Reaver or Merc?

[Things]

starting a new chara within the next few days....

not sure on which to start, reaver or merc.. ?

i've played a reaver before to 40 before deleteing (cant remember why) but only played a merc to lvl 28ish (back in classic)

i'll probs pl to 40 then solo 40-50, looking for something thats good laugh to play. probs gonna be mainly solo/duo in rvr, in which case most ppl say merc, but i kinda like hunting for stealthers with reavers pbae (only done it in bg's though)

merc:
like the idea of 2 weapons, nice damage, dirty tricks, evade etc, but still with all those tricks i feel that i would just get ganked off anything with slam =)

Reaver:
love the styles, nice to have slam, few spells, LT dot etc, seems to be more fun to play than merc, but never leveled a merc highenough to play around with it.

I just started a merc /lvled, and went DF, damage output is great, but i feel like im missing something without shield,

which do you reckon is best for me to level?

 

[Legean]

probs gonna be mainly solo/duo in rvr, in which case most ppl say merc

With my RR2 odd Reaver i was able to solo pretty well even against much higher RR - never played a merc so i dunno what theyre like at high RR but for solo id def say a reaver. Fair enough mercs get charge but thats one of the only reasons to pick it over a reaver for solo action. If it was for a group id suggest merc as charge makes things a lot more fun that just being mezzed for ages

 

[Things]

well if i was to do a grp, would prbs just be a bridge camping grp :worthy: in which case, dont think merc would be really any good with

 

[Jarahl]

Reaver for Solo, Merc for groups. Its all about charge

 

[Kaimwen]

Tbh it sounds like you already made up for mind, in the first post..

Hint: Read your conclusion on both classes:worthy: (Yeah reavers rocks!)

 

[Javai]

Albion needs more Reavers - we don't have enough TWFs

 

[Varna]

Mercs can solo just as easily as reavers.

The benefits of a reaver are really down to how the player uses them - A primary concern for a reaver is to interupt, so if you're no good at that, it's probably best you pick another class - Reaver's aren't, despite what some say - an easy class to play, I've found it a beneficial learning curve though.

You can, easily solo any tank in the game, regardless of RR - the only difficult ones you'll encounter are well played thanes, heros and high RR skalds.

A few things to note, that at low RR, you won't be using the block / parry chains much, you'll only use them later RR's, and you'll benefit a huge amount from the parry chains, when you get enough RR's behind you, the growth rates aid you alot in the outcome of your damage when soloing.

Uhm, ok and also nice thing about reavers soon is that TWF is getting nerfed, or atleast the soj boost can negate alot of it's primary damage. Your not always going to encounter a soj, but most groups will have one and it will lower your TWF damage considerably. I say nice thing, becuase reaver's can then buy other RA's, hopefuly ChargeII if we get it.

TWF's design is more helpful for splitting the battlefield, and snaring - The only thing that will hurt you from not having TWF3 is the extra duration.

 

[Straef]

Alb needs fewer mercs, go roll a reaver

 

[Samaroon|Terracotta]

Mercs are far better solo than Reavers, by far.

 

[Konah]

saracen reaver is a defence monster with the usual reaver offensive tricks. i think if they dont do aswell as or better than mercs solo u prolly not playing it right (or u rolled brit ). they're both fun classes but i think alb has a severe shortage of good reavers, and dont forget LOVE is INC!

 

[Things]

nub question- whats TWF?

i've always played to interupt anyhow, seen as im not the best damage dealer in my guild =) (probs the worst with fooked up starting points, and low RR)

whats best race for reaver then? someone said briton was crap? i know that sarc get better defence form high dex, and i think they have a higher qui than britons, but less stren/con, whats the important stats?

cheers

2 years away = complete nub again, although i have always considered my self a noob

 

[Javai]

TWF = Thorn Weed Field it is an RA that has 3 levels to it each with increased damage.

It's basically an aoe snare and damage that ticks over so interupts everyone within it as well as damaging them.

Each realm gets it on one class only, Mids on BoneDancer, Hibs on Warden, Albs on Reaver. So Mids and HIbs seem to have it for every fight and Albs once in a blue moon

 

[Dandare]

Thorn weed field
Realm ability that casts a large weed ring around your eneimes, and no you can't smoke it

 

[Konah]

well since saracen gives the highest flex wepskill (but same qui as brit) and significantly better chances to parry/block/evade AND can be mistaken for a cabby or sorc from range or morphed its a no brainer for me

 

[Javai]

well since saracen gives the highest flex wepskill (but same qui as brit) and significantly better chances to parry/block/evade AND can be mistaken for a cabby or sorc from range or morphed its a no brainer for me

But Britons are prettier

 

[Konah]

But Britons are prettier

pre-cata small brit chics do take some beating agreed ;p

 

[Gins]

i got both reaver and merc. The reaver was a lot easyer to level by far, but at 50 i pick my merc over reaver to solo with any time ( he is crush tho).

the whole slam/levi idea is nice but it would get purged more than often anyway.

Also my merc is on camlann and the reaver on classic, so reaver not getting any benefits from arti's/ml's tho. ( but same goes for the ppl i'm fighting i guess)

and the not having shield problem, who cares, you will hit like a mack truck, and if you STILL have problems, dt = gg

 

[Lookdaddy]

Oi, theres nothing wrong with briton reavers!!

And Gins, if all you do is rely on slam/levi when soloing on your reaver you REALLY need to learn to play the class m8! I Love soloing on my reaver, and would swap it for any other char! I block/parry alot and have no problem getting the reactional styles off!

 

[Varna]

Konah,

Saracens are, statistically better - however, the significant part about block/parry/evade isn't true. The WS increase doesnt aid you a huge amount and by the way, if your gonna be anal about it, it's like 10 - 20 WS, not a huge difference as britons counter it with more str, and yes - I've played an RR6 saracen reaver and an RR6 briton reaver and there's no noticeable difference, if marginal but at higher RR - there really is no noticeable difference.

Gins,

In responce to slam/levi concept, that pretty much sums up FGvFG for a reaver, if the side chain actually did something worthwhile, it would make the class more interesting in it's melee contribution to a FG, but with so many other duties going on, with regards to interupting, it's not one of the biggest concerns.

If you solo and just use slam/levi, and it gets purged so much - It's your own fualt, I hardly ever slammed and levi when I soloed, 1, I got whines about 3 shotting people and 2, I found fights more lengthly and enjoyable using the block/parry chains which are not to-be overlooked.

Oh, and that shield is up there with the Dissolution shield - however, I wouldnt say that its something which every reaver needs, as I've said before, you don't need those items vastly over what else the game has to offer.

 

[Things]

ok, so looks like i'll make a reaver, now, if only i could make my mind up with which race to use....

at 50, saracen has 95 stren, 50 con, 103 dex, 60 qui, 75 pie. without spending points
at 50, briton has 105 stren, 60 con, 83dex, 60 qui, 75 pie, again without spending points,

best spec to use for solo/duo? **From daoc.catacombs.com forums**
**
Soulreaver: 50 rend, 50 flex, 23 shield, 17 parry (or 28 shield, 6 parry).

Slam reaver: 50 flex, 42 shield, 36 rend, 16 parry.
**

 

[Varna]

Pick the one you like the look of most importantly, race doesnt matter.

Typical cookie-cutter spec is what you want to-go as a beginner, don't go with SR spec until higher RR.

 

[Konah]

however, the significant part about block/parry/evade isn't true.

would u like aug dex3 for free? thought so.

20ish ws is true and its about the same as 3-4 trains in flex (or RR5) by my reckoning. a hybrid needs every drop of ws, not to mention highest levi dmg. brits dont counter it with more str... they cant match saracen flex ws, 50+80/2 vs 60+60/2, simple math rly.

saracen is stats-wise hands down best race for reaver plus nice racials vs brits oh-so-useful 5% spirit

 

[Konah]

i went 10str 15dex and heading for 50flex 42shield 35soul 18parry, no auto.

agree with ld, slam is a reavers last resort imo. u got 2 other stuns that are a) more likely to land on someone with defences b) do more dmg/effects while u wait for it to land c) dont eat your endurance bar d) an 8s side stun that uses hardly any endo at all.

well anyway i'm enjoying my reaver, levi inc xD

 

[Things]

started a sar, went 10 stren, 10 dex, 10 con, going for 50flex, 36soul, 42 shield and what ever else in parry..

thanks for the replys =)

 

[Gins]

And Gins, if all you do is rely on slam/levi when soloing on your reaver you REALLY need to learn to play the class m8!

Well mine is only 4LX so i'm not saying i know everything about reavers/play em flawless, but i was only stating the fact that the most appealing thing when starting a reaver ( that insane levi style) might end up in a big disapointment ( spelling?)

anyway, merc ! :worthy:

 

[Varna]

would u like aug dex3 for free? thought so.

20ish ws is true and its about the same as 3-4 trains in flex (or RR5) by my reckoning. a hybrid needs every drop of ws, not to mention highest levi dmg. brits dont counter it with more str... they cant match saracen flex ws, 50+80/2 vs 60+60/2, simple math rly.

saracen is stats-wise hands down best race for reaver plus nice racials vs brits oh-so-useful 5% spirit

Even saracen reavers go DEX3, it's a must have for a reaver as it caters for everything, regardless of race - 20WS = 3/4 trains in flex or RR5? Ok, thats totally off. I think your perception of the class is some-what clouded, if you want to hit hard with levi, then you get spell damage RA's and GOV/CW/AT/HFC, the WS doesnt play a huge part of how much levi does, it's a proc.

The only thing that I'd consider going saracen for would be getting those resists, but at this stage in the game (rather than 2+ years ago), they're not exactly hard to cap on any other race.

Oh and,

...agree with ld, slam is a reavers last resort imo. u got 2 other stuns that are a) more likely to land on someone with defences b) do more dmg/effects while u wait for it to land c) dont eat your endurance bar d) an 8s side stun that uses hardly any endo at all...

Ok, Viper for solo, 4s stun, thats 3 levi's still with haste. That will always be an option, regardless of RR. Anaconda, however you'll only get access to that later on when you can afford defencive RA's to boost chances of parrying.

Side stun, it's more logical to slam in FG [speccing 42 shield, then saying I'm not going to use it becuase side-stun uses less endo.. is daft.] - and no, I highly doubt you'll be using it konah, hardly any reavers do - The only nice thing about side-stun is it's easier to pull off than other positions becuase of it's arc over say.. back positionals.


well anyway i'm enjoying my reaver, levi inc xD

This is coming from a guy who slated the reaver class on VN, then goes and rolls one. Ok. It's funny reading the stuff you post, 'cos for some odd reason people go away thinking what your saying is right, when clearly 9 times out of 10 it's wrong - that's why theres so few decent reavers about, no offence.

Anyway, to the original poster - Hope you enjoy the reaver!

 

[Konah]

Even saracen reavers go DEX3, it's a must have for a reaver as it caters for everything, regardless of race.

ye and the saracen has dex5 then for the cost of dex3, by ur logic.

20WS = 3/4 trains in flex or RR5? Ok, thats totally off

trained flex from 48-50 this morning and got 7ws per....

the WS doesnt play a huge part of how much levi does, it's a proc.

i never said it played a huge part, it plays a part tho since the proc dmg is based on wepskill. i'm a min-maxxer, i don't apologise for that.

they're not exactly hard to cap on any other race.

racials go overcap... thats the point.

later on when you can afford defencive RA's to boost chances of parrying.

like dex3 maybe?

Side stun, it's more logical to slam in FG

Oh rly? context of the post was reaver vs merc SOLO. but i will be using the side stun to save end in fg, thanks for the advice anyway.

This is coming from a guy who slated the reaver class on VN, then goes and rolls one.

rolled mine way before i took the piss with my "whiff, plzrunplz, stop strafing so i can levi joo!, whiff" post. the thread was about merc vs reaver for fg rvr DAMAGE. i never rolled a reaver to out dmg a merc in fg rvr, i rolling one to out-interupt and out-live a merc.

Ok. It's funny reading the stuff you post, 'cos for some odd reason people go away thinking what your saying is right, when clearly 9 times out of 10 it's wrong - that's why theres so few decent reavers about, no offence.

uhuh... none taken i'm sure

 

[Straef]

LOVE is INC!

What love?

 

[Konah]

charge hopefully xD

 

[Moaning Myrtle]

Each realm gets it on one class only, Mids on BoneDancer, Hibs on Warden, Albs on Reaver. So Mids and HIbs seem to have it for every fight and Albs once in a blue moon

Hmmm...should be given to Paladins and Necromancers as their RR5, for much solo pwnage of annoying duos/trios