Enchanter Compared to Shaman?
 

Hi all,

I currently have a 60 shaman with epic, torpor etc. and was thinking of making an enchanter. Does anyone have experience with how they compare as far as getting groups, farming / plat making ability, fun factor / strengths & weaknesses?

Thanks!

I do!

My main is a 60 shaman and then I leveled an enchanter to 60. You have far more flexibility in what you can do. Group-wise, you'll be more desired but if you're grouping as an enc you're being inefficient with exp.

Item/plat farming is better on enc, as you can do things you can't do on your shaman. You'll die a lot more, but its higher risk/reward. Playing enc is more rewarding imo because it takes more skill than relying on torpor and your shaman gear.

You're going to die a LOT though. Even as a super good enc. I'd say it's worth it even if you already have a torpor shaman like I did.

One thing about shaman is that they've got a much longer power curve. They're reasonably strong pre-epic and pre-torpor, but they gain a tremendous amount of power at 60 with those augments. Torpor alone completely changes the shaman's capability.

Enchanter's power curve is different. You're weak as rain until 12, and even still pretty weak until 29 (16 gets better with breeze after kunark, otherwise it's a long road to clarity). 29 to 50 you see a tremendous upward curve in general power, driven by stronger spells and the increasing power of charm targets. 51 is another big game changer, 58 is really the last major power boost (fetter and bedlam), and 60 is kind of an afterthought except for the neat clickies like epic. Enc epic is very, very strong but it is not as revolutionary as the shaman epic.

The styles are also quite different. Enchanter is more twitchy, more about planned responses and maintaining defensive preparation. Both are buff heavy. Enc is a lot riskier but their fight times are shorter and they can be more aggressive, where as shaman is more about torpor/dot/spear/pet and slowly wearing down a target(s).

It's worth playing both classes, they're pretty much the two best experiences in classic and kunark. Velious I'd say shaman shines more but enc is still no pushover, just limited by certain mechanics.

I'm still working on my sham slowly (57). Tapped-out mid 50's and leveled a ench to 50. Mostly because I didn't have the resources to twink a sham out properly and that mid-50's grind is depressing. Two things I found frustrating with the chanter life.

1.) Apparently I'm super OCD about dying and giving myself #$%& for it.
2.) I like to play with at least a whiskey in me. That hardly affects the sham but definitely can with the enchanter (if you aren't very good, aka me)

With cheap charisma gear, jboots and a gobby ring you are absolutely set. I even use a Kobold Jester Crown to cap out self-buffed CHA easily. The ench is much better at 12 and around 20 life is just great. If you have a buddy willing to play a cleric it would be a blast.

The sham doesn't really start ramping into godmode until like 29/34 unless you have a fungi. A JBB at 45 is a blast. I assume with an epic around that time or shortly after it's super easy. Soloing at 57 now is just a slog. I'm a plodder though so I'll trade that for a less unpredictable game. When time allows I like to duo with a melee. That's less dynamic than the ench/cleric duo but just what my friends tend to be playing.

Note: I was tweaking on this for a bit. Endorra has great feedback. No intent to mimic, just worked out that way)

There are only a handful of camps a shaman can do that an enchanter cannot, and only if they have insane gear and torpor. The enchanter can do we more camps solo easily, and takes way less expensive gear and spells to pull off. It is harder however and you will die more. Make friends with a cleric!

you can only get your shaman a guise now though...your enchanter can illusion no matter when you roll.

in all seriousness, I find playing a 60 shaman in velious era to be super easy. you lose sometimes, but its not like you lose because of play skills. you'll die if you get a bad string of resists or interrupts. shaman is very consistent. very little twitch play compared to chanter.

chanter on the other hand feels like you are playing a real video game imo. you have to move and react persistently. you have many more tools in your toolbox to pick from (and make mistakes with). most of the time when I die on my chanter it is because of a play choice I made...not the RNG giving me shit when I need cream.

power-wise both classes have advantages over the other in certain circumstances. both have powerful buffs. honestly, what I love about both of those classes so much isn't their solo power (which is hella fun) its that you can really be helpful to people. people will ask you for help and you can really make their day much much easier with not much effort most of the time.

Play shaman if you like splitting the loot

Play enchanter if you dont