few questions about monks assassins and rangers

[sy0neds0ber]

hey, i currently play a monk. when i made the monk i was looking for straight up melee dps (seeing as how i played eq1 for a couple years, i assumed monks were the same as they were there) but have recently been informed that monks are really a tankish class with moderate dps.<p>so my question is this, if i want dps and soloability in a class, which would be more suitable? an assassin or a ranger?</p><p>i solo mostly so this is an important aspect of the class i choose.</p><p>ive heard that rangers and assassins are nearly even in dps, but ive also heard people say this is far from true.</p><p>any info would be appreciated, thanks <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></p>

[githyanki]

<p>Well rangers and assasins have two different kinds of roles in a group/raid.   Solo they work a bit different as well.   I can speak a bit for the assasin but have never rolled up a ranger....so i'm going by what i've been told about how they play.   Assasins have lots of big back attacks and a few range attacks.   They solo well by jousting or stunning a mob and going behind it to get off their big booms then melee critters down.   Rangers are all about the bow.   They kite snare critters and blow them away as they get closer.   </p><p>For a purer melee class maybe you should check out a swashy or brig.   Brigs have lots of debuffs and lots of back attacks and work kinda like an assasin.  Swashie's have fewer back attacks and can fight from the front and not lose tons of dps.  Different classes in the same archetype will be similar at lower lvls and start to serperate as they lvl past 30 and get cool stuff usually in the 50's to early 60's.  </p><p>Playing a monk well is not an easy thing to do.  I've seen lots of bad monks out there that give the class a bad name.   Think fury.    The monk class is not for everybody.   Yes you can tank but not always the best choice if your gear sucks.   Yes you can do dps and compete with just about anybody if you have the right buffs and your big specials are up.   Yes you can solo like a champ and get to places that only 2 or 3 other classes can get to. </p><p>  Monks have a large variety of cool things they can get away with but for this large pool of abilities you will never be best at any one thing.   If you want to mt on a raid play a guard.   If you want to take on solo nasty heroic  named yellows to oranges play a wizzy/coercer.   If you want to kill scads of greens really fast play a zerker/scout melee class or a pet class.   I would encourage you to check out other forums pages on the different classes to see if something catches your eye.   Play that class to 30 see if you like it if not reroll or keep it and make another toon.  Now all that being said a monk played well and geared correctly can do everything but mt current content raid stuff and do well.    </p>

[Stabbath]

Monks are far better soloers than any other scout type. I ditched my 80 Swash and loving monk. The dps isn't bad at all. The only thing I miss, is evac. Tracking was nice too, but it cluttered my screen.

[Dorieon]

<cite>Stabbath wrote:</cite><blockquote>The only thing I miss, is evac. Tracking was nice too, but it cluttered my screen. </blockquote>Just get the evac from the veteran reward plant pet.

[Morgane]

<p>Don't think I can help you with this one. I rolled a Ranger and made it to the low 20's before I decided that was definitely not the class for me... I found the Ranger VERY hard to solo. Never rolled an assassin and don't know how they solo but I know that both of those classes do very nice DPS.... you'll be a top parser for sure if you know how to play'em.</p><p>That being said, I loooove my 80 Monk. She solo's brilliantly and does admirable DPS in raids, especially with a dirge in the group! She'll never top the parse but she doesn't embarass herself either. <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></p><p>Good luck with your decision, whatever you decide!</p>