The quests for the original epics, retroactively named "1.0", were released under Kunark with the September 19, 2000 patch. The patch notes read:
*New Epic Quests*
We are pleased to announce that we have implemented new "Fiery Avenger"
style quests for every class in the game (including paladins). The
ultimate reward for each quest boasts a custom model with unique
particle effects. We think that you will be pleased.
Good luck to everyone on your quest.
What followed was a world-wide hunt for clues and hints, hailing mysterious new NPCs and judging whether new or old drops could be part of the epic quests. Some epic quests were easier than other and were completed quicker. The rewards were also slightly varied; monks got a pair of gloves with a special innate effect, and magicians got a spell that summoned their epic weapon. Some classes received two weapons as a reward.
As early as late Velious, a few classes already started replacing their epics with dropped loot from dragons, and an expansion later, most epic weapons were mostly obsolete in terms of damage and stats. In modern EQ, only a tiny handful of epics remain useful in certain situations.
Completing an Epic 1.0 today rewards an achievement called "Epic 1.0". The quests are also be worth doing just to experience them, with all the travel and lore that they entail. To this day, some quests have major roadblocks or timesinks that have not been reduced over the years. These typically include waiting for a boss or a rare mob to spawn, or getting lucky with a rare drop.
Almost all classes can start looking into soloing their epics around level 60-70, although some will be blocked at death touching bosses. Some epics have restrictions in place that prevent characters below level 46 from completing them.
In the overview below are links to guides for the respective epic quest. I recommend following some of the first links, as I have given priority to guides with roleplay, pictures and lore. The ZAM guides are good if you just want the facts plus item and NPC links.
1 Bard
2 Beastlord
3 Berserker
4 Cleric
5 Druid
6 Enchanter
7 Magician
8 Monk
9 Necromancer
10 Paladin
11 Ranger
12 Rogue
13 Shadow Knight
14 Shaman
15 Warrior
16 Wizard
Reward: Singing Short Sword
Special effects: Functions as all instruments. Procs Dance of the Blade, a group buff that increases Haste, STR and ATK. Focus: Performance Resonance 8.
Use in modern EQ: Little to none.
Major roadblocks and timesinks: Kedge Backbone off Phinigel Autropos in Kedge Keep, an uncommon drop. Red and White Dragon Scales. Petrified Werewolf Skull off a Drolvarg Warlord in Karnor's Castle. Waiting for An Undead Bard in Sebilis.
Walkthroughs and guides:
- ZAM - Bard Epic: Singing Short Sword
- EQthieves - Bard Epic 1.0 Singing Short Sword
- Almar's Guides - Bard Epic Checklist
The Beastlord class didn't exist during Kunark, but an 1.0 epic quest was introduced retroactively. It is more "gentle" in the sense that it does not include absurd contested raid camps and such.
Reward: Claw of the Savage Spirit (Primary) and Claw of the Savage Spirit (Secondary)
Special effects: Primary weapon procs Sha's Vengeance, a slow and DoT. Secondary weapon provides haste and ATK.
Use in modern EQ: The primary weapon procs a slow, which can be useful against all monsters even in modern content. Beastlords can already cast slow spells though, so its usefulness is limited.
Major roadblocks and timesinks:
Walkthroughs and guides:
- ZAM - Beastlord Epic: Claw of the Savage Spirit
- EQthieves - Beastlord Epic 1.0 Claw of the Savage Spirit
Reward: Kerasian Axe of Ire
Special effects: Provides ATK, AC and 40% haste.
Use in modern EQ: Little to none.
Major roadblocks and timesinks:
Walkthroughs and guides:
Reward: Water Sprinkler of Nem Ankh
Special effects: Clickie: Cast Reviviscence on a corpse (96% resurrection).
Use in modern EQ: 96% resurrection is still the highest regular form of resurrection, although Clerics get an AA at level 65 that also performs a 96% resurrection.
Major roadblocks and timesinks: Farming Pearlescent Fragments in Skyfire. Potentially waiting for Zordak Ragefire to spawn.
Walkthroughs and guides:
- EQ Cleric Forums - Cleric Epic 1.0
- ZAM - Cleric Epic: Water Sprinkler of Nem Ankh
- EQthieves - Cleric Epic 1.0 Water Sprinkler of Nem Ankh
- Almar's Guides - Cleric Epic 1.0 Checklist
Reward: Nature Walkers Scimitar
Special effects: Clickie: Wrath of Nature, a 55hp/tick DoT.
Use in modern EQ: Little to none.
Major roadblocks and timesinks: Foraging quest items. Finding Venril Sathir up. Camping tainted/corrupted monsters.
Walkthroughs and guides:
- ZAM - Druid Epic: Nature Walker's Scimitar
- EQthieves - Druid Epic 1.0 Nature Walker's Scimitar
- Almar's Guides - Druid Epic Checklist
Reward: Staff of the Serpent
Special effects: Clickie: Speed of the Shissar, a buff providing Haste, AGI and AC.
Use in modern EQ: Little to none.
Major roadblocks and timesinks: Spoon from Cazel. Finding Felia Goldenwing in Skyfire Mountains. Finding Wraith of a Shissar up in Plane of Fear.
Walkthroughs and guides:
- Diku Goldenmind's Enchanter Epic Quest Guide
- ZAM - Enchanter Epic: Staff of the Serpent
- EQthieves - Enchanter Epic 1.0 Staff of the Serpent
- Almar's Guides - Enchanter Epic 1.0 Checklist
Reward: Spell: Summon Orb which summons Orb of Mastery
Special effects: Clickie: Summons a powerful pet (Manifest Elements).
Use in modern EQ: Little to none.
Major roadblocks and timesinks: Tracking down Quillmane in The Southern Plains of Karana. Staff of Elemental Mastery: Water from Phinigel Autropos in Kedge Keep. Crown of Elemental Mastery from the 7th island in The Plane of Sky. Many other small drops that might require hours or days of camping.
Walkthroughs and guides:
- Rohane's Ultimate Magician Epic Quest Guide
- EQmagicians.com - Magician Epic 1.0: Orb of Mastery
- ZAM - Magician Epic: Orb of Mastery
- EQthieves - Magician Epic 1.0 Orb of Mastery
- Almar's Guides - Magician 1.0 Epic Quest
Reward: Celestial Fists
Special effects: Clickie: Celestial Tranquility, an 18-second "song" buff that provides 40% Haste, ATK and AC. When equipped, makes the Hand to Hand ratio of the Monk 9/16.
Use in modern EQ: Clickable from inventory, and thus a nice 40% Haste buff if you don't want to use potions nor have access to Haste spells.
Major roadblocks and timesinks: Initial quests for the Robe of the Whistling Fists require potentially very long camps in both the old world and in Kunark.
Walkthroughs and guides:
- Bodi Kibadachi's Everquest - The Celestial Fists
- ZAM - Monk Epic: Celestial Fists
- EQthieves - Monk Epic 1.0 Celestial Fists
- Almar's Guides - Monk Epic 1.0 Guide
Reward: Scythe of the Shadowed Soul
Special effects: Clickie: Torment of Shadows, a 75hp/tick DoT with Snare.
Use in modern EQ: Little to none.
Major roadblocks and timesinks: Herb from Chardok. Cloak of Spiroc Feathers quest from The Plane of Sky. Slime Blood of Cazic Thule from The Plane of Fear.
Walkthroughs and guides:
- Drexxell's EQ Necromancer Epic Scrapbook
- ZAM - Necromancer Epic: Scythe of the Shadowed Soul
- EQthieves - Necromancer Epic 1.0 Scythe of Shadowed Souls
- Almar's Guides - Necromancer Epic 1.0 Checklist
Reward: Fiery Defender
Special effects: Procs Holy Shock, which does 155 damage and a short stun.
Use in modern EQ: Little to none.
Major roadblocks and timesinks: Requires the Paladin Fiery Avenger sword, which is obtained from a long, classic quest involving killing dragons.
- The Role-Player's Guide to Paladin Holy Swords
- Bonzz's Fiery Defender Quest
- ZAM - Paladin Epic: Fiery Defender
- EQthieves - Paladin Epic 1.0 Fiery Defender
- Almar's Guides - Paladin Epic 1.0 Check List
Reward: Earthcaller and Swiftwind
Special effects: Earthcaller procs Earthcall, a 50% slow and a 20hp/tick DoT. Swiftwind provides 40% Haste and some ATK.
Use in modern EQ: Earthcaller's 50% slow proc is top notch in terms of slow proc weapons.
Major roadblocks and timesinks: Shattered Emerald of Corruption from The Plane of Hate. Several foraged items that might take a while to find. Finding Venril Sathir alive in Karnor's Castle.
- Runengetums Ranger Epic 1.0 guide
- ZAM - Ranger Epic: Swiftwind and Earthcaller
- EQthieves - Ranger Epic 1.0 Swiftwind / Earthcaller
- Almar's Guides - Swiftwind and Earthcaller Epic 1.0 Checklist
Reward: Ragebringer
Special effects: Provides 40% Haste and some ATK.
Use in modern EQ: Little to none.
Major roadblocks and timesinks: None; one of the easiest epic quests.
- Project1999 Wiki - Rogue Epic Quest
- Rohane's Ultimate Rogue Epic Quest Guide
- ZAM - Rogue Epic: Ragebringer
- EQthieves - Rogue Epic 1.0 Ragebringer
- Almar's Guides - Rogue Epic 1.0
Reward: Innoruuk's Curse
Special effects: Procs Soul Consumption, a 50hp/tick lifetap DoT.
Use in modern EQ: Little to none.
Major roadblocks and timesinks: Getting Soul Leech, Dark Sword of Blood, which drops off the golems in The Plane of Fear. Making Lhranc spawn in The City of Mist.
- Evilgamer.net - Innoruuk's Curse Walkthrough (Epic 1.0)
- ZAM - Shadowknight Epic: Innoruuk's Curse
- EQthieves - Shadow Knight Epic 1.0 Innoruuk's Curse
- Almar's Guides - Shadowknight Epic 1.0 Checklist
Reward: Spear of Fate
Special effects: Clickie: Curse of the Spirits, a DoT that does increasing damage with time.
Use in modern EQ: Little to none.
Major roadblocks and timesinks: Finding one of the three golems up in The Plane of Fear, which upon their death spawn the Iksar broodling.
- ZAM - Shaman Epic: Spear of Fate
- EQthieves - Shaman Epic 1.0 Spear of Fate
- Almar's Guides - Shaman Epic 1.0 Guide
Reward: Jagged Blade of War, which can be split into Blade of Strategy and Blade of Tactics
Special effects: Jagged Blade of War procs Rage of Zek, which does 175 damage and increases Hate. Blade of Strategy procs Rage of Vallon, which does 100 damage and increases Hate. Blade of Tactics has a worn effect that provides ATK, AC and DEX.
Use in modern EQ: Little to none.
Major roadblocks and timesinks: Ball of Everliving Golem from one of the golems in The Plane of Fear. Spiroc Wingblade from The Spiroc Lord, a deathtouching boss on the 6th island of The Plane of Sky.
- ZAM - Warrior Epic: Jagged Blade of War
- EQthieves - Warrior Epic 1.0 Jagged Blade of War
- Almar's Guides - Warrior Epic 1.0 Guide
Reward: Staff of the Four
Special effects: Clickie: Barrier of Force, a 796hp Rune that also provides 3 mana/tick.
Use in modern EQ: Little to none.
Major roadblocks and timesinks: Blue Crystal Staff, a rare drop from Phinigel Autropos in Kedge Keep. Gnarled Staff from Venril Sathir. Finding a broken golem up in The Plane of Fear.
- ZAM - Wizard Epic: Staff of the Four
- EQthieves - Wizard Epic 1.0 The Staff of Four
- Almar's Guides - Wizard Epic 1.0 Guide