XBox: New Player Needs Help With Basics Please

[JoeyNipps]

I am brand new to PSO (Xbox version if that matters) and need some basic help please. I have searched faqs and not found what I need - guide me to where I can find it or simply tell me please.

When I look at my character's stats, I see two sets of numbers for each stat. For instance, for ATA I might see: ATA 178 (79)

I simply don't understand what the two sets of numbers represent (it might be I am very dumb).

Similarly with weapons (and armor), if I look at the stats of a weapon I will see two different numbers also - and I have no clue what these mean. Sometimes the second number (one in the parenthesis) is lower and sometimes higher than the first number - but I don't understand what this really means and the ramifications to my character.

I thank you in advance for any help.

[Ketchup345]

The number outside the parenthesis is the total number. This includes character stats, weapon stats, Mag stats, and sats from units.

The number inside the parenethesis is your base number; which includes your stats and stats gained from units and your Mag.

HP is your life
TP is like MP, magic points (Tech points here)
ATP is damage done with physical attacks (not techs)
MST is your magic damage and the higher it is is higher TP
ATA is your chance to hit
EVP is your chance to evade

[JoeyNipps]

Ok, I understand for my character stats - but how about weapon (and armor) stats? Let me give an example. I have in my inventory a Saber +5 and when I view it, I see the following numbers:

ATP : 144-> 153 (153 is orange or brown color)
DFP : 51-> 51
MST : 0-> 0
ATA : 121-> 113 (113 is blue color)
EVP : 99-> 99
LCK : 10-> 10

Are these numbers for the weapon or my numbers if I use it or what? What is the significance of the orange and blue color (and them being higher and lower than the first number of each respective stat)?

I am able to wield this weapon, but do the numbers mean I should use something else or what? I am sorry if I am not making perfect sense - but these number befuddle me so much

[Arislan]

Weilding that weapon means your ATP will rise to the stated amount, and your ATA will lower to that stated amount. To make things more complex though, if you have a weapon that has a "percentage" (look on the 2nd page of the weapon, it'll show a list of percentages) when fighting an enemy of that type, the weapons' base ATP will go up by that percent.

Example, with numbers pulled from nowhere
Saber with 10% native and 100 ATP
You have a Base 100 ATP.

You equip the saber, and your screen shows 200(100).
Attacking an enemy will do damage equal to a 200 ATP attack. However, attacking a Native type will do damage equal to a 210 ATP attack. Why?

100 ATP for saber
+ 10 (10% of that 100 ATP)
= 110 ATP total for that Saber.

[Siris]

If you're a legit player look me up, I wouldn't mind helping you out.

[Sitka]

One word of advice from an experienced player to a new player. IMHO, try to avoid using hacked mags or hacked items like Al Rappy's. You'll see a lot of players using them and doing crazy amounts of damage or wielding high-level weapons at very low levels, but when they level up, their base stats do not. So, after many levels of leveling up, their base stats still remain very low. The result is you get a character into ultimate whose base stats are comparable to a normal level player. If you then decide to try playing with legit items, mags, weapons, you'll find you can't play very well at all and I've seen many players have to dump their best character and start all over again. Just an observation. Also, on xbox, be wary of Apatite and particularly Apatite 1. Very annoying room and the only reason to go there is if no one else is on anywhere else and you're looking for a team. You'll find that if you are willing to learn to play the game well, you'll get lots of help from others. There are many of us who would like to see more legit players online to keep the game going for everyone's benefit. I've got 12 characters set up from level 1 through 162 and can play any level and most id's. I usually stay on Dav 1-10 tagged "Sitka" so say hello when your online. I'd be happy to give you some basic start-up weapons if you need them or help you hunt them if you want to track them down yourself.

[JoeyNipps]

On 2004-05-20 09:37, Sitka wrote:
One word of advice from an experienced player to a new player. IMHO, try to avoid using hacked mags or hacked items like Al Rappy's.

I am very experience in MMORPGs in general (starting with UO and continuing to the present) - mostly on the PC so I DO understand the problem of hackers and hacked items. The items and the mindset that develops them has ruined many a game (IMO). I stopped playing UO years ago due to the hacking and cheats abounding in the game.

... but when they level up, their base stats do not. So, after many levels of leveling up, their base stats still remain very low.

This frightens me in that it implies there is something very basic about leveling up one's stats in this game that I do not understand. Is how one's stats change when one makes a level in some way tied to the weapons or armor that one employs? If so, please tell me now so I won't be frustrated in 30 levels when I finally figure it out

I'd be happy to give you some basic start-up weapons if you need them....

Thank you very much, but the fun for me is doing it myself (for the most part) - all I need is to understand how things work, so any guidance there will be much appreciated. So far, I have not found any good site guides that really explain the core basics of the game (what the numbers all mean, etc.).

[Sitka]

Hacked mags and Al Rappies can artificially max your stats out. Notice when you level up, you'll see ATP+7, MST+2, and so on? If a stat is maxed artificially, you won't get those points added to your base stats. By sticking to a legit playstyle, you'll have nothing to worry about. There are a couple of guides on this website about maxing stats using mats and items and you can check it out if you're interested in developing your char(s) to their highest potential. Feel free to pm me if you have additional questions and although there are many on this website who know quite a bit more than I do about the intricate details of this game, I would be happy to help you with what has worked for me.

[Ketchup345]

On 2004-05-20 09:49, JoeyNipps wrote:

... but when they level up, their base stats do not. So, after many levels of leveling up, their base stats still remain very low.

This frightens me in that it implies there is something very basic about leveling up one's stats in this game that I do not understand. Is how one's stats change when one makes a level in some way tied to the weapons or armor that one employs? If so, please tell me now so I won't be frustrated in 30 levels when I finally figure it out

Don't be worried. That is wrong. It only applied on the DC (I think).

When you have max stats due to units and your Mag, your base stats still grow, but you can't see them (due to the game not showing numbers raised when that stat is maxed).

Weapons, armor, etc do not eeffect stat growth.

[Areal]

You mentioned something about the Red and Blue colors... Basically, Red maens the stat is increasing and blue means decreasing. If you ever wonder what the deal is with LCK (luck) (it never grows), it is because you need to find LUCK MATERIALS to permanently increase it by two. Also, all luck does is increase your chance of getting a critical hit.
Feel free to PM me (PM is Private Message).