Another(in this case funny) discrepancy, is between the healer merc and the DPS merc. If you have a real living cleric in group with you and an empty spot, you are better off using a healer merc and having the real cleric DPS, they can easily do twice or more DPS than what the DPS merc does, while the healer merc is still more than adequate to handle the healing, with the exception of the one or two missions each expansion with merc killing AEs, or mechanics where you can't cure. Even if you hate having to go through the trouble of finding a real healer once or twice a year, the fact still stands than the healer merc is a thousand times more useful than the DPS merc in these missions, and the tank merc has never had any functional use in any experience content, much less an event with any non-standard mechanics/AEs. We have tank and pet classes on my server who have figured out how to molo everything but the cliffs mission in TBL. I can't remember any expansion where the "non-tank" classes were able to molo anything while current, especially clerics. The devs have really gone pretty far out of their way to make cleric mercs the only ones worth using. They have steadfastly refused any input no matter how much reason or logic or proof was supplied. This has had a devastating impact on the population levels of all the "non-tank" classes. They can do whatever Hail-Mary fix they want now, maybe it will help them feel like they tried to do the job they were paid to do; but its a full decade to late to undo the damage they caused. Nothing they do now will bring back the players they ostracized.
That specific thing I cannot speak to. Oh Phini, my original plan (I 3-box) was to have a healer, tank and DPS merc for my trio with my beastlord (main), druid and ranger making up the rest. I found that the tank merc, even in the 80s was so bad, I ended up switching him out for a second healer merc and then tanking with the beastlord instead. It's been much better that way, and when the cleric does get aggro they hold up just fine (however, they do seem to pull aggro wickedly easy and it's damn near impossible to pull it off them, especially with a class that doesn't have taunt.)
This is one of they reasons its so obviously intentional, even the cleric merc can tank better(about 100 times better) than the tank merc. Its intentional and belligerent, like they are trying to force people to quit playing those certain classes.
A player cleric casting only damage spells still pours out mazillions of heals for the tank, can do that & still run a dps merc Epic/Arb/stuff for healing off incidental damage on the non-tanks
Healer mercs are fine for most things, but they can be unreliable, taking too long to heal in some cases or not healing at all in others. It is usually best to have a real healer in the group who normally does dps, but picks up the slack when the mercs do stupid tactics. Plus, if your tank gets mezzed, mercs generally will not cure them, but a real healer will. Shaman and druids are great for this purpose since they can do decent dps if they want to.
Primarily because the cleric merc can self heal. They don't actually tank better, they are just more diligent with healing when they themselves are being hit.
Mages, Chanter, Necro, Beastlord, Druids, Bards, Rangers. All have been able to solo in expansions when they they are current if played right. Then when you add in MOLOing their has always been classes other then tanks that can get stuff done. I not saying it easy but it is doable by people that know how to play their classes. Those that think out side the box and pushed their char to the limits have been found to do impressive stuff. Beam Kiting evantil (when it was current for example) Chanter Rune tanking current content These are both example of some one thinking out side the box to use their skills to do what other thought was impossible. So before you say people can't molo anything while current you may want to see what people have done.
Yes they have and the result ? Beam Kiting evantil (when it was current for example) Beams nerfed Chanter Rune tanking current content Runes nerfed Necro pet swarm tanking Swarms nerfed Seems thinking outside the box is frowned upon.
Unless you are an FD class, which is one of the dumbest examples of reasoning I have ever heard of. The devs though FD pulling was innovative when monks used it, and made it a core component of the class. The problem with this is; if the mob is intelligent; FD would work once, maybe! Before the mob "made sure" you were dead. If its unintelligent(usually animals,) FD would have the same effect as D, signalling the mob that its time to eat. Outside the box thinking has only ever worked for some classes, when others go outside the box its called an exploit.
FD pulling lets not even go there. one of the straws that broke my necro's back. Necromancers get the Feign Death spell at level 16 Monks get Feign Death as a class ability at level 17 Shadow Knights get the Feign Death spell at level 24 Now out of the 3 who retains the ability for 100% aggro wipe... monk. Necro/SK was put at 90% for 'reasons'
You forgot beastlords! I actually never knew that necro and SK FD was fallible; good to know! It is a little to late in the game to be changing pull mechanics using FD. Didn't mean for it to sound like I wanted, it changed. Just pointing out the exceptionally flawed logic the Devs use to the benefit of some classes, and also to the abuse of other classes.
