameplay.  You will kill alot of mobs faster and you will get more exp for each kill/hit you do while they're active.  Each Power Potion only lasts for 50 battles though, so make sure they are against  at least white named opponents, althought I usually fight yellow or above.  Also Power Potions will not increase your expirience if you and your wife plan to party and fight together in the same battles.  The Power Potions will increase your exp for kills and hits if you do long distance partying.

almerel

Thanks for the respose Btw at lvl 106 are you still having fun (not feeling the grind).

Tyrrhon

Most item mall items besides discounted licence bundles are tradeable on in game market.

The licences, potions and scrolls in mall, as well as mounts, are pretty much mall only. Temporary mounts can ge got from weekly PvP tournaments if you are top dog and free samples of mall items are given out  to beginning players (level restricted) and on weekends too, albeit it used to be much more generous.

You can also get some in game drops from mall, mostly items helpfull for starting players (lvl 95-); here the mall helps to cover disproportion between drops and demand particular to new game.

The game can be played for a long time before feeling micro transaction pressure and can be very well fitted into P2P model aftre that (start up costs and mothly costs) if you prefer that approach. Besides lower level newbies it is also played totaly for free by quite some of top  players but those are beta people taking advatange of being ahead of curve.

The game offers (or did offer) to buyback your lvl 50 char (not less not more) for 20USD no buts or ifs, so till level 50 and quite some time after you can expect free ride with all needs taken care of.

However:

1) The game changes a lot after lvl 95. There is huge jump in xp needed per level (the curve changes abruptly, from western style levels to tedious Korean grinders). Also the mobs become much harder hitting and bosses do require use of item mall scrolls to stand a chance. Trips to dungeons also change from short jogs to long deserted roads. All in all items mall items are recommended and used. As the game is new though, players on top tend to have supplies from generous beta and weekend giveaways.

2) Recent update introduced what could be classed as selling regular gear for real cash - you are expected to improve your gear by merging two same pieces together (or gamble at 50:50 chance of destroying the item), now you can drastically reduce the failure chance giving you statistically as much as two months worth of gear loot (!) for 2 USD (depending on you gear enchant level, down to about 2 hours worth of gear loot for common end game player). This is only beneficial if you are actually willing to gear up to teeth spending a lot of cash, and does nothing for casual small time player, widening the gap between rich and sane. There were more changes to shop, obsoleting only month old mall mounts and removing in game craftable (though inferior) alternative to common mall only potion (+50% dps and +50% xp, which is a lot in a grinder game - with a hidden +50% crafting and money loot side effect).

All in all Atlantica is very well done and fun F2P game with good community but be very carefull if you feel compelled to keep playing and feel the need to get to top. It drastically changes its face both in game and in mall after level 95 and is becoming tedious Korean grinder with classic F2P rip-offs. So long nothing is truly mandatory though so don't hesitate, have a ride, while the fun lasts.