Creating a monk vs a Shadowknight

[Jimjam]

Originally Posted by Spyder73 [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

EDIT: If you don't want to tank or pull then you are barking up the wrong tree with Monk/SK - I would recommend a Bard (although you will be asked to pull or tank from time to time) or a Ranger

Ranger is great choice if you don't want to be asked to do anything.

Re SK vs monk:
With a level 10 cap, here are some strategies.

Human: Freeport. North Ro decaying skeletons.
Keep backpacks, fill slots with cloth. Equip rusty two hand slasher for 1 hit kills (if sk). Sell everything but bone chips. Once you have filled your slots with cloth sell the bone chip to fund a 1:2 weapon for ~30pp. Get to Kaladim and turn in the remaining bone chips for xp. This will get you close to level 10.

Iksar: Scaled wolf pups and decaying skeletons. Keep the bone chips to sell to passing factioners/necromancers. Keep the hides, combine and turn them in for curscale armor in cabalis. If SK loot/buy a rusty/tarnished shantok to 1 hit kill the level 1 mobs. Once you completed your curscale armor set switch to scorpions and save their pincers to turn in for xp. At level 5 or 6 try to start forming pit groups, which will take you to 10.

Alternative iksar path: Buy bristlesilk armor from the merchant building outside the monk building. Every piece except chest looks awesome on monk, so you will get more invites by people thinking you are a twink.

[port9001]

There's also flavor considerations. Being an evil knight with spells and armor is a different vibe then being a monk, obviously. While there's nothing wrong with being a powergamer who only considers the most efficient raw power classes as worth playing, you might be the type who just likes the vibe/feeling of a Shadowknight better, even if it's objectively not the fastest way to level to 60.

I would also point out that untwinked these two classes don't really perform the same role in a typical group. Shadowknight is considered more of a tank class (before high levels + lots of gear make Monk a good tank in later levels) so you'll usually be the one taking hits in your xp groups. This is especially true since you have a great set of aggro spells where Monk has no way of holding aggro other than raw damage. Monk is considered more of a DPS class. Both do a lot of pulling, with Monk obviously being called on more frequently.

[jacal]

I must explain that I cannot tank because I suck at dungeons and I also suck at pulling. I'm only talking about playing them for fun factor not looking to tank,pull or anything like that for groups and I may solo mostly because I think people's expectation of my non existent skills might get me scolded. I will explain I am an awful melee player which is why I always play healers. I do however enjoy playing different classes for flavour and fun. I am not looking to take this class and tank or play at the top. I was reading a thread by this chap who played a dwarf paladin entirely solo from start to finish and he managed it without twinking made me stop and think.

https://www.project1999.com/forums/s...t=84694&page=4

read what Larethan wrote

[Nagoya]

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

I must explain that I cannot tank because I suck at dungeons and I also suck at pulling. I'm only talking about playing them for fun factor not looking to tank,pull or anything like that for groups and I may solo mostly because I think people's expectation of my non existent skills might get me scolded. I will explain I am an awful melee player which is why I always play healers. I do however enjoy playing different classes for flavour and fun. I am not looking to take this class and tank or play at the top.

you've apparently never made it past 10, give yourself a chance to learn.
for a SK to simply tank, if you remove all the fluff that would make you a good tank, you can just get near the mob, auto-attack, cast disease cloud on it and then mash Taunt everytime it pops and that should honestly work 95% of the time until level 30 when you get FD and camps get more difficult. As far as "expectations" go.

On the other hand for the monk, people will expect you to pull from level 17 and over. Because you have the cheezy version of Feign Death and it's your official role, but also because most EQ players are lazy and pulling is the most 'active' role in a group hehe.

if you're really settled on the SK vs Monk dilemna and skill is an issue, I would pick the SK, get it to level 20 as Loramin says, and then we'll talk again ^^

PS: it is possible to do 1-60 solo with any class naked if you want to fight only super safe low green mobs and level up extreeeemely slowly. I'm not so sure it is a very fun version of Everquest tho [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.] but that's up to you to decide hehe.

[jacal]

Those costs are within my reach . Thanks for breaking that down. I mean the 100pp ones [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

Bard cannot I am pushing 60 I cannot twist songs and such my hands will cry and go on strike. My husband will divorce me if he has to pay for any game related injuries.

[Spyder73]

I have a 52 Bard also and can confirm they are a pain in the a$$ to play 'correctly'. None of these melee classes are going to be able to solo like you are used to on necro and shaman and I feel you will end up disappointed.

If you want a true solo character I STRONGLY advise you to roll an enchanter and learn the game breaking power of Charm. I have actually never done enchanter but I have a druid and necromancer I Charm on and its seriously ridiculous the power of Charm. Charming on a necromancer is not really viable until closer to level 50 from my experience. Druid a little moreso because snares and SoW can keep you alive. but enchanter is the total package when it comes to charm killing

[Croco]

Go with sk, you'll enjoy the added perks of having spells, fear kiting, and being able to carry loot. If you do choose monk definitely go iksar and put all your starting points into sta.

[loramin]

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

I have been playing and have advanced my Shaman and Necromancer but I have such a problem (self created by altitiss) ... my other characters are below 10

If you can't even level your mains to level 10 I really don't think any of the advice in this thread will be relevant to you. It doesn't matter whether you pick monk or shadow knight if you won't even get them to level 10, because both classes (and indeed all classes in EQ) more or less play like a warrior for their first few levels.

My advice: pick one character and play them to at least 20 (or maybe 19 for a Wisdom caster). If you make another level 5 "alt" their class won't matter much as you'll be seeing less than 20% of what it actually entails. The only way you'll ever actually get a feel for a class is if you stick with it for some time.

[Troxx]

Monks are comparatively very cheap to play and gear up. A 100p weapon for monk is viable dps honestly up to 60. You'll want to upgrade weapons eventually but a replacement 2h (28/30 vs 38/40) is only a 5k leap. Beyond that, you really only need to shoot for some 5ac/55hp rings, cured silk (or wus or crescent) and a cheap 2k haste item. You can decently gear up a monk with like 3kpp. Monks can function in mostly rags. Avoidance and AC bonus really are that strong.

To gear up a SK to the same comparable power level you'd need to 10x that much cash.

[jacal]

I have actually played the original version from 1999 to about 2001 and I managed to get a wizard to 60 . I just started playing a few days ago and that's the reason I have not advanced beyond level 10 . Well actually the Necromancer is level 10 and the Shaman 9. Of course creating a few alts will not help that but I have played this game right until Velious and did come back briefly in Luclin but I never stayed because everyone I knew had more or less left.

Thank you for all the responses it has given me much food for thought and given me a better understanding of how much it will cost. It was very kind of you all to respond thoughtfully and helpfully. It is a testament to the type of people who play and it makes me very happy I decided to play Project 1999 after leaving Everquest all those years ago.

I am sorry if I came off as being a little flighty and unable to commit to one character . I am actually just trying things out again and honestly it was a trip back down memory lane and I have been enjoying that more than anything else and eager to do things I never did before.