Balance

[Kelor]

How about some custom content to try and balance the classes?

How would you go on about doing it?

[Evia]

I don't think balancing classes would be a good thing for eq. It literally would rip the spirit out of the game. Part of the intended model of eq is that you've gotta rely on other classes for things your character/class just can't do. Imbalance of classes is, in a sense, where the core game play stems from.

[renordw]

Oh god no, I love how each class has its own specialty

[Troxx]

The original developers went a long way towards balancing the classes in Luclin with the alternate advancement system.

Classes like rangers became relevant.

[Ele]

Give everyone sow, ports, feign death, nukes, mez, and complete heal.

[mr_jon3s]

The original developers went a long way towards balancing the classes in Luclin with the alternate advancement system.

Classes like rangers became relevant.

This. Classes became more viable during luclin and pop. Thanks to AA's, levels, and spells.

[Swish]

I don't think there'd be too many upset people if AA's happened to turn up eventually :p

[renordw]

I don't think there'd be too many upset people if AA's happened to turn up eventually :p

Perhaps not, but only a very special custom subset

[Troxx]

Perhaps not, but only a very special custom subset

I'd be ok if luclin AAs and spells were added with none of the other luclin content.

AAs alone would give people a reason to play their level 60s and not just have them parked at raid spawns.

[Swish]

Exactly, level 60 is a place characters go to die... or mine at least.

Wheel them out for the occasional raid but that's it :s

[Evia]

I don't think there'd be too many upset people if AA's happened to turn up eventually :p

Don't get my hopes up man!
If p99 ever announced aa's I would roll a ranger that minute.
I recall reading something a few years back about how p99 ripped the aa code out or something like that. So even if they decided they wanted them it would be far too much work to get them fixed and in game. I could be wrong but I swear I read that back in the day.

[Man0warr]

Ranger's are already the best melee DPS in the game.

[Troxx]

If the devs *wanted* AA in the game it would not be hard to plug the code back in, even if it was originally ripped out.

[arsenalpow]

Ranger's are already the best melee DPS in the game.

Only if they have a BFG and the fight ends before true shot runs out.

[Man0warr]

Trueshot lasts a long ass time though.

[arsenalpow]

Trueshot lasts a long ass time though.

Like two minutes or whatever.

[Sadre Spinegnawer]

Ummm....

playing a hard class is supposed to be hard. That *is* the balance.

The key point is, no class is useless. And dragging rangers into this discussion is a low blow. That entire class was created just to see how many people would create chars with a variation on the name Legolas.

[Raev]

How about some custom content to try and balance the classes?

How would you go on about doing it?

I think Velious took a huge step towards balancing the classes correctly. The weaker classes were buffed: Druids got POTG, regen clicky BP, and ATK debuffs. Hybrids got vastly increased stats from HOT armor, improved skillcaps (in theory), vastly improved spell repertoire, and no XP penalty. Paladins and Shadowknights are a bit light on a raid role, but that's mostly because no guild crawls through any zones.

The stronger classes were mostly left alone: Pure melee are still very good, but they also require hand holding from casters to be even marginally effective. Enchanters are still charm gods, but the increased MR/damage of Velious NPCs means they need almost as much hand holding. Bards are no longer nearly as critical for raiding now that everyone gets +50000 to resists from Velious gear.

Really the only classes that stand out to me are Shaman (get more from gear than other casters, Canni IV is a wtf move by the designers) and Wizard (need more accessible damage clickies).

[Nibblewitz]

Wizards are OP in Velious. Nerf me please, starting with TL boxes.

[renordw]

Wizards are OP in Velious. Nerf me please, starting with TL boxes.

Heh. Honestly if they would implement Wizard crits, I would play my 55 wiz again. The monotony is unparalleled ATM, and we're horribly worthless in XP groups. I can outdps my Wizard on my 55 shaman by spam clicking my JBB.

[Rararboker]

I can out dps your shaman by spam clicking my vp robe. Lol