Shaman or Bard through the expansions?

Discussion in 'Time Locked Progression Servers' started by Arclyte, Feb 13, 2022.

  1. Fluid Augur

    Group & Raid, for 0-50 they are pretty inclusive. That is as long as you are keyed you will be put in. Everybody gets put in. Just me, but worry more about making it to 50ish ASAP because that is pretty much what most guilds want to achieve.

    You pretty much have them listed in order of what I would do for the first two picks and everything but Shaman + Cleric. That would really be on the bottom of my list just because you have 2 mostly healers with some DPS from Shaman DOTs and Pets. That is a slow combination.

    A good Magician gets you a good Pet so it can tank. Mage burns, Shaman buffs Pets, DOTs, Heals, Slows. I think this would be a good for sustained DPS in the long run.

    Shaman + Necromancer is good for the same reasons with other advantages like Snares, Fear Kiting, Aggro Kitting. Not as many pet toys of course you would get from a Magician.

    Shaman + Druid is two DOTs and a Dash. Really duplicates a lot of function except for Ports.

    Shaman + Ranger is just OK. Rangers don't come alive until ~level 60. There is a standard 'Rangers can't tank' which some people take exception to. I think they are joking. If you look at B(est) I(n) S(lot) spreadsheets, most of the Ranger gear is 50-75% of what the armor wearing classes get. No magic arrows, can't hunt as effectively indoors, lots of inconvenience. Upside is tracking.

    Shaman + Shadow Knight is workable if you don't mind gearing the SK.

    At one time or another I've run every combination you list recently. They all have perks, like Druid spells are really sticky. They can kill stuff 8 levels above them, they just can't sustain that effort.

    Shaman + Magician has gotten me through some tough scrapes. Both of them healing the Pet while the MOBs beat themselves to death on the damage shield kind of stuff. But heck, anything helping keep a Pet alive is a bonus in tough situations. Cleric buffs & heals, Ranger's Roots & Heals, Necromancer casting Fear on a MOB to get some breathing room. Game really needs something that can tank and a Magician Pet works as well as a poorly equiped PC tank.
  2. Wulfhere Augur

    I beg to differ on the last sentence. A bard that knows how to chain charm pets and those pets are sufficiently strong vs the named mob, well then that big-bad is doomed. It's a little trickier vs summoning mobs, but still doable.
    code-zero likes this.
  3. code-zero Augur

    Bards learn tricks like charm burning where you chain charm the trash to throw against a boss and dump your chants on it as well. One pet goes down you grab another and repeat till you make the kill
    Wulfhere likes this.
  4. Shakara Augur

    That certainly sounds like a viable strategy if you did need to take down a tough mob. Sounds a little niche though as it requires a pretty specific set of factors to line up.
    Skewert likes this.
  5. Wulfhere Augur

    Lol, that's a true-ism that can be applied to every class.
  6. Wulfhere Augur

    Exactly! and slow and snare, and real bards have this mastered.
    code-zero likes this.