Brawlers and Iksar...

[RazielMyse]

<DIV>I was an Iksar monk in EQ1 and loved it. Now it seems that the EQ1 monk races are useless since anyone can become a Monk/Bruiser, and other classes have better statistics for the class type.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Heres my reason.... </DIV> <DIV>(I wont include the tank racial traditions since I think we'd all prefer a good guardian standing beside us)</DIV> <DIV>(I will be using Troll as the opposing race since they seem least likely to be able to preform martial arts ~ in addition to them; Ogres, Kerra, Barbarian, and Dwarf all start with better Monk/Bruiser statistics than an Iksar or Human)</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><STRONG></STRONG> </DIV> <DIV><STRONG>Iksar starting stats that matter to us ~18str, 22agi, 18sta, 57Att</STRONG></DIV> <DIV>Iksar racial traditions that matter to us</DIV> <DIV>~Natural Regen (+5%HP reg, +3str, +3agi)</DIV> <DIV>~Honed Body (+5agi 'perm') ~ would help if we got more power from agi, but we dont.</DIV> <DIV>~Sebilisian Strike (+ Crushing Dmg)</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><STRONG>Troll starting stats that matter to us ~ 25str, 18agi, 30sta, 60Att</STRONG></DIV> <DIV>Troll racial traditions that matter to us</DIV> <DIV>~Natural Regen (same as iksars)</DIV> <DIV>~Bog Bully (+5str 'perm') ~ helps alot since str is our primary stat and we're mostly viewed as a dps class.</DIV> <DIV>~Brutal Barshings (+ Crushing Dmg)</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>I guess im just upset that Iksar have better starting stats for the scout/preist role than the fighter role. The EQ2 webpage says "Rather than wallowing in pettiness and corruption, iksar embody orderly, direct wickedness" yet we make better scouts than we do bruisers..... I think since Iksar have been H2H fighters for hundreds of years more than the other races, we should get some advantage that they do not have. It seems while adding the ability for all races to become hand to hand fighters, Iksars have dropped in effectiveness as a race to choose.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Because of this i think i may be remaking my Bruiser into a Troll.... I hate the Troll character model...</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>-Crelius</DIV>

[P]

<DIV>I agree</DIV>

[Raidi Sovin'faile]

<DIV>Well, I really don't see it being that big of a difference to need a reroll. I personally love the Iksar Martial Artist concept (the whole Pain thing), and don't feel that the small differences from traits are "character gimping" enough to change.</DIV> <DIV>Later in the game, when you have items that grant +10 or more to stats, and are grouped with a couple stat increasing classes, that 5 or even 10 points difference will mean less than 5% difference on your stats score, and even less a difference in actual play.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>I've actually found that the skill of the player behind the keyboard makes more of a difference than a few points of strength or agility.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>I do have an issue with the whole "we are mainly DPS" thing, because you are ignoring a huge part of our class. Yes, we do lots of damage. Not as much as a well run scout or mage, and quite frankly, DPS is how we taunt. Our skills practically scream offtank (crowd control is easier when you aren't pure tanking) at the very least.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>So if you want to min/max your abilities to the slightest degree, and only towards doing damage, then iksar will have abilities that won't fit your model. I personally prefer having a nice range of talents, but that's just me.</DIV>

[thisMoriMo]

Don't worry about the comparative stats. They really don't have a huge effect. My high elf bruiser does fine. I think it's worth using less-than-ideal stats to see the tail flailing around. Be iksar.

[Oidan]

<DIV>End game stats dont matter, dont reroll if you like the race.</DIV>

[Ghidr]

<DIV><FONT color=#66cc33><FONT color=#ffffff>Doing a bit of research on EQ1 stats - <A href="http://www.everlore.com/stats.asp?mode=2" target=_blank>http://www.everlore.com/stats.asp?mode=2</A> - iksar stats compared to baseline human pan out pretty similar to how they do now in EQ1.  Strength is a bit lower.  Agility is markedly higher.  Wisdom is higher.  And of course the point distribution available in EQ1 allowed further specialization.  When I was first making Ghidron, I was right with you - how dare my scaled tyrants be weaker than the race of Man?!  But the stats do bear out the way things were in EQ1.  </FONT></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT color=#66cc33><FONT color=#ffffff></FONT></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT color=#66cc33><FONT color=#ffffff>The iksarian edge in all monkly matters was exclusivity - in EQ1 only humans and Iksar could be monks.  That edge has been lost due to the open class structure of EQ2, but iksar still maintain the higher agility than the baseline which is still beneficial for the evasion-oriented brawlers and their derivatives.  Iksar warriors of other stripes gained an added benefit over their EQ1 cousins - iksar can now wear heavy armor.  Gone are the days of an Iksar warrior stuck in chainmail hoping those extra few points of agi would make a difference, looking enviously at his human counterpart in full-plate.</FONT></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT color=#66cc33><FONT color=#ffffff></FONT></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT color=#66cc33><FONT color=#ffffff>As far as Racial abilities I too miss having mastery level swimming, better vision, and an inherently higher regen from the get-go.  However, I do see how making such things unlockable abilities at later levels encourages the mindset of race being more of a cosmetic choice.  This is a further concession towards overall balance that I'm still debating with myself over the value of...</FONT></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT color=#66cc33><FONT color=#ffffff></FONT></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT color=#66cc33><FONT color=#ffffff>What this all boils down to is that the gear you use is what makes the difference, further encouragement to delve into the far reaches of EQ2's massive catalogue of quests for that extra few points in <insert stat here>.  As you can see from my profile for Ghidron - <A href="http://eq2players.station.sony.com/en/pplayer.vm?characterId=174379109" target=_blank>http://eq2players.station.sony.com/en/pplayer.vm?characterId=174379109</A> - a properly decked out gecko can be reasonably strong.  Now granted, I've made choices in stat increasing items that've favored strength over agility.  I know iksar bruisers of my level who have significantly higher Agility.  However, I still find myself a capable tank - not gimped in the slightest - and I relish my roles as dps/secondary tank/peeler/train derailer when they are called for.</FONT></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT color=#66cc33><FONT color=#ffffff></FONT></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT color=#66cc33><FONT color=#ffffff>Also, this seeming neutering of racial differences really makes the skill of a player much more of a deciding factor.  Lessened is the "we need an ogre to be our tank because they're strong and have more hp" mentality in favor of a "we need <soandso> to be our tank because he knows how to hold aggro and not be a power-sink" mind-set.  I personally see this as a plus.</FONT></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT color=#66cc33><FONT color=#ffffff></FONT></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT color=#66cc33><FONT color=#ffffff>So by all means play what race you like the most for whatever your reasons and enjoy the hell out of it.  Don't be afraid to be an iksar melee because of a few less points in strength, because as I hope my numbers show you won't have to worry about that being such a deciding factor.  Play what you enjoy and let the math work itself out.  Now if only I can confirm those rumours of Gnome monks...</FONT></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT color=#66cc33><FONT color=#ffffff></FONT></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT color=#66cc33><FONT color=#ffffff>Ghidron Machta</FONT></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT color=#66cc33><FONT color=#ffffff>Iksar Bruiser of the 21st Rank</FONT></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT color=#66cc33><FONT color=#ffffff>Seeker of the Court of Pain</FONT></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT color=#66cc33><FONT color=#ffffff>Lucan D'Lere</FONT></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT color=#66cc33><FONT color=#ffffff></FONT></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT color=#66cc33><FONT color=#ffffff>I know what I need, gnome-chucks!  *Holds out opposite ends of a fancy gadget to the two gnomes in the party, who promptly clamp on for dear life*</FONT></DIV></FONT>

[benisbor]

<DIV>Stats don't matter and really neither do racial traits. Go with what you will be comfortable looking at for months and months and months to come. </FONT></DIV>

[narcoleptic_l]

<DIV>stats matter not, although rats are superior</DIV>

[Southe]

<DIV>First off Selbisian strike = not that great, id get it when we get to choose our last racial stat, id go honed body, the def one and legacy of the shissar (increase power pool) before i do selbisian strike. im glad that they are gonna fix the whole bugged trait system and tactics choices. so far, only got to choose stuff at 8 and 18.... yet my iksar cleric got all the choices at the appropriate lv up til 22 so far.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Either way, i was a Iksar monk in EQ1 and Iksar bruiser is the closest i can get to being a monk without turning to the fruity side (Qeynos).</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>choose a race you will enjoy staring at your whole EQ life, stats arent a huge deal.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Krace</DIV> <DIV>Iksar Bruiser</DIV>