A fun set-up for a 3-4 player group?

[fugazi]

Hello all. I got some friends to install EQ and they're completely new to the game. We're going to play as a small group tonight, but we haven't decided yet WHAT we are going to play.

I have some cash (under 100 plat, some minor items) that I can distribute among us, so we can afford spells and some basic items. It would be fun if we could avoid the mage/mage/enchanter/healer set-up, but I assume that warrior/rogue/healer/whatever is a bit tricky since the first two are super gear dependant? Also, warriors and clerics aren't exactly the most challenging classes to play (in terms of buttons pressed/skills used). Another idea was paladin/ranger/druid/shaman.

Basically I'd love to hear (any) ideas you guys have to ensure that these EQ newbs will enjoy the game. That's key right now ^_^

And a quick question - dots don't stack (yet) on P1999, right?

[quido]

I think the non-traditional group allows for an interesting and unique sort of versatility. Something such as Monk/Shaman/Bard/DPS (perhaps I am a bit biased here haha) would definitely work great on P99, and when you get sick of the grind you could maybe talk the bard into doing some AE kites for you. Honestly, though, unless you can't avoid some seriously dim-witted group makeup, you could probably make just about anything work.

DoTs of the same type will stack here now (such as Bane of Nife and Envenomed Bolt), but two players can not land the same DoT spell on the same mob.

[Sycho]

Something like sk, shaman, wiz/necro, and enchater/bard could be fun. Each class is challenging and rewarding and not as mundane as more of the traditional types.

[Swish]

I wouldn't skip over a cleric, invaluable later on to get everyone rezzed etc :D

SK
Cleric
Rogue
Enchanter

...that would be me, enchanter charming a pet would add extra dps.

[fugazi]

I played an SK on live and my best-friend-and-neighbour played a bard. That was a non-traditional duo that worked pretty well.

Iksar monk/warrior/shaman seems like a decent set-up, but a halfling warrior/rogue/cleric (or druid) or a dwarven paladin/rogue/cleric set-up would also work. The bard pretty much makes any other duo function better, so you could always replace the rogue with a bard and then slap on a druid instead of a cleric since the bard adds some healing/buffing power.

I think both of them will want to play casters though, but I rather have them try out a shaman or druid over the mage or necro.

[fugazi]

Is there any setup that could/would work with a ranger? I know they're on the bottom of the pile, but there must be a set-up where a ranger is a valuable addition.

[Farkle]

Our group plays the following

SK
Rogue
Monk
Cleric

Those nights where we are able to find a chanter are super nice, but not really needed. I think the Monk/chanter could be swapped out easily for the additional DPS. Having a chanter and cleric in a premade group is pretty nice though.

[rahmani]

Wizard/Wizard/Wizard/Enchanter - quadding

[cyryllis]

Sk/war + ench/bard +cleric+ rogue/monk

i mean ideally, for maximum efficiency and leveling speed I would have to recommend war/cleric/rogue/ench

you just slap 2 random classes into the group from people LFG and you are always good to go- no pesky downtime searching forever for ideal groupmates

[falkun]

Sk/war + ench/bard +cleric+ rogue/monk

This. If you replace the cleric with anything, make it a shaman. If you replace the rog/mnk with anything, make it a mage.

By the time you get to 4, you can cover the holy trinity: heal+tank+support, so you're just filling in DPS slots and then you just slide the efficiency meter on the heals (cler > shm > dru), tank (sk > war (when untwinked)), support (enc > brd), and DPS (rog > mnk = mag (when untwinked)).

[fugazi]

Are paladins that bad? That everyone mentions sk/wars, but not paladins?

[Vadd]

War/Sham/Monk = WIN

[Yibz]

When I started on this server I played with three other people totally new to the server as well. We rolled nearly exclusively as SK, SK, SK, Bard until 30s and we realized how the penalty multiplier works on this server - so yeah, I think you can make anything work.

[fugazi]

I had been thinking of an iksar trio yeah, since the Kunark zones are prettier and have cooler looking monsters. We want to start playing together from lvl1 onwards.

Ranger/Bard/SK might also be fun.

[Yibz]

I had been thinking of an iksar trio yeah, since the Kunark zones are prettier and have cooler looking monsters. We want to start playing together from lvl1 onwards.

Ranger/Bard/SK might also be fun.

You'll take 5 times longer to level than a non hybrid setup but it sounds like a blast :)

[fugazi]

That's why a halfling setup with a warrior, rogue and cleric/druid is so damn tempting. They look cool, got a good starting zone and have hide/sneak. The xp bonus seals the deal. Great dex on them buggers make the warrior keep easy aggro once he acquires proccing weapons.

It's just that the damn mechanics of the war/rog/cle can be a bit boring =D

[Splorf22]

Yeah the all-iksar crew (SK/warrior, monk, shaman, and necro) would be pretty effective and look fantastic. A shaman and necro can keep the melee healed without problems, although casters will be a little rough.

Another fun unit that I always wanted to try was Rogue, Shaman, Enchanter, Bard. This group has sick dps (rogue+charmed pet with the bard tanking. Anyone can tank something that is 65% slowed), mana/hp regeneration (the shaman would be getting like 70 mana/tick. Wizards eat your heart out), and debuffs (malo/tash = I slow you 100%). Plus a lot of parentheses.

You could also try the all-dark elf squad: SK, Cleric, Enchanter, Magician. You should have no problems 1-60 if your enchanter is decent.

Or if you want to be really awesome, you could go Gnome Warrior/Cleric/Enchanter/Magician. Zones would simply implode from the coolness of that group.

I think the group that would level the fastest to 60 would be Enc/Enc/Mage/Cleric. Two charmed/maloed pets and some pretty solid mage dps with the cleric keeping everyone alive is just ridiculous.

Lots of good choices :D

[Grimmly Fireforge]

Four Mages would destroy and be extremely low item dependent.

[Llaile]

Bard Rogue Ranger Monk

[fugazi]

Paladin = useless? :p

[falkun]

Paladin and SK do similar melee DPS, but SKs can be large races (more STR = more melee), and they have better DPS with spells (none/undead only vs. DoTs/lifetaps). SKs also get better self-only utility. I love my paladin, but they got nothing to do on raids compared to SKs. Like enchanters, paladins thrive in groups, not raids.

[Emphase]

monk/shaman/druid/rogue
monk to tank with shaman slows/haste and buffs. druid for more buffs+ thorns and snare for when you want to fear kite harder mobs with 2 classes that can instill doubt.
also will have ports to get around , and rogue for dps and maybe some lock picking

[Hailto]

^ Agree. Besides the druid part, there is really no reason to ever have a druid in a group. Ports are nice though.

[Psionide]

rogue/wizard/enc/cleric

[rsloans84]

If any if your friends go bard i got old gear you can msg me on healsincoming my alt or attunement my bard whichever character im on ... Also have my druid brother that can help out with buffs etc add me to friends and ill help u guys

[rsloans84]

Id recommend cleric, sk, bard druid wizard or rogue

[fugazi]

We went for halfling warrior/rogue/cleric/druid =D a mob of the little furry guys looks hilarious and the xp bonus together with hide/sneak is quite nice.

[Jaxsz]

Very good group combo, only thing really lacking is the slows from a Shaman and the cleric and druid buffs are a bit redundant. I say exchanging Druid for Shaman would be a huge upgrade but the race thing would make it far less convenient, and not having ports would suck. Also wouldn't have snare then... shitty

[fugazi]

Exactly. Now we got to start together (almost lvl3!) and have SoW, teleports, resurrects and snares. The druid offers invis, the cleric has invis vs undead and the rogue can take care of corpse runs when needed. No slows suck, but in the end you can't do it all with just four ^_^

[renegadeofunk]

Monk/rogue/chanter/cleric is the strongest and most versatile combo. But in terms of most fun, that's up to each player.

[sedrie.bellamie]

I think the non-traditional group allows for an interesting and unique sort of versatility. Something such as Monk/Shaman/Bard/DPS (


if you want something kinda unique too: start in the Qeynos area. Barbarian Shaman, Human Monk, Half Elf Bard, DPS: erudite caster or take advantage of the starting spot for human rangers and druids. You will find the Qeynos side of P99 are bit more empty than EC/WC, Gfay, and even the iksar area.

I have enjoyed leveling 2 characters in the iksar newbie area and kurns tower. I started a iksar warrior that I kinda gave up on and an iksar SK. The class composition for iskar are enough that necro's and shamans can heal and monks are the dps.

So either go all iskar route or take advantage of qeynos and enjoy blackborrow

[fugazi]

I've leveled up my bard and cleric in Qeynos and sadly, Blackburrow is anything but empty. Most of the time there will be a lvl15+ farming fangs or a high-level powerleveling a friend or twink. Blackburrow is great xp and way more fun than Crushbone.

With the halflings I hope to get to do Runnyeye and the Gorge :)

[Aelzrith]

What are your inflame names? It would be fun to roll with you guys sometime.

[sedrie.bellamie]

runnyeye and the gorge are not bad for small groups. I leveled the my druid from 14-19 in east karana charming and snare/panic animal the variety of dogs, cats, snakes, and griffawns

[Halfelfbard]

War/Enc/Cleric/Mnk <-Prob the most perfect group set up.

[Waedawen]

warrior, rogue/monk, enchanter, druid.

with mind buff and slowed mobs a druid has much more to offer a group than a cleric. no revive, but have aoe stuns + evacuate. in the right zones you can get 4 dps with the enchanter charming a pet and the druid charming an animal. as a dru, best 6 man group i've been in was sk rog rog rog ench dru in chardok. 6 melee dps is op.

[fugazi]

The [Misty Thicket Hooligans] are now online :D if you got a halfling alt who's looking for a home, /t Aussi or Jeroen or pm me here.

A big thank you goes out to Bregan D'Aerth for helping us out with getting some wisdom maces in Kithikor! <3

[falkun]

Any luck at a yak scimmy for the warrior?

[fugazi]

Haha, no :) just wisdom weaponry!

[eqravenprince]

What would be fun for EQ newbs, it's hard telling. I always enjoyed having everyone from the same race when starting up with friends. So with that being said, pick a race and then pick 4 that can be viable. Examples below:

Erudite - Paladin, Cleric, Magician, Enchanter
Human - Monk, Cleric, Enchanter, Rogue
Half Elf - Warrior, Druid, Bard, Rogue
Barbarian - Warrior, Shaman, Rogue, Rogue
Halfling - Warrior, Cleric, Rogue, Druid
Dark Elf - Warrior, Cleric, Enchanter, Rogue
Troll - SK, Shaman, Warrior, Warrior
Ogre - SK, Shaman, Warrior, Warrior
Dwarf - Warrior, Cleric, Rogue, Rogue
Wood Elf - Warrior, Druid, Bard, Rogue
High Elf - Paladin, Cleric, Enchanter, Magician
Gnome - Warrior, Cleric, Enchanter, Rogue
Iksar - Monk, Shaman, Necromancer, SK