Idea - 3 Box group set up with SK as a Tank.....

[EQman0311]

What are some good box setups with SK as the Main tank? I am currently running SK/Wiz/Enc. Was thinking of swapping out Wiz and Enchanter for Rogue Shaman. Any ideas?

 

[krause]

Shadowknight, Cleric and Enchanter all the way!

Add 3 DPS mercs and start rocking!

 

[EQman0311]

No no dps class? just rock all 3 DPS mercs?

 

[drcrimzon]

Yep, merc cleric is iffy, tank sucks over 60. That leaves dps.

 

[Warl0ck45]

with mercs you got a lot of options. Pretty much with your base crew (tank, CC/slow, DPS.... mercs handle healing) you can interplay any class you take a fancy to giving a try.

For instance BL is awesome DPS+slow with gimp shaman buffs, could easily swap ENC or WIZ for it.

Mage offers DPS+Tank, so you can easily swap with tank or wiz

Rogue/Ranger/Zerker all melee DPS. Would do awesome swapping with wiz.

Can keep going but I am repeating the obvious. My advice is always play what you like, cause the important part is you liking it =)

Personally I am working on 1 of every class, so I can have personal knowledge of how they work. It is one thing to take someone's word, whole other to KNOW =)

 

[Inkie]

With only 3, I'd vote SK, ench, dru.
Wiz is awesome but then you depend on merc heals and they always glitch eventually.

Cleric makes better healer but then no ports if only 3 box.

If 4 is an option : SK, ench, wiz, cleric is very solid

 

[Jax]

My "main" is my SK. I started out with a bard as second toon, then got a cleric. That three combo is awesome. Add three caster DPS mercs and rock on. Bard adds so much to the group.

Of course I got greedy for more DPS and made a wizard so now I am Sk, bard, cleric, wiz (two caster dps mercs)

 

[EQman0311]

And a druid can heal the group fine just like the Cleric could?

 

[Hanlons Razor]

And a druid can heal the group fine just like the Cleric could?

Not as good, but much better than a merc cleric. It depends on whether you want all the utility that a druid brings, especially the ports.

Personally I would increase it to 4 and go Sk/Clr/Wiz/Brd.

 

[EQman0311]

So you all would put a Bard instead of Enchanter?

 

[Hanlons Razor]

Bard is probably the one class in my group that I'd never replace for anything. It brings a tremendous amount of mana and aDPS, Selo's speed is addictive, and it's (IMO) the easiest class to DS PL with.

 

[Dretski]

I'll take a chanter over a bard any day. With that said, I have both.

 

[EQman0311]

HAHAH nice

 

[drcrimzon]

My group is SK, BRD, CLR, WIZ. I've tried DRU and SHMs for healing, and found the CLR blows them away, from random 1-2 wipes per night, to never wiping. Almost instant Combat rez FTW, not to mention not having to stop combat after a death/rez to get an xp rez afterwards.

As far as Bard, I've tried ENC somewhat, but ended up missing the mana from the bard. The Wiz can burn all the time, and never drop below 70%. I may try ENC again once they nerf the bard's DP, but I couldnt find a benefit to the ENC for the mana loss.

So, ultimately, SK, BRD/ENC, CLR gives you a solid foundation that can go anywhere, do anything. I would beg you to add a WIZ in there, and fill out the rest of the part with WIZ Mercs, don't wait like I did and have to PL a WIZ up to catch up. Leave him F2P until you get to COTF / major AA territory and then decide.

 

[EQman0311]

Can Bard CC as well as Enchanter?

 

[Hanlons Razor]

Can Bard CC as well as Enchanter?

Not as well, but well enough to keep a few mobs mezzed at a time which is enough for most people's needs.

- - - Updated - - -

I ended up with SK/Clr/Brd/Shm/Wiz as the support crew for my melee DPS main. Sham is honestly just b/c I like optimizing melee DPS (sham 2.0 for burns, focus, etc)... I'd prob do better with another wizard instead of sham.

Leveled up an enc to 86 during my "testing" phase, but didn't use it much really. I'd be interested to hear some of the reasons I'd go with an enchanter over my bard, no sarcasm intended I just don't know much about enchanters beyond level 60.

 

[Razkle]

Shadowknight, Cleric and Enchanter all the way!

Add 3 DPS mercs and start rocking!

yup totally agree! unless you swap chanter for bard, either are fantastic

 

[drcrimzon]

Can Bard CC as well as Enchanter?

My only issue with the bard, is more than 3 mobs in camp, the bard is constantly mezzing. No songs, no melee, just mezzing. Enc buffs are always there, and Enc can lock everything down and still nuke before having to start over.

 

[Sum1]

I recently spent more time playing my enchanter (my main has been a bard for a really long time). With runes and easy ae mezzing, chanters are a very powerful class. I now pull 2-4 mobs at a time in TBM zones and lock them down without issues using a SK tank. All are debuffed and slowed before the SK wakes mobs, and I'm still nuking. Additionally, there's a really neat DoT that returns mana on nukes, so I make sure that's the first damage item on every mob after the SK wakes it.... I NEVER run out of mana, and I'm basically NEVER sitting (always nuking or dot'ing or cc'ing or pulling).

 

[Hanlons Razor]

It definitely sounds like Enc is a bit more optimal for a caster-focused box group than Bard. I'm a melee main and love optimizing my melee DPS so the bard is just too good for me. I'll have to try one if I ever start a second group with the tank/clr/3wiz setup.

 

[EQman0311]

So what is your setup group with Melee? Because I was thinking of swapping out Wiz with either Zerker or Rogue

 

[Hanlons Razor]

So what is your setup group with Melee? Because I was thinking of swapping out Wiz with either Zerker or Rogue

My main for the longest time was a monk, so I was running Monk+Sk/Shm/Clr/Brd/Wiz. The Bard and Shaman are pretty big for melee ADPS. I mostly have the shaman DPSing and providing patch heals when shit hits the fan. I just changed the Monk out for a Zerker because I'm bored with Monk and wanted a new main. If I really wanted to go all out on the melee ADPS, I'd probably add a Ranger or maybe Rogue in place of the Wizard. May still do that eventually, but I really love the wizard for ports and DPS.

If anyone is interested in running a monk, I spent a good bit of time getting mine setup and shared the journey here: http://www.redguides.com/community/showthread.php/27236-DPS-with-a-Monk-An-ongoing-project

edit: after the last patch, my SK is doing some really impressive DPS with a 2her out. Going to see how much content I can get away with doing without a 1h/shield!