I played EQ2 a few years ago and after leveling a few characters from 25 to 60ish, most didn't feel much different from each other game play wise. I'm really wanting to give the game a go again, any advice on classes that play differently from the rest?
There are four basic archetypes: fighter, healer, scout, and mage. The trinity of gameplay means you are either a tank, DPS, or healer. What type of class do you want to play?
Well, if you don't see much of a difference between playing , for example, a guardian and a necromancer this probably isn't your game my friend.
If anyone has an argument for gameplay not feeling homogenized I'll listen to it respectfully and with an open mind, but if you have snarky, defensive comments that come from a place of insecurity, keep them to yourself. I've played many MMO's over the years back to UO, so I get the basic premise behind how MMO game mechanics work. An example I think of a very unique class imo would be a Beastmaster in FFXI, or an Enchanter in EQ. The issue pertaining to EQ2 was that after trying several classes from each archetype, they mostly felt the same as far as developing a rotation that created heroic opportunities to maximize DPS, since this game has been updated like most to fit with the current gaming climate, there was no grouping nor any need to group. Just try to stomach grinding solo through 90+ levels to get to the level to play the game as intended was not really an attractive concept. The role of being a healer, DPS or tank doesn't really come up soloing, and the very slight difference in doing DPS seemed to be in some classes being AOE and others focused, or ranged and melee, but as far as how they felt to play, they didn't feel any different. Since posting this I have created a fresh level 1 on Fallen Gate. It seems to be balanced in a more classic way so that fights take longer and I am assuming from the over all feel so far that it's going to be a grouping encouraged environment. I haven't seen anything about heroic opportunities so possibly that is no longer part of the game or just not a part of the game on Fallen Gate? I'm going to try out a few classes on Fallen Gate, so far Monk is not really enticing.
I agree with this. The four Archtypes are very, very different. Even within those Archtypes, often classes are very different, but it depends on what you choose. For instance, leveling a Brigand and a Swashy are fairly similar, especially early on while leveling a Troubador and an Assassin are very different. There's a vast ocean of difference, as pointed out in my quote, between a Guardian and a Necromancer. I also second the assertion that Beastlord and Channeler offer unique gameplay experiences that the other classes don't. That may or may not be a good thing, but they are very different.
I'm giving it a go now. The only problem is that I will be comparing it to Beastmaster from FFXI which was probably the best MMO gaming experience I have ever had, it will be hard for it to compete.
Due to how this game was made you also aren't going to find any class in a specific archetype to play much different than any other class in the archetype until post lvl 20. When the game first out they were pretty much the same class until 20 and the classes kept diverging in skill sets as they leveled up. The devs removed the way class names change as you level up, but a level 10 cast is going to be like pretty much every other level 10 caster & every level 10 fighter is going to feel pretty much like every other level 10 fighter. In other words, you have to level on up and actually get to know the class before you can see the differences really. Beastlords and channellers since they were put in well after the changes to how classes leveled up are unique from the get go (particularly channellers). I can't offer you a comparison to FFXI beastmasters, since I never played FFXI at all. I know the beastlords in eq2 are on the same lines as beastlords in EQ1, but imo a bit more unique in the gameplay setting (instead of feeling like rangers with a pet like they did in EQ1, they really feel like their own class here). As someone who's been playing these sorts of games for a long time, you play them long enough and there really aren't a whole lot of surprises in how a particular class plays. As far as it all goes, the only ones in nearly 20years that have been "new to me" when I played them have been EQ2's channeller and Vanguard's bloodmage, both weird healers though you can (or at least used to be able to ) get some interesting combinations in Rift due to their class system.
I wasn't being snarky or anything. At least I wasn't trying to be. But by reading your original post you stated that after playing 20ish through 60ish toons that you saw little difference between them all. Your follow up explained it a little better.
Rift's Chloromancer was excellent. I guess it still is since Rift is still around, but that was by far one of the most enjoyable healers I've ever played.
you see .. especially in group the differences. for exemple how tanks soak up damages and how healers keep people alive .. though with levels .. those differences kind of disappear
Beastlord and Channeler are definitely the most different to play of the classes and I might throw in the Coercer a bit as well as it is less played than most classes and takes quite a bit of time and knowledge to play to it's fullest capacity as compared to other classes.
beastie, channeler and assassin are my 3 main go to toons. each of them is very unique from the other after level 20, with very different playstyles.
