New to Everquest

[jamestitmuss]

<p>Hi</p><p> Never played this game before and I was wondering which race/class you would recommend for those with no idea who can do what and when? </p><p> I've read through the book and like the look of Berzerker but that's probably only because he looks the hardest!!</p>

[UlteriorModem]

<p>Wow this is a wide open question.</p><p>Virtually all classes are quite playable as they have done a decent job of balance so....</p><p>Whats your preferred playstyle ? Grouping ? Solo ? Raids ? PVP ? PVE ?</p><p>What starting town would you like ? Good ? Evil ?</p><p>Are you an up close and personal fighter or like ranged, perhaps a healer ?</p><p>The bottom line is choose a class you think you will like to play and play it till level 20 or so to see if you really like it.</p><p>Then try another... and another... till you find one you really like.</p><p>One word of advice is that you will truely be more or less clueless untill your first 30 levels or so. The learning curve is kind of steep. Just be patitent and dont be afraid to ask for help.</p><p>Reading the FAQ's at the top of this forum will help ALOT !</p><p>Anyhow have fun enjoy and welcome.</p>

[Spyderbite]

As UM already pointed out.. the FAQ at the top of this forum is a must read for getting started. Later on, you'll find yourself using a number of resources for Quest & Item info including these forums and other very helpful 3rd party sites. My bookmark list in my browser is longer than it has ever been before with any other online game. <img src="/smilies/8a80c6485cd926be453217d59a84a888.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /> From what I understand, your choice of race is purely aesthetic and that it is your class that will determine how you perform during certain tasks in the game. My suggestion is that one should pick a race/class that they will have fun with and not choose one solely based on performance in any area. If you're not having fun in a game, what's the point, right? <img src="/smilies/283a16da79f3aa23fe1025c96295f04f.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />

[jamestitmuss]

<p>Thank you</p><p> I wasn't expecting a reply today let alone within a few minutes. </p><p>I've played Guild Wars steadily with a Mage type character so I'm fed up with the casting type. I'd prefer to be good (matches my halo) and I'm thinking of being a fighter this time around. I'll probably be more of a solo creature due to my on-off gaming time (the off time being down to my missus lol)</p><p>I've read the EQ2 guide book but it's hard to decide with no experience. What's the opinion on Barbarian Berserker? Is there better combinations? Barbarian Guardian? Elf Berserker? </p>

[Kellin]

<p>Berserkers are okay for soloing, but not the best.  No healing capability, but if you're properly geared, you can take a lot of damage and put out plenty, too.</p><p>Solo + tank + good = monk, usually.</p><p>Monks have mend (self heal), feign death, good damage output, low mitigation but high avoidance.  They also end up with a self invis at later levels.  No big shiny swords or shields, though.</p><p>Race is not a big factor, really.  Pick whatever race you like, though if you're going for good, you'll need to avoid the evil only races (ratonga, troll, ogre, dark elf...).  Any differences in beginning stats are covered by gear pretty quickly.  Personally, I have a female high elf berserker, and other than the fact that I personally have no clue how to play a fighter (I prefer utility characters, really), she's a perfectly respectable tank stat-wise.</p><p>If you're looking for a min/max type of setup, and are set on the berserker, barbarian is a good choice.  Their starting stats are great for a fighter type.</p>

[ZUES]

<p>I wouldnt recommend a fighter if you plan on doing alot of soloing. If you do have to be one then choose a paladin. If you want to find group from time to time and want the ability to solo fairly well then pick a Fury. If you want to be a solo God then pick a conjuror.</p><p>*edit* BTW I have a guardian, pally, fury and a conjuror. I've tried almost every class and the absolute worst at soloing is the guardian. He's only 55 atm so cant speak for higher levels.</p>

[Xynok]

<p>The only truly <i>good</i> plate wearing fighter that can solo well is the Paladin.  Monks are better in the solo department, and can even tank for groups decently, but Paladins are the <i>definition</i> of good.  They can tank for groups, solo really well, and also have access to some really great healing abilities (group and self).  I've even heard of properly geared/built Paladins serving as Raid tanks (Guardians and Berserkers are the normal choice for this role).</p><p>If you are into RPing, and really want to wear a Halo, I'd highly suggest a Paladin.  You won't solo as well as the Monk, but you get to wear Plate armor, wield a shield, and use big swords!  That said, my Paladin has little trouble soloing most things (^^^ Heroic mobs less than 8 or so levels below me are tough when even possible).  As a Paladin, you add so much to a group you should have little trouble getting groups. </p><p>The majority of good quests and rewards require grouping (if you expect to do them anywhere near the appropriate level), so expecting to solo everything worthwhile will severely limit not only your Class choice, but your game experience in general.  That said, Paladins solo better than most classes, and you will have no trouble soloing anything and everything designed for solo play, as well as quite a bit of group stuff.  The ability to beat ^^^ Heroic content within 8 levels of your adventure level is a decent measure of relative power, but not necessarily the best indicator of your ability to solo in general.  My Necromancer not only solos very well, but has little trouble with most ^^^ heroics within 8 levels; my Paladin <i>also</i> solos very well, but isn't as powerful compared to the Necromancer when it comes to ^^^ Heroics.  Hopefully this makes sense to you.</p>

[ke'la]

<p>Another good choice for a primary soloist is Swashbuckler, I have a 70 Monk and a 56 Swashbuckler(wich is my current main) and I have to say both are VERY good soloers, However, with both Monk and Swash are all about killing the Monster befor they have a chance to kill you(though generally you have the damage output to do it).</p><p>As far as self heals go Monk does get 1 emergancy Heal fairly early and has Fien Death, wich can keep you from accual death many a time. With the swashbuckler when soloing you can at T5(the frist place you really need it) you can get Vitality Breach wich is a "lifetap" it damages your target and heals you at the same time. </p><p>Also in groups Swashbucklers can do alot to make shure the MT keeps aggro from everyone else as they have hate transfers and ways to generate extra hate(the only non-tank with a Taunt) </p>

[Didi]

<p>I suggest you read over <a href="http://forums.station.sony.com/eq2/posts/list.m?start=0&topic_id=346645#3932873" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">this post in the FAQ </a>which will give you an overview of the fighter (and other) classes.  </p><p>If you want to be a fighter and able to solo, the guardian/berserker are probably the least good at soloing since they have no ability to heal themselves.  That said they're still quite doable (though guardian will be quite slow).</p><p>If you're just looking for a non-magic-caster, non-healer class, then you might also consider the scouts.  Keep in mind the fighter classes are there to TANK, to take damage, not necessarily to do it.  The scouts are all about doing damage (well, except the bards who are all about making everybody else look good with fabulous buffs).  So if you fancy doing physical damage and flashing those swords around instead of getting smacked repeatedly over the head, it would definitely be worth looking into the scout classes too.</p>

[ke'la]

<cite>Didi wrote:</cite><blockquote><p>I suggest you read over <a href="http://forums.station.sony.com/eq2/posts/list.m?start=0&topic_id=346645#3932873" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">this post in the FAQ </a>which will give you an overview of the fighter (and other) classes.  </p><p>If you want to be a fighter and able to solo, the guardian/berserker are probably the least good at soloing since they have no ability to heal themselves.  That said they're still quite doable (though guardian will be quite slow).</p><p>If you're just looking for a non-magic-caster, non-healer class, then you might also consider the scouts.  Keep in mind the fighter classes are there to TANK, to take damage, not necessarily to do it.  The scouts are all about doing damage (well, except the bards who are all about making everybody else look good with fabulous buffs).  So if you fancy doing physical damage and flashing those swords around instead of getting smacked repeatedly over the head, <span style="color: #cc0000">it would definitely be worth looking into the scout classes too.</span></p></blockquote> Espcally Swashbuckler as we can pretend to be a Tank from time to time and accually not suck at it <img src="/smilies/8a80c6485cd926be453217d59a84a888.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />

[Didi]

Hm ... I dunno about everybody else but I'm sensing a bit of pro-Swashbuckler bias here .... <img src="/smilies/8a80c6485cd926be453217d59a84a888.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />