Returning player, feeling confused

[Malianna]

Hey guys, took a break from here a little while ago due to RL stuffs. Now that it has passed, I'm probably going to roll from scratch, which brings me to my little problem.

I'm having trouble on what to pick. I dont have a favorite class, I'd want to play melee over a caster and it just seems like a very long hurdle due to most of the melees have an exp penalty (which I know goes away in Velious).

Anyways, with Velious in mind, which melee should I pick? Or perhaps if I can be persuaded, caster.

[NegaStoat]

When I started from scratch, I rolled a druid first. I rushed it to level 20 initially, spending plat only on full small leather, a wraithbone hammer (50pp), a small wooden shield, and spells. At the end of level 20 I had close to 2k pp saved, which I then used to outfit a second character with.

I was in the same boat you were in - undecided on what to play as a main, and undecided on what style of play I really liked the best (melee, caster, priest, hybrid, etc).

Leveling the druid wasn't a waste of time at all, at least for me. It's a simple class to level on a crap budget, and in the end it's incredibly useful for utility purposes even if all you have are self ports. I eventually took mine to 34 due to bouts of boredom and during off times when grouping with my main was a problem.

So, that's my advice I guess.

[Champion_Standing]

I would not let exp penalties be a primary factor in selecting a class but if it is a big deal you can always go rogue or warrior, they get a bonus.

[Estu]

http://wiki.project1999.com/Players:Newbie#What_classes_are_there_in_EverQuest .3F
http://wiki.project1999.com/Players:Newbie#What_class_should_I_pick.3F

[Malianna]

My problem is that I'd feel like it would be a waste of my time rolling a druid/necro/wiz just to get it to 30 or 35 andj ust use it as a cash cow. I'd rather be a gimp and pick a class that I know I'll stick with because I like it.
I've read what Estu posted, still doesnt help me much :( if there was such a class that could be tanky and do respectible dps, I'd play it.

Perhaps its not here, though.

[Fiyero]

Monk might be your best bet. Can sorta be tanky and do good dps.

[Ando]

Monks can tank fairly well and do amazing DPS.

[Valdarious]

I would agree with the Monk being a good tank type and DPS and on the other side of it I would go with a SK. I know there is presently an xp penalty but once Velious gets released, that will be going away.
They are more tank than a monk without having to worry about weight constraints and get some really nice DPS combined with spells and such.

[Champion_Standing]

My problem is that I'd feel like it would be a waste of my time rolling a druid/necro/wiz just to get it to 30 or 35 andj ust use it as a cash cow. I'd rather be a gimp and pick a class that I know I'll stick with because I like it.
I've read what Estu posted, still doesnt help me much :( if there was such a class that could be tanky and do respectible dps, I'd play it.

Perhaps its not here, though.

I definitely agree regarding playing a farming class.

You might want to consider playing monk or warrior if you want to be tanky or dps. Just decide what you would rather do more. You can handle some tanking as a monk, but you will primarily be pulling and dps. As a war you'll obviously be tanking, but the exp bonus or lack of a significant penalty makes it easy for people to invite an extra warrior for some dps if needed.

[Estu]

My problem is that I'd feel like it would be a waste of my time rolling a druid/necro/wiz just to get it to 30 or 35 andj ust use it as a cash cow. I'd rather be a gimp and pick a class that I know I'll stick with because I like it.
I've read what Estu posted, still doesnt help me much :( if there was such a class that could be tanky and do respectible dps, I'd play it.

Perhaps its not here, though.

I think playing a class you don't like just so you can farm money to twink a class you do like is pretty dumb.

Like others have been saying, monks can be adequate tanks sometimes, and are good DPS. Warriors are the most DPS-y of the actual tanks, though their DPS isn't going to compare to monk/rogue DPS (unless they're berserking, which can be hard to maintain in many situations).

[Brickhouse]

I think playing a class you don't like just so you can farm money to twink a class you do like is pretty dumb.

Like others have been saying, monks can be adequate tanks sometimes, and are good DPS. Warriors are the most DPS-y of the actual tanks, though their DPS isn't going to compare to monk/rogue DPS (unless they're berserking, which can be hard to maintain in many situations).

I played a class I don't like "Druid" to farm money for a class I don't like "Warrior", so I must be insanely retarded..

[Champion_Standing]

I played a class I don't like "Druid" to farm money for a class I don't like "Warrior", so I must be insanely retarded..

I agree

[Xer0]

shadowknights make tanking easy.

play on red and group xp bonus will nullify xp penalty.

[Enderenter]

Monk might be your best bet. Can sorta be tanky and do good dps.

Warrior (best tank, solid melee dps), or Monk (2nd best melee dps to rogue, solid tank especially in Velious)

[loramin]

Everyone gets to the 50s and has the cash cow Sebilis groups eventually anyway. I know people love the Nybright sisters camp etc but for the sake plat earned per hour you're better off leveling as quick as you can to 50 and taking it from there :)

This. Every new player, if they want to optimize their time, should accumulate only enough platinum to buy the bare minimum gear necessary to get them to 50. Even if you pick a tank class, that isn't that much gear. Plus, if you let the players you encounter know that you're new and have no gear, you'd be surprised how generous some of them will be. Really you could start a brand new warrior on this server, never buy a single piece of gear, and level all the way to 50 using only the gear you find on mobs and that generous people give you ... and you'd do it faster than the guy who wastes days camping the Nybright sisters and other low-level plat camps.

Then again, some people just want to do tradeskills or play TunnelQuest or whatever, and for them it probably does make sense to start with a class like druid that can farm.

[Malianna]

Thanks for the replies guys!

Unfortunately, I did end up making a wizard after all, it felt easier to just burn things down then to sit in melee untwinked :( (As much as I hate being a caster).
I'm a bit fearful to go on with it, though. I've heard they dont get groups at all, dont really wish to solo in a group game. There's plenty of other MMOs that encourage solo play

[Faywind]

Don't play the wizard then. They are primarily a solo class because they are not highly sought after for groups.

[chromia]

Sounds like you might want to just try out different classes.

It is a game after all, have fun. :)

[NegaStoat]

I think playing a class you don't like just so you can farm money to twink a class you do like is pretty dumb.

I completely agree with this. When I started playing here, I asked myself the question "will I level up and solely play a single character, ever, period? Or will I have an alt?" The answer I had for that question was, yeah, I'd have an alt. That was followed up with the question "will either of the two characters picked be able to solo at all?"

Thus my recommending the druid strategy, and why it worked out for me. I honestly do like the class. My second character is a melee which has its issues, but the druid helps out a ton in being so mobile to offset it for different uses (buying, selling, EC trades, etc.)

As far as a brand new player being hesitant to play a melee due to having no money, and the class is gear dependent - screw it. Really good weapons are CHEAP as hell. Banded & Bronze are easy to obtain, people cut you deals, and there's tons of smiths for fineplate when you're in your early 20's, and they're reasonable on costs too.

Just GO for it if you want to be a melee. No second character required.

[Malianna]

updating.
I stuck with the SK, currently 11. Not sure if I should worry about gear now or later (as suggested with the Seb farming) I'm in a mix of bronze/banded with a BBC/skyfire sword/MM shield mostly

[Itching]

I would personally say play that is fun for you, and can accomplish whatever the goals that you would like to do.

One thing that I have always learned when I started playing on this server is there there is always someone who is willing to lend a hand. They might help you camp something, give free buffs, good advice, start you off with a little gear, or even give you some items to trade.

[Shodo]

Definitely don't worry about gear, just keep leveling (if leveling is what you're most worried about). What you have listed there is more than adequate to carry you to level 30 or 40, or higher. You will be more group-dependent, and your healer will shit a few extra bricks on bad pulls, but other than that you're mostly as effective at holding aggro as the guy with the fungi and ebon mace standing next to you if you're using your spells right.

That being said, if you're really set on having some better gear, you should shoot for some 5ac/55hp rings. It costs about 500pp for a pair, which doesn't take too long to save up. If you want to make some decent cash for a few levels to save up, head to ec/wc and hunt wisps. You can turn the stones in to the gypsies in sro for some good xp (I was getting about 2-3 blues per greater stone on my 12 wiz) and decent cash (10p per greater stone). Wisps range from level 9-11, so you can hunt them for a few levels still. Murder spiderlings & black bears between whisps and sell the silks & hq pelts at the tunnel for extra monies. This will likely be a lot slower xp for you than grouping in guk, but if having some extra money makes you feel better, go for it! (Personally I prefer the slow-your-roll style of leveling, and can vouch for the warm fuzzy feeling those extra hps will give you).

[iruinedyourday]

Xp penalties are wierd. On one hand they make sense, as a Halfling War you get +15% xp, compared to a human monk who gets -20%. However the latter can solo/duo more efficiently so in use you end up getting more orange movement in your XP bar despite the penalty.

If you want to receive random /who's for invites to group and remain a melee, Monk>War>Rogue>(Other melee's not so much until Velious - Right? I think hybrid get the penalty removed then?)

My opinion! :D

[Malianna]

Stuck at 13 on my SK and im either considering rerolling or just leaving the server entirely :( I have zero luck making my own groups (probably due to others in zone being in a group already) and im just tired of killing wisps..over..and over.. ><

[Fiyero]

Stuck at 13 on my SK and im either considering rerolling or just leaving the server entirely :( I have zero luck making my own groups (probably due to others in zone being in a group already) and im just tired of killing wisps..over..and over.. ><

SK is a tough one for new players here because of their enormous XP penalty which makes it harder to feel like you're accomplishing something. That penalty also affects groups you join which can be a turn off for some people seeking to level fast.

Are there any other classes that interest you? Maybe play them first to get more comfortable/get money for your SK and return to your SK at a later time.

[Malianna]

I've heavily debated on a necro, but again, I'd rather be a pick for groups or even possible raiding (not, not a cleric ><).

Monk is a possibility, though I'd never want to be an iksar, which seems to be either be one or dont. Paladin was my third choice, but im just unsure ><

[tanknspank]

If you have a SK and not feeling the love, don't go PAL. They fit the same group role and have the same XP penalty so it's unlikely you'll find groups any better.

Have you considered:
- enchanter - needed in groups, and can solo. downside is there's tons of them. being a good one can make you friends to re-group with however.
- mage - competes on a generic DPS slot for groups, but stacks better than necro and applies damage well even when mobs die fast
- shaman - useful in groups, can duo, can solo

As far as the monk: If you want to min-max, sure, iksar or nothing. But on the flip side, as a human you have less XP penalty and if you plan to group the regen is less critical. The AC is very nice, but I've seen / grouped with plenty of human monks and they're fine. Especially if you're the DPS/puller

[Fiyero]

I've heavily debated on a necro, but again, I'd rather be a pick for groups or even possible raiding (not, not a cleric ><).

Monk is a possibility, though I'd never want to be an iksar, which seems to be either be one or dont. Paladin was my third choice, but im just unsure ><Well your raid options are generally warrior, cleric, rogue, monk, enchanter, bard, shaman, wizard.

Since you don't want to be a cleric, your best options for groups are tanks, enchanter, shaman, bard, rogue, or monk.

Paladin will still have the hybrid penalty like SK, although no racial penalty so it will level slightly faster.

[vageta31]

Play a shaman. A shaman can solo to 60, but are just as welcome in groups for their buffs, debuffs and overall utility. You can play one "like a caster" and load up on mana/wis for root rotting, or you can be a battle shaman and load up on hit points with some decent AC and actually stay in melee for quite some time. Even before Kunark I had an Ogre shaman that was meleeing Spectre's in Feerot to get to 50, but could have easily joined any lower guk group at any time. Don't think just because a shaman is a priest it's anywhere near the playstyle of a Cleric. You will be a backup healer at best at higher levels (until you get ahold of torpor), but your slows end up being so much more mana efficient than healing anyways. You also add decent DPS with your dog and DoTs, not to mention you can even be an off tank in most exp groups during bad pulls.

Also, if you're having trouble taking a class past level 11 then I wouldn't be worried about being wanted in raids. Honestly, the commitment to even hit the level to enter the raid scene is really high if you aren't twinked or have friend to power level you. I'd worry about that when the time comes, for now just play what you enjoy. Personally I've always felt shaman made better "battle mages" than any of the hybrids. Hybrids end up being "mostly melee with some spells thrown in", while Shamen can debuff a mob and dot it up enough to stand there and take the beating while wearing the mob down. I find that a much more rewarding and fun playstyle.

[stakha]

cleric might sound boring at the offset, but i found myself really enjoying it when i played one as my main on live. there is much more to the class than simply healing the main tank and you can really be quite active in many situations. there is no xp penalty and you will be soufht after for groups. sometimes you have to /anon or /role just to avoid constant invites when you are not looking to group. the social aspect of the game is not to be underestimated

[Taralia]

Monk Or Rogue or Ranger

[Valdarious]

vageta made some good points on the Shaman.
You don't "have" to go Iksar to be a monk. There were people playing Monks for a long time before Kunark came out and never had any problems with it. My own Monk that I play is a Human. I prefer not to worry about time sinking faction changes just to get into towns safely.

[Clark]

Rogue is a pretty fun melee to play and not as demanding raid knowledge wise as monk and warrior.

[Malianna]

I should perhaps mention that I might be alongside a cleric, should I ever reach that high of a level, which is why I dont think a shaman would fit well (double cleric type sounds kinda meh, imo) along with just preferring melee.
I've always wanted to try a ranger, I played one after being a raid tank on live for sometime and during the progression servers and had alot of fun with it. If it doesnt work, however, I guess I could tough it out as a shaman, but I dont like any of the looks on the other races (not to mention being a "large" race)

Sorry for late responses, I was sick/work overload D:

[Panna]

A full group situation in say Sebilis, that a shaman that can focus only on debuff / buffing and not healing would be awesome for you and CLR wouldn't it? But yea duo'ing with 2 healers killing bandits would be slower.

On the other hand I'm loving ranger, but I'm only lvl 12 so. :P