Clr/Ench vs Dru/Ench

[Hailto]

I have finally convinced my wife to play p99 with me. Trying to decide what kind of duo we want to do. She hasn't played EQ before so I would probably have her start with either the cleric or druid and I would play the Ench since it's a bit more complex to play.

Question is how much better is a cleric/Ench combo over druid/Ench? I'm tempted to do druid just for ports and sow, but does the better buffs and heals outweigh the convienevece of ports and sow? We will be exclusively duoing or grouping together on these chars so in a purely duo context?

What would you do?

[Samoht]

Ports and SoW aren't that important. You can't even cast SoW indoors and the enchanter is most likely not going to zone out, anyway. If you do, you can always click a pot or Jboots, anyway. And anybody can port.

Cleric is heads and shoulders above druid for heals. And then there's rezzes...

But there's more to the decision to which one is better, which is indisputably cleric. Which is a better fit long term for the player. Clerics will rely on groups. Clerics will get abused by groups and raids. Druids have a more solo-friendly or casual path to xp.

Which may be more accommodating to someone who has never played before.

[loramin]

Ports and SoW aren't that important.

:rolleyes: Someone doesn't value their own time very highly.

[starkind]

Hp buffs, symbol is nice. Ch on a buffed pet is also pretty slick.

Snare and ports and eventually potg is pretty decent.

I think in the end clr+ench is the most powerful. Gg beating that.

...I was hitting like 7k chs easily on some charmed pets and that wasn't even like a velious giant or anything cool.

Don't forget stun and FoL on clr. Can easily agro mobs, stun them, blind them making recharming a breeze.

[Trexller]

+1 to clr / ench

[ThonDaMan]

Let her choose what sounds fun to her, even if it's the worst race & class possible that you have to work your ass off to keep alive. And even can't duo.

Then go through good 'ole EQ grouping w/o worrying about min-maxing or making her play a class she'll hate and quit in 5 minutes or 5 days.

[starkind]

Let her choose what sounds fun to her, even if it's the worst race & class possible that you have to work your ass off to keep alive. And even can't duo.

Then go through good 'ole EQ grouping w/o worrying about min-maxing or making her play a class she'll hate and quit in 5 minutes or 5 days.

That too

[Darkwulf58]

Husband: Where do want to go for dinner?
Wife: I don't know.

Once you're seated at the restaurant you chose ...

Husband: Have you decided what you want to order?
Wife: I don't know.

Once home and logged into P99 ...

Husband: Which class do you want to play?
Wife: I don't know.
Husband: Well ... which race do you want to play?
Wife: I don't know.

After you've made the character for her ...

Husband: Where you going?!
Wife: My favorite TV show's on.
Husband: Will you play later?
Wife: I don't know.

[Crede]

I have finally convinced my wife to play p99 with me. Trying to decide what kind of duo we want to do. She hasn't played EQ before so I would probably have her start with either the cleric or druid and I would play the Ench since it's a bit more complex to play.

Question is how much better is a cleric/Ench combo over druid/Ench? I'm tempted to do druid just for ports and sow, but does the better buffs and heals outweigh the convienevece of ports and sow? We will be exclusively duoing or grouping together on these chars so in a purely duo context?

What would you do?

Enchanter/druid will out level cleric/enchanter if your wife is down to charm animals and you exclusively level in those types of zones. But in the long run enc/cleric is way more powerful it just depends on how far you want to go with it and whether you think your wife will want to maintain a charmed animal at all times.

[Hailto]

Husband: Where do want to go for dinner?
Wife: I don't know.

Once you're seated at the restaurant you chose ...

Husband: Have you decided what you want to order?
Wife: I don't know.

Once home and logged into P99 ...

Husband: Which class do you want to play?
Wife: I don't know.
Husband: Well ... which race do you want to play?
Wife: I don't know.

After you've made the character for her ...

Husband: Where you going?!
Wife: My favorite TV show's on.
Husband: Will you play later?
Wife: I don't know.

Lol, I think she will actually play regularly as long as I am on. She played briefly years ago and liked it but I kinda neglected leveling with her cause I was too busy poopsocking dragons on my shaman. Those days have passed now.

[Gustoo]

Cleric / enchanter way better.

Traveling speed is the least important time drain in EQ.

Being able to complete heal super high HP pets is not even close to the utility that a druid brings to the table.

Plus cleric can double down on roots / atones and stuff that druid can't in deep dungeons where harmony doesn't work.

And has better HP buffs to keep squishball enchanter alive.

Its an insane combo what can be done with cleric and enchanter. Mostly stuff enchy can do solo but with cleric it becomes not intensely sketchy on a charm break.

[Danth]

I'm tempted to do druid just for ports and sow, but does the better buffs and heals outweigh the convienevece of ports and sow?

Samoht's assessment appears good from a maximum-level and long term standpoint.

For leveling the druid is pretty much better. The cleric doesn't have most of its important advantages until later on, and even when you get stuff like complete heal you don't particularly need it in an enchanter-based duo until much later. On the other hand the druid gains several of its best advantages much earlier, like spirit of wolf at level 14. The druid also has better offensive ability than the cleric and allows the duo to fight better without totally relying on charm if you need to do that. If you aren't sure your wife will actually stick with the game the druid might be the safer choice if you don't already have one because if she quits, having access to a level 40ish druid is dramatically more useful than a similarly-leveled cleric.

Long term, both duos end up doing most the same areas and have similar ceilings in capability. The cleric is usually preferred since things like higher health buffs, additional stuns for charm breaks, complete heal and rezz tend to outweigh the druid's advantages. In either case you'll mostly duo stuff the enchanter can actually solo and the partner mostly exists to increase his safety and keep things smooth. Having access to an immediate rez, alone, allows the enchanter to be more aggressive with his lulling and pulling than he might otherwise want to be.

Samoht's assessment of relative group/raid desirability is correct. The cleric is more wanted, but more wanted translates into more people mad at you if you goof. If your wife is experienced with MMO-RPGs in general and simply new to EQ then that isn't necessarily a problem--she would understand what it means to be a main healer type--but I'd think twice about the cleric or any other high-responsibility character if she's a MMOG newbie entirely, especially if she's the sensitive sort. I've seen people driven out of the game due to being yelled at for making newbie mistakes. P1999 has all too many aggressive socially inept nerd types who are quick to anger and short on patience.

Danth

[Toxigen]

Don't listen to half these guys trying to say druid is just as strong as cleric for an enchanter. That's total bullshit.

Here's what you should do:

If you want a druid in your stable of characters, make a necro to duo with the druid. Get her exposed to all the various mechanics and play styles that combo can offer (fear kite, undead charm, animal charm, root rot, etc). That'll build a solid foundation of understanding the game itself.

If you burn out, get bored, etc...then start the cleric + enchanter duo.

1 character per account so either of you can log the druid to port the other characters, or the cleric to rez, etc.

Those 4 classes can duo with eachother at various strengths....so if you make it into the 50s you could experiment with different combos.

Honestly, necro + enchanter is the fastest leveling duo combo once you hit 34 and go to kaesora and both of you are charm killing.

You're welcome.

[Tewaz]

Druid is a legitimately fun class in groups, solo, farming, whatever. I'd have her play that.

Clerics are one of the best in the game, but you're trying to get her to stick around and telling her to med, buff, and heal doesn't sound fun.

If you did a melee so she could calm and root, that would be better imo.

[Tewaz]

Don't listen to half these guys trying to say druid is just as strong as cleric for an enchanter. That's total bullshit.

Here's what you should do:

If you want a druid in your stable of characters, make a necro to duo with the druid. Get her exposed to all the various mechanics and play styles that combo can offer (fear kite, undead charm, animal charm, root rot, etc). That'll build a solid foundation of understanding the game itself.

If you burn out, get bored, etc...then start the cleric + enchanter duo.

1 character per account so either of you can log the druid to port the other characters, or the cleric to rez, etc.

Those 4 classes can duo with eachother at various strengths....so if you make it into the 50s you could experiment with different combos.

Honestly, necro + enchanter is the fastest leveling duo combo once you hit 34 and go to kaesora and both of you are charm killing.

You're welcome.

Damn good advice.

[Crede]

Druid is a legitimately fun class in groups, solo, farming, whatever. I'd have her play that.

Clerics are one of the best in the game, but you're trying to get her to stick around and telling her to med, buff, and heal doesn't sound fun.

If you did a melee so she could calm and root, that would be better imo.

I’m with this guy. Cleric/enc is super boring as a cleric. Druid/enc is the ultimate traveling/leveling combo. They just synergize so nicely. I’d only go cleric if your specific end game goal is to snipe more nameds. But even then you could still get pretty cute with a druid.

[Crede]

Druid is a legitimately fun class in groups, solo, farming, whatever. I'd have her play that.

Clerics are one of the best in the game, but you're trying to get her to stick around and telling her to med, buff, and heal doesn't sound fun.

If you did a melee so she could calm and root, that would be better imo.

I’m with this guy. Cleric/enc is super boring as a cleric. Druid/enc is the ultimate traveling/leveling combo. They just synergize so nicely. I’d only go cleric if your specific end game goal is to snipe more nameds. But even then you could still get pretty cute with a druid especially when you add animal charm to the mix.

[Tunabros]

pretty no brainer question

[Toxigen]

If you're playing with a near-skill-cap enchanter, cleric is fun.

[ScottBerta]

Cleric and Enchanter will shine at higher lvls. Lower lvls probably doesn’t matter to much.

[Tunabros]

cleric enchanter is definitely better if you intend on only having 1 pet (say like pom card

farm etc)

dru and enchanter seems to be better in other sense except for healing

[starkind]

Yep. Root. Paci. Atone. Stun. Blind. Fear(s). CH. Gg.

[Toxigen]

I still recommend enchanter and necromancer as the best leveling duo if the wife will be able to handle charming. It is just bonkers if both people are decent enough players.

You can steamroll some off-the-beaten-path zones like Kaesora (Howling Stones key piece) and Tower of Frozen Shadow too. ToFS and Howling Stones were practically made for this duo.

[Gustoo]

Anyone with a necro is the best leveling combo because the necro can carry the low levels before the other classes come into their strength. Big time.

[widowblade]

Enc / Dru is better if both really know what they are doing. You have way more damage and utility. Sure you don't have complete heal, but it's not necessary when you have snare and understand blur mechanics.

Enc / Clr is more beginner friendly and has a ton of room for error, making it seem better.

Both are good, but druids are better 100%.

[Rang]

Dru/ench more fun till about 40/45ish - after that point xp deaths really start to matter so rez is a must because on a lulling/charming ench you will be dying fairly frequently. If you don’t already have a Druid though, don’t discount having a 50ish Druid for power leveling capabilities.

[starkind]

Necromages are fearsome.

[Bardp1999]

Your wife is going to hate this game if she has never played before. The clunky UI and controls are a non-starter in my experience for BRAND new EQ players. If you don't have nostalgia this game is shit.

Id play something where you heal and she attacks and not worry about 50+ game play. I would be SHOCKED if you can get her past 30 or maybe even 20