Info: Starter packs recap

Angel O2 Mercer

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Angel O2 Mercer
Hi,

I get this one asked a lot (a looooooot), maybe it's best I leave this here. I will try to answer two questions:

1. Is any starter pack worth it?
2. Which one should I get?

The shop interface is not very user friendly unless you want to click that right arrow to eternity... so I made a little table. The table below shows information taken directly from the Entropia Universe Web Shop.

BronzeSilverGoldPlatinum(Refill small)(Refill large)
Price$5$15$30$75$5$20
Premium chardefYesYesYesYesNoNo
Universal Ammo43 PED132.62 PED257.91 PED705.31 PED50 PED200 PED
Harrier ArmorScoutAssaultAssault, AdjustedAssault, AdjustedNoNo
Neurobiotic Booster A5 1mg28205015
H-DNANo151515
OilNoNo100200NoNo
LV Lupus 4x4 (L)NoNoYesYesNoNo
I0-Pulse UnitNoYesYesYesNoNo
Mining PackageNoNoYesYesNoNo
Z12 BarbarellaYesYesYesYesNoNo
ZX Eagle EyeNoYesYesYesNoNo
ZX SinkadusNoNoYesYesNoNo
ZX R-DodNoNoNoYesNoNo
Price$5$15$30$75$5$20


Now, I will try to review each package. This is just my opinion, I know I'm a cheap bastard but I think patience and smart savings can make a difference in this game.

Starter Pack Bronze ($5)
I suppose this is aimed at people on a very tight budget, or only wanting to try the game. Not really worth it, you can try the game for free, most of the starter missions reward you with a bit of ammo. The harrier armor is quite mediocre, and even though the Z12 Barbarella saves the package you can get a Bukin's Spare Rifle very soon in the game.

If you are on such a situation that you only want to squeeze five bucks, I suggest you keep them and just try the game without pressure or remorse.


Starter Pack Silver ($15)
The situation is similar to the Bronze package, the only big difference is that you get an extra ~90 PED of universal ammo. But really if that's the only thing you wanted why not just deposit $15 and get ~150 PED in cash or boxes?

The addition of the healing tool I0-Pulse Unit is nice, but then again you can get an unlimited Vivo S10 by completing the first Gauntlet mission, even unmaxed you can get some heals. And in any case I do not recommend burning healing tools so soon into the game, you don't have much evade and the regular harrier does not protect that much. A heal here and there sure, but don't hunt things that require you to heal very often.

No Sinkadus amp... lame. Don't buy this unless you have no way of buying the gold pack.


Starter Pack Gold ($30)
Perfect in every way, the best pack in the shop in my humble opinion. You get a full Adjusted Harrier armor, a car with fuel, a full hunting setup including the awesome Barbarella plus Sinkadus combo, a mining package and 20 skill pills. A nice amout of universal ammo too.

They reduced the price from $40 to $30 this is the best early investment you can make, period.

I love this pack, and $30 is more than fair.


Starter Pack Platinum ($75)
Only buy this if you already know you love the game, you get 30 extra skill pills and a lot more universal ammo. All else is pretty irrelevant, the R-Dod laser sight is just bling in my opinion.

If you have the extra $45 and you want to depo, I would just get the $30 gold pack and buy more strongbox+key packs from the webshop.


Starter Pack Refill (both $5 and $20)
Looks pointless to me if you are just starting, nobody starting this game should be in such a rush for skill pills and H-DNA to justify this pack. Universal Ammo? cool, why don't you buy strongbox+key packs instead... heck. Unless you have a very high budget ignore them.

Maybe useful for veteran players looking to acquire skill pills as fast as possible for as cheap as possible (they are free, since you get the dollar amount in universal ammo already).


Related questions I get all the time:

Q: Should I always use the amplifier when hunting?
Yes, absolutely. Always.

Q: Should I use scope and sight when hunting?
In my opinion? NO. Unless you find it hard to hunt without the scope's zoom. Avoid using laser sights, they only add extra decay and no meaningful skill bonus at all.

Q: Should I armor up when hunting?
Depends, if you die a lot or have to heal a lot without armor it's always better to use an armor. If you have the adjusted harrier the extra speed can help you walk backwards while shooting, thus taking full advantage of the Z12 Barbarella range. The decay on your armor will be returned in loot to some extent, the fap is more tricky as you usually heal up outside of combat. Go naked if you can, otherwise armor up. Honestly at this point of the game it doesn't really matter, you'll get there.

Q: Should I use the H-DNA I got in the pack?
This is another matter of opinion. I would not use them, respawns are fast and free. Sell them, they have decent MU.

Q: Should I buy an Opalo?
Why do I still get this question? The Sollomate Opalo sucks, every time you fire it a kitten dies somewhere.

Q: Efficiency? Eco? I'm confused
- Efficiency = Loot quantity
It ranges from 1% to 100%, you can see it at the top of your weapon stats. Higher efficiency is better and it controls your loot return in the long run (on average, over thousands of kills).

- Eco = Loot quality
Eco (also damage per pec, or dmg/pec) is a calculated property of weapons. Higher is better. It controls the quality of your loot (higher eco will allow you to loot rarer stackables more often).

Q: Upgrade path?
1. Z12 Barbarella + Sinkadus
2. Xent Tech X3 + A102
3a. A-3 Justifier Mk. 2, Adjusted + A104 (low budget)
3b. Ecotron v.15e Prototype + Improved A105 (high budget)
4. EWE EP-41 Military, Adjusted + Improved A105

If you still need help past this point, contact me I'll try to help you out.



TL;DR
Buy the gold pack
, it's very worth it.




I'll say it again, seeing as mentors are so prone to hyperbole in Rookie chat.... this is just my opinion, share yours if you don't agree this is a forum you know.

O2 out.
 
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Good write up, thank you for taking the time Angel.

I also agree with your conclusions :)


Dirk
 
500 more nutrio bars , 5 more boxes and 50peds more ammo, a few peds oil and probes, i think that makes the 20$, especially if you like pets, don't you think ? Nutrio are still expensive !
 
Nice Thread. Any way you could put links to the Entropedia entries for each item in there for fast reference? I've been avoiding the starter packs since it didn't make a lot of sense vs just depositing regularly... I might start using them for the nutrio and to get a couple of the items that you can't get any other way, but I'm still not sure it works out any cheaper really or is really worth it... isn't the herb box and a lot of other items in game just a tad better in eco (well unless you consider that the UL versions are harder to get now that availability is less than it used to be a few years ago) - just considering that that part of the conversation should be in here since I constantly see folks suggesting use of the starter packs in rookie channel and I'm not sure if that's really best advice to be giving out if the stuff in there isn't really as eco as other alternatives in game?

Are the items like the guns, armor and vehicles in the starter packs tradeable or soul bound to the avatar? Also, are some of the web shop things limited to which planet it can be used on (specifically thinking about the Kong package's Tommy gun - does it work on all planets or just in the Secret Island like some of the hub items only work in the hub, etc.)

Also, do you really get 'more' ped with the webshop if you do the ped packages or 'value packs' vs normal deposit and go up to the TT to buy ammo or not?... not sure on if it's 'cheaper per ped' one way or the other after you take in to account the bank fees, etc.
 
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500 more nutrio bars , 5 more boxes and 50peds more ammo, a few peds oil and probes, i think that makes the 20$, especially if you like pets, don't you think ? Nutrio are still expensive !

500 Nutrio Bars are worth 12-14 PED with MU. If you got some special item that you can't get any other way maybe it would be worth it, but you can buy nutrio and oil from auction.

For $20 I would rather get 20 strongboxes, just my opinion.
 
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I am a convinced strongbox depositer as an alternative to regular peds. I guess you are right, 20$ is a bit too much.
But really, beside the armor giving 8% speed bonus, what's so cool in this pack if you're not a knewb anymore?
 
Nice Thread. Any way you could put links to the Entropedia entries for each item in there for fast reference? I've been avoiding the starter packs since it didn't make a lot of sense vs just depositing regularly... I might start using them for the nutrio and to get a couple of the items that you can't get any other way, but I'm still not sure it works out any cheaper really or is really worth it... isn't the herb box and a lot of other items in game just a tad better in eco (well unless you consider that the UL versions are harder to get now that availability is less than it used to be a few years ago) - just considering that that part of the conversation should be in here since I constantly see folks suggesting use of the starter packs in rookie channel and I'm not sure if that's really best advice to be giving out if the stuff in there isn't really as eco as other alternatives in game?

I'll put links when I have some spare time. The herb box has markup now, and it also requires to be level 1 paramedic which starters are not. The Pulse unit has no level requirement and it's maxed soon, and also has better eco than a herb box. The next logical step is the Vivo S10, but they have to use something untill it's maxed or close to maxed. The Barbarella + Sinkadus combo is unmatched still, and has no level requirement either. Yes the gold pack is very very worth it for people who have just started the game.

Are the items like the guns, armor and vehicles in the starter packs tradeable or soul bound to the avatar? Also, are some of the web shop things limited to which planet it can be used on (specifically thinking about the Kong package's Tommy gun - does it work on all planets or just in the Secret Island like some of the hub items only work in the hub, etc.)

Most items are bound (armor, guns, amps etc..) you can only sell the stackables like oil, H-DNA, probes, nutrio, etc.. No planet specific requirements that I know of, but that's a good question maybe someone else knows for sure.

Also, do you really get 'more' ped with the webshop if you do the ped packages or 'value packs' vs normal deposit and go up to the TT to buy ammo or not?... not sure on if it's 'cheaper per ped' one way or the other after you take in to account the bank fees, etc.

The value of the starter packs is to buy them once, of course. For people starting the game the difference between having a starter pack and not having one is huge. Then you can deposit or buy strongboxes (I suggest stronboxes over a regular deposit).
 
I am a convinced strongbox depositer as an alternative to regular peds. I guess you are right, 20$ is a bit too much.
But really, beside the armor giving 8% speed bonus, what's so cool in this pack if you're not a knewb anymore?

Well, for older players the advantages of the packs go down big time. You probably have a better amor, weapon, amp, fap ...

The only value I can think of for more experienced players is pure utility. Those small daily missions, strafe hunting, walking past the pyromancer, etc..
 
Starter Pack Refill ($20)
Looks pointless to me, nobody starting this game should be in such a rush for skill pills and H-DNA to justify this pack. Universal Ammo? cool, why don't you buy 20 Strongboxes instead... heck. Unless you have a very high budget ignore this.

When starter packs were new, high level players bought them for the pills, but got inconvenienced that they got a lot of harrier sets that wasn't tt:able and was filling up storages. (This was before the strongboxes.) So, I guess the refill packs is aimed at those who wanted to buy those pills. (I'm not sure, but I Think that for a time X and Y pills were purchaseable from webshop, I guess this is a solution to that aswell.)
 
Well, for older players the advantages of the packs go down big time. You probably have a better amor, weapon, amp, fap ...

The only value I can think of for more experienced players is pure utility. Those small daily missions, strafe hunting, walking past the pyromancer, etc..

There is one pack you didn't mention: The rocktropia package. The purpose of that one is mainly if you want a King Kong gun.
 
In my opinion nobody needs the Starter packs, a lot of things that a new player not need.


- Harrier Armor you dont need and you can not sell it and it helps you not in Future [ that means you can not get the PEDs again and use it for something else ]

- LV Lupus 4x4 (L) [ you get free without colors ]

- Z12 Barbarella, ZX Eagle Eye, ZX Sinkadus [ you dont need and you can not sell it, go to Trade Terminal and buy a weapon there, its eco and perfekt for starting killing Punys and Co.

- I0-Pulse Unit [ you dont need it, you get ingame the Vivo S10 for free ]

- Classified Strongbox [ you dont need it, has a lot of things inside you can not tt ]

The other items are easier to get ingame cheaper and are not interesting for a new player.
 
Are the items like the guns, armor and vehicles in the starter packs tradeable or soul bound to the avatar? Also, are some of the web shop things limited to which planet it can be used on (specifically thinking about the Kong package's Tommy gun - does it work on all planets

The starter pack guns +attachments, armor, vehicles, faps are user bound, I can't trade/drop them.

The RT package and it's Tommy Gun...
Tommy gun originally it was completely identical as Z12 and can be used anywhere just like Z12.
Then it was changed to use BLP ammo.
But still gives me laser skills so it sits in storage now.

Edit: (Full disclosure)
And for the new players that read this I'm fairly new player just over 2 years playing.
Yes I have all starter packs except platinum.
I did not purchase any starter pack for over 2 months after joining EU.
Actually played free for first 30 days and was tons of fun!!! (I liked the challenge + good mentor.)
 
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- (...) ZX Sinkadus [ you dont need and you can not sell it, go to Trade Terminal and buy a weapon there, its eco and perfekt for starting killing Punys and Co.

A lot of the value in the gold start pack is that amp. Unfortunatly, for beginner players, the A101 is relatively expensive for being a beginner-level item.
 
The RT package and it's Tommy Gun...
Tommy gun originally it was completely identical as Z12 and can be used anywhere just like Z12.
Then it was changed to use BLP ammo.
But still gives me laser skills so it sits in storage now.

The thing with that gun is the history behind it; as they didn't have laser guns when they took down the original kong, only bullet pack guns (ie, like a tommy gun). That it behaves like a laser gun is probably to make it more streamlined ingame with the other beginner weapons (ie laser skills etc).

In a practical view, the fact that it uses BLP ammo can make it a cool gun for a beginner who has (and uses) the Z12 gun: Typically you loot both BLP and weapon cells. If you run out of weapon cells during a hunt, but you have plenty (in a beginner perspective) of BLP ammo, you can switch over to the tommygun and continue from there.

Again, I consider the tommy gun to be a cool item, not a necessity.
 
My main problem with starter pack is that not all items have value even for noobs. Even items having such a value doesn't really justify the price

1. Barbarella gun. 4.5-9.0 damage. Huge overkill on puny mobs. No amplifier truly fit that gun. Wanna gun? Bukin rifle is free and fully fit for a101.
2. Adjusted harrier armor for acceleration. Somewhat useful for miners and fruitwalkers. Wanna acceleration? Buy hermetic ring for TT+30 ped.
3. IO pulse unit. Somewhat useful in the very beginning. But u get S10 free or/and Herb box for TT+10. Get "grave errand" mission and ask somebody to fly you to the volcano. Completing that mission maxes your Herb Box instantly
4. ZX Sinkadus. Useful in case of TT pistols and Cyrene old weapons. Probably best item in the whole pack. But Bukin+a101 have better eco.

Problem is if u're
- Miner. You dont need gun and amp u just need a ton of survey probes, TT extractor, F-101 for TT+1, mininglog.com, mining society and a good mining mentor. Don't even need acceleration much since u can use vehicles.
- Hunter. You don't need acceleration bonuses, you need aeglic ring for TT+30 to have more hp and faster regen since at start u'll be hunting punies without armor anyway. Don't really need amps at that stage since amps produce overkill on punies
- Crafter. You don't really need anything from any pack.
- Sweat gatherer. You need only aeglic ring.
- Fruitwalker. You may need only acceleration armor from that pack. You need acceleration ring for TT+30.
- Mindforce. Just buy implant for TT+22 and limited attack chip for 10-11 ped and u're good to go.

Thing is, even instead of gold pack which is actually the best option among all starter packs, you can deposit that $40, get 400ped ingame and buy all the stuff that gives the same value but have better utility. Ofc considering u gonna spend that 400ped wisely.
 
A lot of the value in the gold start pack is that amp. Unfortunatly, for beginner players, the A101 is relatively expensive for being a beginner-level item.

In my opinion is it better to Deposit and buy the A101 ingame, its a lot of cheaper than a Gold Pack. But the A101 a newbi also dont need, its expensive and it make you hunt in my opinion not really more eco. Every time you use it, you losing Peds, and i need many newbi runs for loosing 160 PED + the repair costs. What is the price for using the A101.

What a newbi need are Rubio, Azuro, tt stuff, thats it. All other things is nice to have but not really necessary. But this is just my 2 cents ;)
 
What is a zx r dot? Also include the rock tropic pack please. AND holy shit is the gold and platinum pack ever better then when I bought mine I feel ripped off.

Only good thing in my 75$ starter pack (I think that was original price) is the zx sinkadus.
 
WHAT IS A ZXR DOT? Lol its been weeks. Is it just a typo? Can't find info on webshop or anywhere
 
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A lot of the value in the gold start pack is that amp. Unfortunatly, for beginner players, the A101 is relatively expensive for being a beginner-level item.

It is much cheaper then the 40$ you need to pay for the Sinkadus:)

the other useful item in the 40$ pack is the Adjusted armor which gives 8% speed. But it can be useful only in some circumstances or even useless at all as the speed buff from items is capped at 25%. And for less the 40$ for the starter pack you can buy the ring which gives 16% speed.
 
It is much cheaper then the 40$ you need to pay for the Sinkadus:)

Nope. Because for the said $40 you get a shit ton of other things, including ammo and ped. So the A101 is still more expensive, a lot more expensive actually.

My opinion atleast, I haven't adviced a single newbie to buy A101 since the big markup boom.
 
Nope. Because for the said $40 you get a shit ton of other things, including ammo and ped. So the A101 is still more expensive, a lot more expensive actually.

True. Mea culpa. In the 40$ pack you get 100 PED + 7 PED saleable probes&oil and 10 PED uniammo.
 
True. Mea culpa. In the 40$ pack you get 100 PED + 7 PED saleable probes&oil and 10 PED uniammo.

And 5 boxes on top of it, making the price for all the items that are untradeable less then half the package cost
 
And 5 boxes on top of it, making the price for all the items that are untradeable less then half the package cost

I calculated only the saleable items and the ammo; the chance to get something real from 5 boxes is very minimal.
 
Just gotta say I love the starter Kong gun. Makes burning all the universal ammo a tad fun.

Use it way more than the other guns when I'm not taming, crafting or wasting time in estates

Just wish there was a starter pack focused on melee and Explosive skilling. Noob grenade launcher is ok but we need a lot more grenade guns between that and the big guns. If only there was a terminal to convert u.a. in to a repair kit for melee weapons
 
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