Returning to everQuest after a couple year hiatus and I would like to pick up a class that can’t solo/molo names mobs. I know just about every class can do it, but I would like a class that has most of the rolls/tools included. Example: I know a mage would work great, but a message also cannot split or break camps. I’m pretty sure I’ll be playing on phinny if that helps at all Basically my question is many layers deep: 1) what tools or roles are vital these days? Cc? Pulling? Slow? Splitting? Are these any of these critical to handling a broad range of circumstances I’ll enocunter? Are some of these less important than they once were? Here’s what I’ve gsthered from asking folks in game and posting/reading a million posts here: In order of effectiveness/capability: Necro- doesn’t have slow, has root cc, pulls, dps, but weak in the tank department. Can either pet tank or tap tank mobs/named that cannot be kited or that summon. But no slow makes this a poor choice for hunting named Mage- no slow, no split/pull, no cc, pet tank pretty damn well but summoning mobs screw that. And no cc makes splitting camps with named in it impossible Sk - no cc or slow, weak dps, but great tank and pulls. If the named has lots of hps, i might just end up watching my cleric mercs go oom and wipe before the named is slain Beast - OK tank, no pulls, no cc, has slow Similar to a mage in my mind. If the fight doesn’t require tools, they excel. If the fight does require tools, you’re effed(honestly not a lot posted on the forums about beastlords molo) Shaman - has slow, heals, root/punt cc, no tank, no pulls. Merc tank doesn’t work after 65-70 so a shaman will just be face tanking it’s prey? Doesn’t actually seem like a bad plan but would hate to level to 70 only to find it doesn’t work haha also on phinny, next expac brings mobs that can’t be slowed fully? Would love any and all feedback. Please avoid the “play what you enjoy” I’ve never made it to endgame in Eq. So help me pick a solid character to get there then i can decide what i enjoy!
I don't have any direct answer to your question because I play on live, but you might get a better answer on the TLP forum: https://forums.daybreakgames.com/eq/index.php?forums/time-locked-progression-servers.21/ I also imagine if you look through that forum you'll find a similar thread, as soloing/moloing is pretty common on truebox servers (that disallow boxing).
I have heard beastlords are good. IMO I prefer a mage. Played a necro initially, works ok until you hit i think it is 50ish when mobs are no longer fearable, so you have to aggro kite.. That works fine for a while until just about everything summons you.I guess nec pets get better later as far as tanking but I haven't had much luck there. That's where I found mage a lot better. Cleric merc to heal, air pet is a great tank. Plus as mage, you can do a pretty good amount of damage. Mage is probably a lot more group friendly than a necro also.
Necros have slow undead spells and can cast them on other mobs at 110 with Burn Bones (which turns the target into undead for a short time... just enough to get the slow off too... it takes a while but works well when only fighting one mob). Necros have the biggest bag of tricks.
Just to point our there are no mercs yet on phinny. They do come out in a couple of months though with the next expac. Aye tank class is pretty useless at higher levels with just a cleric unless you are in raid gear. Dark blue Xp mobs will hit hard, named mobs will be too tough unless you out level them by quite a lot. My lv 85 mage pet is much easier to keep alive than my warrior and Ive spent a lot of time gearing the warrior. I'd go with the mage for an easy life or an enchanter for more fun. Charmed pets are very strong but it's more risky than a mage.
At higher levels, magicians have plenty of tools with which to split camps. It isn't that big of a deal and you should also be able to deal with 2 or 3 monsters at the same time with proper cool down use. At lower levels, this is not the case, and there will be a rough period with ANY pet class between 60 to 75, because of pets being garbage during that period. Thus, for most of the game up until 80 or so, you will experience a lot of pain as a molo magician. It then gets better. However, I would keep my expectations under control. This game was made to be a group game and because of that assumption, up to date content will never be easy to molo and will be down right impossible in many cases. You should be willing to play in previous expansion content, and to not be able to get through certain content at all, with just a molo. But it is certainly possible to get to maximum level with just a molo, and to pick up enough easy to get equipment to be competitive at that level. It'll just take longer. Out of all the classes in the game, I would say that: Enchanters are the most powerful class in the game up to about 80 or so, then magicians and beasts become better. Necromancers have the easiest time getting experience, but are not that strong outside of that. Shadow knights take a lot of time and effort to molo with, but are the most powerful class in the end game, with maximum equipment. Beasts have the most obvious weakness with crowd control, in fact they are much worse at it than magicians at higher levels. Magicians are the most self sufficient molo class, believe it or not, since they can create their own pet equipment and don't need support spells from any other class to perform near their best.
Personally, to make this decision, I'd ask myself how dedicated I intend to be towards the game: Very dedicated, I intend to play for years and do whatever it takes to reach the end game: Choose a shadow knight. Medium dedicated, I intend to reach maximum level eventually but I'm not in a hurry: Choose a magician or beast. I'm completely casual and only intend to play as long as it keeps my interest: Choose an enchanter. In your case, I would probably choose a magician.
Necros get a slow at level 100 called Binding of Itkari. The thing is you have to get DD to turn undead to land and the slow to land when fighting non-undead. You have about 6 seconds to land the slow. If not you are waiting on DD to refresh. It works but it takes alot time and effort. Reuse on DD is 15 or 30 seconds can't remember exactly so if you fail you may be using feign death.
I basically molo'ed my BST up to raid level (70) back in the day and I would have to say BST would not be my first choice to break a complicated camp. There are some interesting tricks you can try with Flash of Light, pet snare (Hobble AA), and an available zone line. These tricks with zone lines work for any class really. Flash of Light works like a fear spell with no level cap. I laugh because I was using FoL to split mobs in the Howling Stones (RoS) basement (along with FD that BSTs eventually get) just the other day. There were the 2 mobs at the doorway and from a distance I can target one and hit it with FoL. If FoL lands that mob runs off and the other mob runs at me. When the mob gets close, I send in the pet and hit FD. Once the second mob forgets about me I stand up and finish off the mob with my pet.
I gotta ask about his comment: Beasts have the most obvious weakness with crowd control, in fact they are much worse at it than magicians at higher levels. What CC tool does a mage have that makes them better than a BST at high levels? I often play in an all pet group and the necro is our obvious choice for CC.
as far as I know mage's only have 1 real tool for CC and that is CoN (companion of necessity) , however if they are in a group they can use CoH on a player who is pulling to wipe agro .. If were talking just a mage's ability to CC by themselves its just CoN .. and using zone lines to wipe agro ?
Not to get sidetracked, but I am wondering about the decision to start on Phinny Phinny is only 11 expansions behind Live servers now: 14 expansions + Classic have been unlocked, with the 15th expansion expected in the next month. Phinny's rule set is defined as: This means that Phinny will be caught up to Live servers in 2-3 years. At that point, the only defining characteristics of the server will be slower experience and TrueBox. TrueBox is only enjoyable on very young servers, where you have lots of people to play with. If you are already wanting to use a merc, you know what it is like to look for a group and not find one. Also, take a look at the requests in these forums asking for TrueBox to be removed on Phinny as it aged Anyhow, I think I'm just suggesting that if you want to play on a TLP server, I would suggest waiting a few months for whatever new offering DBG puts out in the Spring. If you are interested in mercenary-based play, I highly suggest playing on a Live server. And, to answer your original question: On current Live servers (which is where Phinny will end up relatively soon), Shadow Knight all the way!
I'm not sure if this helps but the belts in current gear now have added benefit such as slow, cripple, and something else forget what it was.. I mostly use the cripple belt unless i pull more than i really want then i may switch out to the slow .. but I prefer to let the mobs hit me for riposte and DS dmg.. I have not tried giving a pet a slow belt to see if it works on mobs or not ??
