UD leveling

Helpful Hints for Both the Technical and Roleplaying Aspects of the Game

Moderators: Moderator, DM

User avatar
K'yon Oblodra
Recognized Donor
Posts: 1009
Joined: Wed Oct 28, 2009 3:38 am
Location: Berlin

UD leveling

Unread post by K'yon Oblodra »

Hey guys,

I know I had seen people talk about the best spots where to level in the UD as drow to be more specific ;).

I did use the search function but couldn't quiet find it again so yea please let me know these spots for certain level ranges.

My character is a bit of a mix of caster and gish and evocation is my prohibited school. My character is Level 10 almost 11 and I've been farming goblins for what feels like ever but while they are easy to kill they only offer little xp by now.

The cave with the Umberhulks and carrion crawlers is doable for me and yields better xp per kill but it takes longer to kill things and the horrific umberhulk smashes me and my summon if I happen to aggro it and not run.

Would really appreciate if you guys could hint me where to go for now and the next pre-epic levels.

Thanks ;)
K'yon Oblodra
Necromancer of the school of Necromancy
Silent seat for the school of Necromancy
User avatar
Moridin
Retired Staff
Posts: 585
Joined: Thu Oct 18, 2012 10:14 pm
Location: SK, Canada

Re: UD leveling

Unread post by Moridin »

Have you attempted the slimes north of the tarpits? It isn't an area I would recommend for melee characters but it is one I would recommend for casters. Around level 10 to 11 I would try that, and then start trying out the Illithid mines around level 14.
Characters:
Lomith Dy'nesen Journal
Israe
Posts: 433
Joined: Tue Apr 03, 2012 3:22 pm

Re: UD leveling

Unread post by Israe »

1-10 goblins. 11-20 Duergars. 21-30 Duergars+Compound.
User avatar
K'yon Oblodra
Recognized Donor
Posts: 1009
Joined: Wed Oct 28, 2009 3:38 am
Location: Berlin

Re: UD leveling

Unread post by K'yon Oblodra »

I honestly don't know where the tarpits are, might have been there before but not an area I am too familiar with.
Why are those shoes bad for melees?

Where are the duergars allocated?
K'yon Oblodra
Necromancer of the school of Necromancy
Silent seat for the school of Necromancy
User avatar
Moridin
Retired Staff
Posts: 585
Joined: Thu Oct 18, 2012 10:14 pm
Location: SK, Canada

Re: UD leveling

Unread post by Moridin »

I would recommend this:
1-4 sewers, varallas, south varallas, mushroom grove
5-8 West varallas, goblins on UD map, Trogs
9-12 Goblin lake maps, North Tarpits, Crypt
13-16 Illithid Mines
16-20 Myconid Circles(Mines are better, though it is good to change up a bit every now and then), Illithid Mines(upper and deep)
20-25 Oghrann Ruins(inside as well, avoid the priestess)
20-30 Duergar Compound(by level 28 only the monks are really worth it in my opinion)
25-30 Duergar Compound, Lava Lake Compound, East of Mistlake, Driders, Avernus(if you have a group that can easily defeat the pit fiend)

The tarpits are where the basilisks are. The Duergar are another map(helmed horrors) past the Umber Hulks. I'll go grab a now out-of-date map for this purpose.
Last edited by Moridin on Fri May 26, 2017 3:38 am, edited 1 time in total.
Characters:
Lomith Dy'nesen Journal
User avatar
Moridin
Retired Staff
Posts: 585
Joined: Thu Oct 18, 2012 10:14 pm
Location: SK, Canada

Re: UD leveling

Unread post by Moridin »

This was a pm I made to Lobo when he first showed interest in DMing in the Underdark, at least to my knowledge:
Moridin wrote:Image
The Differences:
1) Mist Lake and the Bebilith territory(East of Mist Lake) have been completely updated. Mist Lake is now no longer a temporary encampment while East of Mist lake no longer has vampiric wolves and bebilith but eath golems.
2) The Duergar Compound has grown in size.
3) This map does not contain any guildhalls outside of Sshamath on it, it is an old map. The Lolthite compounds are at Northwest Myconids Circles(Dev'lin) and Goblin Cavern(southeast). Varallas Passage has been updated a few times, and Bregan's Guildhall is in the middle of it, with what I would assume as the Ghuanadaur player cult having one in the Southwest side.
4)As well as the Netherese Ruins, The Illithid Hive is also on a map accessible from the Eastern Illithid Mines(Deep mines).
5) This map however does not have Sshamath, from Varallas passage, one woudl either take the portal to the bottom of Zorr'bauth or wlak through the tunnel to the top of Zorr'bauth. The main Sshamath map connects to multiple guildhalls and other places as well as South Sshamath. South Sshamath has things like the Stonestave(main conclave building) a guild hall, a few shops, an open tavern, and the military's main headquarters. This map also connects to the Darkwoods.
What has changed since then is Oghrann's Ruins is now in the upperdark, and the wilds have another Drider area(replaced Western Wilds) that is attached to the far end of it, highly dangerous, but immensely profitable... and connected to Durlag's Tower.

Also since then the Darkwoods were updated and Harol's Enclave I think it is called was added onto it.

Edit: Also the Kobold map near the mushroom grove is now in the upperdark as well.
Characters:
Lomith Dy'nesen Journal
User avatar
K'yon Oblodra
Recognized Donor
Posts: 1009
Joined: Wed Oct 28, 2009 3:38 am
Location: Berlin

Re: UD leveling

Unread post by K'yon Oblodra »

Why there this map is awesome, I have stumbled through the UD going the wrong way so often already it's not even funny. This should help me get around much easier.

The crypt seems to be very caster unfriendly ;(
K'yon Oblodra
Necromancer of the school of Necromancy
Silent seat for the school of Necromancy
User avatar
Nyeleni
Recognized Donor
Posts: 1432
Joined: Mon Dec 21, 2009 5:09 pm
Location: Catalonia

Re: UD leveling

Unread post by Nyeleni »

Don't forget that you have the upperdark too to grind. The level recommendation is on the entrance to the different areas.
Truman Capote, Breakfast At Tiffany's
"... - it's better to look at the sky than live there. Such an empty place; so vague. Just a country where the thunder goes and things disappear."
User avatar
Hawke
Posts: 1245
Joined: Sun Aug 01, 2010 6:11 pm

Re: UD leveling

Unread post by Hawke »

Moving to more appropriate place.
If the text is this color, I am on duty, everything else is just my humble opinion.
User avatar
K'yon Oblodra
Recognized Donor
Posts: 1009
Joined: Wed Oct 28, 2009 3:38 am
Location: Berlin

Re: UD leveling

Unread post by K'yon Oblodra »

How does one get to the upper dark?
K'yon Oblodra
Necromancer of the school of Necromancy
Silent seat for the school of Necromancy
chad878262
QC Coordinator
Posts: 9333
Joined: Thu Sep 18, 2014 6:55 pm

Re: UD leveling

Unread post by chad878262 »

With everyone you know down there? I am certain someone will show you In Character. :D
Chord Silverstrings - Bard and OSR Squire / Tarent Nefzen - Arcane Wand Merchant and Master Alchemist / Irrace Arkentlar - Drow Adventurer / Finneaus Du'Veil - Gem Merchant and Executive Officer of SCCE

Tarent's Wands and Elixirs

A Wand Crafter's guide to using wands
User avatar
K'yon Oblodra
Recognized Donor
Posts: 1009
Joined: Wed Oct 28, 2009 3:38 am
Location: Berlin

Re: UD leveling

Unread post by K'yon Oblodra »

chad878262 wrote:With everyone you know down there? I am certain someone will show you In Character. :D
Lol are you teasing me :D?
K'yon Oblodra
Necromancer of the school of Necromancy
Silent seat for the school of Necromancy
User avatar
Tsidkenu
Posts: 3962
Joined: Tue May 27, 2014 12:04 am
Location: Terra Nullis

Re: UD leveling

Unread post by Tsidkenu »

And can I just add that epic driders (the 2nd area, CR 26+) is the best place to grind if you've got a good party (or powerbuild) at epic levels for UD. I'm level 30 and still getting 18 xp per kill in there which makes it far superior to duergars imo. Careful, though, those drider barbarians have +42 AB and the drider wizards summon Xorns that spam knockdown :lol:

You can also go to East of Mist Lake for earth elementals that are CR 21-24 & one bruiser of a boss, and for some reason no-one likes the deep serpents/mouthers in the Ophidian Tunnels (one zone to the west of Tar Pits, CR 12-14?) but I spent a bit of time bashing in there back in the day.

Take the caravan from Sshamath -> Undrek Vallanar -> Undrek Naudal. You can exit to the Upperdark from the outpost in Naudal.
User avatar
K'yon Oblodra
Recognized Donor
Posts: 1009
Joined: Wed Oct 28, 2009 3:38 am
Location: Berlin

Re: UD leveling

Unread post by K'yon Oblodra »

Thanks Tsidkenu ;)
K'yon Oblodra
Necromancer of the school of Necromancy
Silent seat for the school of Necromancy
User avatar
Moridin
Retired Staff
Posts: 585
Joined: Thu Oct 18, 2012 10:14 pm
Location: SK, Canada

Re: UD leveling

Unread post by Moridin »

K'yon Oblodra wrote:Why there this map is awesome, I have stumbled through the UD going the wrong way so often already it's not even funny. This should help me get around much easier.

The crypt seems to be very caster unfriendly ;(
It is, it is a decent area for melee characters and an amazing area for cleric/FS characters however.
Tsidkenu wrote:And can I just add that epic driders (the 2nd area, CR 26+) is the best place to grind if you've got a good party (or powerbuild) at epic levels for UD. I'm level 30 and still getting 18 xp per kill in there which makes it far superior to duergars imo. Careful, though, those drider barbarians have +42 AB and the drider wizards summon Xorns that spam knockdown :lol:

You can also go to East of Mist Lake for earth elementals that are CR 21-24 & one bruiser of a boss, and for some reason no-one likes the deep serpents/mouthers in the Ophidian Tunnels (one zone to the west of Tar Pits, CR 12-14?) but I spent a bit of time bashing in there back in the day.
I actually think I put those two into my post lol
The ophidian tunnels however did not make the list due to the low spawn rate.
Characters:
Lomith Dy'nesen Journal
Post Reply

Return to “Tips & Tricks”