From the Producer's Letter " And last, (but certainly not least), we intend to release a design overview for what the classes should be, how they should work together…and then execute on that plan." New class changes? Will these be the "balances" that have been hinted at? Lets hope they don't change our class again. I think we finally got to a decent place, don't need to log into the new Xpac when it comes out this winter and find that my necro is once again, neutered.
I am seriously hoping they turn us into EQ1 style power batteries. At least then I would have something to offer a group or raid besides crappy DPS and the occasional spot heal. I honestly cannot remember the last time I got my Necro into a group. I have an Illusionist and an Inquisitor that don't have to much trouble getting picked up and my Troubador is getting more well knows on the server so he's finding groups ok now but everyone knows my Necro only because he's the toon I log off of to log in a useful toon that groups actually need.
It's more the fact that I have other toons that are more useful. I throw out a "/5 90 Necro, Illy, Inquisitor, Trouby or SK LFG" and 99% of the time I get "need illy for XX" or "Can your Inquis solo heal Vig1? ok, get him" and I end up playing one of them. I have no doubt that if I only had one max level toon I would get my Necro into groups but because I can fill the spot of chanter, plate healer, bard, tank or Necro DPS the necro is never the one that is needed. There is a host of better DPS LFG at any given time but the chanters and healers can be hard to find and there is nothing that makes a Necro more desirable for the average PUG then a chanter. I've been told to bring my Illy to a group and when i joined found out they already had a coercer. People would rather double up on chanters then take a Necro sometimes. lol
It's not so much that a Necro isn't useful as a DPS class; I will gladly take one if I have a DPS opening in a group. It's that there are far more people playing DPS classes (Summoners, Sorcerers, Predators, Rogues, maybe Brawlers) than there are people playing utility classes (Enchanter, Bards, maybe Priests). DPS slots are the easiest slots in a group to fill, utility slots are not.
That is great you would take a necro in your group, however you are in the minority. There are reasons why the necro has been a dead class for the last few expansions. Mainly because other DPS classes do much more with less. If your group has only one healer, and say that a necro, conjuror, sorcerer and predator are LFG. Why the hell you gonna choose the necro? You have one healer, do you really think that healer needs to be more stressed with a necro needing constant healing, as well as major healing to do his main DPS ability? It is too much attention and stress on the healer when he needs to be focused on the tank, as well as the other group members. Choosing the necro is not necessary when other DPS classes are available and do not require this attention. The other options are capable of doing better damage and have better utility. This class is not group or raid friendly when you compare it to other DPS classes. The way the necro is a DOT class is not very attractive to grouping either. Grouping usually involves quick killing, the necro has no "front loaded" type of damage abilities like all the other DPS classes including it's conjuror counter-part. In AoE killing the necro is not very good either, he has fairly weak AoE output compared to it's counter-part conjuror and or sorcerers. Downplay this class all you want people, however it is not equal to other DPS classes in many ways. If you like to solo, the necro is a very good option, however you may find it rough trying to get groups/raids when there are better options available. Plain simple the class needs work to bring it up to snuff to make it as equally attractive and viable as other DPS classes.
Farcus@Nektulos wrote: Ugh I hope not, if that's what I wanted to do I'd play an enchanter... I hate playing support classes, I'm already about to delete my second try at a troub... I love my necro because she's a dps with some utility, I can parse really well on her and now that people have seen that she's getting invited out to more groups. She didn't used to get invited out much either cuz my main is a swash and my other alt is a fury... I think the problem is more there aren't a lot of great necros out there so most people don't know what we're actually capable of. Even my husband who is a raid leader is rubbing his chin at trying my necro out on raids now Teach them what we can do, don't change one of the few classes I love.
Arianah wrote: This. There are so few good necros out there, compared to players of other classes, that people don't know what makes a Necro really tick.
Xalmat wrote: The issue is not about good necros currently playing, there are some of course. The issuse and concerns are about class balance and desirability. Taking your stance then one can say if you are good at playing a necro, then you would be as good and most likely better a playing a conjuror or sorcerer. Again, the other DPS classes do much more with less, hence creating greater desirability over the necro class in most cases. There are always exceptions, however as a whole the class is not balanced with it's counter-part, and has other glaring issues which limit the classes desirability. It is what it is, this class is and has been pretty much dead in terms of grouping/raiding for awhile now. This is enough evidence in itself to reflect that the class has some balance issues. There will always be exceptions to rule, however as a whole ask yourself "why" is there so few good necros? Rather than attempt to justify the class as viable and balanced. The only thing "ticking" on a necro is his health.
Arianah wrote: What she said, I refuse to be a mana battery, it killed necromancers in EQ1 because that's all they got to do, sit and twitch, never ever bring that awful mechanic to EQ2.
