Mage or Shaman?

[VincentVolaju]

Hey all so in the last 2 weeks or so I have been twinking/trying out diff class's to see which I like the most and which is more my play style. I really like my Druid main, alot actually. I love porting around, I love SoW, I love the buffs and I love being able to solo. The only problem is, there is soooo many of us and getting groups takes awhile, sometimes I am forced to solo because I just cant find a group heh. Soloing is fun, but I just don't wanna play the whole game that way.

Basically, what I am looking for is a class that is usually always wanted and can easily find groups without having to look very hard. While at the same time be able to solo pretty easily when I dont have time / feel like grouping. I tried Tanks thinking they would be easy get groups with, but I think the whole play style of them just isn't my style and they can't really solo. I usually play caster type class's, healers, support, dps, anything really.

Any what it comes down to is a Mage or Shaman it seems. Ive played a Mage a bit and they seem like the "safe" choice. Ive only gotten it to level 12 but so far the play style feels easy mode soloing, I just send pet in, heal it and watch the xp bar go up. I like being able to solo pretty much anything, without having much down time due to mana, like I do on my Druid. However, I don't really know how well or often Mages get groups? I am guessing there are ton's of them because of how easily they can solo, so maybe I would run into the same problem as my Druid, too many of the class and no room for them in groups?

As far as Shaman, I haven't really played one at all. However talking to people in game it seems like they get alot of stuff that my Druid has, SoW, Regen spells, better Buff spells like Haste. Also I am told they can solo "alright", pretty much just debuff, dot then tank it down, yeah? I don't really know how many Shamans there are on the server or how often there wanted in groups, but I am guessing they do ok because of there buffs + heals, but at the same time my Druid has buffs and heals so I cant really base it off that.

Anyway, thats my dilemma. Ive been changing my mind and testing out diff class's so much lately it is driving me crazy lol. So whichever class I pick out of these two is going to be the one I stick with, so I was hoping I could get some more info, advice and opinions about them before I make up my mind.

Thanks all!!!

[Critical Error]

Im going based off what I remember back in early 2k...

But basically I find shaman more useful, though def harder to level up. A mage will bring to a group DPS and pretty much more DPS. Maybe you can count off-tanking, but that isnt the real job of a mage imo. A shaman will bring a lot to the group, not even going to list off everything I remeber. So if your goal is to be more group friendly, then sham is the way to go.

All that said, my experience on P99 has been the other way. I have only grouped with a sham on few occasions. Maybe because the server pop is low, maybe because other people putting together groups dont like sham for some reason. I personally remember that they were always super useful to have.

[Koota]

Basically, what I am looking for is a class that is usually always wanted and can easily find groups without having to look very hard. While at the same time be able to solo pretty easily when I dont have time / feel like grouping. I tried Tanks thinking they would be easy get groups with, but I think the whole play style of them just isn't my style and they can't really solo. I usually play caster type class's, healers, support, dps, anything really.





Enchanter.

[Reiker]

Mages are the best Dps until 50, so yeah, groups want them. More than a shaman.

[makoho]

id go with shaman.

[h0tr0d (shaere)]

gnome, class dont matter.

[Tronjer]

I'd go with a Shaman. They can contribute a lot to groups, like buff, heal, slow, haste, etc., and still have solo abilities.

[Phatso]

gnome, class dont matter.

quoted for truth

[Pyrocat]

Mage if you're looking for EZ-mode to 50.

Shaman if you're looking for a class with more depth and challenge.

[UrsusMajor]

I'd say Shaman mainly because I see/grouped with lots of mages but rarely do I see a Shaman and get one on group while leveling.

[Goethe]

So far I've played my shaman to level 9, and whilst there definitely are fewer shamans, they are more difficult to level than mages. Shaman's slow spells have tremendous utility in grouping situations, especially at higher levels. If you can handle the difficulty in leveling a shaman, I think you will be rewarded with your versatility and usefulness to groups.

Vanderlyle
Ogre Shaman

[olderj]

I also wanted to add that the Shaman pet is no pushover. You will have to wait till level 24 or something before you get one, but he does a pretty decent job... especially with your slow, haste, dots and heals. It's no mage pet... but you WILL be able to solo after you get him.

~huffle

[bionicbadger]

I also wanted to add that the Shaman pet is no pushover. You will have to wait till level 24 or something before you get one, but he does a pretty decent job... especially with your slow, haste, dots and heals. It's no mage pet... but you WILL be able to solo after you get him.

~huffle

pet is at 34, its a long wait.

24 is cannibalize and regen though, and that makes playing a shaman all worth it.

also the shaman pet isn't a great tank, its barely adequate, even with slows. You have to HP buff it and ensure that regen is on it all the time, or it wont last more than a couple mobs. Its more like an extra DoT. It is a big help, don't get me wrong, but its not good at tanking big hitting mobs.

And you don't need the pet to solo, shaman can solo from 1-50 if you want. just root and rot.

And once you hit 49, with envenomed bolt and plague, shaman DPS is up near the top.

[ShadowWulf]

It can take my shammt between 30 minutes to 14 days to get a group, depending on the weeks server class FOTM.

Fact of the matter is the server is overun with healers which is your main utility. The other night I finally got a group just to realize we had a druid, a cleric, a shammy....and no damn tank. Id say I love the class but go with a mage as in most situations DPS, tanks, and pet tanking abilitys seem to be more in demand in the mid levels at least than another healer #357821

[stormiejs]

Shaman is pretty fun, not going to lie!

[VincentVolaju]

Fact of the matter is the server is overun with healers which is your main utility. The other night I finally got a group just to realize we had a druid, a cleric, a shammy....and no damn tank. Id say I love the class but go with a mage as in most situations DPS, tanks, and pet tanking abilitys seem to be more in demand in the mid levels at least than another healer #357821

Thats what I am afraid of =( That Shamans are more group friendly, however I will still get groups less because theres so many healers and not enough dps lol =/ This is only game Ive ever played where there is more support class's then DPS / Tanks

[Vigilance]

The thing with mages is you can solo to 50 easily enough, and you can also get groups easily enough, if you feel inclined that day.


Soloing is always going to be superior xp as a mage, though.