MMORPG.com Vanguard Correspondent Warren Bennett writes this quick look overview of the three spheres of character experience in the game; Adventuring, Crafting and Diplomacy.

One of the main draws of coming back to Vanguard is the idea that there is so much to experience. Stepping into a world that is so vast and unexplored is exciting in itself, yet seeing the world isn't the only vocation that you are capable of accomplishing in Telon. A character's experience in this world can be divided in to three separate spheres: Adventuring, Diplomacy, and Crafting. All three spheres are unique, but to grasp the whole story of Vanguard, you should try out each sphere to find the one that really interests you the most. Each of the three Spheres has both gear and equipment associated with it. Don't worry about space; you don't have to keep switching between gear and tools every time you want to try a new profession. The game is smart enough to switch everything out for you. Your gear is laid out in three separate tabs on your character slot and you can customize each of the slots to your liking with gear and equipment. Although you do start out with relatively weak gear, as you level up you will find that better gear and equipment are readily available from multiple sources.

Read the article here.

Is diplomacy a valid sphere now?  Last I heard, it had serious issues and there was little or no work being done on it.  Has this changed?

I just recently came back to VG, but I've been avoiding the diplomacy sphere because I was under the impression that it was broken.

Diplomacy is still crazy ignored.

They finally did get the mask vendors in game so peeple could actually do something with the rewards for writs - It only took 6  months. The main reason to do diplomacy is only because it's required for those guilds who want a guild hall and for some APW (raiding) rewards.

Other than that - It's wonky. The first 15 levels are very challenging and feel unique. After that you can win the card games on autopilot. Most of the dip quests still dead end for no apparent reason. A lot of the web quests are still broken. Between level 13-20 there arent many quests at all, so you have grind civic diplomacy games to advance.

The most tragic thing about VG diplomacy is that as a whole, the developers have removed the concept of good vs. evil in Telon. Dark elves and Orcs are now more than welcome in Leth and New Tanganor. Nobody hates anyone (race wise) and all races are now considered nuetral. Pathetic and inconsistent, since all of diplomacy writs revlove around conflict between the races. It's yet another glarring nail that the VG developers have no real plan - They just tweak and change and remoev game elemets per the forum masses.

Crafting is also wonky now. Crafted items vs. quested and dropped gear don't compare. Crafted gear has been so nerfed that it's almost pointless. This shows it all. A crafted 29 chest vs. a quested 30 chest.. As you get closet to level 50 the difference in quality gets more dramatic, to the point that a level 41 quest piece is better than an ultra rare flawless level 53 crafted piece.

I wonder if the author crafts or does diplomacy beyond level 20? As a level 50 adventurer 50 crafter, the turn that VG has made is sad and pathetic. It's why I cancelled.

Off Topic- Trueth are you using a custom font in those screenshots? if so please tell me how ya do it.

On topic-

I have tried diplomacy several times and I just can not get it or get in to it. I like the idea but the little card game is beyond boring to me. Also, have you read the dialogue it doesn't make since in reference to what card you've played.. its just not for me I guess.

Crafting the highest Ive made it to is lvl 10ish. I get so agrovated that its just no fun.

I adjusted the size so I wouldnt break the margins here, I hate when people do that. See the original here..

http://mywebpages.comcast.net/glande5/craft_vs_drop01.jpg

After making diplo, boats, exploration, starting factions useless, the devs decided that crafting should be made useless as well.

I cancelled too.