EQ1 Shamans

[Teaen Arcarius]

A question for the high level defilers/mystics that also played high level EQLive (aka EQ1) shamans: Do they feel the same?I remember having a lot of fun soloing and grouping with my 65 EQ1 shaman all the way up to the PoP expansion. The class was so diverse that I could make a big difference in almost any group makeup. Big stat/HP buffs, malos, slow, haste, quiessence, pet, invis, and with canni and regen mana was never a problem. Lots of fun memories soloing Droga and grouping in PoP.I took a look at the spell lists for mystics and defilers, but I can't really guess how it feels to play one. Of course, slows were almost a requirement in EQ1, and in EQ2 slows seem to be so non-essential.So, how does it feel to play a mystic/defiler compared to playing an EQ1 shaman? Thanks in advance for your thoughts. - T

[DerishFV]

<P>I think EQ2 shamans do 'feel' a little different to the EQ1 ones.  Slow is non-essential, yes.  Buffs are less vital than they were before.  </P> <P>I find the 'primary' role of the shaman in EQ2 is healer rather than buffer.  Wards help, especially with keeping the party's mages alive.  We have some debuff magic, as well as direct attack and damage over time spells, but they seem less powerful than they were in EQ1.</P> <P>Maybe some more powerful/experienced shamans can chip in with their 2 coppers worth ?</P>

[Banditman]

Mystics are healers, plain and simple.  Much more so than Shaman ever were. There is no comparison between the two.  While they "feel" similar in some cases, they share very few abilities. Don't play a Mystic unless you want to be a Healer first, second and third.  Everything else you can do is largely irrelevant in group situations.  Mystics are slow solo'ers and not nearly up to speed with many of the other classes in that department.

[Zamba]

we only get a useless badger as a pet now not a fierce wolf <img src="/smilies/9d71f0541cff0a302a0309c5079e8dee.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />with EQ2 I have never been asked into a group to slow a mob... we can still use spearsmages now get cannablise not shammysI only played a shammy to 30ish level in EQ1 as an alt so didn't get into endgame stuff whith him.

[Terq]

<BR> <BLOCKQUOTE> <HR> Zambaal wrote:<BR>we only get a useless badger as a pet now not a fierce wolf <img src="/smilies/9d71f0541cff0a302a0309c5079e8dee.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /><BR>with EQ2 I have never been asked into a group to slow a mob... <BR>we can still use spears<BR>mages now get cannablise not shammys<BR><BR>I only played a shammy to 30ish level in EQ1 as an alt so didn't get into endgame stuff whith him.<BR> <HR> </BLOCKQUOTE> <P><BR>Now hold on a sec...</P> <P>I also got a ghost-frog and a mushroom for pets.  <img src="/smilies/8a80c6485cd926be453217d59a84a888.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />  Of course, so id everyone else, and they are even more useless.</P> <P> </P>

[Eepop]

Tried to use the ghost frog lately? Mine stopped working when I finished the quest. <div></div>

[tebion]

yup, doesn't work any more, too bad, thought i could have a ghost pet again, with similar dps to the one eq1 shaman had for the most time <img src="/smilies/283a16da79f3aa23fe1025c96295f04f.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /> btw, you really really cannot compare eq1 and eq2 shaman, absolutely different imo <div></div>

[Taelana]

<P>I played a shaman to 67 in EQ1.  Even though she wasnt my primary character, she was a lot of fun to play.</P> <P>My mystic, currently level 41, is very different.  I enjoy both worlds, solo and group.  I disagree about the slows though.  It is true that most groups do not ask for slows, but I can really tell a difference on the damage a mob puts out once slowed, especially when I use Mourning Soul.  This slow enables me to solo so much more effectively.  The low power cost and instant recast is really nice.  The root part of it is really a non-issue unless you arent paying attention to possible adds and may have to move the fight to a different location mid fight.  Even then, its just click it once and move then recast.  I also use Mourning Soul as a taunt when the need calls for it.  There have been occasions when an enchanter is trying to mezz a mob but keeps getting interrupts.  If she's not really taking any damage, I'll just spam a few Mourning Souls on the mob to turn em on me so she can get the mezz off.</P> <P>Back to the original topic though...  In EQ, I dont remember actually entering melee like I do with my mystic.  I would slow, dot and debuff sure, but then it was just sitting there on my horse so I would be medding for mana.  In EQ2, without the need to sit and med, I really enjoy poking away with my spear while casting my spells.  </P> <P>Having the rezz ability is very nice also.  I think there was an AA you could get at level 70 in EQ to rezz, but I didnt go that far.</P>

[korrg]

<DIV>i played a 65 iksar shm in a raiding guild through pop, and i'm back to iksar mystic here in eq2.  i haven't advanced to the point of high end yet, but there are similarities.  the two might not be a direct match, but i found the transition to be incredibly easy and didn't really have to learn anything new.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>slow certainly isn't like it was, where guildleaders would scream to get something slowed or face certain death, but it's still useful.  so far our heals seem about the same, although they are of a totally different nature.  we could play full time healer in eqlive or just be a support class.  we can do the same here.  i enjoy it.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>...i do miss canni.  and velious.  i'd love to see ntov again.</DIV>

[Terq]

<P>The most useful thing about slow is the skill debuff that goes along with it.  The slow itself doesn't do much.  There are numerous threads out there on this.  </P> <P>The "slow" portion of the spell should be better after revamp, since auto attacks are supposed to get a boost.  </P>

[Xalibur]

<DIV>play a cleric, most bang for your buck, as you will be in a group for healing, nothing else. </DIV> <DIV>I played eq1 for several years and im very unhappy with what they have done to the whole game, and my (former) class.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Anyway, </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>eq2 only got 4 classes right now: healers, mages, tanks, and scouts. </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>There is not much difference between the (sub)classes, like you will have experienced in eq1. If you loved your shaman in eq1, you wont like its role in eq2. Like in eq1 shamans are sub par on healing (live and on test). While we got cannibalize and debuffs(malo/slow) in eq1, we get only neglectable debuffs in eq2. While these debuffs may still have a value in raid situations or when fighting kickass nameds, they will be absolutly neglectable when fighting normal stuff. So its just our subpar healing ability if a group picks a shaman, when there are no other healers around (or you know the group, and built up some good reputation)</DIV> <DIV> </DIV>

[KindredHeart]

I miss dogdog <img src="/smilies/9d71f0541cff0a302a0309c5079e8dee.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />

[Monr]

<P>I miss dogdog too!</P> <P>On a side note, after combat changes, don't all our slows get changed to DPS decreases? That should make our "slows" far more valuable (i think).</P>

[Teaen Arcarius]

<DIV>I know it's a late thanks, but thanks all the same to everyone for sharing their views of the EQ2 shaman compared to EQ1.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>I have been playing EQ2 for a bit now, but I still haven't made a Shaman.  I was wondering with the combat revamp and the changes to mob damage being more auto-attack than art based, are shamans now more like the old EQ1 shaman?</DIV>

[Banditman]

No. We are still, and even more so, healers. We heal as well as anyone out there in most situations.  There are definitely situations where a Cleric is preferred.  There are definitely situations where a Shaman is preferred.  Neither is terribly common.  Druids seem to do rather well in all situations.

[Thatdumbg]

<div></div><div></div><div></div>I will say that I enjoy NOT being in the main tank group on raids. We often have two mystics on the raid, and I run most (usually all) of the debuffs while the MT mystic can focus on using the group only type spells to maximum effect. However, in between the debuffs (I run anywhere from 4 to 6 at a time), I still do ward, heal and torpor quite abit, and also help with group heals (badger and direct) and such. All in all some of our debuffs are still awesome on raids, reducing auto-attack damage quite substantially (theoretically 37 percent+ however the strength debuff helps), giving a decent resist debuff versus noxious and elemental (the ghetto-malo), and reducing a mobs max HP (with STA debuffs). All in all that is the situation where I feel MOST like an eq shaman, but like bandit said, we are still more heal-heavy in the end. Of course, being the only Mystic is also very fun, as I have to run the debuffs and still output wards and heals at a rather substantial rate. EDIT for spelling. <div></div><p>Message Edited by Thatdumbguy on <span class=date_text>11-30-2005</span> <span class=time_text>09:15 AM</span>

[Kylema]

Played a shaman in EQ1 for 4 years through level 65 and I have to say my character now seems nothing like my EQ1 shaman.  I am much more of a primary healer than I would like to be atm.  Before they revamped combat in September...I felt like a completely different character than my EQ1 shaman - I would only scroll through maybe 4 sp[ells a fight.  Since combat changes, debuffing and slowing seem to play a much larger role and give me a bit more of a feel like my EQ1 shaman, however to be hnest with you, I would take my EQ1 shaman anyday over my EQ2 mystic. 

[Ryantos]

<DIV>Played an Shaman to level 67 in EQ1... Dont get me wrong, i enjoy eq2.. but EQ2 shamans are utter rubbish compared to eq1. no longer needed for the uber slows... no longer have a cool pet that can acually do somthing... nothing like the shaman i once knew. a very large dissapointment i must say. BUT it is a differant game.. just a huge letdown thats all.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV>

[paisan]

You're comparing apples to oranges. EQ1 has some of the same names as EQ2 but that is about it. Might as well compare EQ2 to WoW or UO or whatever. To call a EQ2 Shaman rubbish because we do not have ludicriously overpowering slows is laughable. We have very good debuffs... one being a slow. We also can be a single main healer as can any other priest in the game. Did EQ1 have that?

[Banditman]

EQ2 != EQ1EQ1 Shaman do not hold a CANDLE to the healing power that an EQ2 Shaman has.  Not even close.

[Ryantos]

<P>"BUT it is a differant game"</P> <P> </P> <P>Indeed i was aware its a differant game <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></P> <P>I was personally dissapointed, still, we are balanced, just balanced differantly is all.</P> <P> </P> <P>still a fun game, like i said, dont get me wrong.</P>