Old EQ, New p99 Player Asking For Help...

[Destan]

Hey Everyone..I'm in a bit of a dilemma and I would appreciate if the veteran project 1999 players could give me some assistance.

I'm looking to join the population of this amazing server, and would like to make it interesting by playing one of the only two classes I have no late-game experience with on live: Rogue and Bard. I have very little experience with either, so I'm relying on those of you playing now in the classic era that can give me your honest input.

My question to you is which should I choose given the following criteria:

*I am aware that back in the day it was much easier to level a farm toon first (necro, mage, druid, etc) and twink your melee. However, I am generally a one-toon-at-a-time kinda guy and don't mind the added challenge of starting fresh. Difficulty isn't important, I will get to max level either way.

*My sense of fun is a little different than you might usually find. What the class itself does is generally not as important to me as flexibility, usefulness, and need. I am turned off by popular classes that are over-crowded (like my necro back in classic-velious) or those that are considered a sub-par addition to a group (like rangers pre-AAs). I will enjoy my character more if I am useful, needed, and there is a future in that class so that I can stay relevant in group/raid situations.

*I don't mind mastering the subtle mechanics of a class.

So given what I've mentioned above, if you had to pick now based on need, usefulness, and future on this server's timeline which to pick, what would you take as your main? Rogue or Bard, help me choose please!

[Kika Maslyaka]

if you want lots of abilities to play with - Bard

Rogues, while powerful group DPS are very very boring (IMO) - all you do is hit backstab button over and over and over and over and over and over... you get the idea ;)

[Nanolian]

I've only seen like 3 bards.

[Plyssken]

Don't play on the endgame on this server yet, but from prior experience doing that on live, a bard who knows how to pull is golden to a guild!
Add to that bards are screaming more adaptable then a rogue.

So if those are your 2 criteria bard is it.

if you want to see raw numbers by class do a search on these forums. There was one posted that shows you numbers by class.

Either way play them out for a bit is your best bet. By mid teens you start to get a feel for the class & whether or not you like. Best intentions of playing out a class often make you bitter towards it towards the end.

[Splorf22]

IMO the class that offers the best balance of solo, group, and raid abilities as well as requires some skill is the monk.

[eqravenprince]

Rogue is going to be more in demand generally. It's the king of dps and you can stack as much of that as you want to a raid. With that being said, it's damn tough to level up a Rogue unless you are really good at getting into groups quickly. Once in a group, playing a Rogue is easy and highly useful. They are by far the worst soloers, I would even go so far to say they cannot solo without twink gear after a certain level.

Bards can solo, brings a lot of utility to a group. Bards are useful on raids. I see a lot more Bards in my travels than Rogues, so you won't be as unique. I will never personally play a Bard because it just seems like way too much work to play one.

I personally played a Rogue back in the day. I never found it boring just hitting backstab. I looked forward to seeing the number flash across the screen each time I backstabbed. Playing a Rogue allowed me more time to chat with the group, relax, could leave at anytime since I wasn't a tank, healer, or cc. The biggest challenge for a Rogue will be finding a group each time you log in. Advice to you, make lots of friends, get really good at touching base with prior group members on a regular basis! Most every Rogue I've grouped with are some of the best socializers in the game, they have to be if they want to level up.

[eqravenprince]

IMO the class that offers the best balance of solo, group, and raid abilities as well as requires some skill is the monk.

I love my Monk! Athough I see a ton of people playing them.

[Eldaran]

As a first character a Bard is going to be easier to solo and farm with than a Rogue is. Use the bard to fund the Rogue later.

[Eldaran]

Rogue is going to be more in demand generally. It's the king of dps and you can stack as much of that as you want to a raid. With that being said, it's damn tough to level up a Rogue unless you are really good at getting into groups quickly. Once in a group, playing a Rogue is easy and highly useful. They are by far the worst soloers, I would even go so far to say they cannot solo without twink gear after a certain level.

Bards can solo, brings a lot of utility to a group. Bards are useful on raids. I see a lot more Bards in my travels than Rogues, so you won't be as unique. I will never personally play a Bard because it just seems like way too much work to play one.

I personally played a Rogue back in the day. I never found it boring just hitting backstab. I looked forward to seeing the number flash across the screen each time I backstabbed. Playing a Rogue allowed me more time to chat with the group, relax, could leave at anytime since I wasn't a tank, healer, or cc. The biggest challenge for a Rogue will be finding a group each time you log in. Advice to you, make lots of friends, get really good at touching base with prior group members on a regular basis! Most every Rogue I've grouped with are some of the best socializers in the game, they have to be if they want to level up.

That is some damn good advice right there. If we were on facebook i'd like this or something.

[webrunner5]

Unless you are GREAT at twisting you are wasting your time being a Bard. If you can't walk and chew gum at the same time forget a Bard. There are like 15 really good Bards on this server. The rest are twist 1 or 2 song wonders in groups. And very few are good at solo AE kiting. Singing a haste or mana song and going AFK in a group is not unusal with some Bards on here. "Sic"

It is a gift to be good at a Bard without Melody. Most are women also. I am not worth a crap at one on here, and I am not alone. Even then you will pay a heavy price with your hands and fingers doing it.

And if you are not good at pulling, and don't know the zones well a Monk is not a good bet also. But you can learn.

This game is not easy trust me. That is why Sony had so many updates and expansions to help it.

Play what you want and just stick to it. It is suppose to be fun.

[Kraftwerk]

AE Kiting is the greatest thing ever. You have not lived until you taste the tears of the entire zone of OT while you kite 100/150+ mobs at once and get full lvls in single pulls post lvl 40. Groups at SF/Pond/Ledge all in /ooc at once questioning where all the mobs are at.

Then when you're done griefing OT, invite the lowest level possible to group with you while you lay waste to a massive kite and get them 2+ levels at once while they praise you. Oh yea, also run fast as shit with Selo's Drums of the March (seriously fast).

[Kraftwerk]

http://i1090.photobucket.com/albums/i365/Tskinner615/EQ000053.jpg

God I loved OT as a Bard (99 dead mobs in that kite in pic above)