Hello BDO community.

I recently downloaded the game and decided to try out the trial. I have a few questions regarding seasons, if you don't mind.

1. I read that the new season will start on the 22nd of December. Should I just wait until that day to create a character and start playing?

2. If I do create a character now, will I be able to use that same character once the season starts?

3. Lets say #2 is an option, will I then have to do the same quest over once the season starts?

4. What would you reccomend I focus on as a new player before the season starts?

This last question isn't really about seasons, but the game in general:
*Is there no subscription model to the game?

I see a trial period, but no sub model so I'm confused. Maybe I overlooked something. 

Thank you in advance for any help you are able to provide.

Kosef

1, Yes

2, No

3, -

4, Find a class that you want to play.

There is no subscription.

You don't need to wait for seasons. You can start now, find a class that you enjoy, then you create a new one on seasons. It doesn't really matter, leveling is very fast anyway. THe point of seasons is the free gear.

Hey, man. I'll give my opinions on your questions. :)

1) Yes. New season is coming on 22th of December. It also depends from your choice, if you should wait or not. If you really want to play the game, level up your first character and then make an alt of your choice, when a season comes.

2) It's not possible.

3) Same as above. No need to discuss it.

4) If you are playing before the winter season begins you can level up for example your first character and get the idea, how to level up, get gear, enhance it, recover it's max. durability(if needed), collect silver, energy from various sources(be it from exploring, mob killing, npc talking and e.t.c.).

There is no monthly subscription. You just buy the game and you have it permanently.

I hope I helped.

Thank you for the replies. 

So lets say I create a new character now and get him leveled. Then create a new character at the start of the season. Once the season is over will progression be transfered to my original character in terms of levels/crafting etc. Or would my seasonal character just show up as additional normal character at that point?

I'm basically trying to understand if my character I create now is just a mess around character to learn the game, and then my seasonal character would be my main?

Your season character's progress will be transfered at the end of the season or after you certify it earlier. Nothing will be lost. However you won't be able to enhance tuvalla anymore. Tuvalla is a season type of gear.

One more thing. I downloaded the game client from the website. So do I still need to purchase it on steam? I'd rather use the launcher from peral abyss if possible. 

You can eather get the game via the webpage or steam not both or you will end up with 2 accounts(doesnt matter which one you chose we both play on same server but you need to chose one option, my suggestion wud be chose website and buy game directly from PA).

Just one thing to rember once you decide and get the game via one of those 2 ways that also determines where in future you need to buy things if theres anything you desire.

1. you can wait or just get it now play these 14 days on current season to get some rewards(no need for optional season pass buying for that cuz that one just gives you more rewards), it is perfectly doable to get the season done within those 14 days and collect all the rewards and easy gear that comes with that, however that might be a bit problematic for someone thats completly new to the game.(doable if you have some friends already playing that will help you out or just watch some guides and ofc have decent time avilable to play in those 14 days).

2. While you cant use your char from this season to play with it in next season, char gets changed to regular char and keeps all gear and stuff you gathered during the season, after that you can play only on regular servers on it and can not go into season servers(season servers have incresed xp rates, all except one have no pvp in them and they drop season mats for making/enhancing your season gear-this one gets converted to nomral gear after season graduation and cant be further enhanced)

3. You can skip parts of main story and decide on diferent routes within them on your second char, however i wud still suggest doin the storyline for someone thats new to the game.

4. Depends if you plan to play this current season or not, in general find class you like as somoene already said

Now to go to  a bit more detailed answer about subscription, there is no subscription or payable dlcs/expansions in BDO you get the game and all future/past content. However in the cashshop you do have forms of optional subscription like items(value pack,old moon book etc...) and ofcourse a bunch of cosmetic/convinience/qol items which can make your progression faster and easier.

OK so purpose of season is smoother leveling experience with gear that is quite decent and much cheaper and easy to make then normal gear. There are some extra rewards for season too.

However if oyu arethrilled to play the game, do not wait for season and start right away.

BDO has two types of progression - character based and account based.

Character based progress is basically your character. Your level, number of yoru skill points, your gear etc.

However you soon find out, that most gear can be used by any of your character (armor and accesories and in case charaters share same weapons, then weapons too, but that is rarely the case). There is more to the account we progression tho. Basically all knowledge you obtain on your character transfers to your account. Thsoe things being:

- Revelation of map

- Contribution points (currency being used to unlocking various nodes, houses, rent things from npc etc. - it is not currency per say, as everything you no longer want oyu give back to npcs and get your currency back, so it is versatile nad more CP you have the better)

- Energy (similar to contribution points, it is required to do some actions like gathering, trading for more knowledge, certain npc actions etc. this energy regenerates over time up to the cap that you slowly build up)

- Knowledge (literally knowledge of places, things, npcs, mobs that expand your lore about the world and also increasing your energy cap)

- Some quest progression (lot of quests is tied to knowledge for example or having something done before hand, so if you are doing quests with new character, sometimes you just start and deliver it right away)

- Worker and village infrastructure (basically you slowly building up your empire of workers that gather and craft stuff for you, using various lodges you are slwoly unlocking, using crafting houses you unlock for them etc.)

-Warehouses (Eatch city has its warehous and that is tied to account, so all stuff you deposit you can retrieve and use with other chracters)

- Pets (helpful creatures that collect loot for you and give minor combat and/or lifeskill bonuses, all are account we and you can use them with every character)

- Fairy (fairy companion, similar to pets but different)

- Horses (your horses can be trained and used by all your characters, each horse is unique and you can tame horses to use with other characters for example)

- Ships (same as horses but more complex)

- Many other things I dont have time to mention or forgot

That sa, you will find out that BDO is not your typical MMO and it is beneficial for you to have lot of characters. Before you will dece who your main is, you will inevitably be trying more es. Ofcourse it is rewarded if you focus hard on one character, your alts will have their uses. For example:

- Character near city with good warehouse and near market place, so you can just swiftly relog, trade something you need, feed up your workers and pets and then log back to your main

- Boss hunter alts, later in the game you find out some significant bosses are spawning all over the world and it is good ea to have alt with average gear on that spot that you will fight the boss with. It saves you travel time and also wont risk your xp in case you die or crystals from your main gear being broken

- Life skill alts - some players prefer doing life skills on different character from their combat character. Or simply have dedicated character in some gathering spots to get concrete material

- Basic energy generation. There are things you can do with energy that slwoly generates over time even on characters that are not logged in. The most basic raw profit that you can make is log these characters every once in a while and convert unused energy into potion that you cna use later on your main character or simply sell. Profit from selling isnt great per say, but it for sure is lot of silver for basically no effort.

What I am trying to say is this - dont fear to start the game right now, when season hits, make seasonal character too and you wont have to worry about time being wasted, because every character on your account can have its use even if you dece it is not something you would like to play as your main.

Oh and do not miss out on season. Read some gues how to get your seasonal gear to maximum enhancement and it will help your family growth a lot.

Have fun in BDO!

Just to clarify Krastonosezs answer to this question becasue I think he wasn't clear enough.

When season ends your season char will become a normal char! Your first char will be untouched!

beat me to it.

Yeah, your seasonal character become an additional normal character at the end of a season. It has its own levels and points; they are not added to your first character.

Season gives you a boost to leveling, while on a seasonal sever. Your seasonal character can go on seasonal server and normal servers at any time.