New player, seeking class advice!

[ripwind]

Former Druzzil Ro player here from back in the classic through GoD days looking for some advice. I just started up on the server about a week ago, and I'm feeling out how viable some of my characters would be in the future. Most of these are what I played back on live, and have been created out of nostalgia more than anything. [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

I currently have a Dark Elf Warrior, Human Druid, and a Dark Elf Necro. I've also been toying around with the idea of creating a Bard, because Bards rock.

I feel like with the warrior I'll be forced into always grouping, because I won't be able to casually solo. When I do solo, I'll have to sit forever waiting to heal. I remember doing a lot of this back in the day.

Druid and Necro I could solo with, and aren't too gear dependent (I'm obviously poor), but will I still be able to get groups?

And, obviously, bards are awesome.

I understand the "Play what you like to play" idea, but I'd like to play something that will be viable in all aspects of the game.

Sorry for the stream of consciousness.

-Rip

[Ephirith]

Originally Posted by ripwind [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

but I'd like to play something that will be viable in all aspects of the game.

Enchanters and shamans are both great in groups and solo.

Druids and necromancers will both still be able to find groups most of the time, but you'll need to be proactive about it instead of sitting there with /lfg up.

A poorly geared dark elf warrior has a tough life ahead of him.

[Tecmos Deception]

Bard might be your best bet for being "viable in all aspects of the game."

They can solo in multiple ways, a good bard is generally well-liked in xp groups, and they are absolutely amazing in raids.


Druids tend to not get groups, at least at 50+, and they are of minimal importance in raids. Necros work great in groups but are often misunderstood by other players who may not invite you because of that, and they have a small role in raids but some weird issues with lifetaps on this server mean they do next to no damage. Both have a better niche role in raids in Velious I believe (druids get a cool new buff and a better heal than sup heal, necros are twitchers).

Definitely avoid the warrior if you want to be able to solo.

[Vondra]

I always recommend druid to people for their first character here.

They're pretty meh in groups later on, but that's alright. They're soloable, not gear dependent, and it's a good way to get money together for a future toon.

Most importantly, you'll have the druid available to port around with. Invaluable for dropping items off, moving people around for groups, making that stop to EC to sell off stuff etc. It's a toon you'll keep getting use out of long after you stop playing it.

[Samoht]

Originally Posted by ripwind [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

When I do solo, I'll have to sit forever waiting to heal.

it's like this for almost every non-healing class

Originally Posted by ripwind [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

Druid and Necro I could solo with, and aren't too gear dependent (I'm obviously poor), but will I still be able to get groups?

heals/snares are well desired while leveling, but your group would almost always rather have a cleric healer than a druid, and necros in groups are meh because you don't really get benefit from DOTs before mobs die. both fall off before raiding.

Originally Posted by ripwind [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

And, obviously, bards are awesome.

it's the only hybrid class i would advocate playing because CC is needed, mana regen is needed, and when grouping fails, you can swarm kite

[Tecmos Deception]

Originally Posted by Samoht [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

and necros in groups are meh because you don't really get benefit from DOTs before mobs die

Ya see what I'm saying about necros being misunderstood, OP? [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

[ripwind]

Thanks for the replies!

I feel like I've played the crap out of the necro and druid in the past (both regular raiders in the mid 2000's), so a change might be good. My friend also started up a cleric, so we'd be doing some duo'ing. In the past the warrior/cleric duo worked out awesome, but when he wasn't on I felt completely hamstrung.

Bard or Shaman are tempting. If I recall, the enchanter pets are a bit "dumb", but once you got charm it didn't really matter.

[maverixdamighty]

Originally Posted by Tecmos Deception [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

Ya see what I'm saying about necros being misunderstood, OP? [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

ya totally depends on the zone for the necro. they can be beasts in undead zones for sure.

as to your comment on what class you play keep in mind there is a hybrid penalty here of 40% + additional for certain races. Some groups will not want to absorb that penalty unless they know you or you prove to be good enough to offset that penalty in some beneficial way.

Shamans are a good class for groups, raiding, soloing, etc plus they have one of the easier epics to complete and if you don't like sitting and afk'ing you can just canni repeatedly!

For a tank warrior is going to be the most useful in the long run, but for pure enjoyment all three hybrids are fun. Warriors are also much more gear dependent as taunt sucks here and if you aren't proc'ing you aren't tanking.

[ripwind]

Would a human or half-elf bard suffer any sort of penalty? Is there a table somewhere detailing what the penalties are?

Edit: Disregard. I found it in the wiki.

[Splorf22]

The problem is most necros sit around doing /pet attack and casting ignite bones and maybe a snare here and there. Which makes them mediocre magicians, when in reality the class is capable of so much more.

A good necro will keep the HP transfer line up on the tank 100% of the time. That's 125hp/tick which is enough to keep even an average tank up. I've done Chef/Bar with a Necro/Enchanter combo as our healers.

A good necro will charm for ridiculous dps; you can do this in any 50+ dungeon except Chardok and Sol B (Lower Guk, KC, and HS are rife with undead, and in Sebilis you can drag stuff out of the crypt. Which is worth it). Charmed pets are 100+ dps when hasted, and unlike an Enchanter the necro can heal themselves up. A necromancer might be even better than an Enchanter at soloing for XP.

A good necro can do some really ninja shit with pulling. Darkness/FD/CoS = split any camp. And with their insane mana regeneration a necro can be the primary puller for a group without ever needing to sit down. And Necros have a lot of fun in our current silly train-war version of Veeshan's Peak.

The big problems with Necromancers are a) they feel a bit like gimp enchanters to me; basically you are trading tash/slow/ae mez/stun for a heal over time in most groups b) they have a lot of trouble with summoning mobs c) They aren't nearly as fun when there aren't undead around, which is most Velious zones and d) their lifetaps don't land on bosses (and lets be honest, this is probably a balance issue, because touch of night is almost the same damage as a wizard lure AND it heals the necro against the AOE).

Honestly if their lifetaps landed I would seriously consider maining a necro; they are that good.