Greetings all,
I saw this on a list I lurk on (EQCleric). While I don't agree with
the original post or even that there is a perfect group, notice that
bards appear many times in most of the different groups proposed (and
I CAN agree with that!).
Piemur Draggonsinger
The Nameless
Bard of the 30th (and a half) Song
PS - Better (not perfect) groups are ones that include intelligent,
motivated people looking for fun that happen to get good xp and loot
along the way - my opinion of course. And ANY class can fit into
that group.
[SNIP]
Subject: Groups
One of my guild mates came across an interesting post on what someone
that was the best group to have Pre-Kunark and Post-Kunark. I have
included most of the original post mostly for the poster's thoughts
on Clerics. It is an interesting variation to say the least. I find
it somewhat difficult to believe that this group is particularly
viable but it obviously works for the guy that posted it.
<Snip>
Slight changes in the post Kunark age.
Pre-Kunark it was :-
Monk
Rogue/Necro/Mage
Rogue/Necro/Mage
Shaman
Enchanter
Druid
A lot of dumb people would go with a Cleric but that was far less
efficient, the death penalty was so low that a Cleric was an
expensive luxury that cost the group in terms of XP efficiency. That
was unless you needed the *convenience* of Res, to get a member back
when they couldn't walk there.
The others are self-explanatory. Monk pulls, Shaman Togors, Enchanter
mezzes any extras while the machine section go to work with
*mana-free* mel├®e damage. I.e. no downtime.
This group can go anywhere, do anything and it does it with *zero*
downtime.
In the Kunark age, there are a couple of differences :-
Monk
Rogue
Rogue
Shaman
Enchanter
Cleric
Over level 60, the death penalty is just too great. It removes the
efficiency of not using a Cleric. Plus Damage Shields are near
worthless on Turgur'd mobs (Druids are big losers in Kunark).
The other change is that the new Kunark weapons mean the Mage and
Necro can't keep up with the Rogue any more. Which is kind of ironic,
IMHO. Rogues are probably the most over-powered class in the game -
and they are going to get buffed more. Of course, their penalty is
they can't solo. At all. But at 55 plus, there is no soloing any more.
The main problem with this group now is that you don't have a travel
spell. This doesn't really matter for combat (evac is for kids), but
it can be an inconvenience if, for example, you are a group of
friends wanting a long term party.
What you *don't* want in a good group :-
Magic based damage - can you say Downtime!
Hybrids strike 1 - piss poor mel├®e damage output.
Hybrids strike 2 - huge experience penalty.
A *good* Bard, i.e. one that puts away the stupid weapons and uses
their DoTs with instruments, managing mob agro properly, can add the
to group. But most Bards are clueless schmucks, so it isn't worth
trying to educate them as they flail away with their Yaks and no
Double Attack.
Regards,
Eduin
<End>
Heisler Grimstone
29th Lvl Cleric of Brell
Armigers of Mirth, E'ci
[End]
PPS: I like to think we here aren't most Bards. With what I read
here and try in game, I know I have a lot to learn yet, but I hope
(and try) to adapt to each group and be the best I can. Pie
[Snip]
Message: 3
Date: Tue, 27 Jun 2000 15:35:03 -0500
From: "David Brandt" <
menace@...>
Subject: RE: Groups
Bah. There is no "perfect group". It is all situation dependant.
Here's a group that I never thought would work (everyone around 40th
level):
bard
bard
cleric
cleric
druid
enchanter
Bard mana songs stack with each other and clarity so mana recovery
was VERY fast. We were fighting undead so the clerics could act like
wizards. We could fight three mobs as once with no tanks and no
mezzes and could handle up to 7 with mezzes (since the clerics could
blast so well). And we were able to fight in a dangerous place since
we had so much crowd control and evac. The bards have a bad xp
penalty but we killed things FAST.
Another awesome group:
warrior
monk
shadowknight
rogue
bard
cleric
With the warrior taunting the cleric Complete Healing there was very
little downtime. During combat the bard would charm (if 2 pulled) or
dot/heal/buff. Maybe a monk would have been better than the
shadowknight (leaving the bard to snare) but it's the same idea.
Maybe you can make a "perfect" group if you are a group of friends
who need to be able to handle any situation. Or maybe you just want
to go to unrest with 6 necromancers.
Rudo of Bertoxxulous
_____________________________________________________________________
Message: 4
Date: Tue, 27 Jun 2000 14:50:56 -0700
From: "Lemac Justerian" <
lemac@...>
Subject: RE: These are a few of my fav-o-rite groups!
Here's my favorite groups!
Bard - Singing Mana song and such
Bard - Ditto
Enchanter - Clarity, mezzing, charming, etc.
Cleric - Healing, buffing (no need for res's, right? hehe)
Warrior - Tank, tank, tank...
Monk - Pulling and tanking
Bard
Cleric
Enchanter
Magician - Pets, etc..
Monk
Druid - More buffs, SoW, etc..
Just too bad they can't all be high elves... :)
Lemac Justerian
Cleric on Karana
Proud member of Platinum Sphere Guild
[End]
PPSS: I don't have mana song yet, but I sure get asked a lot. I plan
to use it during downtime (per the advice of many bards posting here)
and situation specific songs during a battle. I can already see the
"requests" coming to just play mana song though. Pie