Having the toughest time deciding. Mage or Necro?

[tadkins]

Been on this server for a while, started on day one. Rerolled too many times to count trying to figure out what class to take as a main. In that time I've traded out gear in EC for a new class, would play it for a few days, then go back to trade it out again and repeat the process. In all that time the highest level I've reached was around 25 on a couple characters. Those were a mage and a necro.

I'm still uncertain at this point but I think those are the two characters I've narrowed it down to, in terms of fun and what I'm looking for in a class. Before I take any of them further I had some questions regarding the later levels. One of the big goals I have in this game is to one day see raids and kill gods and dragons. Been into EQ since the year 1999 but that is something I never got to do. I want to make sure I'm playing something that will get accepted to a raid one day. With the level of population of those two classes it is something I worry about, especially necromancer.

Other factors I'm wondering in comparing the two classes are;
-Soloability, which class can do more?
-Dungeon zone clearing, if I went back to a lower level dungeon to explore/kill stuff, which one would be better at that?
-Group usefulness, when I get the opportunity to join them.

There is another concern too, regarding the epic. I'd love to one day earn an epic but I hear the Magician one is incredibly balls-to-the-wall hard. I also heard the Necromancer one isn't much easier.

Can you guys help me decide what to play?

[cmccorkle66]

COTH Bot or Twitch Bot??

[tadkins]

COTH Bot or Twitch Bot??

I would do any role that's required of me if that's what it takes to raid. Which one is more useful and supports more overlap though? To increase my chances of getting into one?

[Fammaden]

Cleric then.

[tadkins]

Cleric then.

That was a strong 3rd choice I was considering as well. Easy epic, good soloing path, raids can't function with out them, groups love them, etc etc.

My biggest concerns were their ability to explore and do stuff on their own other than killing undead. I would need my hand held getting to a camp a group is at, and so on. If I was bored and wanted to kill some hill giants one day, would I be able to do it as a cleric?

[zaldaben]

necro. its more versatile in soloing to 50 and can fd to avoid losing exp.

[Fammaden]

That was a strong 3rd choice I was considering as well. Easy epic, good soloing path, raids can't function with out them, groups love them, etc etc.

My biggest concerns were their ability to explore and do stuff on their own other than killing undead. I would need my hand held getting to a camp a group is at, and so on. If I was bored and wanted to kill some hill giants one day, would I be able to do it as a cleric?

Well killing HG's is boring and awful and nerfed now anyway. Here's the thing, make friends with enchanters. You are the strongest duo in the game and can go explore and farm damn near anything.

The game is full of compromises. The powerhouse solo classes sacrifice a lot in raid guild desirability. Your best bet for raiding main going into Velious are rogue and cleric, both have easy epics or in the case of cleric at least an epic your guild will shove into your hands asap. But rogues aren't soloing well in most circumstances so that makes cleric the choice for you. The big drawback with cleric is really the playstyle itself being a main healer, doesn't appeal strongly to many people as a main class choice, but you'll never feel unwanted.

If its strictly mage or necro though, necro wins hands down.

[tadkins]

The game is full of compromises.

This is true. I often think about this while struggling on what to play.
"This class can do this, but not this, hmm..."

I try to think about which choice will give me the most in what I can do, then I mentally try to wave off what it can't do into something I don't really need. As an example, in the case of the cleric, I suppose I don't really need to kill giants if I can roam the world making bank on rezzes later, right?

Stuff like that. It's something I've thought way too hard on over the months I've been playing here. :D

[Fammaden]

Rezzing isn't that lucrative overall. Money generally just comes with getting higher levels honestly. Some classes farm better than others of course, but if the choice is mage/necro they are both fine for that. And again, chanter duo, you can farm big ticket stuff to sell. You can also easily find invites to tough cash camps in places like seb as a high level cleric. The class really opens up many roads but its just boring being strictly a healer and there's no glory and little interactivity like a melee has. Although in that ench/cleric duo you are going to be stunning, rooting, needing to be on your toes keeping the ench pet from killing you both. So its more exciting but also a bit stressful and attention intensive.

Its hard to go wrong with necro though, and you can do a little of everything. The biggest drawback is finding groups but its not at all impossible, certainly better off than wizard or druid. If you're motivated and dedicated enough you will find your way into raiding on any class, and necro has a ton more interesting raid utility than a vending machine/cothbot mage. And its easier on either class to slack off than on a cleric if that's a selling point for you.

[cd288]

Mages aren’t good for dungeon crawling because they have no CC beyond their root pet proc. They are also pretty boring to level and, because of the lack of CC, can sometimes be limited in the camps they can do. I’d say they are more valued in groups than necro though and also in raids once you have CotH

Overall if you’re soloing a lot, Necro will be more fun

[Keebz]

The mage pet is pretty faceroll until 54 or so, but necro is much more powerful overall.

I'd say mage has a high floor but low ceiling, while necro has a medium floor and high ceiling.

I'd take necro every time, but if you're lazy mage is pretty good.

[getsome]

Play a shaman.

You like pets. It has a pet.
You want to solo. They are gods of soloing.
You want epic. One of the easiest epics.
You want to be useful at a raid. Debuffs, slows, heals, buffs, dps.
You want to clear dungeons. Shaman can crawl and kill in most every dungeon.
Bonus they get FD via ring from sky.

[tadkins]

You've convinced me everyone. Necro it is.

Thanks all. :)
Play a shaman.

You like pets. It has a pet.
You want to solo. They are gods of soloing.
You want epic. One of the easiest epics.
You want to be useful at a raid. Debuffs, slows, heals, buffs, dps.
You want to clear dungeons. Shaman can crawl and kill in most every dungeon.
Bonus they get FD via ring from sky.

Hngh...so tempting!

I did play a shaman briefly in one of my many rerolls but ended up quitting around level 14 or so. I honestly don't even remember why.

[greenspectre]

I did play a shaman briefly in one of my many rerolls but ended up quitting around level 14 or so. I honestly don't even remember why.

Because 0-24 are the worst levels for shaman. You just function as a worse version of every other class until you hit 24 and get regen and canni, which is when you get to start reducing your downtime. Then at 34 you get a pet and its off to the races. Shammy has one of the longest startup times before they really feel their class role.

[tadkins]

Because 0-24 are the worst levels for shaman. You just function as a worse version of every other class until you hit 24 and get regen and canni, which is when you get to start reducing your downtime. Then at 34 you get a pet and its off to the races. Shammy has one of the longest startup times before they really feel their class role.

That makes sense.

The more I think about it, the more Shaman really do have a lot going for them. They do meet basically all the criteria I listed, plus a few other ones I didn't list.

Alright, change in plans. I have rolled a shaman. Not exactly the direction I thought this thread would lead me but fate is funny sometimes! Thanks all for your help. :)

[jadier]

Play a shaman.

You like pets. It has a pet.
You want to solo. They are gods of soloing.
You want epic. One of the easiest epics.
You want to be useful at a raid. Debuffs, slows, heals, buffs, dps.
You want to clear dungeons. Shaman can crawl and kill in most every dungeon.
Bonus they get FD via ring from sky.

They are the gods of soloing at 60. From 1-59? They’re maybe second tier, maybe third tier solo-ers. Until torpor they’re way below the charm classes (chanter/necro/Druid) and below bard + mage. But shammy is better than wizard/cleric/melee.

[Xer0]

This is true. I often think about this while struggling on what to play.
"This class can do this, but not this, hmm..."

I try to think about which choice will give me the most in what I can do, then I mentally try to wave off what it can't do into something I don't really need. As an example, in the case of the cleric, I suppose I don't really need to kill giants if I can roam the world making bank on rezzes later, right?

Stuff like that. It's something I've thought way too hard on over the months I've been playing here. :D

can vouch for rezzing not being that lucrative. People typically need rezzes in out of the way places. so you'll be spending plat to get ported around for rezzes.

Not only will you waste time traveling to make roughly 20-30 plat per rez (if you're lucky lol) but the amount of mana used by a even a 90% rez in your low 50s is remarkable.

That being said it CAN be profitable. If you have the epic. But you're still spending most of your time just traveling to places on the OFF CHANCE someone needs and is willling to pay for a res.

ULtimately you can make money on it. But it's not reliable. Most times you'll be hanging out in East Commons and someone in Mistmoore will be looking for an XP rez; or even better lower guk. If you want a money maker hit the druid class up. But others are right in that the most money you'll obtain is going to come from leveling. You just have to find camps of mobs that commonly drop things like bronze > fine steel weaponry, gems and jewelry etc. In my mid twenties early 30s I was making 2-300 pp per level as a druid solo root rotting brutes in Kunark.

[Snortles Chortles]

as a fellow necromancer, i too enjoy going wherever i please

[guggle]

I leveled a mage from 1-50 in 28 days solo, 99% on my phone in the background while doing other stuff. Did the same with a druid, but stalled at 45.

My advice would be doing this first, then maybe level something more raid friendly if needed

[Jibartik]

do you like pulling rabbits out of hats, or squishing the flesh of the dead between your toes?

[Shinko]

Both classes has their ups and downs,

Necro by far can solo better and all the way up to 60
Depending on your play style they can do lots, from pulling,training,charming undead, DMF and twitch.

Mages will have more group dps, mod rods, pet tanks , CAll of the Hero is one of the best spells in the game, people joke about becoming CoH bots but level 60 mages can do quite of bit dps


As far as epics go they are both on the rare loot, but that does not mean you will never get it