New Player - Starting Class Advice

[Zheta]

Hi! I know this isn't the first thread on the subject, but I was hoping for some personalized advice.

I originally played EQ for about a year or two after it was released, and I loved the atmosphere and player-base. I also had the unfortunate problem of being a Ranger, and I would quickly fall behind friends and acquaintances in levels.

I am most interested in playing Project 1999 for the social and group aspects. Therefore, I want a very group friendly class. In most games I enjoy playing a support role or healing role. Though in many MMOs such as FFXI and WoW, I also really enjoy(ed) tanking.

Right now I am considering playing a Cleric or a Paladin. Do enough people play to consistently form groups? I think I would prefer to play a Cleric or another healer/support class, but I would gladly play Paladin if it would make grouping easier. I am, however, very afraid of the XP penalty.

Thanks for your time! :D

[Brutal_X]

I suggest you be whatever your most happy with because there are always groups willing to take what they can get. Most zones have enough for quite a few groups finding a group on P1999 has never been a problem for me. In the end... it's whatever your enjoy the most and are the most happy with =). Good luck and have fun on P1999!

[Elements]

Cleric is a solid choice if grouping and healing is what you want to do. Because of the exp penalty MANY people on this server would rather sit /LFG than group with a hybrid (aka pally). So if you wanna play a pally be prepared to struggle soloing along a lot of the time.

[Shivilian]

There are plenty of people leveling, any class should do just fine.

I have noticed that some people tend to shy away from inviting classes with high xp penalties, but in the end a group will take what they can get.

There are also a ton of helpful people out there. New players tend to get a lot of help in the form of low amounts of plat, lowbie gear and buffs pretty often.

Welcome to P99!

[Zheta]

Ok! Thanks for all the advice! I think I'll give Cleric a shot. :D

See you in game!

[Tierael]

Cleric name?

[Skittlez]

Cleric is a solid choice if grouping and healing is what you want to do. Because of the exp penalty MANY people on this server would rather sit /LFG than group with a hybrid (aka pally). So if you wanna play a pally be prepared to struggle soloing along a lot of the time.

Ignore this cat. Hybrids can find groups just fine, and Paladins can solo just fine with there healing abilities. I play paladin and it's freaking amazing.

[Zheta]

I kept it simple and chose Zheta for my High-Elf Cleric. :)

[Zheta]

I play paladin and it's freaking amazing.

No, YOU'RE freaking amazing. :p

[Cyph]

Firstly I would say play what ever you want to play. Secondly, I personally never turn away someone if there is room in a group. That said, either choice would be good as I find that I'm always chasing up tanks or Clerics for groups.

[Cillaz]

I agree with Cyph, most people will take a pally - its only min-maxers or high lev's that will turn away a hybrid due to the exp penalty. A tank is a tank at the end of the day, ill never turn one down!
slower exp is still more exp than /lfg!!!
And yes there are lots of groups going and plenty of people in all level ranges to play with!

[Elements]

Ignore this cat. Hybrids can find groups just fine, and Paladins can solo just fine with there healing abilities. I play paladin and it's freaking amazing.

I guess I don't have much experience in the level 31 range lately, perhaps this is true up to 31?

[Shivilian]

A few groups in the 20 to 30 range I have been in have expressed concerns over the xp penalty. They've never turned someone away because of it, but you know, It would seem if they had the choice, they would have avoided it.

Personally, I don't care. But I'm playing for more than just pixels and numbers.

[fuark]

I guess I don't have much experience in the level 31 range lately, perhaps this is true up to 31?

This. Any class is easy to get to 51. I soloed my ranger easily through the 30s and 40s, with groups mixed in for fun. 1-51 is the blink of an eye compared to 51-60.

Things start to change drastically at 40 plus, when mobs start having their life and damage exponentially increased. You can no longer solo remotely efficiently.

If you roll a hybrid as your first char, just be prepared for how slow it's going to be 51-60. That being said, hybrids are especially fun to play.

IMO, cleric is a much better first choice since you're on the fence. 8)

[Splorf22]

Fuark has it exactly right. By 51 no one is twinked, the mobs take forever to kill, and the levels are so long that people start to min/max hard. If you join a lot of mediocre groups, it's easy to spend 50 hours per level in the dreaded Kunark levels. If you have a full group humming perfectly, swapping the warrior for a paladin will probably reduce your xp by 10% or so (40/6 + lower dps).

The problem with a hybrid is that your greater versatility is the most important in the worst groups. For example, I saw Harmon (ranger) CC'ing KC LCY. He was doing a fine job . . . except their group sucked without an enchanter for charm/clarity/haste.

I really want to like hybrids. Ignoring the XP penalty, I just think that being able to melee and cast spells at the same time is pretty cool and makes for interesting game play. My problem is the endgame: evasive and defensive are just so huge, to the point that SKs and Paladins aren't used much in Kunark and probably won't be used at all in Velious. I would be totally down to have Sakuragi converted to a L1 shadowknight if I could keep the disciplines.

[Zheta]

So many responses! :)

So far I'm only level 2, but I'm enjoying getting lost all over again. I've already had a couple people woosh by and cast SoW.

I have been doing a few /who checks just to see what people are playing. I wish it didn't cut the list so short! I do hope I made the best choice for finding groups and meeting people. I suppose you all are saying that class choice doesn't matter, but I know I worry too much. I am keeping in the back of my mind how long it takes to level! :D

Eventually, if I did want to tank at all, I would need to play a Warrior (as opposed to Paladin and Shadow Knight)

***

Ding! Level 3! :P

[Cyph]

Any class is easy to get to 51. I soloed my ranger easily through the 30s and 40s, with groups mixed in for fun. 1-51 is the blink of an eye compared to 51-60.

Ouch... and I have no experience with Kunark nor with lvl 51-60!

[pharmakos]

I have been doing a few /who checks just to see what people are playing. I wish it didn't cut the list so short!

you can add the modifier "count" to /who all checks to get a number instead of a list of individual players

FOR EXAMPLE: "/who all count paladin" might say "There are 24 players on EverQuest.", so you'd know there are 24 paladins currently on the entire server

the "count" command sees through /anonymous and /roleplay, so the number you get is a true representation of how many of a particular class is online

(it also works with races and level ranges, btw)

[Zheta]

you can add the modifier "count" to /who all checks to get a number instead of a list of individual players

／人｡ ◕ ‿‿ ◕ ｡人＼

Awesome! Thanks!

Also, since you're being so helpful, is there a way to get rid of these messages?:

"Targeted (Player):Zheta
Right click on yourself to being up your own inspect window. Use the /toggleinspect command to enable or disable right-click inspecting."

"Targeted (NPC):X
Right click on the NPC to consider him."

etc.

***

WOW! Tierael just gave me some Platinum pieces and a set of bracelets! Thanks again!!! :D

[Vellaen]

Also, since you're being so helpful, is there a way to get rid of these messages?:

"Targeted (Player):Zheta
Right click on yourself to being up your own inspect window. Use the /toggleinspect command to enable or disable right-click inspecting."

"Targeted (NPC):X
Right click on the NPC to consider him."

etc.

Can't remember what the setting is in the client options screen, but I believe you can turn it off by opening "eqclient.ini" in your EverQuest directory and changing "LeftClickTargetHelp" from 1 to 0.

[Ravager]

If you really don't have a preference, and really do enjoy playing a cleric, then cleric is a fine choice. You'll never be lonely as a cleric. I was turning down group invites left and right on my cleric.

[Zheta]

I helped a random Enchanter out of the water and grouped with them until I reached level 4 last night. :D

Can't remember what the setting is in the client options screen, but I believe you can turn it off by opening "eqclient.ini" in your EverQuest directory and changing "LeftClickTargetHelp" from 1 to 0.

The line didn't exist in my ini file, but I tried adding it under [Defaults]. We'll see what happens when the server is back up.

Thanks again!!!

[Elements]

It sounds like you've made up your mind. You can't go wrong playing a cleric.

[Zheta]

You can't go wrong playing a cleric.

I've also been playing the fool. I've died twice pulling something without considering it first, and used the Strike spell on myself in the middle of fighting. Furthermore, I sandwiched myself in-between the arm of the Kelethin elevator and the upper platform just because I could.

At least I've gotten familiar with /corpse. :D

[Shivilian]

Oh man, my first group on p99 consisted of me mezing myself on the first pull. It's like a rite of passage.