Druid, Cleric or Shaman to duo with a Monk?

[Ashur]

Hello,

I am just getting back into the game after more than a decade hiatus and was wondering what to play with my monk brother who is starting again as well.

Druid, Shaman or Cleric for leveling and farming with him? I kind of like the idea of porting as a druid but I used to play a druid and I remember when we used to try farming fighting batons for him in Kunark, druid felt a fit weak but we might have been too under leveled.

There are probably considerations that I am not even thinking of at the moment so any advice is appreciated, please and thank you. [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

[Nycon43]

Shaman/Monk is a classic duo. Can't go wrong with it.

[Wrench]

yup, shaman brings the most utility if your planning on just duoing

slows, pet, haste, regen all come into play around 29

other two arent bad choices, just not as powerful in a duo situation

[Daldaen]

Originally Posted by Nycon43 [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

Shaman/Monk is a classic duo. Can't go wrong with it.

This is a tough combo to beat with how OP this duo is through level 65.

That being said:

Druid is solid 1-50. Beyond that Druids ability to heal and keep the duo efficient drops off a lot. It can be pseudo fixed with solid gear (epic/fungi sort of stuff) but overall, you slow down a lot at 50+ due to lack of efficient Druid healing until Luclin and no slow in a game where slow is extremely OP. Pros being ports, regen, DS, Snares, root CC and SoW. Cons being lack of slow/haste, slower Leveling 50+, no rez.

Shaman is solid 1-60. It isn't much different 1-30 from Druid, around then you'll start to get noticeable benefits from shaman haste. Eventually slows will become more useful to your duo as well. This duo can do the most of any of the monk/priests at max level/Torpor/decent gear. Pros being regen, SoW, slow, Haste, pseudo efficient healer (pre-Torpor). Cons being no Ports, no Rez.

Cleric is an okay choice 1-60. It doesn't have any helpful buffs beyond resist/HP/AC stuff like the other two do. (These buffs help you survive tougher fights - which the other two also have minus symbol - but they don't speed up killing efficiency like DS or Haste would) And pre-Torpor it's the best duo healer (Turgurs+Torpor vs just a Cleric, the shaman will likely win out). Brings ability to Rez and IvU so you can easily explore undead areas. Pros - Baller heals, Rez, IvU, Symbol HPs. Cons - No great utility buffs, no SoW, no Ports.

Casual/Alt-o-holic play style I'd say Druid. Grouping/Farming play style I'd say Shaman. Raiding endgame I'd say go cleric as those are always desired and if you're great at monk pulling you'll be useful as a raider as well. Druid/Shaman raiders aren't that desired unless they really love the class and go all out at it.

[Ashur]

Thanks guys! Daldaen, that is quite a nice breakdown. I appreciate all the effort. Sounds like I will roll a Shaman for duo and possibly when my brother isn't online, work on a druid to help people out with ports. I am guessing monk/ shaman would be better than monk/ chanter. Am I right?

[zajurai]

I'd say they're about equal, 'chanter goes with any class really well, and so do shamans.

[Daldaen]

Monk chanter has no healer. It would be quite slow goings. Chanter / Shaman is a superb combination. But pure caster + melee is usually weak due to no healer. If any pure caster goes with any melee it would be a Necro + Rogue. Cause necros have decent heals at 44/54, and they can snare/fear mobs while a Rogue runs behind and back stabs. But playing a rogue that has to continually chase a mob would drive me crazy. That's like playing a melee in PvP, sounds horrible to me.

[Ashur]

Troll Shaman wins. I know about ogre but love Troll too much not to play one.

[Samaritan]

Hope you picked Inny!

GL to ya.

[koros]

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

Monk chanter has no healer. It would be quite slow goings. Chanter / Shaman is a superb combination. But pure caster + melee is usually weak due to no healer. If any pure caster goes with any melee it would be a Necro + Rogue. Cause necros have decent heals at 44/54, and they can snare/fear mobs while a Rogue runs behind and back stabs. But playing a rogue that has to continually chase a mob would drive me crazy. That's like playing a melee in PvP, sounds horrible to me.

Nec is probably better at healing a melee at almost any level over 20 than a druid is. Except maybe at 35-43ish. Nec monk/war/paladin is actually not a bad duo if you're not fighting mobs with super high damage output.