Aggro, Melee, and Necro pet vs Mage's

[BBIII]

I had planned to play a monk in my small group of friends. They all seem to be content playing CasterQuest, but I figured as a monk I could pull and do some tanking and have some respectable DPS. Also, low maintenance with weapons and gear.

However, For some reason I thought monks got taunt. I now know better. In a group with Cleric, Enchanter, Shaman, Necro - there wont be a root until level 8. So it seems like the necro pet and/or the shaman will be tanking for some time. Is there any hope in vanilla a monk will be able to hold aggro with raw DPS in this group? Will taunt make a real difference here? How long before tanks/hybrids can really start maintaining aggro? Lastly, Whats your pecking order for melee aggro without procs? 1. Paladin 2. SK 3. Ranger 4. Warrior?

I have been trying to tempt the necro to go mage, but he seems very unmotivated to be a mage pre-focus items. Is there a large discrepancy in necro and earth pet tanking abilities pre-focus?

[Hoppkins_Wytchfinder]

Earth pet isnt great at tanking honestly. The air pet has similar HP and dodges more frequently and gets similar aggro without having to root.

[Vexenu]

Mobs will always attack player characters instead of pets if both are in range, regardless of how much hate the pet can generate. Necro pets are much less sturdy tanks than Mage Earth pets of the same level. Also, due to the geometry of the pet models, mobs being attacked by both Necro and Mage pets will always attack the Necro pet because it stands closer to the mob. And if your concern is making it to level 8 for root...I think you'll be ok. The grind to 8 is not a long or difficult one.

[Lojik]

If you really want root in group by level 4, one of you could roll wizard hehe

[Wurl]

I mean, prior to level 8 none of you will really be "tanking". You'll all just be punching mobs at this point anyways.

[ldgo86]

Yeah like everyone is saying, just have a mess of dps until someone dings 8.

[DMN]

You just want him to roll a mage so you can get infinite free throwing items, dontcha? Heh. If whatever class you play is going to be in melee range it's going to take aggro from whatever pets you have out.

I think SKs are more efficient for generating aggro, mainly because darkness will both taunt well and snare. Sounds like you are going to have tons of root potential already on the team, which is the major draw of the paladin IMO. Ranger is basically like the SK without FD, weaker tank, no bash, can't be ogre/troll, but can root like pally.

So specicially in that team, replacing the monk, I'd go
1. SK
2. Paladin
3. Ranger

Monks aren't terribly good tanks in vanilla EQ, not good at generating aggro, absorbing damage, or having the hit points to eventually make complete healing efficient. they are reasonably self sufficient as far as melee/hybrids go but you have little need for self sufficiency with a consistent group.

Have you considered a bard? With the bard if any of the other people aren't playing the team will still be great. Very good aggro generation if you want to tank and actually wears plates of armor instead of frilly dresses dresses. They also pull quite well if that's really what you want to do. Be way more desired in endgame vanilla stuff cause every group is probably going to want a bard. you will have more damage than you know what to do with when the enchanter and necro start charming stuff.

[Danth]

How long before tanks/hybrids can really start maintaining aggro?

Level 9 for hybrid spells, and level 12 for meditate so they can use those spells often. In other words, that's after your group has access to root so don't pick based on that concern.

Danth

[BBIII]

You just want him to roll a mage so you can get infinite free throwing items, dontcha? Heh. If whatever class you play is going to be in melee range it's going to take aggro from whatever pets you have out.

I think SKs are more efficient for generating aggro, mainly because darkness will both taunt well and snare. Sounds like you are going to have tons of root potential already on the team, which is the major draw of the paladin IMO. Ranger is basically like the SK without FD, weaker tank, no bash, can't be ogre/troll, but can root like pally.

So specicially in that team, replacing the monk, I'd go
1. SK
2. Paladin
3. Ranger

Monks aren't terribly good tanks in vanilla EQ, not good at generating aggro, absorbing damage, or having the hit points to eventually make complete healing efficient. they are reasonably self sufficient as far as melee/hybrids go but you have little need for self sufficiency with a consistent group.

Have you considered a bard? With the bard if any of the other people aren't playing the team will still be great. Very good aggro generation if you want to tank and actually wears plates of armor instead of frilly dresses dresses. They also pull quite well if that's really what you want to do. Be way more desired in endgame vanilla stuff cause every group is probably going to want a bard. you will have more damage than you know what to do with when the enchanter and necro start charming stuff.

I have been waffling between bard, monk, ranger since the announcement. Which is funny, because truly I'd want to be a rogue but I am just going to wait on that class. I know im driving my bros crazy. But I just want to pick a melee/hybrid class that I will, 1. Will enjoy 2. Thats is decent in vanilla and 3. Has some kind of future.

[BBIII]

Level 9 for hybrid spells, and level 12 for meditate so they can use those spells often. In other words, that's after your group has access to root so don't pick based on that concern.

Danth

Yeah, true. I guess I was curious if mashing taunt was viable that early.

[Rogean]

Mobs will always attack player characters instead of pets if both are in range, regardless of how much hate the pet can generate.

[Danth]

Yeah, true. I guess I was curious if mashing taunt was viable that early.

Mashing taunt is never a viable method of holding aggro in this game. Not at level 10, not at level 60. Once in awhile it'll flip a target back to the tank, but even then it fails more often than not and it does nothing to hold aggro.

Danth

[Deathrydar]

Yeah, true. I guess I was curious if mashing taunt was viable that early.

It fails a lot, because it will be such a low level skill.

[Vizax_Xaziv]

SK will be the best aggro-holder. Disease Cloud is immensely high aggro and, when higher amounts of threat area required, a Darkness is essentially guaranteed aggro. SK also gets Feign Death, remember, and thusly can act as a semi-reliable puller. Additional utility such as Invis, the ability to Slam (Troll/Ogre) to interrupt casters. Fears and Snares which allow them to solo in outdoor zones when your premade isnt around. Remember that a Troll or Ogre SK is gonna have a rather impressive 60% experience penalty!

Pally has Flash of Light which is above-average aggro but can be risky (mobs will run if the Paladin moves outside of their melee range). This would change at level 30 when the Paladin gets his first of the Stun line of spells. These are incredibly high aggro but can drain the Paladin's mana quickly when spammed. Additional utility there would be the obvious ability to heal party members. Lay on Hands to SAVE party members. Lulls and roots for pulling and finally the ability for Rez in the late-game.