Question - Couple Questions from a noobie - double heals box setup (1 Viewer)

[Zero]

Hey Redguides,

So I'm back to EQ after a long break (RoS). Redguides/VV has been a bit of a savior for someone breaking back in at level 110-115, that doesn't have anyone to run content with. I'm continuing on with my original box setup of a SK/SHM/BRD. It's been going smoothly enough I'm feeling confident enough to add another 3 boxes to the crew. I spent a few hours creeping the forum as there's a ton of great posts and content that answered most of my questions, but I have a few more if anyone with more experience & knowledge could entertain me with a few minutes of their time.

1. I see lots of posts about avoiding stacking healers, but not a ton of clarity on why or how detrimental the choice would be. I was thinking of going Cleric & Shaman to be "safer" should one healer get CC'd or downed on a pull and in theory the Shaman could hybrid dps to some extent, also my SK is a bit squishy and could use the extra love. Is double stacking healers bad solely because of the loss of DPS and therefore the group will be slow? Or is there actual content that will be difficult to complete because of DPS checks or group makeup issues?
2. As a fairly casual player, I've been debating a fair amount about adding melee or caster dps. If I'm on the more casual side, hoping to clear ToV -> latest group content but not looking to farm pre-raid BiS, etc. Am I correct in my assumption a mage will be lower investment than a berserker due to gear requirements and therefore better for a filthy casual like myself? I prefer melee but I don't want to gimp myself by picking the "wrong" core dps.
3. I see a lot of love for BSTs for the aDPS. Is this true even in a caster comp? Something like SK/SHM/(enc or bard)/MAG/MAG/BST > SK/SHM/(enc or bard)/MAG/MAG/MAG?
4. Does anyone have a good link for using Mes or CC from their driver screen that I could reference? I was struggling last night to get the bard CC off effectively without it being interrupted or the bard doing weird things etc. Not sure if my macro is bad (seems to work ok) or if I'm not doing something else I should be. I stole this from Sic's hotkeys post from the newbie video page & then altered it to cast 11 (mes).
/dex Zerotune /multiline ; /mqp on; /timed 5 /twist off; /timed 10 /cast 11

Thanks
Zero

 

[durango773]

Welcome back!

1. Stacking healers hurts DPS, but if you feel safer with two, use two. And yes shaman can be very good DPS (though as dotters, takes a little bit get started).

2. Zerker and Mage are both fine, and can do current content with either. Zerkers arnt wtf OP as they had been, and take investment in a Epic, wep and type 5 HDEX augs (this is important for them). Mages just need 2 focus's and a pet ear (arms and head). However the AA count to get them "good" is high, and they can suffer from downtime due to mana use (not as bad as some classes).

3. Bst are currently a sleeper class. They do good DPS on there own, on burns they can be top DPS, plus they offer mana/end regen, fero and CE buffs/debuffs. In your listed scenario, Mage x2 and Bst would give you the best return (imo). Shock of line (all the pets) for the mages, mana regen for the mages, melee pets get the combat buffs, and the BST gives you enduring dps (they can provided sustained DPS if mages oom or die).

4. The only time "I" use direct mez, I will switch to the char and mez. 98% of the time I trust the tools to do there job (Sic's bard KA mezzes well imo).

Again, WB and best of luck in growing your new team.

 

[Sic]

welcome back

i agree with durango

 

[Zero]

Great thanks for the information, Durango! One more potentially dumb question, does it make sense to swap the BRD to an ENC for BST/MAG/MAG? Not sure how well the BRD vs ENC aDPS scales w/ the combo of pets + casters.

 

[durango773]

I will use bard over enc most of the time. Even my caster teams run with bards. The only time i use enc is on raids, and when i want to get crazy/be safe on pulls. Brd provideds better sustained ADPS (since there buffs hit pets), they need 2.0, but most of the rest of there items can be "ok". Enc though are a great safety blanket, can mez like a boss, and group runes are sorta OP (if your tank is squishy, this helps more then you would imagine, its like an extra 250k HPs when they stacks runes on you).

 

[Lusec]

While I play on a progression server I play SHM/DRU combo. I tried each healer class solo and duo as a super casual player and this is the best combo as you get access to succor/evac/ports.

I play SK/SHM/BRD/DRU with 2 fillers being whatever brothers are "actively" playing. I have a lot of brothers so I end up swapping out of NEC/WIZ/ROG/BER.

I've always wanted a BST. Let us know how you like it if you go that route!

 

[Shadow]

Hey Redguides,

So I'm back to EQ after a long break (RoS). Redguides/VV has been a bit of a savior for someone breaking back in at level 110-115, that doesn't have anyone to run content with. I'm continuing on with my original box setup of a SK/SHM/BRD. It's been going smoothly enough I'm feeling confident enough to add another 3 boxes to the crew. I spent a few hours creeping the forum as there's a ton of great posts and content that answered most of my questions, but I have a few more if anyone with more experience & knowledge could entertain me with a few minutes of their time.

1. I see lots of posts about avoiding stacking healers, but not a ton of clarity on why or how detrimental the choice would be. I was thinking of going Cleric & Shaman to be "safer" should one healer get CC'd or downed on a pull and in theory the Shaman could hybrid dps to some extent, also my SK is a bit squishy and could use the extra love. Is double stacking healers bad solely because of the loss of DPS and therefore the group will be slow? Or is there actual content that will be difficult to complete because of DPS checks or group makeup issues?
2. As a fairly casual player, I've been debating a fair amount about adding melee or caster dps. If I'm on the more casual side, hoping to clear ToV -> latest group content but not looking to farm pre-raid BiS, etc. Am I correct in my assumption a mage will be lower investment than a berserker due to gear requirements and therefore better for a filthy casual like myself? I prefer melee but I don't want to gimp myself by picking the "wrong" core dps.
3. I see a lot of love for BSTs for the aDPS. Is this true even in a caster comp? Something like SK/SHM/(enc or bard)/MAG/MAG/BST > SK/SHM/(enc or bard)/MAG/MAG/MAG?
4. Does anyone have a good link for using Mes or CC from their driver screen that I could reference? I was struggling last night to get the bard CC off effectively without it being interrupted or the bard doing weird things etc. Not sure if my macro is bad (seems to work ok) or if I'm not doing something else I should be. I stole this from Sic's hotkeys post from the newbie video page & then altered it to cast 11 (mes).
/dex Zerotune /multiline ; /mqp on; /timed 5 /twist off; /timed 10 /cast 11

Thanks
Zero

Welcome back! I hope you stick around!!

1. I ran with CLR/SHM when I first came back as well. While I rarely died, the times I did die, were surprisingly due to a lack of DPS. When things got out of control, that 1 extra DPS class means a world of difference in cutting down overall effective damage taken. I don't have numbers for an example but if you have 5 mobs all doing 20k dmg a piece every few secs, your healers have to keep up with that damage. If you can cut down one of those mobs quickly. less heals are needed overall and gives you breathing room. I know it may sound silly, but it made a difference in dropping one healer.
2. Play what you like. Pretty much everything is viable. MAG can get by further with less gear than a pure melee class, so that is an option. Additionally, you get a pet that can off-tank if your main tank goes down temporarily. Positioning isn't as much of a concern either. If you do not have /usemelee on for instance, the MAG will cast away and not look as funny always going behind the mob in a robotic fashion.
3. This goes along with both 1 and 2. BST's can act as your 2nd healer for those "oh crap" moments. Most of the time he will be DPS, and then he can assist in troubling times. I have a story about this, longer so here is a short version. SHM died on engagement to Zland. BST solo healed to victory. BST also provides other benefits and 100+ does not overlap as much with SHM as it does at a lower level. SHD/SHM/ENC/BST/MAG/MAG is definitely viable. ENC/BRD I usually try and stick to ENC for caster classes, BRD for melee classes. Either works, either is viable, just a personal preference. You could also take the extra MAG out, and throw in a NEC.
4. Trust the tools. RGMercs, KA, CWTN. They all work well and are also personal preferences. Sic's KA .inis are well-tuned for all-purpose, and work pretty much out of the gate. CWTN does work right out of the gate from level 1. If/when we get MQ2Bard, the RG world will probably turn itself upside down and mass hysteria will reign.

As always, any questions - Ask. We are here to help!

 

[Psy]

Great info here and it shows how awesome this community is.

The idea of the DRU got my attention here. BST, MAG, DRU would be interesting for casual play. DRU would ad that extra heal when/if you think you need it plus ports and buffs. While they are not great at fast dps, they do well in longer fights and can backup heal quite well.

 

[nuggy]

Great info here and it shows how awesome this community is.

The idea of the DRU got my attention here. BST, MAG, DRU would be interesting for casual play. DRU would ad that extra heal when/if you think you need it plus ports and buffs. While they are not great at fast dps, they do well in longer fights and can backup heal quite well.

yes and the druid has some nice buffs and can evac if ya get in too deep. i have a druid its nice getting around with everyone

 

[Nerdfly]

I've been duoing BST/MAG plus 2 healer mercs for a while, and am currently leveling up BRD/SHM/NEC to join them. SHM's Pact of the Wolf aura and BRD's overhaste aura both affect swarm pets, and I've already seen a big ADPS boost from them. I'm hoping to use the BRD for pulling and light CC, which has been a shortcoming with my duo so far. The NEC seemed like a good idea at the time for easy DPS; I'll see how it goes.

Bst are currently a sleeper class. They do good DPS on there own, on burns they can be top DPS,

I used to main my BST back around SoL through LDoN era, and he did pretty middling DPS back then. I've just been playing casually since I returned to EQ, but it's still shocking how much burst damage BST can do now.

 

[Zeusdracco]

i need say nothing. lol. these guys have said it all. but on the bard vs ench thing. BARD. it just offers so much to every group make-up. My current group ( just perma dropped my old main, cleric... from my group. I was duo healer as well using shaman and cleric) Built a zerker on that account. still working him up but hes going to be in the group as soon as he hits 90 lol. free xp til useful

My final iteration for my group is now... Sk tank, shaman healer, Bard because it's a bard and Bards need no introduction, rogue, beast, zerker. I think with all the buffs and auras these will really work well together. I have 120 zerkers and rogues etc that i was using but had to relevel new toons to format the team this way. was a ton of work and I'm almost done finally. loving how it will look on paper. hoping i love it in game

( i can log on my ench/cleric/druid/pallie/ranger for buffs for that team if i want.)

blah blah blah lol. anyway, Welcome Back. enjoy the game and enjoy this site. it has so much to offer

 

[Zero]

Thanks everyone for all the detailed input. I ended up w/ SHD/SHM/BRD/BST/MAG. Haven't decided if I'm going to duplicate mage or do a wiz or druid for teleporting goodness, but that's a question for tomorrow!

Thanks again I really appreciate all the input and considerations.