Coming Back - Suggestions for a class to play

[Cyph]

Hi all,

I doubt anyone remembers my last foray in Project 1999 but it was a while ago now. It tends to happen whenever I have some free time on my hands or have become bored with the latest MMO to hit the market. I think since I last played here I tried Rift (which wasn't bad initially but meh) and lately Guild Wars 2 (where after reaching level 80, there was nothing left in PvE except grind. More importantly for me, there was no social community there, it's like playing a poor mans single player game).

Anyway, back to it; I've played a Bard and an Enchanter on here. Both classes I found enjoyable but since I'm an Aussie, I do tend to find it a bit difficult to get groups at the off peak times. I also want to play something different this time. So, I was thinking a Barbarian Shaman. However, I know nothing about Shamans or their play styles (nor have I ever been to Halas, which makes it even more fresh). So question; is a Shaman the type of class people would like to group with as well as being able to solo? Any advice that you can provide me?

In other news, I saw the latest articles about EQ Next; I'm still hoping it is more of a reimaging of EQ1 than another themepark MMO (just learnt that term). 2014... seems a long way away.


Thanks in advance all and I look forward returning to nostalgia :)

[Nordenwatch]

Shamans are great when you get them to higher levels, they're solo beasts and wanted in groups as well.

However in the low teens shamans are pretty bad, and by the looks of your signature you don't seem to get above 20, so if you're planning on doing that I'd stay away from shamans.

[Cyph]

Yeah, I usually float to around 20ish (that sig needs to be updated) before trying something different or just run around adventuring.

[pharmakos]

play a pure melee maybe, if you never have? warrior, monk, or rogue. monks are the most soloable of those three.

[Cyph]

I played a Paladin back in the day but never a pure melee. I'm tempted to roll a druid; they seem versitile, have SoW and can portal. Though a Monk sounds interesting as well. One thing about playing a druid (I would probably do Wood Elf)/ plenty of people around Crushbone ;)

[Cribanox]

If you're looking for low level group-ability I'd say so cleric. They -can- solo to farm and stuff at 60 but dont expect to solo in velious as if you were an ogre shaman (Not stunnable when facing your enemy is huge at 60 for soloing)

EDIT Sorry you said you wanted soloability. I'd say a shaman is good enough to get groups and solo only after you've gotten your pet (34?).

Druids can solo...poorly after a certain point.

Necros arent the solo gods they were a year or more ago but they still can.

Bards solo the most efficiently pretty early on. takes skill though.

[Cyph]

Thank you for your feedback Cribanox.

I guess I'm looking for something that I can solo with during those times when I can't find any one to group with. It doesn't necessarily need to be solo-only.

I remember my brother playing a druid on Live back in '99, he kited stuff non-stop, that still viable?

Heh, it's the old EQ debate; such and such as SoW, such and such does Teleport, this other class does pets, etc etc :P Definitely being able to SoW and Teleport on a single class (druid) does give me some versitility. That said, so would being part of a guild :P

I'm feeling for me it's between a Shaman or Druid :)

[Silo69]

not enough tanks
not enough enchanters

rest is filler

decent cleric pop coming up, more the merry, in vel, CH rotations were money

[godbox]

arnt both bards and ench the tip top of soloability as well as groupability?

[Cyph]

I did enjoy the bard! I could always go back to her, probably forgot a lot of it though :P I think she's somewhere in the Karanas, or Oasis?

The Enchanter didn't tick with me unfortunately :(

[Caso]

try a pally, if ppl say pallys cant solo, they sure dont know shit how to play a pally, and good tanks. and ya keep both 1h and 2h skill up!

[whippetofspades]

If you're tossing up between druid and shaman druid is the better choice. I am Aussie too, and very casual, and I play a shaman as my main. I've gotten him to his mid-40s in about a year. This is mostly due to shaman soloing being so frustrating at times I would stop playing for a few weeks. It's certainly doable, just slow in certain level ranges.

If you're planning on playing Australian evenings/nights, there is a pretty distinct lack of grouping at this time. I don't even try for groups most of the time.

Don't get me wrong, shaman is a great class. It's just something of a slow road if there aren't too many groups around.

[Cribanox]

Druid has soloability earlier on. But the Druid straight up will not be wanted in groups passed the 40s.

Shamans have a hard time soloing early on, but can always find groups. Always. And after 50 I think they solo better if you know what you're doing.

[Llodd]

not enough tanks
not enough enchanters

rest is filler

decent cleric pop coming up, more the merry, in vel, CH rotations were money

CH >>>>> %T <<<<<<<< 5555555555

Cant wait..

[webrunner5]

Most people get their Druid to level 39 for all the Ports and stop there. Quad Kiting is not easy day in day out. You really can't Melee past level 20 and they never are good at getting hit. :eek:

And you will slit your wrists until you get to level 34 on a Shaman. But good after that. The trouble with both the Druid and the Shaman is you end up being a healer in a group and sit on your butt most of the time. Not my idea of a good time.

A necro is pretty uber at solo. They get every spell in the game except ports and SoW. Crazy overpowered on here. Best one is the Iksar, but a PITB being hated everywhere you go. Gets old after awhile. And FD does fail at times, not counting the delay. Not instant like a Monk.

Your Enchanter can be a real killing machine at higher levels charming. You will need 200 plus Charisma to do it. They are kings at CC for sure. Most of the really good loot is in dungeons, and they are great in them.

Monk is pretty uber damage wise here for sure. They can solo up to level 50, but really need a Fungi and a good haste item. Need a lot of Weight Reduction bags also. So are pretty damned expensive to play well. And it is not easy to pull in the game. Sneak pulling works as good as anything on here. But pretty hard in certin zones. And you have to know the zones well with no maps here. A lot of Monks suck ass on here pulling wise in groups.

God knows we need a lot more tanks on this server. But the Hybrid XP penality just blows on here. And a Warrior has a heck of a time holding agro. So not many stick it out. Then there is a Ranger. Well we won't get into that.

A person needs to pick one toon and stick with it till like level 50 so you can farm enough loot to equipt their alts. I jump around a lot myself toon to toon. I miss just beating on things so get on a Melee for awhile. Then I miss SoW and Ports and heals, etc, and get on a Caster for a bit.

You need to give some thought when and if Velious comes out. There is not a "Noob" zone in Velious. Only 3 real cities to bind in. You need to be like level 40 or more to do Velious I would think form memory. Giants in GD hit hard as hell. But not too hard to get a toon to 40 in this game if you stick to just one for a while like I said. I guess the wolfs in Iceclad can be done in the 30's.

It all comes down like it has been said 100 times in threads, play what YOU like. Not what may be the best.

[falkun]

Bard can solo 1-60 faster than any class in the game. But its incredibly monotonous and you'll earn your carpal tunnel.

Enchanters can also solo 1-60, using animations and charm. But you'll need to work on some CHA gear to make charming usable. I have an untwinked 20-ish ENC and nearly naked charming is almost impossible. It could also be that I'm just doing it in the wrong place or using mobs too high level.

Necros can solo effectively 1-60 as well, better than the other pet class, the mage.

Since you've tried both the bard and enchanter, and you think they cannot solo, I would recommend a change of perspective. These classes solo as well, if not better, than any other class in classic Everquest. They are also both amazing grouping classes, and you'll likely be sought after in groups when they do form. Which leads me to believe you think soloing should be easier than it actually is. Classic Everquest is not WoW where you outmatch an equal level opponent for your entire leveling experience. Everquest won't hold your hand. Don't give up on these amazing classes so easily.

[Tecmos Deception]

but dont expect to solo in velious as if you were an ogre shaman (Not stunnable when facing your enemy is huge at 60 for soloing)

Yeah. Cause THAT'S why clerics are poor solo at 60. Cause they can't be ogres.

[HeallunRumblebelly]

Yeah. Cause THAT'S why clerics are poor solo at 60. Cause they can't be ogres.

In old world i solo just fine o_o kunark manastone 2012. this is our year.

but srsly, ogre's such a minor issue, the stun from the bash is minimal, and ogres don't avoid the interrupt. it's nice, but not game breaking.

[Hurley]

the immune to stun is huge... stop hatin'

[Picked]

Just throwing out suggestions here but I would consider a solo class. Something that doesn't require a lot of gear, Necro, Wizard, Druid. Something that can make you some cash. My first char was a wiz and I was able to farm a lot of things with him that I wanted. The ability to get around the world of Norrath in a hurry helps a lot.

You seem to have some free time, but it doesn't sound like it will last forever. That's why solo classes are nice. You can do other things while you exp. For instance I would run a quad and then sit and med in a safe spot and go clean the house, do laundry, watch TV. More of a relaxed style. It sure beats sitting in LFG forever.

You will be sitting LFG a lot as a melee DPS. There is a ton of them around. You can throw a stone in any direction and hit a pile of epic rogues, fungi monks, or seriously twinked Rangers.

I guess what I'm trying to say is if you are looking for the group scene roll cleric or tank. If you want DPS play a solo happy class. Wizards and Druid can make serious cash porting people around. Or even just porting back and forth between some various spawns and cleaning house. Lot of options with a port class.

[Droog007]

I personally think shamans solo well throughout the game.
The roughest part is waiting until level 29 for invis. (especially for evil races)
Don't get roped into being the lone healer for a group while you're still using minor heal.
After that, regen and slow will keep you from doing much healing anyway.

[Ferok]

I personally think shamans solo well throughout the game.
The roughest part is waiting until level 29 for invis. (especially for trolls and ogres)
Don't get roped into being the lone healer for a group while you're still using minor heal.
After that, regen and slow will keep you from doing much healing anyway.

Shaman solo adequately until 34, with a major boon at 24. After 34 they're really quite awesome.

Your point about regen/slow/minor heal I don't catch your drift on. Upgrade to minor heal is at level 9, regen comes at level 24, and slowing isn't relevant to grouping until even higher levels.

[Tecmos Deception]

There is a ton of them around. You can throw a stone in any direction and hit a pile of epic rogues, fungi monks, or seriously twinked Rangers.

There are NOT a ton of rogues or rangers around. The ones you do see are most likely to be twinks, but rangers basically share the "rarest class" honor with paladins while rogues are only somewhat more common (at the level of wizards and mages).

Monks and warriors are everywhere. Paladins, rangers, rogues, and even shadow knights, are not.

[phobus]

Shaman solo adequately until 34, with a major boon at 24. After 34 they're really quite awesome.

Your point about regen/slow/minor heal I don't catch your drift on. Upgrade to minor heal is at level 9, regen comes at level 24, and slowing isn't relevant to grouping until even higher levels.

Actually, you get an upgrade to minor healing at level 1 - Inner Fire heals way more efficiently than anything else until Healing at 19. Cast it between med ticks and you hardly lose any mana.

BTW, if anyone reading this wants to do the whole "kill something solo and then go AFK while you med" thing, you probably don't want to roll a Shaman. I think only Bards are busier while killing.

[Swish]

BTW, if anyone reading this wants to do the whole "kill something solo and then go AFK while you med" thing, you probably don't want to roll a Shaman.

Clerics aren't a bad choice for soloing, but you're limited to the undead. If you rolled an erudite cleric you could even take advantage of killing the Paineel guards as you level. Root/Nuke/Med, rinse and repeat.

Unrest will get you from 14 to 40 if you really stick it out but its a case of having something else to do while you med. At least with off peak hours you won't often be sharing mobs in there wherever you are....from trash outside (be careful) to the ghouls inside, and upstairs beyond that.

[webrunner5]

If you make a Cleric make one with Hide. Dark Elf can Hide. Halfling has Hide and Sneak. It is huge. Cleric's don't get a invis spell. They get invis to Undead at 14. But not a normal invis.

[Cyph]

Since you've tried both the bard and enchanter, and you think they cannot solo, I would recommend a change of perspective. These classes solo as well, if not better, than any other class in classic Everquest. They are also both amazing grouping classes, and you'll likely be sought after in groups when they do form. Which leads me to believe you think soloing should be easier than it actually is. Classic Everquest is not WoW where you outmatch an equal level opponent for your entire leveling experience. Everquest won't hold your hand. Don't give up on these amazing classes so easily.


Thank you for your reply, and everyone else.

In regards to what you said; I don't think soloing should be easier than it actually is, I definitely remember that of Classic EQ. Nor have I ever played WoW (wew!).

More or less the first time I played I rolled the Bard and then I rolled the Enchanter, only because I wanted to play different playstyles and go to different newbie areas than what I experienced back in the day. I actually enjoyed both classes. I am thinking of picking up where I left of with one of these classes, and if I did, it would probably be the Enchanter. Otherwise, I'm now thinking of rolling a Cleric or still the Shaman :)

[dredge]

.

[webrunner5]

Yeah but remember level 35 is a hell level, so not so fast solo or grouped.

[Nordenwatch]

shaman epic is one of the easiest epics in game, once you get that the game becomes easy mode... save for a JBB and you're golden.

[Camulet]

Shaman soloing is awesome, I solo'd mostly from 29 - 52 with grouping here and there.

Shamans are great solo'ers and sought after in groups also!