Starting Fresh with Two Classes
 

I want to start two new characters of classes I've never really played much of before. Ideally they'd be two very different classes, with one being able to solo in case I cant find groups on either.

About me: I don't plan to raid, except for maybe once in a while if a friend wanted me to come along. I plan to take my time leveling up. I'm semi casual, but I get bored if things are too slow. I love grouping and everything social. I played a Ranger and Shadow Knight on Live and loved them, but want to do something different this time. I'm guessing when I get into the 20s ill pick the one I like more and focus on that class.

Here's the classes I've narrowed it down to:

Druid
Mage
Monk
Paladin
Shaman

I want at least one to be a good race... but maybe both. I don't like Trolls/Ogres, but I do like Dark Elves and Iksar, if that helps any for bad options.

I was leaning toward monk and druid... but I've been reading how druids aren't really accepted into groups except if there are no clerics around. In that case, maybe a mage instead of druid. I've played shamans before but only at low levels, I wouldn't mind trying them either.

I'm a bit scared of trying to be a tank, since I have no money to start these characters with.

What would you choose in my situation?

higher levels if yo uwant is shaman/monk.

even at lower levels.

the shaman is universal
while the monk can tank (keep your weight under 10 though)
heres my two cents

(the money situation would be fine. they are both leather wearers so it wouldn't be as expensive as the paladin)

i dont put that much thought into it, like this post. i just play, and post.

Monk is a very unique and fun melee class, and starting out with no gear is less of a problem for them :P

I'd say make the other druid or shaman, so you can solo sometimes. And I've grouped with plenty of druids, don't think people will really discriminate too much. Everyone loves sow, right? :)

Druid: Many well-geared, experienced players beyond level 50 generally won't actively seek to group with you. Lots of people care very strongly about group efficiency. That said, though it may be slightly harder to find groups, if you are a likable person and a good player, and make an effort to make friends, you'll find groups well enough I think. I did it on a ranger. Duos quite well with some classes. People are slightly less stingy about druids than the forums suggest, I think.

Mage: Popular dps class for groups, powerful soloist but you need to jump through hoops to avoid the pet xp penalty. Laid back class, good at farming, cheap to gear.

Monk: One of the most powerful all-around classes in the game. Decent soloing, good dps, good mitigation, excellent pullers. Cheap to gear moderately, extremely expensive to gear well.

Paladin: Terrible class for anything other than situational usefullness and/or the flavor of playing one. You have excellent snap agro and good mitigation, but in almost all situations a monk or a warrior would be a better choice. You'll be able to get groups anway because it's nice to have a hybrid tanking for a full group, but the higher you get, the more frustrated you may be by a monk just being better than you at almost everything.

Shaman: Another of the most powerful, OP classes in the game. Excellent soloist at later levels, very desirable in groups and many different duo comps. Cheap to gear, easy epic. You may find grouping boring, being a buff bitch, but nobody is forcing you to do that. Find a twinked monk butt-buddy and duo to 60.

In your situation I would go with the shaman because I love the class. Very powerful, and it's fun be calm and calculating as you slowly kill mobs with your spells and utterly neuter a mob's ability to do damage. Feel like soloing? Solo. Feel like grouping? Can get a group quickly, or make one easily.

Monk is also a good choice if you want to be more active, running around, pulling stuff, hitting things with weapons and just making a mess of things. Bonus points if you go afk every 10 mins to take a bong rip.

Thank you for the replies, and thank you Ephirith for the breakdown on those classes!

I think I'll start off with a barbarian shaman tonight and see how it goes... Then I'll have to decide if I want an iksar or human monk.

Might still start a druid too, to see how that goes, but these two classes sound like fun for now.

Ahh, so you've grouped with me. .

you wont have a decent grasp of what shaman is and can do until 24 and you wont have a good grasp of it until 34 when they get all of there important tools pretopor

nothin duos better with a monk than a sham. druid may seem like it will cut it for u and ur friend to duo at first but theres 2 missing components to druid/monk that sham monk have
1. slow (might as well call this spell mez that u can hit)
2. canni (sham are crazy mana efficient while druids have to med constantly)

then theres the slew of buffs that shams get just for meelee as well as haste.

I'm actually choosing both for myself, to play at different times... But if anyone wants to duo, look me up! :)

I figure I'll try to get in the 20s with both classes before I decide if I like them or not. Is 24 because of canni for Shaman?

Shaman gets canni at 24 and it's a major relief. Regen too I believe. It's still nothing like 50+ where shamans really begin to shine, but it's much better than 1-20ish.