Choosing between casters
 

Hey all, new player here (2-3 weeks). I want to start a class that I can solo with and farm up for to gear out either a tank or a monk. Sorry if this is a broken record type of thread, I've tried searching old threads to no avail.

I have almost zero experience with casters, other than a super twink lvl 52 epic'd mage I used to solo Naggy/Vox on live (and that was all PL'd so I didn't REALLY experience it).

Anyway, I'm kinda split between Enc and Mag. Kinda avoiding Nec, because I don't think I would like fear kiting (sounds dangerous with random pathing).

Charming sounds dangerous too and harder (because of the breaking it and killing both).

I was leaning towards Mag because it sounds easier.

I would like to try something new, my main concern really is leveling speed and low cost (as I have very little plat).

Can anyone chime in to let me know difficulty curve, farming ability and any other input (if I am forgetting/not considering something)?

Thanks guys!

I think you will do fine either way. Enchanters seem to be better at farming more things. I prefer mage because I have to afk a lot at random times and I dont have to worry about charm breaks. If your sole purpose is to make fast plat to twink and play something else I would go for enchanter. Charisma gear is cheap and most any group that doesn't already have an enchanter will probably take you. You will be a bit more busy though.

Mage is EZ mode, as far as leveling goes. I definitely recommend playing one as your starting character to help with your cash flow.

Basically, get at least your torch (focus item) and use the fire pet to solo to 55+

It doesn't get any easier than Necro. Feign death, lifetaps, Harmshield, a pet, snare, root... Necro is the easiest going class in the game. Fear isn't really "random"-- if you pull multiple mobs to the same spot, they will follow the same fear path.

Charming honestly isn't that hard, and you can always AFK after you kill 6-12 mobs and med up. Enchanter is a lot of fun and is a master of something you don't see too much of in MMOs lately (crowd control).

Mage is kind of a one trick pony. You'll be chain summoning pets to solo, sending pet to attack and nuking in groups, and Maybe occasionally off-tanking with your pet. And then eventually mod rods/CoH. No mana regen, no crowd control, no protection without a pet.

None of the int casters requires gear. Ench goes easier with Cha, but for the most part Cha gear is incredibly cheap. Mage or Necro are fine nearly naked until their late 20s, and can easily farm plat by then.

Would not recommend a mage. You will regret it; I know it requires no gear but you will hate the class in the end. Roll a enc or necro.

Might want to consider druid. One of the easiest classes to solo with as a low-mid level farmer, and can access some of the merits of all the different casters. You can charm animals, but safer to learn because you have SOW, Snare, and Higher AC, and can heal yourself. You can fear animals too, to try that out. You can root/rot. And you can port yourself to get to the best camps and do lower level quests easily. Or you can join the fine folks at dial-a-port and earn play that way.

If this is just to make money for another toon, I'd go druid, depending on how much money you are looking to grind out. Probably fastest route to make 10-20k imo. For elite solo camps, Shaman if you don't like how squishy enchanter charm can be.

enchanters are the best farming class in the game aside from a level 60 shaman with torpor

enchanters also have an extremely easy time finding a group

you cannot get enough enchanters at a raid, either

simply put, they're all around one of the best classes in the game

Hey Frank.

Each class has its perks, of course, but, I think, you would be remiss going mage. They are "easy" in the most obvious of ways but you give something up for everything you gain, as Bob Dylan would say.

I would try a necro if I were you. I play a mage and long for the versatility and frenetic nature of that class (necro).

EDIT: Sorry for the edit. As to the difficulty curve, it is far harder to play a necro well than a mage. No. Doubt. About. It.

Necro or Enchanter.

Hands down - two of the most interesting classes in the game.

Necro is more forgiving. Permanent decent pets. Lifetaps to heal yourself. Instant Invis with CoS. FD. But it's limited in dungeon settings, specifically 50+ areas with no undead to charm.

Enchanter is a little less forgiving. If your rune gets eaten through you have no real means of healing that damage. However you can do more difficult content with charm. A hasted, DWing pet will crush most any dungeon named that is slowed. A few bad resists on stuns, charms, lull or mezzes equal a death. While a necro could FD and reset Aggro and try again.

I'm partial to charming so Id suggest enchanter. A necro can undead charm to level 16-60, but it's more limited and not as practical for general gameplay once you get done leveling.