Static Group composition question

[PatChapp]

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

There's so much utility/role overlap in this group... Shaman has Malo for the charm pet and comparable DPS to what the bard would add with song Haste on the Monk/Paladin. EDIT: some Shaman HP buffs stack with Cleric HP buffs making complete Heal more efficient... so there's that. Bard is a miserable class to main effectively (twisting instrument swaps), another consideration.

This group will NEED the charm pet for DPS if the group isn't hunting undead. Shaman can DPS with melee/frost DD/Slow[drowsy] with a Paladin Tank, while also providing STR/DEX buffs if the Cleric or Druid is Healing.

Bards can provide charm pet DPS as well, as long as they pick locations with some space for the bard to run around a bit

[Keyoto]

I know there's overlap which is ok. We aren't trying to min\max. We are playing once a week, so speed isn't a priority. Not spending half our time doing CRs if exploring is more important.

Our dps what I'm trying to stretch without burning out. I was thinking bard could help CC and let chanter go wild with charm. Bard charm if room too. Clarity plus mana song and other casters can go nuts for more dps too. Or... Shaman buff and cast for more dps, but chanter has more work.

I think it kind of comes down to being between chanter working extra hard to add dps or bard doing bard and working hard to add dps in different way.

I suppose whatever choice makes one person not killing themselves trying to do everything constantly will be the thing that keeps the group together. I guess shaman. Slower and steady. We have lots of root to cc with to help chanter.

[nallbor]

You can level where the druid can charm animals. Then you have 2 charm pets and DPS is less of a concern. you got bats in sol B, dogs in Chardok, then in Kael with 2 dog pets you would mow giants down and get armor drops easy. Snare from the druid and stuns from cleric and pally can help with ease of 2 charm pets.

[eunomios]

Bard charm means the bard is only charming, and does it worse than an enchanter. Also: 2 perm charm pets means 2 NPCs are locked down from being exp pinatas and respawning. Bard charm is good as ghetto mez, or short term CC with DPS benefit. There's a monk, cleric, paladin, and enchanter - realistically the group should only ever see 1 mob in camp with feign death and Pacify. Not to mention the druid/shaman can root and should be doing so instead of mez so dots can tick and paladin can throw spell hate on the add. Basicly Monk and Paladin work together to pull mobs... adds get rooted and doted by shaman/druid.

Shaman is the better choice over Bard for this group imo. MALO is very impactful.

[Keyoto]

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

Bard charm means the bard is only charming, and does it worse than an enchanter. Also: 2 perm charm pets means 2 NPCs are locked down from being exp pinatas and respawning. Bard charm is good as ghetto mez, or short term CC with DPS benefit. There's a monk, cleric, paladin, and enchanter - realistically the group should only ever see 1 mob in camp with feign death and Pacify. Not to mention the druid/shaman can root and should be doing so instead of mez so dots can tick and paladin can throw spell hate on the add. Basicly Monk and Paladin work together to pull mobs... adds get rooted and doted by shaman/druid.

Shaman is the better choice over Bard for this group imo. MALO is very impactful.

I like this idea. Rooting as the main CC let's those mobs be dotted which definitely helps us preload some dps from shm, druid. That never occurred to me. I was hung up on bard and chanter mezz and who's doing it at the cost of dps.

Sometimes theory crafting a 20 year old game is just as fun as playing that 20-year-old game. At least for me. I think you're right going shaman. We have so much utility that bards utility is even more overkill. We also can be pretty much raid buffed if we needed to be.

[bomaroast]

Bard charm is the very worst thing in groups. Every 18 seconds whoever is sitting down is going to get smacked.

[eunomios]

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

Rooting as the main CC

Mez 2.5 sec Cast, 20 mana, 4 ticks - Must be casted by the Enchanter who is managing a charm pet (if they chose to do so)

Root 2 sec Cast, 30 mana, up to 8 ticks! - Can be casted by Classes that don't have a charm pet ticking time bomb.

Root is, imo, the BEST spell in Classic EQ. Should be purchased and placed on every casters spell bar that has the ability to scribe it. Root has 2 downfalls: Mob placement is more fragile, caster mobs can still cast. Root still casts faster and freees up a busy enchanter when another Caster takes the CC role.

Paladins can root at 22 - Rooting a multi pull as it comes into the camp is effective CC and the Paladin gets some Hate on the add.

The p99 Devs even Root the most coveted Raid mobs, root is insane!

[Vivitron]

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

I know there's overlap which is ok. We aren't trying to min\max. We are playing once a week, so speed isn't a priority. Not spending half our time doing CRs if exploring is more important.

Our dps what I'm trying to stretch without burning out. I was thinking bard could help CC and let chanter go wild with charm. Bard charm if room too. Clarity plus mana song and other casters can go nuts for more dps too. Or... Shaman buff and cast for more dps, but chanter has more work.

I think it kind of comes down to being between chanter working extra hard to add dps or bard doing bard and working hard to add dps in different way.

I suppose whatever choice makes one person not killing themselves trying to do everything constantly will be the thing that keeps the group together. I guess shaman. Slower and steady. We have lots of root to cc with to help chanter.

I think the group will work well with either the bard or shaman.

On my enchanter charm+buffs+cc didn't usually feel like working extra hard post level 24ish -- before that low mana regen and buff and charm durations are limiting, but eventually this becomes a comfortable group role except for the constant pet vigilance. It's when you add pulling and slowing and dispelling that it gets hectic.

[DMN]

bard is fine here. adding a shaman does very little. i think id prefer the bard just so the enchanter can take some occcassional breaks if/when charming. Additonally the the bard can charm for quite a long time. The trick here is to make sure the druid keeps the bard pet ensared.