I played EQ for some years way back when... and I come back every so often. Hearing about Oakwynd opening, returned again and trying to figure out what class I want to play... though I could box more than one account, I have no interest in really doing that. Guess I am trying to figure out if this is the right decision or not, and figure out what I want to play, etc. Looking at trying out a necro again... been a place I enjoyed before.
High-intensity, fast-pace, highly-contested race must appeal to you to go to new'ish TLP. If that is for you - join Oakwind, a necro is a fine class to play over there. If you want a relaxed gameplay - join an established live server, which has a higher population in your play-time slot. FV (if you want tradeable loot), Bristlebane, Xegony, some other other servers - make your pick. Make friends if you don't want to box, join a popular and large "casual" guild to find play-mates, or join a raiding guild, which will let you join the raiding roster later on if you like raiding. Open raids are a thing as well. Welcome back to EQ!
Thanks! Yeah, I played on a TLP server last time around... joined a raiding guild, then got busy with work and such. Oakwynd may not be my best choice in the longer term, but I am going to check it out. My original characters are on Xegony (I used to be on Xev) and I have some on FV, so may go back to either of those if this is a bust. Thank you for the advice, appreciated!
The necro would be a good choice. Strong solo ability and much DPS. You could box it with a beastlord, enchanter or bard. You can also take a look at my boxing setups: DS = Damage Shield CC = Crowd Control MEZ = Mesmerize (putting a mob to sleep) Evac = Does quickly port the group to the safe spot of the zone. Charm = The caster can control an enemy (NPC or PC) like a pet. Snare = Does reduce movement speed which is good for fleeing mobs or to escape. Haste = A buff that does increase the melee speed/DPS. Ports = Spells that offer quick travelling to some firm zone locations. Color legend: Blue = Available Orange = Available but weak or limited Trio boxing alternative: You need three core roles: Tank, DPS, CC + puller. One merc will do the healing as it is very uncomfortable to box a main healer. Here a setup that I do call the "Slacker Travel" group: Tank: Magician - Earth pet wil be a beast above lvl 100 when having much pet AAs. The magician is also DPS, has CotH, the best DS and pet toys. More comfortable to play than a plate tank (positioning). Can pet pull and can summon Worlu's Windcloak at lvl 71 which does grant SoS (advanced Invis + IVU). Combined with CotH this is nice. Each class can also drink Potion of Unlife Awareness. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- CC: Bard or enchanter. Bard is by far the best puller but does need positioning for melee. Does also speed up travelling. Also has picklock (not needed in end game on live servers), tracking and foraging. Enchanter has IVU and best CC and best group mana regen auras and buffs. Boxing two pet classes can be annoying when one is a magician even that there are synergy effects. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- DPS: Druid if you want travel options, best foraging, tracking, emergency healing, additional CC and evac. Also a great class if you focus on quests and progression. Does receive an aura for synergy effects with magican and bard fire spells and procs. Necro would offer more DPS than the druid and can offtank adds, but has not many usefull extra tools for boxing. IVU is usefull. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Healer: Cleric mercenary Duo boxing alternatives: Add a bard or whatever class you like or which would be a good functional (DPS, CC, travel, bufffs, pulling, etc.) addition, as many stuff is already covered. Do not use two or more melee classes (ROG, BER, MNK, WAR, PAL, SHD, BST) as this would be inefficient and much work. For best results you need a tank and a damage dealer (DPS class). Let a merc be the main healer as playing a healer is difficult, especially for boxing. Backup healing is good to have tho. Many combinations are possible. Some are more defensive and might kill slower while other combinations can kill or travel faster. The tank can be a WAR, SHD, PAL or a pet class. Magician and necro are fine while the beastlord pet is weak at lower to medium levels even with slowed mobs, but it does get stronger after that. You want to have snare, slow and root/mez/charm in your group for crowd control. A bard can do all but root and can even single pull. Easy difficulty: SHD + SHM - snare, slow, haste, root/mez/charm, evac, ports, DS, tracking, basic foraging, picklock Tons of buffs but is not the best duo for pulling and CC. The duo has medium to high DPS. PAL + DRU - snare, slow, haste, root/mez/charm, evac, ports, DS, tracking, foraging, picklock DRU does receive mass snare/root and both have the aggro reducing lull/harmony spell lines for easier pulls. Very defensive duo as both classes are good backup healers but does lack slow and haste. DRU can mez and charm animals (and plants at lower levels). DRU can be replaced by a RNG for more DPS and Earthcaller (melee proc) slow but will have less CC and support. The duo has low DPS. Medium difficulty: WAR + BRD - snare, slow, haste, root/mez/charm, evac, ports, DS, tracking, foraging, picklock BRD is the best puller, WAR is the best tank. Pretty straightforward with single pulls but does lack advanced CC. The only listed duo that can open locked doors for rather low level zones like Old Sebilis, Ssra and Vex Thal. The duo has medium DPS. High difficulty: MAG + ENC - snare, slow, haste, root/mez/charm, evac, ports, DS, tracking, basic foraging, picklock Two pet classes with many buffs and auras. Very versatile duo that can handle nearly all situations with great mana regen. Mage pets do become good tanks at medium and higher levels. The duo has medium DPS. NEC + BST - snare, slow, haste, root/mez/charm, evac, ports, DS, tracking, basic foraging, picklock Two pet classes. Not the best duo for pulling and CC but can offtank mobs and heal their pets. NEC can mez and charm undeads (only) and can grant the mana hungry BST some of it's mana. The duo has high DPS. All listed duos do have invisibility and invisibility vs/to undead covered.
Nice post, Iven. Do you have a post outlining each class or perhaps a matrix of said classes to easily see overlap and synergies? Not asking for me, but being able to point people such a matrix to help answer boxing/returning class questions.
This is all I got atm. It is a template that I created mostly for new and returning players to give them more orientation and something to start with. I also wanted to cover most classes and adding an unpopular combination like the paladin/druid duo for more variety.
I started my necro on Oakwynd .... I made a cleric too, though I have always done cleric.. my original one is still on Xegony. I always liked magician too, so trying to decide necro or magician. Any thoughts are welcome.
I have always played shaman, cleric, warrior, rogue. Never had an int caster beyond about level 5. But on Oakwynd, decided to try something completely new and went for an Ench. That was the best decision ever. I think starting at the beginning with a class I have never played before was really fun and just brought a lot of new experiences. I honestly didnt even know that I had to research some spells. I thought I would be able to buy them all hahaha. So based on my experience, i would say just pick a character you have never played before and go with that. It is really fun. There are so many choices, do something new.
That is a good way to think about it... I have never played a necromancer to the end game nor a magician... enchanter I played back in the day though that was some years ago. I love cleric, but I have done that one... this is good food for thought.
Do you want to box Pristine ? If not stay with the necro but you can always add a class that can cast slow which would be the best bonus. Each of them has its own strenghts and weaknesses and all can cast slow and haste: BRD = Best puller, descent CC (charm or mez, snare), good DPS, best haste because of overhaste song, mana and HP regen songs, does need melee positioning. ENC = Best CC, best mana regen, two auras for all kind of bonuses, weak to descent DPS, good puller. SHM = Great melee and HP regen buffs, best slower, second best DoTs (good DPS), second best heals, descent CC by root, average puller. BST = MNK/SHM hybrid but basically a good melee DPS pet class that does need positioning, poor CC, does receive FD AA at higher levels but is still a weak puller. A balanced and easy class with no outstanding abilities afaik. A necro is easier and more relaxing to play than a solo magician, has the second best pets, and FD (spell) is very helpfull. The magician is the more complex class and can summon many things (for pets) but that does get annoying when a pet dies.
I could box as I have more than one account.... though, for now, just been looking at playing one at a time. I will take the advice and bear that in mind.
