Having a time choosing a class.

[Teknon]

Hello all, old vet here looking to join in on this wonderful thing called project1999. Absolutely brilliant btw and would like to applaude the developers for bringing back the best game during it's prime for all of us true fans of the best Mmo ever concieved. /em Stands and gives a much deserved applause

Now, that being said I am looking for some guidence in choosing what class I want to take to 50. Now I know all the class basics and what they are good for / good at. It's the finer details I am unaware of. Your answers should pertain not only to classic but kunark and velious as well.

So as of now I am leaning toward 3 classes. Bard, Enchanter, or Shaman. But not set in stone about anything but my desires of how I wish to play them. I know what they do and how they do it from a basic stand point.... Mostly what I am curious about is if you master your class ( cause I tend to be obsessive and do so eventually) and can play them to the best of thier ability are all 3 of them viable soloers. Now this also means end game dungeon soloing. Such as breaking camps and farming named for high end drops. I know Shamans ( besides the breaking camps part) are capable for the most part but I am very inexperienced with chanters and bards. This is in no way refering to avg Joe.... I am talking if I push this class to it's limits what can I make it do?

I also want to know how well each class can solo for exp as far as efficiency and comparable to group exp. I remember on my Druid group exp was only ever better if I had a great group that was consistent and killing at a fast to very fast pace (well after 29 or so that is) I want to be self sufficient and not gimped if I choose to be grumpy and alone for a day or two ;). I am not looking for a Mage or necro capable soloer but if I choose to solo I want it to be worth my time and feel somewhat beneficial.

All in all I want to know if the chanter and bard are capable alone if I were to choose to be. Can they function at a relative high success rate? Can I farm desireble upgrades and cash loots without having to bring anyone along if I can push those two classes to thier limits? I love the feeling of loosing myself deep in a dungeon on the verge of disaster but being rewarded greatly for my risk taking. Although sometimes you eat dirt and die a horrid very unprofitable death but that's what makes it fun and exciting! ;)

It boils down to I have a slight fear that if I choose one of those two (chanter or bard) I will be group bound for anything profitable in mid to late lvls and as much as I love soloing that would kill It for me. Any advice or experiences would greatly motivate me to make a descision that I could be happy with.

FYI I know the class basics and group functions so no need to bring up anything pertaining to groups cause I know what I'd be getting into there.

Also avoid pissing contests and my class owns your class if it isn't valide to the question avoid posting it. Thanks!

One last thing.... I do not wish to play and necro Mage or Druid cause I had played them out.... Other then that if you have any group and solo friendly suggestions thy match my desires then by all means provide your arguement :D.... Thanks for all your future responses!

[Alleusion]

Bards are excellent at swarm kiting, but I'm not sure if this is doable on p1999...and if you had any thought of avoiding carpal tunnel, don't go with bard. Enchanters can solo well with charm and mez, but if that charmed pet breaks free and you don't have the health or a happy rezzing friend nearby, kiss your butt good by...as you'll be staring at your spawn point quite often.

I personally, was never a solo'ing chanter. I play an MMO to be with people, not to solo. That was the biggest problem I had with WoW and other MMO's that came out after EQ.

[Teknon]

Well of course you play to be with people, we all do. Or well 99% anyways. However I am not looking to solo always and forever. As I stated I simply want the capability to do so if I wish and hopefully be effective to boot. It's an mmo and the goal is to seek out others and take on things you otherwise would not be able to alone. But if noone is around or I am feeling unsocial I want the fun factor to be far from gone if I wish to take on the world at large, alone.

I find this very importent seeing as how I must have solo capablity since I greatly enjoy the rush and experience it provides me and if my class is gimped in that area it will greatly effect my choice. Usually I would have no problem determining this but I started EQ just as velious hit the world and played there after... So a bit unfamilair with classes and how they do pre velious. Seems things are different to an extent. Just want to make the right class choice for me the first time and not have to reroll after I take a guy to 30+ or farther and find it's not what I thought it'd be. Thx for the reply though!

[Tseng]

Swarm kiting is nerfed on this server and enchanters can charm solo, but there are the dangers in what happens when charm breaks. If you can manage that you can do quite well. I know some chanters who do.

[Gukag]

I've seen chanters solo camping many a named mob. Shaman is relatively effective with wolf pet, melee, healing and dots as well. But the class requiring the more "skill" to play is probably enchanter.

[mitic]

and can play them to the best of thier ability are all 3 of them viable soloers. Now this also means end game dungeon soloing. Such as breaking camps and farming named for high end drops.

dont play a bard, actually dont play any of above mentioned

besides that, i.e. lord, frenzy and the like are buffed to hell on this server

so my recommendation would be necro, play that one.

[Soft]

Enchanters come with some pretty hefty Debuffs. Tash, Slow, Melee debuff, dots. If you are willing to put the time in to get the proper equipment (high charisma/int), and deal with the hard times when you get really really unlucky on resists/early breaks, I think you would really enjoy an enchanter. The great part about the ENCH is you options (grouping with any class will usually make your life easier).

If it was me I would pick and enchanter, hunh i did pick an ench to play, but a shaman is a great class. It really depends on the style you are looking for, enchanters can mez and charm but cannot heal. I would not recommend a bard for end game soloing and the like simply because i don't know the bard well enough to know how they deal with dungeon soloing. The question is probably do you want an easier camp break ability but a harder time maintaining the camp down, or do you want a harder camp break while maintaining the camp is easy?

[gnomishfirework]

Chanters, shamans, and bards can solo dungeon named.

Enchanters (with charm -- even without but charm makes it cake) are best. Followed by Shaman.

bards can charm too. Bards can mez mob and rest up. Bards will be toughest, but if you are good its viable. You don't need to clear as much.

All three are great for duos too. Shaman/Monk possibly being the best.

So, it depends on you. I would go enchanter or bard personally, but I find shaman boring in raids. I like to mez =P

[Taluvill]

Enchanters are the best at everything, but are Cha(gear) dependent and high skill to do it, but they can literally do anything they want with a top notch player/decent gear (your planar set from hate, stuff from sol ro, and some other gear would work fine). it'll probably be the same in kunark as well, with chanters being able to own face wherever, whenever.

Bards are high skill, and although they arent as good at doing anything as a chanter, I've seen a bard kite frenzy and solo lord (even break ins on both) So its very doable.

Not experienced enough on a Shaman to comment, but seems to me they'd have a hard time doing end game camps (lord, frenzy) solo because they have no way to break the camp. They are probably the most efficient 1v1 though.