The bear shaman to the test

[eragrim]

I just got hold of AoC and havent settled with a class yet. I am intrested in Ranger or the Bear Shaman.

What I am looking for is basically a class which is good solo, both in PvE and PvP. I was very very fond of the Paladin in WoW and thought that BS could match up good with it. But as I read more and more about it, it seemed like a weak class, both in PvE and PvP.

As a Paladin in WoW, PvE was easy at any level. You could solo many mobs at the same time of equal level as yourself without worriying about dying. This made the grinding really enjoyable. If you wanted to find a group to exp or quest with, you were always welcome. And in PvP, you won most of the 1 on 1 encounters of equal level, and the ones you werent able to handle, you could escape in most cases (Lose the battle without dying). And Paladins were also a part of the best setups for pvp, making grouping at a higher level (elite if you will) pvp possible as well.

Now, to compare with the bear shaman. I have read posts stating that it is the hardest class to solo with in PvE until level 20 . After that you get a skill allowing you to heal yourself while striking, making it alot easier. So, does the BS match the Paladin or is it just a poor hybrid like the Druid in WoW? Must the BS, like the Druid in wow, choose between melee or healing and really not ever getting good at anything causing it to lose nearly every 1 on 1 encounter in PvP? Several people playing BS has stated that it has rediciously low HP compared to other classes causing it to die easy. And Rangers seems to be its nemesis, winning 100 times out of 100 in a solo encounter in PvP.

As far as I know reading from posts etc the BS seems like a "struggling" class for the people that enjoy difficult and different paths in MMOs. This is absolutly not what I am looking for. Have I gotten a completely wrong image of the BS? If so, please enlighten me, or even better, recommend a class that might bring the same same feeling the Paladin in wow to the table.

 

[Aada]

Currently any class that can self heal in AOC is considered GOD and you run away unless you can deal an insane amount of DPS in 2-3 hits.

If not expect to see his life shoot back up to full at hardly any cost to their mana pool

 

[eragrim]

Currently any class that can self heal in AOC is considered GOD and you run away unless you can deal an insane amount of DPS in 2-3 hits.

If not expect to see his life shoot back up to full at hardly any cost to their mana pool

All selfhealing classes are gods? Meaning Priest of Mithra, Bear Shaman and Templar of Seth I suppose? Are they gods in both PvE and PvP?

 

[Digi]

Im playing a bs at the moment got to lvl 39 its a fun class to play dont have a hard time soloing and work very well in groups about pvp well i not played that manny games but the games that i have played seemed ok, won some lost some. Out of all the healer i prob say that the PoS is the best one for soloing pvp and groups seen a friend chain pull like 5 to 7 mobs around his lvl and he drop them fast.

But is hard to say how it all going to work out at 80 and you got to ask your self do you wanna play a class that makes you work or do you wanna have a easy time then reroll when it get nerfed

 

[Aada]

All selfhealing classes are gods? Meaning Priest of Mithra, Bear Shaman and Templar of Seth I suppose? Are they gods in both PvE and PvP?

Yep there are a few people on this forum playing Pom ask them and they know they are quite powerful.

I have only beat one healer class up to yet the rest either run until you are out of endurance and turn round and nuke you to the ground or they stand there and heal any dps you do and laugh in your face.

I'm a HOX though so waiting till i get fire lance and will shove that up their fat ass.

 

[old.Tohtori]

i'd say, and many will disagree i guess, but when you learn to play it fully, Dark Templar is akin and more so powerful then a paladin and good old DAoC thane.

It's just, lovely in every way to my gamestyle

 

[eragrim]

Im playing a bs at the moment got to lvl 39 its a fun class to play dont have a hard time soloing and work very well in groups about pvp well i not played that manny games but the games that i have played seemed ok, won some lost some. Out of all the healer i prob say that the PoS is the best one for soloing pvp and groups seen a friend chain pull like 5 to 7 mobs around his lvl and he drop them fast.

But is hard to say how it all going to work out at 80 and you got to ask your self do you wanna play a class that makes you work or do you wanna have a easy time then reroll when it get nerfed

Question is though, will AoC nerf the way Mythic did in Daoc? Hopefully they will be more carefull when altering classes.

So far judging from comments and posts, BS seems to be the worst of the three priests in both PvE and PvP. And as I mentioned I am not a "struggler", that just makes playing boring imo.

I have also understood that the BS is not one of the top PvErs solo. For example, a Ranger solo mobs and exp with more ease then a BS, and it wins 10 out of 10 times in a 1 vs 1 situation in PvP?

 

[eragrim]

i'd say, and many will disagree i guess, but when you learn to play it fully, Dark Templar is akin and more so powerful then a paladin and good old DAoC thane.

It's just, lovely in every way to my gamestyle

I dont think that many will disagree, Ive heard many positive things about the Dark Templar

May I ask what level youve reached with your toon?

 

[Ctuchik]

I'm a HOX though so waiting till i get fire lance and will shove that up their fat ass.

its not gonna help

 

[old.Tohtori]

I dont think that many will disagree, Ive heard many positive things about the Dark Templar

May I ask what level youve reached with your toon?

Even if i dislike the word "toon", 23 went up a while back.

Not long, but i have a very good eye for things in early levels.

 

[dee777]

Currently any class that can self heal in AOC is considered GOD and you run away unless you can deal an insane amount of DPS in 2-3 hits.

If not expect to see his life shoot back up to full at hardly any cost to their mana pool

This is very well in line with the rest of your spiced up postings. You would even have a point if you stayed objective.

I play a BS and no, they arent gods. Barbs eat me alive. Knockback for the win. Just for starters, try to count the hitpoint total. This is gonna get you a clue...

 

[eragrim]

This is very well in line with the rest of your spiced up postings. You would even have a point if you stayed objective.

I play a BS and no, they arent gods. Barbs eat me alive. Knockback for the win. Just for starters, try to count the hitpoint total. This is gonna get you a clue...

Sounds like you are somewhat of a realist, which I like when it comes to questions like this. If you engage in 1 vs 1 PvP with a barb at equal level, is there any chance that you can escape the situation alive with a BS?

This is a quote from Ten Ton Hammer Forums regarding the BS PvE wise;

pre 20 is very painful prepare to die a lot post 20 we solo very well. post 20 speccing into Untamed Regen we are soloing animals. Im level 30 right now. If I have untamed regen on and have all my HoTs up I can take on 6+ mobs same level then have no down time afterwards.
On a side note: Bearshamans can main heal a group WHILE doing awsome dps. We have to dps to heal HAH imagine that.

Unlike a wow healer our weapons arnt for show

Does this make any sense? Any other BS at equal level which feels the same way regarding BS PvE wise? Or is it just another example of glorifying a weak class for your own good.

Thanks everyone for the input so far!

 

[taB]

A Scrapheap-challenge perspective on Bear Shaman

Background info: Scrapheap is a forum originally for ship fittings and optimum loadouts in Eve (for minmatards), it's now got a load of other shite on there too It's run by a guy called Calmdown who is a power-gaming type feller from scouse land.

 

[Downanael]

[/i][/b]

Does this make any sense? Any other BS at equal level which feels the same way regarding BS PvE wise? Or is it just another example of glorifying a weak class for your own good.

Can just and just take 4 mobs down but 6? noway since my health is rocketing like hell even with 4 mobs (lvl 33)

 

[Ctuchik]

and it wins 10 out of 10 times in a 1 vs 1 situation in PvP?

aye, their ranged DPS is alot better then what the bear shamans can heal.

if you get up to melee it its a piece of cake tho. just have to watch those traps.

 

[dee777]

If you engage in 1 vs 1 PvP with a barb at equal level, is there any chance that you can escape the situation alive with a BS?

I firmly think you always can cope with any give situation, however if a barb gets the jump on you, he went a big way of flattening you already. Funcom already stated, that it will review CC, so maybe the knockdown-blues will come to an end someday.

Bear in mind that I dont like 1on1 too much. I am more a group on grouper.

This is a quote from Ten Ton Hammer Forums regarding the BS PvE wise;

pre 20 is very painful prepare to die a lot post 20 we solo very well. post 20 speccing into Untamed Regen we are soloing animals. Im level 30 right now. If I have untamed regen on and have all my HoTs up I can take on 6+ mobs same level then have no down time afterwards.
On a side note: Bearshamans can main heal a group WHILE doing awsome dps. We have to dps to heal HAH imagine that.

Unlike a wow healer our weapons arnt for show

I can completely agree on the pre 20 part. Life is hell pre 20. No matter how hard I tried, I wasnt able to reliably take down two mobs my level. Maybe I sukk, but a lot of guys have trouble in that segment. The good part about it is, it is over soon. You will start to shine at 20 and really get going at around 30ish.

6+ mobs same level seems spiced a good deal, unless you chug on the supreme pots a lot. I can see 4, but 6+? I have my doubts since we have very little hitpoints and untamed regen acts as a 10% damage buff for anyone that hits you. The part about mana and stamina is true tho, if you can tank the damage the mobs do to you, you are golden. You cant get out of mana with untamed regen running and getting out of stamina is hard. So after a fight you mostly regen up your health with the ticking HoTs and find the next victim(s).

HTH

//edit: Forgot a bottomline. You gotta have a bottomline, dont you? I _LOVE_ my bearshaman and wouldnt want to play another character as my main in the world. Its hard to play the class up to its possibilities, but so worth it. I dropped my ToS for the bearshaman and that was pre-idol-fix for whatever its worth.

 

[old.Tohtori]

Hehe, now i have TWO classes to play just because people say "oh they suck pre-20"

I just got to prove those things wrong, just for myself mind you, because i believe there is some gold nugget in each class.

 

[Ctuchik]

Hehe, now i have TWO classes to play just because people say "oh they suck pre-20"

I just got to prove those things wrong, just for myself mind you, because i believe there is some gold nugget in each class.

trust me, u cant prove bear shamans as a strong class pre 20, unless ur cheating and take on -3 lvl mobs you can JUST about survive 2 equal level mobs if ur REALLY fast to reapply the HoT's. if you miss that by so much as a second, you die

 

[eragrim]

A Scrapheap-challenge perspective on Bear Shaman

Background info: Scrapheap is a forum originally for ship fittings and optimum loadouts in Eve (for minmatards), it's now got a load of other shite on there too It's run by a guy called Calmdown who is a power-gaming type feller from scouse land.

The best and most informative input I have received so far based on actual PvP experience. I read the inputs from Calmdown and has received an entire new perspective of the BS.

Thanks taB.

 

[Digi]

I firmly think you always can cope with any give situation, however if a barb gets the jump on you, he went a big way of flattening you already. Funcom already stated, that it will review CC, so maybe the knockdown-blues will come to an end someday.

Bear in mind that I dont like 1on1 too much. I am more a group on grouper.



I can completely agree on the pre 20 part. Life is hell pre 20. No matter how hard I tried, I wasnt able to reliably take down two mobs my level. Maybe I sukk, but a lot of guys have trouble in that segment. The good part about it is, it is over soon. You will start to shine at 20 and really get going at around 30ish.

6+ mobs same level seems spiced a good deal, unless you chug on the supreme pots a lot. I can see 4, but 6+? I have my doubts since we have very little hitpoints and untamed regen acts as a 10% damage buff for anyone that hits you. The part about mana and stamina is true tho, if you can tank the damage the mobs do to you, you are golden. You cant get out of mana with untamed regen running and getting out of stamina is hard. So after a fight you mostly regen up your health with the ticking HoTs and find the next victim(s).

HTH

//edit: Forgot a bottomline. You gotta have a bottomline, dont you? I _LOVE_ my bearshaman and wouldnt want to play another character as my main in the world. Its hard to play the class up to its possibilities, but so worth it. I dropped my ToS for the bearshaman and that was pre-idol-fix for whatever its worth.

How do you get on with untamed regen i dont have it, did not like the sound of take more dmg just to heal faster sound abit like a bad trade off and i can still heal my self good with 4 mobs and just use a heal pot if i get more i find that the renewal/ blood flow combo works well anuff.

 

[Ctuchik]

The best and most informative input I have received so far based on actual PvP experience. I read the inputs from Calmdown and has received an entire new perspective of the BS.

Thanks taB.

yeah its an ok thread with decent info on the current state of the game. but i wouldn't trust it if it were the last site on the net

mostly because funcom havent started with the nerfhammer yet.

 

[dee777]

How do you get on with untamed regen i dont have it, did not like the sound of take more dmg just to heal faster...

I dont love untamed regen for the natural health regen, tho thats a nice bonus and somehow mitigates the extra 10% damage taken. I love it because I cannot run out of stamina, no matter how hard I try. Ok, sprinting works, but I mean I cant run out of stamina by normal means.

Its true, that UR makes our rather fragile class even more glass-cannonish, but you get a lot of ooomph for that. For me, thats a decent trade off and I consider UR the best BS-feat I specced in so far. Its really good.

BTW, I know it also helps mana regen, but honestly, I never was even close to OOM even without UR. Now if Funcom sometime decides to consider us real priests and let us use mana for combos, now than we would be talking. Borderline imbalance buff that would need to be mitigated somehow, but it would make the wisdom stat somewhat useful for us. So far its nothing but dead weight. As it stands now I consider constitution and health as "the win".

 

[dee777]

Hehe, now i have TWO classes to play just because people say "oh they suck pre-20"

I just got to prove those things wrong, just for myself mind you, because i believe there is some gold nugget in each class.

Than I got a challenge for you. If you take the volcano quest as soon as you get it (10 IIRC) and dont invest uber-heavy into potions nor into pimp trader-loot and still can reasonably safe take all the two-man guard groups down without dying, you proved me wrong. Also if you manage to do so I will praise you in a public thread, however you have to tell me how you did it.

 

[old.Tohtori]

Than I got a challenge for you. If you take the volcano quest as soon as you get it (10 IIRC) and dont invest uber-heavy into potions nor into pimp trader-loot and still can reasonably safe take all the two-man guard groups down without dying, you proved me wrong. Also if you manage to do so I will praise you in a public thread, however you have to tell me how you did it.

Sure thing, or, will try

For some reason, i love tortage(might be a monkey island thing or something) and i love to play around there until i get my "groove" on. So playing a bearshaman ain't that problematic. Especially since i got to play that "storyline" through anyway.

Gotta get all out of the game

 

[dee777]

For some reason, i love tortage(might be a monkey island thing or something)...

_Thank god_ I am not the only nerd that got reminded of monkey island. ^^

 

[old.Tohtori]

*puts soapbox on floor*

*readies the a**kissing chair*

Ladidaa...

*looks around the room*

Yup...should do for now.

*gets on soapbox*

Ahehem!!

- Volcano has erupted.
- 2 man groups go down every time, three men groups with potion. Otherwise, potions left completely out.
- At level 5, took out two level 6 panthers(just fun fact )
- I only invested points in casting conc. and otherwise saved, even feats left untouched.
- All quests done ASAP, meaning, besides the destiny quests, i've done two minor quests to get to level 10 and continue destiny.

Total deaths:

-2 due to red disconnections, all freeze.
-1 due to getting a level 10 boss add after fighting off three level 9s at 10. Almost had it though
- 1 due to falling off a volcano to a pit of hot mag-ma.

To top it off, here's my headgear i've used since level 2-3

 

[old.Tohtori]

Oh yeah, how i did it.

Well, all gear is drop etc, so nothing bought.
Potions are very rarely used.
Got renew and the other..blood...thingy on f1+f2.
Pre-combat, as i'm running towards them, press f1+f2.
Forward combo, sideways combo, forward combo...etc...if battle lasts more then the 15secs for renew to cool down, reapply both renew and blood.
Keep the enemy infront of you(both) and take out casters fast.
Watch those shields and bash the empty slots!
Should leave you with, 1/3 of health or so. Sometimes more.

It's all very, well, easy really

Though i think my "cool factor" with that hoodie is giving me superhuman powers

 

[Downanael]

Seems their final fatality is pretty much pure awesomeness

YouTube - The Best Fatality in Age of Conan
[youtubevid]el71CbiDhas[/youtubevid]

 

[old.Tohtori]

Haha! That is just pure awesome in a can

Oh by the by, did the same thing with an assassin and it was rather easy on that too.

Only times you die with an assassin is if you try to "play around" and be "tricky" too much.

*waits for dees' praises*

 

[dee777]

Though i think my "cool factor" with that hoodie is giving me superhuman powers

Must be the reason since I fought exactly the same way, tho I think I was at the volcano destiny mission at level 10, tho I might be mistaken.

Credit where credits due, you were right and I was wrong. Either because I sukk major donkeyballs or because the stars werent aligned properly. Doesnt matter actually. WTG mate!
:worthy::worthy::worthy: