Opinions: Compairing Swashbuckler to other classes

[Gilthen]

Greetings.I'm just looking for opinions on Swashbucklers. Basically, folks who have played other classes as well. I know that its mostly matter of opinion and also dependant on playstyle. However, I'd like to hear from the Swashbuckler community the pros and cons of the class.The only characters I've ever played were a 32 Paladin, 21 Wizard, and my new 20 Swashbuckler. I'd like to know what to expect. A big concern of mine is soloing... my online times are really erratic, and I need to get an idea of a good solo class. (I know it depends on many things, but I'd like to know the communities opinions on soloing with the Swashbuckler)Again, I know this is highly opinionated, but thats good. I want to know how folks feel there Swashbucklers stand up to other characters they've run. I'm trying to decide which character to devote the majority of my (very limited) time.Any advice, opinions, stories, suggestions, all appreciated.Thank you.<div></div>

[Delow]

<div></div>I played a Warden up until 51 when I decided to switch to my Swashbuckler. I can tell you I couldnt be happier with the choice of playing a Swashbuckler.Soloing to me is fairly easy for swashbucklers depending on your skill and understanding of the class. The right combination of poisons to go with opening with the right CA's makes soloing mobs pretty easy. For the most part you will see things pickup and change in the 50's and higher, I didnt have any trouble with soloing when I was lower but things have changed since then so I cannot speak for how it is now (with the EoF AAs especially the tanking line you can solo far more efficently I would assume).We are equiped with a good balance of utility, great offensive and good defensive debuffs, as well as being one of the higher DPS classes out there. Our AA lines create a varity of paths you can go down to suite your playstyle.As you said its all a matter of opinion and playstyle that go into your choice in what class you wish to play. I personally also have a limited playtime (work a 10 hour night shift during the week) and I am happy with my choice of class to go with my playtime.<div></div>

[Zygwen]

Back when I was lvl 20 the agi nerf just hit and we sucked at soloing but I put up with it and eventually we became one of the funnest classes to play in my opinion. For any class, I find that you don't get a true feel for it till around 34, a legacy of the old archetype system, because you don't get all your class abilities till then. That being said, it depends on what you mean by solo. Rogues in general tank a lot better than the other scouts so if you like playing a high dps/light tank, swashies are great. On the other hand, don't expect to take down heroic mobs with ease like rangers and assasines. If your test for soloability is the ease of killing even con solo mobs though, Swashbucklers are great. <div></div>

[Mion da Peon]

<P>If you wanta solo alot I'd suggest playing a pet class... there is nothing else like them.  Necros are especially nice since you can feign dead if somthing goes wrong.</P> <P>As for swashies, I've always been able to solo with my swashy but nothing spectacular.  Lung Puncture helps out a bit but you don't get it till 57.</P>

[Raidyen]

<DIV>I started my first character as a dwarf Zerker.  I got him all the way to 50, duoing with my wifes character (templar)  I loved it until the Combat changes that went in August of 05.  That actaully stopped my playing EQ2 for a year.  I came back to an alt i had a few months ago, a dwarven wizard, that i also got up to level 50.  Again, I enjoyed it, but i found it took very little skill, and at times was pretty boring.  When EoF came out, my wife wanted to start a fay fury, so we moved over to the PvP server, and i made a dwarf (yes, i like dwarves) Swashy.  We have taken our time leveling, and are only 32 right now, but i have to say the swashy has been the most fun by far.  I have turned him into a tank with the AA's, while still holding all the utility and most of the damage of a rogue type.  In PvE I am able to main tank in groups with very little problems holding agro, or i do great dps when i dont need to tank and the PvP benefits are outstanding.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>I really cant speak to much about soloing, as i always have a fury hunting with me, but i have to say out of all the tank/healer duos my wife and i have played, the swashy has been the best class by far.</DIV>

[Syrano]

Solo'ing?  Swashies can solo, but we're not terribly efficient at it.  Early on (up through level 40) it may seem alright, but you'll go through a period between 30 and 60 that seems horrendous.  Once you're cloesr to 70 your ideal target will be solo mobs your level or heroics almost 9 levels beneath you.Swashies have limited means to deal with crowd control solo'ing, though we do have some means. However, odds are if you incur an add or two, the fight is over and you are dead.  In order to solo effectively you need the right molotoff cocktail of poisons, a good debuff, a good damage poison (for solo'ing stick with DD's) and a utility (I like stuns).   It gets *very* expensive to solo with all those poisons, so you need to go after high value targets and prepare for some farming to keep the cash flow steady.I'm not trying to turn you off the class, I'd never play another, I'm trying to mentally prepare you for what "solo'ing" with a swashy is like.  Swashbucklers are more utility/dps than enything else, they thrive in small groups and have specific roles in larger ones.  They are far from the best solo class in the game though in my opinion they are the most fun to play (not necessarily solo).  If you're a die hard solo'er then you really should check out the necromancer or conjurer classes.  Potentially furies/wardens as well.<div></div>

[Cocytus]

<BR> <BLOCKQUOTE> <HR> Syrano wrote:<BR> Once you're cloesr to 70 your ideal target will be solo mobs your level or heroics almost 9 levels beneath you.<BR><BR> <HR> </BLOCKQUOTE><BR>Quite a few of us can solo heroics much higher than this <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />

[Mion da Peon]

Yeah its sorta like russian roulette but I've soloed a level 66 named heroic (after dieing 6 times)

[liveja]

<BR> <BLOCKQUOTE> <HR> Cocytus wrote: Quite a few of us can solo heroics much higher than this <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /><BR> <HR> </BLOCKQUOTE> <P>Sure wish I could figure out how you're doing it.</P> <P>Last night, I solo'd Bruticus, in Hidden Cache, for the first time. Took me two attempts; first try, he killed me when he was at about 10% life. Second try, I dropped Forgehammer on him when he got low, & he dropped a couple of auto-attacks later. I got a "treasure chest" from him, that had nothing but some lame plate forearms or hands or something. Big whoop.</P> <P>Even if I go after a non-named ^^^ heroic, it's a touch-&-go thing, & I'm more likely to die, than not. & that is only if I go after a Green-con mob. Anything higher than that, if it's a ^^^ heroic, I  have no chance.</P> <P>I'm in mastercrafted gear, Scalesplitter, all my important CAs are Ad3, got a couple M1s. Doesn't seem to do me any good. ^^^ Heroics, especially named ones, kick my Swashy butt.</P>

[Neumann]

<BR> <BLOCKQUOTE> <HR> Mion da Peon wrote:<BR> Yeah its sorta like russian roulette but I've soloed a level 66 named heroic (after dieing 6 times)<BR> <HR> </BLOCKQUOTE><BR>I can solo that 6(7)? named outside freethinkers without ever dying...basically you have to use the right temporary buffs + vitality breach (heals are key + stacked with finesse...u get a lot), turgers, or stun poisons, and enfeebling.  Thats for any named, I can solo in SoS down to the very bottem if im careful and I can solo MOST not all but MOST of the nameds there (those ghost things eat me up tho. :smileymad:  Its a matter of patience and calculation to make sure you never get adds (adds are easy until you pass Talonlord Steelrend but after that you gotta be careful as a mofo).

[Luk]

70 for me, but then I also can't solo a 62, depends on the named in a big way.<div></div>

[Luk]

<div><blockquote><hr>livejazz wrote: <blockquote> <hr> Cocytus wrote: Quite a few of us can solo heroics much higher than this <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /> <hr> </blockquote> <p>Sure wish I could figure out how you're doing it.</p> <p>I'm in mastercrafted gear, Scalesplitter, all my important CAs are Ad3, got a couple M1s. Doesn't seem to do me any good. ^^^ Heroics, especially named ones, kick my Swashy butt.</p><hr></blockquote>there is your answer, Liethe is a raid kitted swashy with nearly all masters iirc, correct me if I'm wrong on that one</div>

[Cocytus]

<DIV>I'm in mostly relic when it comes to armor, save for my hat and bracer - both are legendary and kinda suck.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>1 fabled jewelry, a few legendary, 1 treasured. My gear isn't the best, but it doesn't suck imo. If you're in mastercrafted gear though it'll be very difficult. A full legendary suit will make a huge difference.</DIV>

[Syrano]

<div></div><div><blockquote><hr>Cocytus wrote:<div></div> <blockquote> <hr> Syrano wrote: Once you're cloesr to 70 your ideal target will be solo mobs your level or heroics almost 9 levels beneath you. <hr> </blockquote>Quite a few of us can solo heroics much higher than this <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /><hr></blockquote>Oh, don't get me wrong, I can solo up to lvl 66 heroics at 70, I haven't tried a 67 and the 66's are too close to be "ideal".  However, I also quite a bit of fabled/raid gear, enough money flow to use the best poisons and a lot of time played.  And I know I'm not ideally equipped, so I know swashies can do better. Unlike some people around here, I don't make generic statements about class performance based on Fabled spec or raid only gear.  Your "average" swashy will be in some legendary and a lot of treasured and not have a full spec AA set yet.Nothing irritates me more than people making sweeping statements about a minority gear set up and how every swash should do the same.  Not to mention I said "ideal".  If you're farming for XP solo'ing or loot, you want to mow through the mobs, not have every fight be down to 40 percent health.  It's not a question of what you "can" solo, it's what you can solo at a high kill rate that matters.</div><p>Message Edited by Syrano on <span class=date_text>12-20-2006</span> <span class=time_text>07:05 PM</span>

[Delow]

<div></div><div><blockquote><hr>livejazz wrote:<blockquote><hr>Cocytus wrote: Quite a few of us can solo heroics much higher than this <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /><hr></blockquote><p>Sure wish I could figure out how you're doing it.</p><p>Last night, I solo'd Bruticus, in Hidden Cache, for the first time. Took me two attempts; first try, he killed me when he was at about 10% life. Second try, I dropped Forgehammer on him when he got low, & he dropped a couple of auto-attacks later. I got a "treasure chest" from him, that had nothing but some lame plate forearms or hands or something. Big whoop.</p><p>Even if I go after a non-named ^^^ heroic, it's a touch-&-go thing, & I'm more likely to die, than not. & that is only if I go after a Green-con mob. Anything higher than that, if it's a ^^^ heroic, I  have no chance.</p><p>I'm in mastercrafted gear, Scalesplitter, all my important CAs are Ad3, got a couple M1s. Doesn't seem to do me any good. ^^^ Heroics, especially named ones, kick my Swashy butt.</p><hr></blockquote>A lot of it has to do with timing and what named you are going after. Knowing what the mob can do before going into the fight can help a lot, select the mob and look at what buffs they might have to know what class they are. Vitality breach is a must if you are soloing heroics and heroic named especially, fully utilize your stuns and dont forget about our single target mez when fighting and keep Lung Puncture on them. Mez the mob once all our back attacks are up and use them all starting with our stun one (I will generally wait close to the full duration of the mez to let my other CAs come back up too). I usually use Vitality Breach with Enfeebling poison to drop their melee skills (helps quite a bit, I dont use the Grandmaster of them, just the exceptional). Stay in defensive stance but keep Swindler's Luck up to offset the melee skill loss from it. I would go and get the Gnomeland Security Cloak if you have EoF, I use it when soloing and its great (gives a 200hp ward, average proc 1 per minute, when you perform an attack on your target) easy quest and procs way more then once per minute for me.</div>

[liveja]

<BR> <BLOCKQUOTE> <HR> Delowen wrote: Stay in defensive stance <HR> </BLOCKQUOTE> <P>DOH! I keep forgetting that one <img src="/smilies/9d71f0541cff0a302a0309c5079e8dee.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></P> <P>Thanx for the tips, all, especially on that Vitality Breach stuff ... I'll have to take a look at that. It almost scares me to think how much better I could be doing, if I were playing my character to his full potential.<BR></P>

[SageGaspar]

As far as maximum you can solo, at level 30ish on my new fae swash I was soloing ^^^ four levels below me for quests and experience in Crushbone, and I'm in quested and handcrafted gear without a single CA that's even Adept 1. Just gotta know how to use stuns and mezzes wisely, and of course load up on mastercrafted poison, which is cheap. I made two solid levels that way without vitality in fairly short order. I might be off on the upper level situation since I left shortly before EoF to take a break, but there it is.Nameds are always sketchy, it varies completely from one to the next based on how they're tweaked. There were some level 66 nameds I used to have no problem with, and then some low 60s would give me a run for my money. Fallen Dynasty ones in particular were tweaked tougher than the other ones. Mobs that did straight-up melee damage tended to be among the toughest since there wasn't much to do besides stand there and take the hits, whereas with casters you could keep them interrupted pretty reliably. The general strategy is to load up as much damage as possible at the beginning, then mezz when your timers are down, which pretty much lets you start the cycle over again from the top. There should be, ideally, only a couple seconds per round when they're not getting nailed with some sort of knockdown or stun.<div></div>