So are you basically saying a necro will be more useful to this group than a druid?

You have some valid points (IE: necro mez, even though it only becomes viable at the highest levels due to so many resists), but still, you're saying regen, sow, ports, good heals, harmony, damage shields, succor, evac, best snare, are all outweighed by a necro.

I played both necro and druid (and mage and enc too..) to 55+ and can't get my mind around it.

Anyway... would be nice to hear from the OP what they ended up picking.

Went with Druid. For a casual group like us, it makes a lot of sense. Our previous set group also had a Druid. They are invaluable to a casual group. We are more about adventure and convenience than we are about being the best. Being able to crawl deep inside a dungeon and just port out at the end of the night is my favorite part of having a druid. I love the adventure I am getting to experience now. I have been able to experience a ton of content I never did back in 1999-2001. Game is so different with real life friends playing and set days to meet up and go adventure.