I've been 3-6 boxing every possible combo for god knows how many years now, because I found it really fun trying out different lineups. I've come to the conclusion that the three classes I don't want to be without in a group are SK/SHA/BRD. Anything beyond that is just quality of life stuff like ports or CoH. You can plug any DPS into that group and be great, my current favorite 4 box is that trio + a monk. You could probably really narrow that down to just SHA/BRD, because any of the tanks will be just fine in that group, I just prefer the utility of the SK for group stuff. For the single mostest bestest, it's hard to argue with either bard or shaman, and I hate being in or running a group without those two in it, but if I had to pick one it would probably be Shaman. They are great in every era, and just make grouping so much easier, especially post 70ish.
I would argue we absolutely can carry a group. Played a paladin since 2002 and I have done almost every single group role. Very rarely am I not tanking in a group setting. Sometimes I'm also the main healer. Pulling was absolutely huge for me to become not just effective but good starting around LDoN on forward, before then it was just lull and be wary of assist radius (lulls just reduce that radius). Curing has rarely been a real need in groups until I got into TBM group content where it became much more important to have my splash at ready. Crowd control is one that is often overlooked about us, Shackles both cast and refresh quickly, easy to break with a nuke or if no nukes are landing a dispel. When we are at the top of our game, we absolutely can carry a group with the versatility our class affords us. Just can't expect to win in a DPS race, but at least we'll cross that finish line.
Feels like every other role can have a different same-archtype class swapped in with only marginal change in group dynamic, but having a bard vs not having a bard is the most noticeable.
The healer merc. Cleric if you want so because it is the backbone of each grp and can deal negative DPS (heals) way better than any DPS class can deal damage.
I have to say that "jack of all trades" is not a good description of the Bard class. Bards are a force multiplier even when just a melody box, which BTW is a terrible misuse of their capability
There are 2 classes in EQ really --- Bard and Groupies.... (insert tank Here) (insert healer here)(insert DPS here) but nothing can replace all what the bard brings to the group
Yeah, that's a much better description. Because they're not the jack of all trades by a long shot. They can't heal, tank, or dps they can only make others do those things better. If the people they're helping are bad at doing those things, the bard can't make up the difference. Adding 500 pts of damage to a 4000 damage nuke doesn't help if the wizard hardly casts. I think bard is the answer to the title of this post, which is why we're getting so many bard replies. They impact a group more than any other class. I don't think its the answer to the body of the post though. They don't carry a group. With a few exceptions, there isn't much a group couldn't still do without a bard and just one more dps in it's place.
Warrior /thread This class has carried so many raids it ain't even funny. Progression would be impossible without these unsung meatshields. All hail sidescrollin, invis droppin, first to engage and first to die warriors!
For carrying in group content, I would have to go with SK, personally. A great SK can turn a bad group into an okay/good group most of the time. Honorable mention to Shaman.
Sometimes the warrior is the guy that keeps the event alive while the rest of the raid gets ressed back in!
Rezzed and healed by the cleric. The warrior is a nobody without a healer and only a puppet of the cleric when they do come together. When being directly compared to the warrior the cleric would always win: It can tank and survive better because of heals and buffs It can create more aggro because of heals It has CC by the Root and Atone spell lines It can pull single mobs with the Lull spell line At lower levels it can even do more DPS because of (vs Undead) DD and AoE nukes
For like 90% of my EQ play in groups, there were no bards in group and in raids there were never bards in my group (Main heal). Pretty much every major loot I DKPed was tanked by warriors and the rare SHD MT oh and +1 for "Unsung" by bards trying to cop all the glory for themselves.
I'll also add, no raidguild is prioritizing bards UNTIL they have main tanks, DPS and heals sorted out. For a bard to be a "Force Mutiplier", well, first you have to have... A FORCE. Maybe all these classes want a bard to preen their parses, but without a main tank, we're going nowhere.
There are 3 tank classes Pick one There are 3 priest classes Pick one etc.... You named roles but the question was class
Regardless of who's main tanking the raid, it matters not. Bring all the bards you want. Raid's not happening without main tank and a healer. <Every> raid guild I have been in has had warrior main tank(s) as lead and in some spaces SHD/PAL in rotation or for scertain mechanics, like a hramshiled break in. <Never> have I seen a raid called because there weren't enough bards in attendance.
My necro can kill 6-9 sarnaks at a time in Frontier Mountains without breaking a sweat. Been that way for a long time, now that she's 120 and fully raid geared, it's a complete joke.
