Shaman or Cleric?

[Veikuri]

Looking to create an alt with a friend who is playing Paladin. Which do you guys think would be a better fit? Barb Shaman or DElf/Elf Cleric?

[kjs86z]

Either will work fine. Play what interests you more.

Shaman will have far more tools in the kit as you progress. Cleric is going to always be healing.

If you guys are going to strictly only duo, the answer is shaman. Slow is the most efficient "heal" in the game.

[BlackBellamy]

A shaman is your #1 best pick to duo with any melee class.

[Tecmos Deception]

Either will work fine. Play what interests you more.

Shaman will have far more tools in the kit as you progress. Cleric is going to always be healing.

If you guys are going to strictly only duo, the answer is shaman. Slow is the most efficient "heal" in the game.

Either WILL work. Shams WILL have more tools as you progress. But the other lines from kjs oversimplify things imo.

Clerics aren't simply healers; they have the best hp and ac buffs in the game, good undead nukes and respectable (better than shaman) normal nukes, rez, divine aura and barrier for funny business. Slow is the most efficient heal in the game... but not until like 40+ (or especially in kunark; at 50 chanters have a better slow than shamans). There isn't a "best" answer to the question unless you have more specifics about your interests. Both are great classes and "fit" fine overall with a paladin.

If you really JUST want to duo, you'll probably get more mileage out of a shaman. If your friend wants to do any grouping though, it's a wash probably on which is strictly better, since shamans are kinda a dime a dozen on green and teal but clerics are more rare and as/more important for groups.

[Kotopes]

Just keep in mind slows are not very efficient until much later in Kunark. Shamans will struggle healing in most groups since they get their heals 1 full spell circle later than clerics (i.e. lvl24 Greater healing for cleric comes at level 29 for shammy). Also clerics get 10% bonus on the very same heals shamans use.

In other words, slowing 99% mobs in Classic is a waste of time, you're better off with stronger heals. In early 40's clerics begin to use Complete heal, which is very efficient on tanks, and completely outclasses all other heal spells in the game.

Shaman might look a little better in duo, but add one damage dealer into your group, and cleric becomes a much better choice.

[Bardp1999]

Shamans can haste, regen, stat buff, slow, heal, SoW, summon a pet, make potions, DoT, nuke, and canni for very efficient mana regen.

Clerics can heal, rez and nuke undead with poor mana regeneration.

Outside raiding or working with a charmed pet where complete heal becomes ridiculously mana efficient, a shaman is almost always the better partner.

Plus Shaman is a LOT more fun to play than a cleric (in my humble opinion) - Plus you have the option to solo. The downside is Shamans are quite possiblyt the worst raiding class in all of EQ - you need 1 and anything over that is basically dead weight.

[Gatorsmash]

Just keep in mind slows are not very efficient until much later in Kunark. Shamans will struggle healing in most groups since they get their heals 1 full spell circle later than clerics (i.e. lvl24 Greater healing for cleric comes at level 29 for shammy). Also clerics get 10% bonus on the very same heals shamans use.

In other words, slowing 99% mobs in Classic is a waste of time, you're better off with stronger heals. In early 40's clerics begin to use Complete heal, which is very efficient on tanks, and completely outclasses all other heal spells in the game.

Shaman might look a little better in duo, but add one damage dealer into your group, and cleric becomes a much better choice.

Lol whuuuut? Kunark doesn't add a slow spell line till 51. So you're saying slows are not effective till 51....ya again whut?

@OP shaman and it's not even close. Slow and regen will allow you to do encounters a cleric-paladin combo cant touch. Which is the ruler by which all combos are measured- how much of the content can they do compared to another combo

[GuiltyLight]

As a duo partner? Shaman. Not even close.

[derpcake2]

Just keep in mind slows are not very efficient until much later in Kunark. Shamans will struggle healing in most groups since they get their heals 1 full spell circle later than clerics (i.e. lvl24 Greater healing for cleric comes at level 29 for shammy). Also clerics get 10% bonus on the very same heals shamans use.

In other words, slowing 99% mobs in Classic is a waste of time, you're better off with stronger heals. In early 40's clerics begin to use Complete heal, which is very efficient on tanks, and completely outclasses all other heal spells in the game.

Shaman might look a little better in duo, but add one damage dealer into your group, and cleric becomes a much better choice.

Drowsy is a 20% slow at 50, for 20 mana.

Walking sleep is a 30% slow at 50, for 30 mana.

At level 50 a shaman is able to keep a tank alive far longer against a mob then a cleric is. The cleric will heal until OOM, the shaman will let the tank mitigate damage through buffs, slow, provides passive healing through chloroplast, and can canni to regen his mana.

Finally, CH on classic geared tanks is pretty poor.

A CH for 2000 hp is 5hp/mana healed
Superior healing (for shm) is 2.32hp/mana healed

Since Togors insects slows for 49% at level 39, a 39 shms superior heal is really close to the clerics CH, and at 50 the shm is ahead quite a lot when it comes to mana efficiency.

Clerics have very low efficiency, this is why they can't solo well. A shaman can tank and sustain himself against mobs that run a cleric OOM, despite the cleric being a plate class. That in itself says enough about the efficiency of both classes.

Has a cleric ever soloed Yeldema? Serious question.

[Troxx]

Has a cleric ever soloed Yeldema? Serious question.

Seriously dumb question you mean? Has a shaman ever rezzed a dead corpse or partipated in a complete heal chain? Clerics lack the tools to trophy solo a dragon. Shamans lack the tools to do the things which make a cleric a requirement for hard content.

Back on topic: for strictly duo shaman will win hands down. More than healing/slowing it’s the sum total package of all that on top of haste. A properly geared cleric can handle the job of healing without slows or clarity. It’s not fun, but neither is being the sole healing shaman in a group where you’re also expected to slow, buff, and haste to boot. I’ve played both classes.

In terms of global desirability (groups and raids) it’s near impossible to beat cleric.

I’ve never seen a group break for lack of finding a shaman. I’ve seen raids struggle because we had 7-8 shamans and not enough clerics.

Both classes are great. You can’t go wrong with either.

[Naonak]

SoW on tap with other buffs from a shaman duo is very nice to have.

[Wallicker]

Just heal with inner fire bw med tics Unless a big heal is absolutely needed as it is more efficient than even low lvl cleric heals until lvl 24 when you get canni and regen. Once you get a pet and efficient dots you will really pull ahead in DPS vs cleric + Paladin. Manastone changes things though.

[eqravenprince]

Shaman for duo or keeping the group small. Cleric if you want to get a full group going. Either will be ok.

[Cen]

Shaman work pretty nicely with paladins. You can do most things with that duo, the paladin brings psudeo fear, big heals, but youll still lack you're snare.

Shame none of the hybrids were given slows in classic, outside of procs.

[Kotopes]

Shamans can haste, regen, stat buff, slow, heal, SoW, summon a pet, make potions, DoT, nuke, and canni for very efficient mana regen.

Clerics can heal, rez and nuke undead with poor mana regeneration.

Outside raiding or working with a charmed pet where complete heal becomes ridiculously mana efficient, a shaman is almost always the better partner.

Plus Shaman is a LOT more fun to play than a cleric (in my humble opinion) - Plus you have the option to solo. The downside is Shamans are quite possiblyt the worst raiding class in all of EQ - you need 1 and anything over that is basically dead weight.

In a strict duo shaman wins hands down, but as someone said add more players into your group and cleric is more preferable. The most sick trio for example is a charm class (not just enc, also necro,druid given there are undead or animals around), cleric + any class that can reasonably tank stuff. Hell even a well geared ranger will do the job.
Paladin + shaman still have a very low DPS, you need some DPS class to make a powerful trio.

[Tecmos Deception]

In a strict duo shaman wins hands down, but as someone said add more players into your group and cleric is more preferable. The most sick trio for example is a charm class (not just enc, also necro,druid given there are undead or animals around), cleric + any class that can reasonably tank stuff. Hell even a well geared ranger will do the job.
Paladin + shaman still have a very low DPS, you need some DPS class to make a powerful trio.

Generally agree, though I don't think cleric+charmer+tank works if the charmer isn't a chanter. You'd have limited CC, very specific places you can charm in, no slow, no haste, no mana regen. Charm is only part of what makes cleric+enchanter amazing; the whole package is important though. Shaman+enchanter+druid would be great though, if you don't mind being so reliant on charms to maximize your kill speeds.


But more on topic, yeah, everyone is basically in agreement that purely to duo, a paladin and shaman is the way to go, but if you're adding more members then either will be just fine.

[PL_Barton]

I think a Cleric + Paladin duo would be pretty cool / fun to do. You would need to play to your advantages (Undead) and gear your cleric/paladin to take advantage of Pacify pulls which is a CHA check. Learn how to play a cleric as a utility class.

Cleric + any pet/charm class will chew through mobs.

Otherwise, I'd say a Shaman is better duo partner for ease of leveling / end game content.

[Smellybuttface]

In a strict duo shaman wins hands down, but as someone said add more players into your group and cleric is more preferable. The most sick trio for example is a charm class (not just enc, also necro,druid given there are undead or animals around), cleric + any class that can reasonably tank stuff. Hell even a well geared ranger will do the job.
Paladin + shaman still have a very low DPS, you need some DPS class to make a powerful trio.

Most powerful trio in my opinion would be - Paladin / Druid / Enchanter

SoW, ports, evac's, charm, mez, rez, off-heals for downtime, snare, tank. Damage is more than adequate if the enchanter can manage a charmed pet amidst CC, and druid damage line is effective.

That said, back in the actual classic day's me and two friends trio'd almost exclusively with a Ranger / Shaman / Enchanter. It was a very effective team, but the aforementioned trio I think is still more effective for the majority of content.

For a strict duo team, I would even say SK / Shaman is likely more effective than a Pally. Added benefits of snare/fear, and don't underestimate the SK damage differential with a weaponed-pet and DOTs. Also, feign death is much easier to split up a camp then the oft-resisted paladin lull line.

[greenspectre]

As most have said here, Shaman will be better 90+% of the time. Worth mentioning that between Shammy and Paladin you'll have Invis and IvU so you can travel most anywhere unhindered. I remember not having regular invis was the biggest pain of being a paladin.

[Kotopes]

Generally agree, though I don't think cleric+charmer+tank works if the charmer isn't a chanter. You'd have limited CC, very specific places you can charm in, no slow, no haste, no mana regen. Charm is only part of what makes cleric+enchanter amazing; the whole package is important though. Shaman+enchanter+druid would be great though, if you don't mind being so reliant on charms to maximize your kill speeds.


I'm pretty sure necros can haste their pets, also most skels dual wield, and their Lich line beats clarity. Lguk and HS are allright places to utilize undead charm for example. Many other zones have undead. The only problem is to find a good necro since many are used to mostly solo and never bother learning to group. While enchanter is a better choice to use charm for crazy DPS, necros can do it too, it is just harder.

On the original question, shaman will be a better choice for a duo or small group, cleric does better 50+ when tanks have enough hitpoints to make Complete heal extremely efficient. In most groups slowing mobs is a waste of mana since they die so fast. It's a question of preference, shamans require more active play style while cleric can just sit and cast same heal over and over.