Need help to pick a class for my main that will allow me to solo, group, and raid

[Tayen]

Hey everyone!

I'm going to be returning to project 99 blue after a few months off, and I'm really pondering what class I want to play. I started a Shaman last time and played him to level 9, but I want to start fresh this time around, as I didn't really enjoy the Shaman as much as I thought I would, as I think I primarily chose the class based on its end game viability, more than what I actually enjoyed personally.

Whenever I think of a class I want to play, I always get caught up in mulling over the viability of my choice in the late game. This character will be my main, and I guess I just don't want to make a class choice that I'm going to struggle with / regret after I've poured months of time into a character, especially since I do want to experience both solo and group play, and even raiding eventually.

I've narrowed down my choices and pros/cons for classes in order of preference below - if anyone could help me narrow down my choice further and/or maybe put my mind at ease as to how viable the classes are at a higher level, I'd appreciate it!

1. Ranger
+ Nostalgia - my first ever character was a Ranger way back in 2000
+ Dual Wield / Bow is appealing to me
+ Spells to keep things interesting
- Hard to solo
- From everything I've read, it seems like Rangers are not liked very much in groups or raiding either

2. Druid
+ Teleporation would be extremely handy
+ Wide range of spells
+ Also get Tracking
+ Easy to solo
- Similar to Ranger, Druids seem to get passed over for groups, and their power seems to fade the higher level they get

3. Necromancer
+ Overall theme of transferring/draining life and mana is appealing
+ Pets
+ Great at soloing
- Evil race faction grind can be a pain
- Seem to have more of a "mana battery" role in higher level groups via twitching, as opposed to doing damage

4. Shaman
+ Great soloing at higher levels
+ Always wanted for groups
- Thematically doesn't really suit what I'm looking for in a class
- Since this will be my main, leveling without any gear would be a real pain

[nyclin]

Necromancer. Great first character, basically no gear requirements, fairly desirable for raiding, and you have multiple raid roles you can fulfill. Worst case you can use it to farm gear for your "real" main if you get bored.

Raid pulls here are probably a bit different from what you'll remember on live, and Necros can play an important part in the train-up aspect of the pull.

[Skaaka]

Necros are great! It doesn't really matter much if you're doing DPS in a group so long as you have something to do. Not a *huge* difference between jumping around your party healing/twitching people and jumping around the mobs nuking/DoTing them. Necros also gets charms and mes and lull which are v fun in group situations and with FD you can be an emergency puller.

Necro very underrated group class!

[xaxis]

Well, you seem to be rolling on blue (and while I enjoy red over blue I won't try to sell you on it), your biggest point for druids is nearly a non issue. Unless you play in the extreme off hours, i've never had trouble getting s port on blue so take that for what you will.

What you have on rangers is pretty true, they, and their players, are usually laughing stocks. Also keep in mind since you played one on live that this is velious era and bow rangers aren't really viable until Luclin.

Don't roll sham. I like sham but if it feels tedious to you or you don't enjoy it, you won't stick with it so whats the point?

Another perk in necro favor is that they are very gear INdependant so its easy to start.

Personally I started on blue, got a sham to 16, rerolled enchanter on red and haven't looked back. Mana regen + the ability to go almost anywhere (including more than cities) without aggro on top of high grp/raid desirability = awesome. Plus, I just enjoy how the class plays (which I didn't originally expect) so bonus!

[Samoht]

Of your choices, Shaman > Druid (outdoors) = Necro (undead) > Ranger

[Expediency]

Druid is an excellent first choice for a character. It is true that once you get around level 25 that people start discriminating against druids, but that is really the only downside. At 60 druids are useful at raids now that velious is out. 55-59 not so much but still not awful.

Easily outweighed by the positives...
-Druids can port, and you will not get rich but you'll always have walking around money
-Druids can solo viably in three different ways: charming, root rotting, and quadding
-Druids are great in small group situations
-Druids are asked to do lots of different things so you get a change of pace depending on the raid situation.

[iruinedyourday]

Save your Ranger for when you roll red one day.. its a fun class to play on red, not hte best but fun! [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

Also a druid is 10,000 more fun on red than a blue one.

I agree with some above posters, I would do a necro based on what you outlined as your desires.

[Pyrion]

Necro and druid are both nice first chars. Necro starts powerfull and stays powerfull over all levels. Druids have it harder in later levels, mostly because they can not heal very well at that stage, so they are not wanted a lot in groups. But druids can port, so that's an easy way to make money. Also druid buffs are absolutely great for fresh characters, so you can be a hero there.

I would recommend necro, and make that an iksar necro. You do not really need any faction grind, you just need to know how to operate with your faction. There are vendors all over norrath who will deal with you. Banking can be done creatively with the use of invis and FD (look it up). Necro is incredibly versatile. You can dot, nuke, CC (even mez), charm, heal (arguably even better than a druid, my necro has been main healer at several occasions), twitch, fear kite, rez... and at the same time, if anything goes wrong, you can just FD.

[lllinkk]

So much hate on rangers! Don't listen to the hype man I main a ranger on live and I main one on p99 and I have a ton of fun! I got some hand me downs you can have too! Rangers are awesome!

[Tayen]

Wow! Thank you everyone for your responses! I think it is going to be Necromancer for me then - I didn't realize they brought so much utility in a group setting. From every guide I've read, it seems to indicate that Iksar is the way to go for the regeneration, but is regeneration really a deal-breaker? I've always been partial to Dark Elves, but can go Iksar if it makes my life a lot easier down the line.