Despite any fond memories, it's pretty much always better to run full groups in EQ today. There's massive exp bonuses for full groups for example - soloing will probably leave you disappointed. Depending on era and location, your top solo classes about the same as ever - enc & nec, and I'd even add shd to that list personally.
Necro's are the soloing class of the game, although they get weak on dps during luclin and beyond, they just become mana batteries at raids. But still I'm rolling necro for max nostalgia as I missed the boat on the other TLP's. Kiting in pofire is really fun too. Going to get my son to play as well, he's going to roll monk for dps, between the 2 of us we should be able to get some stuff done. Rogues are dead as far as I'm concerned, even in PoP they suck.
I liked playing my rogue in PoP and especially in LDoN. I didn't care about the DPS issue, it was just fun for me. I like playing a necro too even though I was a mana battery on raids in PoP .
I started a rogue on phinny, with the idea that they were going to be really good in luclin and pop. Then comes along luclin and pop and I see rogues are just irrelevant. Put against todays rangers and monks ( both are much more powerful than they were back then ) rogues are just bad. Their only use is SoS for corpse dragging, that's it. Necro's are super powerful from classic to velious, then luclin and pop they become mana batteries at raids, but they are still great in groups, and you can run fire groups without your typical / cleric/ tank/ chanter
A lot of classes can solo if you are just doing low con grind mobs, or farming stuff below your level. The only classes that really can't solo are warriors and rogues, unless you're doing stuff way below your level. "Best" solo classes. Mage, Necro, Shaman, Druid, Chanter. Overall, I'd probably go with Necro for a few reasons: 1. Feign death. One of the best skills in the game, great for so many reasons, not the least of which is saying screw it when your charming undead and things go wrong. 2. Both kinds of invis. Coupled with FD, you can get to any mob you want quickly, and bypass trash. Very good farming class. 3. Built in mana regen. Can be 100% self reliant with no outside buffs.
The initial changes did make classic shamans dps go down, but they recently revamped the lower lvl DoT's to be back to original power if not more so they should still do quite well root rotting.
Necro DoTs will be fixed soon. Also they must not be all that bad during PoP. Just did a /who on Phinny and more Necros than Wizards + Mages Combined.
Necromancers get to enjoy one expac now where they can raid without being twitch . Through Kunark and Velious they will be mana batteries then perhaps in Luclin and PoP they will be left alone due to MGB and increased FT gear and mana pools that simply make it not worth it.
