EQMac to P1999

[Torqumada286]

If this is the classic version of the monk and not the mitigation nerf (which had druids in leather armor having better mitigation that monks in leather armor [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]), then the monk can definitely off tank with no problem. I remember hunting in Skyfire one time with a group. We had a warrior as the main tank and my monk was pulling. We were fighting an ancient wurm, when someone trained us with a second ancient wurm. I immediately jumped in and started tanking the second wurm with some healing help from the party's Shaman, while the rest of the party finished off the first one. I was never a top tier player, having more middle of the road equipment than top of the line equipment (I may or may not have had my epic at that time.) There were other times that I was the tank for the party. The only problem is, a monk can't tank properly without taunt. He can only do so with damage and the moment someone out damages him it becomes a bit hard to pull the mob off the new #1 hate list occupier. After the mitigation nerf, I was never able to tank for a party, not even off tank.[You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.] I could only hope to get the mobs attention long enough for the rest of the party to get away if something happened to the party's tank.

Torqumada

[Lazortag]

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

Bards are good pullers, decent dps, and can wear plate to fill in as a tank and perhaps taunt better with their songs to draw aggro. Not to mention all the other utilities they bring to a group.

Bards are fine at pulling/CC-ing, but Bard DPS is terrible if you're tanking (it's okay if all you do is twist DOT's but it's not where a Bard shines). But yes, they are excellent tanks in camps like royals in SolB where the mobs don't hit that hard (just dual wield staff of writhing/obsidian shard and twist your Slow/Snare song to draw aggro, it's mindlessly easy). I wouldn't recommend a Bard tanking for freeti though (although I've never tried it I'm pretty sure it wouldn't work as they're too squishy. I've have trouble tanking BnB in my experience so that should give you an idea).

the OP's choice of mage until he can twink an iksar monk sounds fine.

[Nynn]

Play the class you want to and have fun with, don't let people discourage your choice.

Rangers might not be the "best" class in terms of raw numbers, but what's really important with any class is how you play.

[Alexzia]

Rangers are fine really. A lot of people just don't understand how and why. Plus there is a tendency to bandwagon on the ranger hate people remember from the kunark era while also forgetting we aren't at kunark yet.

If you like playing a ranger, by all means, do so.