[Zuranthium]

Originally Posted by Grizzled [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

This game was designed for each class to have a role. It was not designed like WoW to hodge podge people together and be able to do anything.

*sigh*, yet again not understanding what I wrote. I specifically said each class SHOULD have a role. I do not want EQ to be like WoW, at all, so stop trying to make that comparison.

Originally Posted by Harm [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

Not true at all. I personally fear-kited everything that I could land fear on in Western Wastes before Luclin came out. And outside of the SK Epic, I had shit for gear.

I wasn't talking about random monsters in WW, I specifically said the Dragons. When I played, only Shaman were capable of soloing some of the content in WW.

Originally Posted by Fryhole [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

The class imbalance is there for a reason. Take SK PAL and WAR. If the warrior coiuld get snap agro like sk or pally, then there would be no need for either of the 2 when all tanks would be warriors who can raid tank and never lose agro in a group. The same goes the other direction. If sk and pally's could take a beating like a warrior from a raid mob, there would be no need for warriiors at all. If we balance the classes, then we now have WoW.

You don't understand the meaning of the word "balance" as I am using it. Every class is supposed to be different and unique. Yes! And you should need certain classes for certain areas of the game. Yes!

But it comes a problem when you need certain classes for EVERY area of the game at higher levels and when other classes are SO weak that they become completely worthless. For example, look at what you just said - "There would be no need for Warriors if a Paladin or SK could ever take a beating." The game balance post original-EQ was such that there was NO need for Paladins and SK's. How is it at all logical that there should be NO need for Paladins and SK's in the game, and Warrior's being necessary 100% of the time, rather than there being times where each class shines depending on the situation?

Paladins and Shadowknights (and Rangers) were essentially worthless in comparison to Warriors at the higher levels until they finally received the much-needed buffs that were given to them into the Velious era. You don't seem to understand that, when Kunark came out, the game balance drastically changed. Warriors were always the best tanks at Level 50 in original EQ, and necessary for Dragons/Gods, but they were never necessary for any other area of the game. When Kunark came out, the skills for each class were not properly balanced and only the Warrior's attack and defense improved as they leveled past 50. Paladins and Shadowknights (and Rangers) were left with abysmal attributes and were so far inferior to Warriors that they were never viable.

The balance of the game mechanics was so bad at one point, in fact, that even though Rangers were doing FAR less damage than Warriors, they would still pull aggro away because of how doing a greater number of attacks via Dual Wielding generated more hate than a Warrior who was attacking much less frequently with a Two-Handed weapon, even though the Warrior was doing twice the damage of the Ranger sometimes. In an attempt to balance this out, they introduced "Jolt" to the game in the Kunark era. It reduced hate on the Ranger so that they could stand there and do their pathetic amount of damage without drawing aggro. It wasn't until well into Velious that much-needed buffs were given to the Hybrids and they were able to actually be useful (and yet the Warrior was still the most in-demand tank, so it didn't shift the game in the way you seem to fear it would).

Originally Posted by Fryhole [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

I hear what you're saying, however, things are going to stay within Brad McQuaid's lovely vision on p99.

Do you seriously think everything that happened post Original EQ (but before Luclin) was completely within Brad McQuaid's vision? See, that's the problem here. Much of what is considered "classic EQ" strayed from how the game was originally envisioned as a result of trying to push content out for $$$. The game became very unbalanced as a result of creating new levels, gear, skills, and content that were not properly thought out but rather rushed into production.