This week, I’ve finally done it. The fireworks have blasted for the last time, the rock power chord has struck its last, and the narrator has given his final cheer. After a month of climbing to it, I’ve finally hit level 50 in WildStar.
But what do I do next? At this point, some MMOs have kept me hanging on, promising me something new in a couple of months. That’s not the case with Carbine’s grand game, as the studio was packing in the endgame before WildStar even launched. The result is a dazzling mix of options, just waiting to dig into.
When presented with a buffet of choice like this, there just aren’t enough gaming hours to cram it all in at once. That’s why I made a handy list of my top 5 things to do at level 50. It’s by no means exhaustive, but it’s likely what I’ll be focusing on over the next few months.
1) Those Unfinished Projects
If you’re like me, leveling through Nexus has left you with a pile of incomplete ideas. I’m talking about the housing plot that’s become a shrine to random chaos, but will become a glorious flying science lab just as soon as you have some time. The character costume that will make your Chua look like a masked Mexican wrestler, just as soon as you get a few more items and score some dyes. The UI that will look sublime and minimalist, once you get a chance to dig into the available addons and clean out those you already have.
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The great thing is, I now have that time to explore all of these things. There are some great sources for housing inspiration: Nexus Cribs has a trove of player-submitted designs, and Living in WildStar is gradually building a database of all housing items available. Curse has a huge selection of addons available, while WildStar NASA has some great guides if I choose to make my own. And on the costume front, WildStar Fashion has sprung up to provide me with all sorts of sartorial tips. Know another resource? Let me know in the comments!
2) Continue the Adventure.
Just because I’ve hit 50, it doesn’t mean that my journey through Nexus has to end. There’s a whole bucket-load of Nexus out there just waiting for me to explore. Top of my list is locating all of those missing Datacubes and completing my Tales From Beyond the Fringe collection, both of which involve scouring the planet with a fine toothcomb (or looking them up on Jabbithole). Fingers crossed, I can polish off a few Scientist missions and earn a few achievements on the way.
Beyond that, there’s a large chunk of Nexus that I haven’t even touched on. Levian Bay and Ellevar are two regions I’ve not explored on the Dominion side due to the route we chose when leveling, and I’m eager to head back there. Likewise, Blighthaven has just been added as a new level 50 zone that continues the world story. And even then, I’ve played less than half of what WildStar has to offer. The remedy: alts. My second Dominion character is already prepared – Joven Nebulous, Spellslinger Explorer. I’ll also be heading Exile-side to experience the stories from the other side, after playing for the Evil Empire for most of my time in WildStar.
3) Beat Protostar
Yes, it’s a grand statement: take on the biggest intergalactic corporation ever known and utterly dominate them. Realistically, I probably won’t manage getting that far; after all, I’m no Anhrez (though you should seriously read his economy articles at WildStar Fans). What I can do, however, is get my character into a position where he’s earning a healthy income and trading smart on the Auction House.
For me, that starts with getting my tradeskills up to cap and filling in all the blanks in my tradeskill tree. Instead of using a flat list of recipes and schematics, WildStar’s weaponsmiths learn how to make more complex items by crafting three or four simpler ones, gradually progressing down a tree until all variants of a particular weapon type are known. It mans that learning everything takes a fair block of both time and resources, but it opens up more crafting options. There are also patterns to be found in the open world, which I’m tempted to hunt for just to fill in every box possible.
4) Get Ready to Raid
Oh boy, this is going to be a long one. To enter the Genetic Archives, WildStar’s first raid dungeon, you need to become Attuned. That process isn’t a walk in the park either, comprising 12 steps, of which hitting level 50 is just the first. I’m told that it’s possible to complete the process inside two weeks, but I think that’ll be pushing it.
The bigger challenge, however, is going to be finding a like-minded bunch of disciplined specialists and join them in taking down some oversized Strain. After climbing from lowbie zones to level cap in a vanity guild, I’ll need to stretch out into the wider server community. That said, Lightspire is full of interesting characters, and I’m confident that it won’t take long for me to discover a quirky group of reprobates to team up with. From there, I’ll be diving into the levelcap Veteran dungeons and adventures, hoping to complete each to a certain level in order to start earning loot, Elder Gems, and progress towards that attunement key.
5) Become the Gladiator
Yes, there are a few issues with the competitive end of levelcap PvP, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to be ignoring it out of hand. After spending my time leveling almost exclusively through questing and Shiphand missions, I’m determined to get some quality PvP playtime in. To start with, I’ll be diving into the practice battlegrounds, building up Prestige and picking up some gear. After that, I’ll be on the prowl for a Rated Battleground Team and possibly even a small Arena group to really sharpen my skills. Who knows, I might even try mercenarizing in a Warplot if I can manage it.
It won’t end there either. WildStar’s next major Ultra Drop is going to be all about PvP, including a brand new battleground called Sabotage. It’s already available on the PTR (and if you’re into PvP, I’d urge you to test it out), and I can’t wait to dive in.
So there you have it. Far from being the content desert that I feared, Carbine’s MMO is actually brimming with options for endgame. Whether it’s exploring the story or battling new enemies, WildStar has a choice to suit every player. But how about you? Have you reached level cap yet? Sound off with your own elder game plans in the comments below.
Gareth Harmer / Gareth “Gazimoff” Harmer has been blasting and fireballing his way through MMOs for over ten years. When he's not exploring an online world, he can usually be found enthusiastically dissecting and debating them. Follow him on Twitter at @Gazimoff.
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