Severe penalty of hybrids exp is causing unintended shortage class of tanks!

[TheRusty]

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

They wouldn't be the least common class if people would get their panties out of a bunch about the experience penalty.

I think it has more to do with their gear dependence. At a bare minimum a melee class requires the 80+ plat investment of banded armor. Where's that going to come from? Gotta have a higher-level caster class to farm the money or drops for that.

[cd288]

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

They wouldn't be the least common class if people would get their panties out of a bunch about the experience penalty.

Are we talking about Warriors here?

[Clang]

The problem with "classic" is it isn't classic. As much as we might try to re-create the experience, this isn't 1999 and we aren't naive about the Everquest experience. We know *every* class, quest, statistic, and expansion that is to come.

In 1999, although we knew there was some kind of penalty for hybrids - people were fine inviting them to the group as a tank. People were naive enough to think that these classes were offset with sufficient bonuses so the penalty wasn't a big deal. And as tanks these classes were fine, it wasn't until Kunark that warriors really came into there own.

The real "stigma" these classes started to carry later on for the experience penalty became part of a larger internal debate about class balance within the community and Everquest developers to re balance the classes - and remove penalties which eventually happened.

That's the real problem. As much as we strive for the "classic" experience. We aren't going to get it anymore - because of the knowledge we have of the game and that attitudes that generates. When I said that there was real *hate* about my Troll/SK in groups - I'm not kidding. But that *hate* isn't classic. That *hate* is about a penalty and a stigma that didn't exist in 1999 (or 2000 for that matter).

Anyways, I'm not going to really argue for the removal of the penalty until the "correct" time on the timeline. But I will argue that the penalty and the attitudes have regarding it at this point are not classic at all.

[Deathrydar]

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

But I will argue that the penalty and the attitudes have regarding it at this point are not classic at all.

[Vizax_Xaziv]

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

I'm gonna present the sad reality that I've realized here - if you have a 15 shaman, and a 15 warrior, it's simply easier to just let the shaman tank with drowsy. It gets way better agro and they can tank almost as well in banded. That's just the mechanics of the game.

Also as mentioned, clerics tank fine also.

The reason NOT to do this however is that your Casters should be sitting down and medding so they're not coming constantly OOM.

[Jimjam]

I mean for the first dozen levels they can.

Most people will buy an axe/rapier at level 3 then a two handed sword / bastard sword / spear at 6 then a combine weapon at 12.

There are vendor bought leathers and other armours that resell decently. Hey at least melee get to resell their vendor boughts, instead of having them waste spell book pages!

Lets pity hybrids who have to buy melee gear and spells. At least they have that xp penalty alowing them down so they have more time to save up ��.

[Copout]

Ranger tanks are indistinguishable from any other tank. If you aren't regarding them as a dedicated tank class right now then you're doing yourself a disservice.

[Snagglepuss]

My SK is brutal to level on green. The exp loss on death is painful too. Even at level 9 there's a certain feeling of accomplishment. There's definitely gonna be some respect given when you see a 50 hybrid.

Once more platinum enters the economy and gear starts flowing (class specific weapons such as Ebony Bladed Sword too and rotting no drops, e.g. painbringer), you'll see all these mages and shamans farming some guards / hill giants to twink out their new warriors and paladins with PGTs and banded / bronze. At least that's how a lot of people approached blue. Plenty of tanks in the future.

[cd288]

Warriors were actually great at launch, subsequently nerfed, and then came back into their own again in Kunark

[jacob54311]

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

This problem should be recognized and addressed.

Just look at what class thread its very clearly paladin and shadow knight are at the bottom of the list, Ranger last... and warrior been extreme gear dependant are barely in the middle of the pack.

What do you guys think? The problem will only get worse as more people became aware of it.

I love the concept of a classic server, but I'd be OK with it if they fudged a few things, like getting rid of stuff that really, really sucked a little sooner than they actually were removed, such as the severe xp penalty on hybrids.