Coercer or Warlock as duo?

[Wiseman160]

There are a few old topics about duoing as a SK, but I would like to open this new one with a little emphasis on two possible duo partners.If given the choice between a warlock and a coercer to duo with, which would you prefer and why?If neither of those seem to be worthwhile for you, which class would you say is your ideal duo partner and why?I've duoed   quite a bit as a berserker with a fury partner. I wanted to start a new duo but without the use of a healer.The only options seem to be a paladin/nuker or a summoner/nuker.  I don't really feel like being a summoner. Paladins are [Removed for Content], and so I was left with finding a new option.I'm interested in SK thematically but am concerned they can't hold aggro with a warlock spamming damage, so coercer became an option.

[EDofEDs]

Warlock hands down. NOTE: Not much of anything besides a pally can hold agro with a warlock going ape-crazy so the warlock has to actually use their brain and not just mash all the nukes as soon as they're available. They have got to be aware of the fast that they are DPS machine capable of ALOT of damage output and have only tissue paper to protect themselves with. As far as cohesion, we both do the same type of damage so debuffs work for both our hate gain/damage and the warlocks damage output. SKs are capable of healing themselves to some extent so healers arent allways necessary. We do lots of AE damage which helps keep agro off the AE-nuking-warlock. Just in general a SK/warlock combo can ruin groups of weaker mobs. Now as far as names go... I'm sure late game they would be an epic duo. Mid game it would be sorta tough without having reaver and tap viens etc etc.

[rabid.pooh]

<p>Coercer hands down <img src="/eq2/images/smilies/283a16da79f3aa23fe1025c96295f04f.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY<img src="/smilies/283a16da79f3aa23fe1025c96295f04f.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />" width="15" height="15" />, you'll be able to kill more, handle more and go more places.  When things get out of hand you have the coercer to mez the mobs to bring back to reasonable level.  The coercer also has tons of stuns, if the mob is stunned it can't hurt you.</p><p>My GF plays an illy and we've duo'd every zone in EOF/KOS except unrest, Nizzara and HoF(we just never tried that one).  She doesn't stun as much as a coercer but does more damage.</p><p>*Edit* As a foot note, with a coercer (me) and my GF's brig we duo'd all of the claymore up to a star to unlock, we stopped there as we started getting into our monk/inq combo more.  And a good coercer will just charm the warlock/wizzard mobs in the zone for those big nukes <img src="/smilies/283a16da79f3aa23fe1025c96295f04f.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></p>

[Dorf]

<p>I agree about the Coercer.  As a duo, you would have decent dps, stunns, great power regen, agro control, crowd control, evac, feign death, and charm can get you out of some sticky situations.  My coercer is 74, and I duo with an SK sometimes, its a great team.  I havnt played a warlock, but as far as utility.. I dont think they have alot of life saving remedies compared to SK or Coercer.  Both specced right, I think would be very very powerful  combo.  Spec the coercer for dps and power regen, and the SK for a medium of tanking ability and dps and it would be awsome at later levels, and pretty easy to get there.</p>

[Wiseman160]

Excellent feedback all. I suppose there are pros and cons to either, but I feel it may be safer to go with coercer.  The extra dps of warlock is nice but I won't be able to use it to its full potential, whereas coercer has that added protection from stuns/mezz.

[EDofEDs]

Honestly Coercer is the better pick but i never ever say that openly when i answer the question. The reason i do this is because playing a warlock is MUCH easier then playing a coercer. Coercers require allot more strategy then "If it moves burn it". They have to act with speed and take control of the situation all the time. No hesitation because all it takes is you to fire off a out of encounter AE and no amount of mezes in the world will save you because the mobs will be made mez-immune by your dots. So by all means go coercer but be aware... whoever is going to be playing the coercer has to be able to communicate quickly and assess the situation as soon as they see it. I'm not knocking warlock, they take ~some~ skill to play, but as far as I'm concerned the most complicated and under rated classes in this game are the enchanters because we have all seen 10 poorly played ones for ever 1 truly great one there is.

[Hugsnkissums]

I'd say Coercer as well. I trio with an Illy and warden all the time and there's not any real down time at all. We all stay full power and can just roll from one encounter to the next. You just have to be careful when palying with them since we have a lot of dots and out of encounter aoe dots, it ruins any chance of a mezzing adds. Just be sure your group can handle the aggro if you're going to go dot and AoE crazy.

[Raudre]

As a Duo the Coercer/SK will be great for survivability and would be my best choice as a duo from start to end game.  Power will stay high but you will be waiting on health.  Pick up a healer and problem solved.The Lock/SK will burn down mobs much faster, and near endgame I think the Lock duo could outdo the Coercer duo.  Health will not be as low but power will get burned up quicker.  Bards or Chanters can fix that. As stated before, you also need a lot of well coordinated teamwork to make the Coerc/SK do well, versus the taunt and nuke strategy with the Lock/SK.My personal choice for PVE would be Coerc/SK.  As you level up you can learn the nuances of both classes and will not be pressured by anything other than your own timeline on your cohesiveness.If on a PVP server I would say go Lock/SK, by lvl 24 you will be the one of the best if not the best, PVP duo's in the game, and if you pick up with other goup members they are both a welcome addition.I am still trying to convince a group of friends to make a PVP group SK/Lock/Def/Dirge/Brig/Necro (or coercer).