I've been out of the game a very long time, so I've just been having fun leveling up multiple characters to around 40, trying to decide which 2 I want to take further. I'm on FV, and 2 boxing with mercs is definitely my limit. I have 2 subbed accounts. Goal is group content. I wouldn't refuse a raid but raiding not really a goal. One question is should I avoid a tank. They are gear dependent so an obvious time sink with more grinding. But what I don't know is how much I could just buy with chrono if I wanted to? Need to know how much of an option that is to make the best decision on this. The last part is if I don't use a tank, I'm trying to decide between necro/mage and enchanter/mage. I played all of these up to max level in Luclin, that's where my experience with EQ stops. I know the basics of the classes well enough. But I don't know the content in the current game. I'm curious if one or the other has a decided advantage in the variety of content they can do at least semi efficiently? My guess is the necro shines on singles and just plowing through easy content efficiently. Although not sure how much enchanter adding mage mana regen and haste/slow might change that.
I just dinged 110 on a live server, and I'll tell you what I have learned so far. Mage, Necro, and Beastlord are very powerful once they get a pet earring which boosts their pets levels, damage, etc. From my viewpoint, all three classes could handle singles without any issues, but a multi mob pull wiped them a lot. Live mobs hit like a space shuttle. I have 150,000+ hp, and I get 2-3 hit from a dark blue con. Rangers are so powerful against HUMANOID mobs (headshot AA) if they have a tank to hold aggro on a mob, or they have the space to root the mob and kill them from a distance with a bow and arrow. SK's are OP. They can and will pull 10+ mobs and face tank them. Paladins are really good in undead zones with their slay undead AA's. Bards are back to their old kiting tricks. A level 120 bard can run around in circles with 20+ mobs and dot them to death even though a few hits from any mob will kill them. Monks are decent at single pull kills. They don't really shine or falter. Shamans are still really good with their slows, buffs, and debuffs. I haven't seen any other class in action at my level.
You may want to consider a different option: If you put a ranger in the mix - yes a third account - then you can set him back and let him plink away at the mob with very little interaction. Plus you would get another merc to help the group. Like you I am comfortable with just 2 boxes but I throw in a third mostly for the merc they have. They can pretty much stand there or give us some buffs. I have a shaman and beast for buffs and extra mercs I would not bother with the Krono for gear, you will out grow it so fast and then its useless. I like looking up what I need and then doing a quest or something to get it
here's my $0.02, having spent years scrub-boxing, and finding what works well for me.... Have a tank. Gear-schmere. Just pull the trigger and do it. There's a very easy solution to being gear deficient. Fight in content just a bit lower than the tank's level. Problem solved. Test the waters periodically for the next level range up, and when you think you can handle it, make the move. It's worked pretty well for me. Another variable that can be fiddled with to help get where you want to be: mercs. If you're two boxing, and one is a tank, then your merc choices will be healer or melee merc (wizzy mercs currently stink at higher levels). So you can have 2 healers, one of each, or 2 DPS. If you want to push yourself, go with two healers. Now as that content gets easier, swap one to a melee DPS. When that gets easier... move to the next level range with 2 healers again. If the tank is an SK or pally, some content may even work with 2 DPS mercs and no healer. Warriors obviously will always need a healer merc, unless the 2nd box is a healing class. As for gear, you should be able to do quite a bit of it from cheapo stuff in the Bazaar, along with getting some decent drops along the way, and then anything which can be bought with group currency. You're never looking for BiS, just something to improve whatever you're equipping now. (forgot to mention crafted gear. Biggest spot for this is level 106, when Conflagrant gear can be worn. Get the mats, find someone to make the stuff, and you have excellent gear for your level). And AAs should be a complete non-issue, since you're subbed. Auto-grant will keep you at max AA all the way to 110. At 111, then you'll have to worry about getting AAs, but by December, even half the AAs to 115 will then be auto-granted.
One tip worth mentioning: If you're fighting in content lower than your level, getting an EM ear with focus high enough to work on your current pet(s) may be a problem. If that's the case, and your pet class is a mage, they get a spell every 5 levels which can generate one of several random summoned items (Cauldron of XXXXX). One of these is an item which grants a 6 hour EM buff appropriate at that level. Any pets summoned with that buff up will be summoned with that EM level. So, for the main pet (and a backup), those will be focused as long as they live, and while the buff is still up, all temp pets (RS, swarm, other AA pets) will be summoned with that higher EM focus.
Reading can be hard. The newbie forum is full of boxing advices. https://forums.daybreakgames.com/eq/index.php?threads/duo-play-with-simplicity.289339/
Necro Necro is really good, if you need cures Necro Paladin. Let the Necro tank with pet and use paladin for cures. This is a good insight video for in era group missions
Using a merc is not solo...Malo... But not solo. And a Necro/mage Necro/Necro without a merc can kill Shei in about 45 secs. Not a hard kill at all.
You know what I mean. Propping up a video saying Solo (which it's not) current content (which it's not) with a raid geared character. On a mob a group geared 115 mage 120 Necro can can smash in 45 secs without a merc... I am just pointing out that yes necros are amazing in the right hands, but that whole thing is deceiving and I am willinglg to bet for all intents and purposes the OP is not going to be rushing through content to join the #1 guild on thier server and be fully raid geared with 60k AA in the next 2-3 months.
T2 Mission, in era, chase loot geared, almost did it no box attempt Raid geared necro could do this in era. Do a necro and whatever compliments a necro. Can't go wrong with 2 necro's too, less figuring out two different classes. Necro plus whatever you have fun with is good too, because necro is all you need, the other thing is just for fun. This video is just 1 character, now imagine a box with that. Another necro you can do, https://everquest.allakhazam.com/db/spell.html?spell=61466 If %L spells land in that time, it will trigger *475202%N, dealing *47520247520 damage to the target!
