Best 3 Combination?

[Uaellaen]

Even if you only use the cleric for buffs and heals, he is still way worth it ... HP / AC buffs are unmatched by any other class, and 34+ the healing also until kunark is released, and then 39+ for good [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

[guineapig]

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

Even if you only use the cleric for buffs and heals, he is still way worth it ... HP / AC buffs are unmatched by any other class, and 34+ the healing also until kunark is released, and then 39+ for good [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

As I said before, I completely 100% agree with the fact that clerics have the best heal and hp buffs in the game. I was never arguing this.

What I'm saying is that in a three person group leveling from 1 to 50 (later 60), simply being the best at keeping the tank alive is not enough.

The druid can also keep the tank alive. It's not that difficult. You are exchanging ten things one class simply cannot do EVER for 2 things that the class does better (but are not exclusive abilities). It's not a good trade.

[Weekapaug]

Tanks = Need for adequate support, particularly past level 50 in Kunark and Velious, and proper support if you plan to safely and reliably get things done.

So, if you plan to do anything past classic and past level 50 with this trio AND one of you plans to be a tank, then it behooves you to have a cleric and something that slows, which narrows your possibilities quite a bit and will slow your trio down quite a bit because you will have to sacrifice DPS to accomodate the tank.

In this case, I would go with SK + Cleric + Enchanter.

I prefer shamans, really, and the cleric could handle most Paci situations in the absense of the enchanter as well as root CC, but the enchanter will give you mana regen that the shammy wont, the best CC available when the shit hits the fan (and it will), which the shaman wont (beyond root), haste and almost as good slows/debuffs, and with charm will help make up for your lack of DPS that you have by needing a cleric to heal a tank. The enchanter will also bring the best (I think) Magic resist buff in the game, which may be just enough to tip you over into being able to handle caster mobs you might not otherwise as a trio, and can chain cast rune, which also might put you over the line on dealing with mobs you might not otherwise as a trio. I choose SK over other tanks because of FD, snare, and extremely reliable snap aggro. You don't want a lot of iffy-ness in a trio which the other two tanks will bring more of, IMO.

If you drop the tank, you open the possibilities up quite a lot. I would say something like a Necro + Mage + Shaman in that case, just off the top of my head.

If you are just banging around in classic or pre-50 Kunark your options open up a lot more. Hell, just about 3 of anything that can keep one another from dying will suffice in most of Classic, especially if it does that through overwhelming DPS on some semblance of single-pulled or crowd controlled mobs...Like a Bard/Enchanter and 2 Mages. Despite what some will claim to the contrary, pre-Kunark is ez-mode EQ when it comes to actual fights and you have quite a bit of leeway in how you build your trio here right now if this is all you are going to play, really.

[Weekapaug]

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

As I said before, I completely 100% agree with the fact that clerics have the best heal and hp buffs in the game. I was never arguing this.

What I'm saying is that in a three person group leveling from 1 to 50 (later 60), simply being the best at keeping the tank alive is not enough.

The druid can also keep the tank alive. It's not that difficult. You are exchanging ten things one class simply cannot do EVER for 2 things that the class does better (but are not exclusive abilities). It's not a good trade.

Simply keeping the the tank alive is not enough if you plan to actually get anything done.

Past 50, Tank = Must have a cleric. End of story. Unless, maybe, the other two in the trio is a shaman and a druid, but even then I would still be making a diamond as that tank. Especially knowing no rez is at hand when they inevitably fail at keeping him up.

This is EverQuest, not some other game, and clerics aren't simply "the best" healers.....They are THE healers past a certain point in the game. Druid and Shaman heals were intended for patch healing, not for keeping tanks up pull-in and pull-out.

[Alawen Everywhere]

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

As I said before, I completely 100% agree with the fact that clerics have the best heal and hp buffs in the game. I was never arguing this.

What I'm saying is that in a three person group leveling from 1 to 50 (later 60), simply being the best at keeping the tank alive is not enough.

The druid can also keep the tank alive. It's not that difficult. You are exchanging ten things one class simply cannot do EVER for 2 things that the class does better (but are not exclusive abilities). It's not a good trade.

Saying something over and over does not make it true. Druids are the worst healer of the priests because their best heal is Greater Healing (300 hit points for 150 mana) and lack of any mana regeneration ability beyond manastone/chloroplast which will likely not be available to this crew. Around level 30, using a druid as main healer with a tank becomes a very limiting factor both in terms of which mobs are possible and how many mana breaks are necessary. Because of run speed problems on eqemu, snare is unnecessary and if it was, a cleric of Innoruuk can get a snare necklace. The world is not very large in classic. Camp jboots or buy sow potions and if you need a port, buy one.

You're simply incorrect.

[Daywolf]

2 Drui 1 Enc [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

[twizztid]

War / Pal / SK
Clr
Ench

Druids = good but shit heals.

Shaman is good aswell but shitter heals.

In the end you're looking for a puller and tank, CC and fun buffs, and healer / buffer. ANY of the 3 tank choices is a good choice really. I would recommend strongly a cleric. Awesome buffs, awesome heals, and they have other cool things that can really help such as root, against undead nukes ect ect, but in the end you're looking for a healer, and if you want to stay alive, cleric is best bet IMO. As for CC and fun buffs, well a bard is reallllllly nice to have for more than many obvious reasons, but I think in the end if you want that CC and those amazing buffs to be more powerful and to stay ( opposed to a bard singing the songs ) as well as a pet to help the melee, I would suggest Enchanter oppossed to bard, although the extra DPS from a bard would be really nice.

EDIT: And not to mention if you DO die, you're CLERIC can rez >:}

[guineapig]

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

Saying something over and over does not make it true. Druids are the worst healer of the priests because their best heal is Greater Healing (300 hit points for 150 mana) and lack of any mana regeneration ability beyond manastone/chloroplast which will likely not be available to this crew. Around level 30, using a druid as main healer with a tank becomes a very limiting factor both in terms of which mobs are possible and how many mana breaks are necessary. Because of run speed problems on eqemu, snare is unnecessary and if it was, a cleric of Innoruuk can get a snare necklace. The world is not very large in classic. Camp jboots or buy sow potions and if you need a port, buy one.

You're simply incorrect.

Alright I will acquiesce.
Post level 50 and in Kunark druid heals are not enough. (I forgot how badly their heals scale in Kunark, my bad).

That being said in classic I still believe that a druid is enough based on experience. You mention lack of mana regen on a solo healer when you already know that my example included an enchanter with clarity and 2 member that have greater healing, not 1.

My setup revolves around complete self reliance of a three person team; basically not requiring the assistance of a 4th player to accomplish anything. If you add players to the group you are simply making the existing setup even more solid.

So I will leave it at this: Pre level 50 classic EQ, you can do fine with my group. Having slowed and mezzed mobs + the only tank in the game that can heal self and others makes up for the weaker heal. The utility gained makes leveling up through classic much easier. Post level 50 you are correct and I was wrong. [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

[Jify]

Personally..

SHA/ENC/MAG

You have uber heals, CCs, puller, tank, DPS. Who the hell needs tracks?

[akahdrin]

Mage, Necro, Shaman


Necro covers pulling / dps / utility cc

Mage is pure dps / low mana cost for new pets / ds

Shaman gives pets durability via buffs...but more importantly through slow. Gotta figure a slowed mob effectily raises a person's hit points by a % that the mob is slowed...pretty handy!

Since you have 3 pets, it's pretty fast for killing. You never have to worry about healing as well because the mage pet should be tanking quite easily. Plus it's a joke for him to resummon it mana wise.