Rizlona 3 box advice

So I have been debating on starting a 3 box on Rizlona and I know that I want to main an SK. The problem is that I am stuck on four different combinations and I could really use some advice if anyone has played these 3 box combos on what synergizes the best and what is just more fun to play. These are the combos I have in mind: SK/Wiz/Shaman, SK/Enc/Shaman, SK/Enc/Cleric, SK/Wiz/Cleric. I know all of them look really similar, but I definitely want wiz or enc and a healer. (This is for classic through PoP atleast) Thanks for any insight.

I would say SK Shaman Wiz but thats because I like having ports and a slow. If you don't want ports then sk enc clr.

Yeah truth be told those 2 combos are prob the ones I was leaning towards the most. Only thing I don't like about Sk/wiz/sham is no crack. Guess I could keep daybreak crack on me or make shaman pots.

SK/Enc/CLR out of the ones you listed will allow you to do the most. Enc brings a ton of dps if you're comfortable charming, way more than any other class will at Rizlonas stage. It also gives you some CC, buffs, and other tools that will be useful. Only things you will really miss is ports.

I really like this combo as well. Enchanter brings so much to the table and about the only negative I can think of is just as you say, no ports and also I feel like I would have to pay much more attention to an enchanter and have the sk on auto pilot with this combo. Which isn't necessarily that bad if I am being honest.

You will have to focus most of your attention on your enchanter. But you shouldn't really view that as a negative. Think critically about what do you really need to watch on your SK or your cleric? Is paying attention to a heal bar going down going to help? SK doesn't even get kick, maybe you'll have slam if you're a big race. But again, is casting a 45hp lifetap or 30 tick dot worth the attention over keeping a higher focus on charm, which can be worth 2x players DPS? A lot of people get wrapped up in wanting to watch their tank when boxing but early on especially there's really no need. When grouping I even let charm pets just take agro from my warrior because they're better tanks and cleric can just throw one CH and done.

SK / WIZ / SHM
Interesting group for sure. Your wizard will likely be carried heavily by the others unless you dole out for DB clarity potions. SK / SHM is a powerhouse in it's own right. Good trio to start a group tho + ports.

SK / ENC / SHM
If you want to charm, it's decent until Torpor - after that, it's amazeballs.

SK / ENC / CLR
If you want to charm, can't beat ENC / CLR duo. If you don't charm, this trio struggles with DPS. Lack of SoW is annoying too.

SK / WIZ / CLR
Just a meh group overall if you ask me. Wizard is handicapped by lack of clarity, no sow, no slow...DPS will be mediocre at best.

...

SK / ENC / SHM is personally my favorite trio. You don't even have to charm for it to be effective. Kunark is a bit of a struggle as the Shaman struggles to keep up healing charm pets (if you charm), but once you get Torpor, it's just so much better.

What are you talking about no crack? Shamans can make distillates of clarity and greater potions of concentration . But if you have both of those on its 9 mana regen. Once kunark comes out and you get 60 you can make 10 mana regen a tick potions.

I have said it before a million times SK Shm bard rocks, and just keeps getting stronger and stronger as expansions release. I know you didnt list it but just wanted to throw it out there.

It's a very versatile combo but lacking in dps til bard takes off with the bellows. Shaman having to be the primary dps class on top of everything else shaman does is rough in the first few expansions especially. But if you want to invite others regularly it's a great platform.

Of those four, SK/Enc/Cleric is clearly the most powerful and versatile. Sk/Enc/Shaman a close second--I usually like rez with ench charm but you'll get the xp back pretty fast anyway on the occasions you wipe.

One thing to keep in mind OP is all of these combos will work as well. There's no right or wrong choice. More importantly play the classes you think you'll have the most fun with. One combo might be more effective now, another combo may grow in power, or they might diminish later on. Play what you think will be fun as that will keep you interested in playing.

I would suggest SK ENC CLR or SK SHM BRD

The only wall you might run into is in elemental planes in PoP if you’re going to rely on charm for DPS as you’ll need to drag a pet past the wall to do C1/C2 if PoFire for example. I’m not even sure if PoWater is worth charming in as 99% of the challenge is invising to a camp; particularly the lower caves.

Not saying it is not doable... just infinitely more annoying.

Mostly I think your decision lies with how you plan to play... are the boxes just grind tools for your main who raids? Or are you going to be actively farming named in PoP?

I’m going to echo sentiments about bards... I ran WAR CLR BRD RNGx3 in POP and the absolute catalyst to my success in PoP (and beyond) was the bard. I mean I was single pulling lower caves in PoWater just from using lull, preslowing, and fades. I didn’t need the DPS with rangers in elemental bows with EQ/AM3 so not much of a comment on how good a bard could do focusing on DPS with a SK face tanking a shammy slowed mob. Shammy dots though are yummy and tempting enough to take a run at something unique, different and entirely OP far beyond POP.

Because let’s be honest with a SK SHM BRD setup and all the AA DPS short terms/clicks the shammy and bard bring you can add any 3 melee DPS friends and melt mobs for expansion after expansion.

sk enc clr

ports to me are meh - you can always bind in ec and buy a port to where you want to go - the advantage of CC and complete heal fully outway wiz/shaman - also, you can drop the sk and still do all the content through pop with just enc/clr

i did enc/clr on selo - you can literally duo tactics minis by yourself (pet break = death though), but still - it's such a super strong combination.

i mixed it up and i'm doing mage/shaman on riz - there have been some challenges not having cc outside of root. i think kunark with the 75% slow and epic pet will make my combo a bit stronger.

running enc/clr i felt like i was playing the eq with a game genie lol

Difference between stand and fight power and wipe power/aversion, I find this particularly true when boxing. No evac and you play conservative, seldom exploring areas you aren't familiar with, I find that a boring game.

For me an ideal team will always include something tankish, something evacuate. SK is fine, Wizard is fine, substituting Warrior or Druid is fine.

That kind of narrows your 3 box down to a third, Enchanter makes a good addition if you don't mind charming and going to zones with a wide range of MOB levels. Nothing is worse then the lowest level of MOB you are hunting is ~yellow and breaks charm every 6 seconds.

Honestly for a stand and fight team, intent of leveling fast, I would put a Magician in consideration. Gives you the opportunity to off tank and DPS.

I can't argue against your predisposition to having a Cleric though. What you lose on DPS you gain on resurrection. Plate wearing Cleric can off tank even if it is inadvertent from healing to much or to quickly. Damage mitigation is good with armor type spells. The SK, Cleric, Shaman makes for an interesting alternative to SK, ENC, Shaman in terms survival. Cleric reduces damage taken in the first place with mitigation spells while tossing out huge heals when necessary, ENC reduces damage with Mez, stuns, CC.

It's actually tough to come up with a 3 box team that isn't strong. Only question is leveling rate and play style.

Bard - Tank - Heals, fill the rest with dps. Bard can CC up to 4 mobs at once, slow and mana regen as well. If you don't have a bard early game before PoP enjoy running everywhere and taking about 3x as long to get there. With the changes in the way AC works in general mobs don't hit hard and it's easy to tank pretty much everything, you don't need an ench who will be useless and probably die on a charm break anyways.

Exactly. I am going paly/druid/bard wiz x3. Such fun!

I have two builds I like. SK, Sham, Mage is one but it lacks a rez. Another I like is Paladin, druid, necro.

I'm a huge fan of bards if you dont want to charm on the enc. They're super easy, and keep improving. Torpor is not all it is cracked up to be, in combat it will slow you severely, and it will be extremely noticable with the group builds listed if you aren't charming for your dps. It is fine if you are pulling slow skd torpor near the end of fights.

SK sham is probably the most powerful duo in the game. There might be an expansion every so often where this isnt the case, but for a majority of the game it is hands down the strongest.

I personally like wizard. Good DPS, you can honestly turn that 3 pull into a 2 pull in about 12 seconds with a wizard. Also even after PoP do not dismiss ports. Even during GoD/Omens/insert later expac here I always have a porter in my team. Yes traveling is easier cause of PoP/guild lobby, but ports can easily save you 10-12 minutes of travel time per relocate, especially if you arent running a bard.

Ex with guild lobby present.
1) origin/gate all your toons
2) run the toons that cant gate to guild lobby
3) port

Unless you are willing to spend a decent amount of money on gate potions, and have your non gate bound in the guild lobby, a porter still saves you A LOT of time.

PS dont play any of the combinations that dont have a slower (enc/sham), slow is easily the most overpowered ability in this game. (yes even more OP then charm, CH gives it a run for its money in early EQ).

Bard to go with the sham/SK is another solid choice. Your dps will suffer a little at first, however as the expansions tick by and the bard gets more tools they can easily start making up that difference. Also perma capped resists is INSANE