New Players (Class Thread)

[Xaviyn]

Greetings,

I stumbleupon'd this server two nights ago and finally found my old titanium pack. I like the idea of project 1999. I was around for the launch of EQ and it was a lot of fun.
What do you all think of the current class break down? I was thinking about rolling a cleric, but I was hoping to get some groups. Necro or monk are also options. I would probably play almost any class as long as im having fun. Although, fun for me usually means grouping.
Any thoughts?

[President]

Severely Lacking:
Monks
Rangers
Paladins
Bards (probably between severe and lacking)
Enchanters (probably between severe and lacking)

Lacking:
Rogues
Wizards (recently only a couple on over level 30?)
Shamans (it seems as of lately?)
SK's (Maybe?)


Average:
Warriors
Clerics

Above average:
Mage
Nec
Druid


EDIT* Monk's/Ranges have had complaints with worthlessness... Changes made recently should make them a bit more affective.. I also thought Rogues were having trouble but I had one in a group the other day (24ish level?) with crappy weapons and he was doing some damn good dps..

EDIT2* Added the classes I tarded out on.

[Aaron]

That seems like a pretty accurate breakdown. I'd like to see more melee classes running around personally.

[Barkingturtle]

Bards and enchanters are apparently entirely absent.

[Tollen]

no bards...? id say they are in your severely lacking

and most wiz are probably /anon/role once they get group ports so wont fine many with /who all wiz

[Halladar]

Tanks are in the shortest supply I think.

LOT of monks around, or so it seems to me (level 18).

Lot of druids, but they don't seem to be grouping much right now (again keep my level in mind).

I'd say shamans and clerics are about equal in sheer numbers, with maybe a few more people playing shamans.

Funny thing is it seems like I see more people ooc'ing for dps than healers sometimes.

I really don't see necros that much, though a bunch pop up when you do /who, though not as many as mages. The pet classes are overpowered right now, so I guess that is why you see so many.

I always thought necros were great in groups, but the fast pull group situation (which you see so often since the really good xp sites are open pretty much all the time, which is unlike live with it's huge server pops in 1999) doesn't suit their damage style as well. Usually when they call for dps they want a wizard or mage, but they prefer a mage.

I guess cleric might be the class that best fits what you are looking for. But that is just a guess.

[Datante]

Pretty amusing that bards are so non-existent that they didn't even make the scarcity list, hehe.

Edit add: Xaviyn, you will be a welcome addition to the server regardless of your chosen class.

[Halladar]

Pretty amusing that bards are so non-existent they didn't even make the scarcity list, hehe.

I think there are fewer rangers. Worst thing that ever happened to that class was letting druids have track.

[Ehud]

I really don't see necros that much, though a bunch pop up when you do /who, though not as many as mages. The pet classes are overpowered right now, so I guess that is why you see so many.


We're all off soloing in the corner of a zone somewhere :cool:

Don't worry though..It's so we can twink our bards!

[Xaviyn]

Why is it that bards are so scarce? lol
I really liked playing a bard back in the day. Maybe I should consider one again.

[Jereziah]

Bards are partially broken. Every 5th or so twist will get stuck and you'll have to perform a mini-spam to unstick the song. That, and the fact that of all the classes, they are by far and away the latest to blossom. Early on you're literally standing there with a song on and auto-attacking, that's entirely it. This, coupled with the -40% experience for being a hybrid really makes the class undesirable right now. If that wasn't enough, range on the songs right now seems to be broken as well, you have to be within 5 actual feet of the bard to receive the song affect, something I don't recall being the case before. Granted, it would appear Selo's has a larger affect, and rightly so.

Seems like I just bashed my own class ;) I have a necro I play when I need a change, so I understand the pet-class desirability.

And, as Xaxiyn (above) pointed out, a lot of players are leveling a pet class first as they are twice as fast, then turning around and farming to twink out one of the harder melee-types to play, making their 2nd go through quicker and more fun. I expect as more reach 50 we'll see bards, sk's, pal's and monks increase in numbers.

[Elerion]

Bards are riddled with bugs and have a 40% xp penalty.

[Goobles]

exp penalty on bards :(

PAladins aren't lacking imo/.

[Datante]

I think there are fewer rangers. Worst thing that ever happened to that class was letting druids have track.

I hadn't thought about that before--interesting point.


Why is it that bards are so scarce? lol
I really liked playing a bard back in the day. Maybe I should consider one again.

Xav, my brother plays a bard and loves the class. We often get a "I love bards" message from other group members as well. It is a fun class to play if one can manage the issues that Jereziah mentioned. As for the hybrid exp penalty, it is a bummer; however, it is not so noticeable when the two of us play, as I play a paladin with the same -40%.

[guineapig]

I was actually checking the server at various times over the weekend to see who's playing what and this is what I found.

In the morning there were between 8-12 of each class playing except for ranger (there were 3 rangers).

Later on in the day I checked again and actually wrote down the following:

18 mages
15 necros
11 enchanters
10 warriors
10 druids
9 clerics
9 shaman
9 shadow knights
9 monks
9 rogues
8 paladins
8 bards
5 rangers

( EDIT: Apparently I somehow left out wizards... honestly can't say what number turned up for them.)


Now actually the almost doubling of the ranger population was due to the fact that a few people were offering free gear (like a PGT for example) to anyone playing a ranger so when I checked the same original 3 rangers were online and there were 2 additional level 2 halfling rangers in Misty Thicket.


Of course, this is in no way scientific as I only checked twice but I would imagine that you will find a similar spread throughout the day and a higher portion of solo classes late at night camping rare spawns.

[guineapig]

I would just like to add that I too love bards and for single adds bards make much more efficient CC than my own class. I don't mind saying that at all cause it's the simple truth. (When you get multiple adds that's where my class becomes a real life saver.)

Also, I've only grouped with one ranger so far on the server and he was our MT. We didn't have a single problem with him tanking. Had a bard spamming heal song, mobs were getting slowed and debuffed, team was hasted, ranger was able to keep agro just fine and had the PGT proc-ing at a good rate it seemed to save a little on heals and add a little to DPS. Had a druid doing heals and some damage. That was it, just the 4 of us in Guk and we did great. Don't hate the ranger!!!

[eqravenprince]

Class breakdown is something along these lines... although I haven't done a /who all class to verify.

High
Magician
Necromancer
Druid
Shaman

Med
Cleric
Warrior
Shadow Knight
Paladin
Enchanter

Low
Wizard
Rogue
Bard
Ranger

[Xaviyn]

Thank you for the input, everyone. Feel free to keep posting your opinions and observations! =)

[entilza]

Now actually the almost doubling of the ranger population was due to the fact that a few people were offering free gear (like a PGT for example) to anyone playing a ranger so when I checked the same original 3 rangers were online and there were 2 additional level 2 halfling rangers in Misty Thicket.




Halfing Rangers? They weren't in classic and you can't make a halfing ranger here, they must have been ghosts :) Be afraid!

[Aaron]

This is probably neither the time nor the place, and I'm sure I'll be booed away, but I want to make my opinion known once again that there should be no exp penalty for hybrid classes. It was an obviously horrible concept implemented stupidly by Verant and redacted later.

[guineapig]

Halfing Rangers? They weren't in classic and you can't make a halfing ranger here, they must have been ghosts :) Be afraid!

I could have sworn they were halflings... maybe halfelves then? meh. :confused:


The main point is, within half hour of people offering good gear to rangers there were 2 newly created ones running around nearly doubling the online ranger population that day.

[EliteJackson]

This is probably neither the time nor the place, and I'm sure I'll be booed away, but I want to make my opinion known once again that there should be no exp penalty for hybrid classes. It was an obviously horrible concept implemented stupidly by Verant and redacted later.

Amen to that.

[Levon]

This is probably neither the time nor the place, and I'm sure I'll be booed away, but I want to make my opinion known once again that there should be no exp penalty for hybrid classes. It was an obviously horrible concept implemented stupidly by Verant and redacted later.

So true. If there were a list of 10 things NOT to carry over from 1999 this would be very near the top. It makes no sense at all.

[Rhongomyniad]

Tanks - specifically Warriors and SK's.

I haven't grouped with more than a couple rangers and monks..

[Bubbles]

You're lacking in Rangers/Paladins/Bards/SKs simply because the hybrid XP bonus is so fierce and the classes pale in comparison to pet casters/priests/etc.

It takes a real man to play half a character. It takes a real stupid man to play half a character, with a 40% penalty to boot. ;)

You also see a lot of the mid-level game is now alts, and the players in the know (level 50) that are on their 2nd tour around 1999 are even less inclined to go a. ) melee or b. ) hybrid. So the disparity grows even wider.

[messiah_b]

The first week I played I saw maybe one monk. I think a lot of them have started playing again since the melee patch I have one in 75% of my groups from 18-24 so far.

[Bubbles]

I could have sworn they were halflings... maybe halfelves then? meh. :confused:


The main point is, within half hour of people offering good gear to rangers there were 2 newly created ones running around nearly doubling the online ranger population that day.

Halfling Rangers weren't introduced til least Veilous (maybe Luclin?). Which is a crying shame, since Halflings have far and away the best stat-across for any race that can be rangers (no CHA/INT... way above average STR/STA/AGI/DEX and a killer WIS to boot).

[eqravenprince]

Just did a class count using /who all 5 50 class:

Cleric 20
Necro 19
Magician 18
Shaman 18
Druid 16
Rogue 14
Enchanter 12
Paladin 12
Warrior 11
Bard 11
SK 9
Monk 9
Wizard 8
Ranger 1

[Widan]

Why are wizards so low? I would think they would be very desirable for groups that have a pet as the main tank. Yes a few more wizards might be /anon so they don't get bothered for ports but probably no more than 2-3 more than other classes.

[Jereziah]

I have to agree, hybrid experience penalty could do with being removed.

/2 cents.

[Halladar]

Why are wizards so low? I would think they would be very desirable for groups that have a pet as the main tank. Yes a few more wizards might be /anon so they don't get bothered for ports but probably no more than 2-3 more than other classes.

I think they are going to be a lot more attractive come kunark for sure. They have some awful big zones there.

Part of it is mages are much easier to play, and honestly are much stronger than wizards for a long time. It isn't until maybe the 40's that I think you might say I'd rather have a wizard than a mage in a group, except for ports. And stuns too I guess.

Well on live during 1999 you might have said that. Not sure what is going on with the pets at higher levels here.

[Thrak]

This is probably neither the time nor the place, and I'm sure I'll be booed away, but I want to make my opinion known once again that there should be no exp penalty for hybrid classes. It was an obviously horrible concept implemented stupidly by Verant and redacted later.

Totally agree on the 40%. I gave up my Paladin (and 1999). Would be back if this was removed......just seems masochistic to re-add such a hated and unnecessary penalty.

[Tovok]

I think they are going to be a lot more attractive come kunark for sure. They have some awful big zones there.

Part of it is mages are much easier to play, and honestly are much stronger than wizards for a long time. It isn't until maybe the 40's that I think you might say I'd rather have a wizard than a mage in a group, except for ports. And stuns too I guess.

Well on live during 1999 you might have said that. Not sure what is going on with the pets at higher levels here.

Wizards will get more in demand as the raid targets get bigger. I was a wizard on live. As I understand it, mages had a few problems on raids there:

- pets broke mez
- pets died to AE
- mages couldn't do damage to target with nukes due to resists
- mages couldn't sustain nuking because they didn't have concussion

Meanwhile, a wizard could always find a damage type that would work with the target, we could manage agro with concussion, and we even got bane spells with Velious.

I love the mage class, but I have no illusions about the long term viability remaining as it is now on p99.

[Tovok]

Just remembered one other thing that factors into this. Pathing and running. If mobs run away here like they did on live, snare is huge. If they don't, it obviously won't be. I don't necessarily take mobs running as a given, since in Shard of Dalaya they definitely didn't for the most part. The low level mobs seem to run here just fine, though.

[Reiker]

Yeah SoD doesn't/didn't have fear pathing code, P99 does!

[stormlord]

Bards are partially broken. Every 5th or so twist will get stuck and you'll have to perform a mini-spam to unstick the song. That, and the fact that of all the classes, they are by far and away the latest to blossom. Early on you're literally standing there with a song on and auto-attacking, that's entirely it. This, coupled with the -40% experience for being a hybrid really makes the class undesirable right now. If that wasn't enough, range on the songs right now seems to be broken as well, you have to be within 5 actual feet of the bard to receive the song affect, something I don't recall being the case before. Granted, it would appear Selo's has a larger affect, and rightly so.

Seems like I just bashed my own class ;) I have a necro I play when I need a change, so I understand the pet-class desirability.

And, as Xaxiyn (above) pointed out, a lot of players are leveling a pet class first as they are twice as fast, then turning around and farming to twink out one of the harder melee-types to play, making their 2nd go through quicker and more fun. I expect as more reach 50 we'll see bards, sk's, pal's and monks increase in numbers.

I played a bard up to 6 before the melee fix. At 6 it was getting very easy to get experience at bb. I could have leveled up further. The hitpoint regen song was nice. I was really enjoying him. I didn't even know he had an exp penalty.

All those people that like complaining about everything... if you want to shoot something, go find an isolated barn somewhere and shoot yourself. It'll make the world here a better place. Plus, in heaven everyone is level 50 and ubba and suiciders go to heaven.