012099_Zones
Where are Those Underpopulated Zones?

With the general overcrowding of many servers, people need to search further to find zones and camps that are not crowded.  I know Verant is constantly saying that it is overpopulated zones, rather than overpopulated servers that are causing the lack of spawns.  I still think we need more servers, but there are definitely a number of zones which don't get the crowds they should.  When places like Oasis, Crushbone, The Aviak Village, Blackburrow, etc. get jammed, it is nice to know there may be some places not overflowing with people.  I figured I would write about the ones that I have discovered in order to help out people looking for more out of the way areas. This is based strictly upon my personal experience and I welcome any additions or corrections.  Also, keep in mind that my highest level character is level 22, so I can't speak for the higher level areas.  If you have anything to add about these or other uncrowded zones, please e-mail me and I'll consider tacking it onto the list.

1.  Kerra Island: I don't think many people even know this zone exists. No, this is not the island in Erud's Crossing. You need to swim straight out from the dock in Tox Forest and you will come to this zone. I was there the other night when there were about 1900 people on the server and the only people in the whole zone were two level 40's doing the paw of opolla quest. A level 9 or so player can easily solo the kerran males and females at the front of the zone, groups in their teens can hunt further in, and groups into their 20's can hunt the heretics. If you can convince your group to take the boat ride over here, you will have a whole zone pretty much to yourselves. Hard to beat that.  Of course, there's a reason nobody goes here. First, it is probably the worst designed zone in the game. The Mobs are clustered together in no discernible order and other than the front section, there are very few places to safely set up a group to lure or camp without bringing an Unrest-sized train on your head. Next, the Kerrans are a poor race and the loot is terrible. Finally, it's in Odus, so you have to take the boat ride to get there and need to bring along someone who can bind because there are very few players in the whole continent at any given time. (and you don't want to have to take that boat ride back just to get your corpse).  It would be nice to see this zone fixed up and the treasure tables changed a little. In the meantime though, if you are frustrated with the crowds, this is a great place to get away for some quick experience.

2.  Runnyeye: I'm really not sure why nobody goes to this zone. Do a /who on a crowded night and you might only see 10 people here.  In off hours, it is virtually empty.  Yet, the goblins are good experience and often carry decent loot. My theory is that most people are so used to doing the Kithicor to Highpass to East Karana route that they forget there are zones past Rivervale as well. In fact, all three of those zones are on this list.  If you are in your high teens to low 20's, this is as good a place to hunt as any and often far less crowded. There is also some limited hunting for characters in their low teens.  Plus, you can bind and sell in Rivervale, which is only one zone away, so there is little reason to avoid this area.  The biggest drawback I can see is that because of the layout of the dungeon, it seems likely that too many people would quickly make the zone unhuntable.  But it has never reached that point when I have gone there.

3.  Beholder: I think people forget about this zone for much the same reason they forget about Runnyeye. Yet this is a great zone. The minotaurs are relatively easy to kill for their level (I'd guess 16 to 21) and can drop as much as several plat in loot (not to mention the occasional axe). Also, there are goblins at the runnyeye entrance that are great soloing for a level 9 to 11 character. The evil eyes are usually camped, since there are only two spots for them, but if you can get one, they are also great loot and xp.  I soloed my wizard here a lot through levels 19 to 21, even on busy nights. This zone does have some drawbacks. The spawn rate of the minos is pretty slow, so it can't accommodate too many mino hunters, and the other spawns, the muddites, are not worth hunting. Muddites hit far harder than they con and drop relatively worthless blocks of clay and such. Thus, nobody even tries to hunt them. This zone would really be nice if they revamped the muddites a little to make them worth killing. Even so, if you are in your mid teens to low 20's, this is a nice zone to hunt in. Well worth checking out when the rest of the server gets overcrowded.

4. Misty Thicket: Rounding out the trilogy of Rivervale zones, this zone is not unknown, but is, in my opinion, underutilized.  This is probably the best newbie zone in the game.  It is easy to get around in and the guards are easy to find when you get in trouble (and unlike in some zones, they aren't constantly being killed by a group of high level NPC's).  More importantly, you can easily hunt here with a character up to level 12 or so, but most people leave here by level 6 or 7.  Therefore, the wasps, yks and scarabs are often unhunted and available even when the server is crowded. Also, most people don't realize that there is an orc camp here similar to the ones in EC, and I often find that to be uncamped.  This zone is not as empty as some of the others on this list, but it is still generally workable even on the most crowded nights.

5. Tox Forest: Much like Kerra, nobody ever hunts in this zone. You may see a handful of level 1 or 2 characters who haven't given in yet and moved over to Qeynos, but that's all.  This is because it is probably the worst newbie zone in the game and everyone leaves it as soon as they can get bound to Qeynos. Yet there are two kobald camps here that are pretty good hunting for level 5 to 8 or so, and they are never camped. Of course, the biggest problem is that the kobald's loot is terrible and the zone is so dark and full of similar looking trees that it is very difficult to get around and keep your bearings. Still, if you are having trouble finding kills in other zones, you can be pretty sure this one will be wide open.

6. Upper Guk: Lots of people hunt in Lower Guk, but very few hunt Upper Guk.  I have a feeling that most people do what I did and go there at too low a level hoping for mesh or netted armor and die so many times that they swear they will never go back.  If you did that and are now around level 20 or so, give it another try.  The froglocks are worth good experience and drop some of the best loot in the game for their level.  There are also plenty of places to hunt. The zone does have several problems with it. First, the lower level frogs are way too close to their upper level kin and it is too easy for them to run and bring back help to stomp you flat. (Hence my swearing the zone off after my first trip there).  Trains here can be real nasty. Second, most people are KOS in Oggok or Grobb, leaving the Arena as the closest place to bind - a long run if you get caught by that nasty train.  Still, if you can get a group together in the mid teens to low 20's, this is a good place to go when things get crowded elsewhere.

7. South Ro: The desert part of South Ro is fairly popular, although nothing like North Ro, but did you know that there are several orc camps down here?  You're probably not the only one, since nobody ever seems to hunt them.  The orcs here are not as strong as the ones in Oasis, and are more like the ones in EC.   There are also two bandit camps which, while not completely unknown, are still much less likely to be camped than most dervs.  Of course, the biggest drawback is that you are a long way from the nearest bind point if you happen to die.  Still, if you have a group around level 8 to 10 or so, this is a place you may find open camps.

8.  Lavastorm:  This is a great place to hunt for people in their low teens.  The zone may appear more crowded than it really is when you do a /who because of  people sitting outside the three dungeons that border the zone.  In fact, there are often very few people actually hunting within the zone itself, yet the hunting cam be pretty good here.  You can use the entrance to Najena or Nektulos as a camping area and have a place to run when you get in trouble.  Most of the creatures are fairly easy to kill for their level and can drop some decent loot.  I soloed my wizard here at level 11 and 12 with no real difficulty.  Also, you can sell at the gypsy camp and bind in Freeport, which is not too far away, or Neriak, if you are not KOS there.  The biggest drawback is that you have to run through Nektulos to get here and need to dodge the dark elf guards who don't really like most races.

9.  Najena:  This has the same problem as Lavastorm in that you need to sneak past the dark elves in Nektulos to get here, but this is a seriously underutilized zone with good hunting for levels 10 to 30.  I have logged on and been the only person in the entire zone on several occasions.  Other than the tentacle terrors, which are pretty popular to hunt, and Najena himself (herself?), this zone is usually pretty empty of players.  A group in their low teens can camp the skeletons in the beginning, which are almost always uncamped.  Groups in their 20's can hunt in several different areas further in.  You can sell to the gypsy camp in Lavastorm and bind in Freeport or Neriak.  The only reason I can see that this zone is not more crowded is that is is not on the way to anywhere popular, so people forget it exists.  If you're frustrated by the crowds in Oasis or the Commonlands, this is a good zone to check out.

10.  Dagnor's Cauldron:  Very few people actually hunt in this zone, but it is not a bad place to hunt if you are in your mid to upper teens.  Aqua goblins can drop some nice loot and give pretty decent experience points.  The spawn rates seem pretty fast and you can often sit somewhere, send out a runner, and keep a pretty steady battle going.  The biggest problem is that the loot is usually in the form of weapons and you have to run all the way back to Kaladim in order to sell.  [Addition:  I have been told that there is a dwarf on the island in the middle of the lake that will buy from you].   Still, it is worth checking this out if you are getting crowded out of the more popular zones surrounding this one.

Well, there you have 10 places that may be promising areas to hunt when things get too crowded.  I'm sure there are others that I just am not familiar with.  I hope it helps relieve some of the Friday night frustration.

AllaKhazam
 

ADDENDUM:

I recieved a lot of feedback on this article and after going through the suggestions, can add these zones as well:

1.  Permafrost:  Several people pointed out that this zone is often unused, possibly because people assume it is a higher level than it actually is.  In fact, there is good hunting here from the mid to upper twenties on up and a number of good spots to hunt.  I am told that, like most dungeons, it can get some pretty serious trains, but it is still likely to be available when the other zones are jammed.

2.  Ocean of Tears:  This zone is also said to be relatively unpopulated with players.  Several people pointed out Aviak Island as a good spot for players in their mid teens to low 20's that is almost never camped.

3.  Solusek's Eye:  Apparantly this zone is used more by upper level players, and the lower level (25-35) creatures near the entrance are often untouched, even when the server is fairly crowded.

4.  Lesser Faydark:  This zone has orc camps, bandit camps, fay drakes and other critters which can often be uncamped even when people are filling up the surrounding zones.  My guess is that most people not playing a gnome stop when they get to Greater Faydark and never take the time to explore this one, and once they do find it they are past the low to upper teens range of most of the creatures here.

5.  Kedge Keep:  I've never been here, but I am told that there are rarely more than a handful of people in the zone.

6.  Eastern Karana:  Several people pointed out this zone.  I have spent some time here and agree that it is less populated than many, but at least on my server it is definitely not unknown.  Still it is worth checking out.  There is pretty good hunting here for characters in their mid to upper teens.

7.  Befallen:  Several people pointed out this zone, and I agree it is generally less crowded than many others.  Of course, I know from experience that you do not want to die in the lower levels of this zone, as it can be a real pain to get each key and make your way back down to your corpse.

8.  Rathe Mountains:  This zone is huge and it has hunting for a wide variety of levels, with a variety of camps.  Yet several people noted that it is often uncrowded.