I do not box. I do not raid. I do not pull. I really hate playing large races. I'm just a mediocre player who wants to fart around and have fun. I'm not going to play heavy hours, and I'm not going to be doing my epic. I like what Shamans bring to the table. I like their tool kit. I like their ability to drive by buff people. I don't like being a Barbarian. Shrink does come early, true, but it drops when you zone. Maddening! Druids can be Halflings (yay!). While they give up slow and haste, they get dam shield, snare, and tracking. Snare is outdoor only, though, which is a bummer. I love tracking! Druids also get ports, and I usually do them for free. I like helping people. Mages are the only class I've taken to above 100th. They are the only class I've gotten an epic for. They are a simple class, and I am a simple player, but I'd say that 80% of my EQ playtime the last 20 years has been with this class. I'm kind of bored with them, honestly. Wizards. I hate feeling useless while OOM. I hate being resisted. Groups these days, even on new servers, want a steady stream of yellows, so my spells are going to get resisted. A lot. I did play one on Aradune for a while and had fun, and they get ports, but so do Druids. Clerics. I'm hesitant to play a class, which loses it's appeal (outside raids) once Mercs are available, but that's a BS reason to not play one on a fresh TLP, right? I like to group. I like to socialize. I like to help people. I like to play Halflings. Is this the class for me? Thank you.
If you're just farting around pick whatever you want to play. Why ask for opinions? Only 1 opinion matters.
How many expansions do you intend to play through? Shamans at lower levels get TONS of buffs but you will either be medding constantly or using cann constantly. It isn't an enjoyable experience for some. Soloing is possible but dots take HUGE amounts of mana, especially after the "adjustment". I think Druid would be a good fit for you, maybe. I have no idea why you think snare is outdoor only. I never ever remembered it being restricted to outdoors. SoW used to be outdoor only to cast at one point but that isn't the case anymore. I am not sure why you would want to play a wiz if mages are boring.
It's not that Mages are boring, but I am bored from overplaying them. A Shaman sounds more "busy" than I prefer, so I think I'll rotate between a Druid and a Mage or Wizard.
If you don’t want to be oom on a wizard then just don’t dump all your mana on one mob/pull. There’s a whole thread going on about that and about looking for the most efficient nukes and such. Overall ports are useful for a while, especially going to the planes early on in classic. Druid really struggles as a healer in kunark. Without a shaman slow, you can hardly be a group healer past 55 until you get chloroblast in velious. So you are basically a wizard that also has a dot but overall does less damage. You can charm but that sounds too busy for your description of the perfect play-style. In velious you become a very adequate healer for any group anywhere but are often looked over due to a stigma about druids or lack of rez. Again, shaman would be chosen over you 100/100 times because of slow and cleric would as well. Mage is the best of the three in group game because of a pet to go along with your nukes. But you know this.
Also people will take a real cleric player over a merc every single time. Cleric is by far the best healer in the game and will be taken in any group that doesn’t already have one basically. Also mercs are 2ish years away. So that doesn’t seem like something to worry about right now. Not as much “traveling” utility as the other classes you mentioned, but obviously rezzes are very nice.
From the OP I'd say the question has already been answered: Halfling Druid Druid has always been one of the best if not the best "farting around for fun" class
Not sure if shamans get a shrink clicky. My BAR BST just had her Wild Lord Sandals hotkeyed and clicked 'em after every zone. There are also some small illusions in the store if you can stand them. The siren sorceress gives the boys a cheap thrill that can soon be spoilt when you reveal your true troll self. That illusion also has no stand animation - which some hate and others love. Means no cannidance, just canni. That all said, I definitely agree with halfling druid. There's no better class for bumming round on - and you can earn some cash in early expansions doing it too (just being online, non-anon, you'll get port requests).
