What classes benefit most from gear progression

[Selene]

Which classes benefit the most from gear upgrades from 1-60 and then raid gear/rare drops? I think one of the most fun aspects of this game and why everyone plays is to see how a new piece of gear fundamentally changes the way a class is played or at least provides such a power-up in the class that it almost seems like a new class to play.

I heard warrior benefits a lot, but what are the top contenders? I’d think most pure casters don’t really benefit except for wizard (jboots).

Let’s hear it!

[Jimjam]

If gear means items, then spells are scribed thanks to items (scrolls).

Based on that I’m gonna say shaman as they get some mega spells, but also benefit immensely from weapons/armour/clicks too.

If we’re ignoring the scribe mechanic then I’d say it’s a hard choice between warrior and monk, but really the monk only goes totally nuts once all those crazy top end Velious items drop, giving them hp and ac that previously on plate geared tanks could accumulate on top of the decent kunark regen/haste/ratios/procs.

Honourable mention to rangers which also get a decent clicky haste, but stacking AC just doesn’t feel it works so well and they don’t have the hp/mend synergy which removes them from contention.

[shovelquest]

Well technically this is about the class that benefits the most from gear upgrades from 1-60, so monk is out because naked the monk is pretty powerful so it doesn't benefit as much from gear as the warrior or ranger. Warriors too are stronger naked than a ranger I would guess.

However rangers have spells! So they are certainly more powerful than a warrior naked.

And the other tank classes have spells and even full heals and HT's so they are more powerful than a warrior naked.

Now that we have that settled, that warrior is the weakest naked and therefore gets the most benefit from gear upgrades at the get go, warrior is the clear winner here.

However we should also just make sure that the top end benefits of the gear at 60 for a class don't have a greater impact for the other classes than a top gear warrior .

Warriors do however have some pretty amazing top end gear and so that means that I think they still win out overall, as the class that benefits the most form gear upgrades from 1-60, and monks, casters, and hybrids benifit the least.

But the scribe argument is pretty much take all I think if it's allowed.

[sajbert]

Depends on how you define it.

Some classes like necro will benefit massively from single items like CoS and VP staff.

It can also depend on the level, a JBB will completely flip what a shaman can do at lvl 45.

However, at the same time a monk gets a crazy amount of scaling from AC and get a bigger DPS increase than the aforementioned with raid level weapons.

[CrazyPro]

I can tell you that any melee without good gear will get squashed very quickly by AoEs in a lot of raids. If you're in bronze with a crappy 2hander as a level 60 SK you're about as good at taking hits as a cardboard box. Every single melee class scales massively with gear.

[Ennewi]

It's a toss up between monk, warrior, and ranger IMO.

If artifacts are taken into consideration, than ranger wins hands down with Oakwynd. The class would transform into ranged DPS with that bow equipped, allowing it to continue to attack during enrage, even if the target flipped, and remain OOR of AEs and potential ramp damage should the off-tank go down.

Before the push-interrupt nerf, the class also benefitted greatly from low delay weapons since it otherwise relies on random procs to interrupt casters. Tolan's BP is also noteworthy since it grants the class an unlimited self-port which can be clutch even with the long duration cast. That said, assuming there's merit to comments made about ranger AC being ineffective, that's a whole lot of wasted equipment potential for one class and a mark against it at least until that gets fixed.

[Swish]

Nobody talking about enchanters. You wanna charm with just base/self buffed cha? That'll throw your efficiency to the ground.

How well does a druid quad kite wearing raw hide and a cracked staff? Gearing is essential.

Mages and necros might be the only mana classes who you can level naked and not notice too much in terms of dps/progression.

[shovelquest]

Not only does a warrior scale from literally useless in every way ungeared to the main tank when geared, a giant race can shrink with gear. Warrior is holding strong for my vote.

[Knuckle]

I guess the "most" might be Monk if you want to talk becoming a solo god and doing solo artist challenges compared to other melee I think only SK is comparable?

[Duik]

Based on shovels comment, I'd agree it's warrior.

Based on Swish, Chanter may win caster.