Why I Chose EQ2 [Archive] - EQ2 Forum Archive @ EQ2Wire

Barr

12-01-2009, 06:22 PM

Alright, well...Long story short, I used to be a pretty avid gamer. I decided to move 1500 miles away from my hometown, and got a job washing cars lol. This was about 3 years ago. Went to night school, got a degree, do Windows sysadmin support for the federal govt now. Things were rolling along fine, except my GF decides she no longer wishes to work now that I make good money, and then wants to hook up with one of my friends behind my back (sounds like Guild drama, I know!). Cool.So after crying myself to sleep for like a month (ok, it was only like 2 weeks <img src="/smilies/8a80c6485cd926be453217d59a84a888.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /> ), I decided you know what.. I really liked gaming back when I had no money lol. And I always wanted to start again, but my GF pretty much banhammered me from anything involving any kind of gaming. She would be okay if I watched TV by myself and she was in the other room, unknowingly to myself, setting up playdates with my buddy. But as soon as she heard the PS3 startup screen, I was done for.Anyhow, ha.. So anyhow, I was then left with the decision that many face.. EQ2 vs WoW. Here is my list I came up with of Pro's for each game:EQ2-A ton of content-$20 for the complete pack.-More races. More classes.-A much more civilized community.WoW-Pretty neat looking Armor sets-ALOT of people.-I already have a lvl 80 Warrior I was tanking with when WOTLK came out. (Pre-gf).-Runs better on lower end machines.I was already leaning towards EQ2, if anything, because it was fresh. I played it before, only made it to lvl 20 somethings before I had to stop gaming due to lack of fundage lol.But, I was still indecisive. One thing that absolutely worried me was the fact that you go into many of the forums here... and on the first page, there are posts that were last made back in June. 6 months ago. So I figured, this game must be dead.So I decided to go over to the WoW forums. The first 6 pages of almost all forums were all made within the last 2 or 3 days. But then, I started to realize something. I was reading through the threads on the WoW forums and my IQ dropped significantly. The obvious lack of a numerical age value was apparent. It was all "I want, I want, I want, gimme, gimme, gimme." And every single class forum "My class is broken. _____ beat me in PvP. _____ heals/tanks/DPS's better than me". The grass is always greener syndrome. A ton of crying. So basically, I recovered what brain cells I could find after losing them to the battle of retardation, and came back over here <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />Anyhow, obviously that isn't the only reason lol, but... WoW just feels really shallow, I guess? Maybe because I have reached endgame, and raided, and just.. meh. Everything is handed to people now. But, I will tell you.. the armor style of some of the classes do appeal to me (ahem, Warlock T5, T8, and preview of the lock T10). But, not enough to keep me away <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />Anyhow, once I leave work I will be going home and deciding which server to play on, which race, class, ugh. And yes, I posted this because I am bored at work, waiting for most people to leave at 4:30ish so I can install some patches on our Exchange server, bounce it, pick up some Miller Lite on the way home, and then do some gaming <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />Flame on, if you want. My feelings won't get hurt.

tarb

12-01-2009, 07:16 PM

I really cant think of anything wow has over EQ2 or other games besides its easier and has more people, even for me eq2 runs better on my lower end machine then wow does at low settings.

Rijacki

12-01-2009, 07:37 PM

You sound like a rather fun person, lots of humour. I hope you find all the fun in the game you're looking for.

Rorasis

12-01-2009, 07:57 PM

You'll find the forum community with each game to be relatively similar, eloquence aside. People on this forum generally have the same attitudes. The communities ingame really aren't any different. EQ2 is cheaper, yes. More races, true, but many of the races share the same body and have some rather odd quirks, despite having a large number of polygons. More classes isn't always better. EQ2, for example, has far too many, and the classes themselves feel somewhat dull and homogenized.A better class model would be found in EQ1 or Vanguard, but I'd still say WoW's is better than EQ2's. Fewer classes, but most of the classes can have more than one role. A druid, for example, has many in WoW. Could be healer, ranged DPS, melee DPS, tank. WoW's classes have more flexibility in what they can do and how they do it.WoW does run better, but EQ2 is trying to fix itself. If it ever will remains to be seen. WoW's world is, in general, more inspired. They make environments and structures that can make the viewer stop and say "Wow." Other games have done this for me, but EQ2 is not one of them.One major bonus to EQ2, especially if you're a roleplayer, is the player housing. It's fun to make your own home.One major negative to EQ2 is the armor and clothing design. There's little variation. Sentinel's Fate is supposedly going to work on this, but SOE has said a lot in the past. I'll believe it when I see it. WoW has more diverse outfits, and this leads to a much better experience for those who roleplay.Personal preference: WoW has a distinct artistic style that manages to make liberal use of the colors available. EQ2's seems to rely heavily on dull, natural colors.Spell graphics: EQ2's spell graphics are awful. Simply awful. Classes all seem to share the same or similar particle effects, and the particle effects do NOT look good. They are too gaudy, and many of them don't even look like what they're supposed to. A fireball doesn't look like a fireball. It looks like a ball of orange fluff. WoW's fireballs... look like fireballs, and classes generally have their own spell effects.Animations: Let's face it. WoW's are better. Each race has its own animations and its own emotes. In EQ2, all the older races generally share all their animations. It's only the new ones that have animations of their own.Water graphics: EQ2 has wonderful water. WoW's is bad, but it is getting a significant improvement in Cataclysm.WoW also has better dungeons and fewer loading screens, which is always a plus. Not to mention it has more creative quests.If you have fun in EQ2, that's good. I wouldn't be surprised if you come to dislike it once the shiny new toy mindset is gone. I'll be very surprised if you continue playing EQ2 after Cataclysm is released.Random rambling mode: deactivated.

TerrorFirmer

12-01-2009, 09:46 PM

I have played both. I have raided in both. To me, it comes down to what you want to do.I have far more fun raiding in EQ2 than I did in WOW (this was pre-TBC). Main tanked in both.Sure, a lot of the armor looks "better" in WoW, but it is also hyper stylized and cartoony. I honestly don't know if that makes a better game... I would hope people wouldn't think that graphics matter all that much. I really don't care much what the game looks like, as long as it is fun to play. I have made many friends that make playing the game enjoyable, it is just about finding those people, and you will.Single group wise? EQ2 blows WoW out of the water. The instances in EQ2 have been far more enjoyable than the ones I ran in WoW.Solo? Both are excrutiatingly boring. I'd say WoW is less so, but it has been so long I really can't say.Raid wise? Even though many healers currently suffer issues with extensive curing, I don't see this as an issue. It is still more fun that I ever had in WoW raids.Classes have much more complexity in this game. True, in WoW a druid could be all of those things, but had very few abilities to hit and it quickly became boring for me. I was a druid tank, they did exist, lol. Pressing the same buttons over and over again and staying awake is something a monkey could do. Although you get that to an extent in this game, as people figure out their preferred casting orders, there are more abilities and the classes feel more fleshed out to me. I know, as a tank, I am constantly evaluating my aggro levels and adjusting my orders appropriately. Also, within each class, there is a vast amount of variance (granted not many people stray from the most viable spec) of AA specs to choose from.Don't let people discourage you. I used to play WoW... gave it up. Came back to EQ2. Enjoy your stay!

Rahatmattata

12-01-2009, 09:59 PM

<cite>Cousland wrote:</cite><blockquote>I will be going home and deciding which server to play on,</blockquote>Do yourself a favor and play on Antonia Bayle if you actually care about not having to solo to level 80. If you want PvP, Nagafen.

Rorasis

12-01-2009, 10:52 PM

<cite>TerrorFirmer wrote:</cite><blockquote>I have played both. I have raided in both. To me, it comes down to what you want to do.I have far more fun raiding in EQ2 than I did in WOW (this was pre-TBC). Main tanked in both.Sure, a lot of the armor looks "better" in WoW, but it is also hyper stylized and cartoony. I honestly don't know if that makes a better game... I would hope people wouldn't think that graphics matter all that much. I really don't care much what the game looks like, as long as it is fun to play. I have made many friends that make playing the game enjoyable, it is just about finding those people, and you will.Single group wise? EQ2 blows WoW out of the water. The instances in EQ2 have been far more enjoyable than the ones I ran in WoW.Solo? Both are excrutiatingly boring. I'd say WoW is less so, but it has been so long I really can't say.Raid wise? Even though many healers currently suffer issues with extensive curing, I don't see this as an issue. It is still more fun that I ever had in WoW raids.Classes have much more complexity in this game. True, in WoW a druid could be all of those things, but had very few abilities to hit and it quickly became boring for me. I was a druid tank, they did exist, lol. Pressing the same buttons over and over again and staying awake is something a monkey could do. Although you get that to an extent in this game, as people figure out their preferred casting orders, there are more abilities and the classes feel more fleshed out to me. I know, as a tank, I am constantly evaluating my aggro levels and adjusting my orders appropriately. Also, within each class, there is a vast amount of variance (granted not many people stray from the most viable spec) of AA specs to choose from.Don't let people discourage you. I used to play WoW... gave it up. Came back to EQ2. Enjoy your stay!</blockquote>Classes are not more complex in this game, especially healers. Playing a healer, or a templar, at least, simply boiled down to rotating between various heals in a set order because the cooldowns on each spell didn't allow you to do anything else.

Seidhkona

12-02-2009, 01:49 AM

One thing to remember about the forums is that they are whiner magnets in EVERY game. Take whines and "my class is so broken" posts with a grain of salt - don't just accept them without some in-game experience to say whether the post is a valid beef or whinging.I personally love EQ2. My nieces play WOW and tried to get me into it, but the EQ2 graphics and lore and the vast number of quests keeps me in Norrath.Unlike some ofther RPGs out there, you can't roll a character too gimped to be viable. Don't worry too much about your race, or what AA to choose and so forth. It can ALL be re-specced later if you hate it. Pick a race you will not mind looking at the rump of for 80+ levels! Pick a class that appeals to your playstle and what you find fun, if you hate it don't play it!You have multiple character slots, so you can "test drive" different combos and see what feels best, then either keep or delete the others.Oh, and get you two things:<ol><li>Bookmark <a href="http://eq2.wikia.com/" target="_blank">EQ2i, the EverQuest 2 Wiki</a>. It will give you the answers to most of the questions you might ask, and then bookmark <a href="http://eq2.zam.com/" target="_blank">ZAM</a> as well. Both are great resources.</li><li>Get <a href="http://maps.eq2interface.com/" target="_blank">EQ2Maps</a> and install it. <a href="http://www.eq2interface.com/" target="_blank">The EQ2Interface.com</a> site is your home for UI mods. Coming from WOW, you might like <a href="http://www.eq2interface.com/downloads/info4633-ProfitUIUpdater.html" target="_blank">ProfitUI Reborn</a>, it's supposed to be similar to CTMod.</li></ol>

Nonnag

12-02-2009, 09:46 AM

Nonnag

12-02-2009, 09:46 AM

Alienor

12-02-2009, 10:43 AM

<cite>tarb wrote:</cite><blockquote>I really cant think of anything wow has over EQ2 or other games besides its easier and has more people</blockquote>Better advertising and you can actually buy it in shops and online retailers <img src="/smilies/69934afc394145350659cd7add244ca9.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />

Barr

12-02-2009, 12:11 PM

<cite>Alienor wrote:</cite><blockquote><cite>tarb wrote:</cite><blockquote>I really cant think of anything wow has over EQ2 or other games besides its easier and has more people</blockquote>Better advertising and you can actually buy it in shops and online retailers <img src="/eq2/images/smilies/69934afc394145350659cd7add244ca9.gif" border="0" /></blockquote>I actually saw EQ2 TSO Complete Bundle at GameStop <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /> They had a few copies displayed actually. Maybe one of the clerks there was a fan? lolIn response to some of the other concerns people left me with....I think Catacylsm is one reason WHY I am not really interested in WoW. It honestly is not appealing to me, at all. I also noticed when I was checking out my WoW account info, you can now do paid Faction change? lol. So it changes your race, etc. This, with addition to the "You will never be able to transfer Pve -> PvP..... Just kidding" showed me that no matter what, as long as you whine on the forums, you will get what you want. Just need to scream the loudest =)The AB server...I saw it was RP. How enforced is this? Honestly... I am just not into RP. I don't mind respecting those around me who do it, will gladly go on my way, group with them for questing/dungeons/etc, just.. meh not my thing. I was looking at Guk, Crushbone, and Mistmoore to be honest. Any ideas?TerrorFormer, just out of curiosity, why do you enjoy raiding in EQ over WoW? I have only raided WoW (MT as well ha... don't want to tank in EQ2. Gonna change it up <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /> ), so would be curious to know the differences. And I agree.. the over-the-top cartoony feel has worn on me quite a bit.Thanks for the links Seid, and the comments from everyone else!So last night, I created a vast array of different characters and got them all to around lvl 5 or 6, just to see the animations of the races that interested, and the animations of the classes that interested me. Started in all of the different areas, etc.It's a little tougher than I thought it was going to be heh. I don't even have a character and I already feel a case of altitis coming on. Doh. =(I am leaning towards Inq, Troub, Warden, or Wizard lol. So I guess that narrows it down some. Kinda. 2 Priests, a Scout, or a Mage lol. And I really enjoyed quite a few of the races lol.. so I guess more decisions will need to be made. Seems a bit overwhelming ha.Also, one thing I noticed- there seems to be ALOT to do in this game. Player housing, collecting shiney things, LnL, etc etc. Very cool.

Daggers

12-02-2009, 12:49 PM

I myself started back in the day with the original Everquest. The lore kinda held me for a while -- much more depth than WoW has/had. I wandered into EQ2 when it was released, but the computer requirements were more than my poor budget could afford at the time (WoW wasn't released yet anyways). I put EQ2 aside for the moment til the budget grew and wandered into other unmentionable games -- some fun, some not. But they all seemed to miss something for me.....lore and content. So I wandered back into EQ2 during 'free time' to test the waters, as it were, and see if my computer could handle it more. I even went back into EQ1 for a time and noticed just how lost one could get in a game that is up to what, 13 expansions?Then WoW came out. I played up Horde and Alliance at near the same time, getting a Rogue up to 60 on each side of the fence there. It was a magnificent game when it first came out. The content, while not as expansive as Norrath's, was fun and fresh. The Alliance side was rather dull and goody-goody for my tastes, and waaaaaaay too crowded. Every 10 year old boy playing up Night Elf girl avatars just to watch their unmentionables jiggle, all the while spewing 'I know you are but what am I' across every known chat channel the game had. It was sickening. So I went Horde-side. Slightly higher class of player on that side (and sure, there were idiots there too, but far less "kids" due to not having a 'pretty race' on that side at the time -- The Burning Crusade ruined even that...)Both my toons, Alliance and Horde were in raiding guilds during BC and WotLK, though the Horde side seemed to have more flavour still, so I retired my Alliance Rogue and played up another Horde -- a Shaman this time. Shamans in EQ1 were a unique class. The whole 'root and cook' philosophy was difficult to master, but well-rewarding when you did. I figured if EQ1 could do a shaman and make 'em fun, maybe WoW? Nah....shamans in WoW were a bad design. They were as 'homogenized' as EQ2 characters (as someone mentioned in a post up a bit). Every class in WoW developed the same thing. You had a heal spec, a DPS spec, and a Tank spec. Yea, shamans never really tanked though, substituting a tank spec for a Mage spec -- whatever (though full enhancement spec you could tank quite well, really). Shamans got shafted with the bit of never quite being 'good' at any one of those specs just because they had heals. Blizzard seems to think that if you give a class the ability to heal, no matter how mana-intensive it is, that you don't need to give a class anything else...a PvP mindset, I'm sure.Anyways, after raiding in Wrath of the Lich King and seeing the encounters that were unique the first two times, then they got really dull, I finally decided to give EQ2 another go. My computer was since upgraded pretty well and I knew EQ2 could throw its best at me and I'd still be able to play.Honestly, I couldn't think of a better decision. EQ2 has MUCH more content, still, and a player community that actually seems a bit more knowledgable, without the immature 'nekkid mailbox dancing' you inevitably had no matter where you went in WoW. The graphics were superb, still (far ahead of their time for when the game was released), and the environments and raids were/are fun (except TSO's insistent need for 100 Cure Pots per fight...). Even tradeskilling, if you're into that sorta thing, was enough to keep you busy on off days if you're not raiding or doing the bajillion Solo and group instances.Would I recommend EQ2 to another person? Yes, I have and I will. Call me an old softy, but Everquest in general has always held more lore and content than any of the 14 other MMOs I've played over the years. Their writers and developers actually seem to care about the 'How's and Why's'.As to what server, to me (and I know some gits out there will flame) PvP is an incredibly unbalanced concept and should NOT be in MMOs at all due to the constant struggle to balance PvP against PvE elements -- You fix one, you break the other, and vice versa. So in my honest and someone skewed opinion, a PvP server for EQ2 is a bad choice. It's fun to go there now and again and blow off steam by beating the bajeezus out of the other races, but nothing longterm.Some of the servers in EQ2 are doing far better than others. Reading the forums here you read how Antonius Bayle server is one of the laggiest due to crowds. As you mentioned though, it is an RP server. Something tells me though, that if it IS the most crowded server, I'm willing to guess that RP isn't terribly enforced. The idea of thousand(s) of players all Roleplaying on one server seems hard to believe...I play on Unrest. It isn't the most crowded, but it most certainly isn't the least either. Quite a large population on Unrest, and its a 'Normal' server, so if you've any qualms about RP, you needn't worry about it here. Levelling up is still going to be iffy at times due to the numbers. A lot of folks are just levelling up Alts through the old content and you might be able to snag a ride in their groups as they speed through the instances. As to genuine newbie groups doing newbie content, you'll find those rarely. Still, nothing a yell in a chat channel won't generally solve. Players in EQ2 seem a bit more cooperative, especially since you don't have the language barrier between factions that WoW has (and EQ2 HAD at one time). Good and Evil all see the same channels and can all help.I have rambled enough, and Hell won't run itself, so I'm off to work. I do wish you enjoyment in EQ2 -- to me, its one of the best out there, and I'm sure you'll see it.

Rorasis

12-02-2009, 12:55 PM

I do agree with a few of the other posters in this thread. If you're not looking for PvP, Antonia Bayle would be the least dead server. Don't let others tempt you into rolling on their ghost town servers.

Edith

12-02-2009, 01:02 PM

There is no role play enforcement. Of course, on RP servers you must not impinge upon other players role playing fun, but no one is going to "make" you join in. I play on Lucan D'Lere, another RP server; I can think of only two occasions where people randomly engaged in role play with me. Most of the time the rp is at planed events or in established locations. Now there are a few people who insist on speaking "in character" in level chat. Personally, I just make use of my ignore function; I abhor ratonga/ogre-speak in the midst of people looking for groups etc. I wouldn't let concern about rp hold you back from seeking a solid population base, as having people to group with is far more important than the occasional annoyance of pidgin-English-speaking ratongas discussing their cheese mania.

Qinwena

12-02-2009, 01:29 PM

<cite>Daggers@Unrest wrote:</cite><blockquote>Honestly, I couldn't think of a better decision. EQ2 has MUCH more content, still, and a player community that actually seems a bit more knowledgable, without the immature 'nekkid mailbox dancing' you inevitably had no matter where you went in WoW. The graphics were superb, still (far ahead of their time for when the game was released), and the environments and raids were/are fun (except TSO's insistent need for 100 Cure Pots per fight...). Even tradeskilling, if you're into that sorta thing, was enough to keep you busy on off days if you're not raiding or doing the bajillion Solo and group instances.</blockquote>This right here, pretty much sums it up for me as well. Again, it's all personal experiences, but when I was getting to a point of 'bleh, nothing better to do but log into WoW" or anything along those lines, I knew it was my time. I came back to EQ2, found an amazing group of people, and I get excited to log in, to craft, help our lowbies, make the bridge between WoW and EQ2 for newcomers coming over from there (My guild leaders have not played WoW as indepth as I did, so I am able to 'speak both languages' so to speak).But yes, at the end of the day it truly is the people that make the places. At least in EQ2, I don't feel knee-deep in jerks and elitists. I mean, I can NOT log into EQ2 without stuff to do! Oh and with Frostfell on it's way, I have my decorations up IRL and I am so ready for Frostfell I have been bouncing off the walls over an in game event.So I wish you the best in your decision, and if you find yourself on AB, Feel free to look me up and say hi <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />

Rorasis

12-02-2009, 01:43 PM

<cite>Daggers@Unrest wrote:</cite><blockquote>I myself started back in the day with the original Everquest. The lore kinda held me for a while -- much more depth than WoW has/had. I wandered into EQ2 when it was released, but the computer requirements were more than my poor budget could afford at the time (WoW wasn't released yet anyways). I put EQ2 aside for the moment til the budget grew and wandered into other unmentionable games -- some fun, some not. But they all seemed to miss something for me.....lore and content. So I wandered back into EQ2 during 'free time' to test the waters, as it were, and see if my computer could handle it more. I even went back into EQ1 for a time and noticed just how lost one could get in a game that is up to what, 13 expansions?Then WoW came out. I played up Horde and Alliance at near the same time, getting a Rogue up to 60 on each side of the fence there. It was a magnificent game when it first came out. The content, while not as expansive as Norrath's, was fun and fresh. The Alliance side was rather dull and goody-goody for my tastes, and waaaaaaay too crowded. Every 10 year old boy playing up Night Elf girl avatars just to watch their unmentionables jiggle, all the while spewing 'I know you are but what am I' across every known chat channel the game had. It was sickening. So I went Horde-side. Slightly higher class of player on that side (and sure, there were idiots there too, but far less "kids" due to not having a 'pretty race' on that side at the time -- The Burning Crusade ruined even that...)Both my toons, Alliance and Horde were in raiding guilds during BC and WotLK, though the Horde side seemed to have more flavour still, so I retired my Alliance Rogue and played up another Horde -- a Shaman this time. Shamans in EQ1 were a unique class. The whole 'root and cook' philosophy was difficult to master, but well-rewarding when you did. I figured if EQ1 could do a shaman and make 'em fun, maybe WoW? Nah....shamans in WoW were a bad design. They were as 'homogenized' as EQ2 characters (as someone mentioned in a post up a bit). Every class in WoW developed the same thing. You had a heal spec, a DPS spec, and a Tank spec. Yea, shamans never really tanked though, substituting a tank spec for a Mage spec -- whatever (though full enhancement spec you could tank quite well, really). Shamans got shafted with the bit of never quite being 'good' at any one of those specs just because they had heals. Blizzard seems to think that if you give a class the ability to heal, no matter how mana-intensive it is, that you don't need to give a class anything else...a PvP mindset, I'm sure.Anyways, after raiding in Wrath of the Lich King and seeing the encounters that were unique the first two times, then they got really dull, I finally decided to give EQ2 another go. My computer was since upgraded pretty well and I knew EQ2 could throw its best at me and I'd still be able to play.Honestly, I couldn't think of a better decision. EQ2 has MUCH more content, still, and a player community that actually seems a bit more knowledgable, without the immature 'nekkid mailbox dancing' you inevitably had no matter where you went in WoW. The graphics were superb, still (far ahead of their time for when the game was released), and the environments and raids were/are fun (except TSO's insistent need for 100 Cure Pots per fight...). Even tradeskilling, if you're into that sorta thing, was enough to keep you busy on off days if you're not raiding or doing the bajillion Solo and group instances.Would I recommend EQ2 to another person? Yes, I have and I will. Call me an old softy, but Everquest in general has always held more lore and content than any of the 14 other MMOs I've played over the years. Their writers and developers actually seem to care about the 'How's and Why's'.As to what server, to me (and I know some gits out there will flame) PvP is an incredibly unbalanced concept and should NOT be in MMOs at all due to the constant struggle to balance PvP against PvE elements -- You fix one, you break the other, and vice versa. So in my honest and someone skewed opinion, a PvP server for EQ2 is a bad choice. It's fun to go there now and again and blow off steam by beating the bajeezus out of the other races, but nothing longterm.Some of the servers in EQ2 are doing far better than others. Reading the forums here you read how Antonius Bayle server is one of the laggiest due to crowds. As you mentioned though, it is an RP server. Something tells me though, that if it IS the most crowded server, I'm willing to guess that RP isn't terribly enforced. The idea of thousand(s) of players all Roleplaying on one server seems hard to believe...I play on Unrest. It isn't the most crowded, but it most certainly isn't the least either. Quite a large population on Unrest, and its a 'Normal' server, so if you've any qualms about RP, you needn't worry about it here. Levelling up is still going to be iffy at times due to the numbers. A lot of folks are just levelling up Alts through the old content and you might be able to snag a ride in their groups as they speed through the instances. As to genuine newbie groups doing newbie content, you'll find those rarely. Still, nothing a yell in a chat channel won't generally solve. Players in EQ2 seem a bit more cooperative, especially since you don't have the language barrier between factions that WoW has (and EQ2 HAD at one time). Good and Evil all see the same channels and can all help.I have rambled enough, and Hell won't run itself, so I'm off to work. I do wish you enjoyment in EQ2 -- to me, its one of the best out there, and I'm sure you'll see it.</blockquote>First bold: Fallacy, but one that is held by many people.Second bold: False. Druids, shamans, priests, and paladins can do just as much DPS as other DPS classes if they spec for it.Third Bold: If EQ2 had dances that could be looped and didn't suck, as well as the ability to strip down to real underwear, it would have naked mailbox dancing. The thing is, no one wants to be seen doing that ugly, spastic dance, and characters in EQ2 are unable to strip down to real underwear. So, there is no naked mailbox dancing not because of some perceived maturity, but because the ability to dance naked on a mailbox simply isn't available.

Saihung23

12-02-2009, 02:45 PM

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tFIexbCjtUI" target="_blank">Naked Mailbox Dance</a> Except not naked...its more of just a mailbox dance.Welcome to Norrath! Again!!:PHere's to you finding many friends, adventures and fun in EQ2. Glad you found your way back, no matter the circumstances. ;P

Tehom

12-02-2009, 02:53 PM

<cite>Rebaleo@Antonia Bayle wrote:</cite><blockquote>Classes are not more complex in this game, especially healers. Playing a healer, or a templar, at least, simply boiled down to rotating between various heals in a set order because the cooldowns on each spell didn't allow you to do anything else.</blockquote>Well, I can't really say how complicated classes are in WoW since the game didn't hold my interest, but Templars are pretty much the simplest and least involved of the healer classes by a large degree. Even then, there's occasional subtleties to the class that some people may not grasp, though I imagine that'd be true even of the simplest WoW classes as well.

Qinwena

12-02-2009, 02:55 PM

<cite>Roboto@Antonia Bayle wrote:</cite><blockquote><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tFIexbCjtUI" target="_blank">Naked Mailbox Dance</a> Except not naked...its more of just a mailbox dance.Welcome to Norrath! Again!!<img src="/smilies/69934afc394145350659cd7add244ca9.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />Here's to you finding many friends, adventures and fun in EQ2. Glad you found your way back, no matter the circumstances. ;P</blockquote>omg Roboto LOL...that was awesome! <img src="/smilies/283a16da79f3aa23fe1025c96295f04f.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /> Thank you, I so needed that today hehe!

Barr

12-02-2009, 04:36 PM

One of my biggest complaints with WoW is that... it just seems so, linear? Does that make any sense? I literally sat in some of the starter zones a couple days ago, and just stared. No motivation or desire to play really. Seriously, the only reason I want to have the desire to play is the *huge* playerbase. Always people on running dungeons, etc. I already have a lvl 80 WoW character, but meh. Not to mention the graphics in that game makes me feel like I am watching the Disney channel or something. No offense to anyone...I will probably end up rolling on AB, just to ensure there are alot of people on. I looked at the lists yesterday during my playing hours (6PM EST - 12 or 1AM EST), AB was Heavy almost the entire time. Crushbone was next, followed by Guk/Unrest. Having alot of people on is important to me. I don't want to play an MMO and play by myself. Thats why I have SP RPG's <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />I would like to raid eventually EQ2 endgame. I am by no means wanting to speed/power level though. EQ2 has alot to offer lore/content wise, and I plan on taking my time through it.I want to play a class that fits the following, just having a tough time deciding what class:Grouping. I would much rather prefer to group alot doing instances (I remember doing FG, Varsoon, and couple other low low end instances a long time ago), with some solo questing on the side. Again, I play MMO's to play with others. I like groups, I like doing dungeon crawls. Hopefully I will be able to find groups that want to do them, not just speedrush these things to powerlvl an alt.Raiding. Endgame, I would like to be involved with raiding. I truly did enjoy this part in other MMO's, I have a ton of free time and an open schedule (I work M-F, 9-5PM...so I can play alot lol), but from what I have... some classes have almost no chance of being invited on these raid groups. Ouch.I am undecided if I want to heal or DPS. It seems DPS would be slightly easier, with only having to keep one set of gear, etc etc. Healing would require a seperate gearset for healing or solo'ing etc. So I am not sure.I have narrowed it down to the following: Inquisitor, Templar, Warden, Troubador, Defiler, Wizard, or Lock. lol, I know that isn't very narrowed, but.. these seem to interest me the most. Ugh, I hate being indecisive lol. I do know that I enjoy playing the race opposite of what you would expect lol, i.e, an Ogre mage, Ratonga tank, etc. But, that is a topic for different thread <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />

Saihung23

12-02-2009, 05:20 PM

Ratonga tankspfftNobody in their right mind would even consider it.>.><.<Anywho, Defilers are evidently popular in the endgame...from what I see here, and in chat. Inquisitors are also pretty popular and they solo (which we all do now and again) well enough to not make you drool while waiting for a mob to die.Both are healers, but defilers are seemingly desired for their debuffs over their heals. That might make it more interesting than your run of the mill, "Hey you! Healer dude! HEAL MEH!".Troubs are also pretty nice to have along on stuff....in the end game...which I have not played yet....yeah...maybe I should stop giving suggestions.Generally thats why I keep it short, like, "HEY WELCOME TO NORRATH! Don't drink the green kool-aid or touch my stuff";)I vote Inq. If there is a vote. That would be my vote.

Rolend

12-02-2009, 05:24 PM

Just wanted to say "hello" to Cousland, welcome to the party! <img src="/eq2/images/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" />I just recently returned myself, after never really getting a toon that high before...still have my WoW and LOTRO subs and still enjoy playing mostly solo/casual on those when the mood strikes me. Been really impressed with LOTRO actually but that's another story hehI rolled on Kithicor (PvE) and am having a good time with my lvl 11 Paladin...What brought me back to EQ2 was the fact that here was a game that I could now place well on my current comp that had a huge unexplored world (for me) and was quite different from what I was playing atm.So far I've been happy with my choice to come back. I enjoy Questing and I'm playing at my own pace (no guild as of yet and I kind of like the non-pressure freedom)Still learning about AA and this "slider" thing...not sure if I understand it completely yet but I will <img src="/eq2/images/smilies/8a80c6485cd926be453217d59a84a888.gif" border="0" />Now that I know about AB and it's larger pop I wonder if that might of been better...but I see people here running about a bit and the chat has been helpful and polite thus far...so I'm happy for now <img src="/eq2/images/smilies/8a80c6485cd926be453217d59a84a888.gif" border="0" />Sorry to hear about your rocky path to get back to the game, but I'll venture to say I "believe" you're better off now...had a similar experience with wife #1 heh so I know of what I speak somewhat <img src="/eq2/images/smilies/8a80c6485cd926be453217d59a84a888.gif" border="0" />My current (and last) wife is wonderful in comparison...never allow someone to try and change you into not being who you are! And look for someone with a healthy self esteem! Those are my 2 suggestions I've learned in my brief 43 years lolAnywho...glad you found the game again as I did, hope you find your journey to be fun and satisfying!Best of luck & good hunting!ps - did you mention which server you decided on? might of missed it.......just curious <img src="/eq2/images/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" />pss - ok now I see that it looks like you went with AB, keep us posted on what your impression is, I'm currious about lagg and the general mood/feel of the chat channels...helpfull? friendly? spama-lot? dead? thx

Rorasis

12-02-2009, 06:36 PM

<cite>Cousland wrote:</cite><blockquote>One of my biggest complaints with WoW is that... it just seems so, linear? Does that make any sense? I literally sat in some of the starter zones a couple days ago, and just stared. No motivation or desire to play really. Seriously, the only reason I want to have the desire to play is the *huge* playerbase. Always people on running dungeons, etc. I already have a lvl 80 WoW character, but meh. Not to mention the graphics in that game makes me feel like I am watching the Disney channel or something. No offense to anyone...I will probably end up rolling on AB, just to ensure there are alot of people on. I looked at the lists yesterday during my playing hours (6PM EST - 12 or 1AM EST), AB was Heavy almost the entire time. Crushbone was next, followed by Guk/Unrest. Having alot of people on is important to me. I don't want to play an MMO and play by myself. Thats why I have SP RPG's <img src="/eq2/images/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" />I would like to raid eventually EQ2 endgame. I am by no means wanting to speed/power level though. EQ2 has alot to offer lore/content wise, and I plan on taking my time through it.I want to play a class that fits the following, just having a tough time deciding what class:Grouping. I would much rather prefer to group alot doing instances (I remember doing FG, Varsoon, and couple other low low end instances a long time ago), with some solo questing on the side. Again, I play MMO's to play with others. I like groups, I like doing dungeon crawls. Hopefully I will be able to find groups that want to do them, not just speedrush these things to powerlvl an alt.Raiding. Endgame, I would like to be involved with raiding. I truly did enjoy this part in other MMO's, I have a ton of free time and an open schedule (I work M-F, 9-5PM...so I can play alot lol), but from what I have... some classes have almost no chance of being invited on these raid groups. Ouch.I am undecided if I want to heal or DPS. It seems DPS would be slightly easier, with only having to keep one set of gear, etc etc. Healing would require a seperate gearset for healing or solo'ing etc. So I am not sure.I have narrowed it down to the following: Inquisitor, Templar, Warden, Troubador, Defiler, Wizard, or Lock. lol, I know that isn't very narrowed, but.. these seem to interest me the most. Ugh, I hate being indecisive lol. I do know that I enjoy playing the race opposite of what you would expect lol, i.e, an Ogre mage, Ratonga tank, etc. But, that is a topic for different thread <img src="/eq2/images/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" /></blockquote>I can tell you that healing as a templar is boring as hell. If I were you, I'd play a troubador. Bards are very popular in groups. Also, make the troubador an ogre. That would be full of win.

Balihai

12-02-2009, 06:36 PM

<cite>Cousland wrote:</cite><blockquote>I have narrowed it down to the following: Inquisitor, Templar, Warden, Troubador, Defiler, Wizard, or Lock.</blockquote> Inquisitor (inq) FTW! In all seriousness, I have an inq alt, which I love to play (Naggy is my home) and next to my primary char (illusionist) it is one of the most fun classes there is IMO. You can melee mobs, heal and de-buff the be-jesus out of enemies so that your friends can smite them down. Also, the Inquisitor’s mythical weapon has a very nice ability that is very much desirable to raiding end of game (I beg, pled and fight to have an INQ in my raid grp whenever possible). One word of caution. Clerics (Inqs & Templars) are not very “power efficient” and you will need to watch your power when deciding what to cast and when. Best advice: Make friends with an enchanter (Illusionist / Coercer) that you can grp with allot and you shouldn’t really have to worry about the power problems. Have Fun!

tarb

12-02-2009, 06:58 PM

fawdown

12-02-2009, 07:49 PM

<cite>Rahatmattata wrote:</cite><blockquote><cite>Cousland wrote:</cite><blockquote>I will be going home and deciding which server to play on,</blockquote>Do yourself a favor and play on Antonia Bayle if you actually care about not having to solo to level 80. If you want PvP, Nagafen.</blockquote>Most of the servers have good populations during peak hours. The best thing is to look at a few and go on them at your normal play times. Watch the chat channels. But bear in mind that populations are lower at low levels on all servers. It shouldn't take long to be in a good place. My server only starts to drop down after midnight PST. Before that it's crowded. Enjoy.BTW...it's all in the sales pitch and attitude.

Bromir

12-02-2009, 09:21 PM

<cite>Rebaleo@Antonia Bayle wrote:</cite><blockquote>You'll find the forum community with each game to be relatively similar, eloquence aside. People on this forum generally have the same attitudes. The communities ingame really aren't any different. EQ2 is cheaper, yes. More races, true, but many of the races share the same body and have some rather odd quirks, despite having a large number of polygons. More classes isn't always better. EQ2, for example, has far too many, and the classes themselves feel somewhat dull and homogenized.A better class model would be found in EQ1 or Vanguard, but I'd still say WoW's is better than EQ2's. Fewer classes, but most of the classes can have more than one role. A druid, for example, has many in WoW. Could be healer, ranged DPS, melee DPS, tank. WoW's classes have more flexibility in what they can do and how they do it.WoW does run better, but EQ2 is trying to fix itself. If it ever will remains to be seen. WoW's world is, in general, more inspired. They make environments and structures that can make the viewer stop and say "Wow." Other games have done this for me, but EQ2 is not one of them.One major bonus to EQ2, especially if you're a roleplayer, is the player housing. It's fun to make your own home.One major negative to EQ2 is the armor and clothing design. There's little variation. Sentinel's Fate is supposedly going to work on this, but SOE has said a lot in the past. I'll believe it when I see it. WoW has more diverse outfits, and this leads to a much better experience for those who roleplay.Personal preference: WoW has a distinct artistic style that manages to make liberal use of the colors available. EQ2's seems to rely heavily on dull, natural colors.Spell graphics: EQ2's spell graphics are awful. Simply awful. Classes all seem to share the same or similar particle effects, and the particle effects do NOT look good. They are too gaudy, and many of them don't even look like what they're supposed to. A fireball doesn't look like a fireball. It looks like a ball of orange fluff. WoW's fireballs... look like fireballs, and classes generally have their own spell effects.Animations: Let's face it. WoW's are better. Each race has its own animations and its own emotes. In EQ2, all the older races generally share all their animations. It's only the new ones that have animations of their own.Water graphics: EQ2 has wonderful water. WoW's is bad, but it is getting a significant improvement in Cataclysm.WoW also has better dungeons and fewer loading screens, which is always a plus. Not to mention it has more creative quests.If you have fun in EQ2, that's good. I wouldn't be surprised if you come to dislike it once the shiny new toy mindset is gone. I'll be very surprised if you continue playing EQ2 after Cataclysm is released.Random rambling mode: deactivated.</blockquote>I'll make this short.. I simply disagree with all your statements.. except for the water ..You make yourself look like a "wowcatcher" and you fail rather well..

scalzo

12-02-2009, 09:45 PM

If she wouldn't let you get your game on then you should have kicked her to the curb before she and your friend betrayed you. Hopefully he is no longer your friend because with friends like that who needs enemies right? Tell him to enjoy watching TV alone LoLz.

Barr

12-02-2009, 10:15 PM

Barr

12-02-2009, 10:15 PM

<cite>scalzo wrote:</cite><blockquote>If she wouldn't let you get your game on then you should have kicked her to the curb before she and your friend betrayed you. Hopefully he is no longer your friend because with friends like that who needs enemies right? Tell him to enjoy watching TV alone LoLz.</blockquote>lol Nope. No longer associate with him, for the best <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />Having a tough time deciding a class lol. I hate being indecisive.

Barr

12-02-2009, 10:32 PM

Trying to decide between Templar or Inquisitor. Doing some research to see what the differences are, how they are utilized in a raid environment, etc.

Rorasis

12-02-2009, 11:19 PM

<cite>Cousland wrote:</cite><blockquote>Trying to decide between Templar or Inquisitor. Doing some research to see what the differences are, how they are utilized in a raid environment, etc.</blockquote>Blah. Healers. Just be warned that soloing a templar is awful until you get a good amount of AAs. Once you get access to all your melee crit, double attack, and flurry AAs though, it gets better. Haven't played an inquis.

Barr

12-03-2009, 01:21 AM

<cite>Rebaleo@Antonia Bayle wrote:</cite><blockquote><cite>Cousland wrote:</cite><blockquote>Trying to decide between Templar or Inquisitor. Doing some research to see what the differences are, how they are utilized in a raid environment, etc.</blockquote>Blah. Healers. </blockquote>Whats wrong with Healers?

Tehom

12-03-2009, 04:33 AM

<cite>Cousland wrote:</cite><blockquote>Trying to decide between Templar or Inquisitor. Doing some research to see what the differences are, how they are utilized in a raid environment, etc.</blockquote>Raidwise, they're about equal in the endgame, with -maybe- a slight edge to inquisitor for preferring multiples while usually only wanting one templar. They're pretty well balanced. In heroic content, pre-raiding, there might be an edge to templars, because they enhance tank survivability a little bit more. The short version is that in the endgame, inquisitors cure better than anyone else, which is an extremely large edge in current raids, and enhance group damage more while templars enhance tank survivability more. So you usually have a templar in the group with the main tank, and inquisitors pretty much anywhere else. I should mention that the templar edge to MT survivability isn't so pronounced that it's really scoffed at to use inquisitors in a MT group, though. It's helpful, not essential. The balance varies at different stages of raiding progression though, since gear matters a -lot-. Templars have a significant edge in earlier raid content where curing isn't emphasized and inquisitors lack key items from later raid content (namely, an armor set bonus that makes their otherwise single-target hp buff go groupwide).Soloing there is absolutely no contest, an inquisitor blows a templar out of the water. Inquisitors can go for an AA melee spec that'll make them do enormously more damage. They're also much more active priests to play, as they get more significant debuffs than templars do.I would really urge you to go inquisitor if you don't have a strong preference between the two.

MurFalad

12-03-2009, 07:13 AM

<cite>Rebaleo@Antonia Bayle wrote:</cite><blockquote>A better class model would be found in EQ1 or Vanguard, but I'd still say WoW's is better than EQ2's. Fewer classes, but most of the classes can have more than one role. A druid, for example, has many in WoW. Could be healer, ranged DPS, melee DPS, tank. WoW's classes have more flexibility in what they can do and how they do it.</blockquote>They do have more flexibility and one thing I think EQ2 is lighter on is the mini games you play to play the class (basically cooldowns and blending them + reacting to events) is a bit better down in WoW, although they have simplified a lot of it when things get to complex for the average player which I find a shame. Tanking literally doesn't happen in WoW now, you just hit a couple of buttons and mobs stick to you for example.The other problem I have is the flexibility means every class feels very similar to another now, they have different graphics and a different skill order but they all AoE, most can all crowd control etc. I prefer a game where you have limitations to your class, but that also means you have advantages, as soon as you let everyone do everything you do lose that.<cite>Rebaleo@Antonia Bayle wrote:</cite><blockquote>WoW's world is, in general, more inspired. They make environments and structures that can make the viewer stop and say "Wow." Other games have done this for me, but EQ2 is not one of them.</blockquote>I played WoW for 3 years and never once was inspired by the world in the way EQ2 has (played currently about 2 years), especially seeing the Moors of Ykesha and the scale of things along with the harsh beauty of the lands, a beauty I can actually believe in. In contrast WoW went the other way, more and more they mimic the RTS game the lore was based on in the cartoony style, I just cannot believe in a cartoon, TBC was the height of the game for me there in WoW a couple of areas had some real emotional feel to them, after that it went downhill badly as they seemed to shift to the heroic cartoon genre.<cite>Rebaleo@Antonia Bayle wrote:</cite><blockquote>One major negative to EQ2 is the armor and clothing design. There's little variation. Sentinel's Fate is supposedly going to work on this, but SOE has said a lot in the past. I'll believe it when I see it. WoW has more diverse outfits, and this leads to a much better experience for those who roleplay.</blockquote>I guess you just like the WoW style, me personally I don't, the more outlandish and cartoony the sillier it looks, its a big appeal for me the general look of EQ2 with its realism, knights in armour look like they are wearing real armour and not a collection of spikey scrap metal.<cite>Rebaleo@Antonia Bayle wrote:</cite><blockquote>Animations: Let's face it. WoW's are better. Each race has its own animations and its own emotes. In EQ2, all the older races generally share all their animations. It's only the new ones that have animations of their own.</blockquote>Lets not, are you joking here? EQ2's are motion captured so offer fluid realistic movement, WoW's are a computer game modelled one where some are ok, others are just plain awful (human casting is a real hum-dinger - they move like action men). Here is one test, zoom right into a Froglok in EQ2 right as close as you can get and observe, the eyes move smoothly, the nose breaths and its clear my Froglok is alive.Do the same in WoW and you see the blink is a one frame animation, the face is rigid just a picture, for that reason I find everything looks samey there since you have to view it at a distance to try to not see the low detail of their models.Personally I'm cheesed off with the dozen or so MMO's out there now that use these sort of graphic short cuts to get a slightly higher FPS, lots of people keep harping on about how beautiful they look but when I look I just see every short cut and quick fix. From 2D models wrapped around simple 3D heads that have no real 3D detail on them, to long range pictures being 2D paintings to the stylised approach to rendering a world that always results in less detail, and that makes the game look pretty awful, I guess EQ2 spoils me here.

Rorasis

12-03-2009, 01:02 PM

<cite>MurFalad wrote:</cite><blockquote>Personally I'm cheesed off with the dozen or so MMO's out there now that use these sort of graphic short cuts to get a slightly higher FPS, lots of people keep harping on about how beautiful they look but when I look I just see every short cut and quick fix. From 2D models wrapped around simple 3D heads that have no real 3D detail on them, to long range pictures being 2D paintings to the stylised approach to rendering a world that always results in less detail, and that makes the game look pretty awful, I guess EQ2 spoils me here.</blockquote>Performance is key. I'm sure EQ2's lack of it is one reason behind why it never took off.

Yimway

12-03-2009, 01:22 PM

<cite>Chath@Antonia Bayle wrote:</cite><blockquote><cite>Cousland wrote:</cite><blockquote>Trying to decide between Templar or Inquisitor. Doing some research to see what the differences are, how they are utilized in a raid environment, etc.</blockquote>Raidwise, they're about equal in the endgame, with -maybe- a slight edge to inquisitor for preferring multiples while usually only wanting one templar. They're pretty well balanced. In heroic content, pre-raiding, there might be an edge to templars, because they enhance tank survivability a little bit more. The short version is that in the endgame, inquisitors cure better than anyone else, which is an extremely large edge in current raids, and enhance group damage more while templars enhance tank survivability more. So you usually have a templar in the group with the main tank, and inquisitors pretty much anywhere else. I should mention that the templar edge to MT survivability isn't so pronounced that it's really scoffed at to use inquisitors in a MT group, though. It's helpful, not essential. The balance varies at different stages of raiding progression though, since gear matters a -lot-. Templars have a significant edge in earlier raid content where curing isn't emphasized and inquisitors lack key items from later raid content (namely, an armor set bonus that makes their otherwise single-target hp buff go groupwide).Soloing there is absolutely no contest, an inquisitor blows a templar out of the water. Inquisitors can go for an AA melee spec that'll make them do enormously more damage. They're also much more active priests to play, as they get more significant debuffs than templars do.I would really urge you to go inquisitor if you don't have a strong preference between the two.</blockquote>Chath summed it up perfectly really.I'd go Inq cause they're in higher demand as they're needed for more raid slots. Your going to find most guilds have a long standing templar similar to how they have a long standing MT. Heck, generally I find the two raid slots most commonly formed up of guild officers/leadership, cause of how integral they are to success. Cracking your way into a raid guild today as a templar isn't an easy task. Finding a slot in a good raiding guild as an inquisitor is a much simpler task.Coupled with the inq being an absolute blast to play solo, well, its a non-choice for me.

Dareena

12-03-2009, 01:36 PM

While I'm also an Inquisitor lover and have one as my secondary character, I should also warn you about something. In some respects, Inq has a social stigma of being one of the black sheep. People will tell you that you should roll either a Templar or Defiler since those are the "best" healers. On my LDL server, Inq are a minority and a suprising number of people don't properly appreciate what the class can do.From all that's ever been explained to me, this "back of the bus" mentality in the player base is a left over from the pre-EOF days when Inq couldn't melee spec via AA. However since EOF and TSO AA options, the main short comings of the class have been generally sewn up.Inquisitor is a blast to play. As a person who plays a Brigand main, it's the only healer that I've been able to find that satisfies my need to debuff and dps like a Brig. However you do get some control effects on the Inq, which has let me consistently solo ^^^ nameds as I'm leveling in a way that was never possible on my Brig.

Sedenten

12-03-2009, 02:56 PM

<cite>Cousland wrote:</cite><blockquote>I would like to raid eventually EQ2 endgame. I am by no means wanting to speed/power level though. EQ2 has alot to offer lore/content wise, and I plan on taking my time through it.I want to play a class that fits the following, just having a tough time deciding what class:Grouping. I would much rather prefer to group alot doing instances (I remember doing FG, Varsoon, and couple other low low end instances a long time ago), with some solo questing on the side. Again, I play MMO's to play with others. I like groups, I like doing dungeon crawls. Hopefully I will be able to find groups that want to do them, not just speedrush these things to powerlvl an alt.Raiding. Endgame, I would like to be involved with raiding. I truly did enjoy this part in other MMO's, I have a ton of free time and an open schedule (I work M-F, 9-5PM...so I can play alot lol), but from what I have... some classes have almost no chance of being invited on these raid groups. Ouch.I am undecided if I want to heal or DPS. It seems DPS would be slightly easier, with only having to keep one set of gear, etc etc. Healing would require a seperate gearset for healing or solo'ing etc. So I am not sure.I have narrowed it down to the following: Inquisitor, Templar, Warden, Troubador, Defiler, Wizard, or Lock. lol, I know that isn't very narrowed, but.. these seem to interest me the most. Ugh, I hate being indecisive lol. I do know that I enjoy playing the race opposite of what you would expect lol, i.e, an Ogre mage, Ratonga tank, etc. But, that is a topic for different thread <img src="/eq2/images/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" /></blockquote>I agree with the first sentence here completely. Please don't hurry to the endgame, as you'll ruin the entire fun of getting there. Don't be afraid to turn off your experience (you can completely control what gives experience by right-clicking your experience bar and toggling options on/off) and enjoy questing just for Alternate Advancement points while you progress through a zone. They've sped up the natural leveling a ton from original release so I'll usually do this with alts to explore content I didn't really get a chance to see the first time through to 80.As for the classes you listed, it's going to depend on what you're really shooting for. Every class in the game has a bit of variety and abilities that set them apart from their counterparts. You'll never find a case where all 24 are balanced at any given time, and certain classes bounce back and forth with each expansion (summoners are currently the undisputed underdog).Personally I'm a defiler, and will likely never play another class as a main. The downside of defilers is they severely lack DPS but are extremely solid healers and highly desired (especially if you master the class and become known as a good defiler). It takes about 30 levels to fully realize what defilers can be capable of and soloing with one can be a pain (but rewarding if you take the time to do so). In the end game (currently anyway) they are typically the foundation of your main tank healers alongside templars. For the parse monkeys out there, the main tank defiler will almost always be top of the numbers (though heal parses aren't as useful as DPS parses). Both shaman master in prevention of damage, which is currently one of the most powerful forms of healing in the game. Shaman are also the fastest single target curers in the game. Templars are also highly desired (one of the two most potent healers in the game and the strongest health buffers available), though I never have played one to a high level. Inquisitors are a prime example of a battle priest (they even have an AA line of that name) and are quite powerful in the current endgame (mythical epic + the new Shadows AA lines). Their healing is less than a templar, but they have many perks that allow them to hold their own (i.e. they are monsters of group cures once they get their mythical). They are also probably one of the easiest priests to solo with, alongside furies. There's issues with raiding on both druids (wardens/furies), which hopefully will be addressed next February with the expansion. Druid regeneration spells (their bread and butter healing spell) do not handle spike damage well at all which makes it difficult for even the most skilled to keep a group alive in heavy AE encounters. Again, that's being addressed very soon and hopefully it will be a non issue by the time you level a druid to the end game. The druid you specified (warden) is the more defensive of the two and gets regens on nearly every heal they receive. For DPS, I don't have too much of an opinion. The two you listed (warlock and wizard) are two of the big dogs of the damage potential--they have the last overall utility of the DPS classes but can put out massive amounts of DPS compared to other mage classes. My two DPS classes are brigand and conjuror, who fit more into the utility/DPS role than outright DPS. As for bards, they are always useful and highly desired but keep in mind that a lot of bards tend to burn out. They're the kind of class that everyone loves to have but can be boring to play for people that want to be at the forefront and recognized for their ability. If you like contributing to the group and don't mind not being terribly high on the parse then either of the bards are a great choice. One of the big selling points for the bard class is you'll likely never be hurting for a spot in a group or raid. Good troubadors are especially hard to find, but only because it's rare to find someone who truly enjoys playing one (that being said, I have one and do enjoy him!)Welcome back to the game and I do encourage you to take your time and enjoy the ride to the end game. Altaholics are always welcome here <img src="/smilies/8a80c6485cd926be453217d59a84a888.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />

Kindrik

12-03-2009, 04:21 PM

Came here from WoW as well (and former EQ1 player), just started about a month ago on Unrest. Each game has it's Pro's and Con's, but for my wife and I, Everquest 2 is far superior to WoW. The community, for me, is probably one of the best features about the game (If you're coming from WoW and are sick of the community over there).Welcome to the Game

Seidhkona

12-03-2009, 07:35 PM

<cite>Cousland wrote:</cite><blockquote><cite>Rebaleo@Antonia Bayle wrote:</cite><blockquote>Blah. Healers. </blockquote>Whats wrong with Healers?</blockquote>Nothing is wrong with healers.Not every person is going to enjoy every class. People have different personalities and playstyles, and so it's A Good Thing we have 24 classes to choose from... this lets people pick a character that suits their own needs.

Barr

12-06-2009, 06:54 PM

So after I would say nearly 30 characters created and deleted, leveled a bit, etc.. I finally narrowed down the class and race that I enjoyed the most. I went ahead and heeded the advice given here and selected an Iksar Inquisitor.<img src="http://img138.imageshack.us/img138/3269/eq2000002.jpg" width="640" height="400" />I probably created every race/class combo that interested me, and played them all to ~5 or 6. I cut some based on the class style, race animations, etc. And I find the Iksar to be pleasing to me, and I find the Inquisitor absolutely a blast.I finally settled him on this morning, so yes... I spent about 5 days contemplating what I wanted to play, which race/class I would enjoy the most, etc. Instead of getting into why I didn't select the Templar or any other classes, I will keep this thread positive and detail why I like the Inquisitor. I enjoy debuffs. In every game I play, I enjoy hampering the enemies ability to weak havoc on my character or group. I enjoy softening the enemy up. Not sure why, but I do. And the Inquisitor does not lack debuffs <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /> -I was looking for something that brought more to a group than DPS. I like playing a class that people wouldn't mind inviting to a group, not just carrying through. The Inquisitor is a plate wearing priest. A cleric. A healer. I was a bit worried about the comparisons between the Clerics, with everyone pointing the Templar as a better healer. This may be true, but most have told me that the Inquisitor can heal heroics/raid groups just fine. And that is good enough for me. -I wanted something I could DPS/Solo with. Now I have no delusions of taking up a DPS slot in a group/raid. However, the solo-ability of the Inquisitor is awesome. A big slow 2H, mixed in with HO, with a healing Reactive thrown in, with some casting... I have yet to die, and have had no real problems. I can usually take on 3 or 4 equal level mobs, with no problems. I love Reactive healing. -I wanted something that could wear plate. And the Inq can do this <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /> I like how plate looks, I like the survivability of plate, I just.. like it. <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /> -I wanted to both melee and cast. Sometimes I want to melee, sometimes I want to cast. Depends on my mood. Being able to play a character that utilizes both is a huge plus. Casting inbetween the big 2H hits, adds up to quite a bit of DPS. And when Double Attack procs off of Yaulp.. Nice numbers on the big 2H swing. Which also ties into, in most games, I like using a big 2H. It's just my playstyle and this quenches that desire. So anyhow, I am loving the Inq. I have no regrets on my choice. I did pick an Evil race, but to be honest... he doesn't feel Evil. I am slaying Vampires, Werewolves, the Undead, etc. In Neriak, I am do some shadey things, but nothing that rings out evil. I understand the alignment has alot more to do with lore, but my character feels alot more like an Antihero, than an Evil character. And I like that alot.<img src="http://img198.imageshack.us/img198/6233/eq2000001t.jpg" width="640" height="400" />So I tried something a bit different this time around, than I do in most games. I wanted to try out crafting. And I will say, I love it. I have probably spent an equal, maybe a bit less, amount of time crafting as I have adventuring. I like it alot. It breaks up the monotony of questing, and vice versa. While I am questing, I harvest mats. They compliment each other well. I am a lvl 11 Outfitter right now, and plan on skilling as an Armorer <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /> So not only can I craft my own armor, I can have a bit of income as well. And hopefully later on in the game, I can provide a valuable service to a Guild. As you can see in the pic above, I have just crafted my first MC piece <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /> The t1 bronze helm. So it's a start!Overall, I do not regret my decision. Infact, I have already cancelled my WoW sub and deinstalled. It was taking up too much space on my HD and was just sitting there. I am enjoying EQ2 alot. I started enjoying it ALOT more once I disabled the 1-9 global channel. I am not sure about the others, but in AB, it was akin to WoW's Barrens chat. The [Removed for Content] flexing kids seemed to hang out there, so.. once I disabled it, I was much happier. But by how people say other servers are dead, I should be thankful there are alot of people on AB <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />So I guess my next step is finding a Guild that I can fit into. So if any Guild needs an Inquisitor/Armorer on AB... let me know! <img src="/smilies/8a80c6485cd926be453217d59a84a888.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /> I would prefer one that is run by adults, does endgame raiding, and is more of a family environment. I know that is a tall order, but I am sure I will eventually find something that suits me! Look me up, Cousland on AB <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />Anyhow, I'll keep you all updated on my progress through EQ2 in another week or so, and we'll see how it is going!