Curious about P99 as a true new player.

[kjs86z]

First you gotta think about what role you'll be happiest playing.

Some folks like heals / utility, some want to dish damage (then melee vs. casting), some like to tank.

I was completely new to EQ when I started here on P99 as well. I made an enchanter because my friends told me to...and I'm super glad I followed their advice.

Mage is a solid option as they don't need much gear to level, are great in just about any setting, and are pretty simple from a mechanical perspective (IE: not bard / enc).

Basically I'd boil it down to this:

If you're a true min/maxer at heart and you're confident you'll be playing this game for a long time and are interested in end game content (raiding), then I'd highly suggest going rogue (melee dps), cleric (healing), warrior (tanking). These are by far the most sought after 3 classes for raiding guilds. That does not mean you can't raid on any other class...just...if you're one of those hero types...pick one of these.

A commonly advised plan for new players is to simply roll a Druid. They do a little bit of everything. Solo, groups, etc...they will be sufficient until you get most of your porting spells....and then you can just join <Dial A Port> and make some platinum for your next, more serious char. However, this is a significant time sink even getting to level 40 without serious outside help / powerleveling...so if your playtime is limited and you're completely uninterested in the Druid class...yeah...just don't.

Also, Iksar Necro would be a very powerful option for a new player as well.

[Legidias]

Who suggested a mage (lol)?

Druids are the true first time server class to support your "real" playthrough main, due to ease of playing (solo), ease of getting money (ports), lack of needing gear, and being able to be halfling for +5% xp.

Of the hybrids, bard is 100% the best choice to start out. All the other ones cant solo efficiently past like lvl 20 without twink gear, while a bard in leather and some vendor instruments can sell plvl already at lvl 18.

If you REALLY want a starter char to support a new one (non-bard), I would say lvl druid up to 50's until you get bored of it (doing ports and w/e along the way for money) then sac then down to like 44 (so they can still port to all locations) and use that money for a pretty good twink melee.

[Legidias]

Originally Posted by NecroP99 [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

Gaining money to twink the class you 'really' want to play is stupid and I have never understood it. 46+ all the good gear is no drop anyways. After level 50 twinking is pretty much not a thing since you should be raiding the planes, completing velious armor, and working on/finishing your Epic.

I started on P99 as a Monk and it was a great choice. If I had it over to do again would probably follow the same path.

One of the best things about P99 (in my opinion) is completing your epic. Mage epic = impossible, so I would actually suggest against that.

Easiest Epic Quests are probably Monk/Rogue/Bard/Druid/Paladin/Ranger/Cleric - I may be forgetting a class but these classes are much easier than some others... Necro/SK/War/Mage/Ench/Shm.

Because slaying things at low levels with twink gear just feels good, and being helpless against a skeleton feels bad. Everyone has their own play styles.

Just that a starter melee will find it very tough to do anything without a group, while starter casters can still solo.

Whatever method you choose, you won't really see high platinum generation until you get 50+ (unless you do some really annoying / long camp things like LoIO farming or chase AC's).

Also, bard is classified as one of the harder epics, due to rarity of white scales and that it requires at least 3 higher end raid encounters.

Shaman is classified as one of the easiest since it really only requires you to get 1 single item (+self factioning), which costs ~75k, and both fights to get item and fight to finish epic can be done with 1-2 groups.

[nooblord900]

play red pick any class you want

[Pope Hat]

Pick whatever class you want and just go. This server is great for leveling to 60 and doing stuff at 60 (minus raiding).

[NegaStoat]

At this stage of the server's life, gearing up ANY class is pretty stupid easy due to low prices on 5th or 4th rate gear that people just unload to be rid of it. Melees needing good weapons can get absurdly good deals on 'old' weapons from classic and Kunark that would at one time be kept until the mid to late 40's of a leveling character.

My advice? Play exactly what you want to play. If you are a melee, sink your starting points into either Stamina or your Casting attribute (int, wis) and forget strength. Keep the magician. Level it to 8. Have it ground twink holding bags for the first stage of your melee character and aim for cheap strength items like a Hero Bracer, A direwolf fur cloak (free), sarnak hide mask, etc. You can get upwards of 25 to 30 strength just from items early on super cheap. Make a level 5 ogre shaman (takes a few hours) and use it as a mule to prompt the Forager Bag quest in Oggok for any character you want to use it for. 50% free weight reduction 10 slot bag is worth the time spent for a brand new player.

Go nuts, have fun, and don't buy into the "I need to level a cloth caster / druid to the 30's or 40's to gear out my main." - give that advice the bird and get to farming / leveling on your main that you have fun with. Bonus Credit Advice - leveling blacksmithing on your own to make banded armor takes about 150'ish plat if your casting attribute (int or wis) is around 120, roughly. You'll have your suit of armor done at the end of that cost of skilling up. You can get the plat from crushbone belts and then bronze / rawhide from bandits from various zones. Or you could simply just collect the molds, metal, and water for about 32 plat and walk into North Freeport at the bank and politely ask for someone to do your combines for a tip. Tons of higher level players have blacksmithing up to Banded armor level but can't be bothered to go into Freeport from EC to do combines. The ones already in North Freeport usually will.

[Snaggles]

NegaStoat has great thoughts on this.

The one point I would differ on with most people on the boards is putting points in Strength; I prefer to. Worst-case you throw 25 points away that aren't ideal at the end game. That said, 25 STA for a top-guild raid Warrior isn't going to change the outcome of the raid. Not that those folks have a problem capping anything anyways.

The only toon I've had that I was never overweight was my Ogre SK (I prob put strength into him too 20 years ago). You start stacking ac/hp gear and it doesn't always have strength. It's also not always light.

Starting out being able to pack an extra 25 pounds of bronze/FS to sell will help you get those first few armor items on your wish list. It might even save your life not being encumbered when a Sand Giant is chasing you to the zone line.

[coolget]

if you want to farm with something make an enchanter or shaman instead

[Rtelephone]

Thank you guys for the input, it's me and several friends coming from Agnarr to experience the TRUE classic grind/era (i know i know, agnarr isn't classic, flame me)

We decided on sham/necro/enc - aside from the sham they are super easy to level up with and group with minimal gear - since we want to play for the long term, we are happy with the choices we made. We may not be cleric/rog/war but I think a good player of any class can find a spot.

[Quinas]

Play what you love. You may never get a second character.