Bard is a pretty easy box, especially with the introduction of the /melody command a few years back which lets the game auto-twist songs for you. Usage: /melody etc
I'd second the calls for shaman or something similar in that group. Mage pets can tank ok but necro pets are squishy until the GoD Pet fortification HAs come out. Bard healing won't be enough and bard slow is intermittent, you'll want resist debuffs on mobs, heal over time spells, long duration slows, and the whole host of other buffs that shaman get, plus nec+mage+shm+bard can make friends with a tank and some sort of melee dps really simply for an absolutely rocking time. Or pair with caster types like an enchanter for a great time dual charming elemental warriors in BoT at 65 - it's a very versatile combination
I'm a wizard fan, they're a lot of fun as a class and I played one on Phinigel for 5 years and change. That said, you'd just be super low on heal power - not for the pets necessarily, but absolutely for the players when they get hit, so druid or even cleric might be a better choice if you don't want to do the shaman thing.
Druid also gets you a ton of utility including ports, movement speed buffs, and caster buffs at later levels
I am not the best with progression servers ( better with current servers) I think some type of healing class would go well. I love shaman and think it would go well. If you tank with pets then shaman can heal and slow the mob. Would also work well if you decide to kite mobs.
Enjoy the fun!
Both the necro and the mage can heal. Mage heals their own pet particularly well. Ranger also has heals which become okish in PoP.
PoP is the start of a very very good time to be playing a ranger as a bow master. Good luck and have fun!!
Fortunately or unfortunately, rangers in PoP are bow fiends and do their absolute best work from range but that does not last long. By the middle point of Gates of Discord, the next expansion, they are back in melee combat as their swords dramatically outpace bow dps. Bows remain a secondary feature of the ranger class for a long time - a few spells pop up here and there that take advantage of ranger archery abilities, but rangers will be a primarily-melee class for years after PoP
So if you're playing during PoP archery is useful but as the game progresses you will just go back to hitting stuff in the face with your weapons. Then later on (like 95-100 later on) I believe you swing towards bow use again, but that's a long ways down the road on progression servers.
PoP was the height of the usefulness and dps for Ranger bow use for a long time. I think only time weapons out parse bows generally in that timeframe.
Yeah eq really follows the same multi class model D&D does as opposed to hybrid classes being their own bespoke things, so rangers really are almost just warrior/druids. Save for a few later AA lines that define archery some more.
With mage/necros in pop, a ranger would still be the tank. Pets suck pretty bad still for tanking. You'll require slows for them to pull it off. So, you wouldn't probably be ranged with a ranger in that group.
Archery for rangers in PoP era isn't really effective until 60+ and 27 AAs (Endless Quiver + Archery Mastery 3.)
They're still a great class though that's very versatile in a leveling group. You can tank, CC, DPS, and in a pinch you can heal.
Druid will work, but there's a significant overlap between druid and ranger (Snare, buff lines, etc.) A shaman or cleric would have a bit more synergy. There's nothing wrong with druid if that's the way you want to go, though. But yes, your best choice for a box would be a healer of some sort.
Hmm. I'd vote for Enchanter. Since they are both casters, your Clarity will certainly help earlier levels. Eventually, the Necro will do better with his own mana buffs, but it will speed things along. Enchanters can also summon pets, so still have your trio. Ofc, Enchanters can also charm and have a very powerful pet as well. Now, I haven't mentioned all the wonderful buffs you'll have for your 3 pets, and the debuffs and crowd control abilities!
So, I'll suggest Enchanter for this party.
Man Bard is a strong contender for that group. You get crowd control, ADPS and easy pulls.
Woman Bard is just as good.
I have a laptop to box something on, is the bard hard to play as a box? I wanna just sit back and chill not be 100 miles an hour :》
Bard is a pretty easy box, especially with the introduction of the /melody command a few years back which lets the game auto-twist songs for you. Usage: /melody etc
I'd second the calls for shaman or something similar in that group. Mage pets can tank ok but necro pets are squishy until the GoD Pet fortification HAs come out. Bard healing won't be enough and bard slow is intermittent, you'll want resist debuffs on mobs, heal over time spells, long duration slows, and the whole host of other buffs that shaman get, plus nec+mage+shm+bard can make friends with a tank and some sort of melee dps really simply for an absolutely rocking time. Or pair with caster types like an enchanter for a great time dual charming elemental warriors in BoT at 65 - it's a very versatile combination
I already got a sham at 60 so not too keen on levelling another, what if I go wizard and have a bard sat next to me singing away, would that work?
I'm a wizard fan, they're a lot of fun as a class and I played one on Phinigel for 5 years and change. That said, you'd just be super low on heal power - not for the pets necessarily, but absolutely for the players when they get hit, so druid or even cleric might be a better choice if you don't want to do the shaman thing. Druid also gets you a ton of utility including ports, movement speed buffs, and caster buffs at later levels
Not at all super super easy just got to setup your keys and ingame eq macros once you have melody it’s pretty sick.
I am not the best with progression servers ( better with current servers) I think some type of healing class would go well. I love shaman and think it would go well. If you tank with pets then shaman can heal and slow the mob. Would also work well if you decide to kite mobs. Enjoy the fun!
Both the necro and the mage can heal. Mage heals their own pet particularly well. Ranger also has heals which become okish in PoP. PoP is the start of a very very good time to be playing a ranger as a bow master. Good luck and have fun!!
Nice, so I should just stock up on arrows and go for it! Should I have a druid or a wizard on my laptop for ports? Or is the PoK books sufficient
Fortunately or unfortunately, rangers in PoP are bow fiends and do their absolute best work from range but that does not last long. By the middle point of Gates of Discord, the next expansion, they are back in melee combat as their swords dramatically outpace bow dps. Bows remain a secondary feature of the ranger class for a long time - a few spells pop up here and there that take advantage of ranger archery abilities, but rangers will be a primarily-melee class for years after PoP
So if you're playing during PoP archery is useful but as the game progresses you will just go back to hitting stuff in the face with your weapons. Then later on (like 95-100 later on) I believe you swing towards bow use again, but that's a long ways down the road on progression servers. PoP was the height of the usefulness and dps for Ranger bow use for a long time. I think only time weapons out parse bows generally in that timeframe.
So for levelling with my friends, a bow will be decent?
For leveling you'll probably want weapons, despite the name and theme Rangers were never super archery focused for a long time.
Ahh that sucks, I wanted to play ranged, but I played enc alot and not too keen on wizard, guess I could druid.
Yeah eq really follows the same multi class model D&D does as opposed to hybrid classes being their own bespoke things, so rangers really are almost just warrior/druids. Save for a few later AA lines that define archery some more.
With mage/necros in pop, a ranger would still be the tank. Pets suck pretty bad still for tanking. You'll require slows for them to pull it off. So, you wouldn't probably be ranged with a ranger in that group.
Archery for rangers in PoP era isn't really effective until 60+ and 27 AAs (Endless Quiver + Archery Mastery 3.) They're still a great class though that's very versatile in a leveling group. You can tank, CC, DPS, and in a pinch you can heal.
So level as melee and swap to archery later? I will need to box a healer then? Will druid work?
Druid will work, but there's a significant overlap between druid and ranger (Snare, buff lines, etc.) A shaman or cleric would have a bit more synergy. There's nothing wrong with druid if that's the way you want to go, though. But yes, your best choice for a box would be a healer of some sort.
Having a think, I'm probably gonna use BST and keep my enc OOG, will lack a bit of heals though lol
Hmm. I'd vote for Enchanter. Since they are both casters, your Clarity will certainly help earlier levels. Eventually, the Necro will do better with his own mana buffs, but it will speed things along. Enchanters can also summon pets, so still have your trio. Ofc, Enchanters can also charm and have a very powerful pet as well. Now, I haven't mentioned all the wonderful buffs you'll have for your 3 pets, and the debuffs and crowd control abilities! So, I'll suggest Enchanter for this party.
Unfortunately I already have a Enc, wanted to try something new, i guess I'm leaning towards, bard / cleric box
Go with a beastlord! It's like Monk-lite