If you were to start fresh

[rujah]

Hey guys and gals,

I am sure there are a million threads on this but trying to weed out relevant and non relevant posts are tough.

If you were going to join one of the progression servers. and starting from nothing, what would be the ideal 2 or 3 box characters to have?

Race is going to be important because of the starting locations and lack of travel / speed and possibly mana regen

Also, charm pets is probably to risky as full attention is required due to short duration timer, resists etc..

I've been tossing around a few ideas like;

Sham / SK
Druid / Sk
Druid / Monk
Sham / Monk
Mage / Druid
Mage/Wiz
Druid/Mage
Cleric / Beast( think they aren't available till luclin?)

I've been debating a mage or wiz as the 3rd box if I was to go melee / healer
but i'm unsure.
My main goal is to 2 box most of the time and 3 box if I can't get a group..working on epics etc..

Any and all advice would be greatly appreciated and also I respect everyones opinion and there's no right or wrong.

I'm looking forward to picking your brains. Any and all thoughts ideas welcome

cheers.

And lastly which server is the one which has the least amount of expansion open.
I think I saw Lockjaw and Ragefire? is there another or if one is furrher behind then the other?

Thanks a million.

 

[rujah]

Hm.

Guess no bites.


Thanks anyways.

 

[htw]

Patience.

Weekday, during the day, some members don't play, some don't read, some play but either emu or not boxers, etc. A lot of reasons. Got to wait for someone who has a couple of minutes to offer you an opinion on what you asked, and they have the knowledge/experience required to offer it.

That's more than 6 hours on a weekday.

htw

 

[rujah]

I know..and I'm sorry for being a little eager.

Just excited to get started, surprisingly.

anyways, thanks for reminding me. .

p.s

I know Ragefire and Lockjaw are the TLPS but I was curious on which was further behind in releasing expansion?

from what I have been reading, it seems that LJ is further behind Ragefire?
I think Ragefire has unlocked Kunark and LJ hasn't?

 

[LamahHerder]

Ragefire is in Kunark now
Lockjaw goes Kunark in December probably
Also rumors of another TLP server opening with a no-boxing policy of some sort

Really just go read all the threads on class choices on reddit, dbg forums and elsewhere here. They are all relevant as there is nothing unique or new to what you are askin

Popular Duo's
Tank + Heal + Debuff
SK with Shaman, most common and popular because it just works so well. Slows heals and tanking.
War or Monk with shaman is also pretty popular

Control + Heals + Rez
Enc + Cleric
This is actually pretty fun, using mez's+charm and able to cover a lot of content and also very easy to build a group around

DPS DPS
Mage and/or Necro in any combo

Problem with DUO is it can be slow unless you go DPS DPS

Trio
Cleric + Enc + Tank
This is a nice combo, take a SK or War and you can pretty much do anything.

DPS DPS DPS
You just walk around destroy everything, very easy to play.
2 pet classes (mag/nec) then add a wiz or dru to move around easily, or just a 3rd pet class


Quad/Six person groups
More interesting IMO
People go either a balanced build (tank/heal/control/dps) or major DPS (cleric+dps*5)

 

[braedo]

I have played a bunch on both lockjaw, and I just started on ragefire.

1) (IMO) i would for sure get a tank. I like SK because the snare is so nice to have in a mq/afk grp. the biggest downside is later on you miss out on defensive from warrior. I have agonized over this and I still ended up with the sk for the snare. GREAT aggro and snare is just necessary

2) Healer. I would narrow this down to SHM or CLR. if you roll sk, both fit the bill, but clr is just better in earlier expansions and puts out more heals. with a SHM healer, its very hard to heal AND slow, so I found myself just healing, which makes you like a cleric but worse. if you were to go MNK as your tank, then shm makes a great duo to that.

3) if you are just going 3 box, I would personally go Mage here, they are just too OP to not use them. even with a Monk tank, I would still roll mage.


Originally I was going to just go 2 box with sk/shm but then i talked myself into a mage, and then into an enchanter, so i dropped the shm and went clr, and then I figured I would still want the monk, and why stop at a 5 box so I added another mage. TBH, I was turned off due to having to pay for so many accnts, but I easily made enough PP to fund all my boxes after the first month paid, which I bought kronos at 8-9 bucks each.

TL.DR - good duos = Sk/SHM MNK/SHM, WAR/CLR, MAG MAG
Good trio = sk/shm/mnk war/clr/mag sk/clr mag MAG MAG MAG

 

[rujah]

Thank you for this.

I know much hasn't changed and honestly there's so much crap to wade through on the forums, it's really hard to get the information I need. But trust that I am not that lazy and have done some research before even bothering people here.

I've been a member for a decent amount of time and I know the most common reply is to search and read. And I take all advice past and present and apply it.

Again, I thank you for any and all replies. I'm trying to remember way back when I started eq and I don't recall a lot of things and I'm used to just loading up an account buffing the low toons and plvl.

Starting over completely, I haven't done this in a very long time. All I do remember is my very first eq toon was a druid, and I remember it was painful solo.

Looking forward to see any other opinions.

(also I've read that monks h2h/fist is the best way to go up until almost 60 as it's their best weapon until then or?

So many questions

 

[Remianen]

SK + CLR + WIZ, all Dark Elves


Now, before you think I'm daft, lemme 'splain.

On TLP, I tend to look for early blooming classes with impact. The above trio gives you a group that is functional from level 1. You can add ANY classes to complete the group and it wouldn't negatively impact its effectiveness. SKs get FD at 24. Clerics get Greater Healing at 20. Wizards get ports at 20 and familiars at 25 and a new nuke seemingly every other level. That's early blooming with a quicker ramp-up. So you have tank, healer, dps, mobility, and utility (two snarers, for example). Also, as we know from a decade and a half of experience, having the main bottleneck classes (tank & healer) makes forming groups infinitely easier, if that's what you're into. That's why the newbie zones upon server opening are PACKED with clerics and warriors (who swap to other classes before they even get to 20).

 

[aspire2008]

Have to agree with Remianen, SHD CLE WIZ.

 

[rujah]

Awesome folks.

Greatly appreciate this and Remianen, that's exactly the sort of information I was going for.

Thank you again.

 

[LamahHerder]

If i were to start over I would go clr+enc+mag or clr+wiz+mag (ports), however I would also be building out 6 not just 3.
Enc works well if you play it as your main toon for charms and have the others really assist the ENC but it is definitely more work then any other option

If you want an interesting 2combo going Paladin+Druid or Paladin+Shm is nice
Pal druid for ports, symbol stacks, snare
Pal shm for slows, symbo+valor

Pal+DRU has worked real well for me in place of a cleric, however the better REZ is very nice from cleric and I wish I went cleric+wiz with a war in my 6person group instead
Ports are a big deal when playing solo as is snare

 

[LamahHerder]

Forgot to add
If you do go with a shaman go innoruuk so you can get this snare item
Regent Symbol of Innoruuk :: Items :: EverQuest :: ZAM

 

[Remianen]

m0nk, those are all great combinations ordinarily. But when you're talking progression servers (especially this particular flavor of them), you really have to look at which classes step into their primary roles the quickest. Shaman slow doesn't really come into its own until Turgurs at 51 and Shaman healing doesn't really get good until the late 50s (if not later). The same goes for druid healing, which also doesn't get good until the late 50s. A cleric is hands down the best healer in the game from level 20 (Greater Healing) on and it's not until the mid to late 60s when other classes can intrude on that monopoly.

Basically, when you strip away all the resources we've become used to over the years but keep the knowledge we've accumulated, you're left with three roles for maximum flexibility: tank, healer, DPS. Which classes fit those roles best, when you're only working with long experience but not much in the way of ingame resources (due to expansion lockout)? Tank = SK, healer = cleric, dps = wizard (and WIZ only wins because ports are more valuable than what mages bring to the table for 1-50/51-60 and there are going to be TONS of rogues/rangers/mages/necros available outside of your crew).

Also consider race and faction (which mattered back then). Your Paladin starts, say, in Freeport. Closest Shaman race is Troll in Innothule but they can't easily travel together. Go with a Barb and now you have to traverse the world just to get them together. I admit, I considered doing this about a month ago so I have given it a lot of thought. The only alternate race that would work is Human (Bertox in Qeynos or Innoruuk in Freeport).

 

[rujah]

Rem:
You own, Thank you!

See, researching and wading for thousands of posts of not more... doesn't give the same ..effect? compared to this type of explanation by Remianen.

I know that it's preferred to let those with questions, find the answer on their own first.
I don't know, maybe a updated faq with these sorts of responses would help people looking for answers find them without posting I guess.

But that's a different issue. Having to be reminded that races, attributes, locations etc.. all have to be considered and why, really helps a lot.

I guess we sometimes fail to see how we take things for granted and not realize that we can't apply todays routines and habits to (old world EQ)

Thanks again.

 

[LamahHerder]

I disagree with some of what you are saying here, am 60 with a balanced group on RF and have some other lower groups on RF and LJ

I run pal+dru+enc, also have fillers to make it 6. The pal/dru have no issues with healing full group. My kills only slowed down in kunark doing yellows because I am waiting on mana from DPS toons. Not enc not druid not paladin. I also rarely use enc slow as I am usually pulling multiple mobs so I always have something parked, these are not light blues these are dark blues-reds I usually XP on.
From this I would say with strong probability that a pal+shm would do better overall defense then my pal+dru combo due to improved slow, and additional overall HP/AC/STA with their buff combo.
The only reason I am recommending Cleric is for better rez, and yes gHeal does suck in the 40's but the paladin is not there doing any DPS he does stuns+heals in this combo. It is a different play style.

Also on travel, sure I am spoiled with druid, but pre-kunark in classic I only ever went to HK/Euridin or their race base cities to buy spells.
The only other city I ever got close consistently was freeport otw to OOT which has easy invis route thru ro or taking sewers

Was bound in EC from lvl 8-50 basically except for a while at FP Translocator to OOT which was safe for my darkelves.
Paladin spells avail in Freeport (who cares what race), Troll Shm spells avail in troll town, <10m run between the 2 and that is why you have origin+gate spell
Bind... origin.... gate

=====

Re: Mag+Mag+Mag or Mag+Mag+clr/enc
I have rolled this combo on LJ to play with, mage damage even after nerf is no joke and blues and yellows just drop like flies.
The no heal combo does not work very well in dungeons but more than enough open areas for 1-50 to not wory about it.
I personally liked balanced groups as they are more interesting and I don't enjoy petwall but this is a very valid setup.

If I had to 3 box and not 6 box I would go with either
Pal+Shm/Dru+Mag/Wiz (balanced)
Mag+Mag+Mag (strong DPS but very squishy)
Clr+Mag+Mag (strong DPS easy fill with anything)
SK+Clr+Enc (trinity, crap dps)

m0nk, those are all great combinations ordinarily. But when you're talking progression servers (especially this particular flavor of them), you really have to look at which classes step into their primary roles the quickest. Shaman slow doesn't really come into its own until Turgurs at 51 and Shaman healing doesn't really get good until the late 50s (if not later). The same goes for druid healing, which also doesn't get good until the late 50s. A cleric is hands down the best healer in the game from level 20 (Greater Healing) on and it's not until the mid to late 60s when other classes can intrude on that monopoly.

Basically, when you strip away all the resources we've become used to over the years but keep the knowledge we've accumulated, you're left with three roles for maximum flexibility: tank, healer, DPS. Which classes fit those roles best, when you're only working with long experience but not much in the way of ingame resources (due to expansion lockout)? Tank = SK, healer = cleric, dps = wizard (and WIZ only wins because ports are more valuable than what mages bring to the table for 1-50/51-60 and there are going to be TONS of rogues/rangers/mages/necros available outside of your crew).

Also consider race and faction (which mattered back then). Your Paladin starts, say, in Freeport. Closest Shaman race is Troll in Innothule but they can't easily travel together. Go with a Barb and now you have to traverse the world just to get them together. I admit, I considered doing this about a month ago so I have given it a lot of thought. The only alternate race that would work is Human (Bertox in Qeynos or Innoruuk in Freeport).

 

[rujah]

So much to consider when I get home

You two have been awesome and I can't say it enough. Thank you. This type of information is just gold.