Why Bruisers?

[Krelfeari]

<DIV> <DIV>Ok, I've done quite a few /who's for each class on more than one server and I've came to realize that the Bruiser is usually the LEAST played subclass in the Fighter archtype.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>To perhaps help developers gain insight into why Bruisers themselves feel their unpopular I am hoping that this post will influence changes in your subclass for the better.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Basically I am asking, why are Bruisers the least played Fighter archtype?</DIV></DIV>

[pillb]

<div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><span>Bruisers get the least defensive skills of any fighter.  It states in their description they're the most 'offensive' tank it may be why people don't pick them. All other fighters get much better spells for absorbing damage</span> but Bruisers get more offensive. They don't expect to be the best at tanking they're on the low end but they have slightly better DPS and can crowd control so most people get what they expected. <p>Message Edited by pillbub on <span class=date_text>10-20-2005</span> <span class=time_text>08:54 PM</span>

[AsheBail]

<P>I think people who lean towards figher classes like warriors or the knightly classes generally.  Maybe its the armor and weapons.</P> <P>I been checking out monks and I'm starting to feel jealous.  Our mend is better but I found I don't use it as much soloing, but its the offensive stance monks get.  I has a haste to it and I like haste.</P>

[Turb]

Some people like to be a bit different, but that does not mean the class is bad.Brigands and coercers are likewise well kept secret passions <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />

[Redbed]

<DIV>I cant speak for anyone else but for me.  Its mostly the attitude.  Even when I started in EQlive (Well, when I started my monk) I never saw him as a monk.  I saw him as a bare fisted fighter but not really a follower of the monk ways.  Qeynos Monks (The Silent Fist) were not followers of Tranquility, they were those who believed in perfecting the body and mind for the sake of itself, not to find Inner peace like the Ashen Order in Freeport.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>So when information started coming out on EQ2 I gravitated more towards the Bruiser class because it fit my character more.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>The Bruiser class itself is everything I wanted it to be, thats why I was so afraid of what would change in the combat revamp.  The bruiser can act alone or as part of a group with equal ease.  But they are essentially loners.  They can do awsome spurts of damage, they just cant maintain those spurts for long periods.  They have great utility skills (mez and fear).  They have great survival skills (Feign Death and Ignore lines).  Their a little fragile so great care must be taken to kill the mob before they kill you but if your good, the odds are in your favor most times.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>To be honest not alot of Lore on the Bruisers on the freeport side, I mean in Qeynos, the Monks have their own little area, you just dont have that for the Bruisers.  Honestly they should Convert the tavern in West Freeport for our unofficial hqs.  I think some sailor NPCs have the place now.  Take off the Gloves and turn them attackable and that can change real quick. </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Bruisers take work, I really didnt come into my own till the early 30s.  From that point on is when it shines.  Lot of people just dont want to play that kind of character or dont want to put in the time.  I tried a monk, too much work made it to 23 before I lost interest.  Tried a Shaman (twice) made it to 15 before Losing interest then deleted and remade and I forget what its at now.  </DIV>

[Vorham]

<DIV>i know at least 3 peeps who had mage/priest mains who re-rolled as bruiser after groupin with my bruiser... not cuz I'm a badass or anything ... but they saw what the class could do.  Saw that we could tank, saw that we did nice dps, saw that we were hard to kill and with FD could be the sole survivor and save the group, saw the self heals, saw the fears, saw the mez.... what's not to love?  Most are high 30s low 40s now, occasionally get tells from them... every one loves the class.  I tell friends who are bored to go roll a bruiser alt, but warn them that they might get addicted and give them examples of the converts.  people laugh but they don't know how fun a bruiser can be... tough, tricky, and able to pour on the hurt.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Just gotta be willin to work for your group taunt and not tank epics that well... well, tank em fine till ya get hit for 7k lol.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV>

[Colossaltitan]

Some people like the idea of being the best at something and not a jack of all trades.<BR>You'll never be the best DPS as a Bruiser.<BR>You'll never be the best tank as a Bruiser.

[Bhad]

<P>coloss I disagree with what u said, it really depends on player skills. I've several times dished out more dps then anyone in my group. I have tanked when group had a guardian.</P> <P>To the OP, well there are few Bruisers cause well 70% of people wanna server Ant Bayle so they choose Monks. And cause Bruisers are under rated. I think we are the best fighter type and slowly people are starting to realize that. And has some else mentioned lotta people want heavy armor and be able to use 2h axe, sword etc</P>

[Owa]

<BR> <BLOCKQUOTE> <HR> Krelfearius wrote:<BR> <DIV> <DIV>Ok, I've done quite a few /who's for each class on more than one server and I've came to realize that the Bruiser is usually the LEAST played subclass in the Fighter archtype.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>To perhaps help developers gain insight into why Bruisers themselves feel their unpopular I am hoping that this post will influence changes in your subclass for the better.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Basically I am asking, why are Bruisers the least played Fighter archtype?</DIV></DIV><BR> <HR> </BLOCKQUOTE><BR> <DIV>One thing the above posters didn't mention is how the combat revamp has spawned a fair amount of 'Bruiser envy'.  From reading these boards, it would seemI we're more unpopular <U>with</U> other classes (due to misperceptions about how godly we are) <U>than</U> as a class. If that makes sense.</DIV> <DIV>Ironic really seeing as how few people play this vastly overpowered subclass (more irony).</DIV>

[Traigus]

On Crushbone at realease, I sweare 1 in 3 players were SKs. I decided to be a bruiser, because I wanted to be in FP, and there were 3000000 million SKs. Qeynos is for Disney loving bunny-huggers. -T <div></div>

[Colossaltitan]

True you can do it better than a group, But not often are you THE RAID MT. Or the raids best DPS...

[Redbed]

<P>"True you can do it better than a group, But not often are you THE RAID MT. Or the raids best DPS... "</P> <P>Not a problem with me.  Trouble with being the best at anything is the continual need to keep proving it.  You get trapped in an endless repetitive cycle.  The more you accomplish the more is expected.  And people like that are rarely happy or satisfied even when they accomplish their goal.  Its like a monkey on your back continually banging his little tin  cup on the back of your head demanding peanuts.    </P> <P>Who needs that? Id rather be above average then the best.  The hours are better and the wages almost as good.</P> <P>And being first is rarely a good thing.  I could tell you a story about a shackle, a velocoraptor and contraption in a mine to make my point but I really dont want to re-open that wound.</P>

[Colossaltitan]

/agree. Which is why a play a Bruiser. But I was trying to show both sides of the argument here <img src="/smilies/8a80c6485cd926be453217d59a84a888.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />.

[Turb]

The only complaint I have about bruising at the moment is the lack of a HQ weapon to quest for. I have four HQ weapons, and can only look at them on my wall.Otherwise the flexibility is good. We solo well (some better than others <img src="/smilies/8a80c6485cd926be453217d59a84a888.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />), can tank fine so long as we don't target too high a mob, and can do very nice dps in short bursts. I'm always happy to let the plate guy be MT and be a 'mini assassin' adding in the eye rake debuff and debuff dolls when needed. I think I'd enjoy monk just as much, but am very happy bruising <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />Numbers-wise, I'll see 4-5x as many guardians or paladins on as bruisers at any time. Being in a minority also adds to the class feel... would be different if we were as common as paladins or SKs, and probably SoE would take a closer look at bruiser balancing, but as we are now, fine!

[familyguyfan95]

<P>all i got to say is location location location.  see being in the minority can be a bad thing, but i like to view it this way.  </P> <P>there are 5 bruisers on my server that are lvl 56 and higher.  4 of them are in a raiding guild and 1 of them (me) is not.  Other ppls master spells are super expensive..and have seen them go for extrememly high prices.  While I will never be the firs to own the out right i take solice in knowning that once those other 4 ppl get their spells at the bidding wars....i'll be the only one left for the taking. </P> <P>so there is a huge demand for guard/zerker/pally/sk spells.  but my spells are always the cheapest on the broker because there is nobody to buy them.  our armor is always the cheapest.  when you can pick up a scaled leather rare cheap and have to pay huge for the metal...dont you say ha ha.  </P> <P>so yay for bruisers..3 cheers for us.</P> <P>now if only those raiding guilds would give me those left over brawler knuckles they get...i know they are just hoarding them <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></P> <P></P>

[Sasaki Koji]

im making a bruiser, hes a lvl7 fighter now. <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /> <P></P>

[geron01]

<div></div><p>I wont say anything good about them i don't wanna get nerfed =/, honestly Bruiser in truth is Best fighter dps,and by all means least skilled for tanking, thou a *skilled* bruiser is able to hold his own in a solid heroic group vs orange con named/named groups, tank as well as any other fighter class if player knows what they are doing.  Raid wise for the more burly Epics bruiser is least skilled for that base of figtht, although they can tank more weakepics at the right con lvl <yellow at most>, Parse wise for raids bruisers fall in the mid to high mid range on a solid raid squad, parsing between 450-1000dps vs epic encounters, being that a solid scout or mage dps with same amount of master skillz and game skillz shall parse x2 or x3 of what a bruiser can,. SO in all truth just mid range dps in epic battles.  In herioc group as tank or DPS we can hold our own and most fights only last but a second or few even being yellow or orange cons so parses can be always lil odd at times.</p><p>Just though from Ol'Lavastorms masta Bruiser</p><p>The Shirtless Ogre Bruiser</p><p>Slimm Thugg, of Nek.</p>

[PhozFa]

<span><blockquote><hr>Vorham wrote:<div>i know at least 3 peeps who had mage/priest mains who re-rolled as bruiser after groupin with my bruiser... not cuz I'm a badass or anything ... but they saw what the class could do.  Saw that we could tank, saw that we did nice dps, saw that we were hard to kill and with FD could be the sole survivor and save the group, saw the self heals, saw the fears, saw the mez.... what's not to love?  Most are high 30s low 40s now, occasionally get tells from them... every one loves the class.  I tell friends who are bored to go roll a bruiser alt, but warn them that they might get addicted and give them examples of the converts.  people laugh but they don't know how fun a bruiser can be... tough, tricky, and able to pour on the hurt.</div><div> </div><div>Just gotta be willin to work for your group taunt and not tank epics that well... well, tank em fine till ya get hit for 7k lol.</div><div> </div><hr></blockquote>I first created a bruiser as a play alt. It is now my main. They are just too [expletive haxx0red by Raijinn] fun. Now that i tried to build a tanking bruiser i know other people who have rolled bruisers (and some monks) seeing what i can do. We may not get defensive abilities crusaders/warriors get but i look at our nice array of stuns and defensive ability as well as offensive. While tanking and i see my life start to drop I stun the mofo to give the healers a chance to catch up. Damage prevention is defensive IMO.</span><div></div>

[Kalem]

<div></div><p>I first played a brigand for the dps, and a zerker as a tank.  While the zerker was a great tank, I was never happy with the damage he dished, and while the brigand was alright with dps, I really hated how poorly I did when I had to solo.</p><p>The Bruiser is the perfect class for me.  I do GREAT soloing, and I do pretty darn well in groups as well.</p><p>I think someone wanting to play the role of "tank" especially someone new to the game, will gravitiate towards the plate classes.  When making comments about dps to other tank friends, I've often heard "I don't care about dps, I'm a tank". </p><p>Lets not forget that Freeport is the least popular city which adds to our lack of numbers.</p>

[Shipwreck_GPA]

<div></div><blockquote><hr>Krelfearius wrote:<div><div>Ok, I've done quite a few /who's for each class on more than one server and I've came to realize that the Bruiser is usually the LEAST played subclass in the Fighter archtype.</div><div> </div><div>To perhaps help developers gain insight into why Bruisers themselves feel their unpopular I am hoping that this post will influence changes in your subclass for the better.</div><div> </div><div>Basically I am asking, why are Bruisers the least played Fighter archtype?</div></div><hr></blockquote>I see enough Bruisers. I see few Shadowknights, however. And when the "who tanks best" arguments get rolling, I see a lot of Guardian, Zerker, Brawler, PALLY posts, but almost never does anyone pop in defending the SK's. I don't know if they are broken, or just quiet, since I do not play one. But I would be interested to see whether there are in fact more Bruisers or more SK's. I am betting more Bruisers.

[PhozFa]

<span><blockquote><hr>GPA_Shipwreck wrote:<div></div><blockquote><hr>Krelfearius wrote:<div><div>Ok, I've done quite a few /who's for each class on more than one server and I've came to realize that the Bruiser is usually the LEAST played subclass in the Fighter archtype.</div><div> </div><div>To perhaps help developers gain insight into why Bruisers themselves feel their unpopular I am hoping that this post will influence changes in your subclass for the better.</div><div> </div><div>Basically I am asking, why are Bruisers the least played Fighter archtype?</div></div><hr></blockquote>I see enough Bruisers. I see few Shadowknights, however. And when the "who tanks best" arguments get rolling, I see a lot of Guardian, Zerker, Brawler, PALLY posts, but almost never does anyone pop in defending the SK's. I don't know if they are broken, or just quiet, since I do not play one. But I would be interested to see whether there are in fact more Bruisers or more SK's. I am betting more Bruisers.<hr></blockquote>I can speak for the SK part. They CAN tank but untill recently they had major agro problems. Can't do much tanking if you can't keep the mob on you. DPS had to hold back wayyy to much. Like i said a recent patch fixed that and it seem alot better. But still Bruiser > SK, except in a situation you'd want a mit tank.</span><div></div>

[Breiya]

<div></div><span></span>PhozFate wrote:"<span><span>I first created a bruiser as a play alt. It is now my main. They are just too [expletive haxx0red by Raijinn] fun."word <span>:smileywink:</span></span></span>

[Haz]

<div></div><div>Just made a bruiser on PvP (darathor) best class i have played, not just because hes good in pvp. He can tank well in groups, adds a nice dps punch, can solo and heal (a bit).  And my favorite skill Fake Death , or whatever its called in its different stages. Group Whipes , you FD  and res, dont allways work but its saved me lots <img src="/smilies/8a80c6485cd926be453217d59a84a888.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></div><div>         Compared to my templar  troubador and necro , bruiser is the the most fun.</div><div> </div><div> GO BRUISER!!</div><p>Message Edited by Hazan on <span class="date_text">03-01-2006</span><span class="time_text">07:19 PM</span></p>

[Aere]

__________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ _______                  Some people like the idea of being the best at something and not a jack of all trades.                  You'll never be the best DPS as a Bruiser.                   You'll never be the best tank as a Bruiser.__________________________________________ __________________________________________________ _______________  This statement is wrong on so many levels.   We certainly won't be the highest dps but that doesn't mean we won't be the best.    I have always found the term "best"  very relative.   Secondly,  in my experience your dead wrong about tanking.   I made a bruiser on the nagafan pvp server simply to try out something new.   In the 5 years playing eq I was always a caster.    Over the last year here i was an assassin.   So wanted to try something completely new.   Didn't want to be a dime a dozen sk.    Guardians didn't appeal to me,   except looking pretty in armor I'd get too bored playing one.   Monks remind me of barbie dolls,  or worse,   Ken.   Being old School D&D  I have always totally loved Paladins.   But they are represted terribly wrong in this game.    Paladins were traditionally the best of the best.   Only the most skilled warriors with the highest intelligence could be one.   To me they should be atleast on the same level with berks if not higher..     Any who I decided to try a bruiser.   Why,   well it seems to fit my personality the best.   I was very skilled as an assassin.   Put out great dps cause i could string combo's together like no one's business.   I also love nailing people with a bow,   so probably should have went ranger way back when.    However these classes don't fit my true player "mentality"  Which is Charge,  Charge,  Charge.      It's funny cause my guild mates,   family and friends always have to restrain me.  Hold me back.  I don't give a darn about the players level,  class or how good they are.    Don't even care if I am out numbered 20 to 1.   I have charged head long into groups without a second thought.    Much to the amusment of said people above.    So many people see a player of the opposite side,   stop to think about whay they are going to do.   Try to plan stratagies,   if they cast this,  then you must do that.    If a healer uses a reactive,   just use melee till it wears off.    Yadda yadda yadda. Not me brotha,   none of that crap for me.    If i see you I'm on you like white on rice and you better be [expletive haxx0red by Raijinn] fast to get away.    I don't stop to think whether I actually should or shouldn't.    Groups,  solo's,   bring em on.    If I see a goodie antonican pawn,  wether grouped or not,   I'm like Fat Albert dreaming of a burger king tripple whopper.  I'm like Bob Dole when he first discovered [Removed for Content].  Sssshwing,   I'm in there.     If I see a wussie monk i'm there even faster..    And that is what makes playing a bruiser fun.   For me atleast.    My friends always try to stop me from charging full groups head on but they would have a better chance at winning the lottery.    Who cares if i die,   big deal.    Since I have only been killed by groups with some higher level grouping to zerg with them,  usually with a caster to root.    I have discovered one thing,  the best thing about pvp really.    Speed kills.    Most people,   even the very best pvp'rs  are just too [expletive haxx0red by Raijinn] slow.   by the time they get all those tactics figured out they are usually already dead or can only see me in their rear view mirror.     As for tanking,   that comment was totally bs.   I  get sought out alot in my guild when people are putting groups together.   After being involved in pick up groups I get so many tells asking me to tank it gets annoying.   I'm not logged on for 10 minutes sometimes and my tells light up faster then Oprah at a buffet table.      I have answered questions like this the exact same way every time.    Play the class that best suit's your player menatlity like I did with my bruiser.   That charge head long in to battle mentality.   If more players would do that  instead of just picking a class that the think is the "best"  then you would hear them whine a whole lot less.

[Zis]

<div></div><div>My Eq2 career began as a dirge ... and at lower levels, I was always in duo with my boyfriend or soloing.   And I thought my dirge was pretty cool (still do) but I didn't know anything different.   One day when I was level 25 or so I went to the (old) fallen gate with a guildmate, a bruiser around the same level.    She could take a ton more damage than my poor dirge as well as deal out a lot more.   So I made a bruiser 'alt'.  What really sold me on the class was that I could solo named ^^^s while they were still blue, I could fd myself out of danger, etc.  I can honestly say that at this point, I have played every single class, excepting a few from qeynos, and have yet to find one that solos as well.  Theres always a trade off between damage and survivability, and a bruiser has both.  I tried a monk as well, but I just loved the bruiser's damage (and I'm not fond of living in qeynos).    Being that I liked damage, I tried playing assassin/ranger/brigand types, but kept going back to my bruiser because of the versatility and soloability of heroic mobs.     I'm quite aware that  other fighter types can usually tank better than a bruiser - but if there is no tank, I will do.  And if not, I'm not a waste of space, I can pack out some mean damage in a team as well as cc a bit and pull things off the healer if the tank isn't doing his job.    This is the class that fits *my* playstyle the best, I think - and allows me to do what I want to do/accomplish in Eq.    Only drawback really is not having any sort of de-aggro ( other than fd ) when I pull aggro when I'm not supposed to <img src="/smilies/69934afc394145350659cd7add244ca9.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /> So I have to be on my best behavior ..</div><p>Message Edited by Ziska on <span class="date_text">03-02-2006</span><span class="time_text">05:35 AM</span></p>

[Colossaltitan]

<div></div>Breiya I <3 your sig!

[ganjookie]

<div><span><blockquote><hr>Hazan wrote:<div></div><div>Just made a bruiser on PvP (darathor) best class i have played, not just because hes good in pvp. He can tank well in groups, adds a nice dps punch, can solo and heal (a bit).  And my favorite skill Fake Death , or whatever its called in its different stages. Group Whipes , you FD  and res, dont allways work but its saved me lots <img src="/smilies/8a80c6485cd926be453217d59a84a888.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></div><div>         Compared to my templar  troubador and necro , bruiser is the the most fun.</div><div> </div><div><font color="#ff3300"> GO BRUISER!!</font></div><p>Message Edited by Hazan on <span class="date_text">03-01-2006</span><span class="time_text">07:19 PM</span></p><hr></blockquote>You know...a real bruiser would never yell that out.I think your a monk in disguise.</span></div>