So, you just arrived on Calypso, madee your first steps in this Universe, and hear that there are Mentors availabe who will help you getting started. And prorbably before you even reach the teleporter at Port Atlantis, you are invited by a mentor to become a disciple.
A little window pops up on your screen saying that somebody invites you to become a disciple. If you don't know what that means do not accept at that time. Take a few minutes and find out what the mentoring system is about, it's limitations and some common pitfalls.
Who can become a Mentor?
There is only one restriction in game for mentors: you need to have at least 100 skill pointis in one disciple skill to be able to become a mentor. Just a few hours hunting can get you that far for example, so the fact that somebody can offer mentorship does not indicate that this person actually knows anything about Entropia Universe.
You will find many excellent mentors in Entropia Universe but there is also the chance that you run into a so called disciple farmer, a player who takes on disciples for the sole reason to get a gif then any of his disciples graduates. They just make sure their disciples cannot leave them any more, but they do not help any of their disciples at all and are mostly unavailable.
Can I do something wrong by choosing a Mentor?
The short answer is: yes you can! If you accept mentorship there is only a very short timespan where you can change your mentor, as soon as you have 20 or more skillpoints in any of the disciple skills, you cannot leave your mentor nor can you get another mentor through the in game system. This can be a big problem if you find yourself stuck with a mentor who doesn't help you at all - and exactly this has happend more and more lately. Such "mentors" not only hurt their disciples, by not helping and frustrating them, they also cast a bad light on the whole mentor community, where so many excellent mentors provide an outstanding service to the Entropia Universe community.
How do I know if a Mentor is a good one?
As a new player it will be next to impossible to know for sure if a mentor is good or not. Especially since you do not have much time to get a mentor. Once you have 20 or more skill points in any of the disciple skills, you cannot get a mentor any more. So after a few quick hunting trips for example you might already be over the skill threshhold and not be able to get a mentor any more.
The EU Mentor Network is meant to give you a few contacts and pointers to start finding a mentor for you. Here are a few things to keep in mind when you look for a mentor:
- Choose a mentor in the right timezone and somebody who is online when you are. You will need to get ahold of your mentor, especially the first days and weeks.
- Mentors, who just put a gun and ammo in your hands, take you on a hunt, point at mobs for you to kill, and don't take tame to explain thisng in the beginning are most likely a bad choice! This behavior many times is meant to get you over the 20 skill points so you cank kick your mentor, and then they dont care about their disciple any more.
- A mentor should commit to some minimum standards like the Mentor Code.
- It always helps if other people can recommend a mentor. If a mentor is part of a society, ask around,a ask their society mates, ask at the New Arrival Zone, ask at Swamp Camp.
- Don't expect gifts and freebies from your mentor. Rather, go for a mentor who takes the time to explain things.
- Browse and search the Mentor List on this site, or check the mentoring forum at EntropiaForum.com.