Versatile Class

[Mcbard]

Necromancers also offer what you are seeking.

[Hamahakki]

The three healing classes are pretty balanced at lower levels, but Druid falls behind Cleric and Shaman as the mobs get stronger.

Cleric heals are much more efficient than Druid and Shaman. It's not that groups can't function with a Druid or Shaman as the main healer but you can't really chain pull, and you'd always be killing more if you had a Cleric. Cleric durability buffs are also much better than Druids (though this doesn't matter much if you don't have a Cleric because you aren't CHing)

Shamans are the only healers with meaningful DPS buffs (much more STR than druids, DEX and HASTE) and the best slows in the game. Slow isn't that good at low levels but they become almost essential at later levels as the slows become stronger, fights last longer, mobs hit harder, and players have more mana. Cannibalize and later Torpor also means they heal better than Druids.

Druids are great at lower levels, but their strengths (DS and strong nukes) aren't as useful in the high level game. Thorns just don't scale enough; a damage shield of 9 at level 20 is MUCH stronger than a shield for 32 at level 60. High-level mobs have too much health, and they also hit less because of slow. The ability for all casters to fill in as a DPS class also diminishes as mobs have too much health and melee buffs become so strong.

Ironically enough, the Druid's best tool for groups at higher levels is just porting. You can collect people from around the world to start a group where it otherwise might not have gotten off the ground. It also makes it much easier to replace people who leave to keep a good group rolling.

Edit: grammar.

[Auvdar]

Originally Posted by Sithel1988 [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

do the wizard ports require a reagent? i dont think druids do. but wizards?

Only the alter plane spells (Hate/Sky) require a reagent.

[Snaggles]

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

This kind of makes me sad but completely explains why I never really had a whole lot of druids in my groups while playing a cleric on Live. Bards were the jack of all trades classes.

Guess my druid will get leveled up high enough to become an extremely useful port biznitch and then I'll roll my bard alt [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

The people who like druids will always play them. You can't be the best at everything in this game. Classes that aim for this versatility see end-game diminished results. I think most the druids re-rolled because they were tired of not being the best rather than being weeded from the populous.

There are camps and spots in this game that are easy. I mean...stupid easy. My wife soloed the floor of Velks with her early/mid 50's paladin.

[Aruden]

Thanks for all the feedback guys.

Are shamans boring in groups? Buffing/Debuffing/Occasionally healing sounds like it gets old pretty quick.

I'm leaning towards Bard!

[vageta31]

The short answer is enchanter or shaman. Bards are awesome in outdoor zones but solo indoors they aren't so great. If the ability to solo higher level dungeon mobs is something you are,interested in then bard is out.

Enchanters have the proverbial bag of tricks and charm alone is powerful enough. Combine the two and you have a monster that can solo things most classes can't, not to mention they make great duo partners with most classes. Lull, mez, slow, haste, charm, mem blur, int and mana buffs, rune, etc.. allow them handle many situations with pure finesse.

Shamans lack finesse but make up for it with pure brute force and are by far the toughest and most survivable of all caster classes. They also haven't even reached the pinnacle of their power yet, that will come with velious. Combine a shaman and an enchanter and you get a very nasty duo capable of things most other duos aren't.