61 goign on 62 and still not sure what my role in a group should be.

[JabC]

<DIV>Despite the fact that I've tried to balance my played time between groups and soloing my perception of what an Illusionist should be and do, differ greatly from the groups I've grouped with.  I come to EQ II with a strong EQ era mindset, where crowd control was vital to a groups success or failure in most of the MMOs out at that time.  Although I have great mezmerizing abilities, and the ability to control a good amount of an unwanted encounter, either groups do not expect me to do this, or are clueless to what it is I do.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>The past two groups (both PUGs) I've gotten into in SoS the past few times have all but ignored my attempts mzmerize any of the additional encounters that we may have pulled.  Several pulls that appeared to be out of control I was able to get under control.  That is until my groupmates decided to proceed with their out of encounter AEs, or the tank walking over to the mob that is standing there doing absolutely nothing, hitting it to get agro thereby destroying any chance the group had at surviving the fight.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>After the first time, I usually ask if everyone understands up AEs and mezmerizing encounters works.  Every now and then I will get a "yes" but nothing more.  The second time I'm a bit more blunt about it.  The third is normally it for me unless the group is overall successful.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Do I just have the wrong impression of what an Illusionist is expected to do?  If so, what exactly do people invite me for? Power regen? Fairly decent DPS?  Fill the group? My good looks?</DIV>

[Eryn Bo'beryn]

people not understanding mez is as old as eq1 (i remember "educating people" a lot then too) but to know that it's still a problem here at your level... really sad to hear.i suspect that the devs didn't want groups to NEED any one class.  a noble intent, for sure, but the side-effect is people learning to level and group without mezzing.  and why should they start trying it now when they know they can barrel through most encounters without?  and if they die, try, try again.../hmph<div></div>

[Pins]

Don't bother mezzing ever in pickup groups unless you're in Castle Mistmoore or Nizara, or your tank has died. There is no reason to, you are better off just DPSing your heart out.

[Foolsfolly]

Unlike eq1, in eq2 almost every class has aoe spells and most people use them every chance they get.Mesmerize is a tool that should only be used in extreme situations, when there are actually more enemies than your group can possibly handle. If it's just 1 or 2 groups, don't bother.Your roles in groups are to stun/daze when the priests are having trouble keeping up, keep everyone's mana up so there is no downtime, keep your dps classes buffed, and of course dps yourself =)<div></div>

[JabC]

<P>Keep DPS classes buffed, as in hit them with haste rather than keep my pet out if need be?  I used to do that but people preferred me to have my pet out so I went a long.</P> <P> </P> <P>Thanks for the other info.  Explaiens a lot.</P>

[Iseabeil]

<DIV>I pretty much never use my pet unless I solo, and the only times I get out-dps'ed in groups is by guildies or other raiders and my illusionist have pretty much no raid gear yet as I just started to raid with her so ye can do fine dps without it (althou I admit I never bothered to see how it goes with the pet, as we are a 'utility' class and if I didnt want people to love me for what I bring to 'them' Id rolled a pure dps class. Just the way I play tho.). As for CC, use and abuse yer stuns, stifles and dazes, healers will love to have ye there as ye make their job easier and save the mezzes to places and occassions where ye need it. If yer quick on yer reactions and people arent bein extremely foolish, ye can save a wipe when the tank goes down in hostile area with pbae mez and then collectin them seperatly. When ye reach 70 the invitations to places like nizara and castle mistmoore will start to rain on ye and *here* is where eq2 has one its biggest failures imo.</DIV> <DIV>We have a game where ye go from lvl 1-70 and never need extensive crowd control. Then you have tanks, dps *and* chanters that simply are unpractised in how it works, putting it all on square one. Tanks have to cutt away their reflex to grab adds with a swing, dps have to learn to always stick on the main target and mezzers have to learn to keep focused on their current audience and be ready to mez any new within the second. Granted, some are fast learners and even the slow ones eventually gets it but it can be painfull and its to me stupid to make people learn to play in a new way at level 70, better that there are lower level places like this scattered a little here and there (not as a majority of content, but enough to allow people to learn as they level).</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Anyways.. enough rambling from me.. Use the mezzes a little here and there when its usefull, otherwise stick to the general non-mezzing sorts of CC till yer maxed out.</DIV> <DIV>Oh, and with changes to hurricane and alike.. No AEs will ever break yer mez that Im aware of, only direct target or dots placed before ye mez it.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV>

[Sri]

<div></div>I'm not sure what other peoples experience with this is but so far, I have never had a problem with pickup groups.  I've learned that I'm the one who needs to exercise patience and be quicker than the group.If you mez <u><i>before</i></u> the mobs are attacked, for example, right as the puller has aggroed a group, AOE's do not break them unless the mob is the target of the attack.  (I play with a Warlock and neither encounter-only or generic AOE breaks unless he has the mob targetted) Even in that case, you can re-mez right away, provided no one has put a dot on the mob.  You must be looking at what's around the group and anything that looks like it'll aggro, mez it.Whenever I'm in groups, I don't bother giving any rundown as to what it is I'm doing or give explicit instructions on how to play with an Illusionist.  I just know that I'm going to have to put work into a group which translates to: -Group mez the pull, let the tank wake up the one s/he wants.  No AOE will wake them unless they target that mob in which case that's intended as the tank has moved on to the next one. -Cast individual mezzes on each mob and keep them mezzed after the initial group mez.  Again, tank will wake the next one s/he wants.-Keep an eye out for mobs approaching.  Don't wait for someone to squeal "ADD!!".  Your job is to be quicker than the group in identifying enemies and subduing them.If someone aside from the tank is waking the mobs, then the entire group needs to be b%$#&slapping him/her for not assisting, thus making your job easier and eliminating the need to educate how to group properly.  <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /><div></div>

[Phineus]

<P> Ive always considered illus a utility class. Not really necessary but nice to have. Others would include troubs and dirge. They are very good at group support and can take out angry mobs that threaten the group. Their dps can be very high and they drive the dps of their groupmates while adding a significant amount of in combat power regen. </P> <P> The EoF aa lines are fantastic. I have the double attack and am a lil over 2 pts away from time compression. These two make us probably the best utility in the game. Now if we had a mem wipe that would be even better.</P> <P> Illusionists are brutal in pvp. Enchanters are my number 1 target in pvp. If I see one I do anything I can to drop them before they land a mez. </P>

[Ever_Mac]

<DIV>Absolutely agree with Sri......best post in this thead.</DIV>