Not sure which class to pick -- Looking for guidance

[Nixtar]

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

If you're fulfilling a tank role, then chances are you have at least 1 support class with you that can root so the monk can root tank. It's great that paladins/rangers/SK's have all these tools, but if you use them a lot you're gonna have to sit and med (without an enc.) It's better to have support classes use all those tools since they can regen mana during the fight, but a lot of healers get in the "just sit there and wait to heal" mentality instead of taking a larger role in xp groups. On a similar note, had a cleric buying stun command off me, and he didnt wanna offer very much because he said that spell was "useless to him." lol.

In a decent group I won't have to expend much mana. Disease cloud/FoL are very cheap spells and they do not break randomly, on DD, costs less. In those cases I do it is due to shutting down a caster/healer mob, things have gone wrong, in which case if your tank is a monk you're screwed.

People love dat snap aggro for a reason. Makes things run smoothly.

[Sage Truthbearer]

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

It's great that paladins/rangers/SK's have all these tools, but if you use them a lot you're gonna have to sit and med (without an enc.)

Flash of Light costs 12 mana. I think Disease Cloud costs 10?

Originally Posted by Troxx

You'd be surprised just how well monks do tank if you bothered to parse it... What they don't have is reliable aggro

So, what they don't have is one of the primary jobs of a tank?

Originally Posted by RDawg816

I regularly group with a monk. He pulls, tanks, and does dps well. In terms of healing, he doesn't need much. Mend helps a lot, as does his iksar regen. He holds aggro well enough, and if not, root isn't much mana.

Most people on P99 are not playing this game in a static duo or group like the one you are describing. Most people are joining pick-up groups filled with random strangers of varying abilities who come and go every 30 minutes - 1 hour, who may or may not know how to manage their aggro correctly. Snap aggro is very useful for letting these groups run and continue to run efficiently.

[RDawg816]

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

Most people on P99 are not playing this game in a static duo or group like the one you are describing. Most people are joining pick-up groups filled with random strangers of varying abilities who come and go every 30 minutes - 1 hour, who may or may not know how to manage their aggro correctly. Snap aggro is very useful for letting these groups run and continue to run efficiently.

That's very true. I've grouped with many types in PuGs. Some are great, some are horrible. I'm not recommending monks tank in every PuG. I'm not suggesting every rogue can pull/tank effectively. I'm merely stating the differences I've noticed with competent players of different classes in the same role.

[Colgate]

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

In a decent group I won't have to expend much mana. Disease cloud/FoL are very cheap spells and they do not break randomly, on DD, costs less. In those cases I do it is due to shutting down a caster/healer mob, things have gone wrong, in which case if your tank is a monk you're screwed.

People love dat snap aggro for a reason. Makes things run smoothly.

yeah paladins and SKs are great for people who suck at the game and can't figure out why they shouldn't tash or slow a mob at 98% hp

[Lojik]

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

Flash of Light costs 12 mana. I think Disease Cloud costs 10?

From a casters perspective that's nothing, but if you're fighting it will take you over a minute to regain mana from 1 of those casts. Not a problem if you have an enc, but if you don't you'll have to sit at some point. Mana regen during combat is why shaman is so op on blue in this era.

I don't think knights are useless classes, it's just monks are very overpowered during this era.

[Nixtar]

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

yeah paladins and SKs are great for people who suck at the game and can't figure out why they shouldn't tash or slow a mob at 98% hp

So why pick a class, monk in this case, which forces you to hold DPS/heals/slow/debuffs when you can have a knight which allows everyone to instantly engage a mob? Are you trying to make the case for knights? If not, what's your point?

[Colgate]

there is literally no situation in which i would want a paladin or a shadow knight in a group versus a monk

unless i feel like being lazy/stupid, which is incredibly common among people on this game, so it's a fair point

[Nixtar]

Yes, because being effective is so stupid. Much better to waste mana healing a monk so he can pretend he's a real tank.

[thufir]

keep in mind who you're arguing with here guys. colgate is BiS in multiple slots and has been raiding tov since velious came out. it would be difficult to find someone else who better exemplified the "fully immersed hardcore raider" viewpoint. he's in way too deep to identify with normal everquest players.

[Nixtar]

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

keep in mind who you're arguing with here guys. colgate is BiS in multiple slots and has been raiding tov since velious came out. it would be difficult to find someone else who better exemplified the "fully immersed hardcore raider" viewpoint. he's in way too deep to identify with normal everquest players.

Which is kinda weird given the OP is fresh out of the gate trying to figure out what to start playing. I mean, if we're going to use BiS NToV gear as a benchmark it really doesn't matter which of the afformentioned cases you use. You are going to be able to tank and able to dish out some pain, no matter what. Indeed, not everyone will be able to join a guild who has zero competition for high end mobs.

It is simply unrealistic for the OP(if he chooses a monk) to go into the game expecting to be the tank when in reality he's going to be the puller 90% of the time. Which is the basis of my posts.