DPS.

[PureRhyme]

I really want to play Plate, but Id rather dps then MT...OT would be okay time from time...but raid MT doesn't interest me, at all.But I'm trying to decide between SK and Zerker, I know Zerker can throw out some serious damage in buckler spec..but ive heard SK with INT up the [Removed for Content] can DPS just as well if not better...Looking for experience opinions...can SKs dps in comparison to be worth while on a raid in a DPS spot?

[Hamervelder]

I know zerkers that can parse over 3k.  I dunno any SK's that do over 2k.  On a good day.

[Hugsnkissums]

I've played my SK raiding a bit and to be honest I'm not really impressed. In my experience most raids don't even want SKs. We are more of a jack of all trades. We do the jobs of serveral other classes, but poorer then the real deal. Even set out to DPS we can do just ALRIGHT damage, not great. It'll be rare to see your name in the parses unless you get lucky with an HT or diety miracle and those things have nasty resue timers. SK's really shine best when you have a small group of 2 or 3 and can still kill heroics like you had a FG. We pick up the slack when the real classes just aren't there. We're flexible at filling in the gaps, but in raids there just isn't any gap to fill. Anything we can do, the more specialized classes do better without even gearing up for it. I've been picked up for raids just so they have an SK that can take the so-so drops no one wants or the SK only stuff so that no one else has to loose any DKP. My advice, if you want a raid toon...don't roll an SK. It's disappointing when you see where you sit in the damage dealing "food chain" after all the hard work of getting them to 70. But, if you want to make a toon that'll go well with pretty much any other class out there and be a super flexible duo partner, SK's can fill that role surprisingly well.

[Norrsken]

<cite>Atelos@Antonia Bayle wrote:</cite><blockquote>I know zerkers that can parse over 3k.  I dunno any SK's that do over 2k.  On a good day.</blockquote>On the other hand, we wont get stuck into groups that actually buff our dps in a good way. but sks here have shown off parses of 2.5k. sks need spell proc buffs and gear to get high. all zerkers need is some melee buffage. And everyone knows what zerkers need to do high dps, most people dont understand sks.

[Iwice]

Sks shine best when its many mobs at the same time, and we jsut stand there and AOE, tap Veins and use the blessing, when those moments hapends, usaly a High DPS will be seen, but in the basic 24 players vs 1 big fat one, we never get to show our true power, but we are good to be in the mage group and do... somthign <img src="/eq2/images/smilies/ed515dbff23a0ee3241dcc0a601c9ed6.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" width="15" height="15" />

[Hamervelder]

<cite>Ulvhamne@Nagafen wrote:</cite><blockquote><cite>Atelos@Antonia Bayle wrote:</cite><blockquote>I know zerkers that can parse over 3k.  I dunno any SK's that do over 2k.  On a good day.</blockquote>On the other hand, we wont get stuck into groups that actually buff our dps in a good way. but sks here have shown off parses of 2.5k. sks need spell proc buffs and gear to get high. all zerkers need is some melee buffage. And everyone knows what zerkers need to do high dps, most people dont understand sks.</blockquote>Point noted and conceded.  <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />That said,<b> </b><span class="name">Hugsnkissums I think hit it on the head -- most raids don't want sk's.  That is why I have my swashbuckler.  <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></span><span class="name"></span>

[Dead Knight]

<cite>Hugsnkissums wrote:</cite><blockquote>I've played my SK raiding a bit and to be honest I'm not really impressed. In my experience most raids don't even want SKs. We are more of a jack of all trades. We do the jobs of serveral other classes, but poorer then the real deal. Even set out to DPS we can do just ALRIGHT damage, not great. It'll be rare to see your name in the parses unless you get lucky with an HT or diety miracle and those things have nasty resue timers. SK's really shine best when you have a small group of 2 or 3 and can still kill heroics like you had a FG. We pick up the slack when the real classes just aren't there. We're flexible at filling in the gaps, but in raids there just isn't any gap to fill. Anything we can do, the more specialized classes do better without even gearing up for it. I've been picked up for raids just so they have an SK that can take the so-so drops no one wants or the SK only stuff so that no one else has to loose any DKP. My advice, if you want a raid toon...don't roll an SK. It's disappointing when you see where you sit in the damage dealing "food chain" after all the hard work of getting them to 70. But, if you want to make a toon that'll go well with pretty much any other class out there and be a super flexible duo partner, SK's can fill that role surprisingly well.</blockquote>You either need better gear, skill or groups. Because I make the parse everytime, and not only that but I'm always in the top 10, about 6th or 7th ZW most of the time, about 100 DPS behind the Zerker. We need a very specific group in order to achieve max DPS, and when we have it - we can parse like Zerkers, however we rarely get it, I know I don't, anyway and most of the SK's I speak to don't. The problem is, the group we get for OTing, isn't ideal for our DPS, whereas the group a warrior gets for MTing or OTing is, somewhat. Warrior DPS is basically, spec down buckler line, get a Dirge and a solid 1h. SK DPS is much more complex and almost entirely reliant on group. On one raid, equip a ton of proc gear, get a beefy 2h out, and ask your RL to put you in the Mage group. Get the Illu to give you Syn, the Fury Agitate and Vim, and the various buffs from the Troub - see how much you parse. If you can't break 2k with that then you're definately doing something wrong.

[MaCloud1032]

<p>My favorit line out of zerkers "i dont tank."  Iam sorry but...  Our dps comes from the group makeup that we have.  SKs love to be in the mage group.  Give us a troub and a fury and watch us go to town.</p><p>For a zerker to go full out like they do they tend to loose a lot of there stand ability.  In order to hit 3k dps they drop there mit by about 1k.  For us to hit 2k we drop to a 2h weapon and our off stance.</p><p>Warriors can auto attack and still parse quite decent.  Bull crap imo but sony feels that warriors should be the best tanks.</p><p>For pure dps and the ability to get on raids i would say zerker but if you want to see how good you realy are at a toon role a SK.  You can mash buttons and pars on a zerker you need to play you keys out just right on a sk to make the parse.  And regardless of what people say you can tank.</p>

[yibiumien]

<p>When MTing in a raid (only rarely get the chance when the rest of the tanks are unavailable) I was parsing 1.4-2k dps.  About 600 dps higher then any of the other guild MTs.  Everyone was suprised that I was able to put up those numbers with Defensive stance and 1hs/board.  Most of it was because of all the buffs I got as MT, and never having to slow down.  When not MTing I have to watch agro carefully or I'll steal it from the MT.</p><p> When not maintanking I rarely get the ideal group setup needed to post huge numbers.  Occasionally I'll get into the caster group and put up some decent parses.</p>

[Talonmare]

There's an old saying from EQ1.  If you have to ask if SK is right for you, its not.  I'd say go Zerker.