New Player!

[Rencey]

hey guys!

just about to enter the game,but im not sure what to play :(

I really like grouping,so i usually pick a role were a certain class is needed,but there are various tank/healer types on here that makes it a bit hard to decide on.

What would you all recommend for a first-time player? I will probably end up focusing on this character as my main toon

[Nytewind TP]

Clerics are always needed/wanted. I was sitting in the tunnel this morning and got two tells asking if I needed a group.

[Messianic]

We get this question a lot, and a player who really enjoys their class is more useful than a player willing to play a class they may not like as much just to get groups...

Play what you like. If you're absolutely indifferent, cleric or tank is prolly the way to go. Bard/Chanter fill the CC roles and are also extremely group friendly.

[Mardur]

If you want to easily find groups, pick a class that easily fits into one of the three archetypes:

Healer: Your only option really is cleric. Shaman can easily get groups at the higher end, but they take some time to come into their own. Most groups fly without a shaman, very few groups fly without a cleric. It's also a bit easier to learn/manage a cleric than a shaman.

Tank: Your choice between warrior and hybrid (SK/Pally). Other than the experience penalty, hybrid tanks are more friendly to newer / casual players. This is because warriors have to manage their money if they have no start up funds, and do some searching for gear, especially early aggro weapons (such as obsidian shards). Hybrid tanks have the convenience of generating aggro through spells, so you have a better chance of not disappointing a group.

DPS: At the lower end, most people will want a caster such as a magician or necromancer. This is because the pets do very good damage compared to the low end weapons most people will be carrying. At the high end however, rogues never have trouble finding groups. Monk is also viable, but you'll be expected to pull which is a special skill that has to be learned/practiced.

TLDR: For a first time player who wants to be welcome into groups, figure out what role you want to take. If you want to sit back and buff/heal, choose cleric. If you want to be tanking some mobs in the face, go with SK or Paladin (possibly warrior). If you want to avoid and deal damage, go rogue.

[Striiker]

First time players often can benefit from playing a druid. I am not sure what your background in gaming is but my wife started with a Paladin and wasn't too thrilled with that, she then tried a druid and really enjoyed it. She also had a lot of fun starting up a mage. I think the druid was a good choice for a new player to the game as it allowed melee and casting spells.
Clerics are always a good choice but you need to be content to spend a lot of time sitting and watching the group's HP bars. There are other aspects tot a cleric's life but thesis a big part of it.

[Estu]

First time players often can benefit from playing a druid. I am not sure what your background in gaming is but my wife started with a Paladin and wasn't too thrilled with that, she then tried a druid and really enjoyed it. She also had a lot of fun starting up a mage. I think the druid was a good choice for a new player to the game as it allowed melee and casting spells.
Clerics are always a good choice but you need to be content to spend a lot of time sitting and watching the group's HP bars. There are other aspects tot a cleric's life but thesis a big part of it.

If you really like grouping, don't choose druid, as they are one of the least group-desired classes around.

[Rencey]

I decided with a cleric :D

I'm currently in-game atm. name is Alyune

[maverixdamighty]

welcome!

[Rencey]

Eh,maybe not. I think I will go with a paladin instead. for some background,I did play EQ1,but i was a warrior,so i have some idea of tanking. Plus,I never really tried a paladin before!

So! I made a human paladin,Galathel,hehe :P

[Vondra]

Good luck!

[stormlord]

hey guys!

just about to enter the game,but im not sure what to play :(

I really like grouping,so i usually pick a role were a certain class is needed,but there are various tank/healer types on here that makes it a bit hard to decide on.

What would you all recommend for a first-time player? I will probably end up focusing on this character as my main toon
Try a necromancer or magician. They probably have the best solo chances. Necro might be complicated at first, but with the way the population on this server is so low and how it's a lot more top heavy now than it was a year ago, I find it very hard to recommend playing a group-dependent class or even a hybrid. If you build up your necro or mage you can make a different class later on with twink gear.

[Estu]

Try a necromancer or magician. They probably have the best solo chances. Necro might be complicated at first, but with the way the population on this server is so low and how it's a lot more top heavy now than it was a year ago, I find it very hard to recommend playing a group-dependent class or even a hybrid. If you build up your necro or mage you can make a different class later on with twink gear.

Grouping exclusively 1-60 is totally doable with the current population and distribution especially during peak hours. Worst case scenario, make a solo alt for when you can't find a group.

[Kope]

They are the best solo class

You know how I know you're trolling?

[snorri]

If you really like grouping, don't choose druid, as they are one of the least group-desired classes around.

This has been bugging me for a couple days. Why don't people want druids? Is it because the population of druid players are not group friendly (IE: the class tends to attract people that solo or are unsociable) or is it the mechanics of the class?

I always thought druids were good for groups. Some healing, some damage, snare to keep mobs from training you at low health, buffs for the party, and evac if/when things go horribly wrong. Is it that those things can all be covered by other classes? (SK tank snaring, cleric healing everyone, monk/enchanter keeping the group safe)

I've been enjoying my druid quite a bit, and haven't had any issues grouping yet, though under 10 everyone kind of does the same thing. (hit orc with club) If people don't want druids around, I'm probably better off jumping to a new class before I put too much more time in this one.

Sorry to hijack your thread, Rencey, but it's been good to read about player expectations, so hopefully others may find use in it still.

[Vondra]

This has been bugging me for a couple days. Why don't people want druids? Is it because the population of druid players are not group friendly (IE: the class tends to attract people that solo or are unsociable) or is it the mechanics of the class?

I always thought druids were good for groups. Some healing, some damage, snare to keep mobs from training you at low health, buffs for the party, and evac if/when things go horribly wrong. Is it that those things can all be covered by other classes? (SK tank snaring, cleric healing everyone, monk/enchanter keeping the group safe)

I've been enjoying my druid quite a bit, and haven't had any issues grouping yet, though under 10 everyone kind of does the same thing. (hit orc with club) If people don't want druids around, I'm probably better off jumping to a new class before I put too much more time in this one.

Sorry to hijack your thread, Rencey, but it's been good to read about player expectations, so hopefully others may find use in it still.

The higher level you get, the more advantageous Clerics are. If a group wants a 2nd person that can heal, they would GREATLY prefer a shaman...who with slow alone greatly outdoes any contribution druids have. Also, a shaman pet outdamages a druid by itself, without the shaman's help. Shaman even have SoW so you can't even differentiate there.

As for druid damage, it's really bad. DoTs are useless in exp groups 99% of the time as the mob takes a few ticks of the DoT and then dies. When I see a druid's "contribution" to the group is using DoTs regularly I groan and wish I could kick them. It's almost like not being there. As for the nukes, well people don't like taking wizards because they don't do enough damage compared to melee classes....druids do less damage than wizards.

As for buffs, they're matched by the cleric buffs. Groups will have clerics.
Damage shield is vaguely useful but isn't really that great, particularly when people start slowing mobs and the mob isn't even hitting as much to strike the damage shield.

I've played the class to high level. Take the class for what it is, a great first class that skips alot of the inconveniences of the game through having useful buffs, SoW, teleports etc. It's good to make money with and then have a character you can port around with to pick up things you traded with another char for selling in EC or something. That's it.

[Estu]

The higher level you get, the more advantageous Clerics are. If a group wants a 2nd person that can heal, they would GREATLY prefer a shaman...who with slow alone greatly outdoes any contribution druids have. Also, a shaman pet outdamages a druid by itself, without the shaman's help. Shaman even have SoW so you can't even differentiate there.

As for druid damage, it's really bad. DoTs are useless in exp groups 99% of the time as the mob takes a few ticks of the DoT and then dies. When I see a druid's "contribution" to the group is using DoTs regularly I groan and wish I could kick them. It's almost like not being there. As for the nukes, well people don't like taking wizards because they don't do enough damage compared to melee classes....druids do less damage than wizards.

As for buffs, they're matched by the cleric buffs. Groups will have clerics.
Damage shield is vaguely useful but isn't really that great, particularly when people start slowing mobs and the mob isn't even hitting as much to strike the damage shield.

I've played the class to high level. Take the class for what it is, a great first class that skips alot of the inconveniences of the game through having useful buffs, SoW, teleports etc. It's good to make money with and then have a character you can port around with to pick up things you traded with another char for selling in EC or something. That's it.

I was going to write up something like this but you did it much better than I ever could. Props on your post.

[snorri]

Also, a shaman pet outdamages a druid by itself, without the shaman's help.

Ouch.

Thank you for the response, I appreciate it. I'd rather get the bad news now than when I'm 30 =)