Still trying to decide on a class to reroll to. Tank classes are probably out because it seems they have to have 1000s of AAs and gear 10 levels over the content you are trying to tank. Healing is also probably out because I dont like the way healing works. Hell I dont even see how people heal when there is only a group frame and no raid frames. Im looking for a nice relaxing class to play where I dont need a group and not having one isnt going to me. I cant get Keyclone to work in EQ so wont be multi-boxing. I want something that doesnt need a group but still does good when grouped and brings utility and DPS. Doesnt need tens of thousands of AAs just to be viable. Can solo farm places that make full groups cringe. I played a Warlock as my main in WoW for the last 6 years so thinking maybe Necro.
It all depends on the way you choose to play and the way you utilize your merc. Necro's are a great solo choice, as are mages. They get great pets that'll DPS, add in a merc, and your job is fairly easy. Shammys are in the same line. They get a pet (much later) but can root and rot, mix in the dps merc, and it'll be easy peasy. Beastlords would even fit into this catergory. If you know what you're doing and can do it well, you'll be able to do things others wouldn't think about doing.
dont BLs almost need as many AAs as tanks? must get pet AAs must get spell DPS AAs must get personal DPS AAs must get personal defense AAs
So maybe BL's don't fit into the catergory. You asked a question. I gave you my answer based on my experience and enjoyment. AA's come into effect at lvl 51. You don't really see much of an impact on your game play until say about the mid 60 range. If you're going to invest the time and effort in getting to that point in the game, then the investment of time to aquire the AA's need to smooth the rough edges are going to come organically through game play.
Didnt mean to sound like I was saying that was a horrible suggestion. I was actually thinking about a BL until a few people pointed out that they actually did require a lot of AAs.
its just I have heard that really good necros or enchanters can do some crazy things. I didnt mean to sound like using no effort. Just whenever I get gear and AAs and have gotten good with my class.
I won't speak for Enchanters, but Magicians and Necros are doing rather well at the moment. I'd say Necro is probably what you're looking for.
Necros are decent, for sure. Mages are decent, too. Mages just go oom too much for my taste. I'm not sure if a necro will ever do group content unless severely outgeared. Which, as a new toon you're a long, long ways off from doing that. My SK got about 700AA in one weeks worth of play. At level 78 he's doing pretty darn good. Don't forget EQ is not like other games. Its very doubtful you're going to be soloing blue mobs as a melee 80+. EQ takes a very, very long time to build a character. It can't be done in a month or two. Expect things to really slow down 70+.
In terms of getting going in a hurry, Necromancers definitely have an edge. I goofed off on mine from level 20 to 45 just recently, no merc, nothing too special, just dotting the crap out of everything and getting ridiculous XP solo. While I am well aware this will slow down in the future, getting a Necromancer going is super easy, get dots, get 2.0/2.5(if you have friends willing/able to do that), get crit AAs, crit damage boost AAs, deathbloom, third spire, some AA feigns, you are pretty good to go as far as soloing non-summoners go on a Necromancer. Want to do named, well with your ridiculous dot capacity you'll be able to grind pet AAs in a hurry, can then pretty easily Molo named with a cleric merc helping Jibaner out. Mage is definitely strong in this area too, but they need good pet AAs and good crit AAs before they get going, necromancer can get away with dots only. Necro will require more movement typically though compared to a mage, but the skill aspect doesn't sound like it will be a problem for you.
Not true! If you are a 78 SK good things are just around the corner for you. At 80 I bought all Abstruse gear from the bazaar and was fairly OP as I worked on AA's which of course only helped even more. At 84 I could take two white and two blue sporali guys at a time solo (no merc) in Hills of Shade. Now at 85 I no longer see white con guys in the rotcap area but with just shy of 2500AA I can take 5 dark blue guys at once no problem. IN THAT ZONE. Newer zones are much much harder, for instance a dark blue snake in the HoT front yard is almost more than I can handle even with the merc up. But I can do it and have also moloed at least one dark blue mob in The Grounds with my merc healing. And I'm not trying to say how great I am for doing that. I'm in fact pretty bad at EQ, lol. Shoot, I haven't even attempted swarming yet. Need to gather up a big train of giants in Valdholm or something one of these days... But to the OP I would also say necro is probably what you want. I tried it... Played up to level 52 or 53 thinking I was levelling up a new main char but after the first weekend I was bored and ready to go back to grinding AA's on my SK, lol.
Necromancer sounds good for the original poster - you seem to favor the self-sufficiency the class provides.
I wouldn't call shaman "a class that doesn't need a lot of AAs." You will need Canni and spell efficiency AA's regardless of what you want to do because shaman spells are expensive (and probably hitpoint AA's and HoT AA's to support canni - canni is no good if it kills you or you can only do it once.) After that you can be a healer or a subpar DPS. You might be able to merc tank but without personal DPS AA's it would be like watching paint dry in a monsoon. I doubt you could self tank on 1k AA's - at least not current content. You want to look at a specialist class that's not a tank.
I would say that a Necro is a good choice if you don't mind moving around as mobs slowly (because they are snared) pursue you and then keel over. You'll get good XP plus lots of vendor trash and all you really need is a bunch of DOT AAs plus a few utility AAs. Under 1,000, I guess? More if you want to be able to tap-tank or pet-tank summoning/named mobs, but then it's fairly easy to get more AAs with a Necro. If you don't like agro kiting, then a Mage would be a good alternative, but you will need to buy more AAs to make your pet a good tank and then some DPS AAs for the Mage. Perhaps around 2,000? Enchanters and Bards can charm, a powerful ability, but (a) I don't think many would call it "relaxing" and (b) some zones have few charmable mobs. Shamans can root/dot, which becomes viable after 60+ when DOTs no longer break root. You'll need Canni, DOT crits, Virulent Paralysis and a few utility AAs. 1,000 should be more than enough if all you want to do is root/dot, but you will end up with a VERY one-sided Shaman, almost useless in groups.
DoTs don't break root below 60, either, although with tank mercs, it's irrelevant now. Necro for sure needs the fewest AAs, Mage wants far more, and a strong pet focus as well.
Low level Shaman DOTs have a DD component, e.g. Evenomed Breath (http://lucy.allakhazam.com/spell.html?id=434&source=Live), Envenomed Bolt (http://lucy.allakhazam.com/spell.html?id=436&source=Live) or Bane of Nife (http://lucy.allakhazam.com/spell.html?id=1590&source=Live) all the way to the level 60 spell Ancient Scourge of Nife. And it's that first DD that can break Root. On the other hand, Breath of Ulthor (http://lucy.allakhazam.com/spell.html?id=3394&source=Live), a level 64 DOT, Breath of Wunshi (http://lucy.allakhazam.com/spell.html?id=5411&source=Live) and subsequent DOTs do not have a DD component and are safe to use with VP.
Fear of AA, the necro is a dot DPS machine, but that power really requires AA to increase crit frequency and power. Any caster can get to 100 with zero AA and have some serious power, but AA are easy to gain with a 1000% return on input at on the first 100 or so down to standard return at the 4000 mark. If a caster committed all AA for the first 2k of them to offense, then mage, enchanter, necro and wizard would be staggering classes, but, staying alive is good too, so we all want a good count on the defensives. Having a pet is useful, having a really dangerous pet takes an AA commitment, mage tanking pet, necro backstabbers etc. they become far more capable with more AA investment. Below 70 most classes can be carried by a tank merc, so if you like the idea of a necro go for it, worst case, you put it on hold and try out a different class.
I didn't realise that so many shaman dots have that initial DD - there are quite a few as well that don't, although they are the less useful ones in general. ISTR that in the very early days any dot tick stood some chance of root breaking.
No one will lvl from 1 to 100 doing group content with few AA but if you'd just want to solo from 1 to 100 as fast as possible I'd say either a Necro or a wizzy. The necro will be easier at lower level and have tools to be self sufficient without a merc (self rezz, feing death, succor). Wizard will require less AA and shine later on ( in PoP area where you get your first instant DD), at that point wizzy are just insane IMO they can burn things so fast it just rediculous I've got jalous of myf riend around that point back in the days. With today OOC regen it just deosn't matter if you go oom solo when you kill thing 10 time faster. Also the port still handy sometimes. Sure the necro will be more fogiving of mistake but both will do a good job.
