Quick question

[Garaen]

Hi everyone, i'll be making an alt or two in the coming day's and was wondering one or two thing's.

Which classes are the realm lacking. I've got my eye on a Bard, Warden or Spearo. How effective are the Bard/Warden at solo'ing? Also are most group's structured for pbae exp, or is a pbae group a rare thing unless your lucky? (In Albion pbae group's are not common, which is ashame)


Thanks for the replys

 

[Gaiea]

A brief summary:

(Some may disagree - but that's their perogative)...

Bard
As a bard, you'll be welcome in any group. Between End regen, mana regen, healing, mezzing, buffing and speed, you will be probably the most favoured of the support classes in the realm. You will be wanted in any group out there, regardless of their fighting style. The downside: you're totally useless solo. Chances are as a bard you won't need to be solo, but if you want to try any sort of even-con enemy (player or environment) 1-on-1, expect a good chance of losing.

Warden
This is probably one of the more versatile classes out there. With your pulsing group bladeturn, you are very much in demand in just about any non-focus-pull group, pve or rvr. What's more, you can heal a bit, buff, have speed and you do not by any means disgrace yourself 1-on-1, especially at higher levels. Wardens can be relatively weak early on in their lives, but a well-specced lvl 50 warden is a very tough nut to crack 1-on-1. Their damage output is not good, but there are not many in the game that are better in terms of defense. The combination of heals, buffs and bladeturn makes soloing this chappie in PvE a pretty doable prospect in terms of down-time.

Spearo
Tanks are generally in demand, but the contradiction is that a defensive tank will be more popular in PvE groups than an offensive one. Spearos are good for RvR, however. I would suggest if you go with this option, at least get your shield up to 42 for the anytime stun, and to be available in the role of a defensive tank in PvE. You'll be welcomed in PBAE groups, but won't have any sort of role in focus pull groups. Being the realm's main damage-inflicting tank, Spearos are definitely good 1-on-1. In PvE, you'll spend a lot of time sitting around waiting for your health to regenerate though. You get a LOT of health, but spearos also take a LOT of damage. So the downtime becomes a huge factor when soloing mobs.


About PBAE Groups in Hib
PBAE levelling is not only common in Hibernia, but this realm has turned it almost into an art-form. You get the traditional PBAE, where the tanks get and hold the aggro all in close proximity, and the local PBAE'er comes in and polishes off the mobs. Healers then heal tanks as needed while other classes simply help with damage output. This type of group needs good tanks that can establish and keep aggro well and would welcome wardens.

You also get Focus groups, in which an enchanter pulls lots of mobs with a pet with focus shield. The shield generates HUGE aggro on the mobs, and healers simply heal the pet. The enchanter then comes in after a bit and polishes off the mobs with PBAE. These groups will not welcome bladeturn, as the whole idea is to allow the pet to be hit with the shield up in order to establish the aggro. There's also no real role for a tank. The pet and healers are all-important in these groups, and keeping the pet and enchanter alive supercede all else. The rate at which the pet takes damage means that anyone other than the pet getting aggro will probably not be able to get enough time from a healer to keep him alive. This type of grouping is the most commonly used for power-levelling.

Hope this helps you a bit.

 

[Garaen]

Extremely nice post Gaiea, it's just what i was after.

 

[Elric IA]

There's also no real role for a tank

Only use is for Protect on the healer in case their healing takes aggro from the pet plus a back up if things do go wrong.