I was recently asked on twitter what I thought the ‘worst’ classes in EQ2 were – and I actually had a pretty hard time answering. The term ‘worst’ can be applied to so many particulars about a game, especially when it comes to classes. What one person may consider to be a down feature may actually be a feature others enjoy. Even after I had answered I had to think about it, in order to figure out what I really felt.
I was told that in actuality I would have been disqualified from the question due to the sheer number of level 80 characters I have – but I think that this would imply the exact opposite. The fact that I have played so many different classes gives me a better idea of what (for me personally) is considered the ‘worst’.
My answer when all was said and done – was summoners. It was based on the fact that out of all the classes out there they do their ‘job’ worse then what other classes do as their main ‘job’. Since they are headed towards a revamp I don’t think I’m too far off on my mark. Now let me explain this a little further.
The summoner class offers very little to a group or raid that another class cannot provide in abundance. They have no unique spells that make them essential, no buffs – and currently their DPS is sub par compared to other DPS classes. Yes, they can be fantastic at solo play, and no I’m not saying they suck by any means at all but when you compare them to other classes they fall below the line right now.
Bards and enchanters on the other hand are always needed and wanted for groups and raids, their buffs are unique and push up the dps of a group by significant amounts, and if you know how to play a coercer properly you can solo pretty much any heroic content you want. There are specific mobs out there you can charm with a master1 charm and they will nuke for 400k damage. If you were to look at their playability you may consider these classes to be the ‘worst’ because they can be exceptionally frustrating to solo with, players rarely use mez and it can be frustrating, and the learning curve to play these classes properly and as more then just a buff bot can be a bit high.
Tanks are great to level up with but at end game it can be a bit lonely especially if you’re looking to raid, though shadowknights are certainly the flavour of the month in this expansion there tends to be an abundance of them and most situated raid guilds already have their main tanks and off tanks chosen. Leveling up without a healer or power regen or some outside dps can be really slow – and this too may make them seem like the ‘worst’ classes to level up (aside from the SK, who as I mentioned are just super amazing currently).
The rest of the scouts and mages (wizards, warlocks) that focus on dps can at least offer a few buffs to groups and keep their dps up fairly high as long as they’re willing to invest in the time. Healers are needed fairly frequently, druids were the flavour of the month in RoK, and that seems to have died down some what (at least on the servers I’ve played). Templars are by far one of the most difficult classes to solo with simply because their dps is about equal to that of a paper bag, and that may be what some consider to be the ‘worst’ class to play. If you’re teamed up with a dps class (any one works) you may find that they’re the easiest to level up – and they’re certainly wanted end game for their hp buffs and reactive heals.
Anyhow – the point of this long ramble was simply to point out that there is no real ‘worst’ class out there. It’s all about how you play, what matters to you, and what you hope to acomplish. If I had to choose, I’d say summoners but that’s a personal opinion based on how well everyone else does their ‘job’ in the game. In the end you should always be playing what you enjoy and what you want to play the most anyhow, and none of these rants should matter in the least so long as you’re having fun.
Speaking of fun – I ran Obelisk of Ahkzul yesterday morning with Ultann in the hopes that perhaps after my extended break the zone would be glad that I had returned and cough up that healer shield I’ve been after for months now, and like always I was proven wrong and nothing of use dropped – though the chest in the ‘bouncy’ room did reward us with 14p and since it was just he and I in the group (me boxing my coercer + mystic) it was a nice reward. Aside from that the day was fairly quiet, and I am thankful for that.
I hope everyone is having an amazing weekend and I want to give my thanks again to everyone for being so supportive as I go through these health issues. It’s really nice to know what a wonderfully amazing community of people I know.
See you in Norrath!
I hate that question, and the one that ask what class is the best.
I think the better question to ask is how come so many MMO players want to only play the best class in the game? When did playing the game to learn a class, and how best to play it for yourself become a bad thing?
My one and only level 80 is a Conji, and I picked that class because I thought maybe it would be a good thing to have a pet to take out mob’s as I harvested, and by the way it worked great.
My Brother also started a Conji at the same time. He was at level 80 a long time befor me. Now when my brother and I group up with othere’s he is always at the top side of the DPS, To where I am always at the bottom of the DPS. The conji right now is not real group friendley, As my brother has told me over and over that the Conji takes time to wined up to crank out the DPS. In raids he hits the top of the (sever wide ACT) DPS. Out DPSing all othere classes. How you ask? He spends hours at finding the right spell progression for the class. To whee I can’t make myself do that.
Beside I play the game to have fun and hang out with friends. I din’t even push for level 80 till I was only like 2 level’s from it and my guild pushed me to hit level 80. Now that I am, I don’t play him all that much, Now I am pushing up another class. I’m having a blast with it (Ranger), But I have been told that the Ranger was a weak assassin. I find that funny as the Ranger is not even in the list with the other scouts in EQ2.
OK so what started all this was Troy asking what the worst class was in EQ2, The worst or best class is what ever toon I am playing, Depending on how the fight is going right then.
Alik Steel
“Best” is inherently relative – if SOE deleted the other twenty three classes, the conjurer would be the best – and the worst – class in the game. I’ve greatly enjoyed solo leveling my Dirge, even though the “what class should I play” threads always say that bardss are terrible at soloing. The priests also have the melee spec and then betray option, which means that you can avoid actually leveling a Templar etc if you’re not picky about the RP reasoning.
Also, I’m curious what you think about the Brawler situation. They seem to be in a spot where players don’t actually want to risk using them in their niche. I don’t know whether that makes their plight more or less dire than the Summoners’.
I really comes and goes. I remember when Paladins and SKs were considered crap, now they are both considered amazing. Brawlers have also had their ups and downs.
I’ve never dismissed anyone based on their class. Well, I suppose the only class I ever had a problem with was the Fury as a healer… because they just could never keep me alive :)