endangered classes?

[Aabdel]

Coming back after a couple years away from the server and couldn't be happier! :D That being said, I've always struggled to just jump back into an old toon (none of mine are higher than 18 anyway) so I want to roll a new one from scratch, and I was wondering

a) what classes are seemingly the least common/most needed (if any)?
b) is the population in lower level zones enough to find groups during peak hours? or will i need to be PLed or solo to actually socialize with other people? aaaand
c) is just about everybody twinked to the nines with kunark gear these days?

an addendum to question a: i'm open to just about any class, but would like to stay away from necro or chanter.

thanks for any input! excited to re-immerse myself in the world of Norrath!

[Ryba]

Well there's least common and then there's most needed. Those categories don't overlap much.

Maybe warrior or bard? I never understood how someone could play an untwinked warrior, though.

Low level zone pop is great. Ask for buffs at EC tunnel then PL yourself. No matter what class you play, it pays to get a cheap (or free) Kunark weapon before you waste too much time swinging a cracked staff. Not everyone is twinked, but Kunark has been out for a long time and prices are way low on mid level weapons.

[Tecmos Deception]

Overall I think that tanks in general (although people probably prefer warrior tanks to knights I guess, cause of XP penalty stigma even though a knight is a superior tank for most/all of the leveling process), bards, and clerics are probably a bit more rare than they could be.

Clerics... there are enough for Kunark, but unless a ton of people have a cleric hidden somewhere that they never log on and are saving it to main in Velious, there definitely aren't enough clerics for Velious. Bards aren't super rare, but they aren't too common either and GOOD bards are especially uncommon. Tanks, well, there are quite a few really, when you consider that for leveling most monks and rangers can tank in addition to warriors and knights... but I'd still say we could use more.

Peak hours you can find group all over, especially in the popular crushbone, oasis, mistmoore, etc.

There are a lot of twinks around, but there are even more untwinked (or only mildly twinked) characters.

[Thulack]

The reason classes are uncommon or scare is because they are a pain to solo and not "needed" in groups. So if you want to play a uncommon class and get a group yours just being counterproductive. That being said try any toon that you deem interesting and give it a shot. Even if you class isnt needed if you are a cool person and can make friends you will always be wanted.

[boudicca]

Be any one of the core roles in a group, be willing to start groups instead of just joining whomever, have a good reputation, and you can be whatever class/role you want.

Choose something that you will find fun (tank, healer, caster, support), if you want to have the option to solo - choose a class that's solo friendly.

You probably already know that while being buffed and given stuff is nice, it's not an entitlement. Some people choose to start with a money making (ie PORTING) character to build money, THEN play the character that more suits them. There's NOTHING wrong with this. There will never be POK books in this game, so you'll always run into people who will PAY to avoid running or using boats.

[Aabdel]

if you are a cool person and can make friends you will always be wanted.

ahhh shit i'm screwed. haha i'm a big fan of warriors and have some mid-range gear i could drop on him if it becomes necessary, but i've always taken a lot of joy in obtaining my gear without handouts (from myself anyway). the only reason i might twink myself would be money for spells.

thanks for the input everyone! i'll roll a new one later tonight if the bruins don't have me drinking in disappointment :)

[SCB]

Honestly it's pretty cheap to twink up a warrior for low levels (up through the 30s or so) because good proc weapons can be found that people just don't have a lot of interest in. Things like Whips of Strangulation/Gnoll Hide Lariats/Obsidian Shards aren't going to make any parsers go nuts, but they'll get and hold aggro at lower levels np.

Looking a bit at a slightly higher budget, Cobalt Boots and/or Gloves are both pretty cheap, and each offers more AC than any pre-planar armor item. They'll help raise your overall survivability a surprising amount for relatively little investment.

[zanderklocke]

Paladins most rare by far.

[Gadwen]

http://p1999pop.dmsimard.com/db/Classes

I have no how often that's updated, but I would still say its pretty accurate as far as the popularity of the classes.

[zanderklocke]

I would have thought rogue would be higher.

[Clark]

bard / paladin / ranger / sk / warrior / mage

[JurisDictum]

I don't really see a lot of wizards. If I was starting from scratch its probably what I'd roll. They're decent in groups, solo, and can make money with ports. Wizard's are also amongst the least gear dependent classes; and you can always reroll a melee or tank after farming money on a wizard at a higher level.
Wizards are highly sought after for raids. There is a lot of raid gear for wizards in the game as well. So if you eventually want to raid at all, wizards are one of the best choices.

[Kender]

I don't really see a lot of wizards. If I was starting from scratch its probably what I'd roll. They're decent in groups, solo, and can make money with ports. Wizard's are also amongst the least gear dependent classes; and you can always reroll a melee or tank after farming money on a wizard at a higher level.
Wizards are highly sought after for raids. There is a lot of raid gear for wizards in the game as well. So if you eventually want to raid at all, wizards are one of the best choices.

prepare to solo though cause groups never want them

however with a bit of gear they can quad nicely at 29 and dont need groups

[Aabdel]

I've thought about rolling a wizard and do like some aspects of it, but part of what sets eq apart from other mmo's to me is the necessity for groups (at least with most classes). Granted, its always nice to have the option to solo, but that's when I get bored. I need the social aspect of the game! Plus I'm a good awful explorer and am not familiar with most of kunark so one I get there I'm gonna need friends to show me around hehe

[Splorf22]

http://p1999pop.dmsimard.com/db/Classes

I have no how often that's updated, but I would still say its pretty accurate as far as the popularity of the classes.

It's accurate, but things also vary a lot by level. Druids are dirt common 1-50, but by 55 or so most Druids have realized the class is just weak at high levels (plus they all go anon to avoid ports). I am pretty sure Uthgaard posted something about the actual distribution (and from the database, so it will ignore /anon) and basically the rare classes are any class with an XP penalty (paladins, rangers, shadowknights, bards) and Wizards/Magicians.

[HeallunRumblebelly]

I would have thought rogue would be higher.

They're just logged out at raid targets. They're still there :P

[Calibix]

IMO, I would say wizard by far rarest class. They just aren't very good DPS until flowing thought, but they still have their uses.

Regarding bards, while I was leveling I hardly saw another bard. In the last week or two, I feel like I've seen a massive influx of 50ish bards /shrug. More swarm partners for me!

[Splorf22]

I think low hp kiting has unleashed a swarm of L50 bards b/c its so so so easy. Then they have to group and they are terrible at it and quit by 52.

[Beaniron]

Yay, I'm the statistical underdog.

[Aabdel]

so i'm leaning towards pally, always loved tanking and also being able to heal. half elves make the best paladins, right? :D

[kaev]

so i'm leaning towards pally, always loved tanking and also being able to heal. half elves make the best looking paladins, right? :D

ftfy

(and seriously, it's pixels, best looking _is_ best)

[Aabdel]

too late, i was overwhelmed by the log in screen and rolled 8 monks. and it's absolutely essential that i keep all of them. can i buy extra character slots?

[Thulack]

too late, i was overwhelmed by the log in screen and rolled 8 monks. and it's absolutely essential that i keep all of them. can i buy extra character slots?


This isnt live :P. You might want to check out Monkey's Anonymous though for your issues.

[webrunner5]

too late, i was overwhelmed by the log in screen and rolled 8 monks. and it's absolutely essential that i keep all of them. can i buy extra character slots?

You can have 3 accounts on P1999. So on paper you could have 24 Monks. So you would be in Hog Heaven in a sense. :rolleyes: After names like Larry, Curly, Moe not sure what to tell you.

[Ganjar]

Someday when I get a pwrlvl partner, I will make my second monk(Iksar) Iksarss Rule , to fight along side my (Human) monk Iksars Suck.

[Wotsirb401]

technically you can have unlimited accounts just make a bunch of gmail accounts

[Aabdel]

technically you can have unlimited accounts just make a bunch of gmail accounts

i think i'll be ok hehe