Wife has agreed to join me in my online adventures ! After some discussion and watching the game a bit, she has narrowed down class choice to druid or shaman. I am very biased having played one of these classes extensively back in the day; but I want to keep an open mind and let the ultimate decision be up to her. We are playing on the new tlp, and I will be rolling a new toon that will make a complimentary duo. I will insist she read this thread before she makes her choice, and that's it, so please consider giving a thoughtful response. Thanks!
I love both classes and play them both quite extensively. In the early game I preferred the solo ability and travel and tracking and all around nifty utility of the druid. Solid nukes and heals and quad kiting and snare were all things that brought the class together for me. However shaman I think really bring their own expertise in the early game. Buffs, hastes and slow along with stronger hots and decent nukes and dots made for a solid asset to pretty much any group. And the canni dance! I think shaman did better in extended group content sessions with their tool set with less down time when in healing mode versus a druid even though their direct heals were the same power because of hots and canni and slow all combining to good efficiency. So solo adventurer versus a team player is kind of the distinction to me in many ways.
As she is new to the game a Druid may be the way to go due to the versatility. Nuking, healing, And in TLP her ports will be very valuable for a long time to come. (I used to hate waiting for the boat, only to get squished half way across the ocean by a Cyclops).
Druid, but seeing as a Dru was my first and still is my main character (after all these years) I am probably a little bias. But seriously, Druid is am amazing first character.
Still waiting on money to set up her rig. Curiously, she prefers most class descriptions of the druid, but then when messing around with the character creator is enthralled by the Barbarian woman graphics, so, LOL, it probably doesn't matter our analysis in the end she's just going to roll and go, and Im sure we'll have a good time whatever she chooses. I will be joining her of course, and if she goes shaman I will be SK, no brainer. But a duo partner for a druid? Have it narrowed down to ENC or NEC (have no interest in playing a mage, nor any tank or melee with druid heals as they have no innate mana regen). So if shaman, it will look like a straight up game, if druid, we will make a living by trickery kiting, fear kiting, charm tanking, etc.
Druids have the Skin line of buffs for everyone, the Mask line of buffs for themselves, and the Nurturing Growth every 5mins for mana regen. Their mana regen is less "active" than shm/cle, but they do totally fine kitted out with the appropriate items and augs.
Notice poster stated they would be playing on TLP so none of the end game goodies for a while. Druid is a more flexible class, Jill Alltrade as it is. Shaman more solid, and with their chain armor a bit more durable. Shaman has more stat buffs on offer to enhance the group, while druid can move them long distances and provide a decent damage shield. By about level 40 a druid is all done getting in and getting muddy, they just don't have the defenses to survive close encounters like a shaman can. Thorn tanking and self heals can extend this a bit but they will have a much harder time than a chain clad shaman will. But if you want to explore and get in trouble in many far away places the druid is your ticket for the E ride. Evac is another plus as it gives you the chance to try again a lot sooner if things go sideways. It is all about having fun, why not start one of each and alternate for a bit to see which is a better fit?
What Cloudia said it's useful, but bare in mind each class won't come into their own until the 30s to 40s, so trying one out for a bit might not be viable. I've played shaman originally on live, and druid on TLP in similar expansions. I've enjoyed both. They have similar healing abilities in classic and Kunark up to 60, when shamans get heals over time, druids get bigger direct heals (which will probably be with Velious on Phinny). Both have nice utility. Druids get snare, which is useful. Shamans get slow, which is very powerful during Kunark / Velious at least. Ports are very useful. If you want to build on your duo and invite people to make up a group, it is very useful to be able to collect your group members from all over. A paladin is a nice duo with a druid. If you do want to build a group, you have healer, tank, which is a great foundation. You have rez too, which helps. Shaman have great mana regen with canni, but it's very active. You feel like you're not doing enough if you're not using it all the time. Druids get a self only mana regen buff at 60, and a group version of skin with mana regen in Velious. Shamans are somewhat tougher, but this can be exaggerated. It's partly down to chain vs leather, but also due to gear choice and race. At lower levels, the races that can play shamans are tough and strong. Because of canni eating health, a lot of shamans go for HP gear as much as wisdom. Chain doesn't make as big a difference as people think. A well geared druid can take a few hits. I don't think there's a wrong choice here, I expect she'll enjoy either. One thing that might help her choose is to look at the races available, a lot of women don't like playing the evil races. She might not like being a troll or halfling, so it may come down to wood Elf vs barbarian...
