Best partner for a bruiser

[SugarKane]

<DIV>Guess this subject has come up more than once but...</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>My son is starting a bruiser and wants me to tag along. </DIV> <DIV>My simple question is; what class to chose so that we can level as fast as possible.</DIV> <DIV>Has to be an evil class and not a brigand since I have one already.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>I read in an earlier post that a defiler is a good partner, but will a healer be the best partner for quick leveling?</DIV> <DIV>I would appreciate any suggestions and some explanations to which class(es) is best suited in your opinion as a partner to a bruiser.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Ljotur</DIV> <DIV>lvl 54 pally</DIV> <DIV>lvl 60 provisioner</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Hmm... that didn't sound to well. Even tough the objective is to level fast the primary object is of course to have fun.</DIV> <DIV>So the question should be; with what class have you had most fun duoing with! </DIV><p>Message Edited by SugarKane on <span class=date_text>12-14-2005</span> <span class=time_text>02:42 PM</span>

[Lorant]

<div></div>Fury.  Healing and excellent damage. Defilers are a bit more than "healers". If you fight super easy mobs, go melee.  If you want to max exp on ^^^ mobs, go Priest class. Edit:  This may sound insulting, but it's not:  By 54, you should have enough of an understanding of how the game works to answer this yourself. <div></div><p>Message Edited by Lorant on <span class=date_text>12-14-2005</span> <span class=time_text>02:40 PM</span>

[SugarKane]

<P>Probably should, yes.</P> <P>Problem is I mostly group with guildies and none is bruiser.</P> <P>As a partner to my pally I would choose some dps class since we have wards and heals.</P> <P>I have heard that you got some kind of heal but really do not know the class. </P> <P>Also if your class has changed as much as the pally has since day one then it is useless to read the manuals.</P> <P>Thanks for the tips</P> <P>Ljotur </P>

[ganjookie]

I have fun grouping with defilers or mystics, fast  xp too <div></div>

[Shirlyn]

I've heard defiler wards go well with bruisers, but I mainly solo with my bruiser, so I don't really know. As my fury, I've been in groups where the MT was a bruiser. I would say bruisers/monks are my favorite tanks for playing with as a fury. I have played with a cleric, but I can see the argument that reactives don't work well with avoidance tanks So it comes down to whether you like the idea of wards or HoTs <img src="/smilies/8a80c6485cd926be453217d59a84a888.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /> <div></div>

[Rontgen]

Well, I'm sure all of us would agree that you couldn't go wrong with....a second Bruiser. <img src="/smilies/8a80c6485cd926be453217d59a84a888.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />....that, or perhaps a Defiler or Fury.<div></div>

[Nahlis]

All of these are good opinions, but just for something a little different, maybe consider a Troubador or Dirge?  They have some very nice buffs that really crank up the Bruiser's agility allowing him to avoid much better than solo.  Later they also get some nice mezzes and other useful abilities.  I won't try to argue that this combo is necessarily as efficient as a Bruiser/Healer, but I've found it can be a lot of fun.  :smileywink:

[Colossaltitan]

I leveled up extremely fast playing with my Brothers Necro, we could take basically anything (within reason).<BR><BR>I'd go necro or a healer class.

[Bladewind]

<P>I'd say a bard or a druid. A bard will buff the bruiser's melee skills to the gills and can provide health and power regen bonuses in combat.</P> <P>I duoed my monk with my girlfriend's warlock from character creation through 60, and it was/is a blast.  We miss having real healing, but we can kill reasonable encounters very quickly.</P> <P>As was said above, anything will work, it just takes a little time to develop a strategy that focuses on the strengths of both classes.</P>

[Nainitsuj]

Druids might go well with a monk, monks can take damage better than we can at lower levels.  But I'd say if you're considering a healer class go with defiler.  The debuffs and slows they get on top of the wards makes it very easy to take on even con ^^^ in a duo environment.  I'd rather have a few wards on me than reactive heals.  When the mob does finally hit me they hit hard.  300 pts of reactive heal doesn't compare to 800 dmg being absorbed by a ward.

[ganjookie]

Just do it <div></div>

[Raidi Sovin'faile]

<DIV>I don't have a defiler so I don't know what they can bring to the duo situation (other than warding), but I have a Fury and I can tell you they match very well with a bruiser.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Furies have two heal types, the regen HoT, and a massive direct heal. I've found that while duoing with my wife's Bruiser, I can slap on the power friendly regen for most of the encounter, and if spike damage happens, my direct heal works very well to compensate. I've found that I rarely end up with wasted healing when playing with avoidance tanks using my Fury.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>And aside from the healing, Furies get a nice wisdom/agility debuff (which I find better than stamina since it's screwed up if you apply it partway through the fight), defense debuff, some pretty nasty procs, really nice ability buffs and in combat health regen, and the highest direct damage spells I've seen for a priest class. When you hit mid 30s, you should be able to nuke single target and group encounter on average about 600 damage.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>It's really about whether you want to protect against the spike damage (ward), or react to the spike damage (direct heal). I've found that while playing my Bruiser, the ward that is on me get picked away by small hits so that when the big hit comes, the ward doesn't fully take it on anyways and the shaman has to direct heal regardless.</DIV> <DIV>Then again, I don't have a defiler, so I'm not sure what else they can bring to the plate... if they are decent nukers or not.</DIV>

[Meme]

I know this may sound odd, but maybe warden. I know Wardens are not what most think of right off, but a lot of healers do not like playing defilers. My main is a defiler. The Warden has it's own prevention with it's root spells that slow down the incoming enemy. A lot of wardens like playing with monks and bruisers. They get the regens like a fury, but they also help hold back the incoming mobs. They have resistance buffs, and that comes in handy. So maybe worth a lookover as well. I think picking any healer if in the shaman or druid classes would work. And Wardens can be played same as furies in freeport. <div></div>

[Falwen]

<P> I've heard terrific things about the Bruiser/Defiler combo, but I've never gotten to try it personally.  I duo mostly with my fiance's necro, and we make an excellent team - he can heal in a pinch, either his pet or I can tank depending on the situation, we both offer excellent DPS, and we can both feign death if things get ugly.  There's very little we can't take on together. </P> <P>The point is, maybe I'm biased.. but I basically feel bruisers are awesome :smileyvery-happy:... lol... and just about anything would be a good match.  Pick whatever you think would be the most fun to play.  If it's DPS, as long as your son keeps his gear up to par he can tank... if it's a tank, your son can go all out offensive all the time and do very nice dps... if it's a priest you can buff him up and send him in to fight... there really isn't a bad partner for a bruiser!</P> <P>Rainyn - 47 Bruiser, Nektolos Server</P>

[Nanite]

<DIV>I would have to say definately fury. I'm a 59 fury and I have a bruiser friend, and with my buffs on him, he was consistently out dpsing EVERYBODY. Wizards, warlocks, swashies, you name it. I thought for a while that bruisers needed a nice hit with the nerf bat, but then I duoed with a swashie friend and put the buffs on him, and he was at least matching if not beating the bruisers dps. For a class that needs as much str/agi as you can get (ie scouts, brawlers mainly. it helps zerkers too but not as much) definately go fury, our bloodlust line is just sick on melee dps.</DIV>

[kr8ztwin]

<P>Well I started a new duo with my brother recently....Bruiser/Defiler and it is insane.  We can easily take out heroics 3 lvls over us with no worries whatsoever.  1 week and we hit lvl 30.  Currently T5 and still going strong.  I bought all my Master wards through T5 so that does help a bit.  It was a blast running zones like Runnyeye in the low 30's killing mobs that full groups our lvl were losing to heh.  </P> <P>We have worked on a number of duo's and this is BY FAR the best I've seen in-game.  The trick is to not focus so much on avoidance and concentrate on getting your resistances up.  His (brother is the bruiser) resistances hold from 30-45% with an avoidance of 52% in offensive stance.  This combination allows me to keep constant wards on at all times.  When things get hairy, Defilers also get AOE fears that have insane hate reduction so the bruisers lack of aoe hate control is completely covered.  Also, Defilers get BIG STR buffs and our mob debuffs are invaluable.  We can slow and drop mobs DPS like crazy which also compliments the bruiser's debuffs.</P> <P>To keep the DPS up we have all bruiser skills adept3+ as well so this might impact this duo's effectiveness....i'm not sure if running app4-adept1 skills will bring mobs down quick enough to keep consistant warding.</P>

[Fromingo]

<P>My bruiser alt plays well with any healer class so it doesn't really matter.   My personal preference is Warden though.  That attack skill buff, they get in 30's, partnered with my master defensive stance is just beautiful hehe.    Then later on add the defensive buff.  Very sweet.  </P>

[PhozFa]

I'll put my 2 cents in. I think the healer is a good dou partner and maybe i'm kinda oldfashion with the healer/tank. I would suggest a warder. With your avoidance and the wards you'll barley even get hit. But like an above poster was saying the fury will def increase your dps <div></div>

[Rurg]

<P>Understanding how a Defiler works 101.  Welcome class..  Jokes aside.  I am currently playing a Defiler so speaking from experience here.  What can a defiler bring to the table, Debuffs and lots of them.  How my sequence works depending on mob, cast group ward, cast single ward on bruiser, bruiser pulls, cast first debuff(drops str, agi, wis by 51 pts), cast second debuff(drops everything by 28%), cast slow(drops dps of mob 28%, combat speed 24%), then sit and wait for the timers to run out on my wards, refresing single ward as need, mob dies before debuffs run out.  If the fight lasts longer then the debuffs(very rare, but can happen) I start casting my debuffs again before they run out to prevent damage spikes.</P> <P>Should your Defiler pick up agro, tell him to use his Devitilizing Chant or whichever one he has.  5 min recycle but will fear everything on him for 6 seconds allowing him to drop heals, wards and lower himself on the hate list.  This also works if your bruiser is about to die and you want to try to pull it out.</P> <P>Thing to remember with a Defiler, they are as much or more about debuffing the mob as they are about warding, at least that is the way it is for me.  Once I have a mob debuffed unless they are several levels over us, they become [expletive haxx0red by Raijinn] cats.</P> <P>Good luck with whatever you do.</P> <P>PS..  You have several slows and they do stack or you can cycle them.</P>

[Yirabeth]

I duo almost exclusively with a defiler, it's an awesome combo and we have alot of fun. Besides, he just starts sharpening his knife when I go down..../sigh (he's iksar I'm ratonga) Mices aren't snackses! ~Yira <div></div>

[industrock]

<DIV>i'm still sticking to my guns and saying fury.  Their battlefury buff is pretty nice. </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Although, avatar from shaman is awesome for duoing.</DIV>

[Quicksilver74]

<DIV>I've duo'd with a fury many times... and they are very fun, and provide so many different types of things, such as heals, dps, Ring of Fire pet, Porcupine, Dmg Shield....   they rock.   </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>BUT, if you are looking at taking on some hard mobs with the 2 of you, I'd say defiler for the win.   Mystics are great also, but defiler is evil, and you'd most likely be right there with him as a bruiser.  Wards on an avoidanec tank are straight up awesome for keeping you alive.  I've duo'd with a defiler and had amazing results.  </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>  Other fun combinations are 2 bruisers,  Bruiser/Dirge,  and I'd even hint at a Bruiser / Coercer duo... as the coercers DPS buffs, Mana regain, Crowd Control, and Charm abilities coudl really turn the tables on some harder fights.  </DIV>

[TooFarGo]

I have to say that grouping bruiser with another bruiser is pretty darn fun. If you get to know each other's playstyle you can pretty much keep a mob knocked down, stunned, and interrupted for the whole fight.  So far I've taken up to even con heroics by grouping with other bruisers (and other fighter classes as well). Sure, we wipe on them sometimes, but that's part of the fun ^_^. BUt for extended fights and for fights in places with lots of adds..go with a healer class.<div></div>

[Maelwy]

<P>yeah, take that 'hint' at a coercer duo seriously.</P> <P>level 56 i was duoing with a 58 coercer in cazels for exp.</P> <P>With coercers stuns, mezzes and power regen, they are one of the most beneficial classes to hang out with -not to mention their dps buffs that leave you doing great dps even in defensive mode</P> <P> </P> <P> </P>

[Firam]

fury or defiler are both really nice priest partnershowever, if you're looking to level extremely fast, i'd say make another bruiser.  i solo'd basically the entire way to 60, except for a period of a few level (53-56) when i duo'd with another bruiser.  we would absolutely <i>annihilate</i> everything in our path.  two eye pluck's on a yellow con ^^^ equals a yellow con ^^^ that cannot touch you. =)  also, we stacked our dps buffs (i had a M1 of the T5 version and he had AD3 of the T6 one, mine actually added more, but either way it stacked just fine).  and considering that 1 bruiser gets about 14 seconds of stun potential, a pair of bruisers can effectively keep a mob stunned over 90% of the fight if done properly.then again, who needs to stun when the mob whiffs every swing anyway? =)<div></div>

[Lakala]

A lot depends on what you want to be able to do well.If you want to be able to take down the hardest possible mobs (albeit more slowly), defiler sounds like a good choice.If you want to mow through easy stuff as fast as possible, group with a DPS class.If you want a broad range in between, fury or warden.Furies are stronger on AoE DPS, wardens are better on single target. So it depends on whether you want to shore up the bruiser's relative weakness against group encounters, or reinforce their strength against single targets. Holding aggro off of a fury on groups will be fun,though.<div></div>