Well I'm Lost?

[setholamuel]

<p>So, new to the game, new to the class, lvl 15 now. I been playing the game like a pet class. Sick pet, Root, nuke, Nuke. But I saw ppl on flames talking about all this other stuff Coercers do. Just found out there not a pet class there a Proc class. In the meantime I've had no trouble wasting mobs with my Pet class Playstyle. So when does this all change? Is the Proc based off Auto-Attack Melee, or Spell cat? Can someone help a noob with a nutshell explantion on what the class is about? I like the idea of Charming a pet but I guess thats not the main priority of the class.</p>

[Valena]

<p>A Coercer is primarily an offensive spell caster with crowd control, mana regen and a pet. We are a good damage dealing class but wanted primarily in groups for the mana regen and to increase hate generation for the group Tank. Crowd Control is rarely needed or wanted whilst grouped but makes soloing much easier. In general I'd say that our pet does 10-15% of our dps at max. I always grab a  pet when possible, but don't make it a high priority to get another if it dies whilst grouped / in raid as it can be quite squishy.</p><p>Until you get Posess Essence at level 65 you'll have to rely on Charm to get a pet, after 65 then I'd suggest that Posess Essence is a more reliable and less risky way to have one. The pet can be sent in first to tank a mob, but you'll usually pull agro quite quickly even if it is hate buffed. Thankfully you have a root and some good stuns to keep the mobs at bay. Root and nuke is a good and viable playstyle all the way to max level.</p><p>We do most of our damage from 3 procs: Hostage (level 23), Destructive Mind (level 29) and Spell Curse (level 40).</p><p>Hostage is cast on an enemy then each time they are hit with a melee attack the proc triggers.</p><p>Destructive Mind is cast on yourself (usually) and then every time you cast a spell it triggers.</p><p>Spell Curse is cast on an enemy then each time another spell lands it triggers.</p><p>Once you have Hostage, think of the pet as the way to proc it. Root, cast Hostage, send in pet, mob dies. This is also the only real use for Puppetmaster (level 80 spell).</p>

[setholamuel]

<p>Thanks for the awesome response. I guess, I got lost trying to figure out what all the raiders and high level ppl were talking about on flames. So far I'm very happy with the class, just got worried I was doing something wrong.</p>

[DwarvesR]

<p>What he said!  And also. . . .  (my additions in red)</p><p><cite>Whiplash@Splitpaw wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>A Coercer is primarily an offensive spell caster with crowd control, mana regen and a pet. <span style="color: #ff0000;"> </span></p><p><span style="color: #ff0000;">-- And we rock!</span></p><p>We are a good damage dealing class but wanted primarily in groups for the mana regen and to increase hate generation for the group Tank.</p><p><span style="color: #ff0000;">-- Our buffs are definitely more of a draw than our dps, but our dps ain't bad either.</span></p><p>Crowd Control is rarely needed or wanted whilst grouped but makes soloing much easier. <span style="color: #ff0000;"> </span></p><p><span style="color: #ff0000;">-- There are some group fights where CC is a huge help, but as he said, it's pretty rare.  This is why nearly all of our CC spells also have a damage component anymore.  It makes them worth casting even if not for their CC portion.</span></p><p>In general I'd say that our pet does 10-15% of our dps at max. I always grab a pet when possible, but don't make it a high priority to get another if it dies whilst grouped / in raid as it can be quite squishy.  <span style="color: #ff0000;">-- Before getting your mythical weapon or your "conversion" it's generally "pet when solo, but never in a group" due to the charm taking 3 concentration slots that are better used for buffs in a group.  The mythical/conversion removes the concentration cost, thus making it viable to have a pet ina group after that.  That said, charm is generally a bad idea (though not always) in a group due to the possibilty of a break.  If you are going to possess an essence after level 65, it's generally best to try to find a bard-type mob to buff your group, since the PE pet does normalized damage anyway.</span></p><p>Until you get Posess Essence at level 65 you'll have to rely on Charm to get a pet, after 65 then I'd suggest that Posess Essence is a more reliable and less risky way to have one. The pet can be sent in first to tank a mob, but you'll usually pull agro quite quickly even if it is hate buffed. Thankfully you have a root and some good stuns to keep the mobs at bay. Root and nuke is a good and viable playstyle all the way to max level. </p><p><span style="color: #ff0000;">--  Sometimes Charm is better, sometimes PE is better.  It all depends on what's available in that zone.  The<a href="http://eq2.wikia.com/wiki/Coercer_Pets" target="_blank"> Wiki's Pet Page</a> lists some nice pets to charm, though it looks like it hasn't been updated for the latest expansion.</span>  <span style="color: #ff0000;">Of course since for the new expansion it's PE a tank (Paineel guards work nicely) in Sundered Frontier and charm a terrorfang arsonist in Stonebrunt Highlands and in instances PE a bard if you can find one. . . not much to add, really.</span></p><p>We do most of our damage from 3 procs: Hostage (level 23), Destructive Mind (level 29) and Spell Curse (level 40).  Hostage is cast on an enemy then each time they are hit with a melee attack the proc triggers.  Destructive Mind is cast on yourself (usually) and then every time you cast a spell it triggers.  Spell Curse is cast on an enemy then each time another spell lands it triggers.  Once you have Hostage, think of the pet as the way to proc it. Root, cast Hostage, send in pet, mob dies. This is also the only real use for Puppetmaster (level 80 spell).</p><p><span style="color: #ff0000;">-- FWIW, I tend to do "pre-cast Destructive Mind, Medusa Gaze, Spell Curse, Asylum, Brainshock, Hemorrhage" and the thing's generally already dead at this point... but this is at 90 with 100+% crit chance too.  Still... I don't think of the pet as a Hostage proc becuz most pets only attack once every 4 seconds.  Sure, I'll still cast it for the pet to proc, but I'd much rather stunlock the mob and burn it down with my own spells.  This is for solo and ^ mobs, of course.  For ^^ and ^^^ soloing, it's all root/nuke (or mez/nuke wirth stun/nuke thrown in) and unless I have a caster pet set to ranged attacks only, I don't use a pet against them at all.  I rarely ever cast Puppetmaster either.  About the only time I might is if I'm trying to burn off the last 10% of a heroic mob's health, in which case its Hostage followed by Puppetmaster (each pet procs Hostage, and there are 4 pets, so.... it procs fast when you do that <img src="/smilies/8a80c6485cd926be453217d59a84a888.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /> )</span></p><p><span style="color: #ff0000;">Still and all.... much coercer love from me.  It's by far my easiest toon to get into a group with and has been my main for quite a while.</span></p></blockquote>

[Lhuarc]

<p>Your post makes them sound so much fun, now I kind of want to get back into leveling mine. I play on a PvP server and they always seem to be a PITA, it might be fun to be behind the PITA CC's and all of that. Chanters and bards are still pretty high in demand these days?</p>

[NytewolfDarkassassin]

<p>Yes, we definatly are still in demand!  <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></p>

[Dreadpatch]

I honestly think we need to keep it on the DL how awesome we actually are. I LOVE my coercer, they are just a blast to play. Of all the classes I've played, definitely fell in love with the coercer.

[Lhuarc]

<p>I just activated my other account (well in about 2 hours I will) to play my coercer, think I just recently got Hostage too, this shall be fun.</p>

[Adornling]

<p>Its a good time to play them. Who knows what might happen in Velious. We could go the way of our Illy brothers and sisters and see a MASSIVE drop in DPS.</p>