Splitting the Enchanter into 2 classes
 

What would it look like if this very overpowered class was instead separated into 2 classes - the "Enchanter" and the "Psionicist"? A thought experiment, mapping out the abilities each class gets. Let's see if they would each still be viable.

ENCHANTER

-Physical based debuffs, and enchantment removals
-Physical based buffs, also including INT/WIS/CHA and Magic Resist
-Animation pets
-Roots
-Blind and Fear
-Rune line (damage absorption)
-Damage shield (I wonder how many people forget the EQ Enchanter has a quite good one)
-DoT spell line
-Illusions, faction modifiers, and trade skill enchantments

Enchanters are about shaping the world around them. They are wanted in groups and raids for their Slow and Haste type abilities; mitigating the damage of opponents and increasing the damage of melee allies. They can add further DPS to a group with their pet, by taking initial aggro or using Root/Blind proximity mechanics. Don't forget the damage shield too. Enchanters have some standard crowd control ability and can solo with an Animation pet that gets buffed up. Without the "pet steals 50% of your exp for not outdamaging it" rule, it's actually fairly easy and effective to solo with this spell list up to level 52.

Would this be a particularly exciting class? No. Are Haste and Slow super powerful mechanics in EQ? Yes.

PSIONICIST

-Charms
-Stuns
-Mesmerizes
-Memory Wipes
-Lulls
-Magic based debuffs (tash, mana drain)
-Magic based buffs (mana regen, mana pool increase)
-Direct damage spell line
-"Vision" based spells (Bind Sight, Sentinel)

Psioncists are about controlling the mind. They have access to the most powerful mechanic in EQ, give or take Complete Heal: Charming. Their spell list supports the ability to manage charmed pets and provides crowd control ability. The mana regeneration capability they provide to others makes them desired in both groups and raids, and their unresistible magic resist debuff can also be crucial for some content.

Would this be a particularly exciting class? Anywhere they can utilize Charm, yes. Is their overall power level enough to be competitive with what the majority of other classes can contribute? Yes.

I love the idea, but I think EQ needs more classes that can fulfill a role, not less. Like, in later expansions Druids became first-class healers in groups and on raids, and I think that was a real improvement to the game. Suddenly instead of groups/raids needing clerics, a bunch of players they didn't need before could help. More players getting to play + more groups/raids not falling apart for lack of healers = better game in my book.

Similarly here, we already only have Bards and Enchanters for CC, so I'd hate to see half as many CCers available. I'd want both Enchanters and Psionicists to "do crowd control" in some way. It'd be ok (and probably more interesting though) if they didn't both have mez, but instead Enchanters had a more unique mechanism.

In this scenario the enchanter class is completely gimp and no one would play it. Currently enchanters strength are the following: charm, mana regen/haste, CC, and slow. It would have been smart for the game devs to separate the class.

One class would have buffs (mana regen, haste), charm, and a short term single target stun/mez to regain control of charm pets (not enough cc to suffice for a standard group scenario)

One class would have long term/ae mez, calm and debuffs (slow, tash)

I play only Enchanter.

This quote approximates my initial response to the proposed Enchanter.

But the idea is creative and well-presented.
So thank you for that.

ETA: I don't regard my class, Enchanter, as OP. It just seems to have a unique risk/reward proposition, with huge upside potential if played well and if luck (i.e. the Charm break situation) goes your way.

We die a lot. And we have the fairly unique stress in common groups due to our deadly Charm pets.

Bards and Enchanters are hardly the only CC in Everquest; Root is an extremely powerful mechanic that works the majority of the time (and even in certain places where Mesmerize doesn't - against Giants). Some people forget about how crazy strong Root actually is: a long-lasting, fast-recharging 100% movement reduction for very little mana would be considered absurdly broken in any PvP game. It already makes a lot of EQ content trivial as it is.

As for your thoughts on Druids/Clerics though, I agree and would definitely change the way they work, if I had the keys to the kingdom.

I disagree. The haste buffs they have are virtually essential for Raids, as can be Magic Resist during certain eras/encounters, and having more people around to land Slow for certain fights never hurts either. "Rune" is also pretty essential for fighting Venril Sathir during Kunark era.

The power of Slow and Haste for general group content is often quite game-changing. Using only those abilities, an Enchanter in a typical 6-person group is already creating more DPS than any single melee character, while simultaneously preventing more damage than any ability outside Complete Heal. That's just 2 abilities out of their skillset, already doing "better numbers" than what a lot of other classes can.

Would this new version of Enchanter be a highly played class? No, it's too subtle. But it would be strong; already better than a Mage or Wizard the majority of the time, if looking at Kunark or Velious era and doing the number crunching.

Ive always been more one to propose combining magician and wizard to create a class balanced with necro and enchanter ;p

and honestly, even if wizard and mage were combined and could dual wield those epics together, it probably might not even be as awesome as an enchanter.

This. The Wizard and Magician both feel like 'half done' classes when compared to Enchanters and Necromancers. Mashing the two together and bringing in the overall power with a revised spellbook and values to those spells to be close to a Druid would have been a great move.

nothing lasts forever. change is inevitable. im sure it could happen one day if EQ is still around.

Mages and Wizards were pretty well designed for how the game played pre-Kunark (Mages were too powerful, but not the most OP). Unfortunately the expansions made their role as "Nuke" classes increasingly irrelevant, while skyrocketing the power of Rogue/Monk/Warrior/Shaman/Cleric. Enchanters got even stronger too, when they were already the most powerful class in the game, post Necromancer pet nerf (although people didn't quite realize it for awhile).

If I was looking to balance the game better without splitting the Enchanter into 2 classes, then I would nerf Charm (make it cost more mana / cast a little slower / have NPC's unable to dual wield if they aren't naturally supposed to), and move all of their Mana-related spells over to Wizards. They would still be crazy powerful with those changes, but at least it would tone down their insanely high Charm DPS, require more of an investment for the huge return they do still get, and level the playing field more in terms of how many ubiquitous buff capabilities they have.

Are you upset you don't play an enchanter?