Vanguard Player Profile - Burias Grinthall

Vanguard Player Profile - MALIVIUS (Forum Name for MMORPG)
**Included is an oil painting done by Verinthius Shao’lamae, Reknown Artist of Khal**
Character Name – Burias Grinthall
Class – Dwarven Cleric
Adventure level - 14
Diplomacy level - 5
Crafting level - 5
Harvesting level – N/A Currently
Guild - No guild at this time
Server - Seradon
Tell us a bit about yourself (the RL person)
I am a full-time employee, full-time college student, and have a family (wife and 1 daughter). I’ve been gaming since text-based games and have played everything from Meridian 59, The Realm, AO up to WoW, LOTRO, and EQ2 and just about everything in between.
I game because it’s a love of mine. After about seven months of marriage, I got my wife addicted and we’ve been gaming together ever since. After spending time in WoW (up to endgame), EQ2 (up to level 40 or so), and LOTRO (didn’t last long there), we moved to Vanguard and have been in Telon ever since.
Given Vanguards huge variety of races and classes, tell us how you picked your particular character & class and why.
Basically, we played trial and error until we both found the classes we enjoyed. With Vanguard, we quickly realized that EVERY class in the game is unique and plays differently from the rest. We spent about 3 weeks playing each class up to level 15 or so to get a feel for the play style and then made a decision and started over. One thing to mention…during this trial time I don’t think we EVER got bored or tired of starting over. So many starting areas and lands to explore made this an easy approach for us.
What is it that drew you to Vanguard and how long have you been playing?
I initially tried Vanguard during Beta and at Release. I realized very quickly at that point that the game needed a lot of work and help to get it where it should have been, so I stopped before my free month had expired. About 3 months ago, after reading about the changes and hearing testimonies, I tried it again. What drew me to this game was the open, expansive world, the varied classes and races, and the interesting lore, history, and stories. I’m also drawn to the HUGE world and the feeling that I actually belong in Telon. My character has not been so much an extension of myself since text-based games.
What sphere to you enjoy the most in Vanguard? (adventure, diplomacy, crafting)
Personally, I enjoy all 3 to some degree, but adventurer/explorer is my favorite. Crafting is fun, and the diplomacy is a very interesting and worthy concept, but I’ve had wanderlust since the day I was born and exploring Vanguard suffices when I can’t get out and explore in the real world (travel and exploration are two things I love to do).
Vanguard leaves a lot of room for different play styles, very thing from soloers to raiders, what is your preferred play style and why?
I play a lot with my wife (duo) and do some soloing, but I am definitely a group/social player. I like to find a group of people, get together, and explore and adventure for the time we’re in game getting to know other people. I’m not a fan of grouping “because we both have to kill 30 of these, so why not”. While convenience is okay, I’ve always seen it in a different light. As my wife and I enter the tavern (LFG), we’re looking for specific people. We’re not going to jump at the first screaming jester that tumbles across our path. We’re looking for quality players who enjoy what they do and seem to have a level head on their shoulders. From time to time, a goon is inevitable in a party, but getting to know people helps build a network of friends to play with, which is enjoyable.
I have not yet attained the maximum level, and therefore, have not attended or completed any raid content, but I’ve always enjoyed the cooperation and cohesion required to take down raid bosses.
What do you enjoy most about your class?
I enjoy the fact that I am a CLERIC. I am not a weak, insignificant individual hiding behind the big bad warrior wiggling my fingers. I am a skull stomping, skeleton smacking tough guy who can hold his own against an opponent while providing aid to my companions as the backbone of the group. The ability to solo well (most classes – not all – but most can) and the ability to heal while duoing with my wife is important as well. She doesn’t enjoy healing, so I usually do it (and enjoy it).
What would you change about your class if you could?
I don’t have any complaints about it and don’t know that I personally would change anything.
What advice would you give to anyone interested in trying your class?
Accept that you are a healer and heal. I’ve grouped with clerics before that were invited and understood that they were primary healer for a group only to have them stand around in Castigator’s Fury (offensive stance) and dps, letting people drop like flies.
Of the places / areas you have visited in Vanguard what are your favorites?
I am a huge fan of The Tomb of Lord Tsang (as far as dungeons go) and of Wailing Winds Asylum (that structure hanging off the side of the cliff over the water is amazing). My favorite town/city is Agraham (love the Arabian marketplace feel to it). We’ve had some amazing adventures in Telon, many of them in no-name places in between points of interest. We only use traditional travel methods (foot/horse), so we do a lot of adventuring in the wilderness and while traveling. Those are some of the best times we have in-game.
Are there any particular favorite adventure sessions or quest you would like to share?
Right after we started our most recent characters, we decided to explore Qalia some and see what was out there in the form of caves and dungeons to explore. We decided to explore Chrysol Mines (I might be wrong on this location – I’m never good with names) and see what we could find. Inside the cave, there were these creatures that burrowed into the ground and jumped out at you when you got too close. It was dark as night inside and our torches weren’t casting much light, but my wife keeps the nametags on to be able to see the mobs better (she just had lasik surgery). She thought we had cleared a small opening, so she strolled in thinking she was safe. When one of these creatures jumped out of the ground and growled at her, she screamed (IRL) and jumped back out of her chair. It was the funniest thing I’ve seen in a long time. (Almost as funny as the time she joined a raid (in WoW) for the first time and she pulled a raid boss while over ½ of the raid was AFK!)
Do you own a house? If so, where is it and what type is it? What do you enjoy about it and what would you change about housing if you could?
I do not currently own a house (but hope to very soon!) We often go exploring home where permissions will let us in and we both love the way they are setup and the freedom you have to decorate them. I would love to see the option to place armor/weapons in the house (my cleric has his first really nice weapon in the bank for that day).
Do you own a Ship? If so what kind is it? What do you use it for?
I don’t own a ship yet (again, I will one day). I haven’t decided on a type yet, but I don’t use the rifts, so the boat will be used for travel, exploring (YAY), and roleplaying. (and fishing when it goes live!)
What sort of mount do you own?
Right now, I have a trusty pony named Brutus. I haven’t decided on whether I’ll try later to tame one of the various beasts of Telon, but I do plan on one day forming an agreement with one of the noble winged species to soar in the skies with!
What would you most like to see added or changed in Vanguard?
I would love to see the BoP taken out of the game. I’d really love seeing item deterioration as well. Some customization for weapons (being able to name it myself) would be awesome. Performance is absolutely amazing these days, and I would love to see the new character models and some new content for those hardcore folks. (They need love too!) I’m excited about fishing and perhaps other little things implemented.
I would like to thank Torak for the effort he is putting into this project. Things like this build a community and make a game more than just something to play. When you read about someone and then see them in-game, you understand a bit about them and what motivates them, which I think is important. I am long-winded I know, but I like nothing more than to sit in a public place and watch people. I wonder where they’re headed, what motivates them, and what’s going on in their life. Catching a small glimpse into another players thoughts and ideas makes the world of Telon that much more interesting.
On that note, I’ve recently started a blog chronicling our adventures and journeys through Vanguard. As I have time, I will continue to write and add more entries as we progress throughout the game. I will drop the urls here as long as Torak doesn’t mind.
1st Journal Entry – http://www.mmorpg.com/blogs/Malivius/062008/1822_Adventurers-We-Are
2nd - http://www.mmorpg.com/blogs/Malivius/062008/1830_Journal-Entry-2-The-Following-Day
Thanks Torak!