Help choosing character

[Tegren]

My wife and I recently decided to start playing EQ2 and I am trying to choose between a monk and bruiser to best suit playing with her warlock or magician. We plan to duo mostly. I have read a lot of information on these forums regarding the differences between a bruiser and a monk. It sounds like a bruiser has an edge on soloing with more heals, and also maybe does more damage? But the Monk can heal others and cure some ailments. I also read about the monk having enough self haste to reach the haste cap on his own. Does the bruiser have the same? We want to rely mainly on self buffs. As far as my gaming background goes, I am very familar with Vangaurd and EQ1, but this is my first monk type class as a main. Thanks in a advance for your help. Any and all advice, suggestions, and information is welcome. (also posted in Bruiser forum)

[Windowlicker]

<p>If you plan to duo, I highly suggest either your lady friend look at something *other* then a Warlock .. or you look at something other then a Monk or Brusier.</p><p>The Warlock is insane Area Effect Damage.  The Monk and Brusier have absolutely *no* ability to tank for a Warlock, as you're more or less completely restricted to Single-Target damage.   What this means is you'll have no problems holding a *single* enemy, but your partner will be killed by the rest of whatever your fighting.</p><p>I would personally suggest one of these combinations:</p><p><b>Combinations for her to keep her Warlock</b></p><p>Berserker/Warlock - Easy</p><p>Paladin/Warlock - Easy</p><p>Fury/Warlock - A bit harder</p><p>Warden or Defiler or Inquisitor or Templar/Warlock - Harder</p><p><b>Combinations that would work well for you playing a Monk/Brusier</b></p><p>Monk/Brusier and either Templar, Defiler, Fury, Warden, Inquisitor</p><p>Monk/Brusier and Dirge Bit harder, no heals (Lots of damage.  Dirge gets a heal at level 65)</p><p>Monk/Brusier and Brigand - Bit harder, no heals(Lots of Damage)</p><p>Monk/Brusier and Swashbuckler or Assassin  - Bit harder, no heals(Lots of Damage)</p><p>If you want to stay completely away from other people though, I would suggest you pick a healer class and a melee fighter class.  </p><p>Hope it helps!</p>

[Deyaneyra]

Bruiser/warlock or monk/warlock combos will work, if you want to play a brawler just do that <img src="/smilies/69934afc394145350659cd7add244ca9.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />. Monks seem to be a bit better in holding aggro during fights, and thats really necessary because warlocks are doing a lot of damage. BF and me love to play Shadowknight/warlock combo, that works perfect too. SK has some nice lifetaps to heal himself or also ward my warlock, and we both have AoE skills to do multipulls on up to 8 mobs (if not all of them big heroics for sure). Have fun ingame <img src="/smilies/ed515dbff23a0ee3241dcc0a601c9ed6.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />

[Windowlicker]

Jaidee@Butcherblock wrote: <blockquote>Bruiser/warlock or monk/warlock combos will work, if you want to play a brawler just do that <img src="/smilies/69934afc394145350659cd7add244ca9.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />. Monks seem to be a bit better in holding aggro during fights, and thats really necessary because warlocks are doing a lot of damage. BF and me love to play Shadowknight/warlock combo, that works perfect too. SK has some nice lifetaps to heal himself or also ward my warlock, and we both have AoE skills to do multipulls on up to 8 mobs (if not all of them big heroics for sure). Have fun ingame <img src="/smilies/ed515dbff23a0ee3241dcc0a601c9ed6.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></blockquote><p> The problem is that the Monk and Brusier have absolutely no AE taunt capability.  Your going to have to trust me as a 70 warlock that that combination will not work very well.  The Warlock *will* have every single mob on them other then the mob your fighting.</p><p>It works fine against one mob, but anything over *one* mob and your pooched.</p><p>As someone that has been on his Warlock for well over a year, I'll also tell you that the absolute worst plate tank in the game to tank for a warlock is the Shadowknight, bar none.</p>